The Wheel Autumn 2023

Bringing together Clandown, Haydon, Radstock and Writhlington.

Welcome to the autumn edition of the Wheel!

This issue is full of all the latest from the community and will hopefully get you looking forward to the upcoming season.

Make sure to take a look at what is coming up and fill your diaries ready - and while you’re at it, are you following us on Instagram?

We’d love to feature your images and see you enjoying yourself in and around Radstock, so please tag us in your pictures and give us a follow.

We’ll catch up with you again in our next issue ready for the winter, if you’d like to feature your news or photos, get in touch with us before 6th October.

MAYor’s MessAGe

Be AT THe sTreeT

rAdsTocK MUseUM

BIG locAl

NeIGHBoUrHood PolIce

1sT rAdsTocK scoUTs

AcTIoN PANTrY

YoUTH coNNecT

NeIGHBoUrHood Pl AN

sIlver BANd

coMMUNITY PollINATor

swAllow cHArITY

eMPloYMeNT & sKIlls Pod

BrIdGe oPeNING

rAdsTocK IN BlooM

rAdsTocK lIBrArY

P.e .o.P.l .e

clerK’s MessAGe

The next edition of The Wheel will be in November 2023. If you would like your group to be included in the next edition, please contact us on 01761 437962 before the deadline of 6th October 2023.

If you have difficulty reading the print, please contact the Town Clerk for a large print copy. You can also view The Wheel on the council’s website at www.radstock-tc.gov.uk.

The Wheel is produced by Ignyte Media Ltd, Bathway Farm, Bathway, Chewton Mendip, BA3 4LN. Tel 01761 410141. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the data contained in this publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. Ignyte or Radstock Town Council does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in any retrieval system in any form without the prior permission of the publisher.

MAYOR’S MESSAGE

Welcome to this edition of The Wheel. As you can see, there are a lot of things going on in our Town, with plenty of opportunities to get involved either to shape future developments or volunteer with one of the many community groups that add life and colour to Radstock.

Radstock is looking particularly lovely at this time of year, thanks to the efforts of our devoted Radstock In Bloom volunteers, the Town Council staff team and all those who have been helping our Town look its best for the annual Britain in Bloom contest.

We won’t know the outcome of the competition until later in the Autumn, but meanwhile enjoy some of the excellent displays that brighten up our Town.

Meanwhile the Town Council has been working with Bath and North East Somerset officers on regeneration opportunities within the Town Centre. There are several vacant and underused premises in the centre that need work done, either to make them more usable or more attractive.

Radstock, like most market towns, has struggled to sustain shops and services, in the face of competition from online shopping and now the ongoing cost of living crisis.

It’s easy to reminisce about Radstock as it used to be in our youth, with numerous shops, cafés, and a market, supported by two railway lines and secure local employment. It’s less pleasant to remember some of the downsides for many people at that time, although a visit to the excellent Radstock Museum gives us a sense of the events and personalities that shaped the place we call home.

It’s impossible to put the genie back into the bottle and return Radstock to how it used to be. People’s lives have changed, with many now having to commute to work to Bath, Bristol or beyond. Public

transport is now by bus, with many areas served infrequently, if at all. And many people now do their shopping online, with deliveries from all over the world satisfying their needs.

The Town Council is looking to develop a plan for Radstock that seeks to meet more needs locally, with improved facilities and opportunities for local employment. Working with B&NES and the Metro Mayor, there is funding available to address our concerns.

We will keep you updated on these plans, including how you can be involved going forward, in future editions.

In the meantime, enjoy what is left of the summer.

With Best Wishes,

Chris Dando Mayor of Radstock

soMer vAlleY sUccessfUllY MANAGed To BEAt thE StREEt

More than 4,000 people across the Somer Valley have clocked up almost 38,000 miles –more than once around the earth’s circumference - walking, cycling or rolling in a six-week Beat the Street game.

The Beat the Street game across the Somer Valley has now come to an end. The physical activity challenge saw 4,215 people walking, cycling and rolling for points and prizes during the six-week challenge. Together, players clocked up an incredible 37,542 active miles during the challenge.

The winners are:

Schools – total points

1. St John’s CofE Primary School

2. St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School

3. Midsomer Norton Primary School

4. Paulton Junior School

Schools – average points

5. St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School

6. Fosse Way School

7. St John’s CofE Primary School

8. Longvernal Primary School

Community and workplace teams - total points

9. Hope House

Community and workplace teams - average points

10. Hope House

Small teams – total points

11. Radella and Friends

Individual – Unika

The efforts of the community also mean that the local charity SWALLOWS will benefit from a £500 donation. This will assist their work enabling local teenagers and adults with learning disabilities to live independently.

Becky Reynolds, Director of Public Health for Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Congratulations to each and every player who got involved with Beat the Street and took the time to play the game as a team. We hope you have enjoyed trying a different way to be physically active and had fun whilst doing so. Keeping up daily movement in our lives can transform our health and wellbeing and we hope Beat the Street has inspired people to carry on being active outdoors.”

Participants will be invited to give their feedback via the post-game survey and the winners will receive their rewards throughout July.

Whilst Beat the Street has come to an end, legacy planning is taking place to support sustained walking and cycling activity in the Somer Valley. Look out for a legacy game being planned for September.

ADULT from £22p/m from £10p/m JUNIOR SWIMMING

NINJAIR • SOFT PLAY

LASER TAG • CLIMBING

TOYS & FLOATS POOL PARTIES

OFSTED REGISTERED CLUB

SOFT PLAY • SPORT WORKSHOPS

INTENSIVE SWIMMING LESSONS

News froM RAdStOck MuSEuM

On the 22nd August, Radstock Museum open a new temporary exhibition called “Pressing Matters”, on the subject of flat irons and the history of laundering and ironing.

