Like many other small communities around the country Okeford Fitzpaine has an active council who, with the help of local people, strive to provide the highest possible level of facilities for local residents.

Below are just a few examples of recent projects :

Refurbishing the Pound

Over the years several attempts have been made to bring The Pound back to its former glory. In 2002 the year of the Queen's Golden Jubilee Anthea Calcott then a parish councillor decided that it was time to put some real effort into its refurbishment. The whole project took just over two years. She continues to keep the brambles cut back and tends the wild flowers which now grow in abundance.

With the help of volunteers she organised the clearing of years of undergrowth and overgrowth from the floor and above what remained of the walls.
Whilst much of the work could be done this way there were times when mechanical help was needed to level the floor and clear rubble and mud which had accumulated over the years.

The rebuilding of the dry stone wall was carried out by local expert Dave Frampton and is a work of art. All of the surviving stones were used and some imported Purbeck stone to recreate this piece of local history.
The Parish Council's Jubilee fund was called upon to pay for the extra stones, the digger and a special stone carved be local stonemason Paul Louth which commemorates the Queen's Jubilee and the volunteers who worked so hard.

A seat was donated by a local couple and posts have been installed across the front to prevent cars parking or turning.
Considering it is parallel to one of the main roads into the village the end result is a surprisingly peaceful place to sit and watch the wildlife, and was well worth the effort.

Building a Basketball Court

The Outdoor Basketball Initiative, which is sponsored by Lottery funding, gave the opportunity to extend facilities at Bowey Field by offering free basketball posts on condition that a suitable playing area was put down first.

It was decided in February 2000 to install two goal posts and work on a tarmac area was planned.
The work was completed in October 2000 with help from volunteers and grant aid from NDDC and the Rural Development Area projects fund. It would seem that this is a popular facility, which is well used.

Play Equipment

As a result of the building of Bowey housing estate in 1995 the Parish Council with the assistance of North Dorset District Council took charge of the new recreation area in Lower St.
Plans were formulated for the provision of a children's play area and with help from volunteers, goal posts were erected for informal football.

1997 saw Village Green status transferred to part of the field from Greenhayes with help from Dorset County Council to enable Greenhayes to be incorporated in the Village Hall development.
After a number of delays the children's play equipment was finally installed in December 1998, paid for with help from fund raising and grants from N.D.D.C., Signpost Housing Association, Western Challenge Housing Association and the Rural Development Area projects fund.

Refurbishing the Sports Pavilion

In 1995 the Parish Council in conjunction with the Football Club put together plans for the extension of the pavilion and car park at the recreation ground.

After two years of fund raising, grants from North Dorset District Council of £18561 and the National Lottery Sports Council of £57000 and a great deal of work by volunteers the project was completed and opened in 1997.

Because of the work put in by volunteers it was also possible to do some refurbishment work on the old part of the pavilion, which is now the main meeting place of the Youth Club started in 1999. The new extension provides a general assembly area, which looks out onto the recreation ground, a kitchen, disabled toilet and new ladies and gents toilets, two new changing rooms with en suite showers and two officials' changing rooms with showers. The extended car parking facilities and new floodlights can also be used for training.
The total cost of around £100,000 has only been possible by the efforts of the community working together and has added an invaluable asset to the parish.