The Conduit Magazine - September 2020

Crossing counties,

look inside for info on the best events and activities in

West Dorset and

Magazine

South Somerset

Why is Yeovil coach jumping for joy?

Issue 234 September 2020

Find out on p32

INSIDE THIS MONTH

Visit the Bishop’s Palace | Spicy Recipes from the Curry Queen | Why walking is good for the soul | The Midsomer Margin Killer | Remembering Sherborne Bombing

Serving Bruton, Castle Cary, Crewkerne, Ilminster, Langport, Sherborne, Somerton, Wincanton, Yeovil & Surrounding Villages www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

Established in 1826, Pittards is world-famous for its high quality leather and still makes it locally in Yeovil today.

Visit the factory store to buy direct from a huge range that includes gloves, bags, accessories and leather for crafts.

Pittards, Sherborne Road, Yeovil, BA21 5BA Coffee shop, free car park.

Mon-Fri 9.00am-5.00pm

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SUMMER CAMPAIGN L A5 v1.indd 1

10/06/2020 17:46

From the Editor Recently we have seen a much loved magazine disappear from our shelves. The Blackmore Vale Magazine (BVM) is no more and I wanted to take a moment to pay tribute to a weekly magazine that always provided such a great mix of interesting stories, public information and a comprehensive local services guide. The monthly, full colour Conduit magazine is different from the BVM, but also aims to give its readers that special “community” buzz as well as hoping to encourage some cross pollination across Dorset and Somerset with our extensive coverage of numerous What’s On and Arts events taking place across the two counties. Unlike the BVM we are an independently owned magazine, and like many other independent businesses rely on your support to continue on our mission. You can “do your bit” to keep us in your lives by recommending us to businesses as a great place to promote their goods and services and by asking your local shop, newsagent or coffee shop if they would like to keep a few copies to hand email us and we will arrange delivery to these outlets.

Contents WHAT’S ON p4 Info on markets, online workshops and social activities

ARTS

p20 Exhibitions, online Yes, 80 years ago Sherborne was bombed! activities & Movies

By Paul Birbeck, Sherborne Walks & Blue Badge Tour Guide

GARDENING

The Midsomer Margin Killer!

ASSISTANT EDITOR Julie Locke

OCTOBER DEADLINES News and Articles: FRIDAY, 11 SEPT Advertisements: MONDAY, 14 SEPT

p10 Plan for a spectacular spring

BUSINESS p16

EDITOR & ADVERTISING Jane Adkins

HISTORY p25

Remember the Sherborne Bombing?

In 1940, Britain was at war against Nazi Germany. On 30 September 1940 at about 4.30 p.m. the residents of Sherborne got a shock. As local historian Gerald Pitman wrote “some 300 bombs, about 60 tons, were dropped in under 5 minutes.” Sherborne had become the first town in the West of England to experience a severe enemy raid.

TRAVEL p26

As the map below shows, the bombs fell in distinct lines, starting about two miles west of the town at Wyke and Lenthay Common, through thePalace, centre of the town and finishing about Visit the Bishop’s Wells a mile to the east.

MOTORING p18 Test drive a Kia CEED GT

HEALTH p32

Combating osteoarthritis

Visit our website for more Events, Services and Classifieds www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk Unit 4, Barton View Business Park, Sheeplands Lane, Sherborne DT9 4FW | 01935 424724 | info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk © The publisher is The Conduit Magazine Limited. The layout, format, design and all other aspects of this magazine are an original idea and therefore copyright of the publisher. No part of the contents may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior permission in writing. Whilst every care is taken in compiling the contents of this magazine, the proprietor assumes no responsibility for mistakes and omissions. The views of our contributors is not necessarily the view of the publisher.

3 www.remousonline.com

What’s On WHAT’S ON

Charity SHEPTON MALLET On Sunday 27 September from 11.00am to 3.00pm at Collett Park is a ‘Walk in the Park’ Fundraiser for Mendip School Pool Appeal. Join students, staff and friends of Mendip School in a sponsored walk to raise funds for a new school and community swimming pool. Bring family and friends, buggies, wheelchairs, dogs, socially distanced or virtual walking, all welcome. £5 family entry and please raise sponsorship. Please sign up and register to fundraise at www.themendipschool.co.uk.

YEOVIL New Breast Cancer Unit Appeal at Yeovil Hospital To help raise the remainder required to build this much needed unit, please look in those jewellery boxes for unwanted and/or broken jewellery to donate to the appeal. £1,380,000 raised so far; £2 million needed. Willing to support this appeal? Please contact Maggie Hague (appeal committee member) on 01963 250108.

Coffee Morning SOUTH PETHERTON Every last Wednesday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at The David Hall, there is a Coffee Morning.

Pop in for a cup of real coffee and a chat. Look around the book and bric-a-brac stalls and more often than not, listen to some live music. Free entry.

4

WEST CAMEL Every Thursday from 9.15am to 11.15am at The Davis Hall, there is a coffee morning.

Come for coffee and cakes, Post Office, books, cards, a selection from The West Camel Bakery plus eggs and local produce as available. Free entry. Please follow the signs; hand sanitiser on arrival and departure; social distancing.

Fair WELLS On Sunday 13 September from 10.00am to 4.30pm at The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens, there is the annual autumn Rare Plant Fair. The nurseries attending are carefully selected to ensure that they are genuine growers who produce most or all of the plants that they sell themselves. The range is chosen to offer the widest possible variety of plants to visitors, including perennials, shrubs and trees, alpines, bulbs and exotic plants. Admission to the event is by advance ticket only; Palace pass holders have free entry, but must book in advance. The tickets will have hourly allocated slots throughout the day. The event is held entirely outdoors, but tickets for the fair include entrance to the Medieval Palace and 14 acres of RHS partner gardens. Tickets (£7 per adult) can be booked via www.bishopspalace.org.uk.

WELLS On Sunday 30 and Monday 31 August from 10.00am to 5.00pm at The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens is the Bowlore Medieval Weekend. Lively combat specialists, Bowlore Medieval Troupe, will set up camp throughout the Palace Gardens and then hold court in different sections of the Gardens with their wonderful displays of archery and medieval weapons. See website for full range of displays, exciting demonstrations and choreographed combat! All visitors, including Palace Members, must book in advance for either the morning (10.15am to 1.15pm) or the afternoon (1.45pm to 4.45pm) session. All activities are repeated in each session.

Tickets for non-pass holders £15, child £7.50. To book, use the link via www.bishopspalace. org.uk. For more information, phone 01749 988111 or email merryn.kidd@bishopspalace. org.uk.

Contact: Julie Locke

/theconduitmagazine

E: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk

@conduitmag

Food & Drink SOMERSET & DORSET Until Monday 31 August, use the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ Scheme to support local participating restaurants, pubs and cafés.

Every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, get a 50% discount on food or non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in (up to a maximum of £10 discount per diner). No voucher, no minimum spend. To find a participating establishment, click on ‘Find Now’ at www.gov.uk/guidance/ get-a-discount-with-the-eat-outto-help-out-scheme. Eat Out and help maintain a thriving high-quality restaurant, pub and café culture!

MISTERTON Cedrics Triple Gold & Silver Winners at Taste of the West 2020. ‘No Contact’ Drive Thru. Choose from an exclusive range of awardwinning cakes, jams, chutney, marmalade, jellies and cider, as well as the basics: fresh vegetable boxes, fresh fruit boxes, fresh salad boxes, local free-range eggs, Somerset butter, local cheeses, organic yoghurt, Dorset cream, bread, bread flour, tea and coffee, etc. Order in advance or pull into the car park. Pay over the phone, collect with No Contact, then take home and enjoy! Call 01460 72592. www. cedricscakes.co.uk.

ODCOMBE Odcombe Village Hall Fresh milk available from a 24-hour vending machine.

Eastfield Farm in Tintinhull is home of Holy Cow Organic milk, and they are working extremely hard to supply organic milk straight from the farm to the local community in south Somerset via 24hour vending machines. Holy Cow Organic milk is simply pasteurised, cooled and ready to drink so no heavy processing and no food miles. The milk from their vending machine is never more than 48 hours old.

Bring along a bottle, top up, and support local farmers!

Follow us online: www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

/TheConduitMag

NORTH PERROTT North Perrott Farm Shop Fresh milk available from a 24-hour vending machine. Eastfield Farm in Tintinhull is home of Holy Cow Organic milk, and they are working extremely hard to supply organic milk straight from the farm to the local community in south Somerset via 24-hour vending machines. Holy Cow Organic milk is simply pasteurised, cooled and ready to drink so no heavy processing and no food miles. The milk from their vending machine is never more than 48 hours old. Bring along a bottle, top up, and support local farmers!

SANDFORD ORCAS The Mitre Inn Now open! The Inn has set out a number of measures so that guests can have a safe and enjoyable dining experience. Booking essential as seating inside the pub is limited. The outside bar is open for drinkers as is the garden and marquee. Opening hours are now: Wednesday to Friday from 12.00 noon to 2.00pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12.00 noon to 3.00pm; Tuesday to Saturday from 7.00pm to 10.00pm; open for drinks only on Sunday and Monday evening from 7.00pm to 9.30pm. For further information, call 01963 220271, email cheryl@mitreinn.co.uk or visit www.mitreinn.co.uk.

YEOVIL On Saturday 19 September from 10.00am to 4.00pm, eat:Festivals will be hosting an outdoors food and drink festival in Yeovil. eat:Festivals, a social enterprise, focuses on reconnecting people with the productive landscape that surrounds them. Local food and drink producers are showcased at busy one-day food and drink festivals in town centres across Somerset.

Free entry. Come along and enjoy awesome food and drink on Super Saturday! For further information, visit www. eatfestivals.org.

@conduitmag

Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change.

Market

CASTLE CARY Every Tuesday from 9.00am to 2.00pm at the Market House is a weekly open-air market. Food stalls: Bagnell Farm meat, West Country sourced fish, greengrocery and eggs, artisan bread, home-made preserves, cheese and home-made pies, Somerset Blissful Bakes, freshly-cooked Thai food and sauces, and Jack’s Mac and Cheese. General stalls: perennial plants (and advice!), felted animals (commissions taken), turned wooden items and small furniture, as well as general crafts/giftware on a casual basis. Contact 01963 351763. www.castle-cary.co.uk/ market.

CREWKERNE Every third Saturday from 9.00am to 1.00pm outside Henhayes Centre is Crewkerne Farmers’ Market. It has a comprehensive selection of around 16 stalls, offering bread and baked goods, dairy and eggs, drinks, fish, fruit, vegetables, meat, preserves and honey, speciality products, plants and flowers, and much more. For further information, visit www. somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk.

LANGPORT Every Friday from 9.00am to 12.00 noon under the clock arch in Bow Street is the Langport Country Market. This market offers a wide variety of artisan produce.

All baked goods are homemade and ingredients locally sourced. There are jams, marmalades, chutney and pickle unique to this market.

Locally sourced butter, cheese, meat and fresh vegetables in season. To order, email julia. jewell@mypostoffice.co.uk or call 01458 253508.

MARTOCK On Saturday 12 September from 10.00am to 1.00pm at the Moorland’s Shopping Precinct is Martock Farmers’ Market, with around 16 stands ranging from plants, crafts to cheese and local produce. Card payment preferred. Please observe the advice on distancing. For a table or further information, phone Fergus on 01935 822202.

SHEPTON MALLET Every Friday from 9.00am to 2.00pm at the Market Place is Shepton Mallet market. This historic market, which dates back to 1318, offers a wide range of fresh local produce (fruit and veg, bread and cheese, seafood, cider) and crafts. For further information, visit the market’s Facebook page @sheptonmalletfridaymarket or phone 07912 769731.

SHERBORNE On Sunday 20 September from 10.00am to 4.00pm, The Sherborne Market will take place along Cheap Street, Digby Road and Pageant Gardens. This handpicked and selected artisan market features local producers and suppliers, amazing food, plus arts and crafts. @thesherbornemarket.

Every third Friday from 9.00am to 1.00pm at Cheap Street is the Sherborne Farmers’ Market. Average 30 stalls. For more information, visit www.visit-dorset.com/ food-and-drink/farmersmarkets.

SOMERTON Every first Friday from 9.00am to 2.00pm at the Market Place is the Somerton Vintage Market.

Antiques, vintage, retro, artisan food, bike repairs and more.

For further information, email somertonvintagemarket@ gmail.com or visit the market’s Facebook page.

Every Saturday from 9.00am to 12.00 noon at The Unicorn Hotel skittle alley is the Wessex Country Market. This market offers a wide variety of artisan produce. All baked goods are home-made and ingredients locally sourced. There are jams, marmalades, chutney and pickle unique to this market.

Locally sourced butter, cheese, meat and fresh vegetables in season. To order, email julia. jewell@mypostoffice.co.uk or call 07767 030251 or 01458 253508.

WINCANTON Every first Friday from 9.00am to 11.30am at The Barn (via the Peace Garden) is the Wincanton Country Market.

Enjoy locally homegrown produce including cakes, cheese, jams, vegetables, and flowers. www. somersetcountrymarkets.co.uk.

WHAT’S ON

Who are

Back2Market?

Back2Market are local, family-run Removals and Clearance Specialists based in Yeovil and Sturminster Newton. Ideally situated to cover Somerset, Dorset and beyond!

At the helm of Back2Market are husband and wife team, Paul and Claire Beddow with a great team behind them, who pride themselves on providing quality, efficient and yet friendly and flexible services. Paul primarily takes care of the clearance quotes, while Claire undertakes the removal quotes – although many jobs require a bit of both, and so they each do the other as well!

The business undertakes a wide range of Removals and Clearances, as well as a range of other services, of all which include; • House, Garden, Garage/Outbuilding Clearances • Office, Industrial and other Commercial Clearances • Home and Office/Commercial Removals • Short and long-term Storage • Add-on Interior and Exterior Cleaning Services • And now, our newly expanded Probate Clearance Service – that can include Valuations for Probate and transportation of items to Auction.

Back2Market was the first Clearance business in the South West to become Which? accredited Trusted Traders. They are also members of Move Assured and the Federation of Small Business, having been a Finalist in the FSB Family Business of the Year in recent years.

You can contact Paul on 07853 275379, 01935 509057 or 0800 2425012. Or for Removals, contact Claire on 07845 231488. Or email; enquiries@back2market.com

REMOVALS & CLEARANCES

Contact us for your free, no obligation quote; Phone: 01935 509057 Freephone: 0800 2425012 Mobile: 07853 275379 Email: enquiries@back2market.com

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

5

WHAT’S ON

Open Day WEST COKER On Saturday 19 September and Sunday 20 September from 10.00am to 4.00pm at Dawe’s Twineworks, there is a Heritage Weekend.

Visit the only surviving Victorian twineworks in the UK with all its original working machinery.

