LocalReach Wells December 2022 by localcm

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COMMUNITY MAGAZINES Issue No. 78

COMMUNITY – page 4 GARDENING – page 11 KIDS – page 13 PUZZLES – page 14 BOOKS – page 23 RECIPE – page 24 BUSINESS A-Z – page 27

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WELCOME TO LOCALREACH

Are you looking for more visitors to your event or more customers for your business? LocalReach is an excellent way to promote your event or gain more leads for your business. Prices start from only £14+vat per month. We are the ONLY magazine delivered every month to ALL of your postcode area by the ROYAL MAIL. We now deliver 111,130 copies each and every month to ALL homes and businesses to ALL of: Westonsuper-Mare, Worle, Portishead, Burnham on Sea, Glastonbury, Street, Clevedon, Wedmore, Cheddar, Axbridge, Winscombe & Wells. A massive 95% of our advertisers rebook their adverts every month and we don’t hold anyone to a long contract. Readers say they love LocalReach and read it every month cover to cover, they keep it on their coffee table for 3-4 weeks and keep referring back to it, they then recycle LocalReach in the knowledge the new monthly issue will drop through their door. Readers tell us they love LocalReach, trust LocalReach and use the services of the businesses inside. If you are interested in gaining more visitors to your event or more customers for your business go to www.localreach.co.uk for more info or email hello@localreach.co.uk

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COMMUNITY

Cost-of-Living Crisis Appeal. The Somerset Cost-of-Living Crisis Appeal, run by local charity Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), has raised over £100,000 since its launch just over a month ago (correct as at 05/10/2022). The appeal is raising money to fund local charities and community organisations supporting those in most urgent need during the cost-of-living crisis. The charity is now offering grants to local charities and has launched the Warm Somerset Spaces Fund. Charities and community groups across the county offering ‘warm spaces’ to people experiencing fuel poverty this winter are invited to apply for a grant of up to £1,000. Grants will help fund dozens of community spaces over the winter months, helping to keep vulnerable people warm, safe and well.

Wells Rotary. Since 1978, Wells Rotary has offered a free service to

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the blind and partially sighted people of Wells and the surrounding areas. Our volunteers read and record local papers and news publications each week, keeping our readers up-to-date with local news and events. This service is free. We provide an easy-to-use speaker which is delivered personally and time is spent with the listener to explain how the device is used. We then send a weekly USB stick with the week’s recording on and when the listener has finished, they can return the USB stick using the free post envelope provided. Please contact Angela via ac.wellsrotary@gmail.com for more information.

The Portway Annexe. The Portway Annexe is the perfect community venue to host your event. From children’s parties to art classes and conferences to band rehearsals, we have a room to suit any occasion. To find out more about hiring, contact Alex Westwood – Annexe Manager via comms@wells. gov.uk To view our current events, visit: www.wells. gov.uk/portway-annexe---what-s-on-

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COMMUNITY

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

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Live the life you deserve If you thought bathing safely and stylishly wasn’t possible, think again Picture the scene, it’s the end of the day. Your body feels tired and your mind is ready for some downtime. You imagine what it would feel like to climb into a warm, soothing bath and let you cares melt away. Then a niggling doubt takes hold. Last time you had a bath you had to call your partner to help you get out. Maybe it won’t happen this time. So, you run a bath anyway thinking this time you’ll be ok. But can you enjoy your bath with those doubts in your mind? We know that going from a ‘normal’ bathroom to one with mobility aids feels like a step in a direction you don’t want to go. But it depends how you look at it. It’s very common for people only to seek help with their bathroom as a result of a fall, accident or near-miss. Should you wait that long, or are there changes you could make now? Just because you’re adding grab rails or a raised toilet in your bathroom for example, doesn’t mean it will look like a hospital bathroom. You could see it as an opportunity to refresh and update one of the most important rooms of your house. Updating your bathroom with AHM We guide you through the whole process of updating your bathroom. If you’re in immediate need of a solution, we do our best to make it happen quickly. If you prefer taking time to think through the options, that’s fine too. We’re a small, family-run firm with a background in caring and mobility, so we’re flexible and we know what it’s like. We visit customers at home, for free, to get a full understanding of their needs and there’s always a real person at the end of the phone. We don’t employ salesmen. Our experienced surveyors visit you to discuss your needs. We also pride ourselves in employing courteous and trustworthy fitters to install every bathroom. We use specialist bathing products which come with a manufacturer’s warranty, plus our own 12-month installation warranty. If you’re ready to seek help with your bathroom, call us on 01749 467136.

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Sock it to Them

LOCALREACH

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A Trusted daily phoneCall call text service Lara or on 07399 617711 giving you peace of mind trustbyphone.com Living on your own can be scary and TRUST BY PHONE is here for you offering you a personalised call and text service tailored to your needs. • Daily phone call/text to check-in with you • Non automated, your always talking direct to an actual person who cares • Fail-Safe service • Tailored to your needs • Can be altered at anytime As a child growing up in the Seventies, I thought socks were the most boring Christmas gift possible until the year my Aunty Glenda bought me a rainbow-striped over-the-knee pair with individual toes. She was the coolest aunt and they were the coolest socks. I was the envy of my friends and my obsession with socks began. Socks are actually the perfect Christmas gift. They are great for stocking fillers, brilliant for Secret Santa, and just the thing for those awkward relatives and friends.

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COMMUNITY

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Housing Growth in Historic Cities. The City of Wells has played a key part in a national research project looking at housing growth in historic cities. Following extensive research, the final report “Towards a better balance between heritage and growth” has been launched. Chair of Wells Civic Society, Chris Winter, who is a founding member of the Alliance of Historic Cathedral Cities and Towns (ACT) said: “I was delighted that Wells was chosen as the pilot case study for this important work. Like so many civic societies, in Wells we strive to protect the heritage, but also appreciate the need for additional housing. It is possible that with good planning and design and an appreciation of what makes a place special, a balance can be achieved…” The full report can be seen on the website. Please contact chair@wellscivicsociety.org.uk or see www. wellscivicsociety.org.uk for further details.

planting snowdrop bulbs in 2015. Planting has taken place each year ever since, even during Covid. In total, almost 400,000 snowdrop bulbs have been planted in the last seven years, visible each February as magnificent swathes of delicate white flowers on verges, roundabouts and community spaces across the town. The programme for the 2023 Snowdrop Festival in February is now complete. Please visit www.sheptonsnowdrops.org.uk/ for more information.

