Yeovil Press Issue 52

NEWS IN BRIEF

WELCOME to the January 2023 edition of the Yeovil Press community newspaper and a Happy New Year to all our readers, advertisers and contributors.

We hope that everyone enjoyed a good Christmas holiday and stayed clear of the dreaded lurgy that seems to be doing the rounds. Here’s looking forward to a successful, healthy and fun-filled 2023.

But although we always look to remain positive here at Yeovil Press HQ, the news does seem to be filled with doom and gloom. Ongoing strikes across the country, the cost-ofliving crisis, no end in sight of the Ukraine situation, Prince Harry television interviews and books etc etc etc.

And right here at home on our very own doorstep we have the Yeovil Refresh project getting more and more expensive and people becoming more and more dubious about the whole affair, the main Preston Road in Yeovil is going to be closed to traffic for a few days which will cause chaos, and the future ownership of Yeovil Town FC remains up in the air.

But, we try to remain half-pint full rather than half-pint empty and there is much to be thankful for about the place we live.

Yeovil Town Council’s excellent and potentially lifesaving campaign to provide as many 24-7 public access defibrillators in the town continues to be a success. Turn to Pages 20-21.

A project to bring the Story of Yeovil alive with a new museum-style facility is beginning to gather pace and a public meeting will be held later this month. Turn to Pages 14-15.

And key local firm Leonardo – which is so important to the town’s future prosperity - wants to make Yeovil officially known as the home of British Helicopters. Turn to Pages 12-13.

Thank you to those that have advertised in this edition –your support is very much appreciated as always.

Many thanks to James Healey, of JRH Media, for his help with design and layout, and photographer Christine Jones for her support.

The February edition of Yeovil Press will be out on Wednesday and Thursday, February 15-16, 2023. If you would like to get in touch – please email yeovilpress@ gmail.com .

Take care, keep well, stay safe.

Best wishes

STEVE SOWDEN - Editor

2022

Pg 44-45: Super Santa Saturday

Pg 46-47: Octagon Panto Review

Pg 48-49: Castaways Christmas Show

Pg 51: Church News

Pg 52-53: Family Announcements

Pg 54-55: Flashback - January

Pg 56: My Top Ten

Pg 57-61: Leisure

Pg 62-67: Sport News

Pg 68-78: Yeovil Town FC news and features

>> IF any business would like to advertise in the February edition of Yeovil Press – out on Wednesday and Thursday, February 15-16, 2023 - please get in touch by emailing yeovilpress@gmail.com or by phoning 0777-319-8081.

>> KEEP up-to-date with the latest news from Yeovil and surrounding area by logging onto the Yeovil Press website at www.yeovilpress.co.uk

>> SOME of the photos printed in the January 2023 edition of Yeovil Press may be available to be purchased. Anyone wanting to buy photos included in this edition – please drop us a line at 0777-319-8081 or email yeovilpress@gmail.com

>> GET IN TOUCH: If you have a story or an event coming up you would like to possibly see covered in the next edition of the Yeovil Press get in touch by emailing yeovilpress@gmail.com

>> YEOVIL Press is published by Steve Sowden, of Yeovil Press, and printed by Newsquest at Fleet House in Hampshire Road, Weymouth, Dorset, or at Newspaper House in Osney Mead, Oxford, Oxfordshire.

photo he took on January 2 at the Sutton Bingham Reservoir on

Can you beat Quiz Man Dan and be Top of the Class?

QUESTIONS

QUESTION TIME WITH OUR QUIZ MAN DAN

WELCOME to this month’s Question Time quiz – so get your thinking caps on!

We are delighted to welcome Dan Harding – our very own Quiz Man Dan – to the Yeovil Press who will be posing the questions each month.

Dan is well-known in the Yeovil area and a keen quizzer and is thrilled to have been given the task of posing the questions each month.

This month’s quiz is comprised of 30 questions based on events of 2022, plus instead of a picture round there ten anagrams that need to unscrambled to reveal ten wellknown film titles.

There are a whopping 45 points up for grabs in total.

If you score less than 10 Points – Oh dear, you need to go and stand in the corner!

If you score between 11 Points and 20 Points – Hmmm, you need to start reading more encyclopaedias!

If you score between 21 Points and 27 Points: Not bad, but nothing to shout about!

If you score between 28 Points and 34 Points: Well done, but still room for improvement!

If you score between 35 Points and Above: Excellent performance – Top of the Class!

The answers to the quiz can be found on Page 57 of this month’s edition of Yeovil Press.

1

- How many prime ministers were there in 2022?

2 - Who did Will Smith slap at the Oscars?

3 - How many medals did Great Britain win at the Beijing 2022 winter Olympics? A – 7, B – 4 or C – 2?

4

- What was the most watched series on Netflix in 2022?

5 - In March 2022 what oldest recorded town became the UK’s newest city?

6 - How many managers did Yeovil Town have in 2022 (including caretaker managers) a point for each one you can name?

7 - Which well known comedian made a come in Manchester this year?

8 - Which was chosen to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest?

9 - In which Edinburgh cathedral did the Queen’s coffin lay at rest for 24 hours, allowing the people of Scotland to pay their respects?

10 - Which song has been named the UK’s most-streamed song of 2022?

11 - Which band opened the Queen’s Jubilee Party?

12

- What month did the Elizabeth Line open in London? A – May, B – June or C – July?

13 - Which UK city hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2022?

14 - Who bought Twitter?

15 - Protesters threw tomato soup at which famous artwork at the National Gallery in London?

16 - Emma Raducanu defended her title at which tennis sporting event in 2022?

17 - Which British royal appeared on an episode of The Repair Shop?

18 - Eliud Kipchoge took 30 seconds off his men’s marathon world record in Berlin with an incredible time of 2:01.09 but what nationality is he?

19 - Yeovil became the traffic light capital of the world; but how many traffic lights were there on Preston Road roundabout during work in March? A – 39, B – 36 or C – 33?

20 - Which team won the English Premier League?

21 - What was Britain’s most popular Dog Breed in 2022?

22 - What was highest earning movie of 2022?

23 - Top selling lager in the UK 2022?

24 - 2022 saw the return of the popular UK series the Crown but what number in the series is this?

25 - Which much-loved actor who played the role of Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter series sadly died in 2022?

26 - Which Emmerdale character died during the big storm episode following a nasty quad bike accident? 27 - According to a ‘which’ survey what is Britain’s most popular supermarket? 28 - For 2 points who are the current men’s and woman’s Wimbledon tennis champions? 29 - As of 2022 how many recognised Genders are there? A – 68, B - 72 or C – 74? 30 - What is the name of the female jockey that won the 2022 Cheltenham Gold Cup?

Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter series

Tennis player Emma Raducanu.

Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh.

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COFFEE BREAK CHAT

35 questions in 60 seconds

WELCOME to the Coffee Break Chat feature to the Yeovil Press – YOUR monthly community newspaper – in which we ask somebody from the local community a set of random questions. newspaper – in which we ask somebody from the local community a set of random questions.

Each month we will pose 35 questions to a member of the local community and they will give their truthful and honest answers about their likes and dislikes, hopes and aspirations and childhood memories.

It is all a bit of fun, but might provide some interesting and discussionprovoking questions along the way for Yeovil Press readers.

This month and the start of a new year we are delighted to shine the Coffee Break Chat spotlight on Mark Gooch –president of the Rotary Club of Yeo Vale group. For more information about the club – go to its Facebook social media

page at Yeo Vale Rotary.

Coffee Break Chat has been kindly sponsored by the No5 Café Diner which can be found at Kingfisher Close in Gazelle Road on the Lynx Trading Estate in Yeovil.

The No5 Cafe Diner has an extensive breakfast and lunch menu.

PHOTO: Mark Gooch.

Westminster. Turn to

1: Name: Mark Gooch 2: Occupation or associated with: I only had two employers – Douglas Seatons and Yeovil Motor Company.

Live: Stoke-sub-Hamdon.

Places of education: Westfield Junior School and Buckler’s Mead School in Yeovil. 5: Who was/were your best pal/pals at school? John Shillabeer and Colin Farrant. 6: What was your favourite lesson at school? Physical Education. 7: Your favourite teacher? My English teacher – Norma Walters. 8: What is your proudest moment? I have been very lucky. I don’t just have one. But becoming a father and grandfather is right up there. 9: Who was your childhood hero? Robert Baden-Powell – who founded the Scout movement.

What’s the one thing you couldn’t

live without? Sport. 11: What is your greatest fear? Heights! I was frightened going up a cable car to the top of Table Mountain. 12: What is your favourite drink? Gin and Tonic. 13: What is your favourite film? The Great Escape. 14: What is your favourite band or pop group? The Rolling Stones. 15: Who is your favourite singer? In my youth it was Marianne Faithfull. 16: Tea or Coffee? First drink of the day is tea and then coffee at mid-morning. 17: Cinema or Theatre? Live theatre.

18: Going out or staying in? Going out and meeting people and attending live sporting events.

19: What is your favourite sport? Rugby and cricket a close second.

20: What is your favourite sporting moment? Jonny Wilkinson dropping

This photograph was taken in the mid-1960s in Westminster Street, Yeovil. The bus is turning the corner into Clarence Street and the two-tone van to its left emerges from the end of Huish. At this time you could drive into Huish from Westminster Street as indicated by the road markings. Douglas Seaton’s tower is fondly remembered as a landmark by older Yeovilians and right of centre is the then known Heart of Oak pub which closed for good in the past year when it was known as The

Question 2.

Table Mountain is located in the city of Cape Town in South Africa. Turn to Question 11.

The Rolling Stones were formed in 1962 and still going strong although the band was left devastated in 2021 with the death of drummer Charlie Watts who had joined the group in 1963. Pictured (from left) are Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Turn to Question 14.

James Garner and Donald Pleasance are pictured during a scene in The Great Escape – the classic 1963 movie based around a mass breakout during the Second World War from a German prisoner-of-war camp. Turn to Question 13.

Robert Baden-Powell founded the Scouting movement in 1920. Turn to Question 9.

What is your favourite football team? I have supported Yeovil Town all my life.

What is your favourite holiday destination? The Cape in South Africa.

Do you believe in ghosts? Yes

What is your favourite board game? I enjoy playing Risk.

If you won the National Lottery, what is the first thing you would do? I would help my two daughters and their families.

If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? Desmond Tutu who was the Archbishop of Cape Town.

27: What TV programme can you not miss? England rugby internationals.

28: Which TV programme makes you pick-up the remote and switch channel? I am not a fan of soap operas.

29: Have you ever ridden in a police car? Not that I can recall!

30: Have you ever ridden in an ambulance? Yes – after hurting my leg playing rugby.

31: Which three traits define you? Loyal, honest and trustworthy.

32: If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be? Somewhere warm all the year round such as Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

33: How many bones have you broken? Playing rugby I dislocated and fractured my shoulder.

34: Would you rather go into space or to the bottom of the ocean? Going to the bottom of the ocean would be fascinating and lots of wonderful sights to be seen.

35: Tell us something that might surprise us about you: I was a very shy little boy and now I am a confident person and honoured to be president of the Rotary Club of Yeo Vale.

Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Turn to Question 32.

Who you’re gonna call? Ghostbusters! Turn to Question 23.

Desmond Tutu was a bishop and theologian in South Africa known for his work as an anti-apartheid and human rights activist. He was Bishop of Johannesburg from 1985 to 1986 and then Archbishop of Cape Town from 1986 to 1996. He died in December 2021 aged 90. Turn to Question 26.

The Cape Peninsula is a generally mountainous peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean at the south-western extremity of the African continent. At the southern end of the peninsula are Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. On the northern end is Table Mountain, overlooking Table Bay and the city bowl of Cape Town, South Africa. Turn to Question 22.

English singer and actress Marianne Faithfull who achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single As Tears Go By. Turn to Question 15.

Risk is a strategy board game of diplomacy, conflict and conquest for two to six players. Turn to Question 24.

Jonny Wilkinson is pictured kicking the crucial last-gasp drop goal which won the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final for England. The final with Australia on November 22, 2003, went to extra-time and it was Wilkinson’s drop goal which ensured a 20pts-17 victory for England. Turn to Question 20.

England rugby internationals are essential watching for Mark Gooch! Turn to Question 27.

Up the Glovers! Yeovil Town FC. Turn to Question 21.

The Rotary Club of Yeo Vale. Turn to Question 35.

Watly Engineering Ltd are our World Cup 2022 sweepstake champions

CONGRATULATIONS go to Yeovilbased firm Watly Engineering Ltd on being crowned World Cup champions of 2022.

Okay, admittedly it was only the champions of the Yeovil Press Fifa World Cup Sweepstake we ran in the November and December editions.

The Yeovil Press gained the support of 32 companies and organisations who each represented one of the nations taking part in the football tournament.

The draw was carried out by an independent adjudicator where each participating entrant was paired with a World Cup nation and the winning company would receive a full page advert in the January 2023 edition of Yeovil Press.

Watly Engineering was the lucky company to be paired with Argentina and they went all the way and won the final on December 18 in Qatar which saw the South Americans lift the cup 4-2 on penalties against France after the dramatic game had finished 3-3 at the end of extra-time.

The firm was the brainchild of Mark Watts and Rob Holly and specialises in stainless steel welding, fabricating and engineering.

“We are delighted to have won the World Cup sweepstake organised by the Yeovil Press,” said Mark and Rob.

The company, which is based on the Lynx Trading Estate in Yeovil, celebrated its sixth birthday last year and during that time the business has continued to grow.

Mark and Rob started out as engineering apprentices in the early 2000s and then met up again a few years later working together for another firm.

But they then had the light bulb moment to go into business and they took the plunge and launched Watly Engineering.

It was just the two of them at the start, but with work building up they knew that they needed extra pairs of hands and now have a team of more than 15.

Both Mark and Rob are actively involved in the local community and members of the hard-working Yeovil Round Table

charitable organisation. Mark is currently chairman of the group.

It was apt therefore that the World Cup Final became something of a Yeovil Round Table head-to-head with France being represented by Gareth Jones of Zodiac Security. Gareth is another longstanding member of Yeovil Round Table.

The full list of participating businesses and organisations with their World Cup “country” in brackets is as follows: ML Property (Germany); Funtasia (Wales); Princes Street Dental (Iran); Radio Cabs (Saudi Arabia); Lanes Hotel (Cameroon); Watly Engineering (Argentina); Ableson Engineering (Tunisia); Trade Solutions (Poland); School in a Bag (Ecuador); Northseam Independent Financial Planner (Croatia); Holloway Insurance (Serbia); Grinters (Spain); A Touch of Glass (Netherlands); Jones Building Group (Costa Rica); Zodiac Security (France); Lynx2Business (Morocco); Bullet’s Sports Bar (Uruguay); Yeovil Round Table (Belgium); Big Blue Bag (Senegal); Cake Box Bakery (Brazil); Quicksilver Mail (Ghana); Harper Dolman & West (Mexico); Family Celebrant (South Korea); Trimco (Australia); Simply Bathrooms and Bedrooms (Qatar); Quality Bathrooms

(Switzerland); Healey Electrical (Japan); Stuart Foster Funeral Services (USA); Not Just Travel (England); No5 Café Diner (Portugal); Emerald First Aid (Canada).

Who's had a World Cup winner in the back of their Vauxhall Astra?

THE chairman of the Yeovil Walking Football Club organisation has reminisced about the time he gave a lift in his car to Argentina’s World Cup winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

The Aston Villa keeper played a leading role in the World Cup Final on December 18 where he helped Argentina to defeat France in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

But it was nearly ten years ago when Martinez was in Yeovil and looking for a lift to the Yeovil Junction Railway Station.

The young shot-stopper was playing with Sheffield Wednesday when they travelled to face the Yeovil Town on March 8, 2014, in The Championship.

The Glovers gained a rare 2-0 victory with both goals coming from Ishmael Miller and so it proved an unhappy trip for Martinez.

The goalkeeper was on loan with the Yorkshire club from London giants Arsenal and after the game he was planning on going back to the capital rather than travelling north to Sheffield.

But he needed a lift to the train station.

At the time James Healey was working at Yeovil Town FC in the media and communications department and when he heard that Martinez was looking for a lift he suggested that his parents, Bob and Jane Healey, who had been at the game, would be happy to take him to Yeovil Junction as they lived nearby.

Bob, speaking to the Yeovil Press, said he had completely forgotten about his encounter with the World Cup winning goalkeeper until James had reminded him.

“There can’t be many people who can say they’ve had Argentina’s World Cup goalkeeper in the back of their Vauxhall Astra,” joked Bob. “I’d forgotten about it to be honest until James told me about it.

“I seem to remember Martinez was a nice lad, but he didn’t really say a lot and I couldn’t understand him in any case!”

Yeovil Round Table members Mark Watts (left), of Watly Engineering, and Gareth Jones (right), of Zodiac Security, with former England cricketer Darren Gough at the Round Table’s charity lunch on November 18. The World Cup in Qatar started two days later – nobody realised then that Watly Engineering and Zodiac Security would be going head-to-head in the World Cup Final a month later in the Yeovil Press sweepstake! Photo: Christine Jones.

Mark Watts and Rob Holly of Watly Engineering Ltd –winners of the Yeovil Press World Cup Sweepstake 2022. Photo: Christine Jones.

Bob and Jane Healey.

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

AROUND THE TOWN

Critics are told that Yeovil Refresh project will be a success in the end for the town

A COUNCILLOR has criticised “iPad users” for being too negative about efforts to regenerate Yeovil town centre.

South Somerset District Council has been attempting to revitalise the town centre through its Yeovil Refresh programme, delivering improvements to the public realm and local transport and trying to encourage new development.

The programme has been beset with issues, with the council’s District Executive voting on January 5 to allocate further funding deal with a £4.2m budget gap across the various projects.

But Cllr Peter Gubbins, the council’s spokesman for the Yeovil Refresh, has maintained that it will be a success once completed, describing its critics as “iPad users” and claiming such people were “very few and far between.”

The Yeovil Refresh includes improvements to five key parts of the town centre public realm:

• Westminster Street (funded by the council).

• The Triangle and Wine Street (funded by the council, the future high streets fund and financial contributions from developers).

• Middle Street (funded by the council and the future high streets fund).

• High Street and The Borough (funded

by the council and the future high streets fund).

• Wyndham Street (funded by financial contributions from developers.

The total budget for these works was set at £11.2m by the full council in August 2022 – on top of around £1.6m for “transport system changes” and more than £9.3m for “major projects”, bringing the total Yeovil Refresh budget to £22.129m.

According to the council’s predictions, the public realm elements are currently running more than £4.2m over-budget –with the works on The Triangle and Wine Street contributing half of this overspend on their own.

To help plug this budget gap, the District Executive committee voted in Yeovil on January 5 to provide nearly £2m extra for the programme, bringing the new total budget of the Yeovil Refresh to £24.122m.

This will come from reallocating around £1.2m of council funds from the transport element of the programme after external grant funding was obtained, as well as using £821,000 from an agreed reserve – meaning there will be no net rise in costs to the taxpayer.

Further savings will be obtained by redesigning the revamp of High Street and the eastern part of Middle Street,

New committee for Probus Club of Yeovil is elected

replacing the planned ‘tree pits’ there with raised planting areas (saving around £435,000), as well as reallocating £146,000 towards delivering the new outdoor screen which will be erected at The Triangle.

Cllr Gubbins told the committee: “We’ve had to face many, many problems, from utilities companies not knowing where their pipes are going through to buildings collapsing.

“There’s been a hell of a lot of work on this. I’ve been in business for 30 years – when you get a change, and another change, and then another change on top, it’s not easy.”

Cllr Martin Wale, whose Blackdown and Tatworth ward includes the villages around Chard, said the council needed to get on the front foot and sell the remaining parts of the Yeovil Refresh to the public.

He said: “Are we doing anything to try and protect our image in this matter?

“As you all know, I’m sure, the media and public are giving it some large on the apparent failures of this scheme.

“I really think we ought to send out something laying out the worries and the way forward. It’s a talking point.”

But Cllr Gubbins responded: “I fail to see where the failure of the scheme has

come in – the scheme isn’t finished yet. How can we judge the scheme as it is?

“I was up in Kettering recently – they’ve done a similar project to us, except they’ve been brave enough to go even further. They’ve banned all vehicles through their high street and it’s booming – hardly any empty shops, people sitting around with coffee in the streets and accordions playing.

“I will listen to anybody that’s got an alternative view to what we’ve got, but I won’t listen to someone who’s negative.

“The kind of thing that Martin is talking about is what I would call ‘iPad users’ –they sit there, they look at the scheme and go: ‘Oh, I don’t like that. Yeovil’s a rubbish place’ and all that. They’re very few and far between.

“This is not a failure – this will be a success. We are trying to promote our town.”

The committee voted unanimously to approve the changes to the Yeovil Refresh programme – though the full council will have to give final approval when it meets on January 19.

The majority of the current elements of the Yeovil Refresh are expected to be completed by summer 2024. For more details, visit www.yeovilrefresh.co.uk.

Traffic chaos likely as part of Preston Road is set to close

VITAL resurfacing of a busy road through Yeovil is scheduled to take place later this month and is likely to cause widespread traffic congestion.

Somerset County Council’s highways team will be carrying out resurfacing on Preston Road in Yeovil – one of the town’s main routes in and out of town and getting from one side of Yeovil to the otherbetween January 16-20 and it will mean the road being completely closed to traffic during the day.

The work is being carried out during day hours as this is a residential area and the route is in close proximity to four care homes.

The county council’s spokesman for transport and digital, Cllr Mike Rigby, said: “Undertaking these works during the day will reduce disruption for local services.

THE Probus Club of Yeovil held its annual meeting where it elected a new committee to oversee the club’s activities over the next year.

David Parsons was re-elected as chairman and a full committee totalling eight members was elected.

Membership has now recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic and there is a full programme of guest speakers through to the end of December 2023.

Probus is an organisation for retired

or semi retired business or professional people. They meet once a month at the Quicksilver Mail pub at the top of Hendford Hill in Yeovil to listen to a guest speaker followed by lunch. In addition there is a programme of trips and social events throughout the year.

New members are welcome and people can email yeovilprobus@gmail.com for more information or phone chairman David Parsons on 01935-414765.

The road surface is showing significant signs of wear and tear and needs repairing as soon as possible to avoid further serious deterioration.

The section of the road to be resurfaced – between the Yeovil College roundabout and the junction with Summerleaze Park and Westfield Road – will be closed from 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday during these dates, and a diversion will be in place. The road will be reopened in the evenings.

“However, we understand there will still be disruption and our team will do everything they can to minimise this. Our team will be in touch with residents and businesses in the immediate area to ensure they have all the information they need.

“Please do check the details on the diversion and plan ahead if you use this route regularly.”

Details of approved roadworks can be found at www.travelsomerset.co.uk/ roadworks. If anyone is concerned about roadworks they can flag this up to the team by contacting @TravelSomerset on Twitter and Facebook.

Octagon Theatre expansion plans move a step closer to becoming reality

THE planned £29m upgrade of the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil can move to the next phase after councillors agreed to start the tendering process.

South Somerset District Council announced its intention in late-December 2020 to upgrade the Octagon by expanding and enhancing the building to allow it to attract bigger shows and higher-profile acts.

The council confirmed in July 2022 that the venue would close its doors in April 2023, having previously agreed to increase the project’s budget by £6m in light of rising construction costs.

Members of the council’s District Executive committee have now agreed that the project can move forward to formal tender, providing the full council ratifies the decision later this month.

The tender process will see different building contractors formally bid to carry

out the upgrade, which is intended to secure the venue’s future as a flagship arts venue in Somerset and the wider south west.

The revamped Octagon Theatre will include:

• An increased seating capacity in the main auditorium from 622 to 900, with enhanced technical facilities that will improve the comfort for audiences.

• Two new smaller cinema/ studio spaces, predominately for film screenings but also able to host smaller-scale live performances.

• A dance studio, which will become the new home for the Octagon Academy and “the perfect place” for all dance classes.

• A community studio offering an alternative space for additional classes, as well as a rehearsal room for local choirs, theatre groups, and arts and craft

Companies support Rotarians in annual shoebox collection

THE Yeovil-based Jones Building Group joined forces with Yeovil Rotary Club to send over 100 shoeboxes filled with goodies to disadvantaged children and families in Eastern Europe for Christmas.

The company was delighted to support the local Rotarians once again with its shoebox collection and doubled the 50 it collected the previous year.

The 100 shoeboxes from Jones was increased by 12 from Yeovil-based Old Mill Group and a further 20 from the Rotary Club.

Packed full of goodies suitable for a range of ages; from babies through to toddlers, teenagers and adults, all of the boxes were taken to Jones Building Group headquarters in Yeovil where were stacked onto a pallet to be collected and transported across Europe in order to reach schools, orphanages, hospitals and street welfare associations in time for Christmas.

Jones Building Group community liaison officer Josie Bowden was delighted

with the outcome of the campaign and the support she had received from her colleague.

And Yeovil Rotary Club president Nigel Ashley said: “It’s a fantastic effort and we’re extremely grateful for Jones’ continued support and thank Josie for all her work coordinating the campaign.

“We’re also grateful to the Old Mill Group for their valued contribution that combined with the additional boxes from our club, means that 132 people will receive a little bit extra this Christmas.”

The Rotary Shoebox Scheme is just one of the many international and community-based projects the Yeovil Club is championing during its 100th anniversary year.

Inner Wheel members support the Lord's Larder

YEOVIL Inner Wheel Club members responded to the Christmas appeal launched by Yeovil’s food bank, The Lord’s Larder’s, with a wonderful array of items.

The club’s international service organisers Val and Lesley put together a super display to show to Mat Callaghan, operations manager of The Lord’s Larder. Club members Carol, Heather and Kay also went along.

Yeovil Inner Wheel Club welcomes visitors and new members. For further information on Inner Wheel and Yeovil Club visit the Inner Wheel website www.innerwheel. co.uk or email iwyeovil112@gmail.com .

workshops.

• A greatly improved café bar area, open throughout the day.

• Improved front-of-house and customer facilities.

• Improved backstage accessibility.

• The construction of a fly tower, which can be used for flying scenery, enabling larger visiting companies to use the venue.

• A changing places toilet for those with additional needs.

The committee made the decision to move to tender when it met in Yeovil on January 5 though the matter was discussed in confidential session due to the commercial sensitivity of the project.

After the meeting Cllr Mike Best, the council’s spokesman for health and wellbeing, said: “We see the redevelopment of this flagship arts venue as not only about the redevelopment of a building,

but also being able to reach out into the community to improve access to the arts.

“This decision reaffirms our commitment to deliver this not only district-wide, but across Somerset and beyond.

“As the new unitary Somerset Council is established, and in line with the anticipated delivery of a new cultural strategy for Somerset, there will be opportunities to develop a more considered culture offer across Somerset.

“The redeveloped Octagon Theatre will become a hub for Somerset whereby we can deliver this.”

The final decision on going to tender will be made by the full council when it meets in Yeovil on Thursday, January 19. A formal decision on the planning application will be taken before the theatre closes in April.

Yeovil Town Council

VACANT ALLOTMENT PLOTS

Star Leonardo apprentices win cluster of awards

A GROUP of Yeovil apprentices working at aerospace engineering company

Leonardo have wowed the judges of the annual Make UK awards - winning a clutch of prizes at the regional stage of the national competition.

The Make UK Awards 2022 were held in Bristol recently, celebrating the resilience and dedication of apprentices across the UK, while recognising their contribution to the manufacturing industry.

Leonardo engineering degree apprentice Michael Lowde won the Apprentice Endeavour Award due to his professionalism, which saw him excel despite overcoming serious life changing situations. Aerospace manufacturing mechanical fitter Kayley Manns was recognised with the Engineering Rising Star award, due to her passion for engineering and her equal commitment to supporting community science, technology, engineering, maths initiatives to encourage budding engineers at local schools.

Business administration apprentice Sophie Harrison was awarded the

Business Apprentice Final Year Award due to her outstanding business acumen. Sophie successfully identified a number of cost savings within the company, by reducing waste and applying project management skills to stock checking.

Adam Clarke, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters, UK said: “Each of the apprentices is outstanding in their own fields and their immense talent and potential has already been recognised from an internal perspective by Leonardo.