Enjoy a 100 yard ‘walk’ on two floors with twisting and treatment machinery driven by a 1927 Shanks oil engine.

Guided tours generally start ’on the hour’ and last typically one hour, or take a self-guided audio tour. In the visitor centre, there is an exhibition about Nelson’s Navy’s premium sailcloth ‘Coker Canvas’.

Enjoy tea and cakes - with Twineworks Honey from Twineworks bees! No booking required. Free entry, donations gratefully received. Also open every fourth Saturday. For further information, phone 07981 166087 or visit www. westcoker.net/home-page/ ropewalk.

Social ILMINSTER Every second Friday from 12.30pm to 2.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre is the Readers Group Book Club. An informal and friendly book group that meets to chat and share ideas about the latest ‘read’.

All books are provided by the local library service. £5 per session (includes refreshments). For further information, contact Sarah at somersetwalker@gmail.com. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.

We are always keen to buy antique silver and old Sheffield plate at current prices Please telephone or call into the shop 38 CHEAP STREET, SHERBORNE DORSET DT9 3PX

01935 816828

enquiries@henrywillis.co.uk

www.henrywillis.co.uk

6

Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change.

ONLINE From Wednesday 26 August to Wednesday 28 October at 1.00pm on the Good Afternoon Choir YouTube channel is Season 2 of the online choir. No auditions required. The accent is on fun and making new friends. The online choir will sing the songs from the choir members’ weekly repertoire as well as new pieces specially arranged for them to sing from their sofas! Prior to lockdown, Yeovil’s Good Afternoon Choir sessions were on Fridays.

These online rehearsals are only accessible to members who have signed-up for the complete ten weeks. To join the online choir, email Nikki at gac@grenvillemusic.co.uk. www.goodafternoonchoir.org.

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 11.00am, join in with the Goldies Online Sing-along. The fun, free online sessions are led by Rachel and Cheryl. The sessions are recorded and go ‘live’ on YouTube. The words of the songs are on the screen so join in and Sing&Smile from home! Watch on YouTube or via the Facebook page. For more information, visit www. facebook.com/goldiesuk or www.golden-oldies.org.uk.

ArtsLink. Art for Memory and Art for Parents groups have received creative packs in the post which provide materials, ideas and instructions, plus a little bit of contact with the outside world. For further information, email office@ sherborneartslink.org.uk or visit www.sherborneartslink.org.uk.

www.u3a.org.uk, email martocku3amembership@ gmail.com, or phone 07510 178094.

Talk SHERBORNE On Tuesday 29 September at 8.00pm at the Digby Hall, the Sherborne Historical Society has a talk ‘The Wars of 9/11’. General Sir Robert Fry gives an account of the wars started by the 9/11 attacks and their place in history. Sir Robert, a Sherborne resident and former Royal Marine, was Director of Operations in the MoD 2003 to 2006, deputy commander of coalition forces in Iraq in 2006 and a subsequent witness to the Chilcott Inquiry.

He has written extensively on strategic issues and was an early trustee of Help for Heroes. Complimentary tea and coffee served from 7.15pm. Non-members £5.

For more information, visit sherbornehistoricalsociety. co.uk.

Walk LANGPORT Until Saturday 12 September starting near The Hanging Gallery is the first of Langport’s ‘Wild Art Trail’. An opportunity to walk a trail near the River Parrett to enjoy the

TOP PRICES PAID FOR OLD TOYS - any condition

Trains, cars and lorries, soldiers, etc Britains, Dinky, Corgi, Hornby, Meccano, Tri-ang, etc

01935 816072 (07527 074343) Pastimes of Sherborne, 3 Westbury (in front of the Abbey)

nature that inspires Art and visit some of Langport’s artists en route. Along the route there are cafes and bakeries to stock up with supplies and to visit.

Use the map on the Facebook page or pick up one in the locations. Social distancing at its best along the river Parrett.

For further information, visit @ TheHangingGallery.

SHERBORNE On Wednesday 16 September at 10.30am and 2.00pm at the Abbey Green outside the Abbey entrance, there will be a walk ‘Sherborne on Fire’ with Blue Badge Tour Guide Paul Birbeck. Paul will visit the lesser known sites of some of Sherborne’s association with fire. This socially-distanced walk lasts about two hours. £10 per person. Please pre-book by 6.00pm the day before the tour. To book, visit www. sherbornewalks.co.uk or phone 07989 453966. For further information, email paul@ sherbornewalks.co.uk.

On Wednesday 30 September at 10.15am and 2.00pm at the Tourist Information Centre, join Blue

ArtsLink. Parkinson’s Dance exercises have been filmed by specialist Parkinson’s Dance tutors. The videos are now available online, so keep moving and dancing!

For further information, email office@sherborneartslink.org.uk or visit www.sherborneartslink. org.uk.

Martock & District U3A groups now meet regularly online, including Ukulele, Recorder, Philosophy, and languages. For sharing news and offering support to members, there are virtual coffee mornings, as well as a special Facebook group Martock U3A Keeping in Touch. For further information or if interested in joining, visit the Facebook page,

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

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NEWS

‘SUNNY’ - LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPIL NAMES BRADFORDS’ LORRY Local builders’ merchant, Bradfords, received a special guest at their Sherborne branch on 30 July. Tilly, of Sherborne primary school, had been the winner in a previous competition held by the branch to name one of their fleet of yellow delivery lorries. This was the first chance since the outset of the pandemic for her to meet ‘Sunny’.

Branch manager Paul Harvey said: “We have a longstanding relationship with Sherborne Primary School having helped them to build their sensory garden back in 2018 and we were lucky enough to host them on several occasions during the build of our new branch on the Barton View site.

“Whilst the recent situation paused our ability to maintain the relationship in terms of visits, we wanted to bring Tilly in to see her winning name on our lorry as soon as it was safe and appropriate to do so.

“As lockdown eases and schools return in September, I’m already looking forward to being able to take the lorry into Sherborne Primary for a visit. We’re planning on using it to talk about road safety, but also to

Badge Tour Guide Paul Birbeck for ‘The Sherborne Bombing 80th Anniversary’ walk to visit the sites associated with the event. See the article on page 25. This socially-distanced walk lasts about 2.5 hours. £10 per person. Please pre-book by 6.00pm the day before the tour. To book, visit www. sherbornewalks.co.uk or phone 07989 453966. For further information, email paul@ sherbornewalks.co.uk.

Every Friday until Friday 30 October at 10.30am at the

Abbey Bookshop Cheap Street Sherborne

Wide selection of Magazines, Periodicals. Also now stocking luxury Belgian chocolates

Have your daily paper delivered.

Ask in store for details.

01935 812367

7

introduce the children to the construction sector.”

Proud of being a part of the communities it serves, Bradfords initiated the lorry naming process as part of a wider engagement initiative. Celebrating 250 years as a business in 2020, the company was keen to connect to the next generation of the South West.

Family member and employee at the firm, Giles Bradford said: “With 250 years presence in the South West we know that our heritage came from being an integral part of the communities in which we trade.

To be engaging with the youngsters is an important part of our responsibility to these communities, and it’s great to see the strength of relationships Paul and his team have developed in Sherborne.”

Tilly said she was really pleased to have won the competition and even more so to finally see ‘her’ lorry!

Bradfords’ plans to celebrate their 250th anniversary this year have understandably been put on hold given the current

Tourist Information Centre, Blue Badge Guide Cindy will lead her popular ‘Explore Historic Sherborne’ walk.

This socially-distanced walk lasts about two hours. £10 per person. Please pre-book by 6.00pm the day before the tour. To book, visit www. sherbornewalks.co.uk or phone 07989 453966. For further information, email cindy@ sherbornewalks.co.uk.

SOUTH PETHERTON On Sunday 30 August at 10.30am at St James Street car park in the village centre is a 9-mile circular walk ‘Hamstone Villages of South Somerset’.

This walk follows the Parrett Trail from South Petherton, passes through the pretty villages of Over Stratton and Merriott, and returns through Lopen. Fairly gently rolling countryside with no big hills. Estimated finish time is 3.30pm. For further information about this walk, contact Ed on 01278 651094 or 07701 389635, or email edwardlevy39@gmail.com. www.somersetramblers.co.uk.

situation, but we are assured that, even if a bit late, they won’t be missing the opportunity to share the occasion, supposedly only achieved by 1 in a billion businesses, with local customers across their network of branches when appropriate. In the meantime, Paul Harvey told us that he’s already in talks with two more local primary schools to name the other two lorries the branch operates so watch this space for the next winner!

WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK

PROPER LA NDSCAPING TR

ADE DE AL S

VISIT OUR SHERBORNE BRANCH OR ORDER ONLINE: BRADFORDS.CO.UK FIND US AT HERE Unit 5, Barton View Business Park, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 4FW GET IN TOUCH T: 01935 813254 | E: bbs.sherborne@bradfords.co.uk Monday to Friday: 7:30am to 5:00pm Saturday: 8:00am to 12:30pm

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

7

Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change.

WHAT’S ON

WELLS Until Thursday 1 September from 10.00am to 5.00pm at The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens, Wells, there is a Summer Family Activity programme to keep families entertained during the school holidays. Join in the weekly family trails based on a different theme each week, such as Colour, Dragons, Water, Gardening and Animals at the Palace. The trails are available to download from the Palace website, or visitors can collect a print-out from the onsite Shop. The trails will lead families around the Palace and Gardens and, when completed, children will be able to collect a small prize on the way out.

People’s Ticket, £15 for Adults, £7.50 for Children (age 5 to 17); this ticket allows the holder to enter for one day and return for the following 12 months.

Contact 01749 988111. www. bishopspalace.org.uk.

Workshop ILMINSTER On Tuesday 1, 15 and 22 September from 10.30am to 1.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Creative Portraits in Oil’ workshop with tutor Heather Ford. Paint a

beautiful portrait of choice and discover a variety of oil painting techniques. Suitable for beginners as well the more experienced. Bring own materials or use the materials provided. £15 per session (plus £2 if using materials provided). To book, email heatheraford@gmail.com. For further information, phone 01460 54973 or visit www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

From Wednesday 9 September to Wednesday 14 October from 10.30am to 1.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a six-week ‘Acrylics Painting’ workshop.

Explore and develop a personal painting style in this wonderfully versatile medium. This supportive and friendly workshop is suitable for students of all abilities, with particular attention given to individual needs. £90 for six workshops. Restricted numbers. To book in advance, phone 01460 54973. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

On Friday 11 September from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Slow Stitch - Contemporary Kantha’ workshop. Have fun creating an Indian envelope purse using the traditional method of running stitch to

create a simple and interesting design. Cost £15. For more information and to book, please email Paula Simpson at hello@paulasimpson.co.uk. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.

On Friday 18 September from 10.30am to 1.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Felting’ workshop with tutor Geraldine Field. Discover the joy of making felt in this fun de-stressing workshop.

Choose between making a themed item or bring a project along to work on. Beginners to advanced welcome. Cost £20, excluding materials.

Limited numbers. To book, phone 01460 55783. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

On Friday 25 September from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Slow Stitch - Fun Flower Collage’ workshop. Use new and recycled fabrics to design a hand-stitched collage of a favourite flower. Cost £15. For more information and to book, please email Paula Simpson at hello@paulasimpson.co.uk. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.

From Tuesday 29 September to Tuesday 1 December (excluding Tuesday 27 October) from 10.00am to 1.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a nine-week

‘Watercolours’ workshop with tutor Nicky Clarke. Learn the techniques of watercolour in these friendly and relaxed classes. All abilities welcome. If a complete beginner, Nicky can advise on what materials are required to get started. £15 per session. Restricted numbers. To book, Nicky on 01460 281773. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.

ONLINE ArtsLink Art at Home Visit the Arts at Home page on the website to enjoy a series of activities to share with family or to do individually.

Each activity uses basic art materials, just use whatever is at hand. New activities will be added regularly; most include image and video links.

Share creations on ArtsLink’s social media pages. www. sherborneartslink.org.uk.

ArtsLink Virtual Classrooms are now available weekly with James Budden. Choose from Drawing, Oils and Portraiture classes. If interested in joining in, please contact ArtsLink at takepart@sherborneartslink. org.uk or James at www. jamesbudden.co.uk. Please keep up the art practice at home! Take a photo and share it on social media; see the links at the bottom of the page on www.sherborneartslink.org.uk.

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BOOKS

BOOK REVIEW

By Wayne, Winstones

8, Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset. DTP 3PX 01935 816 128 winstonebooks1@gmail.com www.winstonebooks.co.uk

The Midnight Library

by Matt Haig £16.99 Between life and death there is a library. When Nora Seed finds herself in the Midnight Library, she has a chance to make things right. Up until now, her life has been full of misery and regret.

She feels she has let everyone down, including herself. But things are about to change. The books in the Midnight Library enable Nora to live as if she had done things differently.

With the help of an old friend, she can now undo every one of her regrets as she tries to work out her perfect life. But things aren’t always what she imagined they’d be, and soon her choices place the library and herself in extreme danger.

Before time runs out, she must answer the ultimate question: what is the best way to live?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new adult novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision.

Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author Matt Haig, who is the author of both fiction and non-fiction for children and adults. His work of non-fiction, ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ was a number one Sunday Times bestseller and was in the UK top 10 for 46 weeks.

Don’t forget, we can still deliver if you need us to, free within two miles of Sherborne and possibly other areas, just give us a call on 01935 816128

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9

GARDENING

UP THE GARDEN PATH

By Julie Haylock, Sandhurst Garden Design As summer slowly slips into autumn there are still plenty of plants to bring colour into your garden and lift your spirits.

Jewel coloured plants make the border look vibrant and the light at this time of year seems to make plants shine. From pink to purple and blue to the hot colours of orange, yellow and red, there are plenty to choose from to give your border an autumnal boast.

If you favour shades of pink and you like Dahlia’s, then look out for Dahlia ‘Karma Fuchsiana’ one of the cactus varieties with its quill like petals. Team it up with the magenta flowers of Salvia ‘Love and Wishes’ and the soft grass Pennistum ‘Cassian’s Choice’ with its bottlebrush like heads and it will make for a stunning display.

If you prefer blues and purples, then consider Agastache ‘Black Adder’ with its lilac-blue spires of flowers. This plant is a bee-pleaser, and as soon as they discover it in your border, the plant will be smothered! Use Penstemon ‘Sour Grapes’ and the ever reliable Aster ‘Veilchenkonigin for a combination that will give you a lovely display until the first frosts.

Perhaps you associate this time of year with red, orange and yellow planting combinations? A great duo is the yellow Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’ and Helenium ‘Waltraut’ and when planted with Achillea ‘Cloth of Gold’ will provide a blaze of colour that radiates a warm glow.