Friday 2nd December – Sunday 4th December 10.30am – 4.30pm (Sunday 11.30am – 4.30pm) – Crib Festival, St. Cuthbert’s Church, Wells.

Shepton Snowdrops. 50,000 new snowdrops planted! Thanks to the hard work of a great bunch of volunteers, Shepton Mallet Horticultural Society began

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Come along and experience the wonderful Christmas story. Crib sets that have been gathered from around the world will be on display. Bring your own set to the Church on Thursday 1st December and it will be part of this spectacular festival. Write your details on a card and a little about your treasured set. The Church will be adorned in colour, stars and angels and seasonal refreshments are available. Raffle, craft stalls and dressing up for children. The festival will help to support the food bank as a donation will be given to bring some joy at Christmas time to those in need. Entry £2.50. Children free. Re-entry free. For further details, please ring the Church office 01749 676906.

Saturday 3rd December 10.00am12.00pm – Labour Party Coffee Morning, Portway Annexe, Wells. Please join us for tea, coffee and/or cake, see a presentation and participate in interesting conversations. Our speaker this time will be Andy Merryfield, a wellknown Wells community and Labour activist. He will introduce ‘The Spirit Level - Why Equality is Better for Everyone’ a ground-breaking book which highlights inequality as the key determinant in almost every aspect of life. Members and non-members equally welcome.

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

Rising Cost of Living With the cost of living crisis starting to bite and with the cold weather fast approaching it is understandable than many homeowners are looking at their finances and seeing how they can best manage when everything seems more expensive. The average interest rate on a five-year fixed rate mortgage has now reached 6.02% for the first time in 12 years, a level not seen since February 2010 according to Moneyfacts service. So what can you do? If you are on a standard variable rate then you can remortgage to a fixed rate, if you are planning to stay in your home that way you will have guaranteed monthly payments you can budget for rather than monthly payments changing in line with the base rate. If you are currently tied into a fixed rate and have other outstanding debt then you could look into a second charge mortgage previously known as a secured loan. With a second charge mortgage you can consolidate existing debt into one monthly payment over a fixed term. This way you can reduce your outgoings and have one monthly payment. A second charge mortgage lender will ‘sit’ behind your current lender, you can borrow up to 100% of the value in your home and the funds can be used for almost any purpose, consolidating debt, releasing equity, home improvements.

Representative Example Borrowing of £40,000, plus £1,095 lender fee, totalling £41,095, over 200 months on a variable product with an initial borrowing rate of 7.3%. There would be 200 monthly instalments of £377.77. Total amount payable £71,249, made up of: Mortgage Amount £40,000, Interest £30,059, Lender fee £1,095, Exit Fee £95. Overall cost for comparison purposes 8.0% APRC. Please be advised that any interest rate fluctuations, during the life of the mortgage contract, will affect the total amount repayable. *Rates correct at time or writing. Think carefully before securing other debts against your home. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or any other debt secured on it. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help reduce your monthly outgoings into one affordable monthly payment on 01275 244360.

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COMMUNITY

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Wishing you a very pretty sitting Christmas…

Saturday 3rd December 7.00pm - Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society: Handel’s Messiah, Wells Cathedral.

At Pretty Sitting we are getting ready for Christmas. My family has always loved making our own decorations and presents. It’s an important part of the annual festive traditions for us. So, we carry this love of everything handmade into our shop at this time of the year. As well as fabric gifts direct from our Tweentown workshop we also stock ethically sourced products from Nkuku, Weaver Green, Botanical Candle Co and Ruby Cubes; handmade Persian rugs and Scottish wool blankets and throws. Lots of Pretty things for your home…

Welcome in the festive season with this beautiful telling of the Christmas story – Handel’s Messiah. Wells Cathedral Oratorio Society (a registered charity) are delighted to welcome back the Music for Awhile orchestra, with their leader Maggie Faultless, and a line-up of world-class soloists for their annual performance of this great work. For tickets, please visit www.wcos.org.uk

And, this year, our Bath Street shop is staying open until 6pm for those last minute gifts on Tuesday 20th , Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd December. Why not drop by for a browse and enjoy a complimentary glass of bubbly with us. The workshop will be closing between Friday 23rd Dec and reopening on Tuesday 3rd January. Bath Street will be closed until 10th January, but if you’ve got a project that you’d like us to help you with just visit our workshop for a chat. Our lovely handmade products can also be found on our website shop at www.prettysittingvintage.co.uk

Wishing everyone a very happy Christmas from Jill, Molly and the Pretty Sitting team!

Pretty Sitting UPHOLSTERY BESPOKE CURTAINS SOFT FURNISHINGS BLINDS HOMEWARES FURNITURE CLASSES

Sunday 4th December 1.00pm for 2.00pm – RNLI Reindeer Run, Winscombe Cricket Club Car Park. The Branch is organising its first ever ‘Reindeer Run’ on Sunday 4th December that will be open to everyone that wishes to run, stroll or walk and support the RNLI. To take part please register in advance on the RNLI Winscombe Branch Facebook page www.facebook.com/groups/831976350849360 To contact the local organiser, please email tim@ moransonline.com

Monday 5th December 11.00am-11.45am - Trio Paradis Winter Wonderland, St. Thomas’ Church. Monthly café concert. Seasonal favourites with a snowy theme! Pop up café starts at 10.30am. Free entry with retiring collection. Please visit www. trioparadis.com for more details.

Monday 5th & Friday 16th December Globe Carnival Christmas Bingos Monday 5th December: Croscombe Village Hall. Friday 16th December: St Thomas Church hall. Wells. Doors open at 6.45pm and eyes down at 7.30pm. No need to book just turn up on the night. Upholstery & Interiors Tweentown, Cheddar BS27 3HU

Curtains & Soft Furnishings Bath Street, Cheddar BS27 3AA

01934 752725 Info@prettysittingvintage.co.uk Shop online at www.prettysittingvintage.co.uk 10 | www.localreach.co.uk

Monday 5th December 7.00pm - Wells Fountain Poets, The King’s Head, Wells. Our featured poet will be Isabel White, director of multi-media performance company Alarms and Excursions. Open-mic slots available. Suggested donation £3.

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GARDENING

Garden View… This month - Magical Poinsettias

In the UK, poinsettias have become as entwined with Christmas as holly and mistletoe. Yet poinsettias are actually sub-tropical plants, native to Central America and Mexico, requiring temperatures of between 10 and 21 degrees centigrade to survive. The bright red ‘flowers’ are really bracts, surrounding the real flowers, which are tiny and insignificant. They are notoriously difficult to persuade to flower again so it is with some pride that I tell you my current poinsettia is seven years old, huge, and flowers every year.