“That makes it even more satisfying when their accomplishments are acknowledged externally by an organisation like Make UK. I’m excited to see how Sophie, Kayley and Michael will grow in the future as individuals who are always looking for new ways to perform beyond expectations.”

All the apprentices will now go through to the National Make UK Awards Finals which will be held in London in January.

PHOTO: Pictured (from left) are training manager Drew Roberts and apprentices Sophie Harrison, Michael Lowde and Kayley Manns.

Plans to make Yeovil the Home of British Helicopters

COUNCILLORS have backed plans by local firm Leonardo to try and get Yeovil officially recognised as the Home of British Helicopters.

Leonardo’s external communications manager Helen Haxell, head of media relations John Stevenson and project officer Charlea Boucher told councillors that having the status of the Home of British Helicopters would support the company bringing in high value UK Government work into Yeovil.

A council report said: “There is a lot of heritage in Yeovil regarding the helicopters which began with the Petters family, who were engine manufacturers, who became involved in building aircraft for the Great War.

“Westlands Aircraft works from 1947 began to produce helicopters and now Leonardo is the UK’s only onshore helicopter manufacturer providing an end-to-end capability.

“It was believed that declaring Yeovil as the Home of British Helicopters was a fantastic public relations opportunity for the town through official signage at entry

points into Yeovil.”

It was not a shock that the council unanimously voted in favour of supporting the initiative.

Cllr Tony Lock said: “It would be a brave person to stand up and say they didn’t support this.

“Yeovil is the home of British helicopters – no two ways about it.”

Cllr Lock said the town should make more of its helicopter history on the Welcome to Yeovil signs on the entrance to the town and suggested it was more important than Britain in Bloom.

“Helicopters are far more important for the economic viability of this town,” he said.

Cllr Dave Woan added: “We need to make more of it – the helicopters are our unique selling point.”

And Cllr Graham Oakes said: “I have absolute no doubt that we should be talking about Leonardo and its achievements loud and proud and those of all the other companies who work with Leonardo.”

£610m deal secured by Leonardo with Canada's Department of National Defence

YEOVIL company Leonardo has secured a £610m helicopter upgrade contract with the Canadian government.

The firm – which is trying to get Yeovil to become officially known as the Home of British Helicopters - will upgrade 13 in-service Cormorant search and rescue helicopters for Canada’s Department of National Defence. It will also support the addition of three further aircraft to the fleet.

Leonardo said it would enhance the Cormorant’s systems and technologies as part of its work to extend the life expectancy of the fleet to beyond 2042.

The firm will be supported by its principal Canadian sub-contractor IMP Aerospace and Defence together with General Electric Canada, and Collins Aerospace Canada. The majority of the work will be performed in Canada, primarily at IMP’s facilities Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Leonardo said the project would help move the Cormorant fleet to the standard currently being delivered for search and rescue helicopters in Norway, which it said was “arguably the best” in the world.

A new glass cockpit, more powerful digitally-controlled engines, wireless incabin communications, the latest SAR sensors including Electro Optical InfraRed device and Mobile Phone Detection Location System – will be installed on the helicopter as part of the upgrade.

The deal is the latest secured by Leonardo this year, after it landed a £360m contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to deliver a support and training programme for the British Army’s Wildcat helicopters, an agreement it said that would sustain 340 jobs across the South West.

It’s January and we may all be feeling a bit bigger after the recent festivities, but what if that was a good thing?

My team and I have hit the ground running and are on a mission to help our clients to approach 2023 with a vision of expanding… their wealth! This could be for an individual’s business and its shareholders or for their family finances.

It’s at this time of year we carry out our own version of a health check – a financial health check. These are an ideal opportunity for us to pick up where our clients can make further use of tax efficient strategies via pensions or savings products to increase their wealth. These checks may not be the same as the ones your gym or GP can provide, but we can assure you, they can often greatly reduce someone’s stress levels and help with sleep!

A survey of 3,000 adults, carried out by the Money and Pensions Service in September 2022 showed that one in six people (17%) have no savings.

The survey went on to reveal that 81% of people avoid discussing

their finances. That’s a very large percentage of people who are potentially worrying about their finances and not seeking advice.

As 2023 gets well and truly underway, we will continue to encourage our clients to talk more and think ‘big’ with goals and ambitions for themselves and their families, and not concern themselves too much if the bathroom scales are also going in the same direction!

JENNY MANDERS Pincipal Manders Financial Services Ltd

IT was in 1825 when William Huskisson, president of the Board of Trade, removed all restrictions on imported gloves and exposed Yeovil glove manufacturers to unlimited competition from France.

Since glove making employed a huge proportion of Yeovilians, a widespread depression hit the town.

A Reform Bill was presented to the House of Commons, but was denied and was not allowed to take place.

This caused huge anger among the working classes and in 1831 there were riots in England when Parliament decided against reform to give Britain’s industrial cities and towns better representation.

There was uproar in Yeovil and an angry mob went on the rampage and attacked homes of wealthy businessmen in the town on the night of Friday, October 21, 1831.

The Riot Act was read by Justice of the Peace, John Goodford, and the Mudford and Martock Troops of Yeomanry were called out to try and restore calm.

They were pelted with stones and other missiles and it was not until October 23 that order was finally restored when the3rd Dragoon Guards arrived from Taunton.

The damage caused by the rioters was considerable and the cost to Yeovilians amounted to more than £600,000 in today’s value.

Twenty people were charged with

riotous behaviour and a number were found guilty. Henry Earle and William Richards were clearly the ringleaders and were initially sentenced to death although both had these sentences changed to “transportation for life” –shipped off to

This is a salt glaze stoneware Yeovil Riot Jug 247mm high and decorated in relief with a sheaf of corn, farming implements, vine tree and grape decoration and with silver presentation plaque inscribed “Presented by the Inhabitants of Yeovil and its vicinity in testimony of their approval of the conduct of the Mudford Troop of Yeomanry Cavalry during the riots in that town in 1831. To Mr J A S Sealy”. The jug was put up for auction in April 2011 but was unsold.

A Yeomanry Cavalry helmet of steel and brass construction with a black plume and a Royal Coat of Arms on a sunburst plate - worn by the Mudford Independent Yeomanry Cavalry. This was auctioned in 2007.

Van Diemen’s Land, the first name used by Europeans for the island of Tasmania, part of Australia.

Thomas Dommett Symes was given an 18-month prison sentence, John Gill went down for two years, and there were 12-months stretches handed to James Smith, James Martin and Jacob Milsom. By 1832 people from the middle and

working classes had started to form political groups in most of the major industrial areas and MPs became worried that a revolution might happen in Britain and that the working class would execute the nobility as it had in France.

Giving people the vote was seen as a way to prevent revolution and so, partly in response to the riots, Parliament passed the 1832 Reform Act.

More on this fascinating story and photos can be found on the A to Z of Yeovil’s history website at www. yeovilhistory.info.

Learn more about the days when the people of Yeovil rioted through the town

A TALK will be held at Yeovil Library later this month in which people will be taken back to what was happening in the town nearly 200 years ago – the Yeovil Reform Riot.

The free public talk will be held on Saturday, January 28, from 2pm to 4pm and looking at the riotous actions of local people in October 1831.

To register your interest in attending the talk and for further information please go to https://go.uwe.ac.uk/Yeovilriot.

In early October 1831, the defeat of the Second Reform Bill in the House of Lords led to a wave of pro-reform public protests and disturbances across Britain and Ireland.

In Dorset, a microcosm of the national struggle over electoral reform was being fought out in a county by-election which posed Lord Ashley – an anti-reformer –against the pro-reform candidate William Ponsonby.

After a closely fought race, marked by widespread claims of corruption, Ashley was victorious.

Immediately after the result was announced, disturbances broke out in a series of Dorset towns, including Blandford and Sherborne.

These riots were serious events with significant damage to property and were put down only after the intervention of Yeomanry and regular Cavalry units.

The last major incident in this regional wave of riots occurred in Yeovil in Somerset over October 21-22, 1831, demonstrating the close social and economic ties between the town as a centre for the gloving trade and several Dorset towns within its orbit.

Indeed, some Yeovil men held sufficient freehold franchise across the county border to vote in the Dorset by-election, whilst several lawyers acting as Lord Ashley’s election agents lived in the town.

This talk will consider the two days of rioting in Yeovil in detail with particular emphasis on who the rioters were, their targets and interaction with the

authorities.

Why did local magistrates find it so difficult to control and disperse the crowd? And why, in any case, were labouring class men and women rioting in support of a Reform Bill that was never likely to enfranchise them?

The talk will be led by Steve Poole – a professor of history and heritage at the University of West of England in Bristol and is director of the university’s regional history centre.

He has published widely on histories of popular protest, criminality, public disorder and radical politics in the Hanoverian era.

of Yeovil at project launch

A NEW community arts and heritage project for Yeovil will be launched on Friday, January 20, at The Octagon Theatre.

Members of the local community are invited to find out more about the Story of Yeovil and to get involved in the project.

Working with the University of the West of England Regional History Centre, and a number of local organisations, groups and schools, the Story of Yeovil project will bring a programme of events, talks, displays and more to local residents and visitors from further afield in the next 18 months until March 2024.

The project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and will give local people the opportunity to contribute their own stories and to be part of the project by taking part in community workshops and events.

The launch event will include the opportunity to hear from a panel of guest speakers who play an important part in

the project:

- Steve Poole, Rose Wallis and Laura Harrison from the Regional History Centre at the University of West of England, who will be discussing ‘what is heritage?’, and why community heritage matters now.

- Local historian Bob Osborn, founder of Yeovil’s Virtual Museum will be sharing his personal journey of collecting and researching the history of Yeovil.

- Joseph Lewis from the South Somerset Heritage Collection will explore some of the key themes of Yeovil’s history.

Yeovil Art Space project director, Zoe Li, said: “This is a great opportunity for everyone to share their knowledge and interest in Yeovil’s history and heritage and to find out more about the Story of Yeovil project and how to be involved.

“We are keen to welcome members of communities across Yeovil to encourage a diverse and wide ranging variety of perspectives.”

The launch event takes place from 3pm

to 5pm on Friday, January 20, in the Johnson Suite at The Octagon Theatre.

This is an open event for conversation, exchange of ideas and to share connections.

The event is free to attend: to ensure a place please email info@yeovilartspace. uk.

NOTE: Yeovil Art Space is a charity organisation and a creative hub in Yeovil, which aims to bring art and creativity to the local community and visitors.

Projects are run in partnership with organisations, businesses, groups and individuals to provide arts and cultural activities for people of all ages. Activities include participatory events, learning workshops, art exhibitions and showcasing work in other locations in the town.

Yeovil Art Space was established through a partnership between Eastville Project Space, Yeovil Creatives and Quedam Shopping Centre. It is run by a voluntary working group of arts

professionals living in and around Yeovil. Yeovil Art Space has received funding support from The Yeovil Town Council, South Somerset District Council, National Lottery Community Fund, Somerset Community Foundation, South Somerset District Council, Abri’s Community Funding and Arts Council England.

NEWS AT A GLANCE

HERE are some news stories from the Yeovil and South Somerset area.

If you have any news you would like to feature in a future edition of the Yeovil Press community newspaper – please email us at yeovilpress@gmail.com.

BUS users in Somerset will be able to travel on most routes across the county for just £2 starting from January.

Somerset County Council announced this new fare cut on December 20, as part of an initiative funded by the Government aimed at boosting bus use.

It has also been set up to help passengers save money as the cost of living crisis continues to bite, fuelled in part by high petrol and diesel prices.

The £2 single fare is available from all participating operators from January 1 to March 31.

The initiative will apply to the majority of routes in Somerset. You can check here https://www. somerset.gov.uk/busit to see find out more about the scheme.

Somerset County Council and the Somerset Bus Partnership have launched the ‘Bus It’ campaign to encourage more people to use bus services at a time when many routes are under threat due to lack of use.

It’s hoped the new £2 fare will provide a major boost to patronage and support these aims.

The six operators involved areDartline; Faresaver Buses; First South West (Buses of Somerset); First West of England; Hatch Green Coaches; and South West Coaches.

Cllr Mike Rigby, Somerset County Council’s spokesman for transport and digital said: “This new £2 fare is vital to ensure we get more people on buses which will help preserve bus routes in Somerset.

“This is potentially a real gamechanger in terms of getting people to leave the car at home – a £2 single journey for most routes in Somerset is fantastic value for money when you factor in the cost of fuel and the cost of living crisis.

“By catching the bus, you can make a difference to the climate, to our environment and save money and wear and tear on your car – it really does make sense to ‘Bus It’.”

PLANS to improve youth services in the Westfield area of Yeovil have been boosted

thanks to a £45,000 financial package from the local council.

The day of stalls, live music, activities anMembers of Yeovil Town Council’s policy, resources and finance committee agreed to support the St Peter’s Community Centre with a three-year project starting from this month.

The project includes a weekly open access youth drop-in, detached youth work, one-to-one engagement with young people and the recruitment, training and support of volunteers from the local community.

The project aims to build positive relationships with young people and provide them with a safe, consistent and positive environment.

Cllr Tony Lock said he was concerned that if the council supported the Westfield project would it be duplicating the work already being carried out by the YMCA.

Town clerk Amanda Card said: “I can understand the concerns of Cllr Lock and I do think there could be some duplication, but I think they could work together and complement each other rather than be in competition. I think this can be easily overcome with a conversation.”

Miss Card added: “This project is for a drop-in centre for the ‘latchdoor kids’ – somewhere for them to go between school and when their parents get home from work.”

Cllr Ashley Richards said: “This area has the demand and needs our help.”

Cllr Wes Read added: “I want to throw my support behind this – there is a huge anti-social behaviour problem in the Westfield area and the depravity is incredible.”

Cllr Graham Oakes said: “I have no doubts in recommending this. Westfield is a deprived area and there is a need. People don’t always fit into boxes and the only question I have is not about supporting it, but what level of support we should give.

“I think we should ignore the figures given in the application and I recommend we award this project £15,000 a year for three years.”

The proposal was seconded by Cllr Karl Gill and supported by the committee.

A PROJECT designed to help young families with everyday problems has been awarded a £1,000 grant by Yeovil Town Council.

Members of the council’s policy, resources and finance committee agreed at their meeting on November 22 to support the Home-Start

Blackmore Vale group.

The group has been working over the border in Dorset, but is now looking to move into South Somerset and help families in the Yeovil and surrounding area.

Charlotte Devereux, of Home-Start, speaking on the Zoom conferencing technology, told councillors it would be great to have the council’s backing.

“We help people in the early years of family life when things can be tricky with all the stresses and difficulties of life,” she said.

“We are looking to expand into Yeovil and make good links with local communities. We know there is a need in Yeovil because there are a lot of young families.

“We want to push on with this from January although we know it will take some time to get us well-known and get our networks wider.”

Charlotte said that any financial support from the town council would be ring-fenced to be spent in Yeovil and that additional funds would hopefully be generated from business sponsorship.

Although Charlotte was not able to pinpoint specific needs in Yeovil at present until Home-Start began receiving referrals for support from local agencies.

Cllr Tony Lock was concerned that Home-Start was applying for a grant, although it did not know exactly what the money would be used for.

“You don’t know what you want the money for and it might sound unkind, but you might just be doing the rounds asking everyone for money,” he said in a direct comment to Charlotte.

Cllr Graham Oakes, the committee chairman, said: “Tony Lock and I represent the same Lyde Ward on the town council and the Lyde Ward desperately needs the support of Home-Start, but you (Charlotte) need Tony Lock on your side.”

Charlotte added: “Rome wasn’t built in a day and we will be asking neighbouring parish councils for funding. We have already asked South Somerset District Council.”

Cllr Oakes proposed that the council awarded Home-Start with a £1,000 grant and this was seconded by Cllr Nigel Gage before being unanimously supported.

SOUTH Somerset District Council has announced that the first of three Yeovil

skate park redevelopments will begin this month.

The council has commissioned leading skate park designers Maverick Skate Parks to revamp three existing skating facilities at Oak Tree Park, Yew Tree and Milford Park. The new facilities will be constructed in state-of-the-art spray concrete and will provide features to satisfy a wide range of riders of all ages and abilities.

Currently, the three existing parks require extensive care and maintenance to keep them up to safety standards, predominately due to their metal structure and the upkeep they need. Now with approval from key stakeholders, Oak Tree Park will be the first to receive the upgrade and work is due to commence in January, with Yew Tree and Milford to follow and all three parks to be completed by spring 2023. Redevelopment of each park is estimated to take approximately up to ten weeks.

The designs for each park follow public consultation earlier this year, where people were asked to submit their ideas and vision for each park. There was a great response and many of the ideas have influenced what the new parks will look like.

The council’s health and well-being spokesman, Cllr Mike Best, said: “We are very excited to bring these new updated, modern and innovative skate parks to our communities in Yeovil. We want to encourage riders of all abilities and ages to enjoy them and improve their skills in a safe and accessible environment.

“Maverick Designs’ previous track record for the very best in skate experiences across the UK is impressive, and we can’t wait to see the vision they’ve created for the three Yeovil skate parks become a reality.”

Maverick director Russ Holbert said: “We are super excited to be involved with three new skatepark projects throughout Yeovil. These projects have been drawn up with local riders and are set to happen in the New Year.

“Each project is completely bespoke and will be built from spray concrete, the riders’ material of choice. These facilities have been designed to appeal to all of the different riding disciplines and age ranges.”

THE underground car park at West Hendford in Yeovil reopened last month after refurbishment to make the area more safe and secure.

With a new gated entrance, the car

park will be open Monday to Saturday from 7am until 7.30pm and closed overnight to vehicles and pedestrians. It will be closed on Sundays.

The renovation also includes new, brighter energy efficient LED lighting to improve illumination of the car park, with a few small areas to complete, which will be carried out in cordoned off areas without further closure needed.

CCTV is also in operation and additionally another five cameras will be installed soon to further improve safety.

The underground car park has been a hotbed of anti-social behaviour down the years and it is hoped that the new measures introduced will put a stop to the problems.

THE countryside team at South Somerset District Council was delighted to announce last month that it had been awarded £1.6 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund towards its project entitled Uncovering Ham Hill’s Past for its Future.

Ham Hill Country Park has a rich history dating back to the Stone Age, when man first settled on the hill over 5,000 years ago. In 1975 it was established as a country park and has since grown to 173 hectares, with limited visitor facilities despite an estimated 300,000 visitors a

year.

The country park is popular with local people who enjoy its fantastic views, hidden places and variety of landscape and wildlife. With its amazing heritage value, the site is a Scheduled Monument and Geological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Due to various pressures the Scheduled Monument has been designated ‘at risk’ by Historic England since 2019.

This £2.4 million project will seek to conserve and protect the wealth of archaeology at this Iron Age hill fort, improve biodiversity and habitat management, provide better visitor facilities and engage visitors and local communities with the heritage, geological, cultural and wildlife importance of Ham Hill.

The council’s environment spokesman, Cllr Sarah Dyke, said: “We are excited to embark on this project at Ham Hill. It is vital to ensuring the future sustainability of this incredible country park; not just as a Scheduled Monument and biodiversity hotspot, but also as a place where people come to relax, have fun, socialise and learn.

“Ham Hill is a lot of things to a lot of people, and it is wonderful that the Heritage Fund has recognised its importance, not just for the residents of South Somerset, but for the heritage of the country.”

A new visitor centre will include a permanent exhibition space, which will tell the stories of Ham Hill through the display of artefacts, use of imagery and hands on activities. A temporary exhibition space will allow local artists to display their work and provide the opportunity for themed exhibitions focusing on Ham Hill’s stories. A café will provide refreshments and a space for socialising, whilst public toilets and a ‘Changing Place’ will increase facilities for visitors, particularly those with additional requirements, making Ham Hill a welcoming place for all.

One of the main objectives of the project is to involve local people with the heritage of Ham Hill. A visitor survey in 2018 revealed that only a third of current visitors know that Ham Hill is an Iron Age Hillfort. The addition of a visitor centre, with a permanent exhibition, will help all visitors to understand the complex story of Ham Hill; from its geological formation, through to the creation of the hillfort by the Drurotriges tribe and its later Roman occupation.

Later stories of quarrying and workers’ rights marches, as led by George Mitchell, show the strong link between the local villages and the Hill and how the landscape has been shaped over thousands of years, explaining why it supports such a diverse range of wildlife today.

These themes will form the basis for wider site information and the creation of trails to encourage visitors to explore Ham Hill beyond the war memorial, which is currently the most popular area of the country park.

Ham Hill ranger, Paul McNeill, added: “I am delighted that this special site is getting the investment it deserves. From repairing paths to protect the Scheduled Monument, to managing woodlands to secure the future of our dormice population, there is a huge breadth of works that can now be undertaken.

“There will also be many new opportunities that we can offer to potential volunteers; regular wildlife surveying will help the ranger team better understand the success of particular management approaches and feed into Somerset wide data sets that are informing nature recovery efforts; visitor centre volunteers will meet and greet and help visitors understand the special stories of Ham Hill; roaming volunteers can engage with visitors to help people explore and to explain the reasons behind any restrictions such as ground nesting skylarks.

“This greater range of opportunities should enable more people to get involved and to support this work the existing ranger’s office building will become the Volunteer Hub.”

Garolla garage doors are expertly made to measure in our own UK factories, they’re strong and solidly built. The electric Garolla door rolls up vertically, taking up only 8 inches inside your garage, maximising valuable space. Our expert local installers will fit your new door and they’ll take away the old one too, so there’s no mess.

Family pays tribute to A303 Podimore crash victim

THE family of a school teacher paid tribute to a ‘fiercely loyal’ and ‘sweet’ woman who sadly died in a crash last month.

Jacqueline Anne Potter, known to her family as Anne, sadly died in a threevehicle collision on the A303 Podimore at around 7.50am on Monday, December 5.

Anne, 54 from Martock, was remembered by her family in a statement released by police four days later.

“We are left heartbroken by the loss of our beloved Jacqueline Anne Potter,” read the statement. “She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and daughter and was loved and cherished by us all.

“A kind, sweet and fiercely loyal person, we can’t put into words how much we will miss her.

“Anne, as she was known by her close family members, had an amazing talent for languages and was a well-respected modern languages teacher at Bishop Fox’s School in Taunton for more than 10 years.

“She always gave the best advice and

had a brilliant sense of humour.

“The loss to our family and friends is immeasurable and she will always be with us in our hearts.”

A police spokesman said: “Anne’s family have been supported by a specially trained family liaison officer and thoughts remain with them during this difficult time.

“We are seeking witnesses who have not yet spoken to police, or anyone with dashcam footage, to contact 101 and quote reference number 5222291026.”

PHOTO: Jacqueline Anne Potter, known to her family as Anne, who tragically died in a car crash on the A303 at Podimore on December 5.

Free drop-in event to help people with the cost of winter

SOUTH Somerset District Council and The Department for Work and Pensions are holding a series of free drop in events for people to come along and talk to experts from a wide range of organisations who will be on hand to advise on a variety of issues faced during the cost-of-living crisis.

If you, or someone you know is worried about the cost of living and could benefit from talking to someone about managing energy bills, energy saving, water rates, council tax, money, benefits, and debt, or housing, employment, training, health, wellbeing, warm spaces and food support, then go along for free, friendly and confidential help and advice.

People can drop in at any of the events below between 10am and 1pm where they will be made very welcome.

Friday, January 20: Martock Parish Hall in Church Street, Martock. Wednesday, January 25: The Guildhall

in Fore Street, Chard.

Wednesday, February 1: The Balsam Centre at Balsam Park, Wincanton.

An event in Yeovil was held on Tuesday, January 10, at Yeovil Baptist Church as this edition of the Yeovil Press was going to press.

The council’s health and well-being spokesman, Cllr Mike Best, said: “We appreciate the cost-of-living crisis is a great cause for concern for many of our residents here in South Somerset.

“We encourage anyone who is struggling, to come along and talk about their worries and get the support they need at this challenging time”

If people are unable to attend any of the events, they can also find a wealth of information and support on the council’s dedicated Help With the Cost of Living webpage on its website at www. southsomerset.gov.uk.

Tribute paid to mum, 24, following tragic death in road collision

A BELOVED 24-year-old mum has been remembered by her family following her tragic death earlier this month.

YEOVIL & DISTRICT BRANCH

Registered Charity No 203644 www.yeovil.cats.org and on Facebook

The Branch always has many delightful cats and kittens both male and female of various ages and colours all waiting for ‘forever’ loving homes. All are blood tested, vaccinated, micro-chipped and have had a medical check at the vets to ensure they are healthy.

To adopt call 01935-412755; for help with neutering call 01935-412755; to volunteer, report lost or found cats and all other enquiries call 01935-412755 or email yeovilcatsprotection@tiscali.co.uk.

Martine Hearn, from Bruton, sadly died following a two-vehicle collision on the A371 in Evercreech, near Shepton Mallet, at around 8am on Wednesday, January 4.

Martine’s family, in a statement, said: “Our family has been devastated at the loss of our beautiful Martine.

“She was 24-years-old and full of life and love and she leaves behind her fouryear-old son.

“She will always be a beloved daughter, granddaughter, sister, partner, and mother.

“The world will be a darker place without the brightness of her smile.

“We would like to thank all of the emergency services and public who were at the scene and tried to help our beautiful Martine. We are incredibly grateful for your efforts.”

The family would like to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers but now request privacy while they grieve.

A police spokesman said: “Our thoughts remain with the family during this incredibly difficult time and they have been supported by one of our specially trained family liaison officers.”

Police are appealing for witnesses who

may have been in the area, or anyone with relevant dashcam footage, to contact 101 and quote reference 5223001826 to the call handler.

PHOTO: Martine Hearn.

Citizens Advice looks for more volunteers to support the Yeovil area

CITIZENS Advice services are under enormous pressure as more and more local people are turning to the charity for help.

The advice and support that Citizens Advice provides can be life changing; it can keep a family in their home, address unfair treatment at work or help people to manage their household costs when they are struggling to pay.

One in every 20 people in Somerset contacts Citizens Advice each year and frequently it is those who have nowhere else to turn to that most need the charity’s help.

The organisation’s volunteer advisers are doing a fantastic job, but as demand for the service grows the charity is asking for more people to join its friendly and supportive team for the Yeovil and surrounding area.

Citizens Advice volunteers come from all walks of life and from all corners of Somerset and anyone interested can

volunteer in person from one of the charity’s community offices or from home by using equipment and internet phones which are supplied. Free training courses are running in January, February and March.

Peter, from Citizens Advice South Somerset, said: “Volunteering as a telephone adviser is a hugely rewarding way to help local people.

“Every session is different and I am really surprised by the range of issues our clients bring to us, I never stop learning in this role.”

If you can listen with an open mind and have strong IT skills - including typingand you are looking for a way to help your local community this could be an ideal opportunity for you.

To find out more visit www. citizensadvicesouthsomerset.org.uk/ volunteer.

For an informal chat contact June Carty, volunteer and training lead at Citizens

Advice South Somerset, by emailing june@citizensadvicesouthsomerset.org. uk.

Citizens Advice in South Somerset each year helps around 9,000 local people to resolve the difficulties they are facing and find a way forward.

If you need advice? The charity’s free adviceline (telephone and email service) is open Monday to Friday (evening appointments also available). Anyone needing advice can call or email on 0808 278 7842 or visit the website www. citizensadvicesouthsomerset.org.uk.

Adviser Training 2023

MAYOR'S DIARY: Fingers-crossed that the defibrillators are never needed to be used

A VERY Happy New Year to all the readers - I hope 2023 brings you peace and good health.

I cannot thank everyone enough for the incredible and fulfilling past year. You have included me in so much and have shared your lives with me on a level that has been truly humbling.

As a community, we have marked historical milestones, shared our grief with the nation and experienced hardship. We have also come together to provide warmth and friendships to neighbours and strangers. None of this has been done alone and to all the unsung heroes of 2022 I would like to say “thank you.”

I am so pleased to see two new defibrillators installed located at

Birchfield Community Centre and at the Quicksilver Mail (fingers are crossed that they are never needed).

A big well done to everyone who made Super Santa Saturday in Yeovil town centre a successful one. I had my first glimpse of Santa during this event. I went on to see him multiple times during December, doing a double-take in Ninesprings when multiple Santas dashed past me just before Christmas.