This display is brought to them from the wonderful personal collection of Penny Savill, who last year, gave us a fascinating introduction to the surprisingly varied world of button hooks.

The exhibition will cover the world of irons, spanning over two centuries both at home and abroad. Look out for ‘Wash Day Blues’ and other accessories and don’t forget the children - we haven’t!

They also have new additions to the displays, marking the 50th anniversary of the closure of the last coal mines in the Somerset Coalfield. Downstairs, there are illustrated information panels on the coalfield itself, the mines after nationalisation and the period leading up to the 1973 closure. Upstairs, a new installation called “Voices in the Landscape” features a collection of quotes from miners and their families remembering life on the coalfield.

For all exhibitions, normal entry charges apply. Apart from a few exceptions, all entrance tickets are valid for unlimited free re-entry for a year.

Visit www.radstockmuseum.co.uk. for opening times, entry charges and more information. We look forward to seeing you at the museum.

RAdStOck And WEStfiEld BiG lOcAl

Radstock and Westfield Big Local has been investing money in the local community for eight years, and consulted and planned for three years prior to that!

The money came from a £1.15m grant from The Lottery Fund (now called Community Fund), and it is up to the community to spend it how they think best, so long as it is based on the needs of local people and helps build on our many strengths. Any resident within Radstock or Westfield can join the group and help make the decisions on how to invest the money.

Health and wellbeing has been a key concern since the start, and we’re pleased to have invested £250k in the Hope House Centre to provide a space that’s available for groups to hire to promote healthy living.

So far it’s been used for music therapy, yoga, youth support, social prescribing projects, and much more.

Get in touch with Hope House if you want to hire the space.

Of growing importance is the use of local green space, in both structured and unstructured ways. We’ve given grants out to allotment groups to widen accessibility to more people; to projects based on growing plants, taking exercise and increasing play in nature; and we’ve supported people to plant trees and make improvements to the river.

For the next couple of years we aim to build on these investments, especially supporting people to access local green spaces. Please get in touch with us if you want to get involved!

nEiGhBOuRhOOd POlicinG tEAM

In the spring I wrote about an increase in anti-social behaviour from young people in the area. I am happy to say this has reduced considerably following a spike in March and April this year. Although antisocial behaviour is still an issue we will combat, the recorded figures are now back in line with seasonal norms. I would like to thank my team at Radstock for all the leg work in speaking to many parents over the last few months, showing them CCTV and mobile phone clips of their children’s behaviour and I would also like to thank all the parents who did take responsibility for their children and would encourage all parents to know what your children are doing or who they are associating with.

The summer is traditionally a busy time for the police and this year was no different with a huge demand on our services. It always surprises me how much difference the weather makes to demand on the police service. I like it to rain when I am working and be sunny on my days off but the weather is a fickle mistress and often disappoints. With demand comes

frustrations and I know the police 101 system can be a frustrating beast to navigate with horrendous waiting times on occasions. I would remind everybody that reports can also be made via online reporting on the Avon and Somerset website and of course, in an emergency, dial 999. If you wish to report useful information, you can always use the Crimestoppers number which is 0800 555 111 and is anonymous. Hopefully by the time you read this article, we will be heading full steam ahead into the autumn with an end to the high demand in sight.

If anybody has concerns where you live that they would like to discuss with a member of my beat team in person, we hold regular beat surgeries around the area. If you put your postcode into the our website’s “your area” section, it will tell you when and where the beat surgeries are held.

Stay safe and be vigilant.

Lee Humphreys Police Sergeant 432

1St RAdStOck ScOut GROuP

The1st Radstock Scout Group have recently held their AGM and celebrated another year of equipping young people in Radstock with skills for life with a campfire and BBQ. The Beavers have spent several sessions with Radstock in Bloom at Southfield Community Garden helping to create a bug hotel, as well as decorating the compost bins and making good use of the outdoor classroom. Cubs have enjoyed various activities, including a delicious chip shop survey, as well as more traditional campfires and s’mores, whilst the Scouts have been making the most of the lighter evenings recently with adventurous activities, including kayaking and pioneering. All sections have enjoyed various sleepovers and camps, with the Scouts heading off for their week long summer camp shortly. Various awards were given out on the evening including Beaver, Cub and Scout of the Year and Chief Scout Awards, as well as Beaver Leader Karen being awarded an Award for Merit. Each section meets weekly during term time and is open to all young people from the age of 6 to 14. We are always on the look out for volunteers in any capacity, from working with the young people to supporting in other ways.

If you would like to register your child’s interest or

volunteer your services, please contact Janet Turner on radstockscouts@btinternet.com

A date for your diary

Scarecrow Fest 23rd - 30th September 2023

1st Radstock Scout Group will be running a Scarecrow Fest on the 30th September with a Scarecrow Trail and various Scarecrow activities leading up to the main event on the 30th.We hope this will be an event the community and local businesses will want to engage with and we look forward to hearing from anyone who would like to enter the scarecrow competition, sponsor the event, or donate prizes. More news will appear over the next few weeks, but if you want to make contact now, please email radstockscouts@btinternet.com

ActiOn PAntRY

Action Pantry is an initiative of Mercy in Action, providing fresh food and store cupboard essentials to families and individuals in need.