One year Pepita’s family had no money at all to buy such a gift so it was with a sad heart that Pepita walked to the church that Christmas Eve and as they drew closer she began to weep. “Little Pepita, why do you cry?” asked her older brother Pablo. “Because I have no gift for the Christ child,” she answered. “Oh Pepita, even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be accepted by him,” said Pablo, comforting her. Pepita considered this for a while then gathered a handful of weeds from the roadside verge and fashioned them into a small posy. But as she entered the church her heart felt heavier than before. With her head bowed she approached the altar and knelt to lay her posy before the manger. Suddenly the tiny bouquet burst into blooms of brilliant red starry flowers and all who saw them were sure they had witnessed a Christmas miracle. The flowers are known as Flores de Noche Buena in Mexico which translates as Flowers of the Holy Night. Happy Christmas, By Rachael Leverton

If you want to try this, fertilize the plant once a month then cut back the stems in February to promote new growth. In May repot it to a larger container. From late September to 1st December cover the plant between 6pm and 8am as poinsettias need long periods of darkness in order to persuade the bracts to turn red. Around December 1st you should have a beautiful flowering poinsettia. But if this sounds too much like hard work...well, you can always buy another one! As it’s the festive season I thought I’d finish with a traditional Christmas story, explaining how the poinsettia came to be associated with this time of year. If you buy a poinsettia for someone this year it might be nice to tell them the story when you give them the plant: In Mexico, there once lived a little girl called Pepita who came from a very poor family. Every year, she and her brother Pablo looked forward to the big Christmas festival in their village. A manger scene would be set up in the church and the days before Christmas were filled with parades and parties. On Christmas Eve the whole village would attend church and all the children would place a gift for the baby Jesus next to the manger.

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COMMUNITY MAGAZINES

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COMMUNITY

Wednesday 7th December 10.00am4.00pm - Winter Wednesday, Wells Town Hall. Over 60 stalls across 2 floors. With gifts and treats for you and your loved ones. Gallery café too.

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songs and sea shanties in aid of the Ukraine War Appeal. Join us for an evening of wonderful songs and rousing choruses. Enjoy a glass of mulled wine, or coffee and cake (donations) in this stunning venue to get you in the Christmas spirit and raise much needed money for the people of Ukraine. Tickets in advance only for £5.00.

Wednesday 7th December 11.00am12.00pm – Beat Surgery, Wells Library.

For tickets and further info. contact: Issy Emeney issy@emeney.com. 01934 741551 James Barattini winscombe.folk@gmail.com 07703 538861.

Drop in and speak to a member of Wells City Neighbourhood Policing Team. Whether you want advice on how to protect your belongings, more information about the work we are doing in your area, or you want to raise a concern about an issue in your community, your Neighbourhood Policing team will be on hand to help.

Saturday 10th December 7.30pm The Chorus of Disapproval Christmas Concert, St. Thomas Church, Wells.

Saturday 10th December Doors Open 6.30pm, Concert 7.00pm-10.00pm – A Festive Evening of Folk Songs for Ukraine, Cheddar Baptist Church Mendip Folk Choir and shanty group High & Dry are joining forces to put on an evening of seasonal folk

Christmas Jumper Day! Thursday 8th December 2022 is Save the Children’s Christmas Jumper Day!

The charity Save the Children started Christmas Jumper Day in 2012. Every year since then, millions of people don gaudy festive knitwear in their school or office and donate £2 to a good cause. The Christmas jumper has grown in popularity, going from ‘hideously misjudged gift’ status to a desirable festive fashion statement. Some 12 million Christmas jumpers are sold in the UK in the run up to Christmas every year. With the rise of consumer advertising in the fifties and sixties, jumpers had always featured heavily in Christmas adverts. The models’ usual suits 12 | www.localreach.co.uk

Our annual Christmas concert this December celebrates the choir’s tenth anniversary. The community-based choir have sung some very challenging and eclectic pieces, including works by Handel, Britten, Vivaldi, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Abba, The Who, Martha and the Vandellas, the Temptations as well as tackling British Folk, American Folk, Irish Folk, Medieval Carols and Irving Berlin show tunes! Tickets are available on the door. and dresses were replaced with cosy knitwear to encourage consumers to buy seasonal goods. These were more conventional woollies though. As Christmas became ever more commercial, ‘novelty’ jumpers appeared decorated with snowmen, snowflakes, Santas, and popular cartoon characters dressed in festive attire. In the film Bridget Jones’s Diary, Colin Firth’s character sported a classic ‘ugly’ Christmas jumper with a giant reindeer’s head emblazoned on the front, and the ugly Christmas jumper entered British consciousness. Almost everyone from celebrities to politicians own at least one item of silly feastive knitwear. There’s a Christmas jumper to suit every taste, from ‘techno-knits’ covered in fairy lights, which connect to your phone and play musical clips, to jumpers bearing whimsical dachshunds in Santa hats, through to elegantly beautiful sparkly numbers that wouldn’t look out of place at a cocktail event. Pull on your Christmas pullover on December 8th and help raise money for a good cause. By Sarah Davey

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KIDS’ PAGE

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LOCAL HISTORY PUZZLES

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Crossword

Across 2 Santa’s helpers (5) 5 _____ Christmas! (5) 6 _____ ____ fairy (5,4) 8 Frozen rain (4) 9 Circular decoration (6) 12 Santa’s means of entry (7) 13 Tree decoration (6) 16 Striped sweet (5,4) 19 Tree topper (4) 20 Film starring Martin Freeman (8) 21 Santa’s lead reindeer (7) 22 Kris _______ (7) 23 Dr Seuss’s green Christmas villain (6) 24 Little _______ Boy (7) Down 1 ______ Bells (6) 2 Traditional dairy drink (6) 3 Charles Dickens’ anti-hero (7) 4 The Holly and the ___ (3) 5 You might get a kiss under this (9) 7 Three Kings Day (8) 10 A girl’s festive name (5) 11 The Christmas ballet (10) 14 Used to build festive houses (11) 15 Famous snowman (6) 16 Christmas song (5) 17 Where Santa lives (5,4) 18 Santa’s transport system (6) 19 Hung over the fireplace or at the end of the bed (8)