I was given a book as a Christmas present that was published by Yeovil Creative Writers and thoroughly enjoyed reading it during the holiday period; we really do have some highly talented writers locally. Liz Pike, I loved reading about a character named after myself, thank you - I will treasure this book

forever.

I would like to thank the wonderful staff at our care homes in Yeovil. They have gone above and beyond over the past few years; I am truly grateful. It was lovely to be able to visit so many of you during the festive period and to spend some quality time with staff and residents alike.

During one visit I met a lovely gentleman who shared his fond memories and images of previously being a city Mayor; his passion and love for his community have never wavered.

During a few other home visits, I sang (badly) to Christmas tunes and even performed a few equally as bad dances.

My New Year’s resolution is to learn more than the choruses of the songs next

year and to practice my twinkle toes. I look forward to seeing how everyone else gets on with their ambitions and resolutions for the year ahead.

CLLR EVIE POTTS-JONES Mayor of Yeovil

The Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones (centre), with Nationwide Building Society’s Yeovil branch manager Julie Turner and Quedam Shopping Centre manager James Tovey at the opening of the new defibrillator near to the Dunelm store in the Quedam. The defibrillator has been funded by the Quedam and the Yeovil branch of the Nationwide Building Society. Photo: Christine Jones.

The unveiling of a 24-7 public access defibrillator at St Andrew’s Scout Hut in Preston Grove, Yeovil. Photo: Christine Jones.

The Mayor, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones, with Rev David Keen, of St Peter’s Church, with the new public access 24-7 defibrillator at the St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue on the Westfield estate in Yeovil. Photo: Christine Jones.

The manager of the Yeovil branch of Nationwide Building Society, Julie Turner (centre), presents Cllr Rob Stickland, chairman of Yeovil Town Council’s buildings and civic matters committee, with a cheque for £4,884 towards the ongoing defibrillator project. Also pictured are the Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones (right), and Nationwide Building Society staff members Michelle Harriott (left) and Lucy Geldeard. This was taken following the unveiling of a defibrillator at by the countryside park rangers station at Yeovil Country Park. Photo courtesy of Len Copland.

All smiles as a 24-7 public access defibrillator is unveiled at the Cow and Apple restaurant in Yeovil opposite St John’s Church in the centre of town. Photo: Submitted.

Julie Turner (left), the manager of the Yeovil branch of the Nationwide Building Society, with (from left) the Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones; the town clerk of Yeovil Town Council, Amanda Card; and Iain Lawrence, of Aero Healthcare Ltd, at the unveiling of the public access defibrillator outside the Nationwide branch in Middle Street, Yeovil.

Defibrillators can help to save someone who is suff ering from a cardiac arrest

opposite St John’s Church in the town centre; the country park rangers station at Yeovil Country Park near the café; St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue on the Westfield Estate in Yeovil; St Andrew’s Scout Hut in Preston Grove, Yeovil; Dunelm in the Quedam Shopping Centre, Yeovil; Birchfield Community Centre in Birchfield Road, Yeovil; and the Quicksilver Mail in Hendford Hill, Yeovil.

There are other public defibrillators

available in Yeovil such as the Samaritans headquarters in West Hendford, Yeovil, and at the Holy Trinity Scout Hut in Lysander Road, Yeovil.

Yeovil Without Parish Council has also financed defibrillators to be placed at the community hub on the Wyndham Park Estate in Yeovil and at the former Cider Shack premises in Wessex Road, Yeovil, which has recently re-opened as a convenience store.

YEOVIL Town Council was delighted to announce the location of the eighth defibrillator to be installed as part of its campaign launched in 2021.

The latest potentially life-saving defib was unveiled at the Quicksilver Mail pub at the top of Hendford Hill on January 6 and could be used on someone suspected of suffering a cardiac arrest.

The landlord of the Quicksilver Mail, well-known Pete Lambden, gave permission for the defibrillator and icabinet to be secured to the outside of the pub and would provide the electricity to keep it heated.

The community-minded Yeovil Round Table have funded the defibrillator, while Yeovil Town Council will be the guardians of the defib.

Once commissioned the defibrillators are registered with The Circuit – the national defibrillator network which connects defibs to the NHS ambulance service so that callers to 999 can be quickly

directed to their nearest defibrillator in an emergency.

Pete Lambden and Mark Watts, chairman of Yeovil Round Table, said they were pleased to be able to support such a worthwhile project and said it was a “no brainer.” The council has thanked them for their support.

The council unveiled its seventh defibrillator on December 9 at the Birchfield Community Centre in Birchfield Road, Yeovil.

The defibrillator was funded by the council which will act as guardians for the machine, while the community centre team will provide the electricity to keep the defib at the right temperature in its cabinet.

The eight 24-7 public access defibrillators unveiled as part of Yeovil Town Council’s ongoing campaign are at various locations around the town: Nationwide Building Society in Middle Street, Yeovil; Cow and Apple restaurant

Early use of a defibrillator greatly increases patient's chance of survival

A LEADING light in the campaign to get as many 24-7 public access defibrillators installed in the local community has been Yeovil Town Council’s town clerk Amanda Card.

Over the past couple of years Miss Card has worked tirelessly to try and find suitable locations for the defibs which can be used in the event of someone suffering a cardiac arrest.

“A cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time,” she said. “Every year in the UK, more than 60,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of hospitals with survival rates of less than ten per cent.

“Immediate CPR and defibrillation can more than double the chance of survival. The first eight minutes after a person has had a cardiac arrest is crucial.”

Miss Card said that using a defibrillator

on a casualty before ambulance paramedics arrived could significantly increase somebody’s chance of survival.

“Survival rates fall by ten per cent every minute that passes without defibrillation,” added Miss Card. “Using an AED within three minutes of a cardiac arrest can improve a person’s chance of survival by as much as 70 per cent. That’s why quick access to a defibrillator is necessary.”

The defibrillators being installed around Yeovil give voice prompts with easy-to-understand direction and instruct users what to do.

Miss Card said: “Many people are worried that applying CPR or defibrillation could make things worse, but this is extremely unlikely, and it is always better to act.”

YEOVIL TOWN COUNCIL Defibrillators in Yeovil

Where’s your nearest defibrillator?

To help increase awareness of the locations of publically accessible defribrillators – we need your help! We want a definitive list of those defribillators which are available for public use. If you are aware of a defribillator in Yeovil, please let us know.

“Guardians of the defibrillators”

We want to increase the number of defibrillat ors in Yeovil and investigating installing one in each of the following areas:

• Westfield (near the Co-op)

• Forest Hill shopping precinct

• St John’s Road Shops

• Town Centre (near Boots)

We are “guardians” to the defibrillator at Milford Hall.

Business contributions/sponsorship

Do you know a local business that would like to contribute towards the costs?

07773 162369 ytc@yeovil.gov.uk

@YeovilTownCouncil

The unveiling of the 24-7 public access defibrillator at Birchfield Community Centre in Yeovil on December 9. Photo: Steve Sowden.

The unveiling of the 24-7 public access defibrillator outside the Quicksilver Mail pub in Yeovil on January 6. Photo: Christine Jones.

Plenty

entertainment to be enjoyed at Lanes Hotel in West Coker

THE Lanes Hotel at West Coker is looking forward to a fantastic 2023 and offering people some wonderful entertainment.

The hotel has already lined-up some great nights out in the opening weeks of the year as it looks to enhance its excellent reputation of serving up fine food and combine it with lots of quality music and comedy.

A Comedy Night will be held at Lanes on Friday, February 11, and hosted by Sal Monello with Sandi Davis, Danny Buckler and others and includes a twocourse dinner and cocktail. Sal will host a brilliant night with some of the most talented stand-up comedians on the circuit.

An Elvis tribute night will be held at Lanes on Friday, February 24, from 6.30pm to late and includes a threecourse dinner. He’s in the building! The terrific Elvis by Barry Paul will leave you shaking at the hips!

An Adele tribute night will be held at Lanes on Friday, March 24, from 6.30pm until late and includes a three-course dinner. Get ready for a night of breathtaking vocals. As seen on the BBC, Lisa Martin will deliver an outstanding performance as Adele covering all the hits with jaw-dropping vocals.

While from next month Sundays will become Jazz Sundays at Lanes with live performances from Simply Jazz between 2pm and 4.30pm. The Jazz Sundays will coincide with an extended lunch service – so why not book a late lunch, crack open a nice bottle of wine and enjoy a lazy afternoon.

Take a look at the adverts on these pages for more information.

What you are promised at Lanes is great drinks, excellent food and exceptional service – all wrapped up in a unique boutique hotel!

Traditional hamstone meets cool seamless glass. This former rectory has been sympathetically renovated to give a modern, contemporary feel to the bar and restaurant areas whilst retaining the elegance and individuality of the ten spacious bedrooms above.

A modern extension building echoes these design features and houses a further 16 well-appointed rooms, a gym and spa. There are also four fully self-contained one and two-bedroom apartments.

The popular and lively bar features a range of local Somerset ciders, in-house crafted and aged cocktails as well as an extensive beer and spirit choice.

The restaurant, Lanes Brasserie, serves local produce in a light and uncomplicated

brasserie style, complemented by a wellchosen wine list.

The menu rotates through the seasons to bring you the freshest ingredients and outstanding quality.

Lanes Hotel is found in the High Street, West Coker, and more details can be obtained by phoning 01935-862555 or email stay@laneshotel.net or go to their website at www.laneshotel.net.

A dedicated 50-year career at Yeovil Hospital has kept Pat feeling young

A MEMBER of the emergency department team at Yeovil District Hospital is celebrating 50 years helping to keep the community safe and well.

Senior ED Sister, Pat Wilcox, started at the age of 18 and it is not often the hospital gets to recognise somebody who has served with dedicated commitment for half a century.

The current Yeovil Hospital building itself turns 50 this year which means that Pat was one of the members of the team that helped clean and move the beds and equipment from the old Yeovil General Hospital.

“I still remember it very clearly,” she said. “I had only worked there for six weeks and had got very good at making hospital beds so when we moved from the old building to the new one in 1973, I helped clean equipment and then made up every bed in the new hospital; well, it felt like every bed!”

Pat has spent half a century dedicated to the people of Yeovil and the surrounding areas, working most of that time in the emergency department – or “casualty” as it was known back then.

“I did all my training at Yeovil and qualified in 1976 having had to delay due to having my tonsils out,” she said. “My first role as a trained nurse was nights in theatre and relief work in A&E for six months but I loved my time in casualty so quickly moved permanently and haven’t looked back.

“In 1978, after the birth of my first child, I received a call from the matron asking if I was bored yet and did I want to

come back. I said yes I’d love to be back in the emergency team but she offered me ICU and I gave it a go.

“It wasn’t for me – too much machinery to clean. I remember them handing me the cleaning cloth for the ventilator alongside a screwdriver! It’s not something the ICU nurses do now but technology and job roles have hugely changed. I stayed in ICU for three months but moved back to the emergency department as soon as possible.”

Pat has taken every change in her stride over the past 50 years. “There are so many memories but it really is the people who have made it the place it is,” she said. “What I’ve enjoyed the most is seeing the town and the department grow and evolve.

“I know things are challenging right now in healthcare but I have every faith we will find a way through.

“When I started, the emergency department had one trained nurse, and HCA and one doctor. We locked the door at night for security and patients had to knock to be let in. You can’t imagine that now.

“The changes have been fascinating with so much technology. The way we can treat different conditions is absolutely amazing but needs many more medical staff than we have 40 to 50 years ago. Back then, we would wash bandages and I remember rolling them back up once they were clean.

“One of my favourite memories that sums up a day in A&E is the time we heard a huge bang and looked up to see a man

Long service awards for loyal and hard-working NHS staff members

THE Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has been awarding members of staff in recognition of their long service.

The Trust has commemorated those who have worked in the NHS for 30, 40 and 50 years.

“Thank you so much for your dedication and hard work,” said a Trust spokesman.

Thirty-Year Award: Ann-Marie Cannon, Carolyn Churcher, Fiona Higginson,

Forty-Year Award: Andrea Chell.

Fifty-Year Award: Patricia Wilcox.

PHOTO: Some of those who were receiving long service awards from the

with a huge plank of wood being chased around the department and outside. We just laughed and carried on with our day – I love the unusual things where no day is the same and it’s fast paced. It’s kept me young.”

Pat recollects the huge fundraising effort the team undertook in the 1980s to buy the department new cardiac monitoring equipment.

“Looking back, that was such as fantastic effort by everyone,” she said. “We launched the fundraising with MP Paddy Ashdown and spent the year getting involved in everything, baby competitions, performed a show at the Octagon, held a race night at the football club, so many car boots and fairs. We raised more than £100,000 and it really was a whole team effort.”

Chief Nurse Hayley Peters said: “Fifty years of dedication to Yeovil Hospital, caring for the people of Yeovil and the surrounding areas, is absolutely amazing.

“I am extremely proud of Pat for her outstanding contribution to nursing –a truly inspirational and much loved member of the team. On behalf of all of us here, I would like to thank Pat wholeheartedly as we mark this special anniversary.”

While Pat may be celebrating an

astounding 50 years dedicated to nursing at Yeovil Hospital, she’s not ready to slow down.

“There have been so many changes over the years but I’ve loved every single day – the unpredictability, the patients and the colleagues – the people really make it what it is,” she said. “I always said that the day I didn’t enjoy it would be the day I leave, but I’m still here!

“I did retire eight years ago but came back after two weeks. I will retire properly at some point and give more of my time to my family, but not quite yet.”

Pat lives with her husband, Bernie, and has three daughters, one son, five granddaughters and two stepgranddaughters.

New lifelike body might look too lifelike for some hospital trainees!

ENHANCED training is in full swing using Yeovil District Hospital’s new simulation room.

With a new ‘body’ that may be a bit too ‘lifelike’ for comfort, and sleek cabinets to store their new equipment for the simulations, this project will influence how it trains its future staff.

Site medical director Paul Foster said: “This is an exciting time for Yeovil Hospital as this new simulation room will enhance our training even further, coaching our trainees and guiding them along their journey of patient care and safety.

“With the more life-like simulations, we can prepare our trainees as best we can for various settings throughout the hospital and the money invested with this room now will pay dividends in the future for our patients.”

These training environments are important for trainees as it simulates different situations they could experience during their careers.

From seizures to unresponsive fits, these ‘bodies’ allow a safe space for trainees to practice their skills with an opportunity to learn with no risk of harm to any patients. The new control room also allows the trainers to monitor the students as well as control the simulation bodies including the breathing and

eyelids.

The new ‘body’ provided, complete with wrinkles and grey hair offers a more realistic ‘patient’ for the trainees to learn about what they would do and build confidence in their decision-making.

From this, trainees can learn not only about different situations, but also more about communication and decisionmaking which is fundamental to real-life circumstances.

A hospital spokesman added: “This is increasingly important when it comes to patient safety because as a hospital, it is our responsibility to think of all the possible conditions that our staff could be subject to, and prepare them to the best of our ability.”

PHOTO: The somewhat lifelike body in the new simulation room at Yeovil Hospital.

Helen Murray, Judith Brookes, Marie Bonshor-Mayes, Mark Falkner, Nina Nickerson, Paula Poulton, Rebecca Rowland-Axe, Sarah Harding, Susan More and Tracey Duckett.

Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Blake Envelopes supports children's ward with bags full of gifts

Thank you to The Works store for its support and kindness

THE Yeovil Hospital Charity has thanked staff at The Works store in the Quedam Shopping Centre in Yeovil for its support.

Charity volunteer Karina Parsons said: “I would like to personally thank Becky and the team at The Works in Yeovil for working with me for Yeovil Hospital.

“I would also like to thank the customers of The Works who have kindly donated to the ongoing Yeovil Hospital appeal.”

The Works donated a large amount of items which were either donated to the children’s ward at Yeovil Hospital or used as a raffle prizes in charity fundraising events.

Karina added: “I’m not often stuck

YEOVIL-BASED firm Blake Envelopes has recently been supporting the children’s ward at Yeovil District Hospital.

Instead of its usual promotions and product discounts during last year’s Black Friday shopping initiative, Blake decided to donate to the hospital instead.

Blake – which is based on the Lynx Trading Estate in Yeovil – donated 20 gift bags filled with stationery and treats to the young patients in the children’s ward. Each bag contained 12 colouring pencils, a cuddly toy, a colouring book, biscuits, pens, stickers and note cards.

The children’s ward at Yeovil Hospital treats some of the most vulnerable children in the region. This ward has been designed to treat and provide support for both the patients and their families, no matter the length of care. With some

children having to stay in hospital for long periods of time, research suggests that creativity and interactive activities can speed up recovery.

The hospital’s head of fundraising, James Kirton, said: “Many thanks for thinking of us once again – we have had a lot of support from Blake Envelopes over the years and we very much appreciate your ongoing generosity.”

Blake Envelopes is a business that is committed to making a difference in the world they live in through their Giving Hope Through Education Programme. Education, and indeed, literacy, is one cause particularly close to the business, as closely linked with letter writing and communication. Blake is passionate about having an impact on the lives of these children and providing a solution to meet their needs.

Support goes on for the breast cancer unit appeal

THE Nationwide Building Society branch in Yeovil has been thanked for its continuing fundraising support for Yeovil District Hospital.

Volunteers from the Yeovil Hospital Charity team sold raffle tickets and Christmas craft items in the branch in Middle Street in the run-up to the festive season and raised a whopping £968.62.

Hospital charity volunteer Karina Parsons said: “Thank you so much to everyone who has been supporting our fundraising over the past year for Yeovil Hospital’s new breast cancer unit appeal.”

It is hoped that building work on the new unit at the hospital will begin this year with the appeal total having reached £2.3million – virtually within touching distance of its £2.5million target.

PHOTO: Nationwide Building Society

for words, but I can honestly say I was overwhelmed with joy seeing all the bags full of toys, books and stationery valued at £2,100.”

Supermarket store bucket collections coin in the funds

MEMBERS of the Yeovil Hospital Charity team would like to thank everyone who donated to a bucket collection at the Tesco Extra store in Yeovil last month.

The collection raised a whopping £813 towards the hospital’s ongoing breast cancer unit appeal.

“It’s an incredible amount of money to raise,” said a spokesman. “Thank you to our wonderful volunteers for manning this bucket collection.”

Another bucket collection at the Morrison’s store in Yeovil held in December raised a further £380, while shoppers at the town’s Asda supermarket also helped by donating £418 to a collection held there as well.

branch manager Julie Turner (left) is pictured with Yeovil Hospital Charity volunteers Mandy Sims (front) and Karina Parsons.

Students visit Strode to get a taste of college life

YEAR 11 students at Stanchester Academy in Stoke-sub-Hamdon attended a taster day at Strode College to have an insight into college life.

This was a great experience with pupils choosing their timetable for the day so

they could sample different subjects and familiarise themselves with the campus and meet staff. These insight events are essential for helping identify - or eliminating - courses that are contenders for further study post 16.

Shrek the Musical is a hit performance at Stanchester

STUDENTS at Stanchester Academy in Stoke-sub-Hamdon wowed audiences with their production of Shrek The Musical.

With the young people leading the choreography, tech and stage crew, this was very much a student-led production, staged on a less-traditional traverse catwalk.

Year 11 student Rosie played the title character who brought the ogre to life, full of attitude; Donkey was played by Ashley who brought boundless energy

and a touch of Barry White to Make A Move and Fiona was played by Lauren with stunning vocals who partnered excellently with Rosie as Shrek.

A Stanchester spokesman said: “These three lead characters were brilliantly supported by the ensemble and supporting roles such as Joel’s Lord Farquaad and the Fairy-Tale Creatures.”

Organisers would like to thank and congratulate everyone involved in an excellent show.

New team of student librarians at Stanchester

A SUPERSTAR team of student librarians has been recruited by Stanchester Academy’s new librarian at Stoke-sub-Hamdon.

They will be assisting in the setting up and running of the new library which is opening in 2023! The crew of Years 8-10 students have been busily sorting and shelving all the books, getting them ready for students to borrow.

“We were delighted with the huge

response from enthusiastic Year 7s also wanting to be student librarians and will be allocating them roles in the New Year,” said a Stanchester spokesman.

“Students will soon have access to our brand-new library system, Accessit. They will be able to browse and reserve books as well as writing and sharing reviews with their peers. Well done to you all and we are sure you will all do an amazing job.”

Students hit the ski slopes of Italy

STUDENTS from Westfield Academy had a great time on a skiing trip to Italy.

Just under 70 students from Years 9-11 were taken on the trip to Folgaria with the support of eight members of staff who gave up their time at the start of the

Christmas holidays.

“The conditions were perfect in our resort,” said a Westfield student. “Every single student progressed well and made their way up higher into the mountains using the ski lift system.”

Dance teachers wanted for 24-hour dance-a-thon at Westlands venue

THE Octagon Theatre in Yeovil is looking for dance teachers to get involved in its planned 24-hour dance-a-thon.

The theatre’s next fundraising event to support the development of the theatre into a flagship cultural hub for Somerset will be the marathon dance-a-thon.

“We are teaming up with Project Dance to raise funds for the theatre development and to help Project Dance create new work for young dancers,” said an Octagon spokesman.

The 24-Hour-Dance-Athon will take place from 11am on Friday, February 17, until 11am on Saturday, February 18, at Westlands Entertainment Venue in Yeovil in the main ballroom.

Each hour will see a different dance workshop showcasing a different teacher or a different dance style.

Everyone is invited to join us taking part in the event either by being sponsored to take part in the whole 24hour of dance or by booking onto individual workshops.

The Octagon spokesman added: “We have an amazing line-up of teachers who are generously donating their time to help us raise funds.

“But we are on the lookout for a few more teachers to complete the 24 hours. If you would like to be considered please email us with details of the class you could deliver at octagontheatre@ southsomerset.gov.uk.”

Family's pride at Radio Times front cover photo

CAMERMAN Peter Matthews appeared on the cover of The Radio Times magazine in 1969 when BBC2 first broadcast in colour.

His family was very proud and his copy of the front cover was displayed in a frame at home for the rest of his life!

For the 90th anniversary of The Radio Times in 2013 a competition was run for anyone to enter a cover they had designed.

And Peter’s daughter Sally said: “I entered a design cover with dad still filming 45 years later and it came second in the competition. Dad was really pleased.

“Although not in good health he was well enough to attend The Radio Times exhibition in London in 2013 where the museum included his 1969 cover in the digital display on the day he visited.”

Peter Matthews appears on the front cover of an edition of The Radio Times magazine in 1969.

Peter Matthews’ daughter, Sally Matthews, came second in a national competition in 2013 to design a front cover of The Radio Times as part of the magazine’s 90th anniversary celebrations. Her design included a photo of her dad still filming and comparing it to his 1969 appearance.

Peter Matthews at work for the BBC.

Peter Matthews (right) gets to shake hands with Pope John Paul II at The Vatican with a young looking Prince Charles (left), who is now King Charles III.

Peter Matthews at work at Cape Kennedy (also known as Cape Canaveral) Space Centre in the United States.

Peter Matthews (right) with colleagues outside No 10 Downing Street in London.

Some of Peter Matthews’ collected assortment of press passes

Sally's precious memories of her BBC news cameraman father who travelled the world

THE recent 100th anniversary of the BBC brought back very special and poignant memories for Yeovil Press reader Sally Matthews.

The BBC was 100 in October last year and Sally’s late father, Peter Matthews, enjoyed an amazing career with the corporation which spanned more than three decades until his retirement on March 26, 1990.

He had previously worked for British Pathe as a sound recordist on films before taking on a similar role with the BBC on April 7, 1958, and then as a news cameraman.

And Sally, who is well-known in the area and a regular member of the cast of Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society productions, said: “During his career he travelled the world working on stories from Royal weddings and tours, the meetings of Presidents, Prime Ministers and Popes, to reporting from natural disasters, accidents, war zones and covering scandals, crime, courts, politicians, conferences and major sporting events.

“From The Falklands to Iceland and just about everywhere in between he was as at ease in a palace or cathedral as he

was in a stranger’s front room or around a campfire in the desert.

“He survived at least four earthquakes, numerous internal flights in remote regions, other interesting forms of transport and a number of dangerous war zones. He managed to remain relatively unscathed and uninjured, apart from one serious incident in Northern Ireland.

“His stories were amazing, interesting, illuminating and funny.”

Sally added: “He met the Pope, Princess Diana and JRR Tolkien, amongst many others, and filmed the launch of Apollo 10 from Cape Kennedy. I know some of his favourite places visited were Rhodesia which is now Zimbabwe/Zambia, the Caribbean Island of St Kitts, Washington DC in springtime, and Australia. Dad loved the sunshine!”

Peter moved to Somerset in 1978 and after retirement carried on filming locally and running an editing company with other retired BBC colleagues, keeping his interest in filming and photography throughout retirement.

Sally said: “As children we were given cameras when very young and taught how to take photographs, a hobby which I think every member of our family enjoys

to this day!

“We were also taken many times to Alexandra Palace, the then home of the BBC. I remember the many Christmas parties for children and going to the newsroom and meeting the newsreaders of the day.

“I watched editors at work, met a Dalek and Basil Brush and when older, got onto Top of The Pops in the audience. Also very exciting was watching an episode of Blue Peter being filmed and meeting John Noakes, Valerie Singleton and Patch and Petra!

“Dad’s work ethic was exemplary and he was well-respected by colleagues throughout his career, always supportive to younger and new colleagues.

“He worked for a number of years with Kate Adie who, when I met her again recently at our local literary festival, had good memories of their working together. He was often asked by the BBC to submit his work for television awards, but always refused stating he was there to film, report on, and bring back the facts of a story not to attain any glory or reward.

“Dad was a remarkable person, fair, non-judgemental and inclusive, and

ahead of his time with an interest in environmental concerns.

“Even when very unwell, during the last year of his life he still made us, and the staff at his care home smile with his stories and wise words.

“I know he was very proud to have worked for the BBC and would have enjoyed seeing some of his many pictures shared with the Yeovil Press to celebrate the 100th anniversary.”

Peter Matthews passed away in 2016 at the age of 86 and is much-missed by his family.

PHOTO: Peter Matthews during his BBC days.

www.yeovilpress.co.uk

A fantastic photo of Peter Matthews at work on location in Algiers – the capital of Algeria.

Film cameraman Peter Matthews outside the old BBC Television Centre in London.

Peter Matthews at work.

Moving house is said to be one of the top 5 most stressful life events (according to Google) but for qualifying emergency service personnel, hopefully this offer makes the journey ahead a little brighter!

To receive this discount, the home owner must be an emergency services employee (in joint applications just one person must be employed to be eligible).

Please contact Joanna Shortland in our Yeovil office on 01935 426047 to discuss further and to instruct her directly to receive the discount.

NB: Evidence of employment will be required upon instruction.

CHRISTMAS REVIEW 2022

ALL SMILES FOR SANTA DASH

HE annual Santa Dash through Yeovil Country Park was another big success and attracted a good number of runners. All the entrants – who were mostly dressed in seasonal costume with the Father Christmas suits most favoured – were helping to raise money for Yeovil District Hospital’s Breast Cancer Unit Appeal. For more photos and news from the event which was organised by the Yeovil Town Road Running Club – please go to Pages 36-37.

PHOTO: Christine Jones.

Glovers are on the ball for Christmas party for junior fans

THE Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust was delighted to be able to host its Junior Christmas Party in the runup to the festive season.

It was the first time since 2019 that the party was able to go-ahead and it meant that the Alec Stock Lounge at Huish Park – home of Yeovil Town FC - was full of Christmas cheer.

Players and club staff took time out to go along and meet the young party-goers and provide some festive treats.

“Our sincere thanks goes to Yeovil Town manager Mark Cooper, assistant manager Chris Todd and head of player development Marcus Stewart and all of the players for supporting the event and signing endless autograph books, programmes, footballs and replica shirts,” said a Community Sports Trust spokesman.

“You could tell by the beaming faces around the room that it meant a lot to

them!”

And the spokesman added: “Thanks also to Will, Alfie and Ollie from our U14’s who volunteered at the event and our fantastic staff. We hope everyone had as much fun as we did.”

More photos from the Christmas party can be found on the Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust’s social media Facebook page.

