Two historic friendships revealed at Bayeux Court in Dorchester

When Cllr Stella Jones – who serves on both Dorchester Town Council and Dorset Council – realised few people were aware of the name’s significance, she set about finding a way to keep it alive in the community’s mind.

The sign celebrates an international connection dating back to 1944 and will help preserve the story behind the community's name. It explains the relationship between Dorchester and Bayeux, which grew from the 1^st Dorset Regiment’s contribution to the D-Day landings in June 1944. The landings helped pave the way for the liberation of Bayeux and led to the formal twinning of Dorchester and Bayeux in 1959.

Bayeux Court was named in tribute. It’s one of several sheltered communities, providing homes for older people who want to live independently, run by local housing association, Magna Housing.

Councillor Les Fry says: "It's important we remember the connection between Bayeux Court and Bayeux in France, and why this community bears that name.

“The sign helps bring that history to life and recognises a friendship that has endured for generations. It is a reminder of the legacy of the military veterans whose bravery changed the course of the Second World War."

Gareth Jones was also at Bayeux Court to help unveil the sign. The Dorchester-Bayeux Society has been helping maintain friendships between the two communities for more than 60 years, creating connections and running exchange visits.

A photograph recreated 41 years later

 The event also provided a touching reminder of Bayeux Court's own, more recent history.

Kate Legg, who works for Magna, along with her sister Dawn and the Mayor, recreated a photograph taken around the time Bayeux Court opened in 1985, when Kate’s mum, Beryl Churchill, was its first warden. The family later moved to another of Magna’s sheltered housing schemes, elsewhere in Dorchester.

The original image shows the sisters as children with Jean Le Carpentier, Mayor of Bayeux from September 1973 to June 1995.

Forty-one years later, Kate and Dawn returned to the same spot and recreated the image with Councillor Les Fry, the current Mayor of Dorchester.

For Kate, the moment brought back many happy memories. She says: "I grew up in Magna’s sheltered homes, and I have so many memories of being at Bayeux Court and the other places we lived.

“My mum loved her job and all the people she met. She did it so passionately, and I can remember helping with weekly bingo nights and all sorts of other social events here.

"Coming back to Bayeux Court and recreating the photograph with Dawn and the mayor was really special. It brought back so many memories of the people, the events and the sense of community that made this place feel like home."