Word Search

Mindbenders

apples brie broccoli carrots cheddar chocolates crackers

crisps grapes gravy ham mince pies mints nut roast

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olives parsnips red cabbage roast potatoes sausage rolls sprouts stilton

stuffing tangerines trifle turkey

Solutions: Turn to page 26

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LOCALREACH

All Change for Christmas

Things we missed about Christmas last year:

Things are different now

Singing in the church carol service (my husband) Ice skating (everyone) Going to see The Nutcracker (ballet-mad ten-yearold) Attending the Christmas lights switch-on (everyone) Family tobogganing night in the snow dome (everyone) New things we’d like to try this year: Go to a local stately home to see the lights (everyone) Go to a German market (husband and me) Make a gingerbread house! (the kids)

I spent Christmas 2019 working hospital shifts until Christmas Eve. Using logistical planning worthy of the British military I shopped, attended two concerts and a Nativity play in three different schools (on the same day of course), bought and wrapped gifts, decorated the house, attended two work parties, entertained my extended family, offended my mother over our choice of food, and my aunty over allowing our 17-year-old to have a beer, and I cried myself to sleep on Christmas Night.

We’re still hosting immediate family for a couple of days between Christmas and New Year, and extended family are invited to visit for one of those days. Not everyone is happy about this state of affairs but I’m not going back to the pre-2020 madness of festive martyrdom, trying to be all things to all people and stressing over whether everyone else’s Christmas is perfect at the expense of my sanity.

I spent Christmas 2020 working on the front line in COVID care. My family celebrated the day without me or a turkey and I cried myself to sleep on Christmas Night.

If Covid showed us anything, it’s that life is precious, fragile, and unpredictable. It forced us to make decisions about who we wanted to spend our time and energy on. The pandemic was a catalyst for change for our family, and I suspect it might be the same for other folk too.

Last year, in early December, while discussing how much of a ‘normal’ Christmas might be possible, my husband announced, ‘I don’t want to go back to normal Christmases.’ And suddenly I loved him more than ever. Last year we kept Christmas small, just us and the kids and a small twinkly tree. We ate chocolate for breakfast, played board games, went for a walk, watched a film, ate my husband’s amazing sticky Chinese chicken wings for lunch, read books, played cards, then ate Christmas pudding for supper followed by marshmallows toasted on the fire...I relaxed completely and shed no tears. This year I asked what everyone wanted to do. The consensus was that last year was great but there were some aspects of our previous Christmases that my kids and my husband missed. So, we took the chance to recalibrate the festive season, and this is what they came up with. Things we loved about Christmas last year: NO HOUSE GUESTS (everyone) Playing board games (everyone) Toasting marshmallows (the kids) Long walk (me and husband)

Will Christmas ever be the same? I don’t know, but different doesn’t mean worse. We can make new traditions that are more personal and meaningful than before and may even look back and wonder why we didn’t shake things up earlier. Merry Christmas, By Tania Brown

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Saturday 10th December 7.30pm - Pete Knight (Steeleye Span) and John Spiers (Bellowhead) Duo. Two legendary folk musicians team up for an evening of improvisation and invention. Don’t miss this rare chance to engage with Britain’s folk music heritage and its beautiful, mysterious tunes in the hands of these uniquely gifted musicians. Tickets £20 tickets.cedarshallwells.co.uk/events/41533/ pete-knight-steeleye-span-and-john-spiersbellowhead-duo

Monday 12th December 10.30am11.00am - Tai Chi for Health, Wells Library. Experience the gentle flowing movements of Tai Chi and treat your whole body to a gentle and relaxing workout. Say goodbye to sweating, puffing and panting and say hello to feeling cool, calm, refreshed and energised.

Wednesday 14th December 10.00am4.00pm - Christmas Cracker, Wells Town Hall. Over 60 stalls across 2 floors. With gifts and treats

for you and your loved ones. Gallery café too.

Wednesday 14th December 7.00pm9.30pm - Wells Board Game Group The Quarter Jack, Priory Road, Wells.

Saturday 17th December 9.00am3.00pm – Christmas in Wells, Market Place and Bishop’s Palace Green, Wells. The Christmas market returns to Wells for the festive season! Up to 100 stalls are expected. Visitors will be treated with seasonal gifts and local food and drink in the beautiful city centre and can embrace the holiday season with live music and entertainment to enjoy.

Saturday 17th December 10.00am4.00pm – Holly Jolly Christmas, Wells Town Hall. With fabulous suppliers for all of your Christmas shopping needs.

Western Fuel are suppliers of Home Heating Oil and as your local Somerset, family run supplier, can offer you a fast and reliable service at competitive prices.

• Heating Oils • Lubricants

• Boiler Servicing • Fuel Cards

T: 01278 431451 16 | www.localreach.co.uk

• Automatic Top-Ups • Tank Replacements

W: westernfuel.co.uk

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The Twelve Days of Gleaming! On the first day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the second day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Two Clean Roasting Tins and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the third day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: 3 New Oven Liners, Two Clean Roasting Tins and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the fourth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Four Gleaming Glass Doors, 3 New Oven Liners…and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the fifth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Five Sparkling Racks, Four Gleaming Glass Doors…and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the sixth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Six Shiny New Bulbs, Five Sparkling Racks… and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the seventh day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Seven Seals Degreased, Six Shiny New Bulbs …. and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers

On the eighth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Eight Hinges Gliding, Seven Seals Degreased ...and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the ninth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Nine Fan Blades Spinning, Eight Hinges Gliding…and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the tenth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Ten Shiny Oven Walls, Nine Fan Blades Spinning …and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the eleventh day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: Eleven Cooker Knobs Turning, Ten Shiny Oven Walls …and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers On the twelfth day of Gleaming my true love sent to me: 12 HOURS CLEANING SAVED, Eleven Cooker Knobs Turning …and A Gleaming Cooker cleaned by OvenGleamers!!

Call Dean at OvenGleamers TODAY on 01749 705059. and get yours gleamed!