Heleniums with their velvet like petals, flower from midsummer until late autumn, their common name is Sneezeweed as the flower used to be dried to make snuff! It prefers to be in a sunny position and happy in a most soils. They look great planted with Crocosmia, Verbena Bonarienis, bronze fennel, Agastache and my ‘go to plant’ Salvia Caradonna. In fact, the first show garden we did at Taunton Flower Show we used just this combination and it looked stunning if I say so myself!

In early August Andrew and I visited Bennett’s Water Garden in Weymouth home of the National Water Lily Collection and well worth a visit if you have not been. Neatly mown paths wind around the lily-filled pools in this 8 acre garden, complete with its own Japanese Claude Monet style bridge that makes for a great photo opportunity.

Julie Haylock Garden Designer 20 Sandhurst Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 2LG

Tel: 07899 710168 Email: haylock2lg@btinternet.com www.sandhurstgardendesign.co.uk

The many varieties of water lilies looked stunning with dragonflies bobbing from lily pad to lily pad; the crystal clear water is home to fish and amphibians, including the rare great crested newt making it a valuable wildlife haven.

Contact Julie for garden and border design, planting plans, plant selection advice and garden styling

BBC Gardeners’ World Live Gold Medal Award Taunton Flower Show Gold Medal Award and The Western Daily Press Cup for Best Show Garden

Finally, on the garden design front, it has been another very busy month. Our latest project in Bridgwater, designed and planted by Sandhurst Garden Design and built by Silverbirch Landscapes, was completed and with very happy clients, Check out the photographs of the garden, including at night time on my website www. sandhurstgardendesign.co.uk and see the trees and planting illuminated!

Garden Landscape & Construction Services

www.sherbornegardenangels.co.uk 01935 310302

Until next time Julie

Rudbeckia flower from midsummer to late autumn and the classic ‘Goldsturm’ with its yellow petals and black conical centre grows to 60cm tall and makes for an eye-catching display. They like to be in a sunny spot or dappled shade and to keep them looking good remove faded blooms.

I hope that the planting combinations I have suggested has whet your appetite and will have your rushing to your local garden centre to plant yourself a gorgeous autumn display!

10

Sandhurst Garden Design

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GARDENING

SUNROOMS FOR EVERY PURPOSE

By Liv Sabat The company I work for has recently undergone some serious rebranding; they went from being called Luksus Outdoor Living to being called SunroomsUK. This means I felt it appropriate to talk about how sunrooms can be used for just about any purpose you can think of, from a dining room to an outdoor gym, it’s all covered by this article.

Let’s look at the more general/obvious uses first, shall we?

Obviously, there’s the dining room. A sunroom can be used as the most amazing dining room extension to ANY home or restaurant, providing the ultimate sense of al fresco dining. Then there’s the living room, which encompasses the family room and reading room purposes. An entertainment space is also an obvious one, whether that be a TV room, a games room, or even a hobby room; they perfectly accommodate all of these uses.

those who do I can think of no better way to enjoy that kind of space.

Finally, we have the ‘whatever you want’ room. As the name suggests you can use this room for absolutely anything you want, meaning the possibilities are endless. This room could be a hot tub cover, a snooker room, a room housing your football table, a playroom, or just a lounging space.

Now, having talked about all these uses it’s important to remember that sunrooms aren’t limited to only these. When I looked up sunrooms, I saw people using them as carports and swimming pool covers, which I think is just amazing. I recommend doing your research first and going with the best option that suits you or your business.

When you think carefully about it you do eventually come to realise that having one of these rooms is invaluable when it comes to improving everyone’s quality of life; they keep you healthy, fit, stable, and happy.

Make sure you all keep staying safe out there!

Liv

Now let’s delve into the less obvious uses of a sunroom. Firstly, we have a gym. Maintaining your health is one of the most important things in life, people that have space in their house for a gym are the lucky ones because they can do it all from home!

Secondly, we have an office. A sunroom is probably the best way, I can personally think of, to shut yourself off from your bustling home environment and get some work done. Thirdly, we have a balcony cover. Now, I already know what you’re thinking “I don’t have a balcony!” and that’s fine, because neither do I, but for

ANCE INTEN LOW MA

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11

Gardening GARDENING

PLANNING FOR A SPECTACULAR SPRING

By Mike Burks, Managing Director of The Gardens Group The next few weeks are gardening’s traditional planting season. This was far more significant in earlier years than it is now, but it’s still the best time. The reason for its lesser significance in recent years is that gardening has succumbed to the demands of the modern world, where most things that we undertake have to give quick results and instant gratification. The importance of gardening at this time of year is planning ahead, so as to make the garden more successful next year.

Planting in the autumn has the benefit of the soil being warm and usually moist. This means that plants will have the chance to grow roots and start to get established before the winter.

This protects them from the vagaries of the winter weather, but it also means that in the spring they are more able to look after themselves in terms of finding their own moisture.

In September, the range and quality of shrubs is at its best and so it’s an ideal time for getting the framework of a new border planted or to fill in any gaps. Watering will still be required in the early stages, but then nature will take over as the autumn progresses. For best results, add a good quantity of multi compost or tree and shrub planting compost, and a couple of spoonfuls of Rootgrow. Rootgrow contains naturally occurring mycorrhizal fungi, which grow as a slime connecting plants’ roots to the soil, allowing better moisture collection by the plant. It’s like an extended root system and also protects the plants against some soil-borne diseases.

A leap of gardening faith takes place in the autumn with the planting of bedding plants, such as Wallflowers, Sweet Williams and Cherianthus. These are biennials and so are grown from seed in their first year,

when they germinate and grow leaves. After the winter, they continue to grow and flower in the Spring during their second year. They are such a rewarding plant, but when most people are appreciating how nice they are its really not the time to plant them. The best way of getting them is either to grow your own from seed or to get them in the old-fashioned way as bare rooted bundles wrapped in newspaper. This may not be possible anymore for fish and chips, but it’s still the best way with wallflowers!

Many bulbs are available in the autumn including, of course, daffodils, narcissi, hyacinths, tulips, crocus, bluebells, snowdrops and the like. Planted now, they will give lots of colour in the early spring, quite often before the rest of the garden has to come to life. This promise is so important in providing cheer after a number of long dark months.

CASTLE GARDENS New Road, Sherborne DT9 5NR Tel: 01935 814633 BRIMSMORE GARDENS Tintinhull Road, Yeovil BA21 3NU Tel: 01935 411000

POUNDBURY GARDENS Peverell Avenue, Poundbury DT1 3RT Tel: 01305 257250 www.thegardensgroup.co.uk

There’s plenty to enjoy now though, too; for more immediate impact, it’s the perfect time to refresh your tubs and baskets.

Autumn and winter flowering pansies and Violas, Primroses and Polyanthus, as well as some new varieties of autumn and spring flowering antirrhinums, hardy and semi hardy cyclamen, will provide a real boost of colour, complementing the autumn foliage colours and the wonderful fruit and berries that are the highlight of the next few months.

So plan ahead, but give yourself a treat for the next few weeks too!

Trading Standards, the gold standard The hallmarking of gold and silver dates back to 1300 when King Edward I introduced it to protect standards and to prevent craftsmen committing fraud when making jewellery. The first stamp was a leopard’s head which symbolised the King’s mark of authentication. The word ‘hallmark’ didn’t come into use until the 15th century when craftsmen took their artefacts to Goldsmiths’ Hall in London to be assayed. Today there are four assay offices in operation, in London, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Sheffield.

Hallmarking techniques and regulations have been fine-tuned since those early days. The current legislation that governs hallmarking has been effective since the creation of the 1973 Hallmarking Act which is enforced by trading standards officers.

If a jeweller makes items of silver, gold, platinum or palladium and wants to sell them they are obliged to get them assayed which guarantees they are good quality. The hallmark is then applied so it can legally be put onto the market.

A 2019 report confirmed that up to a third of precious metal products supplied online do not bare a hallmark and could 12

therefore be fake. Jewellery fraud has consistently been an issue in the precious metal industry where counterfeit items can be made and sold to the unsuspecting customer at a high price. Fake jewellery affects the reputation of legitimate businesses and hurts the industry as a whole and without hallmarking enforcement many customers and legitimate businesses are exposed to fraud.

If you believe you may have purchased counterfeit jewellery report it to Dorset Council Trading Standards by visiting the Citizens Advice Consumer Service at: https://www. citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer or by calling their new free phone number 0808 223 1133.

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GARDENING PET HEALTH

RABBITS HAVE PANDEMICS TOO

By Peter Luscombe BVSc GPCert(Derm) MRCVS

As the world has adjusted to COVID-19 and struggled to control the spread of infection and find a way forward by developing a vaccine I could not help but to consider parallels we have seen over the years in our pets. We have managed what were common diseases across the world ultimately controlling them by using vaccines. Vaccinations have proved an effective and safe way and many once-common fatal diseases are now rarely seen in veterinary practice.

Currently, the most troubling infectious diseases in our pets are found in rabbits. Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the United Kingdom but the levels of vaccination uptake relatively low.

Additionally, we have a population of wild rabbits giving a disease risk, especially in rural areas.

Myxomatosis is a common disease in wild rabbis, caused by a virus spread by biting insects including fleas and leads to severe skin and respiratory signs. Myxomatosis first broke out in the UK in 1953. It is widespread throughout the UK and has a higher seasonal prevalence in late summer, autumn and early winter. We see myxomatosis in pet rabbits sporadically, with cases becoming severely debilitated over many days. Occasionally rabbits may survive with prolonged nursing but usually are euthanased to avoid further suffering.

Viral Haemorrhagic disease is another fatal rabbit disease. First discovered in China in the 1980s, it arrived in the UK in 1992. A policy of isolation of affected premises to prevent the spread of disease was briefly introduced (a “Rabbit lockdown”) and I had clients around Yeovil who had official restrictions placed on their rabbits. This was stopped when the disease became established in wild rabbits and a vaccine was developed. The virus is transmitted through direct contact or on items such as bedding, hay and clothing. It can be transmitted via insects and birds may also play a part in the spread of the virus. Rabbits that contract the virus may show signs such as respiratory distress, fever, reduced appetite,

lethargy, convulsions and bleeding from the nose before dying.

Usually the disease progression is so rapid the pet rabbits are found dead before such signs are noticed.

In recent years a new strain of this virus (VHD2) has spread across Europe, first identified in the UK in 2014 it has been responsible for the deaths of rabbits across the country. VHD2 sadly often results in sudden death so consequently the real incidence is unknown, especially as most cases are suspected rather than confirmed with tests. This summer I have heard more reports of unexpected deaths, often in multiple rabbits, and I am seeing noticeably fewer wild rabbits in the fields near my home, making me believe this disease is increasing locally.

Quarantine, isolation and regular disinfection of hutches and utensils might help, but the most effective way to prevent these diseases is to vaccinate rabbits as young as possible and give annual boosters to maintain their protection from these devastating diseases.

Please contact your vets for more advice on vaccinations.

142 Preston Road, Yeovil Somerset BA20 2EE Lower Acreman Street Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3EX www.newtonclarkevet.com

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13

FINANCE

COMPUTING

HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

By Mark Salter, Financial Planner How much money do you really need for the rest of your life? The fact is the majority of people have no idea where they are heading financially. They may have assets, investments, and/or high levels of income, but most people have no idea what it all means, or what sort of financial future awaits them.

On the one hand they don’t want to retire too early, only to discover that their money runs out. On the other hand they don’t want to retire too late and end up working when they could have been playing! Then again, because of taxes due on death, they don’t want to die with too much money…. But they’re afraid to spend it or give it away!

What we all need to know is: “how much money do I really need for the rest of my life?”

Having an insight into how much money you actually need can be enlightening. It can put you in control. Knowing how much is enough will give you the freedom to live your life smarter. After all, life is not a

rehearsal; it needs to be lived to the full.

The NUMBER is the amount of money you need for the rest of your life – not just to survive but to live it to the full. It’s different for each of us, of course. So what’s your personal NUMBER? Is it a million? 2 million? A lot more? A lot less? How much do you really need?

You can probably have a lot more fun at 55 than you can at 85. So the earlier you can understand your NUMBER the better.

Without knowing your NUMBER, how can you plan? How can you decide what’s best?

By Jimmy Flynn, Milborne Port Computers

You get your telephone service down a pair of copper wires from the local exchange and you can decide who provides this (BT, TalkTalk, Sky etc), you pay them line rental and call charges. We also get our broadband down the same pair of copper wires and the service is split (filtered) where it comes in to your property. Again, you can choose your broadband provider.

The time was that we had a choice of BT or BT, but times have moved on and you have a choice of about 20 nowadays, but few of you make best use of that choice.

14

Real financial planning – some call it Lifestyle Financial Planning – is the key to knowing your NUMBER. Real financial planners don’t flog financial products, they help people to identify where they are now, to identify where they want to be in the future and to identify what needs to happen to make that future come alive.

Do you know your NUMBER?

The great thing about discovering your NUMBER is that when you’ve found it you

PHONE LINE, BROADBAND & INTERNET So, this is how it works! If you live in a big city then you can have separate phone and ultrafast broadband (FTTP) service delivered to your house (like Virgin Fibre) … as we live in the rural West Country, we can’t, so I won’t say any more about it!

can then start to build it, nurture it, protect it – and most importantly – enjoy it.

Firstly, if you change your telephone provider you can keep the same number and you no longer have to jump through any hoops to do it … just phone the new provider of your choice and say, “give me telephone”, or easier still, just do it on-line. The same is true of broadband services, no magic codes or numbers any more, just ask to be moved.

The best deals are usually to be had when you bundle everything together under one roof when you pay line rental, broadband and calls to the same provider. This is usually for a 12 or 18-month contract period and usually includes an introductory special offer. At the end of your contract if you do nothing then you’ll move on to their standard tariff, just like gas & electricity prices, so it’s best to shop around.

If, like me, you are a bit of a “rate tart”, then at the end of every contract period I take full advantage of the best introductory offer going at the time and change providers.

My number stays the same, and all I have to do is plug in a new router provided free of charge by my new provider.

How many times do I go into a client’s house and see a 10-year-old router providing slow broadband simply because the client is too frightened to change, or still thinks that BT are the only choice.

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Finally, even if you’re not going to change providers for whatever reason, call them and ask for a better deal! All of my recent clients who were still on old ADSL (slow) broadband who called to upgrade to FTTC (superfast) broadband, found that their new package was in fact cheaper than the old, and included a new router as well … no-brainer!

As always, if you need help with this or anything else, you know where to come.

Coming Up Next Month … BYOD and the Consumerisation of IT

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LEGAL

LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY AND WILLS PLANNING

By Deborah Escott-Watson, Battens Solicitors

The times that we are currently living in have shown that life can change completely overnight and the future can look uncertain. The best way of dealing with this uncertainty is to ensure that all your personal planning is in place. There are two pillars to this planning – the first is executing a Lasting Power of Attorney so that your family can help you if you become ill or mentally incapacitated and the second is making your Will to ensure your estate passes to those who you wish to benefit on your death.

