IT’Sreally astonishing to see the range of activities that go on across Mendip – a glance at our What’s On listings gives you some idea.
This month we’ve a record number of pages devoted to music and theatre, including news of a choir that’s recorded its first album.
We preview the Cheddar Arts Fringe Festival in a special Focus on Cheddar feature and look ahead to the Clash of the Choirs event in Wedmore.
The Wrington and Burrington hedging competition was held at Binegar and drew competitors from a wide area.
We’ve pictures from Binegar, pancake races, the Blackmore and Sparkford point-to-point and many other events.
Trevor Hughes looks at the history of mining on Mendip, while Diana Redfern tells us how many different varieties of wasp live in an oak tree!
With all of our regular contributors and features, there’s never a dull moment on Mendip.
May 2025 deadline: Friday 18th April
Published: Tuesday 29th April
Our colleague Mark Adler has been seriously ill after heart surgery. Please send any messages for Mark and Nicky to Annie. Work messages to Steve. Our thoughts are with them both.
Editorial:
Steve Egginton steve@mendiptimes.co.uk
Mark Adler mark@mendiptimes.co.uk
Advertising: advertising@mendiptimes.co.uk
Lisa Daniels lisa@mendiptimes.co.uk
What’s On listings: Annie Egginton annie@mendiptimes.co.uk
Accounts: accounts@mendiptimes.co.uk
Publisher: Mendip Times Limited
Coombe Lodge, Blagdon, Somerset BS40 7RG
Contacts: For all enquiries, telephone: 01761 463888 or email: news@mendiptimes.co.uk www.mendiptimes.co.uk
Front cover: Wrington and Burrington Hedging Competition. Photograph by Steve Egginton. See page 14.
VE Day celebrations
BATH & North East Somerset Council has waived road closure fees for VE Day street parties to encourage more community celebrations.
Thursday, May 8th marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which commemorates the end of WW2 in Europe.
The council says it hopes street parties will take place across the region and has waived the usual road closure fee of around £190.
Event organisers will also be able to collect and use cones
Village survey
and signs from Volker Highways, the council’s highways maintenance contractor, for free to help set up their event.
The council normally waives fees for events of national significance, like remembrance and jubilee events.
Council leader, Kevin Guy, said: “This is a historic occasion and a great opportunity for communities across Bath & North East Somerset to come together to honour and pay tribute to the Second World War generation.”
The deadline for applications is Friday, April 11th.
Details: event@bathnes.gov.uk
Ash Wednesday
PEOPLEliving in Peasedown St John are being given the chance to take part in the village’s biggest ever residents’ survey.
Local B&NES councillors Karen Walker and Gavin Heathcote are seeking views on a wide range of issues. More than 2,700 homes will be hand-delivered a copy of the survey by a team of volunteers.
Karen and Gavin said: “The responses to the survey will help shape what priorities we’re able to take forward, both here in Peasedown and at the Guildhall in Bath.”
Give me shelter
THEnew multi-use lakeside shelter has opened in Shepton Mallet's Collett park. The shelter was funded by Shepton Mallet town council £7400, Rural England Prosperity fund £5000 and Drifters Model boat club £2000. It was built by 3 Solutions.
THEBishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt Rev Michael Beasley, was in Wells Market Square on Ash Wednesday, March 5th, to offer the sign of the cross to those visiting the market.
This year, alongside him was the Dean of Wells, the Very Rev Toby Wright. Market visitors were offered the opportunity to receive the cross on their forehead.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of penance and prayer that leads up to Easter. The ashes were made from burning the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday.
Reuse shop opens
Record day of tree planting
AVONNeeds Trees planted more trees in a single day than ever before, thanks to the dedication of volunteers and a large group from the West of England Combined Authority.
A NEWproject at the Red Brick Building between Glastonbury and Street aims to reduce waste, especially small electricals, save people money and support the circular economy.
It was started by Glastonbury Repair Café with a grant from Somerset Council and Suez, who collect kerbside recycling.
The shop was offered the top floor of a shipping container where people can make donations and buy items for low prices.
One of the volunteers said: “This is a brilliant, much needed project to reduce the tons of waste discarded at local recycling centres. There are many benefits.”
The project seeks to benefit the whole local community by accepting small electrical goods which would normally be left at recycling centres, getting them repaired if needed, PAT tested and offered for sale at low prices to local people.
It says the point is to reduce waste going to landfill, save money, save emissions, reduce pollution, reduce the volume going to tips, support the circular economy and hopefully reeducate people about buying better quality appliances that last.
Details: lb.hpc3@gmail.com or phone 07729 618368
Get cycling
FROMECommunity Bike Project is holding a bike jumble sale on April 5th, 10am-4pm at their workshop at Station Approach, BA11 1RE, behind City Plumbing.
Brian Eade, workshop coordinator, said: "Whether you're looking for a new project bike, spare parts or affordable cycling gear, our bike jumble has everything you need to keep cycling."
The project is a local, non-profit bike recycling centre and community hub dedicated to making cycling more accessible to everyone.
Details: emma@fromebikeproject.org
The 1,100 trees mean the Great Avon Wood near Pensford is almost fully planted, with 31,000 trees going into the ground since 2023. A new heritage trail walking path is set to open later this year.
The charity says: “As well as being a space for people, the mix of native trees will fight climate change, provide precious space for nature and help to combat the risk of increased flooding in the local area.”
It’s now concentrating on its newest project, the nearby Lower Chew Forest, a 422-acre site, where the planting of 100,000 native trees started this winter.
Some 1,200 volunteers have started work to establish the first nature-rich hedgerows, wetlands and grasslands on the site. It will be the largest new woodland in the South West for a generation.
Chief executive, Dave Wood, said: “This record-breaking planting day is proof of what we can achieve together and furthers ambitious plans for nature recovery across the region.”
avonneedstrees.org.uk
Magical moment
Details:
(Photo courtesy of Alexander Turner)
Some of the volunteers
Pictured (l to r) Lucy Smith, Community Action Group, Brian Sorensen, Repair Café, Kirsty Campbell, Somerset Community Foundation, Linda Hull, FIXY van, Laura Sorensen, Repair Café, Lily Morten, Suez
A vivid sunset over Glastonbury Tor
Celebrating a remarkable year
THElatest results from the Belmont Estate at Wraxall recorded 2,175 species in the last year, a 200% uplift compared to the previous year's growth.
It says this impressive increase demonstrates how rewilding and habitat restoration, particularly their wetland project, are creating thriving spaces for nature.
The results show:
l Birds thriving: 95 species recorded, with new arrivals like little ringed plover, shelduck, and little owl and breeding success for kingfishers and kestrels.
l Moth diversity is expanding: 355 species were recorded, including 59 new to the site, showing a flourishing nocturnal ecosystem.
l Butterflies in decline: Despite 2,615 individuals recorded, the number has dropped 40% year-on-year, reflecting a concerning national trend.
This year they we will focus on further enhancing nectarrich habitats, refining monitoring efforts, and supporting pollinator populations to help reverse this decline.
This spring, they are offering Watercress Wetland Walks, led by their Head of Nature Connection, Martin Williams, and Estate Manager, Luke Price.
They say: “As you journey through this rewilded wetland, you'll discover how our restoration efforts boost biodiversity, improve water quality, and create thriving wildlife habitats.”
The 300-year-old estate was broken up after the sale of nearby Tyntesfield. But since 2012, the Rossiter family have been piecing it back together, demonstrating how farming can reconnect with nature through restoration, education and community involvement.
Details: https://belmont.estate/
Helping nature recover
WILDLIFEcharity
Heal
Rewilding has released a 25minute documentary, Heal the Land, about the transformation of its foundation rewilding site, an intensive dairy farm at Witham Friary, which is now a thriving rewilding site.
Heal only began its work at the site in January 2023.
The film features numerous species now seen there, many of which are known to be breeding. Most remarkable is the extensive footage of the wild-living beavers which first appeared early last year.
The film includes insights from rewilding experts and members of the Heal team, with contributors including Jan Stannard, co-founder and acting CEO of Heal Rewilding, Professor Alastair Driver, Director of Rewilding Britain, and rewilding expert Derek Gow.
It was created by two dedicated Heal volunteers, Tom Francome and Hayley Smith, both accomplished filmmakers and founders of Planet House Productions and Pictus Productions respectively.
Together, they donated over 100 days of their time to produce this cinematic-quality documentary.
The inaugural screening of the film was on Friday, March 14th at the Merlin Theatre in Frome. Additional screenings will take place in Bath, London and online.
Jan Stannard said: “The transformation at Heal Somerset is remarkable and this beautiful film captures the joy it brings to staff, volunteers and visitors.
“Given that England is one the most nature-depleted countries on Earth, we can find so much hope in our experience. Wildlife comes back quickly if it’s given the habitat, space and time to recover.”
GALLSare abnormal growths on the external tissues of plants. How many readers would be able to recognise and name a tiny wasp called Diplolepsis rosea. I certainly would not be able to but many of us would recognise its home when in its larval form. It is the Robin’s pincushion gall.
It is a red, round, hairy mass that grows on wild roses. It is caused by the larvae of tiny gall wasps that feed on the host. Eggs are laid in leaf buds during the spring.
The numerous larvae live in individual chambers of the gall and feed on the host during the winter whilst protected from harsh weather and predators.
The larvae eventually pupate as young, mostly female wasps in spring. Such galls were much used to prevent or cure a wide range of ailments.
For example, in West Sussex in the 1860s, where the galls were known as Robin Redbreast’s cushions, they were hung around a patient’s neck as “the finest thing known for curing whooping cough”.
In the Isle of Axholme, Lincolnshire, in the 1930s it was also believed that a “tossel from a wild rose hung up in the house will prevent whooping cough”.
Finally, in Northamptonshire in the mid-19th century, boys placed a briar-ball in their coat cuffs “as a charm to prevent flogging!”
Certain creatures such as insects, mites and nematodes secrete chemicals into their host plant when they lay eggs or as they feed. This produces a variety of abnormal growths known as galls that enclose the larvae.
Plant galls can also be caused by fungi and bacteria. Gallproducers are usually specific to a particular plant. Oaks are one of the most susceptible, being host to over 500 different wasps, aphids, mites, and midges that cause galls on leaves, stalks, flowers, seeds and fruit.
I noticed these growths on oak saplings in a field corner. My instinct was to call them oak apples but I was not sure so decided to find out more. I think that they are marble galls also found on oaks. Marble galls are tough enough to make marbles.
An oak apple is a gall from another tiny wasp that can be two inches wide. It has a papery feel and is initially leaf green but eventually turns brown and dry. In this case, the gall is a mutated leaf. A hole in the gall indicates that the inhabitant has left!
One oak was showing huge patches of brown leaves well before the autumn. Looking closely at individual leaves this is what I saw – two types of Spangle gall.
Quite by chance the British Wildlife magazine for October had a similar photograph inside with an explanation. This is the work of a tiny gall wasp that causes galls on the underside of oak leaves in early autumn. A single leaf can host up to 100 galls, each containing a single larva.
Galls are parasites on their host plant. They are common and widespread. The gall maker manipulates the plant tissue for its own needs but the plant receives no benefits in exchange. Most galls do not harm the plant.
I confirmed this with Lincoln Garland a local ecologist. Just leave well alone was his advice. Galls are a vital part of food chains and ecosystems. Plant gall damage is usually an aesthetic problem and is not considered serious.
The galls are part of the huge biodiversity supported by a healthy oak. The larvae provide food for other wildlife especially birds such as woodpeckers and other insects that manage to penetrate the gall.
Oak galls have been used for millennia in both Western and Eastern cultures as traditional remedies to treat inflammatory conditions, dysentery and stomach problems. As well as making ink, they were also used for tanning leather, as dyeing agents for paintings and natural dyes for carpets.
Oak apple galls and marble galls contain tannin and they have been used to make ink since Roman times. Documents such as the Magna Carta and American Declaration of Independence were written with oak gall ink.
Recently, the search for natural products to prevent or treat diseases is increasing and this includes a closer look again at galls. Oak galls have been reported to possess strong antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. This is just the beginning and my knowledge is nil.
More fun though is to make oak gall ink and then adapt a goose quill as a pen. There are numerous recipes online (irongallink.org) but the main problem is finding rusty nails for their iron content. It may also be bought!
Britain’s Oak Apple Day is on May 29th commemorating the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. It must be one of the few national festivals in the world to commemorate a gall made by a tiny, nondescript insect!
Spangle gall
Supporting Mendip’s farmers
With
ASwith many, I have been reminded recently of this time five years ago when the “world stopped turning” due to Covid. Lockdown for many meant not being able to go outside, having to work from home, being furloughed, not being able to meet family and friends and generally having their everyday lives turned upside down.
The one constant amongst this was everyone’s need to eat. Online shopping was well established by then and local shops soon set up systems of getting food to people without them having to leave their home.
Meanwhile, the food chain kept going with farmers producing their goods and all those involved downstream doing whatever they needed to do. As much as possible, vets made sure they didn’t get too close to anyone when on farm and even the lorry drivers delivering goods just dropped whatever they were delivering in a safe place without having contact with anyone.
Other than this sort of activity those on farms were quite fortunate and missed much of the chaos elsewhere. We recognised
we were very fortunate in that respect.
The bigger issue was those farmers working on their own. They relied on the vet, the feed lorry driver and the other sales and delivery people for human contact. All of a sudden, most of these visitors had to stop turning up and whilst the physical part of Covid restrictions were no problem, the mental issues increased. Things move on and Covid is a distant memory now but some of the issues that came to the fore then are repeating themselves. The challenges facing farmers are immense and many don’t know how to address them.
Again, there is no issue with being able to do things physically, it’s the mental anguish of not knowing what to do that is the issue. The rural charities are working flat out but not everyone wants to talk to them.
When you get the chance, a friendly word of support to your Mendip farmers who might be suffering would be appreciated. Farming Community Network –To talk to a sympathetic person who understands farmers and rural life, call: Helpline: 03000 111 999. Calls will be answered in person from 7am-11pm every day of the year.
Nick Green is Farms Director for Alvis Bros Ltd based at Lye Cross Farm. As well as the business, he is involved with a number of local and national farming charities.
NICK GREEN
The Mendip Mindbender
ACROSS
8. Popular celebrity destination has Burton churning inside (6)
9. Welsh river (3)
10. Bound to change plea (4)
11. Local town playing Montrose (8)
12. Hugh from 8 Across is said to be alluring (5)
13. VR was not thus (6)
15. Silver then nothing since (3)
16. Coming darkness without end (4)
17. Rogue from 14 Down (6)
19. With crew, heavy responsibility (6)
22. Strath (4)
24. Garland (3)
25. Death (6)
26. Town is rebuilt for me (5)
27. Place East or West on tricky Par Three (8)
29. Examination (4)
30. Meal to devour last as starter (3)
31. Hill gets 500 wet (6) DOWN
1. Threesome (4)
2. Hastiest converting non-believers (8)
3. Untied can become the opposite (6)
4. Overcook joint in coastal resort (7)
5. Churchill’s line of descent (3,5)
6. Pale yellow (6)
7. Sore throat (10)
14. Cidermaker’s Sandford home (6,4)
18. Manliest struggling to receive complaints (8)
20. Ruby gets me on roundabout (8)
21. Village pork past it’s sell-by date (4,3)
23. No dole dished out for idiot (6)
25. Ridicule (6)
26. Nobleman (4)
This month’s solution can be found on page 72
By Fairlight Cryptic Clues are in italics
Mendip’s historic landscape
A MONUMENTALState of the Heritage report has been produced for the Mendip Hills National Landscape, which shows the area is of international importance.
The report covers the Palaeolithic to the Modern with a broad list of recommendations. There are over 4,800 sites on the Historic Environment Records, only 8% are covered by statutory heritage designations, like Scheduled Monuments.
There are 173 Scheduled Monuments making Mendip the second densest protected landscape in the South West for Scheduled Monuments.
Caves, particularly Cheddar and Wookey Hole, provide some of the best evidence in Britain for early human activity. In the prehistoric period, important ceremonial sites, such as the Priddy Circles were constructed and recent research shows that other sites exist though less visible.
In the Bronze Age the landscape is dominated by round barrows at a greater density than in surrounding areas. Modern reinvestigations show unusual evidence of extreme violence and cannibalism in the Early Bronze Age at Charterhouse Warren Swallet, where some of the earliest evidence for plague in Britain also was found.
In the Late Iron Age, the lead mining industry starts that
dominates the area for the next 2000 years. Mining continued into the 19th century but then the area reverted to farming as the main industry.
Threats to these sites remain a significant concern. They are vulnerable to the effects of agricultural practices, tree growth and visitor erosion. Monitoring and protection should be a priority.
This needs to run alongside making people aware of the incredible heritage value of Mendip and involving people in its protection.