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01749 600387

centralroofing@gmx.com www.centralroofing-sw.co.uk

HIGHEST RATED ROOFER IN SOMERSET! (32

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GRP • FIBRE GLASS • FLAT ROOFING FLAT ROOFING FIBRE GLASS FLAT ROOFS OUR CHIMNEY REPAIRS SERVICES DRONE INSPECTIONS CONSERVATORY & UPVC FASCIAS INCLUDE: PITCH ROOFING GARAGE ROOFING ASBESTOS REMOVAL GUTTERS

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We used Central Roofing to take down an old flat roof and install another on our business premises at Knight Brothers Garage. The company was very reliable, they turned up when they said they would, the guys that did the work were very tidy and efficient. The work was completed in the time frame they set…we are more than pleased with the finished job. Karen Anderson

SOFFITS

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Central Partnership Ltd, The Exchange, Express Park, Bridgwater. TA64RR

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Saturday 17th December 12.15pm for 12.45pm – Royal Air Forces MidSomerset Branch Christmas Lunch, Wells Golf Club. Members will assemble for drinks in the bar prior to a traditional Christmas three course lunch. Full details, menu and costs will be published shortly on the Branch website branch.rafa.org.uk/mid-somerset/

Wednesday 21st December 10.00am4.00pm – Blitzen’s Bazaar, Wells Town Hall. Over 60 stalls across 2 floors. With gifts and treats for you and your loved ones. Gallery café too.

Wednesday 21st December 4.30pm – Tree of Light, Bishop’s Palace, Wells. This is an opportunity for members of the local community to sponsor a star in memory of a ‘Loved One’ and reflect on their lives. A star decoration with your ‘Loved One’s’ name will be hung on the tree and your ‘Loved One’s’ name listed. The Bishop’s Palace Pastor, Rosey Lunn, has very kindly agreed to give the dedication, during which the names of all the ‘Loved Ones’ will be read out. Application forms are available at The Bishop’s Palace ticket office and Wells Tourist Information Office, where donations can also be left. Please email Alan or Ian via cityofwellslions@gmail.com for more information.

Wednesday 7th and Wednesday 14th December 7.30pm-9.30pm - Wells Folk Dance Club, Dinder Village Hall. All levels of experience is welcome at this friendly and fun club! The annual membership fee is £7; the weekly fee is £3.50 for members and £4 for visitors, which includes light refreshment. Prospective members - first evening free! For any enquiries, please contact Pat Watkins on 01749 674920.

Every Thursday 2.30pm-3.30pm Flexercise with Age UK Somerset, Glastonbury Methodist Church. Keep active this winter with Flexercise sessions. Specially designed for people over 60,

COMMUNITY

this chair-based session uses fun props to get you moving (and laughing) in a relaxed, informal way. Bookings are advised. If you can’t get out and about, try one of our online exercise sessions from the comfort of your own home. For more information or to book your place contact 01823 345624 Email: ageingwell@ageuksomerset.org.uk Visit: www.ageuk.org.uk/somerset/activities-andevents/ageing-well-classes-timetable/

Every Thursday 6.45pm for a 7.00pm start - Wells City Bridge Club, St Thomas’ Church Hall, Wells. Now we are able to meet socially again, we are ready to welcome new members. We have a reputation for being a very friendly club and we welcome the less experienced players as well as those of a good standard. For more information, please phone the Chair on 01749 939879 or the Secretary on 01749 675108 or take a look at our website: www.bridgewebs.com/ wells

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COMMUNITY

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Every Thursday, 8.00pm-10.00pm - Irish Set Dancing, Dinder Village Hall. £3 including refreshments. Beginners welcome, no partner needed. Come and join the fun! For more details, please contact Mary on Tremewan1@gmail. com or 07958 563710 or just turn up!

Whatever the weather, Mendip Ramblers will be out in December across the Mendip area. If we’re lucky there will be bright sunny skies…or maybe not! Walking is good for us and you don’t have to tackle long distances. Please take a look at our website to see what is on offer, you don’t have to be a rambler, everyone is welcome. See www. mendipramblers.co.uk for more details or contact Elaine Dadley.

Prickles Hedgehog Rescue Prickles Hedgehog Rescue of Cheddar is looking for volunteers. Prickles is now caring for over 50

From

£895

for a fully fitted electric garage door.

hedgehogs and we are looking for adult volunteers who have spare time for either cleaning out the hedgehogs from 9.00am-12.00pm or feeding the hedgehogs from 4.00pm-5.00pm. Full training will be given and you will be part of a team that is overseen by our friendly Duty Managers. If you feel you can help, please give us a call on 07806 744772.

Wells Scottish Dancers Dance into the New Year with our friendly Scottish Country Dancing Group. Beginning on January 12th, this new group will meet on Thursday evenings from 6.30 to 9.00 at The Portway Annexe, Wells. All ages (over 18) welcome. No experience necessary. No partner needed. However, a reasonable level of mobility is required for this lively and sociable activity. To learn more about Scottish Dancing or to register your interest in joining us, call Ann on 01934 740065 or email ann.wellsdancers@gmail.com

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.

Give us a call today and we’ll come and measure up FREE of charge.

CALL US TODAY ON:

01749 380 056 MOBILE:

07537 149 128 *Offer valid for openings up to 2.4m wide & including 2 remote controls, 55mm white slats, internal manual override.

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

Are your stairs a struggle? Enjoy independence in your home… Do I need a Stairlift? – If you have difficulty getting up and down stairs you are not alone. The decision to install a stairlift is sometimes a difficult one to take but, when compared with the alternative of moving or living on only one level of their home, many people have found a stairlift to be their preferred solution. Why choose us? – Suttons Stairlifts aim to provide a reliable and prompt service to their valued customers. Thanks to personal recommendations from satisfied customers referring us to their friends and relations Suttons Stairlifts is now a wellestablished company committed to providing expert advice with a no-pressure selling policy, guaranteed! Our Products and Services – We offer a range of new or refurbished Handicare stairlifts for either straight or curved stairs throughout the West Country, from Bath & Bristol right down to South Devon. We also offer a rental option for straight stairlifts as well as annual services and safety checks, repairs and removals. What happens next? – We will visit you to survey the staircase and conduct a user assessment leaving you the leaflets and prices so you can make the decision in your own time. Once you’ve made your decision we aim to install your lift within the week, or even the next day subject to availability. With our comprehensive 12 or 24 month warranty and 365 day coverage you can be assured of a firstclass and personal service from Suttons Stairlifts. Call us on 01749 346 900 for more information.