If you have an accident or become ill, it may be too late to make an LPA and then an application will have to be made to court to appoint somebody, called a Deputy, to look after you affairs. This person may not be your choice, and appointing a deputy through the court is also a longer and more expensive process. This can take at least three months and there are costs which include application fees, medical assessments, solicitor’s fees, deputy appointment, annual management fee and a security bond.

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) allows you (the donor) to make a choice now, when you are fit and healthy, about who you would trust (the attorney) to make financial and personal decisions on your behalf if, in the future, you lose the mental capacity to make them for yourself.

Your will is used to appoint a person (your executor) who will deal with the administration of your estate after you have died. The Executor is responsible for valuing your estate, closing bank accounts, dealing with your house, paying any tax that is due as well any debts and making sure that the balance of the estate passes to your chosen beneficiaries. If there is no will, the Law of Intestacy sets out who can inherit your estate and how much they can inherit. This may not be what you want. Making sure your will is up to date will provide you with the comfort of knowing that your family is provided for how you want them to be even if times are uncertain.

There are two types of LPA. One type is a Property and Financial Affairs LPA which allows the attorney, to make decisions about your finances and property. A Property and Finance LPA is very flexible in that it can be used whilst someone is incapacitated, but as soon as they have returned to health the attorney will step aside – it is not a permanent arrangement unless it needs to be. The other type is a Health and Welfare LPA which gives the attorney authority to make decisions for you in respect of giving or refusing consent to healthcare, staying at home and receiving support, or moving into care. A Health and Welfare LPA can only be used when a person has lost capacity.

Your solicitor will help you make a Lasting Power of Attorney and Will that give effect to your wishes. You can then rest assured knowing that your family will benefit from your planning.

For more information, please contact Deborah Escott-Watson on 01935 811314 or email at deborah.escott-watson@battens.co.uk.

All LPAs have to be registered at the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG), before they can be used. If it appears that the attorney is abusing their position, then anyone can raise a concern with the OPG or Social Services, who will investigate.

Battens Solicitors appoints new Private Client Solicitor Battens Solicitors is pleased to announce the appointment of accomplished solicitor, Caroline Parker, joining the Private Client Team based in Battens’ Yeovil office.

Caroline completed her Law degree and LPC at the University of Plymouth. She decided to pursue a career in law whilst studying A level law at college. She thoroughly enjoyed the subject and decided that she wanted to take the necessary steps to qualify as a solicitor.

Caroline specialises in Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and the Administration of Estates.

“I am looking forward to working with Battens Solicitors and will endeavour to provide an excellent service to clients. I will ensure that I use all of the skills and experience that I have to help them through what can be a very stressful and emotional time”, explains Caroline.

Naomi Dyer, Head of Private Client at Battens Solicitors, said: “We are pleased to welcome Caroline to Battens Solicitors. She brings with her a wealth of experience which enriches our existing team and will help us meet the growing client demands.”

15

Business BUSINESS

THE MIDSOMER MARGIN KILLER

By Jim Rayner

By the time you read this Rishi Sunak’s Eat Out to Help Out experiment will be ending. His novel tactic of subsidising meals out on the quietest three days of the week was designed to get local economies moving again by luring us out of our protective bubbles and back into pubs and restaurants: a price cut to boost demand.

Before

100 120

But what of those of us in other business sectors? We’re not going to get a government subsidy but should we follow suit and try to boost demand with a price cut?

Cost

200 240

£100 £84

Let me introduce you to Walter Ross, owner of Walt Ross’s Fine Foods in the seemingly idyllic Somerset/Dorset border village of Midsomer Carnage. Along with other locally-sourced products he sells lemon drizzle cakes supplied by master baker Holly Pinewood. He pays Holly £2 for each cake, adds a 50% mark up and sells an average of 100 per week at £3 each giving him a weekly gross profit of £100. One evening while eating out to help out in Midsomer Carnage’s Italian gastro-pub, The Strozzapreti (Priest Strangler), a bloke called Aldo tells him he could sell a lot more cakes if only he’d reduce the price.

Despite selling 20% more cakes and increasing the money going through the till the price cut has killed his margins and his profit has fallen by 16%. If you do the maths he would actually need to sell a staggering 42% more cakes each week just to maintain his profit.

Walt decides to cut prices by 10% to £2.70 and reckons this will help him sell 20% more cakes, so he orders 120 from Holly. Sure enough they all sell at the new lower price. But look at his profit:

• Price conscious customers are less loyal than those attracted by quality.

Cakes sold

After

Price

£3.00 £2.70

300 324

Sales value Gross profit

Of course there are times when discounting makes good commercial sense. Some things will be unsaleable if left until tomorrow: ripe bananas, tonight’s hotel rooms, and last season’s trainers.

Before cutting prices to increase volume you might want to think about:

• If you carry stock or sell on credit terms you may have more money tied up.

• Don’t forget other hidden variable costs: card merchanting, delivery.

STAY ON TOP OF THE NUMBERS PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS SAVE LIVELIHOODS BUSINESS NUMBER EXPERTS WWW.JAMES-RAYNER.CO.UK

• As with Walt, more customers may simply mean running faster just to stand still.

If you’re contemplating reducing your prices you can use the breakeven calculator on our web site www.james-rayner.co.uk to quickly work out how much more you need to sell to avoid losing profit. You can also download a free copy of my ebook Profitable Pricing: A Guide for Ambitious Business Owners.

Battens Charitable Trust supports Dorset road safety

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The Battens Charitable Trust has donated £250 to support SafeWise’s new digital operating model to serve all Dorset and South Wiltshire. SafeWise provide realistic and immersive learning experiences to equip visitors with the skills, knowledge and confidence to live active, fulfilling and safer lives in stronger communities.

SafeWise Chief Executive Rob Hattersley said: “On behalf of SafeWise, I’d like to thank Battens Charitable Trust for their generous donation. This will help us continue to deliver essential skills for life, such as our developing digital offers, which will enhance existing in-centre programmes.”

Like many organisations and charities, Covid-19 has impacted the way SafeWise delivers its programmes. SafeWise will operate one centre in Bournemouth to serve Dorset and South Wiltshire, and move to an enhanced three strand delivery model of digital, outreach and centrebased experiences for its skills for life programmes.

He continues, “Skills for life includes things like building resilience, confidence and well-being, plus assessing risks; and these will be more important than ever, as the country meets the challenges of COVID-19 and all that it brings, particularly for our children and young people.”

The donation follows Battens’ support of Association of Personal Injury Lawyers

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(APIL) Injury Prevention week, 17 – 21 August, with a focus on pedestrian safety helping raise awareness of road traffic issues, particularly for the important return of schools in September.

Over the course of the pandemic, the charitable trust has donated over £25,000 to local charities, hospitals, schools and community initiatives helping vulnerable people.

To discover SafeWise’s online programmes visit: www.safewise.org For more information on the Battens Charitable Trust and how you can apply for a grant or donate visit: www.battens.co.uk/ battens-charitable-trust

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BUSINESS

HOW TO BE A SUPERSTAR COMMUNICATOR The Conduit’s regular contributor, Sarah Ali Choudhury, recently took part in a podcast with Susan Heaton-Wright, a leading impact speaking and communications expert who produces a regular podcast at www.superstarcommunicator.com.

During their conversation, Sarah had some very useful tips on promoting yourself and your business and wanted to share them with Conduit readers.

Susan: “And now, for a lot of my listeners, they’re quite introverted and they might struggle at blowing their own trumpet, or thinking that there’s something that’s newsworthy that other people might be interested in.

Can you give a little tip about that?”

Sarah: “In a business, it’s essential that before you start you know what value you add to somebody, why do people need you in their life? And so I guess you have to use that message to reach out to people. Don’t think of it as, ‘Oh, I want you to read about me’, you have to think about it as, ‘I want you to help yourself and this is why you need me.’ And so once you look at it from that angle, it’s much easier to approach.

“A lot of other things I would say in terms of promoting your business for example by applying for awards or writing something about yourself on a press release is not to think of it from your perspective. Perhaps get somebody who’s really critical to read your press release or awards entry; somebody who really has your best interests at heart! I always go to my mom, because she’s really my best friend, but she’s the one who’s going to tell me if I need to shut up now - you know, she’s one of those. So it’s always good

to pass it by someone like that because what you’ll find is they will tell you things about yourself that you don’t even know - those people who know you and can really hone in and pinpoint your pressure points, so to speak - they are the ones who will definitely identify what your qualities are and how they can be used for other people.”

Sarah continues, “One of the other things for people to remember is to always have a bio (biography) ready. Bios are seriously important because an occasion may present itself out of the blue, but many small business owners are a bit shy, and not expecting such opportunities they’re certainly not expecting to go and speak publicly, to talk about their business or themselves. And because they’re not expecting it, they’re not prepared for it. And because they’re not prepared for it, they won’t get the opportunities.

So you have to be prepared.

Having a biography ready is absolutely mega important and having a batch of photographs, high resolution so they can be printed in hard copy as well as online, send them straight over to whoever has approached you.

Susan: “How would you approach somebody like me who’s doing a podcast, or perhaps a local radio station, because those can be really, really good ways of promoting your business.”

Sarah: “I would first of all make sure you know your stuff, which means you have to be following that podcast. If I want to appear on a podcast, I have to go and find that person and look at what are they talking about.

Who are the people that they’re interviewing; what is their style of interviewing? And how do I fit in? Why would we be a good fit to work together? Essentially it’s collaboration, and this is the thing that people seem to forget. What are you doing for these people?

Susan: “How can people contact you? And how perhaps could they work with you?”

Sarah: “In terms of the PR stuff and helping your business to grow and how you can help yourself, there is a group on Facebook called ‘Success with Sarah.’

It’s under my name Sarah Ali Choudhury. On LinkedIn, it’s Sarah Ali Choudhury, on Twitter it is Sarah Curry Queen; on Instagram it’s Insta Curry Queen - I’ve tried to label it with Curry Queen as that has become a personal brand for me. You can also find Indian recipes there too (and in the Food and Drink section in this magazine).

“The thing about doing it yourself is you can create your own story.

And you can make stories through every single day of your working life. I believe there is always a story that can be told that someone can learn from that’s how I see it.”

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

17

Motoring MOTORING

GREAT CAR FOR AN ADRENALINE RUSH!

By Tim Saunders, Motoring Correspondent

“Do you have to do that?” questions my wife Caroline, as I put my foot to the floor in the Kia Ceed 1.6 T-GDi GT hatchback.

She doesn’t like being jolted awake when I spot a gap in the traffic and just have to overtake. It’s a glorious day and with the windows down the roar of the exhaust, as the engine is worked hard, is audible. It is a boy racer’s delight. I know I know. But you can’t drive a car like this without putting it through its paces.

We take it on an outing to Wells, Somerset and the journey from our home in Hampshire takes a good couple of hours. Using the sat nav we are guided down the A303 past Stonehenge, which is looking stunning as ever. “What is it?” asks oldest daughter Harriett (9). “It’s a Neolithic monument,” I reply, sounding knowledgeable. Later research shows that it is in fact the oldest such monument anywhere in Europe and it is a wonder of the world. And so although this route adds almost 20 miles to our journey how can I possible be annoyed with the satellite navigation?

Tim Saunders is an advanced motorist and journalist. He has always been passionate about motoring and regularly reviews cars from the leading manufacturers. His first report on a BMW 520i was published in the Dorset Echo when he was 17 (just after passing his driving test) in 1995. He went on to become business and motoring editor at the Bournemouth Echo. continues way past 70mph does it achieve this. We cover almost 200 miles on this return journey and on the way back the sat nav guides us along the A36 via Salisbury; it’s nice to come back a different way. So it would appear that this car will travel about 400 miles on a tank and the computer tells me that it’s returning just under 40mpg.

Outside, this attractive looking sports hatch, which reminds me of the Mercedes Benz A-Class, is black. There’s a sports grille, red brake callipers and expensive looking alloy wheels. Inside, the cabin is also black. It comes with air conditioning, all round electric windows, power folding wing mirrors, heated front seats and even a heated steering wheel.

For those looking for an adrenalin rush, take this Kia for a spin.

The trouble with driving a car like this is that other road users do love to take it on, which is slightly irksome. They seem to see those delightful twin exhausts and the subtle GT emblem on the boot and it’s like a red rag to a bull.

On the return journey even a clapped out Mazda campervan takes to sitting on the bumper while I religiously stick to the speed limits. I get fed up at one point and exiting a roundabout leave him for dust. The low down oomph from this delightful 200bhp engine is thoroughly enjoyable. A Jaguar in front thinks that it can get away from it. Up to the national speed limit on the dual carriageway it cannot. Only Brewers Garage.qxp_Layout 1 16/03/2020 14:23when Pagethe 1 driver

BRISTOL ROAD GARAGE Western Ways Yard, Bristol Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4HR

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Price: £26,005 OTR Engine:1.6-litre petrol CO2 emissions: 1169g/km Economy: around 40mpg 0-60mph: 7.2secs Power: 201bhp Top speed:143mph

Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz

LIFESTYLE

INSPIRATIONS FOR THE CURIOUS SHOPPER

By Dawn Woodward, The Emporium, Yeovil As the season starts to change, many of us seem to be focusing on our homes, buying furniture and furnishings and all sorts of home wares from us at the moment, in fact we are being kept rather busy!

Are you ready to show your home some love?

Here are a few suggestions, all based in The Emporium:

Cutts Collectables has something for the mantle piece Lulu’s Lift is enjoying very strong sales of her Frenchic paint range

LumberJax Designs offers handmade pieces of cabinetry and industrial-styled filing cabinets

Handmade jewellery from Hayley Neil

Tucked away, Cutts Collectables is a treasure trove of fine decorative, antique and vintage pieces, definitely worth a visit - you’re bound to find something for the mantle piece.

with her resin jewellery collections. Trained as a printed fabric designer originally, Hayley incorporated fragments of her own fabrics into her resin jewellery along with botanical specimens, it’s absolutely lovely.

If you’re looking for gifts, how about some handmade jewellery with a difference?

Designer Hayley Neil has recently joined us

We hope to see you at The Emporium soon, if you’re interested in joining us as a trader, please get in touch as we have a

Trove Designs has a range of lovely homewares to add a finishing touch few opportunities for dedicated business owners! If you’d like to reserve a table for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea, or to enquire for a private event, please call us on 01935 411378 or drop us an email to info@theemporiumyeovil.co.uk .