Barrows at Tynings Farm
Wrington and Burrington hedging competition
THE Wrington and Burrington Hedging Society held its 193rd competition at Mead Farm, Binegar, courtesy of Mr and Mrs Alex Bown.
All the competitors received a small momento, made by Dave Addicott from Chewton Mendip, which can also be used as a bottle opener!
Improver Andrew Harris from Bristol
Cheers! George Brooks from Wrington celebrates winning the U-25 class
Judges Roger Parris (right) and Dave Keedwell, with helper Kevin Crudge
Chairperson Tina Bath leads the safety briefing
Testing the produce
Beginners' winner Bobby Cragg from Yeovil
Winners (back row l to r) Bobby Crabb, beginners; Mike Reed, over-60s; Matt Knight, open; Nigel Moore, improvers; front, Alex Bown, champion; George Brooks, U-25
Hedgers faced a steep ditch each side
Neil Gemmell from Bristol and Simon Watts from Burnham-on-Sea show the height of the hedge
The catering crew
Alex Bown (left), Tina Bath and Dave Addicott with a momento of the day
Beginners getting started
With KATY BEAUCHAMP
Something a little different for breakfast, lunch or supper this month. All easy. And a pud for Easter! It’s all about the base!
FILO CHEESE BAKE
This makes a lovely breakfast base. My photo shows some vegetarian ideas but it’s also great topped with bacon and avocado.
METHOD
With the pastry rolled up, cut 1cm pieces all the way along the length then tumble them into a big bowl, separating them gently so that you are left with a muddle of filo ribbons.
Mix all the other ingredients together in a jug. Grease a large serving/baking dish well with the extra butter (or oil) then add half the filo ribbons and pour over half of the cheese mixture.
Repeat with the rest of the filo and cheese sauce then bake in the oven at 160ºC for 45/50 mins until puffed up and golden.
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 4-5)
1 packet filo pastry
60g grated cheese – I used half feta, half cheddar
150ml milk
50g butter, melted
2 eggs
150ml sparkling water
1tsp baking powder
Extra butter to grease baking dish
MUSHROOM WITH ORZO
This delicious mushroom/pasta mix is fantastic on its own or as a base to any other vegetable, roast meat or fish dish. I used a piece of local lamb.
METHOD
Fry onions and mushrooms until soft, add garlic granules, salt and pepper and cook for a further 3 minutes or so.
Then add the soup, lemon juice, peas and cooked orzo. Stir until hot and serve.
CUSTARD CREAM “TARTS”
These aren’t really a tart as I’ve used crushed custard cream biscuits as a base –but they are delicious!
METHOD
Crush the biscuits and melt the butter then mix most of the crushed biscuit into the butter and divide between 12 cupcake cases in a muffin tray. I kept some biscuit crumbs back for decoration.
In a saucepan stir the marshmallows into the custard and heat gently until fully dissolved and combined. Then pour onto the biscuit bases and leave to cool.
Finally, decorate with crumbs and fruit –or chocolate eggs!
INGREDIENTS
(Serves 4)
150g mushrooms, sliced
A tin of cream of mushroom soup
One small onion, chopped
150g orzo pasta, cooked
2 tsps. garlic granules
Juice of one lemon
75g peas
Salt and pepper to taste
INGREDIENTS
200g custard cream biscuits
50g butter
175g marshmallows
400g tin custard
Boost for market
We've revamped, refreshed, and reimagined your favourite dining spot! Join us at the newly refurbished Vana Bar & Restaurant for an unforgettable experience featuring a stylish ambiance, elevated menus, and a fresh take on your beloved classics.
l Indulge in expertly crafted dishes
l Savour your favourite drinks at our upgraded bar
l Relax in our modern, inviting atmosphere
Book your table now and be one of the first to experience the new Vana Bar & Restaurant!
the all-new Vana Bar & Restaurant! Call us at 01761 417711 or visit centurionhotel.co.uk to reserve your table. Your new favourite dining destination awaits!
Fishmongers Ben and Chris Hart from Midsomer Norton have been attending the market for 25 years
SHEPTON Mallet Town Council is taking over the town’s Friday market from April and is offering free pitches until June in the hope of attracting more traders.
Dating back to 1318, the market is as much a social occasion as it is a chance to purchase fresh food, local crafts, seasonal goods as well as all your essentials.
It runs every Friday, 8am-2pm, and there is one-hour free parking off Great Ostry Street which has easy access to the Marketplace.
Details: fridaymarket@sheptonmallet-tc.gov.uk
WILD FOOD
Pig in the hedge!
WE have a long association with blackthorn. Blackthorn is the first shrub to flower (before it comes into leaf) beating the hawthorn (the true May flower) with which it is often confused. Historically, blackthorn flowers were used to make herbal remedies although one has to be careful with it, more on this later.
Used extensively to enclose land during the medieval period and later the Enclosure Acts of the 1800s and onwards, they were one of the thorny shrubs used to create field boundaries. Local names include: blackhaw, buckthorn, egg-pegg-bush, snag-bush.
My personal favourite old country name for blackthorn is “pig-in-the-hedge”.
Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is a dense shrub up to 6m tall, with tangled spine-covered branches. The leaves are oval and appear alternate on twigs and spines. The flowers are small, white and appear before the leaves, March to April/May, smelling of almonds. The fruits are a small round, black/blue berry covered (when young) in a white bloom. They are found in hedgerows, woods and as individual trees on open ground.
Blossoms of blackthorn have a wonderful aroma of almonds and are delicious simply plucked from the branches and nibbled on. If that is not enough for you, then a number of them can add colour and flavour sprinkled over a fresh spring green salad or added to a long drink.
However, as always there is a warning: Each flower contains minute amounts of cyanide which accounts for the almond aroma. More importantly in quantity they are known to have a laxative effect and will likely guarantee you a headache or worse still, both.
Combined with the large, sharp thorns, one can understand why it garnered the name “pig-in-the-hedge”!
Adrian Boots is a Landscape Ecologist and expert forager running wild food forays, events and activities. Please visit: www.hedgerowcottage.co.uk for more information or email him at: hello@hedgerowcottage.co.uk
GARDEN FOOD
Sow, but not everything!
SOILpreparation before sowing and planting is light, and quick, just use a rake to make the surface even, and knock out the largest lumps. And it's fine to have a certain lumpiness because that results in less capping by heavy rain, which only happens when the surface is fine.
In compost-mulched soil, the soft surface makes it easier and quicker to keep on top of weeds. If there are only a few, just pull them; or hoe them when tiny, and all your space is then ready.
Should the sun appear, April feels like summer by day, still cold at night. The warmth of a sunny spring day is deceptive in gardening, because cold nights can do so much damage. It’s safer not to sow tender seeds or set out warmth-loving plants too early.
For example in April, I never sow runner and French beans, because they grow far better in the warmth (we hope) of late May and June.
Cucumbers and courgettes
What you can sow in April, under cover with some warmth preferably, is cucurbits. I love those sowings because it starts to feel summery. Around or after midmonth, in a greenhouse or polytunnel, sow cucumber, courgette, squash - and sweetcorn as well.
They will be ready for planting outside at the end of May, with two exceptions.
1. Cucumbers we sow now are for growing undercover, as cordon plants in greenhouse and polytunnel. In contrast, wait until early May before sowing outdoor ridge cucumbers.
2. I find that courgettes are possible to transplant in early May, even before the mid-May last frost date, with thick fleece on top. It's a gamble, but it worked in last year’s cold conditions, and sometimes I push the limits in my keenness for early harvests!
Other vegetables to sow now are leeks, leaf beet (not true spinach which would flower), beetroot, carrots, chard, potatoes of all kinds, broad beans, lettuce, peas, parsnips, salad onion, early and autumn brassicas, parsley, and basil.
You may also be planting seedlings from March sowings and a covering of 30gsm fleece protects them from both weather and pests. I re-use last year’s fleece because a few holes do not matter and you can lay it right on top of plants, to hold warmth around them.
Charles Dowding has made no dig popular with millions of readers and viewers. Currently he grows vegetables in Somerset. He has written 14 books and gives talks plus courses at home and abroad.
With ADRIAN BOOTS
With CHARLES DOWDING
A sincere thank you
After more than 100 years and four generations of our family, our business, WJ Pearce and Sons in Chew Magna, has now been sold.
I’m pleased to see it in safe hands and want to say a huge thank you to our many customers and the local farmers who have supported us over so many years.
In retirement, I’m still looking forward to having a good old natter with you!
Cliff Pearce
Inn, Faukland, Radstock, BA3 5XF.
T: 01225 962669
E: info@tuckersgraveinn.co.uk
W: www.tuckersgraveinn.co.uk
Saturday March 29th
Frankie Howerd’s Community
Sevier Road, Loxton, Axbridge, Somerset BS26 2XE OPEN WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY 9.30amto3pm
Open Easter Monday
Cyclists, Walkers & Dogs welcome
Serving Breakfast, Ice Creams, Cakes, Lunches
Private party bookings available All our profits go to The Frankie Howerd OBE Trust
High Impact Band: 8.30pm
Saturday April 5th Honky Tonks Band: 8.30pm
Saturday April 12th
Good Friday April 18th
Liquor and Poker Band: 8.30pm
The Mike Bess Band: 8.30pm
Easter Saturday April 19th Call The Shots: 8.30pm
Easter Sunday April 20th Eddie Dean: 2.30pm
Saturday April 26th
D-State: 8.30pm
Sunday April 27th Charity Classic Car Show: 10am
Parlour/Café: Baguettes, locally produced pasties and sausage rolls available Friday 8am to Sunday 5pm
Breakfasts Saturday and Sunday 8.15-11.30am Friday/Saturday evenings 6-9pm – Fish and chips, gourmet burgers, freshly made pizzas and more. Look out for the specials
Placing a value on a lifetime of collecting
THEprospect of inviting a stranger to the home of a parent or relative to value the contents (personal property) to fulfil HMRC requirements, is for many people, one more task in a long line of daunting duties that administering the estate of a recently deceased person entails.
Finding a valuer of art and antiques with sufficient experience, a professional qualification recognised by HMRC and the compassion to assist a grieving family is not always straightforward.
Toby Pinn is the third generation of family to follow a career in fine art & antiques and has 25 years’ experience providing certified RICS valuation reports.
Most instructions are the result of recommendations by solicitors and probate practitioners, in addition to instructions from lay-executors, all of whom who require a valuation of personal property, to include jewellery and vehicles, in order to complete the HMRC IHT 407 return for inheritance tax purposes.
Bowled over by specialist sale
CLEVEDON
Salerooms held their latest Quarterly Specialist Sale on Thursday, March 13th. Amongst over 520 lots on offer, the star of the sale was a porcelain bowl by celebrated potter Dame Lucie Rie (1902-1995). Once a relatively niche collecting area, the best British post-war ceramics now attract the attention of some of the biggest buyers in the modern design field.
Rie is widely regarded as the doyenne of British studio pottery and the market for her artworks has gone from strength to strength in recent years.
The footed porcelain bowl dated from the mid-1980s – generally regarded as the artist’s prime period – and had been consigned by the family of a private collector. A slew of commission bids, five
telephone lines as well as healthy interest online, saw its estimate quickly exceeded with the winning bidder, from the London trade, securing the bowl for a remarkable £26,000.
That was the high-water mark amongst a day of consistently high prices. A late 19th century Bristol Muller Orphanage sampler, worked in characteristic red silks on a cream ground, had everything collectors of these highly desirable samplers look for and it sold for a very respectable £2,400.
Amongst watches it was, as ever, the magic name Rolex that got the bidders’ attention. Top price was for a Rolex, gentleman's GMT Master II Superlative Chronometer, which sold for £7,800, whilst a Submariner two-tone stainless steel bracelet watch sold for £6,200.
Items with a local connection invariably strike a chord with bidders. An oil painting by Doris Hatt (1890-1969), “The Forge, Swiss Valley, Clevedon” had arrived via
our online valuation service. Following in the wake of our record-breaking result for a Doris Hatt painting (which sold at Clevedon in 2024 for £8,000) hopes were certainly high and they were not to be disappointed as it more than doubled its lower estimate, selling for £4,500.
Clevedon Salerooms are looking forward to a busy spring, with Bristol valuations at Stoke Lodge on April 15th and May 27th, together with weekly valuations at the saleroom and our next Quarterly Fine Art sale on June 5th. For more information, please visit our website.
With HENRY MICHALLAT
Pancake Day around Mendip
B LAGDON
W ELLS
Tucking in
The kitchen team
Choir's treat –Wells Cathedral choristers
CHEWStoke’s annual pancake lunch raised £340 for the village chapel. Pictured (l to r) are Maggie Patch, Denise Cutler and Joan Sharman.
C HEW S TOKE
E AST H ARPTREE
New Commonhold Law
RECENT UK legislation targeting leaseholds and commonholds marks a significant shift in property law designed to address longstanding concerns over fairness, transparency, and financial burdens imposed on homeowners.
Legislation such as the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 represents a cornerstone of recent reforms. Its primary aim is to eliminate onerous charges by: Banning Ground Rents for New Leaseholds: New leasehold properties are now issued with ground rents set to zero, curbing the practice of escalating charges that have historically burdened leaseholders.
Simplifying Lease Extensions and Enfranchisement: The reforms streamline the processes involved in extending leases or buying the freehold, reducing legal complexities and costs. This move is intended to empower homeowners to secure long-term stability in their tenure without being trapped in unfavourable contractual terms.
Enhanced Consumer Protection: By instituting clearer, more transparent procedures and predictable cost structures, the legislation seeks to protect leaseholders from exploitative practices by developers and landlords.
Commonhold Provisions: While
commonhold—a system in which homeowners own their individual properties outright and share responsibility for common areas—is not new (introduced under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002), recent policy discussions and minor legislative tweaks have aimed to promote it as a viable alternative to the traditional leasehold system. These adjustments are intended to: (1) Encourage Adoption: By addressing administrative and regulatory hurdles, the reforms aim to make commonhold a more attractive option for both developers and homeowners. (2) Improve Management and Governance: Commonhold arrangements, being free from the complexities of leasehold renewals and ground rent escalations, are expected to foster more democratic and transparent management of communal areas.
For homeowners the removal of escalating ground rents and clearer rules on lease extensions are expected to lower long-term costs and reduce the risk of unexpected financial liabilities. In addition improved regulatory frameworks will provide leaseholders with more reliable information about service charges and maintenance costs, reducing disputes and litigation.
The reforms aim to simplify and
modernise a system that has long been criticised for its complexity and potential for abuse. This clarity is expected to reduce the volume of legal disputes over leasehold terms. By protecting homeowners from predatory practices, the legislation contributes to a more secure and stable housing market, ensuring that property ownership remains a viable and attractive option for future generations.
In summary, the recent legislative changes concerning leaseholds and commonholds are designed to rectify historic imbalances in property tenure. They protect homeowners from excessive charges and administrative burdens while encouraging a shift towards more transparent and equitable ownership models.
l Family & Divorce Law l Co-habitation disputes l Inheritance disputes l Wills and Living Wills l Powers of Attorney l Administration of Trusts l Property – sales and purchases l Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence claims
EDWARD LYONS
• Neutering
• Pet Health Club
• Microchips and Vaccinations
• Dental Treatments
• Medical consultations and surgery
To book call 01761 412132 or visit our website: www.midsomervets.co.uk
Nutrition & Wellness 2025 Events in the Chew Valley
Friday May 2nd
Saturday September 13th
Thursday
October 16th
Hope House Island apartments
A range of one and two bedroom apartments available to rent from mid-April – Hope House Island – previously Hope House Surgery. Prime centre location in Radstock, 9 miles to Bath, public transport within minutes, 17 miles from Temple Meads station.
Self-contained apartments, private off-road parking, beautiful listed building. Fully equipped with cooker, integrated fridge, dishwasher, washing machine and separate tumble dryer.
Finished to a high spec with flooring, carpets and roller blinds included.
Would suit a professional single person or couple.
North Somerset holiday and cruise show returns
IT'S time to start planning your dream holiday, chat with specialists and enjoy the experience of exploring the globe to plan your next holiday destination at Global Independent Travel's Holiday & Cruise Show.
Global Independent Travel Centre is celebrating 15 years in business and are hosting this exciting event which will take place at nearby Doubletree by Hilton Cadbury House in Congresbury on Sunday, April 27th with 30 big name travel companies represented.
The Holiday Show is a unique opportunity for people in North Somerset and beyond to meet directly with travel industry experts usually based up and down the country. From cruise to escorted tours there will be an array of specialist travel companies for you to meet and discuss travel plans with.
Browse the stands and pick up brochures from the likes of Sandals, Wendy Wu, Iberostar, P&O Cruises, Cunard, Newmarket Holidays Titan and many more.
The public event is free to enter and will run from 11am3pm. Discover first-hand the latest travel trends, new destinations and products on offer. There will also be exclusive travel discounts, low deposits, special promotions, a raffle & prizes.