Since taking over the Radstock Foodie Club, Mercy in Action have seen some of the foodie clubs’ old members returning, we have also welcomed some new households over the last few months. We have seen some of our new members joining us from Midsomer Norton and the surrounding villages. The food bank that was in Midsomer Norton closed earlier this year, which means we have been able to help some of those families that previously relied on it. The location in Radstock is prime for families and singles living on the outer edges of Bath. As we continue to face the cost-of-living crisis in the UK, we expect to see our numbers continue to increase.

Recently, we have introduced Clothesline, a part of our charity that provides free clothing for children aged 3 to 18 years old.. So far this has been a success with our members and some families have been making some personal requests for items that are missing from their children’s wardrobes. We hope to continue the Clothesline. We have also introduced sanitary products and bric-a-brac. The sanitary and nappies have also been a much-needed addition to

have alongside the food.

Action Pantry strives to bring all our members fresh food, flowers, sanitary and clothing each week. We hope Mercy in Action will continue to support the wider community to the best of its ability and bridge that gap for those struggling with food poverty.

If you live in the Radstock area and would like to know more about Action Pantry or seek our services, please get in touch with our Family Support Manager on family.support@mercyinaction.org.uk 078425806981.

We are also always looking for people to help us as volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, we would love to hear from you. You can read more about our organisation through our website www.mercyinaction.org.uk/action-pantry

YOuth cOnnEct soUTH wesT

What a busy summer YCSW have had at Radstock Youth Centre! Over the last few months, we have been running open access youth clubs that have included:

• An art based project called RIRO with Creativity Works

• DJing with Bath Festivals

• Art with Little Lost Robot

• A day out at Glastonbury Festival...

All alongside our usual youth club activities, like sports, arts, crafts and support sessions.

We have just finished the Monday RIRO art-based project that involved young people aged 13-19, learning new skills with facilitators and artists, then delivering a community facing art workshop for all ages at Radstock Fayre. Young people showed their new skills off to the community, getting participants involved in a clay workshop to make faces, animals or anything their heart desired. The young people involved took the lead in different roles, setting up the event space, communicating with participants and helping the workshop to run effectively by being the on-site assistants. It was a great event, and many people took part, with a showcase of work from the fayre in the window at Radstock Library.

Look out for information on our website www.youthconnectsouthwest.org.uk about the new session on Monday evenings from 7pm for young people aged 13-19.

Wednesday club night, 7-9pm, for ages 13-19, has been transformed into… well just that, a club night! Our talented young people have been learning to DJ with Ash from Bath Festivals. Each week, young people have been learning to beat match, understand how to equalise sounds, looping all on a VJ Pioneer deck that you might find at a club, gig or festival.

Wait?

FESTIVAL?!...

Well our young people had a once in a lifetime experience this summer to attend a workshop with none other than the Arcadia team at Glastonbury Festival! Young people had a great time, taking part in an ariel workshop to learn how the team create a whole experience of dance, music and visual arts. They also had an opportunity to take part in a welding course to learn about how the team build the amazing spider and bring it all together. Talking to Pip and Bert, the founders, young people learned that you don’t need formal qualifications to get into the creative teams at festivals, just a passion for what you are making, building and bringing to life.

Some of our young people who have been DJing, got to see the famous spider DJ booth and have been inspired by both events for their future careers.

For more information about sessions in Radstock at our Youth Hub, please contact;

Carrie Ford, NES Youth Work Team Leader07875488718

Facebook - Youth Connect SouthWest Instagram - @youthconnectsouthwest

SOMER VAllEY REdiScOVEREd

We have had a great summer of events, including Willow Weaving, Outdoor Yoga, Music and Craft, Wildflower Walk and Bat Walks. Keep an eye out for our new website www.somervalleyrediscovered.co.uk to see upcoming events and volunteering opportunities.

Love Parks Week

During Love Parks Week, we held some free activities including an Introduction to Wildflowers Walk and Willow Weaving Workshop, both sessions sold out and provided an opportunity for residents to enjoy their local parks.

The SVR Team have been putting up posters and engaging with dog walkers at Haydon Batch and other greenspaces in the Somer Valley. This along with the ‘Do It For Your Dog’ social media campaign from Keep Britain Tidy, aims to influence behaviour change and to capture the attention of dog lovers and hit home the message that dog fouling is unacceptable.

Dog poo bins can be found at the main entrances to Haydon Batch. Do It For Your Dog, bag it, bin it.

Bat Walk

Waterside Valley meeting at St Nicholas’ Church Centre for 7:30pm on 12th of September

Join the Somer Valley Rediscovered Team at Waterside Valley on Tuesday, 12th September for an evening bat walk led by professional bat ecologists.

We will start at 7:30pm with a brief talk about bat ecology and conservation and then go for a gentle stroll around the meadows and along the river looking and listening out for different bat species. We will use bat detectors to pick up the bats echolocations and work out what species we have recorded. We will finish up at 9:30pm.

Please note:

We also launched a dog fouling campaign, which lets dogs do the talking, to encourage owners to pick up their poo. Dog poo can be dangerous to other dogs and human health, especially to children, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

Jess Taylor, from Somer Valley Rediscovered, said: “In order for the project to improve biodiversity and help people reconnect to their local greenspaces for health and wellbeing, this issue needs to be addressed.

There is some unstable ground and steeper sections so please wear sturdy footwear and bring a torch! All under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. Could we please ask that dogs are left at home.

Free Parking is available at Church Street Car Park. Please arrive by 7:25pm for an 7:30pm start.

