Other Services

Public Conveniences

The Town Council maintains the toilets within the Dorset Council-owned Blandford Information Centre building in the Marsh & Ham Car Park.

The Town Council also provides a toilet at the Tabernacle, located next to Woodhouse Gardens/Main Post Office.

Both toilets are free of charge.

Proof of Life

If you’re a British, Irish, Commonwealth or European Union citizen and receive a pension or other financial benefits from another country, the Town Clerk is able to approve Proof of Life requests with a signature and stamp to confirm your residency in the UK. Please note that an appointment must be booked in advance.

In January 2024, Councillors agreed that Blandford Forum residents are charged £12.50 for this service and non-residents are charged £25.00. You can pay by card or by cash at the appointment.

When you attend your appointment, you must:

• bring your Proof of Life certificate
• also bring an English translation of the certificate
• appear in person
• show us your passport (not a copy) or an alternative form of photo identification, for example, a driving licence
• bring a recent bill to show you are a Blandford Forum resident, if requesting the lower charge

Notice Boards

The Town Council has notice boards in the following locations, which display Town Council agendas, news and events:

Balmer Road Play Area
Heddington Drive
Hunt Road
Town Clerk’s office
Holland Way
Langton Road Play Area
Salisbury Road
Corn Exchange

Should you wish to display a notice, the Town Council also has two community notice boards on the Tabernacle public convenience building, next to the Post Office and Woodhouse Gardens. Please print your poster and bring it into the office so we can arrange to display it for you.

Geocache

Blandford Forum Town Council has three hides. To find out more about each location have a wander around Blandford Forum. You can read and sign the log, and increase your step count at the same time!

The Cemetery

The Town Council’s Cemetery has a Commonwealth War Graves Section containing 69 graves dating from 1915. The graves are Royal Navy, Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force, Army, Canadian Air Force and German Air Force. An information board has been installed to help recognise and remember the sacrifices faced by the Armed Forces and raise awareness among members of the public of the issues that affect the Armed Forces today. The Cemetery also houses a chapel, the only such chapel in Dorset, and one of the relatively few in Britain as a whole, to retain its original furnishings with little or no modification as well as a non-Anglican chapel. Please do take a moment for reflection.

More information can be found on the cemetery here.

Park Road Recreation Ground

In 1914 John Iles Barnes left £2,500 to the Mayor, Alderman and Burgesses of Blandford Forum for the purposes of a recreation ground. Park Road Recreation Ground was purchased and over the years the remaining stock was expended on things such as laying out a bowling green and building a pavilion. Today the site is used by Blandford Bowling Club, Blandford Cricket Club, and Blandford Football Club, as well as housing a play area and it is used by members of the public for their enjoyment.

Woodhouse Gardens / Dr Davies Memorial Garden

In 1945 the land was given to the people of Blandford Forum in memory of Alfred and Florence Woodhouse as a quiet garden for old people and very young children. In 1953 a pavilion was built, for use by the community, and today anyone can hire the use of these facilities. Throughout the years there have been various additions to the gardens, such as the commemorative paving mosaic for the Charter 400 year, or the commemorative tree for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Year in 2012.