From cruise to coach, honeymoons to escorted tours, the holiday show will have something for everyone.
Managing director, Lisa, said: “We are looking forward to meeting some new faces and maybe ticking a destination or two off their bucket list! Even the most discerning traveller should find some holiday inspiration.”
The Holiday Show is free to enter but registration is advised.
The team
Time for a spring clean
THEVisitor Information Centre in Cheddar Gorge is ready to welcome the expected hordes of visitors over Easter.
Around 20 willing volunteers set to, cleaning inside and out and restocking the centre with maps, walking guides and information on local activities, together with a range of souvenirs and other merchandise.
Now into its fourth year since taking the building over from the National Trust, the organisers have high hopes for another bumper season. Local businesses and attractions are invited to provide leaflets for display and hand out in the centre.
TWOchoirs in Cheddar, run by Kate Lynch, raised money for Somerset and Dorset Air Ambulance with concerts in Axbridge Church, AdAstra, Wells Cathedral, garden parties and many other places in and around Cheddar.
Members of Somerset and Dorset Air Ambulance went along to the Joyful Voices choir to receive a cheque for £400.
Bathroom experts
BLOSSOMBathrooms is an independent, family run bathroom showroom and design studio based in Cheddar.
Husband and wife team, Zoe and Ian Roberts, have been working for over 40 years between them in the bathroom retail, design and manufacturing industry.
Being a small business, they offer a personal service with inspirational ideas supported by a wealth of knowledge from their business experience.
They suggest you stop by the showroom to learn more about their services, just for a browse at your own pace, or make an appointment and one of them can show you around and discuss your project needs in further detail.
The showroom showcases a range of modern and traditional products.
They say: “We have dedicated our time planning the showroom providing the very best in design, choice, quality of product, price and service and look forward to welcoming you.”
Memory café
CHEDDAR Vale Lions Club is launching a new memory café for dementia/Alzheimers sufferers and their carers.
or your
They will be launching it on Monday, March 31st, 10am12noon in the Pallotti Room of Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church, Tweentown, Cheddar.
The café will provide a safe and friendly environment where people can chat and share experiences. Refreshments will be provided.
They are hoping to hold this event on the last Monday of each month. There is no need to book.
If you're looking for a flower shop, Whose flowers won’t go flop, Bouquet Florist is the place to go, They have lots of varieties that they grow, Friendly, chatty and did you know it's a family affair, Run by a Mother and Daughter who take great care, They do it all, Wedding, Funerals and events, And on Valentines Day help all those confused gents, They personally deliver 7 days a week in their van, Or sometimes it's John the delivery man, You must visit their shop, it's only small, Or you can order online or give them a call, They also sell gifts and cards which are handmade, Their flowers and plants are really top grade, Children who visit love their tasty sweets, Make sure you follow them on Facebook but they don't do Tweets, They have lots of eco-friendly options which they sell, And don't forget to breathe in that incredible smell, So next time you’re passing make sure you stop, To pick up some flowers which make your jaw drop!
Easter in Cheddar Caves
THISEaster, an egg-citing adventure awaits beneath the surface in the Illuminated Cave in Cheddar Gorge!
Join a one-of-a-kind underground egg hunt in Gough's Cave, where giant eggs glow and dinosaurs and ancient creatures light up the darkness in a dazzling display.
Sharpham Road, Cheddar BS27 3DR 01934 742135
Running from April 4th–21st during the Easter school holidays, this fun and interactive trail will keep the whole family entertained.
Explorers of all ages will follow a magical trail deep below ground, hunting for clues to uncover the legendary Golden Egg.
100,000 potential customers within a short distance of
Along the way, little adventurers will crack a secret code to help them find the Golden Egg, while older kids and adults discover fascinating facts about the illuminated ancient creatures that roamed the Earth.
Everyone who “unscrambles” the mystery will be rewarded with an Easter treat! And the fun doesn’t stop there –get crafty with Easter-themed arts and crafts. Kids can create their own decorations to take home. This is an Easter event not to be missed.
The Illuminated Cave is included in the price of a day ticket, which gives access to six exciting attractions.
Details: www.cheddargorge.co.uk/whats-on
New head at Fairlands
FAIRLANDS Middle School is embarking on an exciting new chapter with the appointment of Rebecca Bennett as the new headteacher.
With a wealth of experience and a passion for creating a nurturing and inclusive learning environment, Rebecca is already making her mark and there’s a renewed sense of energy and ambition for the future of the school.
As part of the Wessex Learning Trust, Fairlands Middle School benefits from a shared commitment to high standards, inclusivity, and academic excellence. This connection ensures that all students have access to an enriched educational experience that goes beyond the classroom, offering opportunities for personal and academic growth.
Rebecca’s journey into education has been both diverse and inspiring. From her early work as a playworker in South London to serving as a 1:1 teaching assistant for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), Rebecca has dedicated her career to ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, has the opportunity to succeed.
Her background in drama and theatre arts has given her a creative approach to learning that she is now bringing to Fairlands. Rebecca’s focus at Fairlands Middle School is clear: To make learning irresistible for every student.
For more information about Fairlands Middle School and to book a tour, visit fairlandsmiddleschool.co.uk or call 01934 743186
Proprietor John Denbee FRICS
Comfortable home from home
COURT House is a beautiful care home situated in the heart of the lovely village of Cheddar. Its location ensures that residents can continue to be part of the local community; there are many shops, hairdressers and a post office within level walking distance.
Court House has been run by the Dando family since 1986 and they have always
maintained a friendly, homely and comfortable setting. Residents can take their own furniture and staff do not wear uniforms.
There are 26 en-suite rooms in three different areas of accommodation. The impressive main Georgian House has 12 residents’ rooms plus a grand entrance hall, dining room and drawing room.
The Mediterranean style courtyard has six rooms, with an optional use kitchenette. The peaceful cottage has eight rooms, all of which have bags of character. All the rooms have TV and call bell points as well as a telephone and there’s wi-fi throughout the site.
The friendly well-trained staff are on hand 24 hours a day to offer help with all aspects of resident’s life, as much or as little as needed, including full personal care.
They have a good variety of activities for residents to choose from if they so wish
and they are famous for their themed activities such as “Court House Wassail” and “Court House Oscars” evening.
COURT HOUSE
Court House staff who performed a Wassail mummers play
Manager Chris as the Green Man with Jackie and Pat (Wassail Queens)
A decade of arts trails in Cheddar
CELEBRATEthe 10th anniversary of Cheddar artists’ walking trail on Bank Holiday weekend May 3rd-5th! Their Cheddar Arts Fringe Festival (CHAFF) is a popular event, attracting well over 1,000 visitors over the weekend. This year there are over 30 local
artists and craftspeople taking part, exhibiting in 13 studios and venues around the village.
The festival was started in 2015 by Katrina Atkinson and Sara Parsons, both of whom still exhibit at the festival and have working studios. They both also run classes in the village.
In 2018 Sophie Courtiour, leading a CHAFF workshop, made the attractive willow sheep that the parish council has recently paid to refurbish, which are an important feature of the gorge.
Since the early beginning the exhibition has gone from strength to strength attracting visitors from all parts of the country who take the opportunity to explore the beautiful village, the ideal place for a walking tour, and meet and talk to the artists, as well as purchase unique items.
Exhibitions include paintings, pottery, sculpture, photography, hand-made silver jewellery and different handicrafts, including mixed media. Some workshops will also be available. In addition, there will be plant, secondhand book and tea and cakes sales in aid of charity.
The venues open at 10.30am until 4.30pm on all three days. Look out for brochures (with maps), widely available soon.
Artist Cathy Fisher
Jo Sadler pictured with Cheddar Parish Council ranger Toby Wall
Hospice seeks support
DOROTHYHouse Hospice Care is receiving support from local and national celebrities for its Together in Adversity fundraising campaign. They include John Cleese, paralympian Stephanie Millward, Jonathan Dimbleby and Justin Webb, who said: "I'm standing with Dorothy House because they looked after my mother, because the care that they provide is vital and it's hugely important that it's done in the place where it is needed."
The hospice has received £298,000 capital funding from the Department of Health and Social Care as part of a national £100 million government hospice grant.
But it says the investment, though welcome, is not designated for funding staff, patient and family care, or for a much-needed expansion of their clinical and community services to meet the projected 25% increase in end-of-life care need by 2045.
Chief executive, Wayne de Leeuw, said: “We urgently need the support of our community and the government to ensure we continue offering the specialist care and support that our patients and their families deserve.”
Charity walk
Party honours 60 years
of service
WESTON lifeboatman
Richard Spindler was greeted by 65 guests for a surprise reunion party. Past and present volunteers and lifeboat crew from Weston RNLI and members of Richard’s family had all congregated to commemorate his 60 years of RNLI service and 77th Birthday. Charlotte Conroy, Weston RNLI launch authority and lead organiser of the surprise party, thanked Spin’s family for supporting his role at the station and presented his wife, Sue, with a bouquet of flowers.
“They all received RNLI commendations for a dramatic rescue in gale conditions where they saved three boys and two coastguards on Brean down 47 years ago. It was an emotional day and by the end of the presentations I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place.” Details: www.dorothyhouse.org.uk • 01225 721 480
CHRIS Mason and his wife Carol, from Mark, will be walking the length of Hadrian’s Wall with their dog Alfie, to raise money for Prostate Cancer UK.
The 84-mile route will take them from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway from May 12th-17th. It coincides with the tenth anniversary of the death of Chris’s father from complications caused by prostate cancer and its treatment.
Chris himself was diagnosed in 2023 and now, postsurgery, is 17 months cancer free. During their walk, they will pass through Haltwhistle, where his father and mother met and married and where his grandparents are buried.
Chris said: “This trip therefore means a lot to us and could mean a lot more for so many men undiagnosed and at risk.
“Too many men get prostate cancer, some like Bill Turnbull and Sir Chris Hoy, sadly not finding out until too late.”
Details: https://tinyurl.com/HadriansWall2025
Charlotte said: “I really don’t know how we all managed to keep it a secret. It was such a great evening and wonderful to see Spin reunited with his old crew mates, including Nicholas White, Anthony Blizzard and Julian Morris.
Richard Spindler with old friends and crew mates Julian Morris and Anthony Blizzard
Current crew members Mikey Barber and Heather Simpson with their lifeboat inspired cake
Cycle challenge
A NEWSomerset charity cycle ride will support the Youth Adventure Trust in raising vital funds for local children
Somerset Cycle takes place on Saturday, April 26th, organised by Black Rat Cycling, well known for its challenging and exciting routes in the South West.
The route starts in Bridgwater, where participants will take on the stunning Quantock Hills, choosing their challenge of either 40km, 60km, or 105km.
The Youth Adventure Trust is a youth development charity working with vulnerable young people aged 11 to 16 years old from Somerset and Wiltshire.
It uses outdoor adventure and one-to-one support to empower young people to fulfil their potential, with all programmes provided free of charge to those who are nominated by schools and other youth organisations.
Louise Balaam, Director of Fundraising at the trust, said: “The Somerset Cycle is more than just a ride –it’s a chance to make a real difference in the lives of local young people.”
Children’s Hospice South West with his late wife Jill in 1991 and following 20 years as chief executive, Eddie Farwell has handed over the reins to the charity’s new chief executive officer, Phil Morris (pictured).
Eddie and his wife, Jill, opened their first hospice, Little Bridge House, in Barnstaple 30 years ago this year. The hospice at Wraxall then followed.
He said: “CHSW has been Jill’s and my life’s work, and it has been a privilege to be involved in such an endeavour. Not many people are given the opportunity to do as we have done.
“I have handed over the reins to Phil now and I know, along with the wider team, the charity will endure as it has done before.”
Phil said: “I am truly privileged to become the next CEO of Children’s Hospice South West. Joining this incredible charity, with its remarkable mission and impact, is an honour beyond words.”
Bikers celebrate
WELLS Classic Motorcycle Club, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary year, celebrated in fine style at the Bristol Classic Motorcycle show.
The club won 1st Best Show stand with a theme of a street party in Wells Market Place and a café called “Jubilee Café” which was supported by a fine display of motorcycles ranging from a 1914 Douglas through the years to a 2000 Kawasaki ZZR.
The theme was also complemented by Jany Scott dressed as a cake and Mike Parfitt as town crier complete with a bell.
The café team of Sheila, Jean and Ken supported by others at peak periods were kept very busy and between them raised a whopping £2,090.70 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
The club also won the £750 prize money for Best Club stand. The club’s next fundraiser is the 14th annual Tortoise and Hare run which raises money for the air ambulance and EVS Freewheelers, the Blood Bikes.
It is held over the weekend of July 18/19/20th and is open to all motorcycles, scooters and trikes etc through three run categories.
The club welcomes new members regardless of age of machine or rider and also has a fairly strong social element.
DORSETand Somerset Air Ambulance has announced a brand-new challenge which will begin this April called “Marathon in a Month.”
It invites everyone to walk, run, or even swim their way to 26.2 miles at their own pace, while raising money for the charity.
Tracy Bartram, communications manager, said: “We are really excited to see what everyone gets up to and we will be cheering them on every step of the way.”
SPORTS broadcaster John Inverdale is to be the special guest at a sporting dinner in support of the service veteran’s charity Combat Stress on Friday, April 11th.
The dinner is to take place at the Star Inn, near Winscombe BS25 1QE, starting promptly at 6.30pm.
It will feature a two-course dinner preceded by a military band display by the massed bands of the Somerset Army Cadet Force.
The evening will also feature a very special presentation by the Combat Stress Charity and a sporting and “special opportunities” auction.
Organiser, sports and feature writer Alan Cooper, said: “We are thrilled to have secured the services of John Inverdale for this very special dinner evening. He is, in my humble opinion, the best sporting broadcaster ever produced by this country.”
Tickets are £30 (plus an Eventbrite booking fee).
Details: alancooper7@sky.com
Aid for Ukraine
OVER the past three years Somerset Aid for Ukraine has sent “countless” vehicles filled to capacity with donations directly to the people of Ukraine. The latest consignment has just been sent.
Organiser Sue Tyler-Moore said: “We aim to ensure that the right things get to the right people in Ukraine - people who really need them.”
One of many supporters is farmer James Baird, who personally donated the lorry pictured to drive directly to a hospital in Zaporizhazhia.
Local volunteers turned up to help fill his lorry with wheelchairs, walking frames and crutches as well as all the many other practical items needed.
Sue said: “Stuff has been pouring in, especially since that chap Trump started talking.”
Somerset Aid for Ukraine works closely with two other South West based charities, Medics4Ukraine and World Extreme Medicine.
Details: To see items most urgently needed Facebook: “Somerset Aid for Ukraine” or email SAFUtaunton@yahoo.com
Brain of Nempnett
THEthird annual “Brain of Nempnett” charity quiz and supper will be held in Nempnett Thrubwell village hall on Friday, April 25th.
Jim Everett, the organiser, said: “The raffle this year is split between the Motor Neurone Disease Association, as it's a horrible disease with no cure, and prostate cancer - I have a personal connection as I'm at stage two.”
Teams of four will compete for a prize trophy and medals – and there will also, of course, be a wooden spoon.
Tickets for the chilli supper are £15 each, which includes a welcome drink, but otherwise take your own drinks as they don’t have a bar.
Jim said: “It should be a fun evening! I’ve got some awesome raffle prizes donated by local people: vineyard tours, fitness classes, meat boxes, veg boxes, wine, cider, chocolates, vouchers and much more.”
Everyone is very welcome - Jim will help individuals and couples put together a table of four. Please book tickets in advance if at all possible to help with the catering. But please also take plenty of cash on the night to pay for those raffle tickets!
Details: Jim Everett 07767244312 email: jamesteach_55@yahoo.co.uk
Helping the needy
WRINGTON
Vale Rotary welcomed Dan Haley, chair of trustees for the Weston-based charity, Somewhere to Go, which supports the homeless, vulnerable, and disadvantaged. Every day, the charity serves over 40 lunches and offers clients the chance to wash their clothes and access professional advice from partner organisations, but overnight stays are only permitted during officially declared cold weather incidents.
The club has contributed funds and clothing to the charityand even purchased a washing machine for them a little while ago.
It says: “This charity continues to be a beacon of hope for those in need. Your ongoing support is deeply appreciated and makes a tangible difference in the lives of so many.”
Details: Angie Biggs 07790 400718
Dan Haley (centre) with Rotarians Angie Biggs and John Alvis
The natural magic of April
By CHRIS SPERRING MBE
MARCHhas been dry and sunny so far, the nights and mornings filled with penetrating frosts, the blue sky giving an illusion of warmth hiding the reality of a stiffening arctic breeze. It’s time to look out for bee-flies, which are a great indicator of the time of year. It’s a member of the insect family of Bombyliidae and also has the country name of the Bomber fly.
