12th April 2026 5.30pm – Violin concert by Emma-Marie Kabanova

Danish/British violinist Emma-Marie Kabanova studied composition and musicology and then completed a Master’s degree in performance of music by late Soviet composers at Goldsmiths College, University of London. She completed further studies in violin performance at the Novosibirsk Conservatory and studied privately with Dagmara Kalashkova,  a principal violinist of the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra in Moscow, … Read more

17th January 2026 7pm- The Rat Pack Gals

SOLD OUT : The Belle Street Duo present: The Rat Pack Gals. An interactive cabaret show celebrating the golden era of swing, bringing the timeless magic of The Rat Pack to life – with a fabulous female twist! Your chance to put on your glad rags, channel your inner Frank Sinatra or Marilyn Monroe and … Read more

20th December 2025 4pm – Shreen Harmony Christmas Concert

This is their Christmas Concert which they perform every year.  They were in the GroveBuilding last year but it was so popular they had to turn people away so this year they are in the church.  The Shreen Christmas concert has become a bit of a tradition now in Mere, they have been doing this … Read more

18th December 2025 6.00pm – Festive Carol Service

A traditional Service of Nine Lessons and Carols in St Michael’s Church, Mere. Following their success at last year’s service the singers from Oxford University are coming back, Please join us for mulled wine and mince pies after the service. 

6th November 7pm – Evensongs

An evening with Andrew Rumsey featuring songs from his new album and readings from his acclaimed book English Grounds A Pastoral Journal described as “a total delight” by Simon Jenkins. Evensongs follows Andrew’s poetic route through unlikely corners of our country’s heritage. “Really beautiful ….. Andrew Rumsey has a voice like all your favourite records … Read more

Windelstan rehearsal schedule – starts 9th Nov

Tower Stories have secured a grant to professionally record Windelstan: Anthem for Mere. A specialist recording company Classic Media will be coming on Sunday the 7th December to do this. We want as many of the original choir as possible to be involved in this and will be holding rehearsals during November and early December … Read more

5th October – The Phoenix Cafe Orchestra

The Phoenix Café Orchestra came into existence when the group’s leader, David Grierson, acquired a great stack of orchestrations of so-called light music dating from the 1920s and 1930s.  These were pieces that would have been very familiar to his great uncle who was leader of a group known as the Star Melody Makersbased in Barnsley and … Read more

AGM 1st Oct 2025

The Committee warmly invite you to join us at the AGM in St Michael’s Church on Wednesday 1st October 2025 at 6pm. The AGM agenda is found here, along with the minutes of last year’s AGM and the Friends’ Strategy 2025 which we adopted in February. We are currently finalising the speaker(s) for the same evening and … Read more

Tower Stories events 2025

The Tower Stories programme of events is now completed but here is a flavour of what has been happening in Mere thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and The Friends of St Michaels.

27th April 2025, 5pm – The Year Clock

The Year Clock, written by Tim Laycock, is a captivating play about William Barnes, the Dorset poet and philologist (1801-1886). Known for his famous poem Linden Lea, Barnes explored language and the beauty of rural life. The play traces his life through the seasons, highlighting his work, family, and his commitment to Dorset dialect. Accompanied … Read more