Until next time x

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

19

ARTS

By Julie Locke

VISUAL ART

During August and September, Bruton Art Society’s 67th Annual Exhibition will be online at www. brutonartsociety.co.uk. View some of the finest art in the southwest from the Society’s professional and amateur artist membership. All work in the exhibition will have gone through a selection process and will be for sale. Bruton Art Society has about 230 members which include amateur and professional artists. Thinking of joining? Membership costs just £15 per annum.

For general enquiries, email secretarybrutonart@gmail.com.

From Tuesday 1 to Saturday 19 September from 10.00am to 2.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is an exhibition ‘Creative Caboodle’. This is a mixed exhibition with six artists, including painting, sculpture and the ancient art of kirigami (a variation of origami that involves cutting paper, rather than folding, and typically does not use glue). Gallery is open daily, Tuesday to Saturday. Box Office 01460 54973. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

Creative Caboodle Exhibition From Saturday 5 to Tuesday 29 September at David Simon Contemporary, Castle Cary, there is an exhibition ‘Fragment’ by Julia Cooper.

For her fourth solo exhibition at this gallery, Julia has completed a remarkable series of compositions inspired by the south coast of Cornwall. Whilst drawing on common shapes of harbours, headlands and coves, these paintings are abstracted 20

and semi-figurative. Julia constantly renders down her familiar visual territory, reducing the landscape to the simplest forms. Gallery opening times: Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.30pm (closed Wednesday and Sunday). For further information, phone 01963 359102 or visit www.davidsimoncontemporary. com.

From Saturday 5 to Tuesday 29 September at David Simon Contemporary, Castle Cary, there is an exhibition of ceramics

by Emily-Kriste Wilcox. EmilyKriste creates vessels of a very individual and distinctive form: slab-built in earthenware, each piece raised up on an inset foot, joints not smoothed away and the rim of each piece formed from a separate length of clay.

There is something painterly and expressive about the decoration of each piece. Using a cool colour palette of blues, whites and greens, her ceramics reflect the colours of the Cornish coast and exude a freshness with broad bold layers of overlapping glazes. Gallery opening times: Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.30pm (closed Wednesday and Sunday). For further information, phone 01963 359102 or visit www.davidsimoncontemporary. com.

Until Saturday 12 September from 10.00am at ACEarts, Somerton, there is an exhibition entitled ‘Somerset’ by Jenny Graham. The series of large paintings of the five districts of Somerset was created especially for this exhibition space, and includes etchings and assemblages relating to this magnificent county.

Exhibition opening times for August: Thursday to Saturday 10.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm. In September, the exhibition will also open on Wednesdays. For further information, phone 01458 273008 or visit www.acearts. co.uk.

From Saturday 19 September to Sunday 4 October, Somerset Art Works will hold its annual

Somerset Open Studios event online. It will be a digital extravaganza, including a special 16-day programme of online workshops, talks, studio tours and events! Through an interactive brochure, visitors will be able to curate their own tours of artists’ works, see into studios and hear how they develop their work through films. Audiences will be invited to get hands on and interact with artists through a programme of talks, workshops, demonstrations and artists’ films hosted on Somerset Art Works’ website. Look out for the online guide in late August.

For further information, visit www.somersetartworks.org.uk.

From Saturday 19 September to Sunday 24 October from 10.00am at ACEarts, Somerton, there is an exhibition entitled ‘Towards the Tipping Point’

by Rebecca Bruton and Lydia Needle. Environmental textile artists present an exploration of consumption versus the earth’s finite resources. Exhibition opening times: Thursday to Saturday 10.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm. For further information, phone 01458 273008 or visit www. acearts.co.uk.

Towards the Tipping Point Exhibition From Tuesday 22 September to Saturday 10 October from 10.00am to 2.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is an exhibition ‘Same Skies’. Vanessa Worrall and Vicki Gillow, two painters from Cornwall and Devon, exhibit works influenced by the landscape of the west country, its wild seas and skies.

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Gallery is open daily, Tuesday to Saturday. Box Office 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse. org.uk.

Until end of September from 10.00am to 4.00pm in The Hanging Chapel, Langport, is a new Pop-up Gallery. The spectacular thirteenth century Hanging Chapel has been made available as the backdrop for the Hanging Gallery by kind permission of the Portcullis Lodge of Freemasons and Langport Town Trust. The gallery showcases the work of David Sims, a resident of Langport, who has been nominated for British Landscaper Photographer of the Year 2020 in two categories. The pieces are inspired by the wildlife and light of the Somerset Levels. His work is created on different mediums, including metal, aluminium, wood and paper. Viewing is by appointment; only two people maximum and social distancing at all times. Book via Facebook or Instagram or by phone (07850 997671). The Wild West collection is now available to order via the Facebook online shop.

ACEarts Virtual Exhibitions ‘In Search of Northern Soul’ by abstract artist Leonard Green explores the energetic movement in the dances related to Northern Soul music.

Powerful dynamic compositions overlaid with gestural drawing.

Jenni Dutton’s ‘The Dementia Darnings’ explores the effects of ageing and dementia using wool and thread. These current virtual exhibitions can be viewed at www.theabsentgallery.co.uk/ acearts. ACE stands for Art Care Education. As a charity they aim to provide art and creative activity to inspire, empower and enable people to develop and grow.

MUSIC

Concerts in the West (CinW) is launching an online series of concerts. The website will be updated with full details about the series (look for the

@conduitmag

Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change. information under Upcoming Concerts). These concerts will be streamed in August through to October to give the audience a taster of future live concerts in CinW’s local venues. CinW would be very grateful for support towards the cost of putting on this series.

There is an opportunity to give a donation via Just Giving and CAF (Charities Air Foundation).

For wonderful music and dazzling performances, visit www.concertsinthewest.org.

On Thursday 27 August at 6.00pm, Concerts in the West presents the third concert of its Online Series. Mariela Shaker (violin) and Riyad Nicolas (piano) will perform works by Schubert, Mozart, Maias Alyamni. To watch the performance, go to www.concertsinthewest.org/ events then click on the link to Facebook or YouTube.

Mariela Shaker On Thursday 3 September at 6.00pm, Concerts in the West presents the fourth concert of its Online Series. Colin Scobie (violin), Manuel Vioque-Judde (viola) and Zéphyrin Rey-Bellet (cello) will perform Dohnányi’s Serenade in C and other works.

To watch the performance, go to www.concertsinthewest.org/ events then click on the link to Facebook or YouTube.

On Monday 7 September at 6.00pm, Concerts in the West presents the fifth concert of its Online Series. Savitri Grier (violin) and Olivier Robin (violin) will perform works by Bartók, Leclair, Wieniawski and Pleyel.

To watch the performance, go to www.concertsinthewest.org/ events then click on the link to Facebook or YouTube.

On Thursday 10 September at 6.00pm, Concerts in the

West presents the sixth concert of its Online Series. The Linos Piano Trio will perform works

by Debussy, CPE Bach and Beethoven. The trio comprises Prach Boondiskulchok (piano), Konrad Elias Trostmann (violin) and Vladimir Waltham (cello).

To watch the performance, go to www.concertsinthewest.org/ events then click on the link to Facebook or YouTube.

ARTS

BRUTON ART SOCIETY

67th Annual Exhibition

Affordable Art from the best Regional Artists Opens 15 August online only - brutonartsociety.co.uk

Linos Piano Trio On Saturday 12 September at 2.30pm and 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there Is a screening of Jonas Kaufmann: My Vienna, a deeply personal tribute by the star tenor to the world-famous melodies from the birthplace of waltz and operetta. Filmed live in the magical setting of the Wiener Konzerthaus, the concert features popular Viennese music from Die Fledermaus and Wienerblut by Johann Strauss and Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow, plus many of the classic songs inspired by the city. Jonas Kaufmann performs with the Prague Philharmonia under the baton of Maestro Jochen Rieder and is joined by the internationally acclaimed soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen.

Tickets £8.50 to £14.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

On Monday 14 September at 6.00pm, Concerts in the West presents the seventh concert of its Online Series. The Askew Sisters, Emily (fiddle, cello, voice) and Hazel (voice, melodeon, concertina), rework and reinterpret English folk music songs and dance tunes, from rhythmic foot-stomping tunes to powerful interpretations of songs and ballads. To watch the performance, go to www.concertsinthewest.org/ events then click on the link to Facebook or YouTube.

On Thursday 17 September at 6.00pm, Concerts in the West presents the eighth concert of its Online Series.

The Consone Quartet will perform a programme of works

by Beethoven. The quartet

SECOND STREAMED EVENT TO SUPPORT THE DAVID HALL Roundwell Street, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5AA

SECOND STREAMED EVENT

TO SUPPORT THE DAVID HALL

Following the success of its first on-line concert in June,

Petherton Trust willconcert stream a You Tube Following the successArts of its first on-line in June, Petherton Artsperformance Trust will stream a by You Tube Phil Beer September, at 8pm.

Similar performance

by Philon BeerSaturday on Saturday 19 19 September, startingstarting at 8pm. Similar to the previous event – whichto featured Crewkerne-based singer, Reg Meuross – the costCrewkerne-based is £15 per household, but this time the previous event – which featured there will be no limit on places. singer, Reg Meuross – the cost is £15 per household, but this

Ordinarily, performance take place South Petherton at The David Hall – which is owned timePhil’s there will bewould no limit oninplaces. and run by Petherton Arts Trust (PAT). However, as the venue is currently partially closed due to the corona virus, PAT has Phil’s chosen an online option. would take place in South Ordinarily, performance

Petherton at The David Hall – whichas is run by duo, Show of The talented multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer is renowned oneowned half of theand award-winning Hands, and is equallyArts in demand for (PAT). his solo shows.

Phil has become national treasure Petherton Trust However, as thesomething venue of isacurrently on thepartially Folk, Roots closed and Acoustic music is a popular regular at The David due toscene, the and corona virus, PATperformer has chosen an Hall.

online option.

Tickets can be booked via The David Hall website - www.thedavidhall.org.uk - and on 19 September, everyone who has paid will receive an email with a private link to You Tube. PAT will close applications Theontalented Phil Beersets, is renowned asinterval. one at 12noon the day. Atmulti-instrumentalist 8pm, Phil Beer will perform two 45-minute with a 10-minute Plus, after Philaward-winning will be available for a duo, Q&A session, Zoom. halfthe ofgig, the Showviaof Hands, and is equally

in demand soloand shows.

Phil that hasPhil become something of a “Our first on-line eventfor washis a sell-out we are certain Beer’s gig will be just as successful,” said Emma Westerman, Administrator at The David Hall. “People clearly enjoy being ablescene, to see a national treasure on the Folk, Roots and Acoustic music performance comfort ofregular their own home – and theyat payThe the same amount, no matter how many and isinathepopular performer David Hall. people are watching at the time.”

Tickets be booked viaPAT’s The David Hall website www.income to help With the doors ofcan The David Hall closed to usual live audiences, there is no-regular thedavidhall.org.uk 19 September, has maintain The Hall, which is a Grade-11and listedon building.

PAT is still waitingeveryone to hear detailswho of how much the government offering to venues The David Hallaand meanwhile, is vital.

News of events paid iswill receive anlike email with private linkfunding to You Tube.

PAT will close applications at 12noon on the day. At 8pm, Phil Beer will perform two 45-minute sets, with a 10-minute interval.

Plus, after the gig, Phil will be available for a Q&A session, via Zoom.

“Our first on-line event was a sell-out and we are certain that Phil Beer’s gig will be just as successful,” said Emma Westerman, Administrator at The David Hall. “People clearly enjoy being able to see a performance in the comfort of their own home – and they pay the same amount, no matter how many people are watching at the time.”

With the doors of The David Hall closed to PAT’s usual live audiences, there is no regular income to help maintain The Hall, which is a Grade 11 listed building. PAT is still waiting to hear details of how much the government is offering to venues like The David Hall and meanwhile, funding is vital. News of events aimed at raising funds while The David Hall is closed can be found on the website – www.thedavidhall.org.uk

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

21

Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change.

ARTS

comprises Agata Daraskaite (violin), Magdalena Loth-Hill (violin), Elitsa Bogdanova (viola) and George Ross (cello). To watch the performance, go to www.concertsinthewest.org/ events then click on the link to Facebook or YouTube.

On Saturday 19 September at 8.00pm, enjoy ‘Live at Home with Phil Beer’ via YouTube from the comfort of home. Like all of Phil’s performances, this gig will be full of top-quality musicianship, together with a great deal of wit and humour.

The first set lasts 45 minutes, followed by a 10-minute interval and then the second set starts again at 8.55pm. Phil will be available for an optional Q&A session after the gig via Zoom. Full details of how to access the gig, together with links will be provided on the afternoon of the gig. No need to download any software for the performance. Tickets £15 (price per household, allowing any number of people in one residence to watch the gig).

Box Office for this event will close at 12.00pm on Saturday 19 September. For further information, phone 01460 240340. www.thedavidhall.com.

On Monday 21 September at 6.00pm, Concerts in the West presents the ninth concert of its Online Series. Katharine Dain (soprano) and Sam Armstrong (piano) will perform works by Debussy, Dutilleux, Messiaen and Saariaho. To watch the performance, go to www.concertsinthewest.org/ events then click on the link to Facebook or YouTube.

22

Roberts (flute), Luba Tunnicliffe (viola) and Oliver Wass (harp).

To watch the performance, go to www.concertsinthewest.org/ events then click on the link to Facebook or YouTube.

Yeovil Chamber Choir seeks new Musical Director for September 2020. The Choir, which has about 20 singers from Somerset and Dorset, is an amateur mixedvoice choir with a good local reputation. Rehearsals observe the academic calendar and members perform concerts at least three times a year as well as participating in other events, such as the annual Light Up a Life service for St Margaret’s Hospice. The repertoire is broad, including both accompanied and a cappella music. Anyone with previous experience of choral conducting who is interested in the position should visit www.yeovilchamberchoir. org or phone Vee Cockerell (Chairman) 01935 882604 or Elizabeth Gowers (Secretary) 01935 425383 for further details.

Applications must be received

by Monday 31 August 2020. The Choir is a registered educational charity and a member of Making Music (the National Federation of Music Societies).

PERFORMANCE

ArtsReach’s Digital Diary and the ArtsReach YouTube playlist will be regularly updated on the website. The page is constantly changing so keep checking back and keep sharing it. Past performances can also be viewed at www.artsreach.co.uk/ whats-on.

On Thursday 24 September at 6.00pm, Concerts in the West presents the tenth concert of its Online Series. Emma Halnan and Eblana String Trio will perform works by Mozart, Sibelius and Andrew Norman.

Emma plays flute and the trio members are Jonathan Martindale (violin), Lucy Nolan (viola) and Peggy Nolan (cello).

To watch the performance, go to www.concertsinthewest.org/ events then click on the link to Facebook or YouTube.

On Wednesday 26 August at 6.00pm at The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens, Wells, there is a storytelling evening with seasoned storyteller Beth Webb.