MEMBERS of the Yeovil Town FC squad visited the children’s ward at Yeovil District Hospital on December 23 to offer some seasonal good wishes to young patients and to bring them some Christmas presents.

Players Josh Staunton, Matt Worthington, Malachi Linton and Max Hunt were welcomed into the hospital where patients were delighted to meet them.

A video of the visit is featured on the football club’s social media channels.

Santa flies in to surprise children at Primrose Lane School in Yeovil

CHILDREN at Primrose Lane Primary School in Yeovil were thrilled when they had a very special visit from Santa in the run-up to the Christmas holiday.

The 1 Regiment Army Air Corps, based at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, answered Santa’s call for assistance after his reindeers needed to take a breather.

The Army Air Corps immediately sprang into action and ground crew prepared one of their Wildcat helicopters and personnel began planning a route to deliver gifts to pupils at local schools.

Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Rivett, Commanding Officer 1 Regiment Army Air Corps, said: “Our engagement with the local community in which we all live and work is key to our ability to operate and we relish the opportunity to support local activities.”

Once briefed, Santa, together with his sacks of gifts for the children of Somerset climbed aboard the Wildcat helicopter and headed off to a number of local schools – including Primrose Lane School on the Wyndham Park estate in Yeovilas part of his world festive delivery tour delivering gifts and putting smiles on faces.

Lieutenant Colonel Rivett: added: “The Santa visit initiative was only possible through the relationships that have been established with the network of local civilian organisations. While the reindeer were resting up, we were absolutely thrilled that 1 Regiment was able to step in with the Army’s Wildcat reconnaissance helicopter to deliver Santa and spread some festive joy.”

PHOTOS: Christine Jones.

Santas aplenty dashing through Yeovil Country Park for hospital charity appeal

THE annual Santa Dash was another great success at the Yeovil Country Park to help raise money for Yeovil District Hospital’s Breast Cancer Unit Appeal.

Nearly 60 runners took part in the event on December 11 with most of the runners wearing Santa outfits or other Christmas-inspired costumes.

First to complete the 4k route which saw runners leave from the Goldenstones Leisure Centre out to Wyndham Hill and back again was Connor Hyde, a regular supporter of the Santa Dash, who finished in a time of 19mins and 15 seconds – just six seconds ahead of second-placed Darren Mackle. Third was Jack Clothworthy who also finished in less than 20 minutes.

Among those supporting the runners was Yeovil Mayor, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones, and she congratulated everyone for taking part and helping to raise money for such a fantastic good cause.

Organisers from the Yeovil Town Road Running Club would like to thank everyone who supported the event and took part.

Although it was not strictly an official race, there were still medals for the leading runners.

Top ten finishers were as follows: 1 Connor Hyde; 2 Darren Mackle; 3 Jack Clothworthy; 4 James Rock; 5 Alannah Hambley; 6 James Thompson; 7 Dominic Berry; 8 Claire Brown; 9 Simon Rowe; 10 Trevor Strelley.

PHOTOS: Christine Jones.

THE fantastic choir from Preston School in Yeovil performed for the patients, families and amazing staff at Yeovil District Hospital on December 15. “We hope we brought some Christmas cheer to them all,” said a school spokesman.

Students at Stanchester Academy in Stoke-sub-Hamdon enjoyed getting involved in the annual Christmas Jumper Day during the run-up to the festive season.

Students at Westfield Academy in Yeovil are pictured with suitable festive headwear in readiness for the school Christmas Dinner.

Photos taken during Westfield Academy’s annual Carol Service held at St John’s Church in Yeovil on December 13.

YEOVIL College played host to colleagues from local schools who form an integral part of the South Somerset Information, Advice and Guidance group. It was fantastic for some of the group to get together and celebrate the success of the partnership between Yeovil College and individual schools across the last year. “A lot has been achieved and therefore we had to celebrate in a big way, with Christmas lunch in our fantastic Da Vinci Restaurant,” said a college spokesman. “We would like to extend our thanks to the full group for their ongoing support and dedication to creating opportunities for young people in our area.”

SOCIAL work degree students at the Yeovil College University Centre created sleigh gifts which were donated to the Yeovil 4 Family group at Christmas. These donations were then given members of the community who need extra support this Christmas. The students made 76 sleighs that could be given out as Christmas treats. “We are incredibly proud of our students for their dedication to ensuring that everyone had a treat at Christmas,” said a spokesman.

REVIEW OF 2022 IN PHOTOS

JANUARY 2022

FEBRUARY 2022

1:

2:

3: MEMBERS

two “recent”

in March 2020, and also celebrated when Nick Harris won the Best Actor (Musical) award for his portrayal of Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which was performed at the Octagon in October 2019. It was not until February 2022 that they eventually received their awards. The director/choreographer for Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society’s production of The Sound of Music,

1: YEOVIL Town’s Huish Park stadium was packed for the Glovers’ FA Cup Third Round clash with AFC Bournemouth. Unfortunately Yeovil lost out 3-0. Photo courtesy of Martin Edwards.

2: THE Yeovil Amateur Pantomime Society wowed the audiences at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil with its production of Cinderella. Photo courtesy of Len Copland.

3: A CELEBRATION for a New Ministry at the Benefice of Yeovil Holy Trinity with Barwick was held where Rev Dan Crouch and his family were welcomed. Rev Crouch (centre) is pictured with the Bishop of Taunton, Rt Rev Ruth Worsley (right), and the Venerable Anne Gell, Archdeacon of Wells. Photo: Christine Jones.

FANTASTIC firefighters from Yeovil completed an amazing 26-mile charity walk last and raised over £3,500 for the national Firefighters Charity and the St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice. They set off early from from Wells Fire Station and then – in full kit and breathing apparatus – walked back to Yeovil Fire Station in Reckleford where they were met that evening by family members, supporters and colleagues and also the Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones. Photo: Christine Jones.

THE Yeovil Hospital Charity was blown away by the fantastic support for its Breast Cancer Unit Appeal. And although the fundraising had to continue due to an unprecedented increase in construction costs, the charity was amazed that its original £2m appeal target had been reached.

of Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society celebrated success stories from

productions. The Rose Bowl Awards were announced in November 2021 and YAOS won the Best Musical Production award for its production of The Sound of Music

Sheila Driver (left), and musical director Gill Merrifield are pictured with YAOS chairman Mark Rudd. Photo courtesy of Len Copland.

1: THE crowds turned out to celebrate the official opening of the new Westfield Community Garden in Yeovil. The Westfield Community Garden, a once derelict site on Stiby Road between the Co-op store and Lockwood Court, had been transformed into an oasis for the local community to enjoy. Photo: Christine Jones. 2: HUNDREDS of runners took part in the 2022 Yeovil Half Marathon – the first one to be held since March 2019 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Christine Jones.

THE Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society thrilled audiences at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil with its production of the musical Kinky Boots. Photo: Christine Jones.

JUNE 2022

REVIEW OF 2022 IN PHOTOS

MAY 2022

1: THE volunteer Yeovil Freewheelers Blood Bike group was presented with the prestigious Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. A special ceremony took place at Haselbury Mill, near Crewkerne, where supporters of the group met for a night of celebration. The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service – widely recognised as the MBE for volunteer groups – is the highest awad given to volunteer groups across the UK. The Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Annie Maw, is pictured with Yeovil Freewheelers chairman Andrew Wiley and the Queen’s Award. Photo: Christine Jones.

2: A SPECIAL party was held at Yeovil Sports and Social Club at Johnson Park in Yeovil to celebrate the great news that six-year-old Leo Giddings had beaten cancer after spending three years undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with having acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Photo: Christine Jones.

3: MEMBERS of the local Scouting movement came together for the annual St George’s Day Parade in Yeovil town centre – for the first time since 2019. Photo: Christine Jones.

1: THE Home Farm Festival at Chilthorne Domer – in aid of the School in a Bag charity – made a triumphant return having had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Pictured are SIAB charity chief executive Luke Simon (right) and his dad Henry Simon along with key festival “poo patrol” operative Jules Richards. Photo: Christine Jones.

2: A WONDERFUL weekend of celebrations was held to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II – marking 70 years on the throne. Local celebrations included a successful and very busy music event at Yeovil Recreation Ground organised by Yeovil Town Council. Photo: Christine Jones.

3: The Year 11 School Prom season was back in full swing and here are some young ladies enjoying the Westfield Academy event at Haselbury Mill, near Crewkerne, on June 29. Photo: Christine Jones.

1: THE Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones, was re-elected to serve a second term in the role at the annual meeting of the town council. Cllr Potts-Jones (centre) is pictured presenting members of staff from the Yeovil branch of the Nationwide Building Society with the Mayor’s Award in recognition of their services to the community. Photo: Christine Jones.

2: THE Ilchester Spitfires Under-12s (pictured) claimed the High Holborne Shield during an entertaining final played at Yeovil Town Football Club’s Huish Park stadium. A goodsized crowd of around 400-500 attended the game and watched the action unfold as the Ilchester team ran out 5-0 winners over their gallant opponents from Pen Mill Raptors Under-12s in a match which lasted 60 minutes. Photo: Christine Jones.

3: THE fabulous Funtasia Charity Ball held at the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue returned to the social calendar in May and came back with a bang! The annual charity ball had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but organisers Russell and Louise Lee (pictured), of Funtasia Entertainment, were determined to see the ball make a comeback in spectacular style. And they were not disappointed – it raised a record-breaking £22,000. The Funtasia balls have now raised well over £170,000 for charity. Photos: Christine Jones.

JULY 2022

REVIEW OF 2022 IN PHOTOS

SEPTEMBER 2022

AUGUST 2022

1: THE annual Gert Gathering family event at Johnson Park – home of the Yeovil Sports and Social Club – was a fantastic success. The weather was perfect for the all day event which saw live music, entertainment, food and drink, stalls, children’s fun and games. Organisers were delighted to announce that the day raised at least £2,200 for the event’s two chosen charities –Petals at Grovelands and Time is Precious. Photo: Christine Jones.

2: THE Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones, was blessed with perfect weather for the annual Civic Service which was held at St John’s Church in the heart of the town. There was a retiring collection in aid of the Mayor’s two chosen charities – Mind in Somerset and SSAFA The Armed Forces Charity. The Mayor is pictured with her cadets. Photo: Christine Jones.

3: A WONDERFUL evening to celebrate 100 years of the Rotary Club of Yeovil was held with a centennial anniversary gala dinner at Haselbury Mill. Rotarians past and present, plus visiting club representatives, friends, family members and guests descended on the picturesque venue for a night of celebration. Photo: Christine Jones.

1: THE month was dominated by the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II who sadly passed away on September 8, 2022, at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland – following an amazing 70-year reign. Her funeral was held on September 19, 2022, and the Yeovil Press brought out a special commemorative edition.

2: The chairman of South Somerset District Council, Cllr Paul Maxwell, led the Local Proclamation at Yeovil Country Park on Sunday, September 11, 2022, to proclaim that King Charles III had acceded to the throne of the UK and other Commonwealth realms upon the death of his mother. Photo: Christine Jones.

3: The usually busy hospital roundabout linking Queensway, Reckleford and Higher Kingston in the centre of Yeovil was deserted on the morning of Monday, September 19, 2022, as people stayed at home to watch the State Funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II. Photo: Steve Sowden.

1: THE talented Yeovil Youth Theatre was busy in rehearsals for its forthcoming production of Ghost The Musical at the Swan Theatre in Yeovil. Photo: Christine Jones.

2: THE Yeovil Walking Football Club was delighted to invite the Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones, down to the sports centre at Westlands to find out more about the game and took time to speak to the players. Photo: Christine Jones.

3: MEMBERS of the Yeovil-based Castaway Theatre Group flew the flag for the town during a wonderful performance at the Videopolis Theatre at Disneyland Paris. It was a return visit to Disneyland for Castaways having performed there once before in 2017. This time the young stage performers wowed the audience with a medley of songs and dances from the musical Mary Poppins. Photo: Christine Jones.

REVIEW OF 2022 IN PHOTOS OCTOBER 2022

NOVEMBER 2022 DECEMBER 2022

1: YEOVIL Sea Cadets at TS Mantle VC – based at RNAS Yeovilton – hosted a Trafalgar Night celebration to help raise money in memory of a much-missed cadet. The celebration dinner and dance was held at Yeovil Rugby Club and officers, friends, supporters and guests of TS Mantle VC joined together to celebrate Trafalgar Night – a tradition going back to the early 19th Century and toasting Admiral Nelson’s victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805. The night helped to raise funds for the Matt Williams’ Memorial Hall. Leading Cadet Matt Williams, 15, tragically lost his fight for life following an accident a number of years ago while he was on his way to a parade night. Matt’s family are pictured at the Trafalgar Night event. Photo: Christine Jones.

2: THE super-talented members of the Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society produced another great show at the Octagon Theatre – this time the production being Legally Blonde. Photo: Christine Jones.

3: THE East Coker branch of the Action Medical Research charity held its tenth Diva Lunch at The Tithe Barn at Haselbury Mill. Nearly 250 ladies enjoyed a wonderful afternoon where they raised £13,500 for the charity which has funded vital research to help sick and disabled babies, children and young people for 70 years. Photo: Christine Jones.

1: THE Yeovil Press won the Community Champion category at the Yeovil Chamber Business Awards for a second successive year. Yeovil Press editor Steve Sowden (centre) is pictured with Sam Thorne, of Northseam Independent Financial Planning, and Ellie Hann, of Stuart Foster Funeral Services, who were also nominated for the Community Champion award. Photo: Christine Jones.

2: YEOVIL College University Centre celebrated the success of more than 100 students at their graduation ceremony which was held at the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue. Not only was it a fantastic opportunity to celebrate with the graduating class, but also an opportunity to recognise several outstanding students who received awards. Photo: Courtesy of Len Copland.

3: AUDIENCES at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil roared with laughter during the successful run of the Dick Whittington panto produced once again by the award-winning Evolution Pantomimes. Photo: Courtesy of Len Copland.

1: MEMBERS of Yeovil Round Table were bowled over when the group’s annual charity lunch – which saw former England cricketer Darren Gough attend as the special guest – raised a whopping £19,000 for charity. Gough (centre – sat on the motorbike) is pictured with members of Yeovil Round Table and representatives of the Yeovil Opportunity Group, the Lord’s Larder and Yeovil ADHD Somerset who received cheques totalling £6,000 ahead of the annual charity lunch. They are pictured with a Yeovil Freewheelers motorbike – which has helped to deliver hospital equipment and medicines etc to hospitals around the region – which was funded by Yeovil Round Table. Photo: Christine Jones.

2: IT was a time to dress up and party the night away as the Mayor of Yeovil’s annual charity ball was another outstanding success. Over 200 people attended the ball held at the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue to help raise money for the Mind in Somerset charity and SSAFA The Armed Forces Charity – the nominated charities for Yeovil Mayor, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones. Photo: Christine Jones.

3: THE Remembrance Sunday commemorations to pay tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in times of war were conducted with great dignity in The Borough in Yeovil town centre by the war memorial. Photo: Christine Jones.

Festive afternoon tea with the Good Fellowship Club

THE Good Fellowship Club and Friends got together over the Christmas festivities for an afternoon tea at the Yeovil Methodist Church.

The Somerset Community Foundation provided some funds for the afternoon

which was held at the church in Chelston Avenue, Yeovil.

The tea-goers were given entertainment and refreshments along with some communal singing of festive songs.

PHOTO: Christine Jones.

Phoenix Voices performs a concert of seasonal favourites of old and new

THE Phoenix Voices performed a wonderful Family Christmas Concert at the Holy Trinity Church in Yeovil on December 17.

The choir members had been asked to remember back to Christmas Eve when they were ten-years-old and tell the audience what songs they were listening to back then.

These memories made up the basis of the repertoire for this concert ranging from the well-loved classics such as Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, the timeless White Christmas and, of course, The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), to some more recent favourites such as A Winter’s Tale and a beautiful setting of Greg Lake’s I Believe in Father Christmas.

There was a good-sized audience for the concert including Father Christmas who had set up a grotto in the church to hand out gifts to visitors.

The event was able to donate almost

£100 to the Weldmar Hospice Trust through a proportion of the ticket sales and from the retiring collection.

Anyone wanting to get involved with the Phoenix Voices – the choir meets on Tuesday evenings from 7.30pm to 9pm at the Holy Trinity Church in Lysander Road, Yeovil. For more information, do please contact the Choirline on 07762 724602, by email at phoenix.voices@ live.com or via its Facebook page at The Phoenix Voices.

PHOTOS: Taken during the Phoenix Voices’ concert at Holy Trinity Church in Yeovil on December 17.

Santa sets up a grotto at the Cake Box Bakery

THERE were some special visitors to the Cake Box Bakery in Yeovil in the run-up to the festive season when Father Christmas created a grotto in the popular shop.

While staff were serving up lots of tasty treats, Santa was welcoming younger visitors into his grotto to find out their Christmas wishes.

Also among the visitors to the bakery

Cake Box Bakery owners Rob and Debs Gingell said they would like to thank everyone for all their support during the year.

Yeovil Press photographer Christine Jones also popped along to join in the fun.

in Wessex Road was the Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones, and the Chief Elf from MJS Entertainment Ltd.

Super Santa Saturday comes to Yeovil town centre in festive build-up

THERE was a real sense of festive fun in the air as Yeovil town centre played host to a Super Santa Saturday event.

The ever-popular Super Saturday event made a welcome return to the town just as everyone was getting excited for the Christmas season.

There were all the usual attractions, entertainers and community groups and it was another great success for organisers at Yeovil Town Council along with the Eat:Festival team.

The Super Saturday event is normally held in September, but last year’s festivities were put on hold because it was due to be staged around the same time as when the Her Majesty Queen

Elizabeth II passed away.

But plans were quickly put into place to add Santa to Super Saturday and the event was held on December 10.

Among the attractions on the day was a traditional Punch and Judy show in King George Street and fun fair games in St John’s Churchyard along with buskfest, while the Eat:Festival provided a multitude of different market stalls in the Quedam Shopping Centre.

People were also able to have a go at being a town crier with Yeovil Town Council looking to fill the vacant role left empty following last year’s retirement of Bruce Trigger.

PHOTOS: Christine Jones.

The panto was such good fun we had to go and watch for a second time!

THE festive pantomime show at the Octagon Theatre was so good that the Yeovil Press team went again to catch all the traditional panto magic for a second time.

Editor Steve Sowden and photographer Christine Jones, having already watched the Dick Whittington show once before on December 10, went again seven days later for the matinee performance and took some family members with them who were seeing it for the first time.

And Steve said: “It was just as good, in fact, it was even better than the first time we’d seen it. And it was interesting to hear the comments of our theatre companions.”

Comedy is not always easy to pull off, slapstick comedy is very difficult; but if it is done well – then it is a dream to watch and enjoy.

Steve said: “Quite often during the show I was asked whether a joke or laugh or funny moment had happened in the panto when I’d seen it before.

“It is a great compliment to the cast of Dick Whittington that they left members of the audience wondering whether the comedy was actually scripted or improvised. That is a real art at getting that right and the Dick Whittington cast did supremely well.”

Steve added: “The jokes were silly, the slapstick was fabulous, the mayhem was manic – all the ingredients needed for

perfect panto entertainment.

“Congratulations to everyone at the Octagon Theatre and Evolution Pantomimes, who have been presenting the panto at the theatre for the past decade, for bringing so much joy to the audiences.”

The cast included a number of Octagon veterans, alongside some newcomers to make their acquaintance with the Yeovil audience.

Gordon Cooper returned to the Octagon as Dame Dolly – his fifth year in Yeovil; Jack Glanville appeared as Billy –for the eighth consecutive year in Yeovil; Thom Bradford, the local lad from down the road at Crewkerne, played King Rat – his fifth year in Octagon panto; while Fairy Bowbells was played by Kathryn Nash, her third panto in Yeovil.

Daniel Parkinson took the title role of Dick Whittington, Javana Forrest played Dick’s love interest Alice Fitzwarren, while talented Yeovil dancer James Bamford appeared as Tommy the Cat or, as his name chosen by the audience, of Caroline!

And among the talented chorus line there was local girl Chloe Burton and it was great to see her proud parents in the audience, beaming with pride, at the show on the evening of December 10.

And just to repeat: Congratulations to all involved –it really was a great panto.

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Len Copland.

Castaways sparkle and shine for Christmas in fabulous festive show

THE fantastic Yeovil-based Castaway Theatre Group got people into the mood for the festive season with a wonderful show.

An evening of song and dance with a cast of 80 was performed at the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue on December 18.

There were plenty of seasonal tunes as well as a number of songs from the musicals for people to enjoy. What made it an extra special night for

the Castaways was that a number of their former members came back to perform – much to the delight of the group’s founder Lynn Lee Brown.

The Castaways are already looking ahead to another fun-filled year which will include a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Westlands from May 31 to June 3 and then the Babes in the Woods pantomime at the Digby Hall in Sherborne from October 26-28. PHOTOS: Christine Jones

Christmas Day bundle of joy at Yeovil Hospital

THERE were some special festive cheers in the labour ward of Yeovil District Hospital when at 9.53pm on Christmas Day baby Kellan was born – much to the delight of his proud parents Hannah and Steve and his two siblings.

Weighing-in at a healthy 7lbs and 4.4oz, Kellan took a well-deserved nap after all that travelling – welcome to the world, little one. Photo courtesy of Yeovil Hospital.

Marathon bag pack raises nearly £2,000 for School in a Bag charity

AN ARMY of volunteers helped the School in a Bag charity raise nearly £2,000 during its annual Big Supermarket Bag Pack in Yeovil.

The event on December 23 was staged for a full 18 hours from 6am to midnight at the Tesco Extra store in the centre of Yeovil and that is why the SIAB team is looking for help.

And it was an extremely busy day with people doing last-minute Christmas shopping and customers were pleased to have that extra pair of hands with the packing at the tills.

A total of £1,936 was raised during the day and SIAB chief executive Luke Simon said: “Thank you to our volunteers, the shoppers and the Tesco staff for all the amazing support.”

The School in a Bag charity delivers

schoolbags full of everyday, but vital, equipment to children in povertystricken countries around the globe.

It was formed as part of the Piers Simon Appeal which was first created after former Yeovil College and Preston School student Piers Simon, of Chilthorne Domer, was killed in the horrific 2004 Boxing Day Asian Tsunami while holidaying in Thailand.

The charity has for a number of years also held a poignant Boxing Day Walk from Chilthorne Domer to Montacute House and back again which allows Piers’ family, friends and charity supporters to remember him.

A perfect way to start the New Year - congratulations!

THE labour ward at Yeovil District Hospital was very excited when it welcomed four New Year’s Day babies into the world on January 1.

The first to arrive at 1:58 am and celebrate the New Year with his parents, Sophie and Tim, was Dustin who weighed 8lbs 1oz.

The second at 4:04am, Millie, came along to her parents, Ben and Jemma, as well as her older sister, Teigan, for an early morning catch-up about the evening’s festivities, weighing 6lbs 13ozs.

Quick on Millie’s heels at 4:21am, Oaklei joined his parents and older brothers, Tania, Kieran, Logan and Mason, weighing 8lbs 7.5ozs, to also welcome the first day of 2023.

And last but not least, Reggie-George, finally arrived to the joy of his six siblings and his parents, Sam and Adam, weighing in at 6lbs 15ozs.

Courtesy of Yeovil Hospital.

PHOTO: School in a Bag bag packers at the Tesco Extra store in Yeovil.

Photos:

CHURCH NEWS

News from the churches in and around Yeovil

Silver celebrations this year for the Holy Trinity Church and Community Centre

I HOPE that you everyone has been able to look back and reflect that you had a good Christmas and New Year.

There have been several coughs/colds and the more serious flu and Strep A around over the last few weeks, alongside the continued presence of Covid-19, so I realise that for many the festive season was hard and once again shaped by the restrictions illness inevitably cause.

As we enter January and a New Year I will also mark a year in Yeovil. In some ways, I cannot believe a year has passed, while in other ways it feels as though I have been here forever!

As I recall my licensing service, attended by a restricted number of people, where mask wearing was required and refreshments unavailable as we were being discouraged from mixing in larger groups, it all seems a lifetime ago. It has been a challenging but rewarding year and I look forward to all that lies ahead in the coming year, particularly as it is an exciting year in the history of Holy Trinity Church, Yeovil.

2023 marks 25 years of Holy Trinity Church and Community Centre on our current Lysander Road site. The former Holy Trinity Church in Yeovil can be found on Peter Street. It is now known as Trinity Foyer and I believe is currently used predominantly by the Somerset Mind charity.

The development of the current Holy Trinity Church also saw the closure of St Mary’s and All Saints Church which was located on Wraxhill Road. This church was later demolished to make way for bungalows. The congregations combined to worship together at Holy Trinity Church on Lysander Road. The church was built as a community centre

Whisky adventures

HOLY Trinity Church and Community Centre in Lysander Road, Yeovil, will be having its monthly tea party on Wednesday, January 17, from 2pm.

This event is open to anyone from the area. The afternoons begin with a speaker and this is followed by tea and cake.

This month the speaker will be Rev Dan Crouch who will be speaking on The Vicar’s Whisky Adventures.

and a large number of groups make use of the modern accessible space with good parking provision.

Throughout this year we will be arranging a number of celebratory events – which we are calling our year of Silver Celebration – where we hope to celebrate not the building itself (though it is a gift and a blessing) but the community that we serve and the various communities and groups that use the building.

We will also be thinking carefully about how we want to look and be as a church and community centre in another five years when we reach 30. Our role as a church is distinctive – to journey with people and call them into a relationship with Jesus – and that has never changed; although the outworking of that, in terms of worship and activities, has certainly changed in the last 25 years and will continue to do so.

A new year is often seen as a chance to begin a new way. A new year which marks a significant historical moment in the life of a community is definitely a moment to begin in a new way.

When the foreign Magi come to worship Jesus on the feast of Epiphany the message is clear that Christ is not just for one particular group of people. He has come to save us all. That means we are called to a new community to which everyone is invited. As we prepare to celebrate and give thanks to God please do consider yourselves invited.

Rev Dan Crouch - vicar of Holy Trinity Church and Community Centre, Yeovil, and St Mary Magdalene Church, Barwick

PHOTO: The Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Evie Potts-Jones (second right), is pictured with (from left) Rev Dan Crouch; the

Church Mice

THE Church Mice toddler group meets at Holy Trinity Church and Community Centre in Lysander Road, Yeovil, every Wednesday in term time between 9.15am and 11.15am.

The sessions are informal and a variety of toys, games and crafts are available. A healthy snack for children is also provided along with tea and coffee and biscuits for adults. Each session costs £2.

New warm hub for parents and their young families in Yeovil

A STORE in the Quedam Shopping Centre is opening its doors to help people keep warm during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

The Huddle provides an accessible and inclusive family support space, groups and workshops five days a week run by a parenting and carrying consultant.

Kizzy Coll-Cats, the founder, decided that the Huddle should become a Family Focused Warm Bank for those coldest months!

The Huddle is open to those who are pregnant, parents, carers and foster parents with little ones aged under-eight and their relatives on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 12.30pm to 2.30pm throughout January and February. Comfy seat, warm space, hot drink, snacks, toys to keep little ones happy and parent support and signposting available.

Kizzy said: “The cost-of-living crisis and fuel poverty is impacting everyone! Many have focused on the needs of pensioners, those on benefits and school aged children.

“But what about those people who are home seven days a week? Parents and carers

of young children aged four and under are being affected and no one is talking about it! Those with children under school age are home most days, days out and spending time outside is reduced during the colder months.

“The need to heat their homes is important but the cost is putting increasing pressure on families who are already having to make huge financial sacrifice.

“Many parents with young children are discovering it is not financially viable to return to work, due to the cost of childcare. Attending groups, classes and days out become a luxury many can’t justify despite the impact on their own mental wellbeing.

“As we are seeing the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on children’s development more and more, it is evident how fundamental groups and activities are to children’s development.”

Warm Banks and Community Living Rooms are popping up all over the country, providing a warm welcoming space for people to attend, reducing the need to heat their homes.

Bishop of Taunton, Rt Rev Ruth Worsley; the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Annie Maw; and the Venerable Anne Gell,

Archdeacon of Wells; during Rev Crouch’s licensing service which took place in January 2022. Photo: Christine Jones.