In the event of poor weather, we may need to cancel at short notice, in which case we will reschedule. Book your place on Eventbrite

https://shorturl.at/wxyDP

cOuncillOR lAViniA cORRick

My name is Lavinia Corrick. In the May 2023 Local elections, I became an Independent Councillor for Radstock (Writhlington). I moved to Writhlington in 1987, attracted by the wonderful countryside that is on our doorstep. In recent years, I have become interested in local matters and took part in the Writhlington Action Group campaign to oppose two very large developments in Writhlington. A number of local issues and concerns came out of this and I joined Radstock/Westfield Big Local and the Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group to make a difference to the area and to have a voice in the future of Radstock.

I have been a volunteer driver for Dorothy

PAULTON DENTAL & IMPLANT CENTRE

House Hospice for 13 years. Until Covid, I drove patients to clinics; more recently, my role has been to transport blood supplies and medicines to the Hospice at Winsley. I continue to enjoy local walks and like to keep fit. I regularly attend classes at Dragonfly Leisure in Writhlington and can be seen doing early morning “training sessions” on the adjacent playing field in all weathers!

I am very keen to do all I can to improve the opportunities for people living and working in Radstock and to this end, I look forward to working with residents and fellow councillors. Together I am sure we can achieve a great deal.

Tel: 01761 416057

reception@paultondental.co.uk Ivy Cottage, High Street, Paulton BS39 7QA

Smile Transformations in Paulton

Bespoke dental care delivered with a gentle approach, in a relaxed, friendly and professional atmosphere.

www.paultondental.co.uk

Dental Implants

Constantly improving our facilities, our equipment is kept up to date and our staff are highly trained in order to deliver a high level of dental care and a complete range of dental treatments to our patients.

nEiGhBOuRhOOd dEVElOPMEnt StEERinG GROuP

The Neighbourhood Development Plan Steering Group have, over the last few months, worked on a questionnaire which will aid in the creation of a Neighbourhood Plan for Radstock.

This will give our community direct power to plan a shared vision for our neighbourhood and help shape the development of the local area.

The questionnaire was sent to every household in Radstock giving residents the opportunity to have their say in influencing the future of the town.

The response was extremely positive, and the steering group would like to thank residents for taking the time to fill in and return the questionnaire.

The process of analysing the data has begun and it will give the group a chance to look at the thoughts and suggestions provided.

Here are some samples of responses:

Housing Type

• 70% of respondents live in houses

• 50% of respondents live in bungalows

• 6% live in sheltered accommodation

New Developments

How much importance do you attach to the provision of new housing for each of the following?

• 63.8% to provide affordable housing

• 64.4% to enable local people to remain living in Radstock

• 43.8% family homes

Traffic Concerns

How concerned are you about the following transport issues?

• 49.8% volume of traffic

• 57.6% excess speed of vehicles

• 45.7% roadside parking

• 16.7% lack of crossings

Protecting Natural Recreation

• 85.1% playing fields, including play parks

• 82.8% footpaths, cycleways, bridleways

• 88.3% wildlife e.g. birds, animals, flowers, reptiles, insects

• 90.3% natural landscape features e.g. woodland, trees, hedges, streams, open spaces

Three things you like about living in Radstock

• Countryside

• Community

• Access to Bath ADVERTISE

cOuncillOR liAM kiRBY

I know, I know- we had the railways. We had coal mines. Loads of them. Chimneys, pit wheels, wagons hauling spoil to towering batches. It informs our sense of what Radstock is. Visit the museum, read one of the information boards: this was a Mining Town. But, what if we also thought of ourselves as a Brass Band Town?

As a newly elected Town Councillor, I showed up at the Town Meeting in May and quickly struck up a conversation with the folks from Midsomer Norton and Radstock Silver Band. I was amazed at the offer they described - for less than the cost of a coffee, they’ll lend you an instrument, teach you to play it,

Sons

would like to thank customers, old and new, for their continued support

and give you space in the weekly Training Band to make friends and build on your new skills.

As a private music tutor myself, let me assure you: this is a crazy good deal. Learning to play an instrument is so good for a child’s development, I’m determined to make the band’s offer available to as many kids in Radstock as I can.

It’s nice to think about the past, and Radstock as it was. But let’s not fixate on what was lost to time, when such an amazing resource as the Silver Band remains at the heart of our community.

You can find out more by visiting www.msnrsb.org.uk

MidSOMER nORtOn And RAdStOck SilVER BAnd

The new generation of brass musicians at the Midsomer Norton and Radstock Silver Training Band performed their very first end of year summer concert in June.

The budding musicians, aged 6 to 60, have been learning for less than a year and during that time, have not only been learning to play their instruments, but they have also grown in confidence. So much so, that they were exceedingly keen to put on a special concert for friends and family to show everyone what they could do. The concert featured many ensemble pieces and also some solos too!

The audience was impressed with how well they all played. Parent, Hannah Sheppard, commented: “Great performance! Well done everyone, great to hear you all keeping the next generation of Brass alive!”

This concert was a key milestone for the Training Band, which started up again in September 2022 after a long break due to Covid. The students look forward to their band practice every Tuesday evening and are all thoroughly enjoying the experience. Vicky Myers said: “ My son loves attending the Training Band practice every week. Everyone is friendly, welcoming and patient with the children.”

Midsomer Norton and Radstock Silver Band have a proud history of training and developing young musicians and nurturing their talent. Some players who started with the band in the 1980’s are still playing with the main band today!

The Training Band is fully inclusive and is registered Band Safe with Brass Bands England and the tutors are fully DBS checked and registered. So, if you dream of playing a brass instrument, make that wish a reality and get in touch with us by emailing hello@msnrsb.org.uk for more information. You can also find out more about the band on their website www.msnrsb.org.uk.

