Settling in · Wimborne
Landing in Wimborne? Start here.
The first fortnight in Wimborne, in order: the paperwork that has to happen, then the places that make it feel like somewhere you could stay.
Week one and two
The order to do things in
1
Ring your Sama contact when you land
Whoever placed you. Tell them you arrived and that you are all right.
2
Apply for your National Insurance number
You can start work before it arrives, but do not leave it: your tax will be wrong until you have it.
3
Open a bank account
Passport, visa or share code, and proof of address. A letter from your employer usually does it.
4
Get a UK SIM
A local number makes the bank and the GP straightforward.
5
Register with a GP
Free at the point of use. Do it in your first week.
6
Check your tax code with HMRC
Get on the right code early or you will be paying too much for months.
7
Save your share code
You will be asked to prove your right to work and rent more than once.
8
Find the nearest shop, place of worship and club
The part that decides whether you stay, and the part no handbook covers.
Official, and free
Official finders
Run by the State, so they stay current. Search each one for your own town.
Find a GPThe NHS list of GP surgeries, searchable by postcode.Apply for a National Insurance numberYou need one to be taxed correctly. Apply once you are in the UK.Find an NHS dentistHarder than the GP. Start early and ring around.Check your visa and BRP or eVisaView and prove your immigration status online.Find your local police stationEmergency is 999 or 112. Non-emergency is 101.Understand your tax codeCheck what HMRC thinks you earn, so you are not overtaxed for months.Driving on a foreign licenceHow long you may drive on it, and whether it can be exchanged.Renting: know the rulesYour rights as a tenant, deposit protection and what a landlord may and may not do.Citizens AdviceFree, independent help with anything at all.Public transportNational rail and bus times and tickets.
Near you
81 places in Wimborne worth knowing in week one
From OpenStreetMap, the map that locals build, plus places our team knows. Every card has a map link. If one has closed or moved, WhatsApp us and it comes down.
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Places of worship
Every faith near you, listed so people can find a community when they arrive. Sama Talent Group is not affiliated with any religion or religious organisation.
Churches
Minster of St. Cuthburga
Christian, Anglican
High Street, Wimborne Minster, BH21 1HT
St Michael and All Angels Church
Christian, Anglican
Colehill Lane, Furzehill, BH21 2RY
About 2 km away
Parkstone Baptist Church
Christian, Baptist
11 Loch Road, Poole, BH14 9EX
About 9 km away
The Salvation Army - Branksome
Christian, Salvation army
Davis Road, Parkstone, Poole, BH12 2BA
About 9 km away
Salvation Army
Christian, Salvation army
2 New Orchard, Poole, BH15 1LY
About 9 km away
Hope Community Church
Christian, Pentecostal
Hawthorn Road, BH9 2QL
About 10 km away
The Salvation Army
Christian, Salvation army
1 Latimer Road, Bournemouth, BH9 1JY
About 10 km away
Corfe Mullen Family Church
Christian, Evangelical
Wareham Road, Corfe Mullen, BH21 3LE
About 4 km away
Mosques and prayer rooms
Poole Mosque
Muslim, Sunni
59-61 Ashley Road, Poole, BH14 9BT
About 9 km away
Iglesia ni Cristo
Iglesia ni Cristo, Bournemouth
About 13 km away
673 Christchurch Road, Bournemouth, BH7 6AA
Worship services: Thu 6:15pm · Sat 10:30am · Sat 12:30pm (children)
Iglesia ni Cristo, Salisbury
About 33 km away
URC hall, 30 Fisherton St. Salisbury, SP2 7RG England
Worship services: Tue 6:00pm · Sat 4:00pm
Iglesia ni Cristo, Gillingham, Dorset
About 38 km away
Salisbury st. Mere, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 6HA