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS

WELCOME to the Family Announcements feature in YOUR monthly Yeovil Press community newspaper.

We will be delighted to publish your announcements – whether it is Births, Birthday Greetings, Congratulations, Marriages, Anniversaries and Good Luck Messages.

We will also hopefully be working closely with local funeral directors on the sad event of death announcements and possible obituary reports.

People can submit their Family Announcements by emailing the Yeovil Press at yeovilpress@gmail.com.

Steve Sowden, editor of the Yeovil Press, said: “Family Announcements are

part and parcel of any local newspaper and I’m delighted to offer this service to the people of Yeovil and surrounding area.

“The Yeovil Press now has a print-run of 5,000 copies a month and these are distributed at various outlets within the Yeovil area where people can pick them up.”

Lineage announcements can be published for free, but if you would like to add a photo to your message there will be a charge of £7.50.

So if you have any Family Announcements that are coming up in 2022 – please let us know.

family news BIRTH

CRAWFORD – EILEEN: Happy 90th Birthday! We all hope you had a wonderful day. Lots of love from all of your family and friends. XXX

MALCOLM – FIONA: Hoping you had a fantastic Birthday on January 3. Lots of love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

CAINES – JANET: Wishing you a very happy 90th Birthday on January 4. Hoping you had a wonderful day. Lots of love from all the family – Barry, Georgina, Troy and Elloise. XXX

HEALEY – JAMES: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 4. We hope you had a great day. Lots of love from Mum, Dad and Nan XX

HEALEY – JAMES: Lots of love to you on your Birthday on January 4 – hoping you had a fantastic day. Love from Sarah XX

HEALEY – JAMES: Happy Birthday James for January 4 – hope you had a terrific day. Love from Barb, Jim and Norma XX

HEALEY – JAMES: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 4! Lots of love from Alex, Charlotte, Patrick and

COUSINS – SHAUN: Wishing you a very Happy Birthday on January 4 – hoping you had a great day. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

BURLINSON – MARK: Hope you had a fabulous Birthday, Burty, on January 4. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

BURLINSON – MARK: Many congratulations on your Birthday on

January 4! All the best from the Yeovil Press!

KING – YASMIN: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 5 – we hope you had a great day! Love from everyone at the Yeovil Press!

KING – YASMIN: Hoping you had a fantastic Birthday on January 5. Lots of love from all your family and friends.

REEVE – JENN: Hope you had a great Birthday on January 5! Many happy returns! All the best from the Yeovil Press team!

REEVE – JENN: Wishing you a very Happy Birthday on January 5 – hoping you had a fantastic day. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

COBNER – CHRIS: Many happy returns for your 40th Birthday on January 6. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

PULFORD – DAVE: Lots of love and best wishes for your Birthday on January 6 from all your family and friends.

PULFORD – DAVE: Congratulations on your Birthday on January 6. Best wishes from Preston School’s Class of 1982-87!

ANDREWS – NIGEL: Best wishes for your Birthday, Nige, on January 8. All the best from the Yeovil Press!

ANDREWS – NIGEL: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 8. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

SHUTLER – DARREN: Happy Birthday on January 9. All my love from your loving wife Anna. Xxx

SHUTLER – DARREN: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 9. Lots of love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

SHUTLER – DARREN: Many congratulations on becoming another year older and, probably, not another year wiser! Hope you had a great day on January 9! Steve and Christine from Yeovil Press.

SMITH - JAMES: Congratulations on your Birthday on January 9. Best wishes from Preston School’s Class of 1982-87!

Eileen Crawford - Happy 90th Birthday!

SMITH – JAMES: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 9. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

PARROTT – ADRIAN: Wishing you a very happy Birthday on January 10. Lots of love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

WEBB – RICHARD: Have a Happy Birthday on January 12 to a lovely dad and husband. Lots of love from Matt, Suzer, Chalky, Archie and Rosie. XX

HODDER – CATHY: Congratulations and many happy returns for your 65th Birthday on January 13. Lots of love and best wishes from all your friends and family.

FOSTER – STUART: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 14. Lots of love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

FOSTER – STUART: Wishing you a very Happy Birthday on January 14. Best wishes from your friends at the Yeovil Press.

SAMUEL – TERESA: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 14. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

LOCK – JAMIE: Wishing you a very happy Birthday for January 15. Love

and best wishes from all your family and friends.

SMITH – CHANEL: Wishing you a very Happy Birthday for January 16 – hope you have a wonderful day. Love from all your family and friends.

CHESTNUTT – WENDY: Many congratulations on your Birthday on January 16 – hoping you have a fantastic day. Love from all your family and friends.

CHESNUTT – WENDY: Wishing you a very Happy Birthday for January 16. Love and best wishes from your friends at the Yeovil Press.

JONES – RICHARD: Hope you have a fabulous Birthday on January 16. Hope you’ll be wearing the Pink Helmet! From all your family and friends.

HUTCHINSON – CLAIRE-LOUISE: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 18. Best wishes from the Yeovil Press team!

HUTCHINSON – CLAIRE-LOUISE: Hoping you have a wonderful Birthday on January 18. Lots of love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

WORLEDGE – CHRIS: Wishing you a fantastic Birthday on January 21. Lots of love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

WORLEDGE – CHRIS: Wishing our good a friend a very Happy Birthday on January 21. All the best mate – Steve and Christine from Yeovil Press.

WORLEDGE – CHRIS: Congratulations on your Birthday on January 21. Best wishes from Preston School’s Class of 1982-87!

WORLEDGE – CHRIS: Have a fantastic Birthday on January 21. Best wishes from The 48 Boys!

VINCENT – SAM: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 22. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

VINCENT – SAM: Wishing you a Happy Birthday for January 22. Best wishes from your friends at the Yeovil Press.

BROWN – RUSS: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 24. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

JONES – CHRISTINE: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 27. Love from Steve.

JONES – CHRISTINE: All our love on your Birthday on January 27. Love from Mum and Dad.

JONES – CHRISTINE: Hope you have a great Birthday, Mam, on January 27. Love from Kevin and Rachel.

JONES – CHRISTINE: Have a super Birthday on January 27, Mam, and get spoilt rotten. Love from Mark and Natalie.

JONES – CHRISTINE: Have a lovely Birthday on January 27, Grandma! Love and cuddles from Little Annie.

JONES – CHRISTINE: Hoping you have a super Birthday on January 27, Grandma! Love from Alfie and Oscar.

JONES – CHRISTINE: Many happy returns for your big Birthday on January 27 – have a fab day. Love from Ruth.

JONES – CHRISTINE: Congratulations on your Birthday on January 27! I hope dad buys you lots of presents! Love and best wishes from Grace!

JONES – CHRISTINE: Many happy returns for your Big Birthday on January 27. Love and best wishes from James, Ella, Thomas, Emily, Jon, Will, Beverly and Thea.

MARLES – KARL: Many happy returns for your Birthday on January 31. Love and best wishes from all your family and friends.

MARLES – KARL: Congratulations on your Birthday on January 31. Best wishes from Preston School’s Class of 1982-87!

FLASHBACK

IN this month’s Yeovil Press community newspaper we take a pictorial look back at some of what was featured in the corresponding January editions of 2019-2022. The January 2019 paper was Edition Number 4; January 2020 paper was Edition Number 16; January 2021 was Edition Number 28; and January 2022 was Edition Number 40. If you would ever like a back copy of the Yeovil Press please email us at yeovilpress@gmail.com . Past copies of the Yeovil Press are priced £5 which includes post and packaging.

The January 2019 edition of Yeovil Press ran a photo feature looking back at the 2018-19 pantomime production run of Aladdin at the Octagon Theatre. Photo: Supplied.

The Yeovil Press ran a photo feature in its January 2019 looking back at the musical production of Grease performed by students at Westfield Academy in Yeovil. Photo: Christine Jones.

There was lots of news and tributes in the January 2019 edition of the Yeovil Press looking back at the life of former Yeovil MP and Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown who had passed away in December 2018. Photo: Submitted.

THE Yeovil Beer Festival committee presented cheques to five local good causes amounting to more than £14,000 – Yeovil Round Table, Yeovil Lions Club, Yeovil Hospital Charity, Fiveways School, and Yeovil Opportunity Group. The proceeds were raised during the sixth beer festival which was held in April 2018 at the Westlands Entertainment Venue in Yeovil. This photo appeared in the January 2019 edition of Yeovil Press. Photo: Christine Jones.

THE January 2019 edition highlighted the annual Yeovil Round Table charity luncheon held at the Manor Hotel, held in November 2018, which was another big success and raised over £21,000 for various good causes. Earlier in the day members of the Yeovil Round Table handed out cheques to the Apollo Swimming Club for £10,000, Yeovil Opportunity Group for £3,000, the Round Table’s Wishing Well Foundation for £3,000 and £1,000 each to the Lord’s Larder and the Chernobyl Children – money raised from the 2017 luncheon. Photo: Submitted.

THE talented Stage Dance group has presented a cheque for £560 to Yeovil Hospital Charity fundraiser Sarah Cherry (pictured seated). The money was raised for the hospital’s special care baby unit during shows put on by the Yeovil-based dance group at Westfield Academy. This photo appeared in the January 2019 edition of Yeovil Press. Photo: Christine Jones.

Members of the Yeovil Lions Club presented the Yeovil Hospital Charity with a cheque for £2,000 to go towards the ongoing Breast Cancer Unit Appeal. The money had been raised at a charity fashion evening held in March 2019 at the Haynes Motor Museum. This photo appeared in the January 2020 edition of Yeovil Press. Photo: Submitted.

The Yeovil Press ran a feature in the January 2020 edition about the successful 2019-20 pantomime production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which was held at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil. Photos: Submitted. Photos: Submitted.

The Yeovil Press ran a feature in the January 2020 edition of the Castaway Theatre Group’s Christmas Concert which was held at St James’ Church in Yeovil during the run-up to the festive season in December 2019. Photos: Christine Jones.

The fantastic Spirit Gymnastics Academy in Yeovil held two breathtaking Christmas shows at the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue with audience members describing it as “inspiring”, “spectacular” and “mesmerising.” These photos appeared in the January 2020 edition of Yeovil Press.

Photos: Christine Jones.

The January 2020 edition of the Yeovil Press featured photos – taken by Martin Edwards of www.totallyfocused.co.uk – of the annual Young Guns v Legends “friendly” game which took place at Yeovil Rugby Club on December 28, 2019.

BUDDING scientists at Preston Primary School in Yeovil were featured in the January 2021 edition having taken part in the Cool Aeronautics programme. Each year, the school’s oldest students have the opportunity to attend the Fleet Air Museum at RNAS Yeovilton, joining other schools from around Somerset, to participate in scientific engineering challenges. Due to Covid-19 the trip to the museum was not possible, but Yeovil-based Leonardo Helicopters hosted the event live online meaning that this year’s students would not miss out on this amazing experience. Photo: Submitted.

The January 2021 edition featured a story about Yeovil Press editor Steve Sowden who visited the grave of former Yeovil and Petters United footballer Ernest Joseph Hyman at St Nicholas’ Church in Radstock. Ernest died at the age of 22 as a result of an injury he sustained while playing for Yeovil in a game against Taunton at Huish on Boxing Day 1926. A successful appeal was subsequently launched following the publication of the January edition by Yeovil Town fans to pay for the grave to be restored. Photo: Christine Jones.

The January 2021 edition featured a photo of the pupils of Huish Primary School in Yeovil who are the captains and vice-captains of the four longstanding house groups at the school – Shakespeare, Newton, Scott and Caxton. Thousands of children have gone through Huish School over the years with each having been in one of those house groups. Caxton was represented by blue, Newton by red, Scott by yellow and Shakespeare by green with the house groups battling it out over various sports and academic competitions, plus the gaining of the all-important “house points.” Photo: Submitted.

THE January 2022 edition of the Yeovil Press ran a story about a dog named Chi Chi who had helped to avoid a potential disaster at a home in the town when he opened a locked door for firefighters. Officers from Yeovil Fire Station were mobilised following a call from a Careline alarm sounding at a home in the town. A smoke detector had been activated and the elderly occupier had initially answered the call when the Careline operator rang, but they soon lost communication with him. Firefighters were soon on the scene, but could not open the locked front door. As the crew looked for another entrance, they heard a “click” and the front door opened – thanks to the

STUDENTS from Preston

who

out on the traditional Year 11 Prom because of the Covid-19 pandemic were finally allowed to get together and party. The usual planned summer Proms for 2020 and 2021 were cancelled by staff at Preston School because of the pandemic restrictions and it looked as if those year groups would miss out. But staff wanted to do something for the students who found their final years at school hugely affected by the pandemic with school being closed, remote learning and exams cancelled. So a special joint prom for the year groups of 2020 and 2021 was held at

The Yeovil-based Castaway Theatre Group celebrated its 15th anniversary with a Christmas Spectacular show at the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue. The January 2021 edition of Yeovil Press ran a special photo feature from the show.

Photos: Christine Jones.

School in Yeovil

missed

the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue in the run-up to Christmas. These photos appeared in the January 2022 edition of Yeovil Press.

Photos: Christine Jones.

MEMBERS of the Rotary Club of Yeovil donated £3,000 to Yeovil District Hospital’s Breast Cancer Unit Appeal. Previous club president Clive Wakely is pictured presenting the cheque to the hospital’s head of fundraising James Kirton. This photo appeared in the January 2021 edition. Photo: Submitted.

FAMILIES and friends enjoyed a spectacular Christmas Show at Spirit Gymnastics Academy in Yeovil. With over 300 gymnasts taking part, the Academy staged four shows over two days and, for the first time, were able to host the shows in their new, large facility in the heart of Yeovil, during the run-up to Christmas. These photos appeared in the January 2022 edition of Yeovil Press. Photos: Christine Jones.

occupier’s four-legged friend named Chi Chi. Photo: Firefighter Elsie Emery is pictured with Chi Chi the dog.

THE public access defibrillator which sits outside the Nationwide Building Society in Yeovil town centre was funded in memory of Frank Galyer. A few years previously Mr Galyer collapsed outside the branch in Middle Street and sadly died. Had there been a defibrillator machine nearby he might well have survived. Since then the Nationwide team helped to raise money for a 24-7 public defibrillator to be installed on the outside of the branch which could be used to help avoid another incident similar to Mr Galyer from happening again. Branch manager Julie Turner was delighted when Mr Galyer’s wife, Thelma (pictured), visited the Nationwide to look at the defib and the plaque. This photo and story appeared in the January 2022 edition of Yeovil Press.

MY TOP TEN

When Marmalade, The New Seekers and Wings were top of the pops

WELCOME to the monthly series called My Top Ten where we go back into the musical history books to see what songs were topping the charts on the day that local people were born.

In this month’s feature we welcome Carol Taylor, who is an office worker in Yeovil; former Yeovil Mayor, Darren Shutler; and local funeral director Stuart Foster, of Stuart Foster Funeral Services. Best wishes go to Babs, Darren and Stuart and everyone else celebrating their birthday this month.

The wonder of music is that even though we will delve back decades into the annals of musical history many of us

TAYLOR

DATE OF BIRTH: January 5, 1969

will still know the songs and instantly recognise the artistes.

If you would like to feature in the My Top Ten feature during your birthday month please get in touch with us at yeovilpress@gmail.com and let us do the rest.

The My Top Ten feature is sponsored by Jody Parks, of ML Property Management, which deals with general building, roofing, commercial and domestic clearance, garden clearance and maintenance, interior/exterior painting and window cleaning. Contact details are on the sponsorship panel at the bottom of this page.

NAME: DARREN SHUTLER

DATE OF BIRTH: January 9, 1972

INFORMATION: Former Mayor of Yeovil

My Top Ten:

1: The New Seekers, I’d Like To Teach the World To Sing.

2: Neil Reid, Mother of Mine.

3: Benny Hill, Ernie – The Fastest Milkman in the West.

4: Congregation, Softly Whispering I Love You.

5: Middle of the Road, Soley Soley.

6: Cilla Black, Something Tells Me. 7: Elvis Presley, I Just Can’t Help Believing. 8: Melanie, Brand New Key. 9: Johnny Pearson Orchestra, Sleepy Shores. 10: T. Rex, Jeepster.

The Scaffold, Lily The Pink.

Foundations, Build Me Up Buttercup.

Fleetwood Mac, Albatross.

Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, I’m the Urban Spaceman.

Love Sculpture, Sabre Dance.

Nina Simone, Ain’t Got No-I Got Life/Do What You Gonna Do.

Des O’Connor, 1-2-3 O’Leary.

Dusty Springfield, Son of a Preacher Man.

NAME: STUART FOSTER

DATE OF BIRTH: January 14, 1978

INFORMATION: Funeral director of Stuart Foster Funeral Services

My Top Ten: 1: Wings, Mull of Kintyre. 2: Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band, Floral Dance. 3: Donna Summer, Love’s Unkind. 4: Bonnie Tyler, It’s a Heartache.

Crystal Gayle, Don’t It Make My Brown Eyes Blue.

Chic, Dance Dance Dance.

The Bee Gees, How Deep is Your Love.

David Soul, Let’s Have a Quiet Night In.

Ruby Winters, I Will.

Summer, I Love You.

Dance anthems and the music of ABBA are coming to the Westlands venue

DANCE fans are in for a treat at the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue next month when Dave Pearce makes a return to the town.

He has been a driving force in the UK dance scene for many years and is now coming back to Yeovil for the venue’s 90s Dance Anthems event.

Known for his uplifting, energetic Big Room, Trance and House Music sets and his popular BBC Radio One Dance Anthems shows, Dave will be crafting his music in a two-hour set until the early hours of the morning.

The event will be supported by local DJs Frazer Mitchell and Connor Watling who will be bringing music from 8pm until Dave’s set.

An evening of tunes, dance and highenergy will be staged at Westlands Yeovil on Saturday, February 11, from 8pm.

This event is for Over-18s only and tickets are priced £15 and available from www.westlandsyeovil.co.uk or from the box office on 01935-422884.

PHOTO: Dave Pearce.

MUSIC of a different kind, meanwhile, is coming to the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue on Saturday, January 28, when people can grab their

platform shoes and flared trousers for a journey back in time to when ABBA dominated the charts and ruled the airwaves.

Thank ABBA For The Music is a twohour theatre spectacular that captures all of the magic and excitement of one of pop history’s most successful and entertaining live bands.

The show will feature all of ABBA’s greatest hits, including Dancing Queen,

Waterloo, Mamma Mia, Take A Chance

On Me, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Knowing Me Knowing You, Fernando, Super Trouper and many more!

With stunning costumes, a seven-piece live band, interactive video projection, some tongue-in-cheek Swedish humour, and of course ABBA’s spectacular

trademark harmonies - this is the ultimate feel-good party show!

ABBA and 70s fancy dress is optional, but highly encouraged!

The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets are priced £27.50 and available from www.westlandsyeovil.co.uk or from the box office on 01935-422884.

QUESTION TIMETHE ANSWERS

ANSWERS to the Quiz on Page 4: Question 1 – 3; 2 – Chris Rock; 3 – 2; 4 – Stranger Things; 5 – Colchester; 6 – 5 (Darren Sarll, Charlie Lee, Josh Staunton, Chris Hargreaves and Mark

YOUR new local newspaper

covers YOUR local area For more news check out www.yeovilpress.co.uk

that

LEISURE LISTINGS

WELCOME to the Yeovil Press leisure listings and what’s on guide. If you would like to have a listing included in the future – please email us at yeovilpress@gmail.com.

All details correct at the time of going to press – but please check venues for upto-date information.

Don’t forget to look at our monthly Gig Guide in the Yeovil Press for local live music gigs.

JANUARY 2023

Wednesday, January 11: Baby and Toddler Group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 9.45am to 11.30am.

Wednesday, January 11: Happy Café at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 12noon.

Thursday, January 12: Youth Drop-In for School Years 7-13 at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 4pm to 5.30pm.

Thursday, January 12: Rainbows girls group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 5.45pm.

Thursday, January 12: Guides girls group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 7.30pm.

Friday, January 13: Stroke Club at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 1.30pm.

Friday, January 13, and Saturday, January 14: Westlands Yeovil – Screening in the Ballroom. Avatar – The Way of Water.

Saturday, January 14: Messy Church at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to include lunch.

Monday, January 16: Community Coffee at the St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 12noon.

Monday, January 16: Take Art – Dance sessions for Dementia – at the St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 1pm to 4pm. £10 per session.

Monday, January 16, and Tuesday, January 17: Westlands Yeovil –Screening in the Ballroom: The Banshees of Inisherin.

Tuesday, January 17: Job Club at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 9am to 4pm.

Tuesday, January 17: Health Walk from St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, at 9.30am. Meet outside the centre.

Tuesday, January 17: Flexercise at St Peter’s Church in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 11am.

Tuesday, January 17: Tea and Toast – girls only youth group – at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

Tuesday, January 17: Brownies at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 5.45pm to 7.15pm.

Tuesday, January 17, through to Saturday, January 21: Swan Theatre: The Swan Theatre Company presents Glee and Me.

Wednesday, January 18, and Thursday, January 19: Westlands Yeovil – Screening in the Ballroom. Avatar – The Way of Water.

Wednesday, January 18: Westlands Yeovil: Quiz Night.

Wednesday, January 18: Baby and Toddler Group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 9.45am to 11.30am.

Wednesday, January 18: Knit and Natter Group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 12noon.

Wednesday, January 18: POSTPONED:

Octagon Theatre: Rhod Gilbert – The Book of John. Now to be held on June 10, 2023, at the Westlands Yeovil venue. Thursday, January 19: Talking Café at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 12noon. Thursday, January 19: Youth Drop-In for School Years 7-13 at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 4pm to 5.30pm.

Thursday, January 19: Rainbows girls group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 5.45pm. Thursday, January 19: Guides girls group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 7.30pm.

Friday, January 20: Stroke Club at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 1.30pm.

Friday, January 20: Community Bingo at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 7.30pm.

Friday, January 20: Last Few Tickets: Westlands Yeovil: Paul Smith Joker.

Friday, January 20: Octagon Theatre: Snooker Greats – Jimmy White and John Virgo.

Saturday, January 21: POSTPONED –UNTIL MAY 25, 2023: Westlands Yeovil: 30 Years Celebration Show with Peter Andre.

Saturday, January 21: Westlands Yeovil – Screening in the Ballroom: Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

Saturday, January 21: Octagon Theatre: Back to Bacharach 2023.

Monday, January 23, and Tuesday, January 24: Westlands Yeovil – Screening in the Ballroom: Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Monday, January 23: Community Coffee at the St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 12noon.

Monday, January 23: Take Art – Dance sessions for Dementia – at the St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 1pm to 4pm. £10 per session.

Tuesday, January 24: Job Club at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 9am to 4pm.

Tuesday, January 24: Health Walk from St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, at 9.30am. Meet outside the centre.

Tuesday, January 24: Flexercise at St Peter’s Church in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 11am.

Tuesday, January 24: Tea and Toasts – girls only youth group – at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

Tuesday, January 24: Brownies at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 5.45pm to 7.15pm.

Wednesday, January 25: Baby and Toddler Group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 9.45am to 11.30am.

Wednesday, January 25: Happy Café at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 12noon.

Thursday, January 26: Youth Drop-In for School Years 7-13 at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 4pm to 5.30pm.

Thursday, January 26: Rainbows girls group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 5.45pm.

Thursday, January 26: Guides girls group at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 7.30pm.

Thursday, January 26, through to Saturday, January 28: Octagon Theatre: Aladdin with Yeovil Amateur Pantomime Society.

Thursday, January 26: Westlands Yeovil:

National Theatre Live – The Crucible.

Thursday, January 26: Swan Theatre, Yeovil: National Theatre Live – The Crucible.

Friday, January 27: Stroke Club at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 1.30pm.

Friday, January 27: Swan Theatre, Yeovil: Immersif – The Four Seasons.

Saturday, January 28: MIND Charity Fundraising Event at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 11.30am to 2pm.

Saturday, January 28: Westlands Yeovil: Thank Abba For The Music.

Sunday, January 29: Westlands Yeovil: Gareth Gates in The Best of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

Monday, January 30, through to Wednesday, February 1: Westlands Yeovil – Screening in the Ballroom: A Man Called Otto.

Monday, January 30: Community Coffee at the St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 10am to 12noon.

Monday, January 30: Take Art – Dance sessions for Dementia – at the St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 1pm to 4pm. £10 per session.

Tuesday, January 31: Job Club at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 9am to 4pm.

Tuesday, January 31: Health Walk from St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, at 9.30am. Meet outside the centre.

Tuesday, January 31: Flexercise at St Peter’s Church in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 11am.

Tuesday, January 31: Tea and Toasts – girls only youth group – at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 4.30pm to 5.30pm.

Tuesday, January 31: Brownies at St Peter’s Community Centre in Coronation Avenue, Yeovil, from 5.45pm to 7.15pm.

FEBRUARY 2023

Thursday, February 2: Westlands Yeovil – Screening in the Ballroom: Till.

Thursday, February 2: Octagon Theatre: The Unravelling Wilburys.

Friday, February 3, and Saturday, February 4: Westlands Yeovil – Screening in the Ballroom: Empire of Light.

Friday, February 3: Westlands Yeovil: Tap Factory 2023.

Saturday, February 4: Limited Availability: Octagon Theatre: Ministry of Science Live.

Sunday, February 5: Octagon Theatre: Forever in Blue Jeans.

Monday, February 6, and Tuesday, February 7: Westlands Yeovil – Screening in the Ballroom: Empire of Light.

Tuesday, February 7, and Wednesday, February 8: Last Few Tickets: Octagon

Theatre: The Classic Rock Show 2023.

Thursday, February 9: Octagon Theatre: Barry Steele and Friends.

Friday, February 10: Octagon Theatre: Rave On – The Ultimate 50s and 60s Experience.

Saturday, February 11: Octagon Theatre: Mister Magnolia.

Saturday, February 11: Westlands Yeovil: Dave Peace – 90s Dance Anthems Returns 2023.

Sunday, February 12: Westlands Yeovil: Milkshake! Live 2023.

Wednesday, February 15: Octagon Theatre: The Illegal Eagles 2023.

Thursday, February 16: Octagon Theatre: Islands in the Stream 2023.

Friday, February 17: Last Few Tickets: Octagon Theatre: Calling Planet Earth.

Saturday, February 18: Yeovil Cricket Club quiz night at the club’s headquarters at Westlands Yeovil Leisure Complex at Westbourne Grove, Yeovil. More details will appear on the club’s social media Facebook page at Yeovil Cricket Club.

Sunday, February 19: Octagon Theatre: The Royal Marines Association Concert Band.

Monday, February 20, through to Saturday, February 25: Octagon Theatre: The Mousetrap.

Wednesday, February 22: Westlands Yeovil: Quiz Night.

Thursday, February 23: Westlands Yeovil: CCS Mithras Piano Trio.

Thursday, February 23: Swan Theatre, Yeovil: National Theatre Live – Othello.

Saturday, February 25: Limited Availability: Westlands Yeovil: Sara Pascoe – Success Story 2023.

Sunday, February 26: Westlands Yeovil: Ulimate Pro Wrestling

MARCH 2023

Wednesday, March 1: Octagon Theatre: Menopause The Musical 2 – Cruising Through Menopause.

Wednesday, March 1: Westlands Yeovil: National Theatre Live – Othello.

Thursday, March 2: Westlands Yeovil: Tony Blackburn – Sounds of the 60s.

Thursday, March 2: Octagon Theatre: Paul Potts.

Friday, March 3: Westlands Yeovil: How Sweet It Is – Motown’s Greatest Hits 2023.

Friday, March 3: Octagon Theatre: Spirit of the Dance.

Saturday, March 4: Octagon Theatre: Kate Mosse’s Warrior Queens and Quiet Revolutionaries.

Sunday, March 5: SOLD OUT! Westlands

Yeovil: Tim Peake – My Journey to Space.

Tuesday, March 7: Octagon Theatre: Prue Leith – Nothing in Moderation.

Wednesday, March 8: Octagon Theatre: Spring Forward 2023.