The band are holding an Open Evening on Tuesday, 26th September at our band room at Trinity Methodist Church, Radstock from 7.30 pm - 9.30 pm. If anyone plays a brass instrument and are looking for a band to play with, or maybe have been away from banding for a while and need to blow away the cobwebs, then we would love you to come along and join us for a fun evening of music. If you don’t have your own instrument, then there’s no need to worry, as we will be able to loan you one for the evening. For more info and to book yourself in for the evening, please email hello@msnrsb.org.uk

Many thanks, Heather

Allard

cOMMunitY POllinAtOR fund soUTHfIeld recre ATIoN GroUNd

Since being awarded funding from The West of England Combined Authority “Bee Bold” Pollinator Fund there has been much activity at the “Southfield Community Garden” the highlight of which since our last update, is the installation of the educational classroom. The classroom has already been put to good use with a visit from 1st Radstock Beaver Group. Their last visit saw them painting ladybirds and butterflies onto the compost bins, working on the enhancing the dead hedges and bug hotel. We look forward to welcoming them back in the Autumn when we plan to plant bulbs ready for the Spring.

Next steps will see the installation of interpretation boards which will educate visitors to the site on a variety of topics including the very important Bees, the

Pollination Process, Wildflowers, dead hedges, and more.

The project is grateful to the dedicated In Bloom team and volunteers who have given many hours to make the project reach the milestones it has. We welcome and encourage you to be a part of this wonderful project. If you are interested in volunteering please contact us, we would love to hear from you.

For further information, contact us: 01761 437962 council@radstock-tc.gov.uk - www.radstock-tc.gov.uk or radstockinbloom@gmail.com

SWAllOW chARitY THIrTY for 30 cHAlleNGe

Swallow Charity’s Community Café in Radstock is a great place to meet up for delicious and affordable food and drink. Not only is it a great community resource, but it offers SWALLOW members, local teenagers and adults with learning disabilities, the opportunity to gain catering skills, in the kitchen and front of house.

We chatted to one of SWALLOW’s members to get an inside view of working in the Radstock Café.

What are your main jobs at the SWALLOW café?

I like the cleaning jobs best, like wiping the tables and cleaning the windows – and making them sparkle! I like cooking and making cakes and selling them to the customers.

What do you like best about working at the café?

I like the staff – Tara, Angela and Sophie are very friendly. I like working at both cafés. For me, it is a dream come true to work in the SWALLOW cafes.

What do you think makes the SWALLOW cafés special?

The billionaire chocolate cheesecake is my favourite –it tastes the best and people love it.

Do you think you would be able to learn these skills anywhere else?

The cafe helps me to learn new work skills. I’ve met new friends there who make me happy. I don’t know where else I would be able to do this.

What is the best meal you have made at the café?

My favourite is the homemade pizza with pepperoni, black olives, spinach and tomatoes. I make it at home now too and also for my mum!

The SWALLOW café can also provide catering for your event, from business meetings to wedding parties. If you are interested in making a booking, please get in touch with the café at 07565 752350 or cafe@swallowcharity.org

SWALLOW Charity was established in 1993 in response to local people with learning disabilities wanting more choice about how they lived their lives. Since then, the organisation has grown immensely, offering a wide range of services and now supports more than 150 teenagers and adults in Bath and North East Somerset and remains user led.

If you would like to get involved, please go to www.swallowcharity.org to or call 01761 414034.

cOnnAuGht lOdGE Of fREEMASOnS

Freemasonry is one of the oldest and most popular philosophical and fraternal organisations in the world. It is not political or religious, neither does it promote personal gain, but has charity as one of its core principles.

One of the popular misconceptions is that Freemasonry is a secret organisation. It is not; it is an organisation that keeps a few things to itself, in the same way that companies guard their trade secrets. For instance, everyone knows of Coca-Cola, but the formula for making the drink is commercially confidential. So, Freemasonry is the same, some things are kept confidential. That said, there is a national initiative to make Freemasonry more transparent, and its role and purpose more fully understood.

Connaught Lodge was founded in 1912 and is one of the oldest in the Province of Somerset. We meet at the Masonic Hall in Redfield Road, Midsomer Norton at 6.30pm on the third Wednesday of the month from September through to the following May, and new members are always welcome.

We support a wide range of charities both masonic and non-masonic, locally, and nationally. In fact, in 2022 we donated just under £4,000 to charities and other bodies, most of them local to Radstock and Midsomer Norton. We also gave a further supply of Teddy Bears to Paulton Hospital Minor Injuries Unit to help keep the children calm when being treated by the medical staff. One unique aspect of Freemasonry is that all our charitable funds are generated within the Lodge from the generosity of the Brethren themselves, and not from street collections or similar.

The Masonic Charitable Foundation (MCF) recently announced two new grants for Somerset charities.

This takes the total MCF grants to Somerset charities to well over £100,000 for the first five months of this year. The MCF is funded solely by regular donations from individual Freemasons. The Connaught Brethren were delighted that one of these charities is the Radstock Goldies Sing & Smile that will receive £15,000 over 3 years. The GoldenOldies Charity, known as “Goldies”, meet in various local venues for Sing & Smile sessions to support physical health, wellbeing, and independent living by combating loneliness and isolation, especially for those living alone, or caring for a loved one.

Connaught Freemasons would be interested to know of any local organisations that might benefit from our support.

For further information about Connaught Lodge, or if interested in becoming a Freemason; you don’t have to be invited, you can ask to join: email: Secretary3573@btinternet.com or visit our website: www.connaughtlodge.org.