STAIRLIFTS NEW from £1,495 RECONDITIONED from £949 RENTAL from £55 per month

01749 346 900

www.suttonsstairlifts.co.uk

The Works, Shepton Mallet, Somerset. BA4 5DX www.localreach.co.uk | 21

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

Creating Calm If you know a child or young person struggling with big feelings, stressful situations, or other life challenges, then therapy, or counselling, can really help them. There are lots of reasons they might come for therapy and generally, the answer is, ‘Yes, I can help.’ I work with children and young people experiencing a huge range of concerns including: • abuse • bereavement • self-esteem and self-image • anger and frustration • family issues • self-harm and ED • anxiety • fears and phobias • trauma and PTSD • ASD, ADHD and PANDAS • OCD, TS, ODD and PDA • and more… • attachment • school issues and school refusal

I support children and young people, aged 5 to 18, with Creative Arts Therapy and Counselling, Play Therapy and TraumaPlay. I generally work 1:1 with clients, but I will often work supporting the family too. I offer parents, carers, and other professionals individualised support, Parents as Partners sessions, and Lego Serious Play. I also run courses for parents and carers, so if you might be interested, please get in touch. I am a Clinical Supervisor who works creatively, and I have availability to supervise other therapists, teachers, social workers, medical staff, and other professionals face to face at my studio and also over Zoom. You can find me, along with Orca my therapy dog, in my private studio based in Wells. It’s within easy access of the town centre and has plenty of parking.

DoIf I you need help for a child or can help someone you know, or you would like to know more about how I work, please get in touch by sending me an email to hello@creatingcalm.co.uk. You can also find out more at young person that you know? www.creatingcalm.co.uk. I'm a local therapist, based in Wells, who supports children, young people and their families to help them manage big feelings, Supporting children and young to stressful situations and other lifepeople challenges.

Do you need help for a child or young person that you know?

Do you need help for a child or

help them manage big feelings, stressful situations and other challenges young person thatlifeyou know?

Elaine Hutchinson Working together with families and www.creatingcalm.co.uk I'm a local based intoWells, who those whotherapist, support children look after hello@creatingcalm.co.uk supports children, as young and their themselves well people as others families to help them manage big feelings, 01749 599066

stressful situations and other life challenges. Elaine Hutchinson

www.creatingcalm.co.uk | Autplay | trauma play hello@creatingcalm.co.uk Elaine Hutchinson sand tray therapy | emotional Logic coaching | tele-therapy 01749www.creatingcalm.co.uk 599066 or 07512 749504 creative art and Play therapy

hello@creatingcalm.co.uk 01749 599066

| Autplay | trauma play sand tray therapy | emotional Logic coaching | tele-therapy creative art and Play therapy

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BOOK REVIEW

A Good Read

A Boy Called Christmas One Day in December by Josie Silver

It’s the time of year for a feel-good romantic novel, one that can be enjoyed curled up under a blanket with a nutmeg-spiced hot chocolate. Laurie is unlucky in love and stuck in a career rut. One day she is sitting on a bus when she spots a man reading at the bus stop. He looks up, their eyes meet and somewhere there is a spark. Laurie can’t stop thinking about him, wondering if they will ever meet. Her best friend and roommate Sarah is Laurie’s opposite. She introduces Jack, her new boyfriend to Laurie, anxious that they will hit it off except... her boyfriend is the man from the bus, the guy that Laurie has been dreaming about. No surprises here...classic romantic chick-lit so far. Cue heartbreak and hiccups, and the quest not to hurt a friend while pursuing your own ‘happily ever after’. But this novel actually spans a decade (unusual for a romance) of friendship, fate, unrequited feelings, forgiveness, heartache, and love. It’s not a typical love story...there’s good character development. It’s told both from Laurie and Jack’s perspectives, with the reader privy to their thoughts and feelings. It has all the nostalgia (and a few of the cliches) of a Richard Curtis film, but the trio of central characters clearly care deeply about each other. Their friendship feels genuine, which in turn makes us care about them and gives the story its heart. If this book doesn’t get made into a film at some point, I’ll be surprised.

by Matt Haig, illustrated by Chris Mould This enthralling tale tells the story of Father Christmas as a boy. It’s touching, funny and packed with memorable characters Nikolas and his lumberjack father Joel are poor. Miika (a mouse) is his Nikolas’ only friend. In his whole life Nikolas has only received two Christmas presents: a sleigh and a turnip doll. Then Anders the Hunter comes to recruit Joel to work on a mission for the King. If they can prove the existence of Elves they will be rewarded handsomely. Keen to improve their circumstances, Joel heads off, leaving Nikolas to be looked after by his horrible Aunt Carlotta. When Joel doesn’t return Nikolas begins to worry and eventually sets out with Miika on the long and treacherous journey to find his father. Along the way there is Elf Village, a kidnapped elf, a naughty Truth Pixie that likes to watch people’s heads explode, and an unpleasant Troll named Sebastian. There is also of course, a flying reindeer. Haig does not disappoint with the ending, explaining how Nikolas finally finds his purpose, by becoming Father Christmas. A Boy Called Christmas is the perfect festive story to read to children on the run-up to Christmas. As a bonus it is beautifully illustrated by Chris Mould. One you will return to each Christmas. By Tash Donovan

www.localreach.co.uk | 23

RECIPE

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Festive Terrine A delicious and easy terrine that looks impressive but is easy to adapt to ingredients you have available

Ingredients: 1 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra to brush 1 onion, finely chopped 2 tbsp. brandy, (optional) 12 rashers smoked streaky bacon (optional) 2 skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces (about 1cm) 500g minced pork or turkey. 50g frozen peas OR 50g roughly chopped pistachios OR 50g chopped walnuts 50g dried cranberries OR 50g chopped dried apricots OR 50g chopped dried prunes ¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg leaves from two sprigs of fresh thyme. Plenty of seasoning. Method: Cook the onion gently for 10 minutes until softened and translucent. Pour in the brandy if using and cook for 30 seconds. Empty the onions into a large bowl and allow to cool.

Serves: 8 Preparation time: 30 mins Cooking time: 2 hours plus chilling time

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Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas mark 4. If using the bacon, line a 2lb loaf tin with 10 of the rashers making sure you leave part of the rashers hanging over the edge of the tin. To the cooled onion in the bowl, add the chopped chicken, minced pork or turkey, and the rest of the chosen ingredients, with the thyme leaves, nutmeg, and a generous amount of seasoning. Mix thoroughly. Press the resulting mixture into the loaf tin, levelling off the surface. If you’re using bacon fold the overhanging rashers over the filling. Fold any overhanging bacon over the filling and cover with the remaining rashers. Press down again. Cover the top with a lightly oiled sheet of cooking foil and press this down on top of the loaf tin. Then wrap the tin securely in a double layer of foil and place put into a roasting tin. Boil the kettle then half-fill the roasting tin with boiling water and carefully transfer to the oven. Cook for 90 minutes until the terrine feels solid when the top is pressed. Lift tin out of the water, remove the outer layers of foil, leaving only the greased foil layer in place. Then carefully pour out any liquid from the terrine to prevent it setting as jelly. Leave to cool. Place a weight on top of the foil layer (tins of beans or even a house brick will do) and chill overnight. Remove the terrine from the fridge and release it from the tin a couple of hours before serving, to allow it to come to room temperature. Slice and serve with chutneys, and warm crusty bread.