‘Gawain and the Green Knight’, a medieval tale of blood and honour, is aimed at adults and will be told over the course of an hour by the terrace near the Rose Garden. Doors open at 5.30pm. Tickets £15, palace members and key workers £12.

Contact 01749 988111. www. bishopspalace.org.uk.

On Monday 28 September at 6.00pm, Concerts in the West presents the eleventh concert of its Online Series. Pelléas Ensemble will perform works by Rameau, Bissill and Ravel. The ensemble members are Henry

On Thursday 27 August at 2.30pm and 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there Is a screening of ‘Hansard’ captured live in 2019 from London’s National Theatre.

Hansard; the official report of

all parliamentary debates. On a summer’s morning in 1988, Tory politician Robin Hesketh returns home to the idyllic Cotswold house he shares with his wife of 30 years, Diana. But all is not as blissful as it seems. Diana has a stinking hangover, a fox is destroying the garden, and secrets are being dug up all over the place. As the day draws on, what starts as gentle ribbing and the familiar rhythms of marital scrapping quickly turns to blood-sport. Don’t miss this witty and devastating portrait of the governing class. Writer: Simon Woods. Director: Simon Godwin. Cast: Lindsay Duncan, Alex Jennings. Tickets £11.50 to £17.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

On Thursday 10 September at 2.30pm and 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there Is a screening of ‘The Lehman Trilogy’. This is the story, told in three parts, of a family and a company, Lehman Brothers, that changed the world. On a cold September morning in 1844 a young man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is joined by his two brothers and an American epic begins.

163 years later, the firm they established spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy and triggers the largest financial crisis in history. This critically acclaimed play will be broadcast live from London’s West End as part of National Theatre Live’s 10th Birthday season.

‘Engrossing play and an acting masterclass’ (Guardian). Writer: Stefano Massini. Director: Sam Mendes. Cast: Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley, Ben Miles.

Tickets £11.50 to £17.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

NT Live: The Lehman Trilogy On Saturday 12 September at 2.30pm at Paddock Gardens, Sherborne, Amateur Players of Sherborne present ‘Waiting for Godot’ by Samuel Beckett, directed by Jerome Swan.

‘Waiting for Godot’ was written in Paris between October 1948

and January 1949. Originally written in French and first performed in Paris in January 1953, the play was controversial from the start, and opinion has been divided ever since; however, in 1990 the National Theatre voted it ‘the most significant play of the 20th Century’. Bring seating and a picnic! Ticket price £10 includes a free drink, a programme and a raffle ticket. Tickets available from www.aps-sherborne.co.uk, 07585 278722 or at the gate.

On Tuesday 15 September at 7.00pm at The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens, Wells, there is a performance of Shakespeare’s most famous love story ‘Romeo and Juliet’. However, the wellestablished theatre troupe, The Handlebards, will be giving this classic tale a unique spin, so the audience is guaranteed lots of laughs as well as tears in their slick 90-minute production.

Doors open at 6.00pm. For all performances, audience members will be well spaced, and will need to bring their own low-backed seating or rugs. Picnics and drinks are encouraged, and the shows will go ahead whatever the weather, so be prepared! Tickets £18, child £10, small number of key workers tickets available £10.

Contact 01749 988111. www. bishopspalace.org.uk.

NT Live: King Lear On Thursday 17 September at 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there Is a screening of ‘King Lear’. This broadcast, captured live from London’s West End in 2018, is a contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s tender, violent, moving and shocking play.

Considered by many to be the greatest tragedy ever written, King Lear sees two ageing fathers – one a King, one his courtier – reject the children who truly love them. Their blindness unleashes a tornado of pitiless ambition and treachery, as family and state are plunged into a violent power struggle with bitter ends. An ‘extraordinarily moving portrayal’ of King Lear

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

ARTS

by Ian McKellen (Independent).

Director: Jonathan Munby. Cast: Ian McKellen, Sinéad Cusack, Danny Webb. Tickets £11.50 to £17.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

On Thursday 24 September at 2.30pm and 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there Is a screening of ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’. James McAvoy returns to the stage in an inventive new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac, broadcast live from London’s West End. Fierce with a pen and notorious in combat, Cyrano almost has it all - if only he could win the heart of his true love Roxane.

He has just one big problem: a nose as huge as his heart. Will a society engulfed by narcissism get the better of Cyrano or can his mastery of language set Roxane’s world alight? This classic play will be brought to life with linguistic ingenuity to celebrate Cyrano’s powerful and resonant resistance against overwhelming odds. Writer: Simon Woods. Director: Jamie Lloyd. Cast: James McAvoy.

Tickets £11.50 to £17.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

CHILDREN

On Sunday 30 August at 5.00pm and 7.30pm at Castle Gardens, Sherborne, outdoor theatre returns with a performance of Kenneth Grahame’s ‘The Wind in the Willows’. Critically-acclaimed theatre company, Illyria, promises big laughs, classic characters and plenty of family fun. With two live performances set to be staged beneath the summer sky, children and grown-ups alike can enjoy the adventures of Mole, Rat, Mr Toad and Mr Badger, brought to life in Illyria’s inimitable style. Following the latest social distancing guidelines for open air theatre, tickets will be limited to 120 per performance.

Audience members are encouraged to bring picnics, blankets, seating and warm clothes, as family and friends come together for an evening of raucous comedy in the walled garden. Doors open at 4.00pm and 6.30pm respectively. Tickets £10, child (0 to 16) £7.50. Tickets now on sale from Castle Gardens and online via www.illyria.co.uk.

On Saturday 5 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm at

Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Children’s Art Chest’ session with Margaret Micklewright.

Texture, rubbings and collage: use crayons and pencil to explore textures that may be found around the Arts Centre or from Margaret’s bag of interesting things! £6 per session (materials included).

Age 8+. To book, phone 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse. org.uk.

On Saturday 19 September and Saturday 26 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Step into Art’ session with Heather Ford. Create exciting artworks inspired by famous paintings. Each workshop will teach how to look at works of art and what is required to create a masterpiece of one’s own. Different techniques and materials for each workshop: charcoal and chalk, pastels, painting, collage, scrafitti and mixed media. £12 per session (materials included). Age 9+.

Restricted numbers. For more information and to book, email heatheraford@gmail.com. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

‘My Summer at the Palace’ The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, is running a photography competition for children over the summer holidays. Children are invited to submit their best photo on the theme of ‘My Summer at the Palace’. The photos must be taken within the grounds or buildings of the Palace, and there will be three separate age categories for entries; 1 to 4 yrs, 5 to 10 yrs and 11 to 15 yrs. The winners and runners up will have their work featured in an exhibition to be held in the Stable Yard Room at the Palace at the end of the holidays, and the winners from each category will also be featured on the Palace website.

To enter, families can post/ tag the image to the Palace Facebook or Instagram account with the hashtag #MySummer or email it to info@bishopspalace. org.uk.

The Wind in the Willows

MOVIES

MOVIES

AROUND THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES FROZEN II (U)

Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land.

They set out to find the origin of Elsa’s powers in order to save their kingdom. A story inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Snow Queen’.

SHOWING AT Yeovil on Saturday 29 August, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am, 2.30pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

Yeovil on Sunday 30 August, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 2.30pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (PG)

PT Barnum (Hugh Jackman) is a man with little more than ambition to his name.

When the company he works for goes bust, he decides to leave his mediocre life behind, and takes his family on a journey that would lead to establishing the foundations of show business.

SHOWING AT Yeovil on Wednesday 26 August, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00.

Box Office 01935 422884.

Yeovil on Thursday 27 August, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am. Tickets £6.50 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

Yeovil on Friday 28 August, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00.

Box Office 01935 422884.

WISE CHILDREN (15)

A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope, with a generous dash of Shakespeare, scandal and mischief, taking the audience on a rollercoaster ride of emotion.

SHOWING AT Yeovil on Wednesday 2 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £8.50 to £14.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

Yeovil on Thursday 3 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £8.50 to £14.00. Box Office 01935 422884.

MOVIOLA shows films in village halls and other community venues across Dorset and parts of Somerset. Some of these venues are hoping to restart soon. Please contact your local Moviola venue to find out when the next show is going ahead (to find contact details, click the venue name on the website).

To find out more, visit www.moviola.org.

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23

MUSIC

HISTORY

SOMERSTOCK FEELINGS

By Ross Owen Williams,

Presenter on Radio Ninesprings, 104.5fm Many from the area know about the long-running Somerton Arts Festival – in fact, it was one of the first regional events I personally attended after moving to the area in 2013. My band was booked as the support group for a Queen Tribute act held one of the evenings of the 10-day event, and I was impressed with the layout and organisation (and the Freddie impersonator was pretty good too!).

Fast forward a number of years and during conversations with Nevertheless’ Jon Sackett about his band and their tremendous original tracks, it emerged that Jon is involved in the organisation of both the Arts Festival and proverbial ‘spin off’ event, Somerstock.

Putting two and two together, we realised that we must have met way back in 2014, long before we met in 2019 after I began on air with Ninesprings. A very small world indeed!

The idea behind the aforementioned Somerstock, held for the first time and to great acclaim in 2019, was to cap off the Arts Festival with a full day music event rather than spacing out the acts one or two per day in the evenings. It’s a family friendly affair, free for children under 12 and with reduced rates for older children, students and seniors, with a silent disco, face painting, hair braiding, a bouncy castle, plenty of food and drink stations and then, of course, there’s the music. Running from 11am to midnight over three stages, an impressive 18 acts performed in 2019, unquestionably giving the audience some serious bang for their buck with performers from across the South West, and a chart topping headline attraction (last year was Toploader).

Understandably, the 2020 event has had to be postponed due to the pandemic, but tickets already purchased for this year’s event are valid for Somerstock 2021, which will be held on Saturday 10 July and most of the bands scheduled for 2020, including headline act The Christians (Harvest for the World), Jack Humphries, Al O’Kane, the Legendary SnakeSnakeSnake and many others, have confirmed the new date. If you’ve not got your tickets yet for this exciting, family-friendly event, please visit somerstock.com or email contact@ somerstock.com and support both regional arts and our wonderful local music scene.

Ross Owen Williams presents ‘Lunch With Ross’ every weekday from midday to 2pm, including a local musical spotlight segment at 12.50pm, as well as The Sunday Spotlight from 4pm to 6pm each Sunday.

One of the most evocative images of the Somerset Levels are paintings and photographs of pollarded willow trees emerging from the landscape in early spring morning mist. Old willow trees once a common sight lining the ditches are pollarded, ‘beheaded’ about 8ft from the ground. A new head of straight branches grows out from this point and can be harvested when the branches become thick enough. avenues

By Dr Lesley WrayA few pollarded can still be seen as one drives across the Levels.

With shops now re-opening it will be interesting to see which

SHOPPING IN MILBORNE PORT

Throughout history civilizations used baskets manage to survive the lockdown.

Shops havehave always been at the from circumstances cradle to grave.and Basket makers and withy-beds mercy of changing shopping habits.

Since the common in communities.

Hundreds rise in personalwere transport fromplace the 1960s, through the growthof of years Sherborne’s withy-beds usedshops to be the chain stores; andago, laterone theofadvent of internet shopping; where thefalling International College now stands, at the have had to cope with returns and rising costs. junction of Marston Magna and Sandford Orcas Roads. some evidence withy bedsthis; and Milborne Port There beganremains as a shopping centre. of Its old name reflects Port is an Anglo-Saxon word for market, and the market here was the most profitable in Somerset. Craftsmen would visit wealthy customers to get work, while the less wealthy would visit the craftsmen’s homes to choose goods. Poorer customers would go to the market where journeymen (those who had finished an apprenticeship but not yet gained the experience to be craftsmen) would sell their wares alongside other traders.

In Milborne Port the market place was the triangle now formed by the A30, South Street and Thimble Lane. In 1720 a market house was built with a vaulted cellar, an arcaded ground floor, and a room above; this is now the Town Hall. With the advent of the gloving industry in the nineteenth century, Milborne Port supported a wide range of shops, and older residents who remember the 1930s can recall that there were still around forty retailers of everything from boots and shoes to fish and chips.

However, changes to shopping habits and the closure of the glove factories meant many of these disappeared.

Even in 1980 Milborne Port still had a number of shops. The London Road Stores stood at the corner of East Street, followed by the Queens Head and Monica’s Greengrocers. At the bottom of North Street was Castle Insurance with a sub-branch of a Building Society. Dominic’s the Hairdresser was on the Weighbridge, along with Jean’s Haberdashery - a fascinating shop supplying everything from needles and thread to a summer dress. On that side of the High Street, the Doctor’s surgery was on the corner of South Street, followed by the Newsagents and the Butchers; then another General Store, the Chemist, and a Bakery with wonderful aromas of fresh baked bread.

On the opposite side of the High Street, the Library was beside the Kings Head (now the Tippling Philosopher) which was followed by the Post Office, then the Bank, another Butchers shop, and finally Gear’s Ironmongers. There were other shops, noticeably the Co-op, around the village. However, with easy transport and Sherborne closeby, many of these shops closed long before lockdown.

Today the Co-op has shown its support by building a larger store on the western edge of the village, and the Garage offers a small supermarket and a Post Office Counter, and Wayne Pullen remains an excellent Butcher. There is still a Chemist, a Newsagent, and an excellent Fish and Chip shop, and we still have two pubs and a social club.

If you would like to know more about the village email: les_ wray@yahoo.co.uk to organise a personal tour of the village museum.

picturethisblondie 24

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HISTORY

YES, 80 YEARS AGO WAS BOMBED! earsSHERBORNE ago Sherborne was bombed!

By Paul Birbeck, Walks Tour Guide eck, Sherborne WalksSherborne & Blue Badge & Blue Badge Tour Guide.

school buildings. Luckily, as the raid was late afternoon, all the pupils had gone home.

Whilst there was extensive damage to the town and disruption to utility services, none of the key buildings were destroyed and all were restored.

was by dead-reckoning and the bomber crews would have been told to look out for easily recognizable landmarks to check their position and find their targets.

Having mistaken Sherborne for Yeovil, their targeting was very accurate except they had picked the wrong town.

Several detailed references have been published about the event. The late Jim Scofield wrote a booklet to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Bombing which was published by Sherborne Museum. The Museum also has oral histories relating to the town bombing in their oral archive The question is, why was a quiet historic and website. On permanent display are market town targeted? artifacts, including the nose cone of a The German Luftwaffe had launched a bomb which dropped, pieces of shrapnel In 1940, Britain was at war against Nazi major attack on the aircraft factories of andwas material relating to a local ARP Yes, 80 years ago Sherborne bombed!

Germany. On 30 September 1940 at On 30South at war against Nazi Germany.

September at about 4.30 West England;1940 the Supermarine warden and civil defence in Sherborne.