W. Bro Chris James Connaught Lodge Charity Steward

VOluntEER dRiVERS nEEdEd for vITAl locAl coMMUNITY servIce

Our charity, SWAN, provides bespoke door-todoor community transport for local people. This is a crucial service and ensures access to medical and health appointments, visits to family and friends, clubs and social activities.

If you have;

• A desire to help people in your community

• A car and full driving licence

• A few hours to spare (times to suit)

We would love to hear from you!

Our volunteers are the heartbeat of our charity, whom we value enormously. Come and join our

friendly team; we offer flexible hours to suit and mileage reimbursement.

This is a rewarding role, and you would be making a real difference to people’s lives.

“I drive for SWAN because it feels good to help people get around, and it could be me one day that needs support” (SWAN driver).

If you would like to find out more, contact our office on 01761 439548

WhatsApp +44 7447 816479

office@swan-transport.co.uk

swan.chessck.co.uk

thE EMPlOYMEnt And SkillS POd

The Employment and Skills Pod has relaunched in Bath and North East Somerset to support all residents over 18 with FREE information, advice and guidance around Employment and Skills. We work with anyone who is unemployed, would like to get back into employment or would like information about training opportunities. The Pod works alongside Future Bright, We Work for Everyone and other partners.

We work with employers to ensure that their job vacancies and training courses reach those people who are available to take up the opportunities.

The Pod offers:

• Information to help understand what support is available in the area, depending on your needs and circumstances.

• Advice and support deciding what your next steps in employment are and how you can achieve them.

• Guidance and practical help to take control of your career journey and build confidence, tailored to an individual’s needs.

Come along and meet us at our drop in sessions at Radstock Library on the 2nd Wednesday or Bishop Sutton Community Centre on the 1st Thursday of each month. Other sessions available in Bath and Keynsham.

Find more information and check details at:

www.achieveinbathnes.co.uk

EmploymentSkills_Pod@bathnes.gov.uk

@AchieveBathnes

01225 395010

Keep an eye on the website for Employment and Skills events in the autumn.

The Pod is funded and managed by the West of England Combined Authority, led by Metro Mayor Dan Norris, and delivered by Bath and North East Somerset Council in partnership with Skills Connect.

St nichOl AS chuRch SchOOl BRidGE OPEninG

Children and families travelling on foot between St Nicholas Church School and the Heritage Park housing development in Radstock can now enjoy a more convenient way to do the school run thanks to the installation of a new footbridge.

The bridge, installed over the river by Bath & North East Somerset Council, was officially opened on 13 July and is part of the regeneration of the former railway land carried out by Norton Radstock Regeneration Company (NRR).

The bridge was funded by a section 106 developer contribution and delivered by the council as part of the Linden Homes Heritage Park housing development.

The school now owns and maintains the bridge, which provides another entrance, enables residents to walk safely to and from the site and helps reduce unnecessary car journeys. The bridge will be open at school drop-off and pick-up times only for pupils and their families travelling to and from school.

Councillor Paul Roper, cabinet member for Economic & Cultural Sustainable Development, said: “This scheme has been more than a decade in the making and we would like to thank NRR for the commitment of its board members and staff to making it a reality. We are delighted to have been able to hand the completed bridge into St Nicholas Church School’s care and we hope it will make travel to and from school easier for families from now on.”

Joe Beament, Executive Headteacher at St Nicholas Church School, said: “‘It is great to take ownership of the bridge that allows easier and safer access directly onto our beautiful school grounds. There’s also been

fun learning activities created for the children – they have seen the crane lower the bridge into place and we have been able to explore how the construction respects the river and nature, as well as creating new access onto site. Sustainable and safe travel to our school is really important to us and to The Bath and Wells Trust who are always exploring ways to engage with local communities and develop safe and sustainable ways to support families with the school run. Our new bridge at St Nicholas is great example of this.”

B&NES are also working with Radstock Town Council to regenerate the town centre after securing funding from the West of England Combined Authority’s Regeneration Enabling Fund. The Radstock Regeneration Action Plan will identify opportunities for improvements to the area to revitalise the town centre and bring vacant shops back into use.

Councillor Chris Dando, Radstock Town Council, said: “Radstock Town Council is pleased to have been able to assist in the provision of this footbridge, which will provide a safe route for parents and children to St Nicholas Primary School.”

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RAdStOck in BlOOM

Forgive me dear readers if this month’s article reads like an Oscar nominations list!

Every now and again, I think it is important to divert our natural tendency online and in the press, to moan about all that is not right with our world, and instead, celebrate a little of what is.

I joined Radstock in Bloom two years ago to use some of my newly acquired free time, to make our town look lovely and to open up my narrowing world post retirement. My joining actually did so much more! So, I’m hoping this article will lift your spirits in the way mine have been lifted, by sharing with you tales of some of the amazing people who make up our wonderful Radstock community and who go to incredible lengths to make it sustainable and beautiful for all of us.

In July every year, Radstock is entered into the South West in Bloom competition. This in itself is quite an achievement for towns these days, so when we found out that we’d been moved up into the high category (nothing less than a Premier League type thing called Champion of Champions!) we knew that years of hard work had paid off, but that this year was also going to be a re-adjustment year and a learning curve. They couldn’t let us win the Ayres cup again, but we can aim for a good grading in a tougher class.

I know so many of you admire the beautiful hanging baskets around Radstock because you tell us often, thank you. You probably do not know that it is our hardworking local businesses that support this provision, alongside the substantial contribution from Radstock Town Council. The baskets are watered and maintained all through the summer thanks to their generosity and the Meadow Gardens team that you all see regularly pulling the huge heavy watering system around the town. It weighs about 2 tonne!

