From 2000 AD

Date	Details of the Event
2001	The 2001 census put the population of Verwood at 12,069.
2001 Sept 9th	The new guides "Verwood District Headquarters" was opened with a speech given by the district Commissioner Mrs Peggy Ganderton. Ray Reeks unveiled a plaque naming it "The Paddy Reeks Verwood Guide Headquarters" in memory of his wife, a guide leader for many years who had been instrumental in initiating and raising money for the new headquarters. Paddy sadly died before its completion. It is situated in Manor Road alongside the Scouts Headquarters.
2001	The current Car Park situated behind the old Cross Road Pottery was opened. this meant that the car park in front of the Crossroads Pottery which had been the original clay pit, was remodelled as Ferret Green.
2003 Feb. 28th	The Initial Phase of the Verwood Heathland Heritage Centre (museum and Coffee shop) was officially opened by the Rt. Hon, the Viscount Cranborne.
2005 Jun. 13th	Phase II of the Verwood Heathland Heritage Centre which was extended for further Exhibition Space and Research Centre, was opened by the Marquess of Salisbury (previously the Rt. Hon, the Viscount Cranborne).
2005	Verwood's Safeway's Supermarket becomes a Morrison's Supermarket.
2005	Verwood Town and the Twinning Association was awarded the European Diploma.
2005 March 16th	The Verwood Day Centre in Dorset will provide services, including a multi-sensory room, for 25 people. Toni Coombs, local county councillor for Verwood, said: "I'm delighted that the centre is open.
2005 - Sept.	Hopkins Newsagents - The longest surviving shop in Verwood closes when its current owner Julian King Retired.
2005 - Dec.	Verwood & Three Legged Cross Twinning Association visit to to Liederbach in Germany - Report.
2005 - Dec.	The Rotary "Christmas Extravaganza" took place on Ferrett Green. - Select the info button for pictures.
2005 Dec 11th	Local Mayors from the area at the Civic Function held in the Verwood Heathland Heritage Centre and the Memorial Hall.
2006	The Building of Verwood's new community Centre at Bakers Farm commenced. It became know as the HUB shortly after.
2006 Mar 3rd	The magnificent quilt made over a period of two years by the Crane Valley Quilters and donated to Verwood Memorial Hall, raised £470. Edna Cutler, aged 81 and one of the quilters, drew the raffle on 22nd February.
2006 July 9th	Forest FM ("East Dorset's first Community Radio Station") broadcasting from Ebblake in Verwood had their Official Launch at 10 am Sunday when the Member of Parliament Chris Chope OBE, officially opened the station.
2006 Aug 25th	The Heathland Heritage Heritage hosted the 1st "Tales at the Pottery event" as part of East Dorset Councils "Sting In The Tale" Festival of Stories with Michael O'Leary.
2006 Aug 28th	"Classic Pam and Ron" - Retirement of Pam and Ron Reeks from the organisation of the Vintage Vehicles displays at the Rustic Fayre.
2006	The extension to the Three Legged Cross Recreation Ground was opened.
2006 Nov 30th	"The Golden Oak" tree commemorating the Silver Jubilee of King George V & Queen Mary, planted by Harvey Sims (aged 5) and Lady Limpus in 1935, was removed in August 2006 for road improvements. A new Japanese Oak replacement was planted by an older Mr Harvey Sims and the 2006/7 Mayor - Jane Russell. Harvey worked in the family building firm (Sims Brothers) based at Eastworth Farm all his life. He was presented with a wooden bowl made by Chris Albray. The picture shows Mr Harvey Sims and the 2006/7 Verwood Mayor - Jane Russell.
2006 Dec 3rd	Local Mayors from the area at the Civic Function held in the Verwood Heathland Heritage Centre and the Memorial Hall on the 3rd December 2006.
2006 - Dec.	The Rotary "Christmas Extravaganza" took place on Ferrett Green. - Select the info button for pictures.
2007 Jan 22nd	Mr Chris Cheesman, who was previously the Manager of the Barrington Centre in Ferndown, took up his post as the manager of The new Verwood HUB when it opened its doors for the first time.
2007 Mar 12th	The new Verwood HUB is officially handed over to the Trustees by East Dorset District Council. (It has now become Lifestyle Verwood after extensions in 2013).
2007 - May	"April Cottage" situated between the URC Church and the Heritage Centre was demolished for flats and shops. This site had previously been the site of the Crossroads Pottery Kiln and an Archeological dig was organised. Mr. Fred Thorne who worked at the pottery said that he made perfume pots for the London store of Liberty's, but there was no evidence, till one was found during this dig.
2007 May 22nd	For a full report (and pictures) on the twinning visit by our friends from Champtoceaux then please visit the Twinning Website.
2007 June 4th	On the 50th anniversary of the European flag, through the Twinning Association, "Verwood & Three Legged Cross" was the only UK municipality in Europe to be awarded the "European Flag of Honour" in 2007 along with 23 others in Europe. Rushmoor in Hampshire was the only UK town to be awarded the "European Diploma" which "Verwood and Three Legged Cross" was awarded in 2005. Nuremberg won the overall 2007 "Europe Prize".
2007 - August	East Dorset were invited in to run the Verwood Hub on a short term basis due to the retirement of the previous manager due to Ill health. Tracy Cooper became the temporary Marketing Manager.