Paul Birbeck,Westland Sherborne Walks & Blue Badge Tour Guide about 4.30pm the residents of Sherborne factory atByGerald Southampton, Aircraft The Old Shirburnian Society website has Sherborne got a shock. As local historian Pitman wrote “some got a shock. As local historian Gerald at Yeovil and the Bristol Aeroplane factory Pitman wrote “some 300 bombs, about 60 tons, were dropped in under 5 minutes.” had becomefascinating the accounts and photographs of at Filton, Sherborne Bristol. the impact on Sherborne School. All in all, tons, were dropped in under 5 minutes.”

30 September is a memorable day in the of England to experience a severe enemy raid.

The main target of the raid was the Sherborne had become the first town town’s long history.

Yeovil factory but, due to cloud cover, in the West of England to experience a the Germans did not find Westland that severe enemy raid. ows, the bombs fell in distinct lines, afternoon. startingThey about two miles westOn of30 September I will lead guided were attacked

by British tours of the key locations, supported As the map below shows, the bombs fell fighters and when there was a break in by photographs after the bombing and d Lenthay Common, the centre of the town and finishing about in distinct lines, startingthrough about two miles the cloud a town became visible with a accounts from survivors. (£10 per person) west of the town at Wyke and Lenthay railway line in approximately the correct Book online at www.sherbornewalks.co.uk Common, through the centre of the town relationship to Westland and the Taunton/ or phone 07989 453966. Pre-booking and finishing about a mile to the east.

Yeovil line and their bombs were released. applies due to limitations on group size In total, 18 people were killed and 32 injured and detained in hospital. A bronze plaque on the War Memorial in Half Moon Street still records the names of all who were killed.

Lenthay Common was pitted with bomb craters and 108 estate houses near Lenthay suffered damaged and 10 were destroyed.

Several children were also killed.

As the bombers proceeded towards the centre of Sherborne, the Cemetery Caretaker’s house was destroyed and in Horsecastles, bombs damaged a long row of houses. Three houses were destroyed in Acreman Street.

following distancing guidelines.

This might explain why so many of the In 1940, Britain was at war against Nazi Germany.

On 30social September 1940 at about 4.30 p.m. thelanded residents of fields Sherborne got a shock. As local historian Gerald Pitman wrote “some bombs in the near Silverlake www.sherbornewalks.co.uk 300 bombs, aboutside 60 of tons, were dropped 5 minutes.” Sherborne had become the Farm to the west Sherborne.

The in under E: paul@sherbornewalks.co.uk first towncrews in thewould West have of England to experience a severe enemy raid.

German been briefed that the camouflaged Westland works As the map below shows,to the bombs fell in distinct lines, starting about two miles west of were situated a kilometre the west of the town at Wyke and Lenthay Common, Yeovil town centre on the north side of through the centre of the town and finishing about a mile to the east. the railway line.

Navigation in those days

Bombs also fell in the grounds of Sherborne Preparatory School and in the Sherborne School courts. Cheap Street, close to the junction with Hound Street, experienced extensive damage in the road and the shops either side. To a discerning eye, evidence of the damage can still be seen in this area, and it is well documented in contemporary photographs.

Bombs fell all around Sherborne Abbey but apart from a few broken windows the Abbey was not damaged. The closest bombs landed in Half Moon Street. The damage near the corner of Half Moon Street and South Street was extensive.

As the bombers continued east, a line of bombs caused damage around Tinneys Lane in Newland, totally destroying junior

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25

TRAVEL

WE ENJOY THE BISHOP’S PALACE

by Tim Saunders, Travel Correspondent

While coronavirus is around we’ve made the decision to have only day trips because at least that way we won’t get caught out by sudden quarantines.

Living in Hampshire it is surprising just how far you can travel in a day without the need to stay the night.

The Bishop’s Palace at Wells in Somerset is under 100 miles away and takes around two hours to get to. We leave at just after 9am and arrive before 11.30am, which gives us plenty of time to explore.

advised. That suits us fine. We’ve brought a picnic and it’s not long before we find a bench and tuck in. This gives us chance to find our bearings and savour the splendour of the architecture and the accompanying 14-acres. It is a perfect day out for a young family in these strange times because the children can roam freely. Although there are occasions where we have to obey social distancing generally it is not necessary because there is so much space and comparatively few visitors. Somerset’s hidden secret.

There are some stunning flowers and plants, a large well-tended allotment where we see onions, leeks, lettuces, courgettes, pumpkins and potatoes. The children are given some wonky carrots.

Throughout the day we all take photos with the Palace’s Children’s Photographic Competition in mind.

and I are looking, Henry and Heidi are trying to wake up the cat that is dozing on a chair underneath the portraits. Is it stuffed? Careful Henry. They find fun in anything. We also discover that The Bishop’s Palace featured in the recent BBC adaptation of Poldark.

Nearby is the welcoming Bishop’s Chapel where if we were not accompanied by our children it would be possible to spend time to gather one’s thoughts, read the Bible and pray. There are some appropriate prayers for our times dotted about and candles have been lit by the entrance.

Heidi sits by the altar and pretends to be the bishop.

Open 10am to 5pm daily Single tickets provide year-long visits https://bishopspalace.org.uk/ Watch the videos at www.travelwriter.biz

Adjacent to Wells Cathedral, it has been the home of the Bishops of the Diocese of Bath and Wells for 800 years and has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.

The children love the sound of The Bishop’s palace and little Henry is walking around saying, “We’re at The Bishop’s Palace.” It’s like something from Ben & Holly.

Recently the weather has been temperamental but today although there is some cloud, the sun shines making for a very pleasant trip. As soon as we arrive it is clear how popular it is because there is a healthy queue of visitors awaiting entry.

“You need to wear a facemask in the shop but otherwise there is no need,” we are 26

We spend much of the day outside but do make sure that we visit the Bishop’s Palace itself where we see an array of portraits of the bishops since 1206. Current bishop, Peter Hancock, is yet to have a portrait commissioned it seems. While Caroline

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TRAVEL

EVENTS AT THE PALACE! PICNIC AT THE PALACE!

On Friday 28 August 2020, from 6pm-9pm, The Bishop’s Palace in Wells will be holding their second “Picnic at the Palace” evening event.

Following the success of the first event in July, the stunning 14 acres of gardens will be open to any ticket or membership holder, or anyone who wishes to purchase a ticket or membership on the night, to enjoy exclusive access outside of normal opening hours.

On Sunday 30 & Monday 31 August the lively medieval combat specialists will be setting up camp throughout the Palace Gardens and then holding court in different sections of the Gardens with their wonderful displays.

The Palace is offering a luxury ploughman’s picnic (full details on the Palace website), which must be pre-booked, at £18.95 per head, which will include a range of local delicacies, fresh sides, savouries and desserts. Drinks can also be pre-booked.

This Bite-Sized Bowlore will include: Archery, mark-draw-loose and armour piercing, hunting arrows, longbow vs crossbow.

The South Lawn will have tables and chairs set up, but visitors are welcome to bring their own chairs and picnic blankets. Luxury picnics need to be pre-booked on the Palace website or by telephone by 12pm on Wednesday 26 August, and collected between 6-7pm on the evening of the event. Priority entry will be given to those with pre-booked picnics, and visitors are asked not to bring their own food and drink on site.

The Bowlore Medieval Weekend takes place on Sunday 30 & Monday 31 August 2020 10am-5pm.

Brighten up your Bank Holiday Weekend this year with a visit to see the wonderful Bowlore Medieval troupe at The Bishop’s Palace in Wells.

Normally a very popular date in the Palace’s calendar, the event will run differently this year, due to the Coronavirus health and safety restrictions.

Open Daily 10-5

Weapons: Quarterstaff & Spear, Dagger work, Percussion weapons (mace, morning star & warhammer), Sword & Buckler, Falchion & Langmesser, Longswords , Shield-wall, Pollaxes, Halbards, Dane axes.

All of the above will include either demonstrations and/or choreographed combat, and cutting with a sharp version! In the Weapons and Armour tent (“The Black Dog”) there will be displays of blunt weapons, chain-mail, helmets and shields.

Members of the Bowlore troupe will be giving interactive Q & A sessions and will also run private sword-fighting lessons at intervals throughout the day. Medieval camp life will be visible to the public at all times.

The day will be split into two halves, with all the activities being repeated and all visitors, including Palace Members, must book in advance on the Palace website for either the morning (10:1513:15) or afternoon (13:45-16:45) session.

GARDENS PICNIC EVENINGS HISTORY RARE PLANT FAIR

SEPTEMBER AT THE PALACE

THE BISHOP'S PALACE & GARDENS, WELLS, SOMERSET

01749 988 111 WWW.BISHOPSPALACE.ORG.UK

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27

TRAVEL

JUST LAUNCHED - NEW EXCLUSIVE

CRUISES WITH A FREE PICK-UP FROM YEOVIL FOR 2021……

By Heather Muir, Manager – Miles Morgan Travel, Yeovil

The demand for our exclusive escorted cruises, with the ease of the transport from Yeovil, continues to increase and these cruises are now more popular than ever.

Some customers are enjoying their fourth and fifth departure with us.

We appreciate that your holiday starts the minute that you leave your front door and, with us, you can sit back and relax, safe in the knowledge that there’s someone on hand to take care of all your needs and assist you with the check-in process at the port. There will also be someone on-board to help throughout your cruise. Our cruise escorts invite you to our exclusive, on board and hosted welcome party so you can meet your fellow passengers if you so wish – the choice is yours.

These escorted cruises are only available at Miles Morgan Travel and sell quickly, so early booking is essential.

We have an amazing choice for 2021 with 8 fantastic itineraries to choose : Into the Heart of Spain & Bordeaux 20th May 8 nights, French River Cruising 15th June 8 nights, Exploring Picturesque Portugal 23rd June 10 nights, Cruising the Heart of the Baltic 3rd July 13 nights, Delights of Devon & Cornwall 29th July 5 nights, Loughs, Isles & Iconic Sites of Ireland 3rd August 9 nights, Scenic Views of Norway 12th August 8 nights and Rivers & Cities of France and Seville 2nd September 14 nights. We have also just launched a brand-new departure for 2023 – American Waterways & Canada in the Fall 26th September 2023 34 nights, this cruise is already selling fast so call for full details.

The feedback we receive about our Cruise Escorts is always fantastic. Here are some of our customer comments: “From the moment we joined the coach we were able to relax and the drinks on the coach were even more welcome. Your warm and friendly service was reassuring and never overwhelming.”

“As a single passenger, I never felt alone on the ship as I met lots of friendly people and made friends with other single passengers.

I also had the security of having a cruise escort, who was very helpful and always available if I needed her.”

These exclusive cruises are always extremely popular and seats on the coach to the port fill very quickly, so early booking is strongly recommended. For more information please contact us on 01935 428488 or call in and see us at 2 Borough Arcade, High Street, Yeovil, BA20 1RX.

TO e l E rav V SI an T

U g C L or E X es M M

il

NEW

CRUISES FOR 2021 with free return transport to the port from

YEOVIL*

ü FREE return transport to the port* ü FULLY escorted by a Cruise Specialist* ü EXCLUSIVE welcome party on board* ü PRICES from only £799pp ü 9 itineraries to choose from

01935 577294

www.milesmorgantravel.co.uk

£799 based on 2 sharing on Devon & Cornwall cruise and subject to availability.

Coach, Escort and Welcome party subject to minimum numbers.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Prices start from only £799pp, based on 2 sharing a cabin, but we also have singles available. Seats on the coach from Yeovil are limited and cabins are already selling fast.

28

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/TheConduitMag

2 Borough Arcade, High Street Yeovil BA20 1RX yeovil@milesmorgantravel.co.uk

@conduitmag

Food & Drink

FOOD & DRINK

TWO SPICY RECIPES FROM THE QUEEN OF SPICE!

By Sarah Ali Choudhury

2 tbsp sunflower oil 1 bay leaf 3 cardamons 1-inch cinnamon stick 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 onion, finely chopped 1/4 green pepper, finely chopped 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 1 tbsp coriander powder 1 tsp garam masala 1 tbsp mixed curry powder 1/4 tsp chilli powder (optional) 1/4 tsp paprika 1 tsp concentrated tomato purée 50ml water 1 large tomato, finely chopped 500g diced lamb Fresh coriander for garnish

METHOD: 1. Heat oil.

2. Add bay leaf, cardamons and cinnamon stick.

3. Add garlic, ginger, onion, green pepper and salt. Fry on

a low to medium heat, stirring regularly for 5-10 mins

until onions soften.

4. When onions start to caramelise, add the turmeric,

coriander powder, garam masala, mixed curry powder,

chilli powder, paprika and the tomato purée. Stir well.

5. Add 50ml water, stir well, then add the tomato.

6. After about 10 mins, you will notice a little oil come to

the top of the mixture. This means the spices are cooked

and it is at this point that you add the diced lamb.

7. Stir well and cover. Cook this for 15-20 mins regularly

stirring, ensuring it doesn’t burn. For the last 5 mins

leave it on slow heat and covered.

SUCCULENT LAMB CURRY

RECIPE:

8. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve.

1 tbsp sunflower oil 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste) 1 tbsp cumin powder 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp concentrated tomato purée 25ml water 1 small/medium butternut squash, peeled and finely diced Coriander or spring onion for garnish

METHOD:

1. Heat oil in a heavy-based pan.

2. Add garlic, onion and salt.

3. Allow to soften and then add cumin, turmeric and

coriander powder, along with the tomato purée.

4. Add water and allow to cook on a slow heat for 5-7 mins.

5. Turn to medium heat for 3-5 mins.

6. Add the butternut squash, stir well and cover.

7. You will need to cook this for about 15-20 mins on a slow

heat to allow the squash to cook through properly.

Ensure that you stir regularly.

8. When done, garnish with fresh coriander or spring onion

and serve.

BUTTERNUT BHAJI

RECIPE:

What is Butternut Squash?

Butternut squash is a type of winter squash. It has a distinctly nutty and sweet taste, very similar to pumpkins. It is technically a fruit but can be used as a vegetable. It can be sautéed, toasted, roasted, mashed or puréed.

I find that cumin brings out the flavour of butternut squash and works really well

with it. It is one of my favourite foods and sometimes I love to cook it together with chicken or lamb curry.

Once completely peeled, topped and tailed, cut in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a spoon, then dice.

Best way to peel Butternut Squash.

Lots of people try peeling it with a knife but I find the easiest way to peel it is actually with a potato peeler in a downward motion. Then top and tail it.

You can also use the seeds. Wash and dry them, ensure they are evenly coated with oil and salt, then spread them out in a single layer and roast for about 20 mins or until starting to brown.