So please, next time you visit the businesses with the hanging baskets outside, or see them being watered, please say thank you if you have admired and appreciated the flowers. We are delighted that they want to do this for our whole community.

This year we want to publicly thank those businesses individually, so here goes: thank you to Apollo Technology, Athena, Bath Dancewear,Bike-It, Clements Pharmacy, Co-op Funeralcare, Crossmans Solicitors, DJS Wealth Adviser LLP, Graham Long & Co Ltd, Hair Razor, Kevin Watson, Manor Farm, Maple & Fleur Photography Ltd, Radstock Museum, Radstock Town Council, Rebecca’s Flower Shop, Radstock Working Men’s Club, Rumours, Sixth Street Tattoo Studio, Sue Hill Dance Ltd, Textur

Hair Boutiques, The Beauty Lounge, The Radstock Co-Operative Society, The Riverbank Café, Thomson Hardware, Tony Isherwood and Wells Hill Dental Surgery.

They all provide much needed services in our Town. Also through the summer, the Radstock Knitters displayed their incredible ingenuity and skill. Every fortnight, this small group of like-minded knitters gather together to undertake a wide variety of community projects, including supporting hospitals with blankets and care packages. The love and care for others that is generated by them is much appreciated, as is the delight of their ingenious creations to be viewed by all across the town. Thank you, Jennifer Louise Prowse, for leading the team and supporting the community so selflessly.

Of course, whilst seasonally the hanging baskets are

the summer crown jewels, all year-round new planters and planting spaces have been added around the town thanks to GM Engineering. These new trucks also feature artwork from local artist, Catherine Anne and are sustainably planted with flowers that attract as many pollinators as we can. They were much admired by the In Bloom Judge, Martin Hambiage, when he was greeted by 60 children’s voices from Trinity School serenading him with their glorious rendition of “I like the flowers.‘’ Thank you to all of those bright young singers and to the staff for preparing such lovely singing.

Martin had just attended a presentation in the Radstock Museum, another of our treasured resources. It is truly inspiring to see how Radstock has developed since its coal mining days. Certainly how clean it has become as many of you who can remember back that far will lay testament to. Andrew

Linham shared with Martin some fabulous footage of the transportation of coal from Writhlington Colliery to Radstock in 1969. This was no clean venture. Now the area is a marked by the serene wellbeing space that is the beautiful memorial gardens overlooking the river and the proud miners’ statues standing tall by the wheel, such superb local landmarks we can all be proud of.

So many children in Radstock also supported the In Bloom entry this year, with super artwork presented from St Nicholas’ School, Trinity School and St Mary’s School Writhlington, and the local 1st Radstock Beavers have demonstrated their ecological skills up at the Southfield Gardens. The superb Orchid Project at Writhlington School never fails to impress judges and the young people who share their knowledge and skills are incredible, we wish their teacher, Simon Pugh Jones, a long and happy retirement, spent probably in Borneo collecting more specimens. Thank you to all these young people, their teachers, leaders and to their parents for their encouragement and support.

I had no idea what an IYN was when I first joined the Bloomers, but quickly began to understand that Radstock In Bloom reached well outside the small town centre area that I initially believed they covered. There are a plethora of amazing people that give up their spare time to enhance our environment and keep the Radstock community flourishing. IYN stands for In your neighbourhood and this year, judges visited the following groups to recognise this contribution:

Swallows Café, The Potting Shed, Southfields Community Gardens, Writhlington Village Hall, Writhlington Allotments, The Orchard and Trinity Church Gardens. Beyond the town centre area, the judging also extends to include: Haydon Community Gardens, which is always a delight to sit in. Haydon Batch, a rich bio diverse environment, maintained by the Somer Valley Rediscovered team led by the ever -enthused Miriam Woolnough. If you haven’t yet walked there, then do try at least once. I hope you begin to see that there is, as I said at the beginning, so much to celebrate and be proud of here.

The Southwest in Bloom competition results will be announced in October at Truro Cathedral. Whatever the outcome, I am thankful that I joined the fabulous In Bloom team, which led to me meeting all these energetic and caring members of our community. Not forgetting the very talented Diane Abbot who captures it all on camera for us all to appreciate! My life is so much richer as a result. Let’s all recognise and celebrate their achievements with huge appreciation, and if you too want a piece of the pie, then don’t hesitate to come join us. You will not feel lonely if you do. We had another lovely social get together recently and I have new friends that I am very proud to know and volunteer with. It’s so much more than gardening!

Jean Hopegood

August

2023

RAdStOck liBRARY And cOMMunitY huB nEWS

Joining the Library is free – there are no hidden costs or added extras to borrow books, use the computers or download online eBooks, magazines and newspapers. Across the 145 Libraries West partners, there are well over 2.5 million books for you to read and you can use any Library in B&NES or Somerset to borrow or return books.

Our computers and printer are available for general use. We take a small charge for printing, copying or scanning a small number of documents in colour or black and white.

If you have been working in the garden, we have the Garden Waste Bags for sale (£3.10 each) so you can recycle garden waste, grass cuttings and

biodegradable bedding from hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits and other small animals.

Thanks to the Radstock in Bloom team we have litter pickers and rubbish bags you can borrow to help keep our streets clean too. Give a walk another purposeyoungsters love seeing how much they can pick up.

Come along and say hello - we always like to meet new people.