Thursday, March 9: Limited Availability: Octagon Theatre: That’ll Be The Day –

Glee & Me will take audience on a roller coaster of a journey

THE Swan Theatre Company will present the dark comedy Glee & Me by Stuart Slade at the Swan Theatre in Yeovil from January 17-21.

Sharp-witted and spiky, Lola is studying for her A Levels. She is working hard to get the grades for university, at the expense of fun and boys.

Then one night her life changes forever and suddenly she needs to re-think everything she does, re-evaluate her relationship with her Mum, and her best friend Clem. Suddenly every day of her life is thrown into sharper focus, every emotion heightened and more intense.

Director, Mark Payne, said: “When I first read the script of Glee and Me I was blown away by the quality of the writing – its ability to deliver some of the funniest lines next to the rawest emotion takes the audience on a roller coaster of a journey.

“From very early on you know the outcome – it is about how Lola copes with the most difficult of circumstances and in the process learns so much about herself and about life.

“There are two particular challenges to staging this play – one is finding an actress, of the right age, talented enough to take on the enormous role of Lola and who, a la Shirley Valentine, can hold the audience’s attention over 50 pages of script.

“Having worked with Georgia on Di and Viv and Rose last January, I knew though she would be up to the challenge.

“The second challenge is the language. The script is written in the language of a teenager, and a teenager facing a crisis at that. The language is strong but utterly authentic and it is completely possible to move through it to find a warm, tender story full of hope and love.”

Tickets are available now from www.swantheatre.co.uk or swantheatreboxoffice@ gmail.com or 07500-376031.

THE SWAN THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS

An optimistic portrayal of love and the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit

March 2023.

Friday, March 10: Octagon Theatre: Legend – The Music of Bob Marley 2023.

Friday, March 10: Westlands Yeovil: Absolutely Dragulous.

Saturday, March 11: Yeovil Cricket Club race night at the club’s headquarters at Westlands Yeovil Leisure Complex at Westbourne Grove, Yeovil. More details will appear on the club’s social media Facebook page at Yeovil Cricket Club.

Saturday, March 11: Westlands Yeovil: Wrong Jovi & Guns 2 Roses.

Sunday, March 12: Octagon Theatre: The Glenn Miller Big Band Spectacular.

Sunday, March 12: Westlands Yeovil: An Evening with Aggers and Tuffers.

Monday, March 13, through to Saturday, March 18: Swan Theatre, Yeovil: The Swan Theatre Company presents The Hollow.

Tuesday, March 14: Westlands Yeovil: Levellers – Acoustic Tour 2023.

Wednesday, March 15: Octagon Theatre: Come What May 2023.

Wednesday, March 15: Westlands Yeovil: Quiz Night.

Friday, March 17: Westlands Yeovil: CCS Maja Horvat & Kumi Matsui.

Sunday, March 19: Westlands Yeovil: Come What May 2023.

Thursday, March 23: Octagon Theatre: The Carpenters – Voice of the Heart 2023.

Friday, March 24: Octagon Theatre: The Drifters.

Friday, March 24: Westlands Yeovil: The Dreamboys 2023 – No Strings Attached.

Saturday, March 25: Westlands Yeovil: Phil Wang – Wang in There, Baby!

Monday, March 27, to Saturday, April 1: Octagon Theatre: Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society – Anything Goes.

Wednesday, March 29: Westlands Yeovil: An Evening with Amanda Owen.

APRIL 2023

Saturday, April 1: Westlands Yeovil: Back to the 80s.

Sunday, April 2: SOLD OUT: Westlands Yeovil: Tom Allen – Completely.

Sunday, April 2: Octagon Theatre: The Simon and Garfunkel Story.

Monday, April 3: SOLD OUT: Octagon Theatre: Rumours of Fleetwood Mac 2023.

Tuesday, April 4: Octagon Theatre: The Magnets.

Wednesday, April 5: Octagon Theatre: Carmen with the Ukrainian National Opera.

Tuesday, April 11: Octagon Theatre: CCS Noriko Ogawa.

Saturday, April 15: Octagon Theatre: Sing-A-Long-A Encanto.

Saturday, April 15: Yeovil Cricket Club’s Easter Bingo night at the club’s headquarters at Westlands Yeovil Leisure Complex at Westbourne Grove, Yeovil. More details will appear on the club’s

social media Facebook page at Yeovil Cricket Club.

Sunday, April 16: Westlands Yeovil: Omega and Alpha.

Tuesday, April 18, and Wednesday, April 19: Octagon Theatre: Zog.

Thursday, April 20: Westlands Yeovil: Stewart Lee – Basic Lee.

Thursday, April 20: Octagon Theatre: Primary Festival of Dance 2023.

Friday, April 21: Octagon Theatre: Hello Again – A Tribute to Neil Diamond.

Friday, April 21: Westlands Yeovil: National Theatre Live – Good.

Sunday, April 23: Westlands Yeovil: Danny Baker – At Last, The Sausage Sandwich Tour!

Sunday, April 23: Octagon Theatre: Pop Princesses.

Tuesday, April 25: Westlands Yeovil: Schools Concert – Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

Tuesday, April 25, through to Thursday, April 27: Octagon Theatre: Wodehouse in Wonderland.

Friday, April 28: Octagon Theatre: Kate Rusby 2023.

Saturday, April 29: Octagon Theatre: Shine 2023.

Sunday, April 30: Westlands Yeovil: National Theatre Live – Good.

MAY 2023

Tuesday, May 2: Westlands Yeovil: CCS London Handel Players.

Wednesday, May 3: Westlands Yeovil: Seven Drunken Nights 2023.

Thursday, May 4: Westlands Yeovil: Ben Fogle – Wild.

Saturday, May 6: The Coronation of King Charles III.

Monday, May 8, through to Saturday, May 13: The Swan Theatre Company presents Stepping On My Shadow by Adrian Harding at the Swan Theatre in Yeovil.

Friday, May 12: Westlands Yeovil: All or Nothing 2023.

Wednesday, May 17, through to Saturday, May 20: Westlands Yeovil: Disney’s The Little Mermaid – Motiv8 Productions.

Tuesday, May 23: Westlands Yeovil: Dreamcoat Stars.

Thursday, May 25: Westlands Yeovil: Swan Lake – The Ukrainian National Ballet of Odessa.

Thursday, May 25: Westlands Yeovil: 30 Years Celebration Show with Peter Andre. Postponed from Saturday, January 21, and rescheduled to take place at the same venue on Thursday, May 25.

Friday, May 26: Westlands Yeovil: The Searchers’ Thank You Tour 2023.

Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28: Yeovil Town Council presents Yeovil Celebrates the Coronation of King

area

Charles III with two days of live music and events at Yeovil Recreation Ground. More details to be announced.

Wednesday, May 31, through to Saturday, June 3: Westlands Yeovil: Joseph – Castaway Theatre Group.

JUNE 2023

Friday, June 9: Yeovil Cricket Club’s Legends Festival at the club’s headquarters at Westlands Yeovil Leisure Complex at Westbourne Grove, Yeovil. More details will appear on the club’s social media Facebook page at Yeovil Cricket Club. Sunday, June 11: Westlands Yeovil: The Worst Princess presented by the Full House Theatre group.

Saturday, June 23: Westlands Yeovil: Rhod Gilbert – The Book of John. Previously scheduled to be held at the octagon Theatre on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, but was postponed and will now be held at Westlands Yeovil on June 23.

Saturday, June 24, and Sunday, June 25: Westlands Yeovil: World Senior Darts Tour 2023.

Thursday, June 29: Westlands Yeovil: Keith Brymer-Jones Live – Life, Clay and Everything.

Friday, June 30: Yeovil Cricket Club’s Yeovil Hospital Charity Match at the club’s headquarters at Westlands Yeovil Leisure Complex at Westbourne Grove, Yeovil. More details will appear on the club’s social media Facebook page at Yeovil Cricket Club.

JULY 2023

Wednesday, July 5: Westlands Yeovil: Whitney – Queen of the Night 2023.

Friday, July 14: Westlands Yeovil: That’ll Be The Day – July 2023.

Saturday, July 15: Westlands Yeovil: Rhythm of the Dance 2023. Friday, July 21, and Saturday, July 22: Westlands Yeovil: Tim Vine – Breeeep!

SEPTEMBER 2023

Thursday, September 7: Westlands Yeovil: Ben Portsmouth – This is Elvis 2023.

Friday, September 8: Westlands Yeovil: The Magic of Motown 2023. Saturday, September 9: South Petherton Carnival.

Saturday, September 23: Westlands Yeovil: Definitely 90s. Saturday, September 30: Wellington Carnival from 7pm (South Somerset Federation).

OCTOBER 2023

Friday, October 7: Ilminster Carnival from 7.15pm (South Somerset Federation).

Thursday, October 12: Westlands Yeovil:

Simon Brodkin – Screwed Up.

Friday, October 13: Westlands Yeovil: Carl Hutchinson – Watch Till The End.

Friday, October 13: Wincanton Carnival from 7.30pm (Wessex Grand Prix).

Saturday, October 14: Chard Carnival from 7.30pm (South Somerset Federation).

Saturday, October 14: Castle Cary Carnival from 7pm (Wessex Grand Prix).

Saturday, October 14: Westlands Yeovil: Beyond the Barricade 2023.

Saturday, October 21: Taunton Carnival from 7pm (South Somerset Federation).

NOVEMBER 2023

Saturday, November 4: Bridgwater Carnival from 6pm (Somerset County Guy Fawkes Carnival Association).

Monday, November 6: Highbridge and Burnham Carnival from 7.30pm (Somerset County Guy Fawkes Carnival Association).

Friday, November 10: Weston-superMare Carnival from 7pm (Somerset County Guy Fawkes Carnival Association).

Saturday, November 11: North Petherton Carnival from 7pm (Somerset County Guy Fawkes Carnival Association).

Wednesday, November 15: Shepton Mallet Carnival from 7.30pm (Somerset County Guy Fawkes Carnival Association).

Friday, November 17: Wells Carnival from 7pm (Somerset County Guy Fawkes Carnival Association).

Saturday, November 18: Glastonbury Carnival from 6.45pm (Somerset County Guy Fawkes Carnival Association).

Sunday, November 19: Westlands Yeovil: Francis Rossi 2023 – Tunes & Chat.

DECEMBER 2023

Friday, December 8, through to Saturday, December 31: Westlands Yeovil: The fun-filled and much-loved pantomime Cinderella will be performed at the Westlands Yeovil venue with the Octagon Theatre out of action during its extensive refurbishment programme.

For more details about events, ticket information and times at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil – please go to www. octagon-theatre.co.uk or phone the box office on 01935-422884.

For more details about events, ticket information and times at Westlands Yeovil – please go to www. westlandsyeovil.co.uk or phone the box office on 01935-422884.

For more details about events, ticket information and times at the Swan Theatre in Yeovil – please go to www. swan-theatre.co.uk or phone 07500376-031 or email swantheatre@gmail. com or swantheatreboxoffice@gmail. com

For more news check out www.yeovilpress.co.uk

The Yeovil Window Wanderland project is back up and running again

FANS of Yeovil Window Wanderland will be delighted to hear that it will be back for 2023.

The first event held in February 2021 was such a phenomenal success that the Yeovil Art Space team are holding it for two weeks from February 12-26. Schools, homes, businesses and groups are encouraged to decorate windows and add some cheer to the wintery town.

Co-ordinator Kara Bignell-Bird said: “It’s extremely easy to get involved - just decorate a window in your house or shed and leave a low cost LED light on behind it.”

The 2023 event coincides with the school half term holiday. This year Yeovil Art Space furthers its partnership with Love Yeovil with a Yeovil Light Festival - a new town-wide community event to bring Window Wanderland and the festive Lantern Parade together to light up the town in one of the darkest months of the year!

The Lantern Parade will take place on February 15 between the Yeovil Country Park, Octagon Theatre and the town centre.

Together with Love Yeovil and Yeovil College, this significant event is being brought back to the heart of the Yeovil

community! Workshops and toolkits, as always will be held nearer the events.

Kara added: “With funding received from South Somerset District Council and generous support from the Co-op Local Community Fund, Yeovil Window Wanderland once again promises to light up the town for all to enjoy! It is a Covidsafe event and more importantly, it’s free!”

For the sign up form and virtual window map go to https://yeovilartspace.uk/ windowwanderland/ and follow the Yeovil Window Wanderland pages on Facebook and Instagram.

Harry's got a very special place at the Octagon Theatre

Get off to a great start in January on your weight loss journey

YEOVIL Slimming World consultant Doreen Hillier is offering people the chance to get off to a flying start in their quest to lose weight this January.

Doreen is offering people who join her group a free fresh start pack which should give plenty of help and advice.

She has taken over the Saturday morning group which meets at the Methodist Church Hall at the bottom of the Quedam Shopping Centre, Yeovil, at 8am or 10am.

“Each group is just 60 minutes, but it has the power to change your life,” said Doreen who held her first group meetings on January 7.

“Some of my members that joined on January 7 have already seen losses of between 4-6lbs and half a stone on week one!”

Pop along and see Doreen on a Saturday morning or phone 07792 984235 for more details.

MONDAYS - 5.30pm & 7pm Somerton Sports & Social Club With Shelley - 07786 011728

TUESDAYS - 5.00pm & 6.30pm Martock Christian Fellowship With Emma - 07432 584673

TUESDAYS - 5.30pm & 7.30pm Park House, 45 The Park, Yeovil With Shelley - 07786 011728

WEDNESDAYS - 3.30pm & 5.30pm Park House, 45 The Park, Yeovil With Shelley - 07786 011728

THURSDAYS - 5.30pm & 7.30pm Park House, 45 The Park, Yeovil With Shelley - 07786 011728

TEN minutes before An Evening of Burlesque was due to start at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil on November 4 a mum-to-be member of the audience suddenly realised she had gone into labour and had to make a quick exit.

Abi Drew had settled into her seat for the show when her waters broke at 32 weeks pregnant and then a few days later baby Harry was born.

So after all the drama it was only right that the Octagon Theatre team wanted to

meet little Harry and his proud parents Abi and Dave Prior.

An Octagon spokesman said: “We invited mum and dad back to the theatre on December 29 for some photos and for some little gifts from the theatre.

“It was lovely to meet them allespecially baby Harry, sitting comfortably in seat H1 with mum, who has been a very welcome early treat. The theatre will hold a special place in the hearts of all three for many years to come now.”

FRIDAYS - 8am & 9.30am Park House, 45 The Park, Yeovil With Linz - 07786 011728

SATURDAYS – 8am and 10am Methodist Church Hall, Yeovil Quedam Shopping Centre NEW CONSULTANT With Doreen – 07792 984235

Car show raises a fantastic £60,000 for 13 local charitable organisations

THE Sherborne Classic and Supercars Show organising team has presented cheques to a total value of £60,000 to 13 local charities.

This money was the profit from the hugely successful car show held at Sherborne Castle on July 17 last year.

The 13 beneficiaries met with members of the show team at Sherborne Castle, courtesy of Mr and Mrs Wingfield-Digby, to award cheques ranging from £20,000 to £1,000.

Each beneficiary had applied online nominating a specific project for which they were requesting funding, ranging from counselling services for struggling children and their families, vulnerable young people and young people and adults with eating disorders, to the

provision of floodlights for a youth centre and completion of a Men’s Shed.

The main beneficiary of the 2022 show was Children’s Hospice SouthWest, while other beneficiaries were Yeovil Opportunity Group, Freewheelers, PromiseWorks, Sherborne Area Youth and Community Centre, The Children’s Air Ambulance, Family Counselling Trust, Somerset & Wessex Eating Disorders Assn, The Balsam Centre, Water Survival Box, The Rendevouz Sherborne, Somerset Sight and Sherborne Good Neighbours.

Requests to be considered for donations from the 2023 Classic and Supercar show can be submitted on the show website from this month at www.classicsupercars.co.uk.

Don't miss out - Aladdin really is a genie-us of a pantomime!

Brrrrr - it certainly got cold last month for a spell!

THE temperatures plummeted for a spell in the run-up to Christmas and although it left people putting on warm coats and scarves, it also enabled some others to take some fabulous photos of the wintery elements.

If you are out and about and see something that you think would make an excellent photo for the Yeovil Press –snap it and send it into us via email at yeovilpress@gmail.com.

Although there was a nasty chill in the air for a period during December, 2022 was still the warmest year ever recorded in the UK.

Dr Mark McCarthy, head of the Met Office’s National Climate Information Centre, said: “2022 is the warmest year on record for the UK. While many will remember the summer’s extreme heat, what has been noteworthy this year has been the relatively consistent heat through the year, with every month

except December being warmer than average.“

MEMBERS of the Yeovil Amateur Pantomime Society are getting ready to take to the Octagon Theatre stage for their panto production.

YAPS will be performing the everpopular family panto Aladdin at the Octagon from January 26-28.

Join Aladdin for a fun-filled magical adventure as he bids to save the beautiful Princess Jasmine from the clutches of the Wicked Abanazar! Expect all the traditional panto ingredients – toetapping tunes, a laundry-full of laughs, loads of audience participation, local references – and a very, very badlybehaved panda!

For more details about tickets please go to the Octagon website at www.octagontheatre.co.uk or phone the box office on 01935-422884.

In the run-up to the Christmas festivities young members of YAPS went to the Memory Café at Yeovil Recreation Centre – better known to locals as Mudford Rec – to sing Christmas songs. The café is for people with memory problems or early stages of dementia.

“The café-goers absolutely loved it and sang along with the children,” said a YAPS spokesman. PHOTO: Members of the Yeovil Amateur Pantomime Society at the Memory Café in Yeovil.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Len Copland.

THIS lovely photo shows that people can have fun in the cold – by bringing this car “alive” with some giant eyes created in the frost-covered windscreen. Many thanks to Nicci Starr for sending us this photo she took on December 13.

REGULAR Yeovil Press photographic contributor Helen Stonier sent us these two photos she took of a very cold Yeovil Country Park at Ninesprings on December 16.

THIS photo of a wintery morning over St Michael’s Hill in Montacute – with a pictures postcard perfect blue sky - was taken by another regular Yeovil Press contributor, Sally Matthews, on December 8.

A year of growth for Kuk Sool

Won of Yeovil martial arts

THE past 12 months has been a year of growth for the instructors and students of the Kuk Sool Won of Yeovil martial arts.

They saw the school grow not only in numbers, but also in black belts!

School owner, PKJN Stephen Runnacles, said: “2022 has seen our martial arts school continue to thrive. We saw a number of students promoting through the ranks.

“We now have four new first dahn black belts - Oscar Cummins, Ieaun Edwards, Josh Horwood and Auden Nation as well as two new third dahn black belts, Charlie Ferris and Sally Runnacles.

“We also had four students starting their black belt journey with their first national testing in Liverpool. I am enormously proud of what our students and school have achieved in 2022.”

The end of the 2022 saw Kuk Sool Won of Yeovil’s annual awards of Most Improved Student to Jake Neal and Student of the Year to DBN Shubhangee Das.

Both students have show great attitude and commitment in their training over the past year.

The instructors and students of Kuk Sool Won of Yeovil martial arts are looking forward to a great 2023!

High ranking martial arts masters come to Yeovil

SCHOOL owner PKJN Stephen Runnacles and students of Kuk Sool Won of Yeovil gathered at Norton-subHamdon Village Hall for a martial arts seminar.

Joining them were the instructors and students from Weston Super Mare. The seminar was attended by SSKJN Alex Suh, 9th Dahn Master who travelled over from Tomball, Texas together with SSKJN John Ives, the highest-ranking Master in the UK, to personally instruct the students in Yeovil

Also, on his first visit to Yeovil was PKJN Stephen’s own instructor, SIJKJN Martin Ducker from Lowestoft, Norfolk.

Returning back was JIKJN Nick Reeve and JIKJN Richard Jones, 6th Dahn Masters from London and Bury St Edmunds respectively.

The seminar focussed on high level

kicking, break falls and grappling. A lot of hard work, but all the students left with smiles on their faces!

PKJN Steve said: “It was a great honour to have the high ranking Masters to come and personally teach our students, as well as introducing my students to my own instructor.

“We learned so much and all our students left buzzing with their updated martial art skills.”

On conclusion of the seminar tour will see a number of students from Kuk Sool Won of Yeovil travelling to participate in a national grading and compete in a martial arts UK tournament in Liverpool.

If you are interested in martial arts, Kuk Sool Won of Yeovil offer two free trial martial arts classes. More details at www.martialartsyeovil.co.uk.

You will be bowled over with laughs by An Evening with Aggers and Tuffers

CRICKET commentators Jonathan Agnew and Phil Tufnell have teamed up for a brand new show and will be coming to Yeovil.

There are still a few tickets left remaining for An Evening with Aggers and Tuffers at the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue on Sunday, March 12, from 7.30pm.

Since 2016, An Evening With Aggers and Tuffers has been selling out theatres all over the country. With Aggers’ Geoff Boycott-baiting wind-ups and Tuffers’ tall tales of global misdeeds, this is an unbeatable evening for cricket fans and non-aficionados alike.

Tuffers was the bad boy of English cricket in the 1990s, but the best spinner – left-arm or otherwise – as well. Known as The Cat because of his love of dressingroom naps and, rarely seen without a beer and a fag, Tufnell has always been something of a folk hero.

Since retiring, he has carved out a successful TV career, appearing in I’m

A Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, The Jump, Strictly Come Dancing and Matt Dawson’s opposing team captain in BBC’s A Question of Sport.

From September to December 2021, there was the A Question of Sport Live - Lap of Honour Tour, in which presenter Sue Barker and team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell bid a fond –and tearful – farewell to around 50,000 adoring fans in arenas across the country.

Tickets are priced £29.50 and available from www.westlandsyeovil.co.uk or from the box office on 01935-422884.

Agnew had a successful first-class career as a fast bowler for Leicestershire from 1979 to 1990, returning briefly in 1992. In first-class cricket he took 666 wickets at an average of 29.25. Agnew won three Test caps for England, as well as playing three One Day Internationals in the mid-1980s, although his entire international career lasted just under a year.

While still a player, Agnew began

a career in cricket journalism and commentary. Since his retirement as a player, he has become a leading voice of cricket on radio, as the BBC Radio cricket correspondent and as a commentator on Test Match Special.

Tufnell played in 42 Test matches and 20 One Day Internationals for the England cricket team, as well as playing for Middlesex County Cricket Club from 1986 to 2002. Tufnell took 121 Test match wickets. His Test average is 37.68

per wicket. Across all first-class cricket he took over 1,000 wickets at an average of 29.35.

YEOVIL Cricket Club, meanwhile, has a number of fundraising events which might be of interest to local people.

The club, which is based at the Westlands Yeovil entertainment venue complex in Westbourne Grove, Yeovil, will be holding a race night on March 11 from 7pm. To reserve seats – please email yeovilcricket@gmail.com.

A quiz night will be held on February 18 and it will cost £20 for a team of four. Places are limited so please book early at yeovilcricket@gmail.com.

While the club will be holding an evening of Easter Bingo fun on April 15 from 7pm. Again places are limited so book your seats at yeovilcricket@gmail. com.

PHOTO: Phil Tufnell (left) and Jonathan Agnew on tour with An Evening with Aggers and Tuffers.

Local racing driver shines at Silverstone

DRIVER Daniel Mackintosh, who lives just outside Yeovil in Rampisham, raced through the very wet conditions at Silverstone to overcome the very tricky conditions and beat many established stars with a fifth-place finish in the 2022 Walter Hayes meeting.

The Walter Hayes is the finale of the single seat Formula Ford season and attracts international teams and drivers from around the world and is considered to be the most competitive round of the season.

Past winners include former F1 Champion Jenson Button and Ex Red Bull F1 driver Mark Webber to name just two.

The weekend also includes races for Historic Sports Cars and Pre- 1982 FF1600 original Formula Fords.

Normally racing modern Porsche Cayman or Audi R8 GT cars Daniel was given a Classic re-built 1971 Merlyn Mk20A and had not seen or driven the car before his first outing on practice day the Thursday before the race.

With 26 entries for the Historic Carl Hamer Trophy, it proved difficult to set up the car for the very wet conditions but with a final set up change just before qualifying Daniel managed to get P7 for the start of the Final.

A torrential downpour delayed the Final on Sunday while the Marshalls swept the track trying to remove the standing water but Daniel made up two places at the start and quickly set about trying to catch the leaders setting fastest times in several sectors.

With three laps to go Daniel moved into fourth, but the leading trio now had built a ten-second advantage.

Competition was now strong with several more established and experienced drivers moving through the back of the field as the track dried out and the fight was on trying to hold onto fourth place. On the last lap a spinning back marker caused Dan to take avoiding action lost momentum out of the final corner and was just beaten to the line by two-tenths of a second.

A fantastic result!

Daniel is now looking forward to racing in the 2023 British GT series driving an Audi R8 GT-4 and looking for sponsors and supporters.

To find out more about Daniel at

www.danmackracing1.com or look him up on social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram. Anyone interested in sponsorship please email damackracing1@outlook.com.

Fantastic end-of-season celebrations for bowls players at Westland Sports

THE Yeovil-based Westland Sports Bowls Club enjoyed a very successful end-of-season presentation evening.

The presentation took place on November 26 and many cups were presented for achievements gained throughout the season.

The evening was well attended and a lovely buffet was enjoyed after the presentations along with a raffle followed by “strictly” moves dancing.

Ladies Competition Results: Merlin Trophy Triples: Winners – Maggie Owers and Di Coe; runners-up – Annette Williams and Sue Pratt. Secretary’s Cup 2 Wood Pairs: Winners – Christine Windealt and Carol Tither; runners-up –Jean Britton and Jean Wills. Chairman’s Cup 4 Woods Singles: Winner – Maggie

Belcher; runner-up –Di Coe. Two Woods Singles: Winner – Sue Pratt; runnerup – Bonnie Gulley. Treasurer’s Cup 4 Wood Pairs: Winners – Carol Tither and Sue Pratt; runners-up Di Coe and Sylvia Sturgeon. Spencer Plate: Winner – Bonnie Gulley; runner-up – Chris Randle. Ladies Invitation Mixed Triples: Winners – Carol Tither, Peter Tucker and Mike Ramsey; runners-up – Jean Wills, Keith Wills and Graham Hallett.

Men’s Competition Results: President’s Cup Championship Singles: Winner – Les Hodson; runner-up – Dave Sandy. Tom Moon Cup 2 Wood Singles: Winners – Les Hodson; runner-up – Dave Sandy. Fred Coles Cup: Winner – Dave Sandy; runner-up – Peter Parker. Siddle Cup: Winner – Les Hodson; runner-up

– Steve Bell. Four Wood Pairs: Winners – Mel Belcher and Les Hodson; runnersup – Mike Ramsey and Jack Goodland. Les Pittard Cup 2 Wood Pairs: Winners –Mike Ramsey and Les Hodson; runnersup – Mel Belcher and Dave Sandy. Dave Richards Shield: Winner – Chris West; runner-up – Pete Parker. Bill Chubb Rose Bowl Friday Night Triples: Winners – Wes Edwards, Pete Parker and Dave Sandy; runners-up – Phil Oram, Geoff Smith and Gary Saunders. Four Wood Open Singles: Winner – Les Hodson; runners-up – Jack Goodland. Two Wood Open Singles: Winner – Dave Sandy; runner-up – Mel Belcher. Tuesday Afternoon Cocktail: Winner – Dave Gough; runner-up – Pete Parker.

Mixed Competition Results: Basil Mead Charity Mixed Triples: Winners – Annette Williams and Geoff Smith; runners-up – Carol Tither and Mike Ramsey. Francis Drake Mixed Triples: Winners – Di Coe, Pete Tucker and Mel Belcher; runners-up – Carol Tither, Brian Gulley and Dave Sandy. John Wine Mixed Triples: Winners – Peter Panaccia, Carol Tither and Alex Agnew; runners-up – Chris Gough, Tony Osborne and Brian Gulley. J&E Arnold Mix Triples: Winners – Mel Belcher, Jean Wills and Geoff Pratt; runners-up – Di Coe, Peter Parker and Gary Windeatt. June Robbins Rose Bowl: Winners – Phil Oram, Chris Randle and Anne King; runners-up – Dave Britten, Mel Belcher and Di Coe.