The bee fly resembles a bee, but on closer inspection, it can be seen that it is in fact a fly dressed up to look like a bee. Worldwide, this is a large group of insects and in the UK there are currently ten different species of beefly.
They resemble a small bumblebee because of their plump and fluffy appearance. One of their most distinctive features is their long proboscis (tongue) which it keeps rolled until it finds a nectar-rich flower head. It then unrolls its proboscis and feeds. The bee fly is a parasite of true bee species and the name Bomber bee
comes from the fact that female bee flies will use their long ovipositor (egg laying tube) while hovering to literally fire eggs on the ground near to a bee nest.
What she is hoping is that the larvae will hatch and make the short journey into the bee’s nest, where they will feast on the young solitary bee’s food store. Bee-fly’s larvae then go through a second metamorphosis stage, where the young needing protein will consume the solitary bee’s larvae.
Bee flies are a great subject for budding wildlife photographers, if you’re patient and still they will come very close. The picture I used for this article was taken with my phone.
The first light of an April morning should bring with it one of the bird world’s highlights and that is the dawn chorus. Many species should now be
singing and from dawn onwards, or for at least an hour or more after first light, mostly resident birds will sing.
If you get the chance, do venture out into the garden at first light, it’s a magical experience. Or you can join an organised dawn chorus walk, I lead quite a few over April and May, but start early, or as some people say “very early”. There’s nothing quite like witnessing the change from the nocturnal world into diurnal.
April is also a good time to listen for our smallest owl. The little owl which I have written about before in Mendip Times is going through a steep decline. I would be very interested to hear from any landowners who still have little owls as we are developing a conservation strategy for them.
And lastly don’t forget the Hawk and Owl Trust Barn Owl webcam is live from a farm on the Somerset Levels.
Spring blossom
Step into rolling countryside
BLUEBELLSand ransoms (wild garlic) will be out soon and this varied circle finds them in a nature reserve between Failand and Portbury. Our route explores the beautiful rolling countryside of this area and experiences the great contrasts between old and new. There are wonderful views across country and over the estuary and docks at Portbury. Be warned, there are a lot of stiles and this isn’t a dog-suitable walk as dogs are not allowed through the Downs School playing fields which we cross. We pass the Children’s Hospice South West at Charlton Farm and walk through part of Portbury village. Here is a pub and then a little further on is a great place for a stop en-route at the café at Oakham
Treasures. And finish with a steady, but not hard, uphill climb on a very quiet lane.
PARK: In Sandy Lane, Lower Failand, parking outside St Bartholomew’s Church (there is a donation box on the fence). Lower Failand can be reached by going north on Oxhouse Lane from Failand village hall in Failand on the B3128. Reach the T junction, turn left and soon reach the church.
START: This imposing church was built in 1887 by Richard Vaughan, a former rector. At the time, a new road from Bristol to Clevedon was planned. The church was built where it was thought the road would pass. However, in the event the road by-passed Lower Failand so now the church is some distance from the main part of Failand village. When the building was complete, Richard Vaughan left a niche just above the entrance for a statue of St Bartholomew. It wasn’t until a century later that some private donations made this possible.
Continue along the lane with Chantry House left and soon pass the old village school (I bet that could tell a few stories!). Drop downhill straight on, ignoring the right turn to Portbury. Go uphill to a bend and here turn right on the marked footpath/drive. There is a diversion – go right and through a large field gate and over a stile by the next gate.
1. FIELD
Enter a field and carry straight on along the left edge getting some first views over Portbury and the beautiful countryside and soon passing a scout campsite left. Go through a gate and on, ignoring a footpath left. Cross two stiles at the end and in this field go down the field parallel with the left hedge but a little way away. At the foot, join the end of a concrete path heading down to a gate. Once through, go on and soon follow a narrow footpath right down under trees and by a pond to the main road. It can be wet and muddy here.
2. ROAD
Cross with care and go over a stile to take the wide stony track – originally the access to the old quarry. Here you have joined the Gordano Round.
This is a popular 26-mile walk which lies between the Bristol Channel and the city of Bristol and taking in part of the Gordano Valley.
When you reach a gate ahead, follow the footpath which goes round to the left passing the rather dramatic ruins of the large old quarry house over right. Maintain direction on the path all the way to a stile into a field. Aim for the Bristol Gate you can see on the far side. After going through this, bear diagonally across the field to the far right corner. To the left of a gate is a stile taking you into the grounds of the Downs School and still on the Gordano Round.
With Sue Gearing
3. DOWNS SCHOOL
The route now is straight across the playing field between the pitches and at the end of the last pitch turn right, passing cricket nets on your left. In the corner, the gate leads to parking. Go through and out, passing the main house of the school after you have bent left. Follow the drive out to a junction and go right, leaving the Gordano Round. Soon you pass Charlton Farm which has been imaginatively transformed into a centre for the South West Children’s Hospice. The track goes ahead through a gate and all the way to Prior’s Wood.
4. PRIOR’S WOOD
As you go in, it’s worth looking at the information board to find out more out this wildlife-rich nature reserve, renowned for its bluebells. Take the main track all the way through the woodland, dropping down and ignoring side turns. Sadly, as you progress, you start to hear the noise of the M5 in the valley below. Leave the woodland by another information board and follow the track, joining another and going left into Portbury.
5. PORTBURY
Turn right and on the corner on the left is one of the last reminders of old Portbury – the Old Priory.
This is the remains of the 12th century small Augustinian priory which was founded here on land donated by Isabella, Countess of Albemarle. There is said to be underground passages linking the main priory that may have been used by monks to hide from persecution and was linked to the pub, which you will soon see. Portbury has been a settled area for many centuries, starting in the prehistoric period which is hard to believe when you see the modern development here and the nearby docks. For the pub, which has been here since 1822, go ahead down the side road and you can see it on the right. To continue, turn right (left if coming from the pub). There is a pavement all the way now as we go through Portbury for a few minutes. At the junction, turn right. Follow this along, ignoring one turn, until you reach Mill Close.
6. MILL CLOSE
A short way up, take a footpath on the left. Go across the field, bearing right, to a visible gate at the top.
It's worth looking back to the steep hill behind Portbury, The Mount. Cross a stile up through a narrow piece of woodland, through a metal gate and turn left with the hedge on your left. At the field end, cross a stile ahead and then one on the right and turn left up the hedge-line, going uphill towards the woodland.
Behind you is a very clear view of the huge port.
At the top cross a stile and reach a choice of footpaths. Turn left soon joining a farm drive and drop down to the road.
7. OAKHAM FARM
Cross to Oakham Farm. This is the home of Oakham Treasures, a museum of retail and farming history, and it is here there is a very welcoming café. The café is over on the right in the main building. To continue, go straight on up the farm drive (turn right if coming from the café) and shortly take the marked footpath which parallels the drive. This leads into a field. Go straight on keeping over left and when the left
hedge ends just head on to the field’s other side by a long cottage on the lane where you will find a gate with a stile built into it.
8. LANE
Turn right on Failand Lane which gently climbs. Ignore the turn to Honor Farm but take the next track/drive left (not named). Up at the bend, go right on a footpath through a kissing gate, and then it is left along the field edge. A metal pedestrian gate on the left takes you out of the field and across a drive, through another gate and across the field to a gate, over a stream on a plank bridge.
9. COTTAGE
Follow the narrow path up to reach a cottage ahead, ignoring a footpath left. Then maintain direction up the lane. Continue to climb uphill on the lane which bends below the church and then reaches a junction. Turn left to the start.
The Priory Hotel, Portbury, 01275 376307. Open daily. Oakham Treasures café, 10am-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday. 01275 375236. Closed Sunday, Monday.
5 miles, about 3 hours walking time • OS Explorer map 154, Bristol West & Portishead 513 733. Postcode BS8 3SW. What3words: loss.dated.others
West Countryman’s diary
HERE comes April and at last the sun has begun to shine. Having said that there is still time for cold weather, as I emphasised in my last column concerning Charterhouse School in May 1899. I’ve gone from wassails to the pruning list in my diary. The orchard workshops are becoming ever more popular as the interest in our Somerset apples grow.
The stories together with the history, the myth and the legends that surround the apple give us a link to the past. I’m always keen to tell the stories and weave them into our everyday life when I do my orchard workshops.
Like many of you I enjoy taking time to stand and stare, a couple of words made famous by Gloucestershire poet W.G Davies in his poem that begins with the words: “What life is this if full of care”.
I watched a blackbird from my front room window recently. In the garden he was frantically gathering materials for nest building in the hedge and couldn’t get enough quickly enough. He tugged and twisted and twisted and tugged at every available strand of grass and dead vegetation until he had a beak crammed full.
Then came the difficult bit. Unlike a vertical take-off jet, he couldn’t get off the ground. Neither did he have any catapult assistance as in an American aircraft carrier. Somehow he did manage it, but had to make a forced landing due to the excess bulk of his cargo.
Undeterred he readjusted everything and struggled into the air again, just making it into the hedge. I feel we could all learn something from this and that’s not to take on more than I can handle and secondly have the determination to see the job through . . . the problem is I can never say: “Sorry I can’t help you.”
With everything waking up in the countryside, here comes my annual warning about adders, people and dogs. A long winter hibernation has left them slow and hungry. The venom will be extra strong and is designed to take its prey down quickly. They will lie quietly soaking up any warmth from the sun and hoping to avoid detection by remaining motionless.
Snakes in this country are naturally quiet and nonconfrontational, that is until they have no option but to strike in defence. Dogs are the first at risk purely due to their inquisitive nature. Whilst we become at risk due to our clumsiness by failing to check before we sit down or put a hand on the wall. It can be a dangerous place out there, so let’s be careful for everyone’s sake.
The world is indeed a dangerous place. It’s fraught with danger that no amount of health and safety legislation can contain. I always strive to make my past provide a reference and not become my residence.
Some time back I was asked to write a little bit about the rough and tumble of an orchard working life, so I came up with a short story about “Falling from an apple tree”:
Falling from trees is not just the prerogative of small boys. It is open to everyone who wishes to experience the rush of adrenaline brought about by a very brief free-fall, followed by the shock and pain caused by sudden impact with the ground.
I have been working with apple trees for over 50 years and have, during that time, climbed into many and fallen from a few. I can honestly say that I was never injured by falling from the tree, only by the sudden impact with the ground below.
In my younger days I was bold and confident, working at height in the tree with only a leg locked around the upright branch to secure me. I stood on the thinnest of branches (close to the tree trunk) and balanced on top of the highest rung on my ladder.
My approach to this work was not one of carelessness, nor one of thoughtlessness. I calculated every risk involved and countered them with knowledge and agility. As I have become older I am no longer quite so agile, but my experience has grown.
I now use a rope and harness to secure me within the tree instead of the “leg lock”. I no longer balance on the highest rung and if it is at all possible I will work from the ground, where the risk of any fall is considerably lower.
Life is very much like falling from a tree. You have to experience the slips and falls it brings to realise your mistakes. You need the maturity and experience of years to asses any potential incidents.
Finally, you need to experience a fall, to have felt the twisted ankle, the rip and tear of muscle and that burning wave of pain. Then you must get up and somehow carry on, much wiser, if not a little bruised in both body and pride!
This month’s photo is of a group of Somerset Wildlife Trust volunteers on one of my orchard awareness days. Mainly from the Levels reserve of Honeygar farm, these rangers spent the day getting to grips with the apple tree and I’m pleased to report that not one of them fell from an apple tree in doing so.
Finally, it’s with great sadness that I have learnt Mark Adler is not well. I well remember him coming into the warden’s office with Steve Egginton 20 years ago this year, when the idea of Mendip Times was born . . . Get well soon Mark, we all miss and need you!
Don’t forget you can always email me on: Les.davies@westcountryman.co.uk
With LES DAVIES MBE
World Book Day
PUPILSat Weare Academy C of E First school were treated to an unforgettable literary experience as celebrated children’s author Mark Robertson visited the school as part of its World Book Day celebrations.
The day started with a surprise visit as a dragon landed on the school playground. Mark, known for his popular books The Egg and Dare to Care for a Pet Dragon, engaged students with a day full of exciting activities, funded by the school’s PTA.
School head, Chelsey Dover, said: “This was a truly inspiring day for our children. Mark’s visit has ignited a passion for reading and writing among our pupils, and we are incredibly grateful to our PTA for making this experience possible.”
She said the school remains committed to fostering a love of literature and creativity through engaging events such as this, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to explore the joy of reading.
St Paul's School, Shepton Mallet
S HEPTON M ALLET
Everly and Phoebe as characters from the Little Miss books
C HEW S TOKE
Ellie Gallop from The Snail and the Whale
W EARE
“One year’s seed gives seven years’ weeds”
THEREis a lot of truth in this “old wife’s tale.” If you allow a weed to set and release its seeds, then not all the seeds will germinate the following season. Plants are adapted for survival, so some seeds will remain dormant and germinate in future years. Understanding your weeds helps enormously when it comes to attempting to control them, especially their life cycle. Annual weeds complete their life cycle in one season.
An ephemeral weed, such as hairy bitter cress, annual meadow grass, chickweed or groundsel can complete more than one life cycle in a season, making them particularly troublesome.
Perennial weeds, such as bindweed, ground elder and couch grass may take two or more years and can survive for very many years from underground stems or root systems. The tiny tubers of the celandine are all capable of regenerating into a new plant, unlike the tubers of a dahlia.
Weeds do have their good points. Some are edible e.g. lamb’s lettuce, sorrel, chickweed, purslane, and dandelion. They all provide pollen for our bees, and shelter for small invertebrates in our gardens, as well as being a source of food for the caterpillars of our moths and butterflies.
During the winter months a surface covering of weeds is preferable to leaving the soil bare, as the foliage helps protect the soil structure from heavy rain. When all is said and done, weeds are only the “wrong plant in the wrong place”.
Controlling weeds is very much a case of doing the right thing at the right time, with the right tool. Annual weeds should never be allowed to seed and care should be taken not to put them in your compost heap if the seeds are about to be shed.
A Dutch hoe (push hoe) is one of the gardener’s best tools for controlling annual weeds in borders and vegetable bed and on a sunny day it can be a very satisfying task pushing the hoe between the rows of plants, working backwards, severing the top of
young weeds and seedlings from its root system, which in the case of annuals will not regrow.
The top growth can be left on the surface to dry out. This creates an inch or so of weed free soil, which will itself inhibit the germination of deeper seeds. More mature annuals may need to be attacked with a swan neck hoe (draw hoe) chopping the top off in forward motion.
The weeds usually need to be raked up and removed as some may try to re-root if left on the soil. Once weed-free, a surface layer of an organic mulch, such as wood chip or composted bark will prevent light getting to weed seeds and inhibit germination.
Moss in borders has thrived during the damp mild winter that we have experienced in this area. Again, a Dutch hoe can be used to loosen it on a fine sunny day. Do not be tempted to use ferrous sulphate moss killer on your borders.
A useful way to clean land of annual weed seeds is to use a “stale seed bed technique” prior to planting. Prepare the land as if for sowing a lawn. Leave for two to three weeks during which time many seedlings will appear. These can be despatched with an acetic acid (vinegar) based herbicide on a warm day.
Do not disturb the land further before planting. These so-called “no glyphosate” products can be effective when used on seedlings in warm conditions but will not kill the roots of established annual nor perennial weeds.
The online trend for suggesting using salt as a weedkiller can have disastrous consequences to your soil, such that neither weeds, nor plants will grow.
Perennial weeds are much more of a problem, as many have persistent root systems. The golden rule is always to rid an area of perennial weeds prior to any permanent planting, even if this means delaying planting for a whole season.
For those preferring a non-chemical organic approach patience is required. The area can be covered with cardboard or plastic, topped with a mulch to hold it down. Depending on the weeds involved this may need to be in place for one, two, or even
more growing seasons to achieve the desired result.
Undoubtedly the quickest way is to spray with a glyphosate-based herbicide in late June. The timing is critical, as by late June the weeds will have achieved their maximum foliage potential, so will absorb more of the chemical.
A repeat spray in early September will see off any stragglers before planting up in the autumn. while the soil is still warm and moist.
Careful choice of plants to use in your borders will also help. Some of our perennial ornamentals have a habit of seeding around freely with their offspring, causing as many problems as traditional weeds.
Ladies Mantle, Astrantia, Eryngiums, golden rod and Verbena bonariensis are common culprits, and timely deadheading is required after flowering to prevent them taking over. Some perennial ornamental plants can also become perennial thugs such as some asters, Chinese lanterns and the Seville orange scented Houttuynia cordata. They are best confined to pots, if required. When purchasing plants take care to eliminate any weeds before planting. Hairy bitter cress was almost unknown until the rise of garden centres spread it around in the pots we purchased.
If you have managed to eliminate it from your garden, then beware, there is an equally obnoxious perennial form of it around which is spreading at an alarming rate.