Opening times – Tuesday 9am- 4pm, Wednesday 10am – 5pm, Thursday 9am- 4pm

Radstock Community Hub and Library, The Street, Radstock BA3 3PR

Telephone 01761 437962

Email: council@radstock-tc.gov.uk

P.E.O.P.l.E

In the summer edition of the Wheel, I spoke of our delight at receiving the Dragon’s Den funding to enable us to undertake our “Pots and Potter” project. We have made an amazing start at preparing the garden and Ty has been working very hard on this to ensure that everyone can get pleasure and participate safely.

We have gathered some lovely plants and in our clearing, have found the pond which we will tend to make a lovely wildlife feature, and make safe for young ones. Unsurprisingly, the summer weather has not been a constant feature for us, and as such we have had to reschedule a number of events we were planning for the July-August months.

In September, we will be holding a ‘Teddy Bears’ Picnic’ for families with small children. The children can look forward to potting and taking away their planted pots. We are indebted to the people who supported our Quiz night in June as the funds raised

have been used to support this event. We will also be holding afternoon teas in September and would welcome those who are caring for a friend or relative to contact us to come along and enjoy the peace and quiet whilst chatting and being part of our little community. Fingers crossed that the weather holds!

We were delighted to spend time with the High Sheriff of Somerset whose encouragement and recognition of our work was a real boost to us. Throughout the summer, we have been continuing our less visible work, assisting those in need of support through social disadvantage, isolation, and exclusion. If you or anyone you know in Radstock would benefit from our support, then please do get in touch. Telephone 01761 402687 email info@peoplelimited.co.uk.

Enjoy the autumn months and spend some time to relax and marvel at the wonders of nature as the season of beautiful colours descends. Keep safe and well.

Jenny, Ty and all at PEOPLE

MinERS StAtuES unVEilEd

June saw the unveiling of two lifesized metal miners next to Radstock’s Winding Wheel. The statues celebrate the town’s coal heritage and mark the anniversary of fifty years since the last coal mine closed.

clERk ’S MESSAGE

Happy summer all!

I hope you have all managed to find a few nice days to enjoy over the summer period with your friends and family.

I want to start by thanking you all for the amazing response we received to the Neighbourhood Planning Questionnaire. It really will help us with moving the plan forwards and shaping the future of Radstock. This is the first edition since the new Council term, it is lovely to have some new faces on the council with fresh ideas. To our former Councillors – thank you for your support over the last 4 years and enjoy the rest!

Radstock Town Council have been working in partnership with Bath & NE Somerset on many projects that will bring many new and exciting things to Radstock. A huge thank you to the Regeneration team who have secured funds to support an action plan full of ideas and ways to improve the Town Centre. The hope is that many of the ideas will also help the Town Council to implement some of them to the wider Radstock Area.

Funds have been allocated to recruit a 15-month Cultural Programme Coordinator role that will bring new events and activities to Radstock. We were spoilt for choice with applicants, but I am please to announce Rowan will be starting with us in September. We will introduce Rowan fully in the next edition, with more information on the role.

The Tom Huyton play park will be getting some much-anticipated new equipment and upgrades. The park is over 35 years old and much of the equipment is also. The Town Council will be removing 4 pieces of equipment, completing essential work to wetpour surfacing throughout the park and installing new equipment to replace that which has reached the end of its life. We hope you like the Railway theme. The Town Council have a plan to replace all the

older equipment over the next few years, as well as upgrading the toilets. (We are awaiting S106 funds to be able to start the toilet work – we hope it will not be long!). We are also getting a Changing Places Toilet! Through the Levelling-Up Fund, B&NES have secured funding to install this life changing unit.

Haydon Batch – although it may seem there has not been a lot of activity on the master plan, there has been lots going on behind the scenes. Several surveys have taken place that provide us with essential H&S and ecological information that will support the plan. The really good news is that the results show that the ground is not contaminated and that the springs and river course work is not needed immediately, giving the Town Council time to understand the costs and works required for the future maintenance of the land. Plans to complete scrub clearance are underway and hopefully, volunteers can be recruited to support this. If you are interested, please do contact us.

Southfield Recreation Grounds, Writhlington - I would like to thank Radstock In Bloom for their work towards the amazing Bee Bold Pollinator Garden, the site is starting to look amazing.

Take care all.

George

YoUr TowN COUNCILLORS

M: 07980 607127

E: rupert.s.bevan@gmail.com

T: 07565 921845

E: corricklavinia@gmail.com

M: 0771 3103380

E: chrisdando3@gmail.com

M: 07812 046091

E: awdodgson@gmail.com

E: cllr.lkirby@gmail.com

T: 01761 439119

E: cllrlesleyamansell@yahoo.co.uk

T: 01761 751117

E: bruceshearn@yahoo.co.uk

M: 07710 263998

E: m.shearn3198@googlemail.com

E: council@radstock-tc. gov.uk

M: 07715 939804

E: n-toogood@sky.com

T: 01225 946946

E: dominic.tristram

@bathnesgreens.org.uk

Cllr Lavinia Corrick

Radstock Writhlington Ward

Cllr Liam Kirby

Radstock Centre Ward

Cllr Chris Dando - Mayor

Radstock Centre Ward

Cllr Nick Toogood

Radstock Writhlington Ward

Cllr Matthew Shearn

Radstock Writhlington Ward

Cllr Lesley Mansell

Radstock Centre Ward

Cllr Bruce Shearn

Radstock Clandown Ward

Cllr Adrian Dodgson

Radstock Clandown Ward

Cllr Rupert Bevan Radstock Centre Ward

Cllr Dominic Tristram Radstock Centre Ward

Vacant Haydon Ward

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