PHOTO: Daniel Mackintosh.

Rugby club looks to go from strength to strength with sponsors

YEOVIL Rugby Club has a number of local business partners who support its vision to deliver a successful and thriving rugby club within the local community.

This means along with likeminded partners who share the same values, the club is able to enrich lives, introduce more people to rugby union and develop the sport for future generations.

Yeovil Rugby club is proud to be working in partnership with local businessman, Stuart Foster for the 2022-23 season.

Stuart’s commitment to working with Yeovil Rugby Club means that the financial contributions made through sponsorship provides playing kit, training equipment and ensures the club are able to develop long term strategy plans to keep improving facilities and keep the number of people joining up to get involved with the sport increasing.

Stuart Foster, founder and owner of Stuart Foster Funeral Directors is a small, individually run funeral directors situated in Yeovil, specialising in beautiful, personalised funerals.

Stuart Foster has come forward to sponsor both the senior men’s squads at Yeovil Rugby Club and becomes the main sponsor for the teams during the season.

The announcement which was made at the beginning of the season through the club’s own social media channels, heralds the beginning of the new coaching team and their impact within both the squads and the club as a whole.

A club spokesman said: “As men’s rugby within the town continues to grow, we hope that further sponsorship with Stuart Foster will continue for years to come.

“The sponsorship comes at a time when Yeovil Rugby Club are delivering high standards of training to so many young people and adults within the local community.”

Stuart was joined by the coaching team, the club chairman Paul McHugh and the club president Derek Smith at a 1ST XV game.

PHOTO: Sponsor Stuart Foster (centre) is pictured Yeovil Rugby Club chairman Paul McHugh (left) and president Derek Smith.

Walking football club looks to start ladies team

YEOVIL Walking Football Club is looking to start a ladies team.

At present the club has five ladies who play alongside the men, but organisers are hoping to have a women’s only session.

The football is non contact and is based on fun, friendship and some fitness!.

The club will be holding a FREE taster session on Friday, January 27, from 6pm to 7pm at Westland Sports and Fitness Centre in Westbourne Close, Yeovil.

All ages and ability are welcome, so if you fancy giving it a go then please get in touch.

Email info@yeovilwalkingfootballclub. co.uk for more information.

Women's football is being reintroduced at Yeovil Town with ambitious plans

YEOVIL Town Football Club is excited to announce the reinvigoration of women’s and girls’ football at the club.

Recognising the illustrious past successes of women’s football at Yeovil Town, playing at the pinnacle of women’s football in the Super League and acknowledging the events that led to its demise, the club is proud to be launching a fully integrated women’s and girls’ football set up into a “One Club” Yeovil Town FC. This starts with the ambition to offer football to females, catering for all ages, abilities and ambitions.

Yeovil Town Women’s Football Club is in discussion with Somerset FA to establish where it will enter into the tiered level of the leagues.

A club spokesman said: “Whilst the ambition is to play all matches at Huish Park in the future, the higher we progress through the leagues - with a sustainable business model to support pitch maintenance - the more we can play at Huish Park, making it a fortress for women’s football.

“We are committed to integrating women’s football to the Huish Park schedule, commencing with select matches, but the more support given to the women’s game the more matches will be scheduled.”

The club’s junior section aspires to put junior teams in both local grassroots FA leagues and Junior Premier Leagues.

A club spokesman added: “In partnership with Yeovil College, we will be championing post-16 football and education with Yeovil Town supporting the course and college team along with grassroots/JPL U18 teams readying the

girls for the transition to women’s football with the vision of progressing through the leagues to be the leading centre in the Southwest for women’s football.

“Our ethos for YTWFC is to establish a positive, ambitious and progressive women’s football club with a communitybased mantra.

“We are setting out with your support, to establish a girls and women’s footballing community that offers what the community needs. This will range from Girls “football tots” sessions, “Wildcats” for juniors, “Just Play”, “Walking football” for seniors, disability football or a platform for elevation into professional football, to help girls fulfil their ambitions to play at whatever level they aspire to, semi-professional, professional or a future Lioness. It will take time to build, but to do this we need your help, so join us on this exciting journey.”

The club has already appointed four board members with experience in women’s and local football including Stuart Robins (shareholder YTFC), Martyn Starnes (CEO YTFC), Ian Maskell (Head girls coach – South Somerset Regional Talent Centre) and Jamie Philip (previously a coach for Yeovil Town Women).

“We recognise that we are setting ourselves very ambitious aspirations and to achieve this we are looking to you and the local community to help,” added the spokesman.

Coaches, volunteers or offers of support please get in contact via email at imaskell@ytfc.onmicrosoft.com / imaskell@ytfc.net

IN THIS MONTH IN HISTORY

60 YEARS AGO

January 1963

YEOVIL Town played no games whatsoever during January 1963 because massive snowstorms took control of the country and paralysed towns and villages.

It was the heaviest snowfall for 80 years and along with the hard frosts which followed there were 15ft high drifts which buried buses for days.

By mid-January, Huish was still in the grip with a foot of solid compacted snow on the pitch and terraces and manager Basil Hayward appealed for supporters to help clear the ground – which did not go down too well with some who believed that the players should be earning their wages by doing the same.

40 YEARS AGO

January 8, 1983

Yeovil Town 6, Nuneaton Borough 2 Alliance Premier League

A RARE Steve Ritchie hat-trick helped Yeovil Town to run out comfortable 6-2 winners over Nuneaton Borough at Huish.

Dave Platt added a brace and Phil James netted the other goal as Yeovil gave their supporters something to cheer about.

It was one of just 11 league wins that season for the Glovers.

35 YEARS AGO

January 9, 1988

Yeovil Town 0, Queens Park Rangers 3 FA Cup Third Round

ers in the FA Cup Third Round.

QPR, of the old Division One, came to Huish determined to avoid being the victim of an FA Cup banana skin.

But they were made to work for their safe passage through to the Fourth Round with non-leaguers Yeovil giving it their best shot.

A perimeter wall collapsed at the end of the first-half which halted proceedings for a while and it was after the game had re-started again that QPR broke the deadlock.

QPR made the game safe with two further goals late-on as the Yeovil players began to tire on a very heavy pitch.

But Yeovil fans at the game will probably still be thinking of “what might have been” had striker Paul Randall scored from a good position with the game still finely poised at 1-0 to the visitors.

For the record Mark Falco opened the scoring for QPR on the stroke of half-time and then added a second to kill off Yeovil on 79 minutes. Kevin Brock completed the scoring for QPR on 84 minutes.

30 YEARS AGO

January 2, 1993

Yeovil Town 1, Arsenal 3 FA Cup Third Round January 2, 1993

5-2 giant-killing win with Paul Batty netting a hat-trick.

The Second Round saw Hereford United come to Huish Park and play out a 0-0 draw. The replay was tense and exciting with both teams knowing that the winners would be facing Arsenal in the next round.

It was a night of high drama, but goals from Paul Sanderson and a late effort from Neil Coates sealed the win for Yeovil.

But Yeovil were no match for the star-studded Arsenal side on the day at a packed Huish Park and they raced into a 3-0 lead thanks to a hat-trick from striker Wright who seized on errors at the back by the Glovers.

Yeovil got a consolation courtesy of a Paul Batty penalty.

The final crowd of 8,612 brought receipts of nearly £75,000 and, with various other financial offshoots, it was a desperately needed financial lifeline.

20 YEARS AGO

January 4, 2003

Gravesend & Northfleet 2, Yeovil Town 4 Nationwide Conference

YEOVIL Town utility player Andy Lindegaard grabbed a hat-trick as the Nationwide Conference leaders shrugged off an early blow to carve out a hardearned win at Gravesend & Northfleet.

The hosts stunned Yeovil in the opening minute when Jimmy Jackson pounced on a loose ball in the six-yard area and volleyed Gravesend into the lead.

But Yeovil were soon level when Michael McIndoe broke free down the right and crossed for Kirk Jackson to nod the ball past helpless Paul Wilkerson.

The visitors should have gone ahead when Jimmy Aggrey headed Lee Johnson’s free-kick towards goal but Wilkerson produced a fine save.

ren Way.

And they were made to regret that miss when Lindegaard grabbed his second goal from Jimmy Aggrey’s pass.

But Gravesend refused to lie down and Kevin Budge pulled a goal back with a superb effort before Lindegaard completed his treble deep in stoppage time.

15 YEARS AGO

January 26, 2008

Yeovil Town 0, Manchester United 4 FA Cup Fourth Round

LEAGUE Two strugglers Yeovil Town had no answer as Premier League giants Manchester United swept through to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup.

Much of the pre-match talk was about United’s inclusion of new signing, Chile forward Alexis Sanchez, in their starting line-up. And he was certainly given an early introduction to life in League Two by a bruising tackle from Yeovil defender Nathan Smith.

But Sanchez’s pass enabled Marcus Rashford to break the deadlock on 41 minutes and then he slid the ball through to Ander Herrera to make it 2-0 on 61 minutes.

United were always in control of proceedings and made the final scoreline look more emphatic with goals from Jesse Lingard on 89 minutes and Romelu Lukaku added a fourth deep into stoppage time.

It was a good night for United manager Jose Mourinho – it was his 55th birthday and 100th game in change of the Premier League side.

YEOVIL Town lost 3-0 at the old sloping pitch of Huish to Queen’s Park Rang-

ENGLAND striker Ian Wright bagged a hat-trick as Arsenal gained a 3-1 Third Round success at Huish Park in the 199293 season.

Yeovil’s cup run that season began with a 2-1 win at Crawley Town. The First Round saw Yeovil travel to Torquay United where they dished out a comfortable

But Yeovil did not have to wait long to get their noses in front as their next foray forward ended with Lindegaard curling in a sweet 20-yard shot.

The goal stung Gravesend into life and Aaron Barnett fizzed a shot over Chris Weale’s crossbar before having a goalbound effort cleared off the line by Dar-

Terrible snow storms meant that football was cancelled throughout January 1963. This photo was taken on the outskirts of Yeovil and show the giant snowdrifts which had been formed.

Queues start to form at the Queen Street end of Huish ahead of Yeovil Town’s FA Cup Third Round clash with QPR in 1988. To the right of the photo is the old Huish club shop.

Yeovil Town’s Andy Wallace clears the ball during the Glovers’ FA Cup Third Round clash with Arsenal at Huish Park with the Gunners’ strike duo of Ian Wright (left) and Alan Smith looking to pounce.

100 Huish Heroes - in tribute to John Lukins

THE late John Lukins had written thousands of words about Yeovil Town during his career reporting on the happenings of the Glovers at Huish and Huish Park for around 50 or so years.

John was so highly-thought of that the press box at Huish Park was named after him.

In the mid-1990s when Graham Roberts was manager he wrote 100 Huish Heroes. The book highlights –as the title suggests – 100 heroes from Yeovil Town’s history at Huish and Huish Park.

John passed away on March 9, 2022, at the age of 81.

In a tribute to John, we are picking out two of his 100 heroes each month to keep the name of John Lukins in the local press.

In this edition of Yeovil Press we have randomly selected players for Numbers 15 and 16 from John’s 100 Huish Heroes book – Brian Hall and Tony Clark.

No 15 - 100 Huish Heroes: A whisper in the manager's ear gave Tony Clark his chance

TONY Clark did not look like a goalkeeper standing at just 5ft 8ins tall, wrote John Lukins in his book One Hundred Huish Heroes.

In fact, Yeovil Town never intended he should play in their first team: Mike Hughes brought him up from Devon for the reserves. But with veteran Ken Jones making some errors, club chairman Norman Burfield told Lukins he was going whisper in Hughes’ ear that it might be worth giving Clark a go in between the posts.

What happened was remarkable. He made his debut on March 4, 1970, keeping a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Hereford United – and

was an ever-present in the next 232 games.

The run was ended by an injury at Weymouth in November 1973. In the 232 games he had conceded 216 goals.

By the time he left in 1977 he had made 379 appearances – the most by any Yeovil goalkeeper.

At the end of Clark’s first full season Lukins and his Press Box colleagues checked back over the matches and could not recall a single mistake by the keeper that had resulted in a goal.

He was not your classical goalkeeper – but have Yeovil ever had a better one?

No 16 - 100 Huish Heroes:

Some fans loved Brian Hall and some fans hated him

JANUARY 1988 and Yeovil Town manager Brian Hall was fuming, wrote John Lukins in his book One Hundred Huish Heroes. In a few days First Division outfit Queens Park Rangers Rangers would be heading for Huish in the Third Round of the FA Cup.

Thousands wanted tickets. The club was on a roll. Everyone else seemed happy.

So what bothered Hall? There was a light bulb hanging forlornly in a broken shade at the top of the stairs in the main grandstand and nobody seemed to have the time to fix it.

“Rangers will come here and see what a hopeless bunch of amateurs we are,” growled Hall.

It was this attention to the smallest detail that was Hall’s hallmark (no pun intended!). He was the ultimate professional.

Some fans loved him, some hated him. Sadly, by the time he departed in January 1995 after a brief second spell which lasted just a year, he was more hated than loved.

The lowest point came in October 1994 when he took his grandson to see Yeovil play at Walton & Hersham in an FA Cup qualifier. Yeovil lost 3-2 and so much personal abuse was heaped on him by travelling supporters that he never got over the embarrassment.

“To think I took my grandson to be subjected to that,” he said.

First time round there had been many causes for celebration.

Hall had arrived on his 47th birthday in January 1987 in succession to Gerry Gow. He was employed as a police PT training instructor at Hendon so took the Yeovil job part-time. (He later became full-time when he was invalided out of the police). Hall was chosen in preference to big name applicant Mick Channon, the former England striker.

Hall’s non-league pedigree was second to none. Never a great player himself, he had experienced a lot of success as No 2 to Allan Batsford at five clubs including Wimbledon. And in his own right he led Wealdstone to a remarkable Conference and FA Trophy double in 1985.

Yeovil seemed to be slipping deeper into the Vauxhall-Opel League mire, but he brought quality players to lead them back to the Conference. Two of the first were Steve Rutter and Andy Wallace, class acts in the Yeovil setup for years to come.

A succession of good quality captures was capped by the arrival of Mark Shail from Worcester City, later to be sold on to Bristol

City for a then club record fee.

Hall was, above all, a star finder. In his Wealdstone days he had sold Stuart Pearce to Coventry City and Vinnie Jones and Dave Beasant were two other big name “finds.”

But in Huish folklore he will be remembered primarily for his “route one” philosophy. The ideal was a big team, getting the ball forward as quickly as possible.

Former

Perhaps Hall’s character can best be gauged by the events that followed his first sacking in October 1990 – a sacking against the wishes of the majority of his directors that was to lead to the downfall of chairman Gerry Lock.

Wycombe manager Martin O’Neill immediately phoned Hall to ask him to be his guest at their match the next day.

Hall did not accept as he had promised to present the Yeovil Mixed Summer Darts League awards the next day. It was hardly the biggest sporting event of the year, but Hall believed promises should be honoured.

NOTE: Brian Hall passed away in April 1999 in Surrey at the age of just 59 after a brave battle against cancer.

Yeovil Town goalkeeper Tony Clark gets a cupful of champagne from Yeovil Mayor, Alderman Len Hole, after being awarded the club’s player of the season in the 1970-71 campaign. Also pictured are defender Paul Smith (standing partially hidden behind the Mayoress, Mary Hole) and striker Brian Grey who were runners-up.

Goalkeeper Tony Clark in action for Yeovil Town.

Yeovil Town manager Brian Hall (second left) in around 1989 with some well-known Glovers players (from left) Gerry Pearson, Tony Pounder, John McGinlay and Guy Whittingham.

Former Yeovil Town manager Brian Hall at the old Huish ground.

Viva Pitch danced into Huish Park but failed to hit the right note

YEARS

Perfect ending to Little Old Yeovil's talea donation to Adam Stansfield Foundation

2013: AUTHOR and Yeovil Town fan Brendon Owen handed over a £1,000 donation to a charity set-up in memory of a former Huish Park hero who died from cancer at the age of just 31.

Brendon’s third book based on the goings-on with the Glovers entitled Little Old Yeovil chronicled the period just before Gary Johnson returned to Huish Park for a second spell as manager right up to that golden day out at Wembley Stadium in May 2013 and the League One Play-Off Final success over Brentford.

The book was a big hit with Yeovil fans and Brendon has donated a proportion of the proceeds to the Adam Stansfield Foundation.

The ASF was created in memory of former Yeovil Town, Hereford United and Exeter City striker Stanno who died in August 2010.

The charity aims to help give young people the unique opportunity to develop life skills through the power of football and to assist them in their goals of living the dream.

Athletic by Brendon to well-known Yeovil fan Mark Kelly who was representing the ASF. They were joined for the presentation by Yeovil manager Gary Johnson – the man who gave Stanno his first big break in football by bringing him to Huish Park from Western League outfit Elmore in November 2000.

PHOTO: Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson (centre) with Brendon Owen (left) and Mark Kelly.

2014: YEOVIL Town FC caused a stir back in November 2013 when they announced that they were collaborating with a music company to produce an all singing, all dancing girl group for the Glovers.

With the hope to attract a new generation of supporters to the club and raise money for the Football League’s official charity, they launched the ‘Glovers Go Pop!’ campaign.

Auditions were held in early December and although only 17 people attended, the standard of talent was so high that it fell to the judging panel headed up by Yeovil manager Gary Johnson to whittle down the hopefuls to the final line-up.

Since then, four young ladies were put through their paces by a team of industry professionals who put the girls vocally and physically during intensive bootcamps in Bristol and London.

And it was in February 2014 before

kick-off at Yeovil Town’s Championship match with Leeds United that Lisa, Nicola, Danie and Molly – aka Viva Pitch - were unveiled to the crowds at Huish Park as the Glovers’ very own girl group.

A Viva Pitch spokesman said at the time: “As the first-ever girl group created for the Football League, Viva Pitch are leading the way for English sport showcasing the nation’s love of football, on and off the pitch.

“The controversial new group has already achieved media attention from press, radio and TV around the world and their domination of the headlines looks set to continue over the next three months.”

But history dictates that things did not really go well for Viva Pitch and the group disappeared from Huish Park just as quickly as it had arrived – much to the delight of supporters.

The presentation was made in the marquee bar at Huish Park in December 2013 ahead of Yeovil’s Sky Bet Championship match with Charlton

Old favourites reminisce on Yeovil memories

2021: YEOVIL Town supporters might recognise these two former Yeovil Town favourites who met up a couple of years ago in Portugal.

Giant 6ft 8ins defender Hugo Rodrigues posted a photo of himself on social media Facebook in the summer of 2021 with former team-mate Abdelhahlim El Kholti. El Kholti joined Yeovil during the Nationwide Conference winning season of 2002-03 and played in the Glovers first-ever season in the Football League.

Rodrigues signed for Yeovil in the summer of the 2003 and made his debut for the club in the Glovers’ opening match in the Football League by coming on as a substitute at Rochdale.

Although their time at Huish Park was a brief one – they certainly became popular

with the Yeovil fans.

Portuguese defender Rodrigues, speaking on social media in 2021, said: “Nice to see and welcome this Yeovil legend at my place. What a fantastic dinner we had – full of Yeovil Town FC memories we have.”

When Jimmy Greaves gave some funny stories about the funny old game

2001: THE football world mourned the sad passing of England soccer legend Jimmy Greaves in September 2021.

Greaves had been ill for sometime having suffered a stroke in 2015 and he died peacefully at the age of 81.

But 20 years earlier he was the special guest at a sporting dinner held at Yeovil Town’s Huish Park stadium back in February 2001 which was put on to help raise money for the club’s Erection 2000 Appeal aimed at funding the building of a roof above the home terrace at the Glovers’ stadium.

Greaves, who scored 447 goals in 666 senior matches, gave a highly amusing talk about his playing days which saw him appear for England, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, AC Milan and West Ham.

Erection 2000 Appeal committee chairman was Steve Sowden, now editor and owner of the Yeovil Press, and he said that the dinner was a big success with more than 100 people in attendance.

Steve recalled that “Jimmy was excellent and he certainly showed that football can be a funny old game” in reference to Greaves’ famous catchphrase.

What a team that was - the Glovers boys of 1963-64

1963: OLDER fans will look back at this Yeovil Town line-up and instantly recognise a host of well-known players.

This team photo was taken in the 196364 season and features some names instantly recognisable to Yeovil fans such as the likes of Alan Herrity, Len Harris, Tony Pounder, George Muir and Dave Taylor.

Yeovil Town won the Southern League that season by four points from second-

placed Chelmsford City and had a decent run in the FA Cup which included giantkilling victories over Southend United and Crystal Palace before losing to Bury in the Third Round.

Pictured (back row from left) are Alan Herrity, Len Harris, Dave Jones, Roy Lambden, Peter Hall and Ernie Ashe and (front row from left) are Tony Pounder, George Muir, Bill Albury, Adam Moffat, Terry Foley and Dave Taylor.

Remembering Alec Stock - the mastermind of Yeovil Town's greatest cup giant-killing

1949: IT is now 74 years ago this month that Yeovil Town – under the leadership of the legendary Alec Stock – produced their greatest ever FA Cup giant-killing result.

The 2-1 success over the then mighty Sunderland in the FA Cup Fourth Round on January 29, 1949, at the old sloping pitch of Huish is still easily one of the most famous results in the competition’s illustrious history.

Player-manager Alec Stock and that win over Sunderland made Yeovil Town the talk of the football world; people who might not really care two hoots about 22 men kicking a bag of wind about on a Saturday afternoon would know about Yeovil Town Football Club. And that was down to Alec Stock.

He was only with Yeovil Town three years, but his legacy has lasted generations.

He was born in Peasedown St John near Bath in 1917 and went on to play as an inside-forward for Charlton Athletic and Queens Park Rangers before the Second World War.

Following the war he joined Yeovil Town as player-manager in 1946 and he

put the club on the map in the famous FA Cup run of 1948-49 which saw a famous Fourth Round giant-killing victory over Sunderland – which is still talked about today with such pride by the Glovers faithful – and made the old sloping pitch of Huish legendary. Admittedly, Yeovil were soundly beaten away at Manchester United in the Fifth Round, but the club had already etched its name in FA Cup folklore for evermore.

He left Yeovil soon after and went on to manage Leyton Orient, AS Roma in Italy, Queens Park Rangers, Luton Town, Fulham and Bournemouth in a managerial career which lasted until

1980.

He enjoyed great success at QPR and won consecutive promotions in 1967 and 1968 to reach the old First Division for the first time, while they were also the first Third Division team to ever win the Football League Cup in 1967.

Stock had success with Luton Town who he helped to promotion from the Third Division, while he led Fulham to the 1975 FA Cup Final which they lost 2-0 to West Ham United. The Fulham team that day included 1966 England World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore, while on the bench was Barry Lloyd who would later go on to manager Yeovil Town.

Alec Stock passed away on April 16, 2001, at the age of 84.

How Alec Stock would have loved watching his beloved Yeovil Town in the following years go from being the bridesmaid to the bride with a quick succession of success in the FA Trophy, Nationwide Conference and League Two under the tutorship of Gary Johnson at the helm. What wondrous conversations Alec Stock and Gary Johnson would have had over a cuppa.

But while Gary Johnson may take

the title of being Yeovil’s Greatest Ever Manager, there is no question whatsoever that had it not been for Alec Stock then the Yeovil Town Football Club we all love today might never have materialised.

LEFT:: Football legend Jimmy Greaves at Huish Park back in February 2001 with the then Yeovil Town club chairman John Fry (right) and Steve Sowden, now editor of the Yeovil Press, who was then chairman of the club’s Erection 2000 Appeal committee chairman. Photo courtesy of Nigel Andrews. RIGHT: Jimmy Greaves at Huish Park in February 2001 where he was guest speaker at a sportsman’s dinner. Photo courtesy of Nigel Andrews.

Yeovil Town’s legendary goalkeeper Dickie Dyke (right) pulls off another memorable save in the FA Cup victory over Sunderland in 1949.

Match action from Yeovil Town’s famous giant-killing FA Cup Fourth Round victory Sunderland at Huish in 1949.

The team line-ups for the Yeovil Town v Sunderland match in the FA Cup Fourth Round of 1949 – a game which really put the Glovers on the footballing map.

Young writers encouraged to show their "courage" and enter competition

THE Yeovil Community Arts Association and the Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust have announced their biggestever competition for Somerset children - the YCAA Young Writers’ Prize.

For the first time, the annual competition is open to any young person aged between seven and 13 who is in Year 3-8 at a Somerset school or who lives in the county.

The young wordsmiths are invited to write a short story, play script scene or poem on the theme of Courage. Entries can be handwritten or typed and there is no word limit, but they should be a maximum of two sides of A4 and the original and unpublished work of the young person. The competition is free to enter.

A specially selected panel will judge each entry on originality, plot, characterisation, use of language and enjoyment. Winners selected in three categories – Year 3-4, Year 5-6, and Year 7-8 – will each receive a book token prize. An overall winner and their class will receive a special prize before the end of the football season, courtesy of the prize sponsors YTCST.

Competition organiser Siobhan Casson said: “Our annual Young Writers Prize takes place at the start of each calendar year and up until now has only been for children in Years 5-6 in South Somerset. This year, we’re delighted to open up the competition to pupils from across the county and from Year 3 right up to Year 8. We hope this encourages even more creative and talented young people to get

involved.”

Siobhan added: “This year’s theme is Courage and we know it takes courage to enter a county-wide competition, especially if it’s your first time taking part. But remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained! Young writers are warmly invited to send their best efforts and we look forward to reading their work.”

Entries to the YCAA and YTCST Young Writers Prize 2023 must be received by Friday, February 24, 2023, either by post or email. Each story must be accompanied by a form completed by a parent/guardian or the relevant school. Forms and further details are available from the competitions page of the Yeovil Community Arts Association website at www.yeovilarts.co.uk or by emailing youngwritersprize2023@yeovilarts. co.uk. Winners will be contacted in March and the prize presentation will take place later that month.

Supporters back the Lord's Larder project

YEOVIL Town fan Alex White set-up a collection point for fans to leave donations for the Lord’s Larder food bank ahead of the Christmas festivities.

Alex put out a message to fans on social media to tell them that he would be outside Huish Park ahead of Yeovil’s match with Scunthorpe United on December 10 to receive donations.

And his fellow Glovers fans certainly did not let him down.

Alex collected 357 vital food and

toiletry items, as well as raising £251.81 from a bucket collection and more than £450 from an online JustGiving page.

A Yeovil Town spokesman said: “We would like to place our thanks to Alex for setting up such an important scheme at Huish Park and to all the supporters in attendance who donated so generously.”

The donations were given to the Lord’s Larder which then distributed the food and toiletries to people who are struggling to make ends meet.

Shirt auction raises nearly £2,000 for the annual Poppy Appeal

YEOVIL Town FC was delighted to present the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal with a magnificent donation of £1,843.15.

The money was raised by an auction of shirts worn by the Yeovil Town players in their National League match with Gateshead on November 12 – the day before Remembrance Sunday.

The winners of each shirt were contacted by the club to say that their bid had been successful.

Two shirts for Jamie Andrews and Jamie Reckord were raffled off and raised more than £260.

The full set of auction results for the shirts was as follows: Nathan Smith £175; Max Hunt £80; Matt Worthington £150; Alex Fisher £125; Gime Toure £150; Malachi Linton £70; Chiori Johnson £100; Will Buse £100; Ollie Hulbert £50; Ewan Clark £115.15; Anthony

Georgiou £65; Owen Bevan £70; Andrew Oluwabori £80; Josh Staunton £153; Louis Britton £100.

Bring Your Team to Town initiative is a great success at Huish Park

YEOVIL Town FC was delighted to welcome a host of youth teams to Huish Park in the run-up to Christmas to savour a National League fixture.

The initiative entitled Bring Your Team to Town was a great success and equated to 12 per cent of the overall attendance of 2,744.

Unfortunately Yeovil could not give

the fans a victory and the game with Scunthorpe United finished in a 0-0 stalemate.

But a spokesman for the Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust said it was a great day for the Bring Your Team to Town organisers.

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Yeovil Town and PPAUK.

FAN ZONE A-TO-Z 1-TO-11

Q is for

QUICK! Welcome to the 17th instalment of the Fan Zone A-to-Z 1-to-11 feature.