A weed-free planting area, a good layer of mulch, and a hoe are the gardener’s best friends.
With MARY PAYNE MBE
Hairy bitter cress
• Plant out half hardy varieties of bedding plants such as antirrhinum, ten week stocks, sweet williams, pansies and violas.
• Plant out sweet peas and provide support for them to climb.
• Plant out tender bedding plants in only the most sheltered spots in your garden. If your garden stays cold at this time of year then it is better to resist the temptation and wait a week or two longer.
• Plant frost tender shrubs such as lavender, sage, rosemary, santolina, osteospermum and hebes now.
• Remove dead flower heads from bulbs, feed with a tomato liquid feed to build up the bulbs strength for next year. Don’t be in too much of a hurry to cut the leaves off.
• Lift and split daffodils to replant immediately. Try to avoid damaging the roots as much as you can.
• Plant Gladioli corms and Dahlia tubers. Lift, divide and replant clumps of over crowded bulbs.
• Plant main crop potatoes if you haven’t already done so. Early varieties may need earthing up to exclude the light from the tubers. Cover shoots with fleece to protect from frost damage.
• Sow runner beans, French dwarf beans, mange tout peas and garden peas.
• Protect flowers on peaches, nectarines and apricots from frost. Use a soft brush to hand pollinate blooms and increase chances of a good crop.
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Skool Beanz children’s allotment NGS GARDENS OF THE MONTH –APRIL
SKOOLBeanz is a children's gardening club run from their very own award-winning no-dig children's allotment which has a huge dahlia bed, vegetable area, fruit trees, rainwater collecting station, “Muddy Buddy” compost heap, quiet wildlife garden with tiny pond, secret den, polytunnel, upcycled sculptures and plenty of seating.
Address: Little Sammons allotments, Chilthorne Domer BA22 8RB.
Contact: South Somerset County Council, www.skoolbeanzcic.com
Opening dates and time: Saturday, April 19th, 12-5pm. Admission: £3, children free. Cashless payment available.
Yeo Valley organic garden
Opening dates and time: Thursday, April 10th, 10am-5pm. Admission: £8, children free. Contact: visit@yeovalleyfarms.co.uk
East Lambrook
Opening date and time: Saturday, April 26th, 10am-5pm Address: Silver Street, East Lambrook TA13 5HH. Admission: Adults £7, children free. Contact: Mike Werkmeister 01460 240328.
Rose Cottage
Address: Smithams Hill, East Harptree BS40 6BY.
Contact: bandjcruse@gmail.co
Opening details: Groups 2 –30 by appointment in April. Admission: £5.50.
Other Gardens Open for the NGS
To see more gardens open for the NGS, see The Garden Visitors Handbook, or the Somerset County Leaflet, available from local Garden Centres, or go to: https://ngs.org.uk/
Festival popular
VISITORScame from far and wide to enjoy the Shepton Snowdrop Festival again this year; many –even those from Germany - said they would return.
Snowdrops, climbers, plants for spring and for shade, and a new selection of gardenalia all attracted lots of buyers, and galanthophiles went home happy with new, rare varieties.
Wise as folk
Mike Burks
FROMESelwood Horticultural Society enjoyed a talk on Folklore Revisited, by Mike Burks from Sherborne, at the start of its 59th year.
The club meets on the second Tuesday of the month at Critchill School, BA11 4LB, 7.20pm for 7.30pm start.
Details: jane.norris9@gmail.com 07776208531 or Sue Leather on leather430@btinternet.com
with such diverse topics of interest and has such amazing coverage of small and larger local events –that would otherwise go un-heralded! It’s a total joy, from the excellent pictures capturing a great moment and snapshot of humanity to the encouraging features bringing hope in the restorative efforts of communities and nature’s own recovery. It puts our local free paper to shame in terms of the showcasing of community events and people’s fundraising or community-spirited efforts.
Sarah Crosse
Banwell spring show
BANWELL Gardening Club had a wonderful Spring Show with 261 individual entries, 43 more than last year, from 43 adults and 22 children.
The 1st Banwell Scout Group won the Banwell Village trophy and in all 19 trophies were presented by Neil Humphrys-Smith, club president.
The club said: “Special thanks go to Lyn Ralph, our show secretary and everyone who gave up their time to plan, organise, set up and run the whole event including our wonderful judges; it was a great achievement!”
They are now looking forward to their Horticultural Show on Saturday, September 6th.
Details: www.banwellgardeningclub.org.uk
Unearthing potential
SPRING has sprung and we’re venturing back outside to enjoy warmer weather and longer evenings. We all enjoy our gardens in different ways and that’s what makes designing your perfect garden such an exciting challenge.
Ammil Garden Design has some handy hints for planning your outside space:
l What works for your neighbour may not work for you –really take time to decide how you want to enjoy your garden.
l Curves or straight lines, stone paving or decking – spatial design and material selection will help determine the style and atmosphere of your garden.
l Pick plants that will thrive – aspect and soil will both play a part and it’s worth taking the time to make the right selection. If you’re not sure where to start, Ammil Garden Design can help. Designer Suzy says: “I love working with people to create a beautiful space they will enjoy for years to come.”
Seed swap
THE15th Seedy Saturday had plants and seeds galore on offer to keen gardeners attending Timsbury’s Conygre Hall. Community displays and expert talks gave visitors a chance to find out about local initiatives, including the Lower Chew Forest from Avon Needs Trees. Organiser, Sam Ross, said: “With even more stallholders than ever before, there were also plenty of seeds, plants, local produce and amazing craft items to be purchased, plus two fantastic talks and expert advice.”
(Photography courtesy of Em Wilkinson)
Early Mendip mining
THEcentral Mendip Hills, now an area primarily devoted to agriculture, were, 2,000 years ago, a wooded plateau with a few sparse clearings for the small-scale settlements. When exactly metal ores were first extracted is open to debate, but the area was certainly worked by the Romans, while lead fishing weights found at nearby lake villages date back even earlier.
The metalliferous ores extracted from the area include lead, zinc, iron (especially ochre), manganese, and strontium. Of these, lead was by far the most important.
In Mendip, the mineral veins are concentrated at very shallow depths, which, unlike other British orefields, were not scraped away by glaciers. This left a veritable lead bonanza immediately below the scanty soil, as mentioned in an early 14th century letter, to the Bishop of Bath and Wells, which records:
“Know, my Lord, that your workmen have found a very good mine on Mendip to the east of Priddy and one that can be opened up with no trouble, being only five or six feet below the ground.”
This is hardly the modern definition of a mine but would be typical of open-cast extraction methods of the Middle Ages and is the reason why long surface workings called grooves, gruffs, or rakes can still be seen today.
Large and easily accessible examples can be visited at Ubley Warren and shafts sunk at intervals along them indicate where the minerals were concentrated.
Most of these shallow workings were worked during the summer months only due to the ever-present problem of flooding in the wetter months. The use of leather buckets to raise water to the surface by bailing was first recorded in 1667, but this technique is certainly much older and has been noted in Devon mines as far back as the 13th century. Removal of the ore itself was done in wooden buckets. The ore was then broken up with a hammer before being cleansed and separated from impurities using “buddles” or troughs connected with a stream of running
water. Effectively a scaled-up version of gold panning, this was achieved by shaking the material in coarse sieves.
The cleaned ore was now ready for smelting. A typical smelting hearth would contain half a bushel of ore and coal fired by charcoal underneath, sitting on the hearth stone, with dried oak logs, called “gads”, on top, the whole structure being about five feet tall.
The entire assembly could be rotated to take advantage of any prevailing wind and, where necessary, bellows were used to enhance the draught. The molten lead was allowed to run out of the furnace into a mould in sand called a “sowe” to produce a pig of lead.
Mendip mining was controlled by the four “Lords Royal of Mendip”, namely the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Abbot of Glastonbury, the Lord Bonvills of “Chuton”, and the Lord of Richmond (Harptree).
Each had a “Minery”, concentrated on the availability of surface water, known today as Priddy, Charterhouse, Chewton, and Harptree mineries, respectively. Each lord employed officials known as lead-reeves to enforce control of disputes through minery courts and to gather what was known as lot-lead: generally, a tenth of the lead produced as payment for working on the lord’s land.
The lead mining industry on Mendip had its own unique set of laws and customs that covered all aspects of mining operation, including the stipulation that, if a miner were to die underground, his fellows must retrieve the body for a Christian burial.
The exact origin of these customary “Ten Laws of Mendip” is lost in the mists of time, but they were certainly in use about 1290 and were officially codified during the reign of Edward IV. In addition to the mining laws, the law of the land still applied and the local miners certainly had a reputation for violence and lawlessness.
The local public houses were often centres of disturbance, events coming to such that in 1608 the General Sessions, held in Wells, prohibited any alehouse licenses on Mendip whatsoever.
By the mid-16th century, Mendip mining had expanded to such an extent that miners were forced to extract the lead ore from deeper underground. Workings were commonly up to
eight fathoms (48 feet) deep, although the deepest recorded 17th century mine reached 30 fathoms.
In common with many local mines, the descent of this working was not entirely vertical and the proximity of adjacent mineral veins meant that individual workings often lay very close together. To ease the extraction of ore from the working face, a technique known as fire setting was used, which involved lighting a wood fire placed against the exposed orebody, which was then allowed to burn out over a couple of days to soften the rock.
This was very hazardous work and cautious judgement was needed. Too early a return presented dangers of rock fall, fumes, and excess heat and working conditions must have been horrendous. Imagine this just a few feet away from your next-door neighbour!
Miners who broke into neighbouring workings were subject to severe punishment, including the brutal practice known as “burning from the hill”.
Production figures are hard to come by, but figures for the lot-lead produced for the Chewton Minery peaked at about 50 tons a year in 1662, suggesting an overall production of some 500 tons. Figures for the other three mineries are not available but may have been similar.
Mining declined fairly rapidly thereafter and as the mines became either worked out or flooded, the future for the industry looked bleak. In 1819, the Rev. Skinner noted that mining had been reduced to desperate men sifting through the old waste heaps.
However, the slimes still contained a good quantity of lead, which Wrington resident Benjamin Somers realised could quite easily be re-smelted. His success breathed new life into the industry, which soon attracted the attention of the Cornishmen. Their story will be the subject of a future article.
Rakes and closely densely packed shafts at Ubley
CAVING With TREVOR HUGHES
Trevor Hughes is the MCRA registrar for Central Mendip
The blind spots that afflict medicine
By DrPHIL HAMMOND
CANADIANProfessor David Sackett, a pioneer of evidence-based medicine, warned his medical students that “half of what you will learn will turn out to be wrong. The trouble is, we don’t know which half.” There is so much about health we still don’t understand and as the probable truths from clinical trials accumulate and change, doctors need to change too.
Alas the evidence suggests we don’t change quickly enough. It takes far too long for the best science to reach the consulting room.
Sackett gets an honourable mention in “Blind Spots – when medicine gets it wrong and what it means for your health” by the British-born American surgeon and professor Marty Makary, who has a career-long interest in reducing medical harm.
In a previous book, he wrote: “There are bad doctors and impaired doctors, but the problem of doctors making repeated avoidable mistakes is a management problem. Not only do unsafe hospital systems allow bad and impaired doctors to keep on practicing, they foster situations in which even good doctors will make mistakes.”
This applies as much to the NHS as the US. If good staff are overworked and sleep deprived, they make human errors. Makary didn’t just expose medicine’s poor safety record, but he came up with one solution that has made it safer (the safe surgery checklist, based on the idea of the cockpit checklist, has substantially reduced surgical errors).
In Blind Spots, he again lays down the gauntlet to his own profession: “Could it be that many of our modern-day health crises were caused by (or hastened by) the hubris of the medical establishment?
“Experts told people for decades that opioids were not addictive –igniting the opioid crisis. They insisted infants avoid peanut butter –fuelling the peanut allergy epidemic. They demonised natural fat in foods – driving people to processed carbohydrates as obesity rates soared.
“They prescribed antibiotics haphazardly – altering the gut microbiomes of a generation and causing a drug-resistant bacteria epidemic. They unfairly used fear to scare women away from HRT, resulting in a generation of women being denied the life-extending and quality of life benefits.
“And some might say that ‘experts’ experimented on a bat coronavirus in the lab for no good reason, causing a global pandemic.”
Alas, the problem is far wider than the hubris of the medical establishment. Medicine operates in the context of political, regulatory and commercial oversight, with much of the “evidence” presented to doctors about new treatments derived from trials sponsored by the manufacturers of the treatments.
Bias, bribery and groupthink are everywhere. Doctors hate admitting mistakes, but so do politicians, civil servants, lawyers and
pharmaceutical companies. Reputational protection too often trumps the truth, whistleblowing is rarely a good career move, cover ups are all too common and patients have very little power of redress.
Makary spoke up during the pandemic, when he attacked various aspects of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s public health response. He argued against locking children up and masking them and questioned the ethics and benefits of mandatory vaccine boosters for those who had naturally acquired immunity.
In Blind Spots, he warns that overuse of antibiotics will cause far more damage than Covid: “It used to take 21 years on average for bacteria to become resistant to a new antibiotic. Now it takes an average of one year.”
In the US, five types of antibiotic-resistant bacteria are “urgent threats to human health”.
He writes: “The next pandemic has already begun. It’s not one that rips through countries in a matter of months. It’s a slowergrowing pandemic, yet it is projected to kill 10 million people a year by 2050.”
Yet Makary remains optimistic: “I’m not bitter about these groupthink errors of the medical establishment. The purpose in detailing them is to 1) broaden people’s perspective about the range of scientific study on these topics, 2) encourage civil discourse, and 3) encourage an open-minded approach to scientific dialogue so that the scientific method can more universally govern our profession.”
Makary wants to disrupt the way medicine is delivered by asking better research questions.
“Can diabetes be more effectively treated with a cooking class than by prescribing insulin? Can we lower high blood pressure by improving sleep quality and reducing stress instead of throwing anti-hypertensive medications at people?
“Can we discuss school lunch programs, not just bariatric surgery and Ozempic?
“Can we treat the epidemic of loneliness by fostering communities instead of simply prescribing antidepressants? Can we study the impact of body inflammation on health? Can we study environmental exposures that cause cancer, not just the chemotherapy to treat it?”
This is a passionate, well-argued and thought-provoking read but what makes it essential is that Malaky is not a dreamer on the sidelines, but Donald Trump’s pick to be the next commissioner of the FDA, an agency he has previously criticised.
If approved he will oversee 18,000 employees responsible for regulating more than $2.5 trillion in food, drugs, medical devices and tobacco products. He will be answering to both Robert F Kennedy and Trump.
Will we see civil and open-minded discourse leading to the scientific truth? Or will swallowing bleach and abandoning vaccines Make America Healthy Again? Time will tell.
Phil Hammond’s columns on Lessons from the Lucy Letby Case are available at https://www.private-eye.co.uk/specialreports/lucy-letby. And he does a quiz at the New Inn in Blagdon on the first Tuesday of each month
Ask Dr. Hannah
Air ambulance celebrates 25 years
DORSETand Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) celebrated 25 years of service in March. During that time, it has innovated and transformed into one of the most advanced pre-hospital critical care services in the UK.
The care that they provide is only possible because of charity funding and donations they receive. Without this support, it would not exist.
In the early years, DSAA only operated five days a week with a small team of pilots and paramedics. The aircraft was a Bolkow 105 helicopter with limited space and the equipment and skills of the team were similar to those you would find on a road ambulance.
Ken Duffield was the first patient treated by DSAA 25 years ago when his motorbike collided with a car.
He said: “Our children have grown up knowing what happened to me and the
importance of DSAA’s work. So many people including myself are here because of the work they do. They are amazing.”
Since then the team has carried out 29,000 missions and operates 19 hours a day, 365 days of the year. They also have two outreach cars.
Chief executive, Charles Hacket, said:
“I would like to say thank you to everyone who supports us. Your donations have taken us from small beginnings to where we are today; providing pre-hospital critical care that no-one imagined 25 years ago.”
101st birthday celebrations for local care home resident
BIRTHDAYcelebrations including a champagne reception were in full swing at Cadbury Hall, in Yatton as Betty, one of the home’s residents, turned 101 years old.
Surrounded by her family, friends, fellow residents and her care team, she had a memorable day and was presented with a special birthday cake and over 101 birthday cards.
When asked for her secret to a long and fulfilled life, Betty responded: “Being physically and mentally active, the love of family and friends, being adventurous and kindness.”
All things that Cadbury Hall and its team support her with each day.
Audrene Abrigo, general manager, said: “We’re delighted to be celebrating a truly remarkable woman, she is an inspiration to us all. Betty is such a unique and popular resident who always has an interesting tale to tell, and we look forward to hearing many more!”
Betty has led an interesting life, born and brought up in Gloucestershire, the eldest of six siblings, and describes a happy and loving childhood.