Worship services: Thu 6:15pm · Sat 10:30am
Iglesia ni Cristo, Southampton
About 41 km away
St. Peter's Church, Lockerly Cresent, Southampton, SO16 4ER
Worship services: Tue 6:00pm · Sat 4:00pm · Sat 6:00pm (children)
Addresses and worship service times from the Iglesia ni Cristo directory, checked October 2026. Times can change, so check the locale's own page before you go. directory.iglesianicristo.net
Shops from home
Food and takeaways
Club Desh
Indian. restaurant
372 Ringwood Road, Ferndown, BH22 9AT
About 7 km away
Lotus Lounge
Chinese. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 12:00-14:30,17:00-23:00
99 Commercial Road, Poole, BH14 0JD
About 9 km away
Sammi's Indian Restaurant
Indian. restaurant. Hours: Mo-Su 18:00-00:00
189 Bournemouth Road, Poole, BH14 9HU
About 9 km away
China Fusion
Chinese. takeaway. Hours: Mo-Su 17:00-23:00
195 Bournemouth Road, Poole, BH14 9HU
About 9 km away
Khybar Indian Takeaway
Indian. takeaway
259 Blandford Road, Poole, BH15 4HW
About 9 km away
Sakuna Khrua Thai
Thai. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Th 17:30-21:30; Fr,Sa 17:30-22:00
18 High Street, BH15 1BP
About 10 km away
Rimjhim
Nepalese, indian. restaurant. Hours: Tu-Su 12:00-14:30,17:30-23:00; Mo off
4 West Street, Wimborne Minster, BH21 1JN
Cinnamon Restaurant
Indian. restaurant. Hours: 17:00-23:00
52 Victoria Road, Ferndown, BH22 9HZ
About 7 km away
Blue Diamond
Chinese, asian, peking. takeaway
48 Sea View Road, Poole, BH12 3JY
About 8 km away
Sports and clubs
Ashdown Leisure Centre
Badminton, basketball, netball, tennis, athletics. Sports centre. Hours: Mo-Th 06:30-21:45, Fr 06:30-21:00, Sa-Su 08:00-18:00
Adastral Road, Poole, BH17 8RE
About 6 km away
Poole Dolphin Leisure Centre
Swimming, diving, gym. Sports centre
Seldown Bridge, Poole, BH15 1RZ
About 9 km away
Fishing spots and tackle shops
Days out and things to do
Driving schools
A2B School Of Motorcycling
Driving school
Alder Road, Bournemouth, BH12 4AB
About 9 km away
TizWaz
Driving school. Hours: Mo,Tu,Th,Fr 10:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-16:00
652 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, BH9 2AR
About 10 km away
Community and support groups
Colehill Memorial Hall
Community centre
Cannon Hill Road, Furzehill, BH21 2LS
About 3 km away
Alderney West Community Centre
Community centre
75 Bedford Road South, Poole, BH12 4PR
About 6 km away
Sturminster Marshall Memorial Hall
Community centre
Churchill Close, Sturminster Marshall, BH21 4BQ
About 6 km away
Kinson Hub
Community centre. Hours: Mo,Tu,Th,Fr 09:00-17:00; We 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:30-14:00
Lake Road, Kinson, BH11 9AZ
About 7 km away
Barbers and hair specialists
Hot towel and traditional shaves
Barbers and salons
The Barbers Lounge
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Fr 08:30-17:00; Th 08:30-19:00; Sa 08:00-16:00
216 Lower Blandford Road, Broadstone, BH18 8DX
About 4 km away
R1 Barbers
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-Sa 09:00-19:00; Su 10:00-19:00
554 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, BH9 2ER
About 10 km away
Shorties Barbershop
Hairdresser. Hours: We 10:00-17:00; Th 10:00-19:00; Fr 10:00-18:00; Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 10:00-16:00
Allens Lane, Poole, BH16 5DA
About 8 km away
Toni & Guy
Hairdresser. Hours: Mo-We 09:00-18:00; Th 09:00-19:00; Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-16:00; Su off
27 Kingland Crescent, Poole, BH15 1TA
About 9 km away
Cinemas and libraries
Winton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Tu, Fr 09:30-17:00; Sa 09:30-13:00; Th 09:30-18:00; Mo,We,Su off
624 Wimborne Road, Bournemouth, BH9 2EN
About 10 km away