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29

CARE

WORKING AS A SAMARITAN THROUGH CORONAVIRUS

By Simon Hicks, Branch Director & Listening Volunteer at Samaritans Yeovil, Sherborne & District I am a volunteer at the Yeovil and Sherborne branch of Samaritans. We are a cohort of about 120 volunteers, contributing to the national Samaritans helpline, and as a branch, we man the phones about 85% of 24/7.

In some respects, the situation regarding Coronavirus did not alter anything. We are always there to “listen” to callers sharing their own personal crisis, be it mental health issues, loneliness, trauma, pure desperation or anything else. From our early training days, we are taught never to pigeonhole callers. A caller may be experiencing similar issues to the previous one – but they are both individuals and should be treated as such.

However, it is fair to say that the virus and the subsequent fall out post lockdown, has given callers additional need to worry, and added a further layer to our conversations.

From a volunteer point of view, numbers across the board dropped dramatically as people took sensible isolation precautions, but those who remained able to volunteer pulled out all the stops to keep calls being answered by doubling up on shifts.

We banded together to keep all of our shielding volunteers connected throughout lockdown, with weekly branch newsletters, zoom socials and sing songs. Gradually, many who have been forced to stay away are starting to return to the centre. In fact, one of our longest serving and most experienced volunteers, Ray, is poised to do his first shift in nearly six months next week. He’s 85 and has been with the branch for 21 years! We’re very pleased to have him back.

We’re running induction courses for those like Ray who really want to return to ensure we make it safe for our most vulnerable volunteers.

We don’t doubt that the impact of the pandemic will continue to affect us all for some months and even years to come. Samaritans offer plenty of suggestions through the website at www.samaritans.org and a new self-help app helps you to keep track of how you are feeling and offers recommendations of what you can do to cope during a crisis.

There are also several other useful websites to visit including mind.org.uk.

Here are just some of the things you can do if you’re struggling during easing of lockdown: • Talk to someone you trust. It might feel hard to start talking about how you are feeling. But many people find that sharing their experiences can help them feel better. You can talk to Samaritans any time of the day and night by calling 116 123 or Mindline Somerset on 01823 276892.

• Express your feelings creatively - try writing, drawing, painting.

• Make choices to control the things that you can.

• Seek help. If you are struggling with your mental health, it is ok to ask for help. Speak to your GP, or your mental health team.

Could you volunteer with the Yeovil Branch of Samaritans? Please note that our monthly open evenings are currently suspended but we would still welcome your enquiry by email at recruitment@yeovilsamaritans.org. uk or you can visit our website at https://www.samaritans.org/branches/ samaritans-yeovil-sherborne-and-district.

Volunteer with us We will train, mentor and support you all the way.

To find out more and apply, visit

samaritans.org/volunteer Email yeovil@samaritans.org

Yeovil Sherborne & District

Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District is a registered charity.

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CALLING ALL CARERS! Local charity, Spark Somerset, is working to improve health and wellbeing in South Somerset, and has identified a gap in support for unpaid carers aged between 18 and 60 years and living in the Rural Practice Primary Care Network which covers Bruton, Wincanton, Castle Cary, Queen Camel and Milborne Port. In partnership with the Carers Champions at the local GP surgeries, they are conducting a survey to help them better understand what services and activities might be needed.

They would like to hear from anybody who is: • Caring for a family member who has a disability, long term physical or mental ill health, or struggles with substance misuse.

• Aged between18 and 60 years.

• Registered with any of the GP surgeries in Bruton, Wincanton, Castle Cary, Queen Camel or Milborne Port.

Sue Crisfield, Spark’s Social Prescribing Co-ordinator, said: “We would really like to know what kind of information, advice and support local carers feel they need. We are keen to receive your thoughts, comments and ideas, to help us with our future plans. Perhaps you would like to take respite breaks with other carers, or form an online group, or just meet up regularly to support one another - your ideas would be warmly welcomed!”

The deadline for the survey is Friday 18 September.

To take part in the survey, visit https://www. sparksomerset.org.uk/carers-survey . For a paper copy, you can call 01458 550973 or email support@ sparksomerset.org.uk/ To find out more about local health and wellbeing support, visit www. wellbeingsouthsomerset.org.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

ARE YOUR KIDS BORROWING YOUR FEARS?

By Niki Cassar

If you have young children, naturally you want to protect them right now, but you may feel you don’t know how, as the Coronavirus information we’re given is often unclear. You may be tempted to tell them half-truths or say nothing at all.

We forget that they are little satellites, constantly collecting information from everyone around them, especially from the grown-ups they are closest to. Your child may be watching TV, playing with a toy and doing a puzzle simultaneously, yet still listening to the grown-ups’ conversation nearby, because kids can multi-task! Children up to the age of 6 are particularly vulnerable to collecting and storing information, and due to their age and lack of experience, a lot of what they store is erroneous.

First, never lie or use avoidance of a sticky subject to protect them, because there will be long term consequences, including lack of trust in you.

Always explain what’s going on, tailoring the information to their age and vocabulary. Secondly, never use scare tactics! Here are some examples….

I’m not here to tell you what’s right or wrong, but I can offer some suggestions.

Positive: “Enjoy having fun with your friends, and do your best to keep a little distance away

Negative: “If you don’t scrub your hands thoroughly to get all the germs off when I tell you to, you’ll catch coronavirus and have to go to hospital.”

Positive: “It’s a good idea to wash your hands well when I ask you to, because you’ll stay strong and healthy.”

Negative: “You mustn’t get too close to the other kids, because if you do, then you could catch some nasty germs like coronavirus and get very ill.”

from them, so you can all stay safe and healthy.”

in some way for Mum/Dad’s problems.

The negative examples use authoritarian language plus scare tactics. The positive examples use simple ‘permissive’ language. Which of those do you think will benefit your children the most?

And if you are an anxious person yourself, with a number of ‘what if’ fears, instead of letting them borrow your fear and making it their own, always tell them truthfully that you sometimes get worried about little things, but that it’s YOUR anxiety, and not theirs. Explain that it’s not their fault you’re anxious, because kids often think that they are to blame

There are three important phrases to use with your children, over and over: You are safe and secure It’s not your fault I love you And if you think your fears are affecting you and your kids, please call me on 07973 346747 for a free, confidential chat, and receive a £15 discount on your first session of Hypnotherapy.

Online sessions are my speciality!

WIN £10 in our WORDSEARCH

competition CARRY ON CAMPING!

With many people opting for a Staycation rather than having to endure the constantly changing advice about countries that are or aren’t under quarantine, some of us found ourselves under canvas in Britain. Camping is therefore the inspiration for this month’s Wordsearch.

Just find the hidden words in the grid below, ring each word until you have found all of them and when you have completed the puzzle send it to: The Conduit Magazine, Unit 4, Barton View Business Park, Sheeplands Lane, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4FW. The lucky winner receives a £10 cheque. The closing date is: Monday 21 September. Good luck.

AWNING AXE COUNTRY CODE DUTCH OVEN ESCAPE FIRE FLAP GRILL

GROUNDSHEET GUIDE MATS MUGS NATURE OPEN AIR PEGS RAIN

SITE STOVE TENT TORCH TRAILER WOOD

Name:__________________________________________________________ Tel :_________________________Email:______________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________ 31 ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

If you would like to know who has won our Wordsearch Puzzles see our website.

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HEALTH & WELLBEING

NEW BOOK FROM YEOVIL COACH HELPS PREVENT OSTEOARTHRITIS A martial arts professional, Kire Antoski, was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis (OA) nine years ago and thought his career and mobility was over. The black belt Master was not used to defeat and began a process of extensive research and experimentation with different diets and exercise plans to see how he could put the disease into remission and also help others prevent it happening to them.

The result is a detailed book, Living Pain-free with Osteoarthritis, describing a specific exercise programme and antiinflammatory diet which Kire has followed with the result that he is now pain-free in his hips, allowing him to still teach and demonstrate martial arts and fitness at his Academy.

WHAT CAUSES OSTEOARTHRITIS?

Antoski’s Sport and Exercise Medicine doctor, Dr Harriet F Collins says, “Kire has

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managed to keep the range of movement and symptoms in his hips well-controlled with his stretching routine, exercises and anti-inflammatory diet. His x-rays remain unchanged a further 18 months on, a testament to excellent self-management.”

Antoski recommends the full exercise programme should be done regularly two to three times per week with a minimum of 48 hours rest between sessions.

Founder of Yeovil-based Panthers Martial Arts Academy, Antoski, explains what drove him to keep persevering with diet and exercise until he found the perfect combination to stop the progress of osteoarthritis. “I was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis in 2011 and suffered for a few years with both pain and uncertainty – would I need a hip replacement operation? Would I need to change my lifestyle and give up my martial arts career?

“I spent much time exploring this disease and experimenting with different exercises and diet plans. Finally, I hit upon the

The exact cause of osteoarthritis isn’t known.

Most commonly called degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition of the joints. In the UK, more than nine million people have osteoarthritis and in England and Wales, there are approximately 160,000 hip and knee replacement procedures performed each year. (www.njrcentre.org.uk ) It is a condition that causes joints to become painful and stiff and it can affect any joint of the fingers, toes, knees, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders.

Antoski says he has written this book with the intention of helping fellow martial arts practitioners and fitness industry professionals like himself, as well as runners, walkers, body builders, dancers and gymnasts. The exercises will also benefit people who perform heavy lifting in their work environment and others that suffer from wear and tear of their hip joints, and of course other joints too.

The book is available to order from http://www. painfreewithoa.co.uk at £9.99 (plus p&p) and also from Amazon.

right combination and I now have the confidence and knowledge to write this book, in the hope of either helping people to prevent OA from developing or, for those who have already developed OA, to help them put it in remission and live a relatively pain-free, fit life.

“Like myself, there are many athletes who enjoy a life of fitness, having trained from a young age in the belief that keeping fit was enough to prevent most health problems, especially joint problems, from occurring.

However, they are not necessarily preventing the joints from developing this painful condition.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kire Antoski was born in 1963 in Prilep, Northern Macedonia and grew up in a working-class family of four with his parents and younger sister. Having suffered bullying from local boys, he took up martial arts at the age of 13 when he joined a local Karate club.

June 1990 saw Kire come to Great Britain with his young family and in spring 1991, the screen-printing business in which he was employed moved to Sherborne. At this time he also worked in nightclub security in a Yeovil club.

Kire never lost his love for martial arts and trained by himself until January 1994, when he decided to start and open his own martial arts club “Panthers” in the aerobic studio of the local gym. In 1998 he founded his full-time martial arts school, “Panthers Martial Arts Academy” which is based in Yeovil, Somerset.

Kire has grown Panthers Martial Arts Academy to be one of the largest and most successful martial arts schools in Somerset with over 190 students, of which 15 hold World titles, nine hold European titles and 40 hold British titles. In year 2018 Kire was nominated for Somerset “coach of the year”.

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www.oxleysc.com

WALKING

RACHEL’S RAMBLES

By Rachel Mead

There are walks for ‘a bit of fresh air’ and walks ‘to clear one’s head’, walks ‘around the block’ and then there is this particular walk, which is ‘good for the soul.’ Oakley and I are fortunate enough to be heading into a five-acre woodland with our rambling companion, retired farmer Bob. The woodland is at its thickest, with the ash and sycamore trees in full leaf. The shady ground is a continuous carpet of ivy except for the pathways worn away by local dog walkers and it is at this time of day, for we are walking early evening, that the woodland feels luxuriously quiet.

It’s been a hot week, the school holidays are in full throw and with lockdown rules relaxing, the roads and general life are beginning to feel busy again. But here, in the woodland, where the sun burns spotlights through the tree crowns and captures an aleatory yet poignant silhouette, we are alone and able to wander at our own pace.

Ninety-four year old Bob pauses every now and then, taking stock of his surroundings. He’s known these woods for over 70 years and can now see strong timber standing where young, yet brawny saplings once stood. Many a time, with manual saw in hand, he tended to these trees, removing the suffocating ivy from the trunks. Encouraging life, not stifling it. He reflects on how his opinions and plans have altered with age, for there was once a time when he considered removing the trees in place of adding a more productive area of ground to his farm, “You improve with age - in regards to some things!” he laughs. And so it is now that he appreciates the natural habitats that have formed here, welcoming deer in particular, to this peaceful place.

Perhaps it is a nod to his longevity but the further we walk and talk, Bob’s sunny disposition and positive outlook to each day comes through. “Look at these trees, some are upright, some are leaning - a bit like you and me!”

Bob tells me how some villagers, years ago, used to be seen in the wood ‘sticking’. “It was just so cold in those days, people were poor and so they’d come here, collecting kindling or ‘sticking’ to help keep their homes warm. Trees are life, they don’t just give oxygen.”

We meander steadily along the track and I am thankful for my evening’s ramble with Bob. Despite the recent months of shielded lockdown, he appreciates and takes happiness from what he has, not focusing on what may have been (temporarily) lost.

“We are so fortunate to live in the countryside so be sure to enjoy it”, says Bob “Live and let live.”

To find some more inspiring walks in the countryside: www.visitsouthsomerset.com /menu/inspire-me/ brochures.aspx?parentNodeName=Brochures# If you would like to recommend a ramble for Rachel then please email rachel@zestbureau.co.uk You can also see more photos from each walk on instagram: rachelsrambles 34

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Advertisements: MONDAY, 14 September

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FRIDAY, 11 September

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News and Articles:

K E JOI N

Dry Stone Walling and Paving

Dave buys all types of tools.

All types of stone walling undertaken www.yenstonewalling.co.uk

Tel: 01935 428975

Patrick Houchen - DSWA member

01963 371123 Professional & reliable service

GUNS WANTED FOR CASH Any Condition. SOS to all air rifles and pistols any maker or model.

We collect in any area. Top prices paid in cash

07970 742471

IAN CROSSLAND

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Tel: 01935 411813 Mob: 07811 070 498

• Interior and exterior decorating

• Carpentry and small cabinet work • Restoration of timber windows

• Making/restoring leaded windows • Hanging doors

• Fitting fences and gates • Exterior lime mortaring

With over 20 years’ experience for a friendly reliable service please give me a call

01935 808052

Domestic and contract flooring specialists 34 Princes Street, Yeovil BA20 1EQ

Tel: 01935 478100

walterwallyeovil@hotmail.co.uk To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

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Providing Dental Care for the Yeovil area since 1864

NEW PATIENTS WELCOME Princes Street Dental Practice are an independent private practice where you will see the same dentist at each visit. We keep up to date with, and like to invest in, new technology. We have invested in a CEREC technology which allows us to fit crowns and bridges in just one visit no impressions!

We are proud to be members of the Denplan Excel scheme.

Please feel free to ring and ask any questions, or come in and meet our lovely staff.

45 Princes St, Yeovil BA20 1EG

01935 475962 www.princesstreetdental.co.uk