Posted to Ilfracombe, in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during WW2, she met her husband on her first “night out” and they married once the war ended. Leslie and Betty went on to have two children and now have great grandchildren too.
Betty is enjoying a new chapter of her life and embracing all that’s offered at Cadbury Hall – a care home run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers.
It’s committed to delivering personalised care by treating every person as an individual – tailoring their care services and support to meet each person’s unique needs and preferences.
Cadbury Hall’s well-trained team are passionate about providing independence, dignity and choice for all, in a residential care setting, offering both respite care and longer-term stays.
Café supports the community
THE Bluebird Café and Bar in Wedmore is celebrating its second anniversary with another money give away to local charities and community groups.
Last year it presented over £10,000 to a variety of good causes, including sports teams, schools, youth organisations and health groups. It’s now encouraging village organisations to apply for funding.
Bluebird is the brainchild of locals Andy Daintree and Ian Scott (Scottie). They felt Wedmore needed a community café and a place to showcase South West music talent.
The café has made a positive impact on village life and is a hub for clubs such as the WI, Men’s Shed and Wedmore in Bloom to meet.
This year it will launch its first-ever Young Performers Emerging Talent Competition. This is open to students aged 16 to 18, who are invited to apply through their school’s music department.
This year’s grants will be distributed on Thursday, May 22nd at a presentation evening in the Bluebird.
Braving the rain
ABOUT 20 villagers turned out for Compton Dando’s annual litter pick despite wet and windy weather.
Organiser, Sarah Wilson, said: “This event was a testament to the community spirit that keeps our village looking its best.”
Keeping Publow tidy
RESIDENTSof Publow gathered to clean the lanes and public ways around their village of litter, collecting cans, bottles and general litter, together with builder’s waste which had been discarded onto the verges and into the roadside ditches.
Organiser Gary Pearce, said: “Despite the challenging weather, we assembled a team who thoroughly and cheerfully took charge of clearing the five lanes which traverse through our village, so we had a lot of distance to cover.”
Gary’s wife Jenny baked some cakes and provided hot drinks for the volunteer team to enjoy after the event, which they now hope to hold annually.
A fine spectacle
THE Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge launched an appeal to collect unused pairs of spectacles, in partnership with Brock and Houlford opticians in Bishop Sutton.
Nicola (Dee) Deacon, a partner in the practice, attended a meeting of the club where she was presented with a collection of 510 pairs of glasses.
She’s pictured with club member Trevor James (left) and club president John Butler. She said they also collect bottle tops, stamps and bras.
Hugo Pike, who represents the club’s international committee, said: “This is an amazing programme to help combat blindness, prevent vision loss and assist those who are visually impaired in underserved communities.”
Andy Daintree and Ian Scott
Scout camp
MEMBERSof the 1st Blagdon Scouts enjoyed a weekend of hiking in the Quantocks, which included making model rafts which they then raced down the convenient mill stream next morning.
Last meeting
THEBurnham Moose ladies’ circle held their final meeting at St Andrew’s Church hall, but on a high, as they handed over almost £4,000 pounds to community groups and charities
Ladies’ circle president, Sandra Nicholson, said: "It has been an honour and a privilege to have been president of the Ladies Circle for the last three years, but sadly all good things come to an end as our Ladies Circle closes after 71 years."
All members of Ladies’ Circle are also members of Moose International who will be holding their own charity presentation night, on Thursday, March 27th.
Let’s dance!
Members of Janine Veal’s Avon Dance School
MEMBERSof Bishop Sutton and Stowey WI decided to celebrate the first national Let’s Dance event suggested by Angela Rippon by working with local groups to put on an event of fun and dance.
And what a success it was, with a huge turn-out at Bishop Sutton village hall and everyone getting up and having a go and saying what fun it was.
Doing the WI twist
It appealed to all ages
Ladies Circle members with cheque recipients
Saturday market
PUBLOWChurch’s Saturday market raised £588 for church funds. The next market will be on Saturday, April 5th, 10-11.30 am. The Westhay Opportunity Centre will be visiting with their innovative craft items for sale. There will also be a paperback stall, plant stall and home baking stall.
Somerset Day
THEorganisers of Somerset Day have added a new event to the weekend of celebrations planned for May 10th and 11th. The Wurzels will play at the Barrel & Bloom festival being held at Rich’s Cider.
Somerset Day is an annual celebration of the county’s heritage, culture, and people, bringing together communities to showcase what makes Somerset truly special and is celebrated annually over the second weekend in May.
It marks Alfred the Great’s call to arms and the gathering of “all the people of Somerset”’ to march against the invading Viking army.
Details: https://www.somersetday.com/
Encouraging volunteers
THE High Sheriff of Somerset Charitable Trust held an event at North Cadbury Court, to consider the trends in volunteering in Somerset and explore ways to encourage greater and more sustained participation, especially by young and working age people.
Wedding belles
THEChurch of St Michael and All Angels in Stoke St Michael will be holding a display of wedding dresses and outfits through the decades over the weekend of May 31st and June 1st.
There will be a concert of song, acapella voice, readings and poetry on Saturday evening and a family service of thanks to end on Sunday.
If you have a connection to Stoke St Michael and would like to show off your own wedding outfits together with your story, they are asking you to contact them.
Two members of Wedding Belles, the organising group, are pictured, Sarah Stewart (left) and Charlotte Corbett. Other members are Justine North, Penny Anderson, Karen Pearce and Jane Evans.
The wedding dress was handmade by Sarah’s mother from a Vogue pattern which they still have. The pictures by the side are her parents Ann and Geoff Oakley on their wedding day October 6th, 1951 and then at a Mess Ball in the 1980s. Her father was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Corp of Signals.
They say the aim of the exhibition is to show wedding outfits through the decades and the stories of the wearers, however they want to be told.
Details: ssmchurchevents25@gmail.com
Quiz winners
WELLSu3a held a very successful quiz along with a cream tea at Wells Golf Club, attended by 44 members.
It has over 50 different interest groups and would welcome more, particularly for crafts and exercise groups, if volunteers would like to start them.
New members are welcome at their coffee mornings on Thursdays, 10.30-11.30am, at the Portway Annexe in Wells.
Details: https://wells.u3asite.uk
Avalon’s finest
THIRTEENteams of four took part in the annual Brains of Avalon quiz organised by the Glastonbury and Street Lions Club.
This was the 41st competition for the John Bromfield Trophy that was presented to the club by the former Glastonbury mayor. It raised more than £400.
The 15 rounds of very varied questions were put together by one of the club members Mike Edmunds and Chris Ford was the host and question master for the evening.
The winning team were Forum who regained the title after a close match with Tor First Class who came second on a tiebreak and Meare Mountain Rescue who took the third place.
A spokesman for the club said: “We want to thank all those who took part and congratulations to Forum for regaining the trophy. The club also thanks the staff at the Town Hall for their help.”
Next year’s quiz will be in Glastonbury Town Hall on Friday, January 30th 2026.
Denning (right) is this year’s president of Chew Lake Probus Club taking over from Tim Stevenson.
He’s been a member of Probus for nearly 20 years and is the first member to be
club president twice, previously in 2016/17. The club has a current membership of 35 men and meets on the first Tuesday of the month at Chew Kitchen in Chew Stoke, for lunch followed by a speaker.
Details: Bob Denning 07546 599109 email robertdenning224@btinternet.com
Big score for Lions’ dinner
FORMER England cricketer, Sir Alistair Cook, was guest speaker at the 17th Frome Lions Sporting Charity dinner, held at Elmhay Park, Orchardleigh, Frome.
This year’s chosen charity was the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, represented by Charlotte Humber. Kevin Butcher, CEO of the Richard Oatley foundation, also attended. The late Richard Oatley was a farmer who spent his entire life in the Frome area and was a great supporter of charitable causes.
At the end of his life, he set up the foundation in his name to support numerous well-known organisations whose work was close to his heart. Once again the foundation agreed to match fund the amount raised by the Lions.
The dinner raised £13,000 and with match funding from the foundation, the Lions were able to donate £26,000 to the air ambulance.
Let’s dance!
MENDIPDance Club held an afternoon of dance in support of Angela Rippon's “Let's Dance" campaign to encourage nondancers to discover the benefits and joy of dance.
Sessions led by Anna Gifford and Fleur Hoefkens Lee were followed by a chance to socialise with tea and cake.
Details: www.mendipdance.wordpress.com
Rotary president
ANDREWde Mora is the president of the Minehead Rotary Club and not of the Chelwood Bridge club as we reported last month. We are happy to make this clear.
Lions' president Dan Norris with Sir Alistair Cook
Lion President Derek Green presenting the trophy
Mapping the future
and future
to be delivered, developed and studied over the next three years has been
The Transport Action Map offers residents, businesses and stakeholders a comprehensive overview of the council's ambitious plans to enhance transportation infrastructure across the district.
The map provides a user-friendly, one-stop shop where users can access detailed information on more than 200 transport schemes.
The map will be updated and improved as schemes reach completion, new projects are added, and additional functionality is provided to enhance the experience.
The projects featured on the map range from road safety improvements and active travel initiatives to major infrastructure developments and public transport enhancements.
Talk to us about getting “Tileyed Up”
REGULAR readers will know that I have traditionally said that when the clocks go forward the local property market goes up a gear. Spring flowers start to show themselves, the beautiful Chew Valley comes to life and people who want to share in our lifestyle come flocking in their search for a property.
Well, this year things are slightly different. The cool spring breezes have had their effect on house buyers. I won’t speculate on the reasons, but we are detecting a nervousness among those looking for a new home. They are still there in good numbers, but they are being extremely cautious before taking the plunge.
In other words, this is the perfect market for me and my team, who, as you know, focus on the key words of “Dedication, Imagination and Delivery”. All three are of vital importance, but at times like this it is “Imagination” that sets us apart from the rest, and that
single word could make all the difference to you when it comes to selling your home.
Let me illustrate that by telling you about a house that had been on the market for a year with another agent. During that time, it had received just three viewings and no offers. No wonder the owners, like many others recently, came to speak to us and ask for our help.
We carefully delved into all the details of the situation and drew up an imaginative strategy, making creative suggestions about how the home could be reorganised and how it could be marketed in a different way. We also spoke realistically about the pricing.
In next to no time there were a number of viewings arranged and an eventual final offer that exceeded our guide price. The owners were naturally delighted and thanked us for our help, saying they felt as though they had been “Tileyed Up!” What they had experienced was our
full wrap-around service, providing a personal service from start to finish which is based on years of experience, a detailed knowledge of the local market and a team determined to deliver the outcome all our clients desire.
We are always delighted to achieve a successful outcome when we sell a property, but we are also thrilled when we can support local community activity and are pleased to announce that we are to become one of the sponsors of the brilliant Chew Valley 10k which will be taking place in June.
It is a welcome addition to our portfolio of sponsorships which go across much of the year, impacting several villages and allowing us to put something back into the community that has done so much to support my business and I can’t wait for all the events that we’ll all enjoy over the coming months.
JOANNA TILEY
The benefits of good coaching
THIS month’s column has come along fast! Recently I was lucky enough to have a lesson with International 5* eventer Jonelle Price at her yard in Dorset. Chard RDA ran an auction last year and one of the auction lots was a lesson with Jonelle which I subsequently won.
I thought it was a great deal as the money went to a very worthwhile charity which does amazing things for getting access to horses for those who are disabled and I got a lesson with someone who rarely teaches but has competed at the highest levels.
I had a brilliant lesson. We worked on improving Insey’s balance and on improving my self discipline as a rider. I often think the difference between a professional rider and amateur is in the rider’s self-discipline and what our expectations of good are.
I’ve been anticipating the start of my eventing season. It’s a long day as I have a 218-minute break between dressage and showjumping which is frustrating. My dressage is at 12.30 and then a three and a half hour wait.
I will leave the house at 7am and will expect to get home around 9pm. I will be back up the next day for work at 5.45am to get on an early train. Sometimes you wonder if it is all worth it as it costs so much money and time but the adrenaline from going round cross country makes it all worthwhile.
I have no aims than to hopefully get to all three phases and have fun. It’s not a day for winning rosettes but is a day for fact finding. What has improved and what still needs improving.
We have been blessed with an extraordinary spell of decent weather. It’s just wonderful to have horses turned out again and to be able to go cross country schooling on grass. We are lucky round here to have Stockland Lovell, Pontispool and Rosamund Green all currently open and available for cross country schooling. I hope this weather continues for a little longer as nothing makes you cheerier than finally seeing blue skies and being dry.
I was in the first year of having to take a trailer test (showing my age now) and not have automatic rights to drive a 7.5 tonne lorry. The trailer test stipulation has now been removed for all drivers, but I am very grateful for the training I underwent particularly in reversing a trailer.
It was put under pressure in Wedmore when I met a woman in a 73 plate Mercedes SUV. The road would have been wide enough to pass but the hedges had been freshly trimmed and I am guessing she did not want to scratch such a shiny car.
I waited for her to reverse and she couldn’t do it. She managed around 3m in reverse. It was excruciating to watch. We were at an impasse. In the end it was easier for me to reverse the trailer up a hill round windy roads than it was for this woman to reverse 75m. Eventually we were all able to be on our way again.
Finally, I want to pay tribute to Caroline
Inseys annual eye check and an opportunity for the vets at The Stables to improve their optometry skills with Tim Knott European Optometrist
Moore. Many of you will have no idea who she is, but she was the most inspirational coach I have been lucky enough to train with. Caroline trained youth teams to countless medals and was the coach of Ros Canter who has won an extraordinary amount at the highest levels.
Caroline was extraordinary because she had no ego. She did not care who you were but was interested in you if you wanted to learn and improve. I have met countless coaches who are not interested in you really but pretend to be but are just happy to take your money and when you meet one who is always willing to help mentor you it’s great.
I am lucky enough to have this with my coach Jo May who is based in Wedmore. Jo is an underrated coach in my opinion. I probably drive her mad, but I always know Jo is at the end of the phone if I am having doubts or want a second opinion.
I have been going to Jo for 20 years now and she is always developing her coaching and has an excellent eye for detail. I have been to many coaches over the years, and she is excellent in every lesson.
I have been to so many coaches who have just done such an average lesson where you come away with no learning points or just seem to be going through the motions. I get it straight from Jo and I love that honesty as I want to improve and get better and being told something is good when it’s not, is poor coaching.
Lucy Counsell is a lifelong equestrian with a passion for eventing. She set up the riding club, Equestrian Training South West,
Area 12 Riding Club committee and has her UKCC2 qualification to coach riding
With LUCY COUNSELL
served on
Its that time of year –cleaning tack for eventing
Poppy Skipper, trainer, celebrates her first win with jockey, Robbie David, after Corporal Jackjones won the restricted race
A BRIGHT, sunny and pleasantly warm spring day resulted in a large crowd attending the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale pointto-point meeting at Charlton Horethorne.
Owner Paul Nicholls with daughter Olive and trainer Sam Loxton
Olive Nicholls on her way to victory on Switch Hitter
How the pandemic changed cycling
FIVEyears ago, we witnessed an event that changed the world forever. The Covid pandemic had many impacts, but an unintended consequence was to bring about a massive boom in cycling. At the time it seemed that it was the start of a generational shift in attitudes towards travel and health. Yet as time has passed, and we returned to a new “normality” it seems those aspirations may not have been sustained – why?
When lockdown was imposed the quiet hum of bicycle wheels replaced the roar of traffic. Empty city streets, once the domain of buses and black cabs, became temporary havens for cyclists. The Covid-19 pandemic, a global crisis that forced us to retreat indoors, paradoxically propelled many of us, onto two wheels.
Cycling, once a casual pastime for some, became a lifeline, a source of exercise, a means of essential travel, and a muchneeded mental escape.
The initial lockdown months witnessed a seismic shift. Confined to our homes, we craved connection with the outside world. Parks and green spaces became sanctuaries and cycling offered a way to access them safely. This desire for open air led many to rediscover the simple joys of cycling.
Families dusted off forgotten bikes, children learned to ride and couples rediscovered the joy of exploring their local areas. The simple act of pedalling became a symbol of resilience, a way to reclaim a sense of normality in a world turned upside down.
Beyond recreational use, cycling also became a practical solution. Public transport, once a staple of daily commutes, became a source of anxiety. Concerns about virus transmission led many to seek alternative modes of travel.
Cycling offered a safe and socially distanced way to get to work, run errands, and access essential services. The sight of cyclists navigating city streets, once a relative rarity, became commonplace.
This surge in demand triggered a boom in the cycling industry. Bike shops experienced unprecedented sales, with many models selling out rapidly. The "Fix Your Bike" voucher scheme, launched by the government, encouraged people to repair and maintain their existing bikes. The pandemic, in a strange twist, revitalised a sector that had been facing challenges.