Wimborne Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-18:30; Tu 09:30-13:00; We off; Th 09:30-18:30; Sa 09:30-16:00
Crown Mead, Wimborne Minster, BH21 1HH
Corfe Mullen Children's Centre and Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Wareham Road, Corfe Mullen, BH21 3JY
About 3 km away
Canford Heath Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Th,Fr 10:00-13:00,14:00-17:00; Sa 10:00-13:00; Tu,We,Su off; Fr 13:00-18:00
Mitchell Road, Poole, BH17 8UE
About 7 km away
Colehill Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Middlehill Road, Furzehill, BH21 2SE
About 3 km away
Broadstone Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,We,Fr 09:30-17:00l Tu,Sa 09:30-13:00, Th,su off
10 Story Lane, Broadstone, BH18 8EQ
About 4 km away
Creekmoor Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Fr 10:00-13:00,14:00-17:00; Tu,Th,Sa 10:00-13:00; We,Su off
34 Northmead Drive, Poole, BH17 7XZ
About 6 km away
Ferndown Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo 10:00-18:00; Tu 09:30-18:00; We 09:30-13:00; Th 09:30-19:00; Fr 09:30-18:00; Sa 09:00-16:00
Ferndown Town Centre, Ferndown, BH22 9JY
About 7 km away
Kinson Hub
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,We 09:00-18:00; Tu,Th,Fr 09:00-17:00; Sa 09:30-13:00; Su off
Wimborne Road, Kinson, BH11 9AW
About 7 km away
West Howe Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi. Hours: Mo,Th 10:00-13:00, 14:00-17:00; Tu,Sa 10:00-13:00; We,Fr,Su off
Cunningham Crescent, Bournemouth, BH11 8DU
About 7 km away
Upton Library
Library, free to join, warm, and with wifi
Upton Court, Upton, BH16 5JF
About 7 km away
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. We do not make places up: if the map has it wrong, fix it on openstreetmap.org and it comes through at the next refresh.
Saving money
What locals use to spend less
The shops and sites people here use for cheap clothes, second-hand furniture, a car, and the weekly shop. We are not paid to list any of them.
Facebook Marketplace and GumtreeSecond-hand furniture, bikes, tools and cars, often for very little. Meet in public, and never pay before you see it.Freecycle and OlioThings people give away for free, and food from neighbours and shops that would otherwise go in the bin.Too Good To GoSurprise bags of food from cafes, bakeries and supermarkets at the end of the day, at a fraction of the price.PrimarkCheap everyday clothes, work basics and bedding.Aldi and LidlThe cheapest big supermarkets for the weekly shop.B&M and Home BargainsCleaning products, kitchen kit and household bits for less.Charity shopsClothes, coats and furniture, and the money goes to a good cause.MoneySavingExpertFree guides to cheaper phones, energy, bank accounts and sending money.
Getting around
Getting around from Wimborne
TravelineBus, coach and train times for the whole of Great Britain.National RailTrain times, tickets and railcards.Transport for LondonThe Tube, buses and the Oyster and contactless fares.
Driving here on your licence
Once you live in Great Britain you can drive a car or motorcycle on your full, valid licence for 12 months. After that, a licence from a designated country can be exchanged for a GB licence; from other countries you apply for a provisional licence and pass the theory and practical tests. Lorries, minibuses and buses have stricter rules: check before you drive one.
Check your licence on GOV.UK Exchange a licence
Hiring a car
Each rental company sets its own rules on age, how long you have held your licence and which licences it accepts, and young drivers often pay more. Check those rules before you book, and bring your licence and passport to the desk.
Driving rules taken from the official pages linked above, checked October 2026. They change, so the official page is the one to rely on.
While you are here