Each month we will spotlight a Yeovil Town fan in surname alphabetical order and ask them 11 questions relating to their support of the Glovers.

If you want to be included in a future edition of the Fan Zone please get in touch by emailing Yeovil Press editor Steve Sowden at yeovilpress@gmail.com. We could well be interested in hearing from any Yeovil fan with a surname beginning with the letter Z!

01: How many years have you been supporting Yeovil Town FC? My support of the Glovers has just turned 24 years.

02: What was the first game you can remember watching Yeovil Town FC? My first game watching Yeovil was away at Cardiff City on January 2, 1999, in the FA Cup Third Round.

03: Who have been your all-time favourite Yeovil Town player and your favourite manager? Favourite player would have to be Warren Patmore and favourite manager, Gary Johnson.

04: What is the best Yeovil Town game you have watched? I would say it would have to be the Nottingham Forest game away in the League One Play-Off Second Leg in 2007 – an amazing night.

05: What has been the biggest disappointment for you as a Yeovil Town fan? The biggest disappointment was losing 2-0 to Blackpool in the League One Play-Off Final at Wembley Stadium in 2007.

06: What has been your favourite goal scored by Yeovil Town? This might seem an odd choice, but I would say Barrington Belgrave’s winner for the Glovers at Hereford United in the Conference on April 8, 2000. Me and a certain newspaper editor by the name of Steve Sowden had spent much of the game stood on the terrace “advising” Barrington on how to beat the offside trap. We’d like to suggest that he did actually hear our advice and took it on board eventually because he finally beat the offside trap and scored the only goal of the game!

07: If you could name any one footballer – alive or dead – from the world of football who you would have liked to have seen play for Yeovil Town, who it would be and why? George Best so that young people could get to appreciate just how good a footballer he was.

08: Favourite away ground and why? Morecambe – I love their sausages. Those who know will know what I mean!

09: If you won the National Lottery jackpot and bought Yeovil Town FC –what is the first thing you would do (within reason!)? A new ground.

10: What are your hopes and aspirations for Yeovil Town’s future and the rest of the 2022-23 season? Get a new owner and bring more stability around the club and also get the fans back again – there are far too many “regulars” who are no longer attending games.

11: Name your all-time Yeovil Town XI from your time as being a Yeovil Town fan. 1 Tony Pennock; 2 Adam Lockwood; 3 Efe Sodje; 4 Al-James Hanningan, 5 Terry Skiverton; 6 Darren Way; 7 Ben Smith; 8 Gavin Williams; 9 Warren Patmore; 10 Paddy Madden; 11 Michael McIndoe.

Billy

Photo: Yeovil Town fan Billy Quick.

Former Yeovil Town striker Barrington Belgrave – Turn to Question 6.

Legendary Yeovil Town striker Warren Patmore – Turn to Questions 3 and 11.

Former Yeovil Town goalkeeper Tony Pennock – Turn to Question 11.

HUISH PARK DIARY

A Look back at the past month of the goings-on at Yeovil Town FC - Up the Glovers!

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

A FOOTBALL fan who died during a National League match between Bromley and Yeovil prompting it to be abandoned was named as Keith Hore.

Mr Hore, a Bromley Football Club season ticket holder, was taken ill six minutes after kick-off, and play was stopped so he could receive treatment.

The match, on Saturday, December 3, was eventually called off just after 1.30pm

In a statement, Bromley FC said Mr Hore had followed the Ravens alongside his hometown club, Gillingham.

“Everyone at Bromley Football Club would like to extend their heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Keith Hore,” the club said.

Thursday, December 8, 2022

YEOVIL Town manager Mark Cooper said he was looking for all three points ahead of the weekend’s visit of Scunthorpe United in the National League.

He said his side would have to get on the right side of “moments” against the National League’s bottom club.

Cooper, speaking to the BBC, said: “We just have to perform on the day. Physically, mentally, tactically, we have to be right on the day. We can talk about how poor a run Scunthorpe are on, but they have players that can hurt you. If you take the top two or three out of the league, there’s not a lot between any of the teams and it’s about moments in matches that decide which way the afternoon or evening’s gonna go and we’ve got to make sure were on the right side of those moments.

“We need to win, simple. We need to win the game. However we do it, we need to win because we a tough game on Tuesday away at Barnet (December 13) and more tough games after that so we need to win the game to put ourselves in a strong position.”

Thursday, December 8, 2022

YEOVIL Town confirmed that Benjani Jr had joined Sherborne Town on a onemonth loan.

This was the 18-year-old’s first taste of senior football, after he signed his first professional with Yeovil Town earlier this season.

The loan moves follows a cameo appearance in the recent Somerset Premier Cup against Taunton Town where he looked bright during his 20 minutes on the pitch.

Now looking to step up his development, the young forward would line-up in the Toolstation Western League for the Zebras.

Friday, December 9, 2022

YEOVIL Town confirmed that Gime Touré was to leave Huish Park by mutual agreement and with immediate effect.

The French forward joined the club in August 2022 and netted twice in 13 appearances for the Glovers.

A club spokesman said: “We would like to thank Gime for his contribution during his time at Huish Park and wish him well in all his future endeavours.”

Saturday, December 10, 2022

Yeovil Town 0, Scunthorpe United 0 National League

YEOVIL Town were held at home by bottom-of-the-table Scunthorpe United who ended a six-game losing streak with a battling draw in the National League.

Scunthorpe earned a point at 19thplaced Yeovil by keeping their first clean sheet in nine months.

But visiting goalkeeper Owen Foster had to be alert to ensure it stayed goalless at the break and made fine saves to deny Ewan Clarke and Charlie Wakefield from giving the Glovers the lead.

Marcus Carver had the best chance of the first-half for Scunthorpe with a closerange effort sent wide and hit a post soon after the break with a header from a corner.

Both sides pushed forward late on in search of the breakthrough, but had to settle for a share of the spoils on a bitterly cold afternoon at Huish Park.

Yeovil Town line-up: Grant Smith, Max Hunt, Josh Staunton, Owen Bevan, Charlie Wakefield, Chiori Johnson, Lawson D’Ath, Ewan Clark, Jamie Andrews, Louis Britton, Alex Fisher. Subs used: Andrew Oluwabori, Malachi Linton. Subs not used: Will Buse.

Saturday, December 10, 2022

YEOVIL Town manager Mark Cooper described his side’s goalless draw with National League bottom club Scunthorpe United as “the best point we will get all season.”

The Glovers fielded a depleted side with injury, illness and suspension denying him defenders Morgan Williams, Jamie Reckord and Ben Richards-Everton as well as midfielder Matt Worthington meaning he could only field two outfield substitutes.

He also confirmed in his postmatch interview with the BBC that winger Anthony Georgiou had ended his loan from League Two outfit Leyton Orient early as the club looked to “balance the books.”

Cooper said: “With the way the day unfolded and the lack of numbers, players that played that were ill and could only play a certain amount of time and then we had to bring off.

“It was a resilient performance, we rallied towards the end but with the circumstances towards today, I think it is a brilliant point.

“We didn’t play well and we had to be careful we didn’t get caught late on with no substitutes left because we only had two, so we had to time it really well.

“I can’t question the effort and commitment of the players again, it’s another clean sheet and when it’s like that you have to make sure you don’t lose.”

Monday, December 12, 2022

YEOVIL Town confirmed that after a pitch inspection the Glovers’ National League trip to Barnet on December 13 had been postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Monday, December 12, 2022

HOLLYWOOD actor and Glovers’ fan James Purefoy told an American movie podcast he had been asked about a potential takeover of Yeovil Town.

Speaking to Beyond the Mic with Sean Dillon to promote his film Fisherman’s

Young Yeovil Town forward player Benjani Jnr has joined Sherborne Town on loan.

Friend 2 he was asked if he would be interested in buying Yeovil Town.

But the Taunton-born actor did not seem too keen on the idea.

“Don’t scare the hell out of me,” he said. “People have been asking me to put a consortium together to buy Yeovil Town.”

And Purefoy added: “The idea of it, do I have time in my life, for Yeovil Town? Not in that way.”

Friday, December 16, 2022

YEOVIL Town were delighted to announce the signing of Jordan MaguireDrew from Grimsby Town.

Joining on an initial one-month loan deal, personal terms were agreed for the player to sign on a permanent contract during the January transfer window, subject to the completion of a satisfactory medical.

An exciting winger, the 25-year old has two promotions from the National League under his belt, most recently with Grimsby last season, where he scored an 111th minute winner in the National League Play-Off Final against Solihull Moors.

He was also part of the Leyton Orient side which was promoted from the National League as champions in 2019 and went on to become a key component in their side in League Two.

As a youngster, Maguire-Drew came through the academy system at Brighton & Hove Albion but made his name in the non-league ranks. His first loan spells proved prolific, with the winger hitting six goals in eight league games for Worthing, before hitting 14 in 42 for Dagenham and Redbridge.

Commenting after arriving in Somerset, the new winger said: “I’m delighted to be here and looking forward to getting started.

“I know the style of play that the manager wants to play. Yeovil is a big club and it shouldn’t be where it is.”

Saturday, December 17, 2022

Yeovil Town 0, Dorking Wanderers 0 FA Trophy Fourth Round Yeovil lost 4-1 on penalties

YEOVIL Town’s hopes of a decent run in this season’s FA Trophy competition fell disappointingly at the first hurdle.

Having been held at 0-0 after normal time, the game was decided by penalties and Yeovil had a spot-kick shocker as Dorking ran out comfortable 4-1 winners.

Yeovil Town line-up: Will Buse, Jamie Reckord, Morgan Williams, Owen Bevan, Max Hunt, Jamie Andrews, Josh Staunton, Matty Worthington, Jordan

Maguire-Drew, Chiori Johnson, Alex Fisher. Subs used: Andrew Oluwabori, Charlie Wakefield, Malachi Linton. Subs not used: Lawson D’Ath, Louis Britton.

Saturday, December 17, 2022

YEOVIL Town manager Mark Cooper said his side did not get what they deserved as they went out of the FA Trophy after a penalty shoot-out loss to Dorking Wanderers at Huish Park.

The spot kicks – which the visitors won 4-1 after misses from defender Max Hunt and midfielder Jamie Andrews – followed a second successive goalless draw and the boss admitted that his side’s inability to find the net was putting them in peril.

Speaking to BBC Somerset after the defeat, the manager said: “We didn’t get what we deserved today which was to get through to the next round, but we can’t score goals.

“It’s another clean sheet for us and if I was a defender, I would be saying ‘we keep the ball out of the net, any chance you could score a goal.’

“If we weren’t creating chances, it would be a worry so as a group whether it’s a centre half from a corner, a midfield player, a number ten, a wide player or a centre forward you have to put the ball in the net.

“Once we got on the front foot in the second half, we were all over them – but we just can’t score. We have to get on the front foot, there’s a real apathy about us at home and somehow we have to turn it around.”

Tuesday, December 20, 2022

PLANS to relocate part of the Huish Park marquee were approved by South Somerset District Council.

The plans for the change show the marquee will be located within the compound area behind the Thatcher’s Stand closest to the main car park in the south-west corner of the site.

The size of the new facility will be a “slightly reduced size” (in length by nine metres) and conditions placed on the club by the council mean it can only be open between 9am-11pm.

In its application, the club said: “The marquee has been on site since 2003. It has been retained as proposals for a permanent structure have not yet come to fruition.

“There is a clear need for this facility on site and it is considered reasonable that the club is allowed to relocate, retain and maintain the marquee structure until it is possible to bring forward a more permanent structure.

“The proposed layout will achieve a better, more functional location and does not require any changes to vehicle access or parking at the wider stadium area.”

Thursday, December 22, 2022

NEW dates were confirmed for two Yeovil Town away trips in the National League.

The Glovers’ trip to Barnet would now take place on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, with a 7.45pm kick-off.

Yeovil will also travel to Wrexham for midweek action on Tuesday, February 7, with another 7.45pm kick-off. This fixture has been rearranged due to Wrexham’s involvement in the FA Cup Third Round.

Friday, December 23, 2022

YEOVIL Town goalkeeper Max Evans joined Bedford Town FC on a short-term loan deal.

After having his last loan spell at Larkhall disrupted by injury, Evans was off to join the Southern League Premier Division side for the next month. Evans, who has made one league appearance for the Glovers, will be hoping to gain more experience in men’s football during his time in Bedfordshire.

Monday, December 26, 2022

Torquay United 1, Yeovil Town 1 National League

YEOVIL Town forward Malachi Linton gave travelling fans some festive cheer when he rescued a National League point

for Yeovil Town at Torquay United on Boxing Day.

Mark Ellis had the first chance for Torquay, but Yeovil goalkeeper Grant Smith was able to save his headed effort.

Yeovil nearly broke the deadlock when Josh Staunton’s low shot was saved by Mark Halstead, however The Gulls then went in front in the 20th minute when Ellis headed the ball home.

They nearly added a second when Stephen Wearne’s low effort was tipped away by Smith.

But Yeovil then drew level in the 64th minute when Jordan Maguire-Drew found Linton who tucked the ball home.

The Gulls were then reduced to 10 men in stoppage time when Dylan Crowe was shown a second yellow card.

Yeovil Town line-up: Grant Smith, Morgan Williams, Jamie Reckord, Max Hunt, Ben Richards-Everton, Jamie Andrews, Josh Staunton, Matt Worthington, Chiori Johnson, Jordan Maguire-Drew, Charlie Wakefield. Sub used: Alex Fisher, Malachi Linton. Subs not used: Will Buse, Lawson D’Ath, Andrew Oluwabori.

Monday, December 26, 2022

THE 1-1 draw at Torquay United represented Yeovil Town’s final National League fixture of 2022.

Over the past 12 months Yeovil had played 48 National League matches –winning 10, drawing 22 and losing 16; amassing 52 points.

In those matches the Glovers scored just 41 goals at 0.85 goals per game and conceded 50 goals at an average of 1.04 goals per match.

Friday, December 30, 2022

FRESH rumours about a takeover at Yeovil Town FC were commented on by Glovers boss Mark Cooper who told the BBC it was “exciting.”

“It’s exciting isn’t it?” he said when asked about the potential takeover.

But he added: “Listen, at the minute, I can’t say too much. Expect me to say that until there’s a statement. If there is exciting news this afternoon, then hopefully everyone gets behind it and we get a big crowd in for New Years Day.”

The manager added that certainty would provide a boost for the club: “While there’s discontent and people are not together, the players feel that,” he said.

“What we want is to have a club that’s united and going in the right direction.”

Friday, December 30, 2022

IT was announced that Yeovil Town’s previously abandoned National League

French forward Gime Toure left Yeovil Town with immediate effect last month.

trip to Bromley would now be played on Saturday, January 14, with a 3pm kickoff.

The fixture will be replayed in full after the previous fixture was abandoned in the 12th minute due to a medical emergency.

Tickets purchased from the previous fixture remain valid.

Saturday, December 31, 2022

YEOVIL Town chairman Scott Priestnall issued a statement to supporters on the club’s official website following more speculation on social media about a possible takeover.

The statement read: “There has been a lot of speculation over the last couple of days regarding a takeover of the club.

“It is true that there have been various conversations with potential investors over the last couple of months and whilst a statement confirming a takeover is premature, I can confirm to supporters that myself and the club have entered into a period of exclusivity with a preferred party to become a majority shareholder.

“These ongoing discussions continue to delay an announcement for the supporters meeting but a time and date will be confirmed as we approach a conclusion.

“I will update you as the transaction progresses.

“I hope you all have a lovely New Year and get behind Mark Cooper (Yeovil Town manager) and the team tomorrow in an important game against our local rivals Torquay United.”

Sunday, January 1, 2023

Yeovil Town 2, Torquay United 0 National League

YEOVIL Town got the New Year off to the perfect start with a 2-0 success over fellow National League strugglers Torquay United.

Matty Worthington broke the deadlock with just ten minutes remaining at Huish Park when he converted at the far post following fine work from Andrew Oluwabori.

And then Yeovil boss Mark Cooper saw his men seal the three points four minutes into added time when Grimsby loanee Jordan Maguire-Drew dinked over Gulls goalkeeper Mark Halstead.

Victory for Yeovil moved them six points clear of the relegation zone.

A crowd of 3,907 was at the game – the largest attendance so far this season at Huish Park.

Yeovil Town line-up: Grant Smith, Max Hunt, Ben Richards-Everton, Owen Bevan, Jamie Reckord, Morgan Williams, Josh Staunton, Jamie Andrews, Matt

Worthington, Jordan Maguire-Drew, Malachi Linton. Subs used: Andrew Oluwabori, Lawson D’Ath, Alex Fisher. Subs not used: Will Buse, Chiori Johnson.

Sunday, January 1, 2023

YEOVIL Town manager Mark Cooper said he would carry on making changes if it meant his side kept picking up points.

The Glovers’ boss introduced substitutes Andrew Oluwabori and Lawson D’Ath at half-time following a lacklustre first-half display from his side against Torquay United on New Year’s Day.

The pair helped spark a revival which led to a 2-0 victory just five days after a similar switch at the interval earned Cooper a point in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day.

Cooper, speaking to the BBC, said: “I keep having to do that and I shouldn’t have to keep doing that, but needs must.

“You have to be seen to try and give the team an impetus and a foothold in the game, I thought Lawson would go and get us playing and Andrew’s pace has really hurt them.”

Oluwabori looked to be a man with a point to prove having come on for defender Max Hunt at the break with Ben Richards-Everton, who started up front alongside Malachi Linton, reverting to a more familiar defensive position.

Asked about why he put RichardsEverton in that position, Cooper said: “We just felt that Torquay’s weakness was defensively and we wanted to ask some questions of them.

“We had a couple of opportunities, one where (Ben) got clean through and fell over, so I think we will look at it that we softened them up in the first-half and made our changes at half-time.”

Oluwabori created the first goal for Matt Worthington in the 81st minute before fellow substitute Alex Fisher set up Jordan Maguire-Drew for the second four minutes in to second half injury time.

Cooper revealed that Fisher had not trained all week, saying: “Fish has been poorly, he’s not trained all week, he’s been really ill but he texted me this morning to say he was fit. I spoke to him before the game and he said he had half-an-hour in him but after three minutes he had to come off, then luckily he found a burst of energy at the end. He put a great ball across and then it was an unbelievable quality finish from Maguire-Drew.”

The result moved Yeovil Town up to 18th in the National League table, six points above the relegation places, and without a match now until the trip to

Bromley on January 14. They had been due to play high-flying Wrexham on January 7, but the Welsh side are in FA Cup Third Round action.

Sunday, January 1, 2023

YEOVIL Town announced the reinvigoration of women’s and girls’ football at the club. Turn to Page 67 for more news.

Monday, January 2, 2023

YEOVIL Town player Matty Worthington said team-mates had to be more versatile and ready to play anywhere for new manager Mark Cooper.

Wothington, normally a midfielder for the Glovers, has played in a more attacking role under Cooper and in the New Year’s Day victory over Torquay United he was utilised as a wing-back.

The popular player, speaking to the BBC, said: “Under this gaffer you need to be versatile and play wherever he needs you to play, so on New Year’s Day it was right wing-back but as long as I am on the pitch, I don’t mind where I am playing.”

And Worthington, who netted the Glovers’ first goal in the 2-0 win on January 1, added: “Playing at wing-back is is a real adjustment. The first-half was a bit difficult to get my legs going and it is a tough role getting up and down.

“But I knew that come the second-half I would be much fitter than the person I was up against, but I am happy to get in the box and get the goal.”

Thursday, January 5, 2023

YEOVIL Town confirmed that midfielder Jamie Andrews had returned to West Bromwich Albion following a loan spell at Huish Park.

The 20-year-old played eights time for the Glovers with his final outing coming in the 2-0 National League success over Torquay United on New Year’s Day.

Friday, January 6, 2023

YEOVIL Town Under-18s goalkeeper Rob Hollard and midfielder Sam Hodges joined Western League outfit Gillingham Town on loan.

It was announced that the both players would hold dual registration meaning they could also play for the Glovers’ Under-18s side as well as Gillingham’s senior team.

Friday, January 6, 2023

WINGER Andrew Oluwabori extended his loan at Yeovil Town until the end of the 2022-23 season in the National League.

He joined the Glovers at the start of

November from Football League outfit

Peterborough United and had made seven appearances for the Glovers in the National League and FA Trophy before extending his loan.

“It’s been very good so far,” he told Yeovil Town’s official website. “It’s been a good period for me – I wanted to get out and get games so I’ve enjoyed it.

“The fans have been great, they’ve been welcoming and they really get behind you.

“I’d like to thank the fans for their support. I’m going to continue to do all I can to try and excite you.”

Friday, January 6, 2023

YEOVIL Town announced that strikers Louis Britton and Jake Scrimshaw had left the Glovers by mutual consent.

Britton was signed on a season long deal soon after the arrival of manager Mark Cooper, but rarely featured and left Huish Park six months early.

Scrimshaw had not featured in the Yeovil Town squad since October 22 and Cooper had said recently that the player had been dealing with a “personal issue.” He only made four substitute appearances for the Glovers.

Friday, January 6, 2023

YEOVIL Town confirmed that loanees Ewan Clark and Sam Pearson had seen their deals run out and had returned to Bristol City.

Pearson had gone back to City several weeks ago to recover from “fatigue”, but had since gone out on loan to Football League outfit AFC Wimbledon.

Clark made six appearances for the Glovers with his last game coming back on December 10 and the 0-0 draw with Scunthorpe United in the National League.

Winger Andrew Oluwabori has extended his loan spell with Yeovil Town until the end of the season.

YEOVIL TOWN FC FIXTURES 2022-23

Saturday, August 6, 2022

Scunthorpe Utd 2, Yeovil Town 1

Saturday, August 13, 2022

Yeovil Town 1, Wrexham 1

Tuesday, August 16, 2022

Yeovil Town 1, Barnet 2

Saturday, August 20, 2022

Altrincham 2, Yeovil Town 2

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Yeovil Town 1, Dagenham & Redbridge 0

Monday, August 29, 2022

Wealdstone 0, Yeovil Town 0

Saturday, September 3, 2022

Yeovil Town 0, York City 1

Tuesday, September 13, 2022

Eastleigh 1, Yeovil Town 1

Saturday, September 17, 2022

Yeovil Town 2, Chesterfield 2

Saturday, September 24, 2022

Yeovil Town 1, Boreham Wood 1

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Southend United 1, Yeovil Town 0

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Dorking 1, Yeovil Town 1

Saturday, October 8, 2022

Yeovil Town 1, Solihull Moors 0

Saturday, October 15, 2002

Yeovil Town 0, Taunton Town 0

Tuesday, October 18, 2002

Taunton Town 1, Yeovil Town 0

Saturday, October 22, 2022

Oldham Athletic 2, Yeovil Town 0

Tuesday, October 25, 2022

Yeovil Town 0, Aldershot 2

Saturday, October 29, 2022

Maidstone 1, Yeovil Town 1

Tuesday, November 1, 2022

Woking 1, Yeovil Town 0

Tuesday, November 8, 2022

Yeovil Town 0, Maidenhead 0

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Yeovil Town 3, Gateshead 1

Saturday, November 19, 2022

Notts County 0, Yeovil Town 0

Saturday, November 26, 2022

Yeovil Town 1, Halifax 0

Saturday, December 10, 2022

Yeovil Town 0, Scunthorpe Utd 0

Monday, December 26, 2022

Torquay Utd 1, Yeovil Town 0

Sunday, January 1, 2023

Yeovil Town 2, Torquay Utd 0

Saturday, January 14, 2023

Bromley v Yeovil Town 3pm Kick-Off

Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Barnet v Yeovil Town 7.45pm Kick-Off

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Yeovil Town v Altrincham 3pm Kick-Off

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Yeovil Town v Wealdstone 7.45pm Kick-Off

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Yeovil Town v Dagenham & Redbridge 3pm Kick-Off

Saturday, February 4, 2023

Yeovil Town v Maidstone Utd 3pm Kick-Off

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Wrexham v Yeovil Town 7.45pm Kick-Off

Saturday, February 11, 2023

Gateshead v Yeovil Town 3pm Kick-Off

Saturday, February 18, 2023

Yeovil Town v Notts County 3pm Kick-Off

Tuesday, February 21, 2023

Maidenhead v Yeovil Town 7.45pm Kick-Off

Saturday, February 26, 2023

York City v Yeovil Town 3pm Kick-Off

Saturday, March 4, 2023

Yeovil Town v Woking 3pm Kick-Off

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Yeovil Town v Eastleigh 7.45pm Kick-Off

Saturday, March 11, 2023

Chesterfield v Yeovil Town 3pm Kick-Off

Saturday, March 18, 2023

Halifax v Yeovil Town 3pm Kick-Off

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Yeovil Town v Bromley 3pm Kick-Off

Saturday, April 1, 2023

Yeovil Town v Southend Utd 3pm Kick-Off

Friday, April 7, 2023

Aldershot v Yeovil Town 3pm Kick-Off

Monday, April 10, 2023

Yeovil Town v Dorking 3pm Kick-Off

Saturday, April 15, 2023

Solihull Moors v Yeovil Town 3pm Kick-Off

Saturday, April 22, 2023

Oldham Athletic v Yeovil Town 3pm Kick-Off

Saturday, April 29, 2023

Boreham Wood v Yeovil Town 3pm Kick-Off

Yeovil's Newest Care Home

Chestnut Lodge - Designed to makes people's lives better

In the December edition of the Yeovil Press we carried a feature on a new care home in Yeovil at the top of Hendford Hill.

We started the New Year by catching up with the home’s manager, Graham Oakes, to find out how progress is going. What services will this new care home provide?

Chestnut Lodge is Yeovil’s newest care home created specifically to meet the needs of older people living with dementia.

What changes have you made to the building?

The building is 10 years old and was looking tired. We are fully redecorating it using guidance from Stirling University Dementia Centre to make it easier for our residents to find their way around the home. We are achieving this through clear signage and by upgrading the lighting system.

We even have flying tea pots!

Are all the bedrooms the same?

No, we have a range of rooms, of good sizes, all with en suite wet rooms.

Top-notch team

The most important part of any home is the people, and this includes those who work there.

So Graham Oakes, the new home’s manager, has set himself the task of recruiting a really great team of staff to create an outstanding home.

Graham said: “We have already recruited some great staff and I am really excited to start working with them to create the home of choice for people in Yeovil who are living with dementia.

“We still have a few roles to fill both in the care team and in the support team, including an Activities Coordinator.

Experience is useful but not vital, since training will be given. The most important thing is to have a passion for the job If you want to be part of the team giving great care to our residents please give me a call.”

Can residents personalize their bedrooms?

We strongly encourage families to personalize the room as much as possible. Having things around us that are familiar helps people settle into their new home.

Can I visit my loved one whenever I choose?

Of course, it’s their home.

Will there be one person specifically looking after my loved one?

The whole team plays a part in every resident’s care, however each resident will have a Key Worker - a special someone just for them. The nurses are always available to talk to you. The manager’s office is next to the new dining room and you’ll be welcome to pop in for a chat.

How will the residents spend their days?

Chestnut Lodge will have dedicated staff whose job it is to ensure every resident is living their best life. They will organize quizzes, various games, movie nights, singalongs, reminiscence

sessions, arrange trips out or just sit down and have a chat if that’s what a resident wants.

Will there be any live entertainers in the home?

We are booking entertainers to come to Chestnut Lodge throughout 2023. Are the staff trained?

All staff at Chestnut Lodge undertake a range of ongoing training, including specialist courses in caring for people living with dementia.

Could I join my loved one for Sunday lunch?

Please do! Just let us know when you are coming.

Do you provide food for people on special diets?

Food is a vital part of the care we provide. Whether a person has swallowing difficulties, health restrictions e.g. requires a gluten-free diet, or has a particular diet for religious, spiritual or cultural reasons, we will meet that need.

We also like to know our residents’ food preferences from favourite pudding

to whether they take sugar in their tea. Could I join the team as a volunteer? Yes, please do come and play your part.

How do I book a room at Chestnut Lodge?

Call Graham on 01935 513555 or email him at graham.oakes@camelotcare. co.uk to book a tour of the home.

All our residents are assessed to ensure that we can meet their needs.