Recognising the potential of cycling to address public health and environmental concerns, the government and local authorities accelerated efforts to improve cycling infrastructure. Pop-up bike lanes appeared in cities and plans for permanent cycling routes were fast-tracked.
The pandemic served as a catalyst for long-overdue investment in active travel, paving government promises for a more cycle-friendly future.
However, the post-pandemic landscape presents a more nuanced picture. While the initial surge in cycling has fallen, the longterm impact is undeniable. Cycling participation remains significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. Data reveals an interesting trend: While the overall number of cycling trips has returned closer to prepandemic averages, the average distance cycled has increased.
This suggests that people are now using their bikes for longer, more purposeful journeys, indicating a shift towards more serious and committed cycling.
The health and well-being benefits of cycling, once largely anecdotal, were reinforced by the pandemic. The physical and mental benefits of regular exercise have become more widely recognised and many people have since incorporated cycling or other exercise into their daily routine.
The increased popularity of cycling also fuelled a demand for e-bikes from those with physical limitations or those living in hilly areas. The rise of e-bikes has played a significant part in sustaining cycling’s popularity.
In parallel with these positive developments, the cycling industry faced ongoing challenges. Supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by the pandemic and global events, led to shortages and price increases. Stocks of bicycles and cycle training machines sold out leading to empty shelves.
Most manufacturers and retailers then invested substantially in growing their business and acquiring additional stock to cope with the anticipated ongoing demand. However, as the years rolled by, not all of those people stayed on two wheels. Whether that’s because of a return to normality, the roads becoming busy again, or a lack of infrastructure, but the boom of 2020 has not sustained. Businesses that had overreached themselves now found themselves in financial difficulty.
The pandemic demonstrated how popular cycling can be. During lockdown cyclists felt safe on the road and were happy to use a bike because other options were not available.
It doesn’t need a pandemic to create those conditions. Congestion zone charging for cars can drive the population towards a healthier lifestyle. Local authorities should also invest in cycling infrastructure such as cycle lanes, low traffic neighbourhoods and traffic calming measures to encourage more people to cycle.
FROMECanoe Club is extending an invitation to the local community to hire its rooms in its charming clubhouse located in Market Yard, Frome.
The clubhouse, in the heart of the town, boasts two modern function rooms that can be rented individually or the entire clubhouse can be hired. It has a Somerset Council pay-and-display parking outside the building’s front; during specific hours, parking is free.
Canoe club bookings secretary, Ben Miles, said: “These versatile rooms are perfect for different events, including functions, meetings, group gatherings, training sessions, birthday parties, AGMs and more.”
Frome Canoe Club is a charity founded in 1976 and opened its clubhouse in 2007. Ben said as a charity, they heavily rely on people renting the clubhouse to assist with the maintenance and upkeep of the building.
The club offers a range of different water sports including kayaking, canoeing and slalom. They cater for a range of abilities from brand new starters to experienced white water paddlers and they welcome everyone from the age of eight.
They have a huge range of kit for people to borrow including boats, paddles, waterproof clothing, which is ideal for new starters to get involved with the sport.
Across the year they have weekly sessions available paddling on the river Frome in the town centre and then a huge range of river trips across the South West giving people the chance to try out different grades and difficulties of rivers.
They have a dedicated session day on Wednesday evenings for children and Tuesday evenings just for adults.
THEEast Somerset Railway opened the season by welcoming the Wells ladies’ football team on International Women’s Day.
Locomotive 4555 was running and offered a nostalgic journey through the beautiful Mid-Somerset countryside.
Club’s double
TOR Rugby completed the double over Cheddar, winning 577 at home after winning 66-5 at Cheddar earlier in the season.
Star speaker
CHEWValley RFC’s end of season lunch on April 5th will hear from Deborah Griffin, who is set to become the new RFU President
It’s a significant event for the club, which will be one of the first grassroots clubs that she has visited.
She will speak about her journey in rugby, including her experience playing for England and her receiving an OBE for her service to women's rugby.
She will be speaking alongside Christian Lang, the managing director of the star* scheme, which was started by Chew Valley to support youngsters through rugby.
The clubhouse
Choir’s 30 years
IN 1995 a workshop was held at Radstock Gala Day, showcasing old carols and hymns dating from the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
This style of music, accompanied by a small band, not an organ, is now known as West Gallery Music, owing to the fact that the band and the choir performed from the west galleries that were then in place at the back of village churches.
Several Mendip churches still have these galleries, Emborough and Cameley to mention just two.
After the workshop, many of the participants decided to get together to explore more of the music and a choir was formed, with a small band to accompany the singers.
That choir, which has the unusual name of Called to be Saints, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and a reunion is planned.
If any former members reading this have not received their invitaion yet, please get in touch with Pete on
petecr13@gmail.com as the choir would love to hear from them.
Young musicians
THE District stage of Rotary’s Young Musician competition was held at Churchill Academy, featuring young people aged 12-17, performing in front of an enthusiastic audience.
The winner in the vocal section was 15year-old Ella from Churchill Academy who was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wrington Vale.
The runner-up was 14-year-old Molly from Court Fields School in Wellington sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wellington.
The winner in the instrumental section was 16-year-old violinist Sophie from Sherborne School sponsored by the Rotary Club of Taunton.
The runner-up was 15-year-old pianist Tim from Taunton School sponsored by the
Festival winner
BETHZIENNA won heat five of the Pilton Stage band competition. The singer, songwriter featured in the 2019 series of The Voice, selected and championed by both Jennifer Hudson and Tom Jones. The Pilton Stage competition is organised by Neil Templar and the prize is a slot at this year's Glastonbury festival being held in June.
Rotary Club of Taunton. Ella and Sophie will go on to compete in the Rotary Regional competition in Clifton College. The national final will be held in Romford at the end of March.
Competition organiser Roger Burdock
congratulated all the entrants and expressed Rotary’s thanks to adjudicators Joyce Rudall and David Hedges and to the governors and head teacher of Churchill Academy for their support for the event.
Rotary District 1200 young musicians with district governor Stuart Gilbert
Wraxall summer tour 2009
Couple return
HARRYand Alisa Nowakowski-Fox have supported the Yatton Music Society for many years and will make a welcome return to St Mary’s on April 26th with a brilliant performance of piano solos by Harry and piano cello duets with Alisa.
Harry is an international Steinway artist and one of the most notable British pianists of his generation. His wife Alisa regularly appears as a guest cellist at venues including the Royal Opera House.
The concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are £12, children free.
Details: www.yms.org.uk
Singing group’s first album
CHILCOMPTONbased singing group "Sing Your Heart Out" has had a particularly exciting autumn and winter season, culminating in a remarkable achievement: the recording of their very own album in St John’s Church with Cobra Recordings.
The album features a carefully selected mix of the choir’s favourite songs and will soon be available on your chosen music streaming platform.
The choir is currently looking for new members, particularly in the alto section.
Details: Musical director Viv Moon 01761 232490
Solene Weinachter
What’s it all about?
PROFESSIONALdance theatre comes to Croscombe Village Hall on Saturday, April 5th, 7.30pm hosted by Croscombe Frolics with support from Take Art, Somerset’s rural touring charity.
“After All” is a celebration of our “vulnerable and courageous existence”. Solène Weinachter melds dance, comedy, storytelling and theatre to ask: how do we deal with the end?
The following day there will be a free event “beyond After All” at The George Inn, 10am, a space to speak about death together inspired by the tradition of the death café movement.
Tickets for the show are adults £12, low income and U-25 £6 from the George Inn or online.
Details: www.takeart.org/whats-on
Success for Glastonbury Brass
GLASTONBURYBrass have achieved resounding success at the West of England Brass Band Regional Championships, taking home an amazing 3rd place prize and earning themselves a spot at the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain in September.
The band competed in their division against 17 other bands from across the region. Preparations for this year's competition started back in January under the band’s recently appointed musical director, former bandmaster of the Grenadier Guards, Liam Grunsell.
He said: “I am absolutely thrilled with the result! The dedication and hard work from every member of the band has truly paid off and I couldn't be prouder of what we’ve achieved.
“This is a fantastic milestone and I am excited to build on this success during preparations for Cheltenham as we represent the West of England at the national level.”
Glastonbury Brass will next be playing locally in Glastonbury on Sunday, April 13th in St. Benedict’s Church for an afternoon spring concert.
Congresbury Singers Spring Concert
‘A Taste of the Baroque’
Music from Italy, France, Germany and England
Bach ‘Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring’
Purcell Excerpts from ‘King Arthur’
Torelli Trumpet Concerto in D
Rameau Excerpts from ‘Les Indes Galantes’ Vivaldi ‘Gloria’
Soloists
Tansy Fowler* (soprano)
Amelie Whatling* (soprano)
Molly Gardner (mezzo soprano)
Alex Robinson (tenor)
Michael Daniels (trumpet)
(* by permission of Millfield School)
The design of this programme was inspired by the idea of a ‘Grand Tour’, the principally 17th to early 19th century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank when they had come of age. It served as an educational rite of passage. We will invite the audience to come and join us on our musical journey, without even leaving the country!
Excerpts from an opera, and an operaballet, and complete performances of a trumpet concerto, culminating in Vivaldi’s famous ‘Gloria’, one of the most popular
choral works in the repertoire – with young soloists and a small orchestra. This exciting programme is being held at Saint Andrew’s church, Congresbury at 7.30pm on Saturday 5th April. Our Conductor for the night is Jonathan Palmer, Congresbury Singers’ Musical Director, accompanied by The Newland Ensemble, soloists & Richard Lennox, Organist.
Tickets are £12.00 (U-12s free), to include Easter refreshments and are available at Re:Store & the Post Office in Congresbury or on the door on the night.
We are very grateful to Paragon Music Trust for the financial support that they have given us for this event. If you enjoyed today’s performance, do take a moment to visit their website (via the QR code) to read how you might help the Trust to support more music-making in the area.
30th anniversary concert
THE North Somerset Philharmonia celebrates its 30th anniversary with concerts on Saturday, April 5th at the Main Hall, Gordano School and a repeat performance on Sunday, April 6th at the Lantern Hall, Bristol Beacon.
Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro opens the concert followed by Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5. The conductor is Ben England, leader, Ali White and soloist, Ana England.
Rehearsals are held at Nailsea Methodist Church, 7.30pm, during term time.
Tickets are adults £15, concessions, £12, U-18s £6, with a retiring collection for Parkinson’s UK.
Indoor wassail
COLINand Sue Emmett from Bishop Sutton brought wassail with a twist to Parkinson's North West Support Group in Nailsea, describing the history of wassail, its music and Jigger Dolls.
North West Somerset Support Group is just one of many support groups across the country and meets the second Saturday in each month at St Francis Church Hall, Nailsea, BS48 2LP, 10.30am12.15pm.
Details: www.nwsomersetpuk.org
Choral contest
WEDMORE’Ssell-out Clash of the Choirs will see ten choirs compete, including all of the local schools, at St Mary’s Church on Saturday, March 29th. They will all try to impress the notoriously unreliable “Clapometer”. The fun evening will see people gather at 5.30pm to start at 6.30pm. Tickets are on sale at The Paper Shop in Wedmore and with additional handling charge, through Eventbrite (using the QR code), adults £10, U-13 £5.
Details: David Hopkins 07984 924432
Buffet open 10.30am to 15.30pm every Sunday from 6th April
Easter at the Station –Sunday 20th & Monday 21st April
Wickham Trolley Rides Wednesday 9th & 16th April
–15thJUNE
New season at Somerset & Dorset
THESomerset & Dorset Railway at Midsomer Norton re-opens on Sunday, April 6th, for the 2025 season. They have a wide variety of events planned throughout the year, including brake van rides, driver experiences, galas, and the ever-popular Halloween & Santa trains.
Sunday, April 6th is a standard running day with trains running from 10.30am with the last train at 3pm. Good news – ticket prices have been held at 2024 prices, so you can ride the trains all day for £10 for adults and £5 for children (three and under free) subject to space.
Wednesday, April 9th and 16th sees the return of Wickham Wednesdays where you can ride the Wickham Trolley the length of the line. These trolleys were used by the railways to transport workers and their equipment along the line to carry out engineering works.
The first event of the year is Easter at the Station, being held on Easter Sunday, April 20th and Easter Monday, April 21st. Enjoy a family day at the station, ride the trains, and children can take part in the Easter Hunt, with a special prize for all completed activity sheets returned to the shop.
Making all this happen takes a lot of effort from the volunteers.
Cemetery tours
THE2025 monthly programme of Walk and Talk tours of Frome Dissenters' Cemetery commences on April 12th and then on the second Saturday each month until September.
The tour lasts about an hour, 11am-noon and covers family, social and local history as well as nature in this two-acre site. If wet, a talk will take place in the chapel.
The cemetery is managed by trustees and maintained by a group of volunteers who generally meet on a Saturday morning from 10ish to noon. Some may carry out solo work during the week, if that is more convenient for them.
The trustees are now seeking to raise funds to restore the chapel; to convert the ground floor of the old superintendent's cottage into a heritage and educational resource centre; and to renovate the front gates and gate pillars.
Work on a nature trail and linear orchard is now almost complete.
Details: https://www.fromedissenterscemetery.org/
Craft workshop
SANDFORDWI members visited Wolfridge Alpaca Barn, Alveston for a felt craft workshop.
The group meets on the second Monday of each month at Sandford Village Hall at 7.30pm. New members are very welcome (visitors £5).
Lions’ country festival
CHEDDAR Vale Lions’ fourth Country Music Festival will take place on May 17th and 18th at Petruth Paddocks on the outskirts of the village, with camping available from the Friday. It will be featuring a range of live country music, line dancing, delicious food and “good ol’ country fun”.
Weekend and day tickets are available, with concessions for children. Any profits will go to local good causes. The Lions would welcome sponsors.
Details: cheddarvalelions.org.uk
T HE M ENDIP T IMES
Commercial entries cost £25. We’re happy to offer entries for non-profit community group meetings and charity fundraisers free of charge. If you feel that your entry fits our criteria for free publicity please state why – and send a succinct single paragraph, in a format that can be copied and pasted to annie@mendiptimes.co.uk
Thursday March 27th
Avon Wildlife Trust talk: “Putting in a pond, the pleasures and pitfalls” by Stephanie Chadwick. 7.45pm Chew Magna Old School Room, £2.50. West Mendip Walkers moderate 10m circular walk starting 9.30am from Compton Dando BS39 4JZ. W3W: trash. whites. bend. Details: www.mendipramblers.co.uk
Friday March 28th
Whitchurch Local History Society: “The farms of Whitchurch” by Brian Edwards, 7.30pm United Reformed Church, 24 Bristol Rd, BS14 0PQ. Visitors welcome £4. Details: 01275 830869. City of Wells Lions’ Rock ‘n’ Roll evening, St Thomas’ Church. Tickets £8 from TIC. Details: 0345 8336736 or cityofwellslions@gmail.com
Camelot Area u3a talk by Richard Chatham ‘Concorde’ 2.30 pm, Caryford Hall, Castle Cary BA7 7JJ. Visitors welcome, £2 incl refreshments. Details: www.camelot-area.u3asite.uk
“The Duke” both funny and poignant, one-man show by Shôn Dale-Jones. 7.30pm, Chew Stoke Village Hall. Details: www.valley-arts.co.uk
Saturday March 29th
Congresbury Gardening Club Flower Show 2.30pm Old School Rooms. Details: www.congresburygardeningclub.com Fitzhardinge Consort with organist James Drinkwater, 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Yatton. Adults £12, students £6, children free. Details: www.yms.org.uk
Yatton & District Horticultural Society Show 2pm Village Hall, BS49 4HL. Details: www.yattonhorticulturalsociety.co.uk
Bonfire Radicals 7.30pm Caryford Hall, Castle Cary. Tickets £12 from www.caryfordhall.co.uk or £15 on door.
Clash of the Choirs, St Mary’s Wedmore, 5.30pm, adults £10, U-13 £5. Details: David 07984 924432.
Monday March 31st
Norton Radstock u3a Coffee morning 10am-12 Somer Centre, M Norton, BA3 2UH. Visitors welcome. Details: www.noradu3asite.uk
Tuesday April 1st
The Arts Society Mendip: “The road to Santiago de Compostella: pilgrimage and spectacle” with Ian Cockburn, 11am Croscombe Village Hall and by Zoom. Details: www.theartssocietymendip.org.uk
Weston u3a meet for coffee every Tuesday, 10am Friends Meeting House, 6, High St WsM BS23 1JF. All welcome!