2007 - sept	A new book "VERWOOD VILLAGE TO TOWN" written and compiled by Jill Coulthard was published under the auspices of the Verwood Historical Society.
2007 Oct 19th	Verwood extended a warm welcome to the Hon. Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Europe, Kerstin Eckman who presented Verwood and 3LX with the European Flag Of Honour at a Civic Celebration held at the Verwood HUB
2007 Oct 20th	A Special Fun Day was held in the Centre of Verwood to celebrate the awarding of the European Flag of Honour to Verwood & 3LX. "FLAGFEST"
2008 - April	A new manager was appointed to run the HUB taking over from the temporary management of EDDC.
2008 - May	The new row of shops facing Ferrett Green and adjacent to the Heritage Centre is inaugurated with the opening of the new SPAR store. This was the site of April Cottage which previously had been the site of the kiln for the Crossroads Pottery.
2008 - May	Verwood Carnival - For the first time in its history this was cancelled due to bad weather. (it rained and rained and rained.)
2008 May 19th	New finger post on Ferrett Green. The sign situated near the new "Spa" shop shows the distance and direction of Verwood's Twin Towns of Chmptoceaux (246 mls) & Liederbach (485 mls). It was presented by Mr Terry Bright (centre), the chairman of the Verwood and 3LX Twinning Association to The Town Council represented by incoming Mayor Cllr. Lucy Clark (L) and its outgoing mayor Cllr. Alec Nicholls (R)
2008 June 20th	"The Pavilion" in memory of Teresa Tanner (The Deputy Head who died of Cancer) was opened at Hillside 1st School. Allan Wells & Harold Foster from Verwood's Rotary Club presented a cheque for £500 (raised at the Rustic Fayre) as a contribution to the cost.
2008 - Sept	Verwood's record breaking paralympic cyclist Darren Kenny, who has cerebral palsy after an accident during a tour race has, since winning 1 silver and 2 gold medals at the Paralympics in Athens, gone on to increase his medal count at the Paralympics in Beijing with 1 Silver and 4 Gold Medals.
2008 Nov 23rd,	Verwoods Mayor Cllr Lucy Clark and the Town Council welcomed dignitaries from the local areas with a visit to the Verwood Heathland Heritage Centre and Verwood HUB
2009 - Jan.	The new "Tesco Express" store opened, which replaced the "One Stop" shop, purchased by the Tesco Group a few years earlier
2009	Verwood Methodist Church Celebrates its 100 year anniversary.
2009 13th April	Well known resident Brian Hall died aged 77. Brian lived his entire life in the village/town, serving on the council and being involved in many local charities including the annual carnival. He was also a strong supporter and later president of Verwood "Rugby Union Football Club" as well as the local cricket club. He was also the owner of the the local Estate Agency that bore his name untill its sale.
2009 - July	Verwoods New British Legion was threatened with Imminent Closure and attempts to revert to a British Legion Club allowed an initial stay of execution till December 31st.
2009 9th May	Verwood MemorialHall celebrates the Jubilee of its opening, It was opened on the 9th May 1959 after many years of gestation. Select here for an article on its history.
2009 14th Sept	Mr William Wells (who retired as a councillor in 1993) opened the new extension to Verwood Town Council's Offices to contain their help centre (which was originally opened in 1996). Attending the ceremony were Cllr Michael Dolan (Mayor), Cllr Mrs Pauline Reynolds (chairman of EDDC) and Mr John Wilson (chairman of DCC).
2009 26th Sept	Past members and their partners held a re-union in Verwood Methodist Church where they enjoyed a meal and presentation.
2009 11th Oct	Dorset Dignataries joined Verwoods Mayor Mike Dolan and residents for a civic service held in St. Michaels and All Angels church. They included the Deputy Loeutenant Professor Gillian Slater and her husband, Councillor Pauline Reynolds (chairman of EDDC) and mayors from Bridport, Chickerell, Ferndown, Gillingham, Lyme Regis, Poole, Portland, Ringwood, Shaftesbury, Swanage, Wareham, Weymouth and Portland, Wimborne and Yeovil. Chairman from Colehill, St. Leonards * St. Ives, and West Moors parish councils.
2009 November	Railway history was made when the first steam train ran from Swanage to London since the Swanage line was closed in 1966. The 11 coach train was pulled by "Tangmere", a Bullied Pacific steam locomotive which had been rescued from the Barry scrapyard in 1981; its long restoration was completed in 2003.
2009 Dec 6th,	Mayors Reception - Verwoods Mayor Cllr Mike Dolan and the Town Council welcomed dignitaries from the local areas with a visit to the Verwood Heathland Heritage Centre where they enjoyed an illustrated talk on the area given by Pam Reeks and later enjoyed a reception and meal in the Verwood HUB.
2009 8th Dec	On tuesday the 8th Dec 2009 at 1 p.m. the funeral of Rifleman Philip Allen from Verwood took place in Wimborne Minster. The soldier who was 20 years old died in Afghanistan in November 2009 where he had been serving in Helmand Province when he was killed by an IED. He left behind his Family fiancé Karina.
2009 21st Dec.	The Royal British Legion announces the sale of the Verwood Legion Branch which it is now planned to close in February 2010.