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LOCAL EXPERT PAGE

New VAT regime For VAT periods starting on or after 1 January 2023, a new penalty and interest regime will be rolled out for late filing and late payment of VAT. Late VAT submissions The new penalty system will work on a points based system where one late submission point is allocated for every late VAT Return submission. Once you’re over your limit for late submissions, you’re charged a £200 penalty. An extra £200 penalty is charged for every late submission after that. The points threshold varies according to how often you submit your VAT Return. Submission frequency Annual Quarterly Monthly

Penalty points threshold 2 4 5

Period of compliance 24 months 12 months 6 months

The good news is that you will be able to reset your points back to zero if you submit your returns on or before the due date for your period of compliance and make sure all outstanding returns due for the previous 24 months have been received by HMRC. Late VAT payments The late payment penalties you will receive are:

Up to 15 days late - no penalty if you pay the VAT you owe in full or agree a payment plan on or between days 1 and 15. Between 16 and 30 days late - a first penalty calculated at 2% on the VAT you owe at day 15 if you pay in full or agree a payment plan on or between days 16 and 30. 31 days or more late - a first penalty calculated at 2% on the VAT you owe at day 15 plus 2% on the VAT you owe at day 30. You will receive a second penalty calculated at a daily rate of 4% per year for the duration of the outstanding balance, which is calculated when the outstanding balance is paid in full or a payment plan is agreed. Late payment interest HMRC will charge late payment interest (calculated at the Bank of England base rate plus 2.5%) from the day payment is due to the day payment is made in full. Introduction of repayment interest HMRC will pay repayment interest (calculated at the Bank of England base rate minus 1%, subject to a minimum rate of 0.5%) on any VAT that you are owed, calculated from the day after the due date or the date of submission (whichever is later) and until the day HMRC pays you the amount due, to you, in full. Need help, give us a call.

YOUR LOCAL CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT AND TAX ADVISERS Audits & Accounts Bookkeeping & Payroll Company Secretary Business Start-Ups Tax Services VAT Returns & Registration Sage & QuickBooks Training With over 30 years’ industry experience you can rely on Bishop Jones for the highest levels of expertise. For a quotation, contact us today!

01749 678 307

enquiries@bishopjones.co.uk www.bishopjones.co.uk

Mill Street Business Centre 55a High Street, Wells. BA5 2AE

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LOCALREACH

Gingerbread Run, run, fast as you can, You can’t catch me, I’m the gingerbread man!

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Ginger root originally came to Europe via the Silk Road, which was an ancient trade route, and in the Middle Ages it was used for medicinal purposes and in the preserving of meats. By the late Middle Ages, Europeans had begun to bake sweet gingerbread biscuits. These were shaped like animals, kings, and queens, and were sometimes gilded with gold leaf. They were a staple at Medieval fairs across Europe, particularly in England, France, Holland, and Germany. Queen Elizabeth I is even said to have had some made to resemble the dignitaries visiting her court. So popular was gingerbread that the fairs became known as Gingerbread Fairs, and the gingerbread biscuits were named ‘fairings.’ As the fairs took place throughout the year the shapes of the gingerbread changed with the seasons: flowers in the spring and leaves in the autumn.

Who hasn’t eaten a festive gingerbread man? You may even have attempted to make a gingerbread house. Gingerbread is strongly associated with Christmas but how did that happen?

Puzzle Solutions

The gingerbread houses we know today originated in Germany during the 16th century. Bakers created elaborate buildings were decorated with foil and white icing in addition to gold leaf. The Brothers Grimm penned the story of Hansel and Gretel, who discover a house made entirely of sweet treats, deep in the forest, but it’s unclear whether the popularity of gingerbread houses were a result of the fairy tale, or whether the fairy tale borrowed from an already established tradition. Quite why gingerbread became associated with Christmas is also unclear but is probably due to a number of factors. Christmas markets were big ‘whole town’ events, and gingerbread is easy to make, and keeps well, so it’s ideal for selling on a stall. It’s likely that the combination of white icing and foil decoration was easily adaptable to create miniature snow-covered dwellings which provided pretty centrepieces for the festive dinner tables of middle-class households. The longevity and structural integrity of gingerbread also lends itself well to creating edible decorations for hanging on trees or giving as gifts. Historically diets of ordinary people were simple and bland because sugar was an expensive luxury. People could only afford to splash out on ingredients for cakes, biscuits, and sweets occasionally, and Christmas was the time when even less well-off people spent a little extra on fancy food and drink.

Mindbender: 1: Three wise men 2: Holy night 3: Naughty list 26 | www.localreach.co.uk

Whatever its history, gingerbread is now firmly entwined with the festive season, from sweet little gingerbread reindeer to gingerbread lattes, the sight, smell, and taste of gingerbread is synonymous with Christmas. By Sarah Davey

LOCAL BUSINESS A – Z

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01749 605381 BATHROOM FITTERS

BMT BATHROOM FITTERS TOTAL REFITS • WET ROOMS SHOWERS • TOILETS

General Builders & Property Maintenance For all your building needs

Extensions - Driveways - Window Fitting - Roofing - Fencing Stone/Brick Walling - Patios - Decking - Pointing - Renovations Kitchen Fitting - Wood & Tile Floors - Patio & Decking Cleaning

GRP Fibreglass Roofing

Resin Bonded Driveways/Patios/Paths

FREE Estimates - All Jobs Welcome

No Job Too Small - We finish one job before starting the next

01458 224681 / 07940 380509 justin.green1@btinternet.com www.jtgreenbuilders.co.uk

FULLY INSURED • 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE FREE QUOTATIONS

CALL BEN TREASURE ON 07828 986791 BOILERS

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CHIMNEY SWEEPS

Chimney Sweep & Stove Installation • Power sweeping • Birds nest removal • CCTV inspections • Stove servicing • Fully insured

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LOCAL BUSINESS A – Z DOORS

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Carpets • Rugs • Vinyl • Wood Skirtings replaced • Stock rolls • Remnants • Ranges from leading manufacturers • Competitively priced • Fully qualified, reliable fitting team and floor repairs service

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Large showroom in Market Street, BA5 2DS

FREE ESTIMATES

01749 67 65 65 (Opposite The Pound Shop)

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www.wellscityfloors.co.uk

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FOOT CARE ELECTRICIANS

Chiropody and Podiatry Services Chiropody and Podiatry Services • HCPC registered

Comfy Feet

• Nail cutting & thinning HCPC registered • Nail cutting and thinning • Hard skin & corn removal Hard skinchecks and corn removal • Foot health checks • Foot health • Home visit service Home visit service • Fully insured • Fully insured

Fully state registered and qualified to use the title chiropodist Email: comfyfeet10@gmail.com and podiatrist - meaning trained to the highest level

Call Jane: 07916 401325

Call Jane: 07916 401325 E: comfyfeet10@gmail.com

Thea Mirfin DipFH. MCFHP. MAFHP.