Yatton Local History Society talk by Martin Powell on “The maid of the haystack”, 7.30pm Yatton Methodist Church BS49 4DW. Details: yattonlocalhistorysoc@gmail.com
Joyful Voices: fill your afternoon with song! Tuesdays 1.30-3pm Cheddar Catholic Community Hall. Details: joyfulvoicesafternoon@gmail.com
Wednesday April 2nd
Clevedon Gardener’s Club 1st and 3rd Wed. each month, 7.30pm, Kenn Rd Methodist Church Hall, Clevedon BS21 6LH. Details: clevedongardeners.chessck.co.uk
Sing2breathe for breathlessness – learn techniques for breathing control and improved posture. 1.45 to 3pm every Wed, Cheddar Catholic Community Hall. Details: Kate: vocalkate@gmail.com 07595 745884. Pensford Super Soup Lunch 12 to 2pm, Old School Room. All welcome. Details: Jane 07780
677253.
Backwell & Nailsea Support Group for Carers talk by Gina Merrett-Smith “Journey from theatre, film and TV makeup” 2pm to 3.30 Backwell WI Hall.
Thursday April 3rd
Chew Valley Death Café meets 12-1.30pm
Community Library Bishop Sutton, first Thurs every month. A safe supportive space to talk about life, death and loss over tea and cake. All welcome. Details: bryonyhuntley2019@gmail.com
Draycott Art Club sessions 10am-1pm & 2-4pm every Thurs except school holidays, Memorial Hall BS27 3UE. All welcome. Details: draycottartclub.mendip@gmail.com
Paulton Folk Night 8.30pm Red Lion. Music, song and good company! Free. All welcome. Details: richardlm397@gmail.com
Wells Scottish Dancers the Blue School Dance Studio BA5 2NR. Every Thurs 6.30–8.30pm. Beginners welcome. Details: 01934 740065 or ann.wellsdancers@gmail.com
Sing2breathe for breathlessness – for breathing control and posture 2.15-3.30pm every Thurs, Priory Health Centre outpatients, Wells. Details: Kate vocalkate@gmail.com 07595 745884. Cheddar Valley u3a talk: “A nurse’s tale” 2pm Cheddar village hall.
Somerset Morris practice every Thurs 8pm-10pm Marksbury Village Hall BA2 9HP. New (female) dancers and musicians of both sexes very welcome. Details: somersetmorris@hotmail.com or 07968 229628.
Congresbury Gardening Club talk by John Addison “Shrubs for fruit and berries”, 7-30pm Congresbury Methodist Hall. Visitors welcome. Details: www.congresburygardeningclub.com
“Blue Diesels of British Railways 1975-1981” talk by Mark Savage, 7.30pm Horsecastle Chapel, Yatton BS49 4QQ. Entry £3, raffle & book stall, Refreshments by, and proceeds for, the Strawberry Line café. Details: Trevor 01934 835208.
Friday April 4th
Save the Children lunch 12.30pm Shipham village hall. Soup, bread and cheese, biscuits, tea/coffee £5.50.
Radstock Folk Dance Club, every Friday (except 18th) 8-10pm St Peter’s Church Hall, Westfield. Beginners welcome, partners not essential, £3 incl refreshments. Details: heather.m.leverton@gmail.com
Saturday April 5th
Congresbury Singers with “A taste of the Baroque” 7.30pm St Andrews Church. Tickets £12 incl. refreshments from P0, Re-store or on the door.
Wells & District Wildlife Group Reptile Ramble, to search for emerging reptiles on Mendip, 10am–12. Details: www.wdwg.org.uk or phone 07415 350062.
“After All” Sollène Weinachter melds dance, comedy and storytelling to ask: how do we deal with the end? 7.30pm Croscombe Village Hall. Adults £12, U25s & low income £6 from The George Inn or www.takeart.org/whats-on Publow Saturday Market 10-11.30am All Saints’ Church.
Sat April 5th and Sun April 6th
North Somerset Philharmonia 30th anniversary Concerts at Gordano School on Sat and the Bristol Beacon on Sunday. Tickets £15/ £13, U-18s £6. Details: www.nsphilharmonia.org.uk
Sunday April 6th
Wincanton Choral Society: Bach’s St. John Passion 7.30pm St Luke & St Teresa’s church. Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/wincanton-choralsociety or on door.
Learn to tell a story from memory: storytelling techniques for adults 2pm-4pm Chew Valley Library, Bishop Sutton BS39 5UU. Car park. Tell Colin if you’re coming: 01275 332735 or mendipstorycircle@gmail.com
Monday April 7th
Bath NATS talk with Naomi Johns “Lo magnification – are birds of prey exposing a chemical emergency?” 7 for 7.30pm BRSLI, 16 Queen Square, Bath BA1 2HN. Visitors welcome £3.
RAFA branch talk by Sqn Ldr Ayden Feeney from MoD Abbey Wood “Delivering Change in the RAF Today” 11am Wells Golf Club, BA5 3DS. Optional lunch. Details: rafa.midsomerset@gmail.com or 01458-224057. Cheddar Valley Singers, Mondays 7pm Cheddar Catholic Community Hall. Details: cheddarvalleysingers@gmail.com or Facebook.
Tuesday April 8th
Shipham Rowberrow & Star History Society talk by Mark Parnell about the Men’s Shed at Axbridge station, 7.30pm Shipham Hall, BS25 1SG, guests welcome £4. Details: Jan 01934 260784.
Parkinson’s singalong, Nailsea, 2nd and 4th Tuesday monthly. 2.30-4pm St Francis Church Hall, with a tea break. Enjoy singing old favourites.
Jazz Jam with the Valley Arts House band, all welcome, 8pm The Pelican, Chew Magna. Details: www.valley-arts.co.uk
Clutton History Society: talk by Stuart Burroughs: “Working in 20th century Britain” 7.30pm village hall, BS39 5SP. All welcome. Visitors £5 incl tea/coffee. Details: 07341 266986 or chris.border@live.co.uk
Timsbury Gardening Club an evening with Martin Chalkley and Graham Nicholls plus plant sale, 7.30pm Conygre Hall, BA2 0JQ. Visitors welcome £2. Details: timsburygc@gmail.com
Frome Selwood Horticultural Society talk by Gill Hazell: “Rare and unusual bulbs” 7.20pm Critchill School, BA11 4LD. Details: 0777 620 8531 or jane.norris9@gmail.com
Wednesday April 9th
Arts Society Mid Somerset ‘The anatomy of collecting’ with Marc Allum (Antiques Roadshow) 10am Caryford Hall, Castle Cary BA7 7JJ. Details: 01749 342496.
Cameo – Come and Meet Everyone – talk “The Land Girls” by Romany Poppitt-Price, 7.30pm Congresbury Methodist Hall. £2 incl drink. Bereavement Help Point, Shepton Mallet: an informal, supportive space to meet others who may be experiencing similar feelings. All welcome. Free drop-in, 10-11.45am, Shepton Brasserie, 64 High St. Details: 0345 0310 555 or dorothyhouse.co.uk
RSPB Bath talk by Peter Holden “The challenge of migration” 7.30pm St Andrew's Community Church, Hawthorn Grove, BA2 5QA. Visitors welcome.
Kilmersdon Gardeners Club talk by Francis Burroughes “Historic front gardens” 7.30pm village hall BA3 5TD. Visitors welcome £3 inc refreshments. Details:
O N G UIDEFOR A PRIL 2025 WHAT’S ON
www.kilmersdongardeners.org
Mendip Storytelling Circle. Stories to entertain a grown-up audience, 7-30pm Ston Easton Village Hall BA3 4DA. Details: www.mendipstorycircle.com
Blagdon Local History Society “Birnbeck Pier, back from the brink” with Christine Ward and Lorna Clarke, 7.30pm Court Lodge BS407TQ. Details: www.blagdonlhs.com
Thursday April 10th
Chew Valley Garden Society “Annuals in a mixed border” by John Tucker. 8pm Stanton Drew village hall. Easy access and parking.
North Somerset Quilters talk by Jan Tillett “Familiar Paths, New Directions” 7.30pm Backwell WI Hall, BS48 3QW. Visitors welcome £7. Details: Karen 01275 463119.
Saturday April 12th
Brent Knoll Bazaar, farmers’ market & parish café 10am-12 parish hall, TA9 4EH. Castle Cary Choir with Wincanton Silver Band, 7.30pm All Saints’ Church Castle Cary. Tickets £10 from Bailey Hill Bookshop, the Market House and via the church website, £12 on door. Refreshments.
Wedmore Fashion Show for Weston Hospicecare 2pm village hall. £15 incl. glass of prosecco/elderflower and cream tea. Tickets: Wedmore paper shop or Shirley 01934 712089. Parkinson’s NW Somerset Support Group 10.30-12.15, St Francis Church, Nailsea. Talk by Neil Smart on Medical Detection Dogs. Join us! Timsbury Gardening Club Show 10am-12 Conygre Hall BA2 0JQ. Free. Details: 07975 754956 or keithloraine1@gmail.com
Walk & Talk tour of Frome Dissenters’ Cemetery: second Sat every month until September. Details: www.fromedissenterscemetery.org
Sunday April 13th
Glastonbury Brass Spring Concert 2.30pm St. Benedict’s Church, BA6 9NB. Tickets on the door. Dan Sealey – Beware of Darkness Tour 7.30pm Caryford Community Hall, Tickets £10. Www.caryfordhall.co.uk
Monday April 14th
Mendip Folk Dance Club, 8-10pm St James’s Church Winscombe BS25 1BA. All welcome, 2nd, 4th & 5th Mondays. £3 incl refreshments. Details: Pat 01934 742853.
Timsbury Nats talk by Nick Patel “Birds of Somerset”, 7.30pm Conygre Hall BA2 0JQ. Visitors welcome £3, U-16 accompanied by an adult free.
Norton Radstock u3a talk “Life on the Licence Fee – challenges & changes at the BBC” by Alex Legar, 2-4pm Somer Centre, M Norton BA3 2UH. Visitors welcome. Details: www.noradu3asite.uk Farmborough Floral Art Group talk by Emily Broomhead “Spring is in the air” 7.30pm Conygre Hall Timsbury. Charity sales table. Visitors welcome £6. See Facebook/Instagram. Priddy Folk Session 8.30pm Queen Vic. Music, song and good company! Free. All welcome. Details: richardlm397@gmail.com
Nailsea & District Local History Society talk by Prof Ronald Hutton “Village witchcraft and magic” 7.45pm Nailsea School, BS48 2HN. Visitors welcome £3. Details: 01275 463479 or
www.ndlhs.org.uk
Tuesday April 15th
Arts Society Mid Somerset AGM and talk ‘Arts & crafts: stained glass in England’s Churches’ 10.30am Caryford Hall, Castle Cary BA7 7JJ. Visitors £8.
Wrington Local History Society talk by John Page “The history of Cheddar Cheese” 7.30 Wrington URC Chapel, Roper’s Lane, BS40 5NF Visitors welcome, £2.50 incl tea/coffee. Details: osmansteve@yahoo.co.uk
Wednesday April 16th
Wells Folk & Barn Dance Club 7.30-9.30pm St Thomas’s Church Hall, BA5 2UZ. All welcome: 3rd & 4th Wed this month. Details: wellsfdc.co.uk Pensford Soup Lunch 12 to 2pm, Old School Room. All welcome. Details: Jane 07780 677253. Somerset Vernacular Research Group talk by Jenny Chesher from Historic England on her parents’ restoration of their Cornish house, 7.30pm Somerton Parish Rooms TA11 7NB. Visitors £2. Details: www.svbrg.org.uk
Henton & District Gardening Club talk by Charles Dowding on “No-dig” organic gardening. 7 for 7.30pm Henton village hall, Nr Wells. Visitors welcome, £5. Details www.hentongardenclub.weebly.com
Friends of Weston Museum talk by John Page: “The history of Cheddar, from Cheddar Man to the present” 2.15pm Weston Museum, BS23 1PR. Visitors welcome, £4. Details: www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofthemuseumws m/
Mendip Gardening Club All About Orchids with Howard Burnett, 7.30pm, Ston Easton village hall, BA3 4DA, visitors welcome £5. Details: 01761 453654.
Thursday April 17th
Yatton & District Horticultural Society: talk “Unusual herbs & their uses” by Carrie Pakenham, 8pm Hangstones Pavilion, Stowey Rd BS49 4HS. Details: www.yattonhorticulturalsociety.co.uk
Shipham & District Garden talk by Les Cloutman, “The folklore of Somerset’s wildlife” 7.30pm Shipham village hall, BS25 1SG. Cheddar Valley u3a Coffee Morning 10-11.30am village hall, BS27 3RF.
Chew Valley u3a talk “More Blue Peter adventures” 10.30am Ubley village hall. Visitors welcome: £2.50.
Wrington Gardening Club talk ‘History of the National Garden Scheme’ by David Moon, 7.30pm Wrington Memorial Hall BS40 5QL. Somersetshire Coal Canal talks: the WeighHouse & its weighing machine by Roger Halse & the Hydrostatic Caisson Lock by Derrick Hunt, 7.30pm Paulton Village Hall, BS39 7LW. Details: www.coalcanal.com/events/
Friday April 18th
Save the Children lunch 12.30pm Shipham village hall. Soup, bread and cheese, biscuits, tea/coffee £5.50. Join us!
Tuesday April 22nd
Chilcompton Gardening Club “Gardening without plastic” by Sally Next, 7.30pm village hall, BA3 4EX.
Open Mic Night 7.45pm The Pony, Chew Magna. Details: www.valley-arts.co.uk
Wednesday April 23rd
Somerset Morris & Pigsty Morris dance to celebrate St George’s Day, 8pm at the George and Dragon, Pensford, BS39 4BH.
Bereavement Help Point, Shepton Mallet: an informal, supportive space to meet others who may be experiencing similar feelings. All welcome. Free drop-in, 10-11.45am, Shepton Brasserie, 64
High St. Details: 0345 0310 555 or dorothyhouse.co.uk
Wells Folk Night 8pm City Arms. Music, song and good company! Free. All welcome. Details: richardlm397@gmail.com
Friday April 25th
Whitchurch Local History Society AGM and a presentation from the film archive, 7.30pm United Reformed Church, 24 Bristol Rd, BS14 0PQ. Visitors welcome £4. Details: 01275 830869. Brain of Nempnett 2025! 7 for 7.30pm Nempnett Thrubwell village hall. Tickets £15 from 07767 244312.
Camelot Area u3a talk by potter Douglas Phillips, ‘Mud to Fire’ 2.30pm Caryford Hall, Castle Cary BA7 7JJ. Visitors welcome, £2 incl refreshments. Details www.camelot-area.u3asite.uk
Somersetshire Coal Canal Society Walk in Bath: places with connections to the SCC. Meet 10am, entrance to Charlotte St car park, Bath BA1 2NE. www.coalcanal.com/events/
Saturday April 26th
Sound of the Sirens 7.30pm Caryford Community Hall, Tickets £16.50. Www.caryfordhall.co.uk
Congresbury Plant Sale & coffee morning 10am12 St Andrews Church, BS49 5DX. Piano and cello concert, 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Yatton, tickets £12, children free. Details: www.yms.org.uk
Confessions of a Teletubby – behind the scenes of a global TV phenomenon. 8pm Compton Martin Village Hall. Details: www.valley-arts.co.uk
Sunday April 27th
Time Travelling Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen: family friendly improvised storytelling, 2.30pm Chew Stoke Village Hall. Details: www.valley-arts.co.uk
Monday April 28th
Chew Valley u3a. Alex Leger “More adventures from Blue Peter” 10 for 10.30am Ubley village hall. Visitors £2.50 inc refreshments. Norton Radstock u3a Coffee morning 10am-12. AGM at 11am. Somer Centre, M Norton BA3 2UH. Visitors welcome. Details: www.noradu3asite.uk
Wednesday April 30th
Pensford Soup Lunch 12 to 2pm, Old School Room. All welcome. Details: Jane 07780 677253. Harptrees History Society talk by Dr Jim Pimpernell: “The Agricultural Revolution 17001850” West Harptree village hall BS40 6EG. Visitors £3. Booking essential, by email please from info@harptreeshistorysociety.org
Thursday May 1st
Chew Valley Death Café meets 12-1.30pm Community Library Bishop Sutton, first Thurs every month. A safe supportive space to talk about life, death and loss over tea and cake. All welcome. Please contact: bryonyhuntley2019@gmail.com
Wells Scottish Dancers the Blue School Dance Studio BA5 2NR. Every Thurs 6.30–8.30pm. Beginners welcome. Tel 01934 740065 or email ann.wellsdancers@gmail.com
Draycott Art Club sessions 10am-1pm & 2-4pm every Thursday, Memorial Hall BS27 3UE. All welcome. Details: draycottartclub.mendip@gmail.com
Paulton Folk Night 8.30pm Red Lion. Music, song and good company! Free. All welcome. Details: richardlm397@gmail.com
Sing2breathe for breathlessness – for breathing control and posture 2.15-3.30pm most Thurs (not May 15th), Priory Health Centre outpatients, Wells. Details: Kate: vocalkate@gmail.com 07595 745884.
