On Wednesday, 25th September, The Exchange in Sturminster Newton will host a special event featuring one of Britain’s most successful event riders, William Fox-Pitt, in conversation with his wife, BAFTA-winning racing presenter Alice Plunkett. William was the first British rider to become eventing’s World No 1 – a distinction he achieved four times. He has represented his country consistently over the last 24 years, including at five Olympic games, and is the only rider to have won five of the six CCI**** worldwide titles.
The fortunate audience will hear him speaking about his stellar 40 year career in eventing and his experiences at the Olympics – the winner of three Olympic medals himself, William has been involved as both trainer and coach at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He will also talk about his recent decision to retire from 5 star events while continuing to train at his state of the art stables in North Dorset.
Both William and Alice are kindly giving their time to help raise funds for The Exchange.
A new autumn diary
The success of this year’s fundraising campaign has enabled The Exchange to broaden its event offerings throughout the autumn, complementing the impressive lineup of bands already featured in the regular programme. Additionally, collaborative partnerships with other organisations are helping to extend the centre’s reach within the community.
In October, working with both Dorchester Arts and Artsreach, there is A Little Bit of The Script’s the Thing, showcasing original work by local writers as part of the build-up to next years scriptwriting festival in Dorchester.
In November, Poppy Plowman, a contemporary circus artist, will be performing Turk(ish), an autobiographical show involving tightwire, live music, humour and intimate storytelling. This Artsreach event will also offer a tightwire workshop for brave participants!
In December, in partnership with Artsreach, an ensemble from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra will be performing Curious Creatures, a Sunday afternoon family concert suitable for all ages. The BSO will be working with the Dorset Music Education Hub in local North Dorset schools in advance of this concert. Tickets are available now from The Exchange, at family-friendly prices made possible by the generous support of the Pitt-Rivers Charitable Trust.
A new brochure covering The Exchange programme for the rest of the year will be available at the Cheese Festival – find The Exchange stand and find out more about what the community-run venue offers to North Dorset.
An Evening with William Fox-Pitt
25th Sep 2024, 7:30pm,
£15 tickets from stur-exchange.co.uk