Foot Health Professional

07849 033055

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LOCAL BUSINESS A – Z

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01749 600388 FUEL INSTALLATIONS

GARDEN MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES CONT.

SOLID FUEL INSTALLATIONS LTD Wood Burning Stove Fireplaces Chimneys Fully insured Qualified installers

01749 677440

Luke’s

Tree Care, Hedge Care & General Building

NO JOB TOO LARGE OR TOO SMALL! LOW COSTS PLUS FREE ESTIMATES & ADVICE

07921 074602

07786 674401

solidfuel3@aol.com

www.solidfuelinstallationsltd.co.uk

luke100785@yahoo.com

When replying to adverts please say you saw it in LocalReach GARDEN MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES

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MAN WITH VAN

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LOCAL BUSINESS A – Z

TO ADVERTISE CALL 01749 600388 ROOFING

PLUMBING AND HEATING

COUNTY ROOFING LOCAL HOME CARE

Flat roof and re-roof specialist

All slating • Tiling • General repair works • Guttering Fascia’s • Soffits • Re-roofs • Gutter cleaning • Dry ridge Dry verge • Ridge re-pointing • Valley’s • New roofs UPVC cleaning • Cladding • Chimney repairs Exterior painting • De-moss

Call for a FREE quotation

01278 555126 / 07935 539115 roofingcounty@yahoo.com

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

HandyMan in wells Shepton Mallet • Street • Glastonbury • Cheddar

ROOF, GUTTER, UPVC - REPAIR, FITTING AND CLEANING SERVICE ROOFING SERVICES – New Roofs, Roof Repairs, Under Tile Felting, Ridge Tiles UPVC ROOFING SERVICES – UPVC Fascias & Soffits, Guttering, Bargeboards, Cladding, Dry Verge Systems

Carpenter • General handyman Property maintenance • Sash window repairs

01749 676 732 • 07437 462 137 handymaninwells@btinternet.com www.handymaninwells.weebly.com

ROOF & UPVC CLEANING SERVICES – Roof Cleaning and Fungicide Treatment, UPVC Cleaning FREE S TE QUO

01749 605415 LOCAL HOME CARE

Roofing Contractors

www.local-homecare.co.uk

Property Maintenance

Calling all businesses!

Fencing • Plumbing & heating House clearance • Guttering General building

LocalReach is a tried & tested way to generate more business.

Local reach Ad.indd 1

07/06/2018 14:03

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ND TRANSPORT & COURIER SERVICES ALL YOUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, LOCAL AND LONG-DISTANCE

LocalReach is delivered every month by ROYAL Mail to 111,133 homes & businesses. 95% of our advertisers rebook each month. Email hello@localreach.co.uk or call us on 01749

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Lines answered 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am – 6pm Sat & 10am to 4pm Sun.

REMOVALS & HOUSE CLEARANCES COMPETITIVE RATES

07410 439296 / 07516 811124

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TREE SURGEONS

Providing a waste recycling service Fully licensed & compliant Commercial & Domestic

01749 678279 / 07721 415677

email@cheddarskips.plus.com www.cheddarandwellsskips.co.uk

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TREE SURGEONS & GROUNDS CARE

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Pretty Sitting

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Independent, family run, Somerset based community magazine publishers since 2010. STOVES (MULTI FUEL)

Upholstery Fabrics Interior Design

01934 752725

www.prettysittingvintage.co.uk The Showroom & Workshop, Barrows House, Tweentown, Cheddar. BS27 3HU

600388

COMMUNITY MAGAZINES

Recycled, restored and handmade furniture & accessories for sale

Showroom and online store

Email hello@localreach.co.uk Lines answered 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am – 6pm Sat & 10am to 4pm Sun.

01749 605389

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UPHOLSTERY & INTERIORS

or call us on 01749

Full site clearance Fully qualified & insured Free quote • 24 Hour call out

WEB DESIGN

NEED A WEBSITE OR YOUR OLD WEBSITE MADE OVER? Call us now on 01749 600388 or visit www.localreach.co.uk

Multi Fuel Stoves Supplied & Fitted from £1250 ECOSY Purefire Curve 5kw A+ Energy Rated

Prices exclude any additional building works

Call Dave on

07790 958616 5 Year Guarantee

COMMUNITY MAGAZINES

WINDOW CLEANING

Aqua Vista Window Cleaning Windows | Gutter clearance/cleans Fascias | Conservatory cleans Call or text for a free quote

01458 551610 / 07842382473 aquavista.windowcleaning@yahoo.com

www.localreach.co.uk | 31

INDULGE IN THE ULTIMATE WINTER HOT CHOCOLATE!

RECIPE: 1 teaspoon cornflour 250ml milk 250ml double cream 170g dark chocolate, chopped 2 tablespoons cocoa powder 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD: 1. Whisk the cornflour, milk and cream in a bowl until the cornflour is dissolved. 2. Add the mixture to a pan and simmer for 2 minutes whisking constantly. 3. Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate. Whisk the mixture until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. 4. Whisk in the cocoa powder and vanilla, and reheat over a low heat until hot. 5. Serve in mugs with your favourite toppings (marshmallows!).

Selling or letting your home requires a recipe for success. If you would like some expert advice on the current market conditions, call us today for a free, up-to-date market appraisal.

01934 742966 / 01934 710222 / 01278 785 900 www.laurelandwylde.co.uk 2c Bath Street, Cheddar. BS27 3AA The Borough, Wedmore. BS28 4EB 5 High Street, Burnham on Sea. TA8 1NX