Mendip Times
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VOLUME 19 ISSUE 8
FREE
Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas
JANUARY 2024
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS! Local people, local history, local places, local events and local news
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MENDIP TIMES
Welcome
WE’VE been flying faster than Santa to get round so many festive events in the last month, enjoying the warmth and conviviality that shines even brighter at this time of the year. It’s a real privilege to share those moments in Mendip’s iconic towns and villages. Wassails are next! Then there’s the snowdrop festival in Shepton Mallet to look forward to. It will soon be spring. Somerset Wildlife Trust has published its first Somerset State of Nature report which has some signs of hope among the gloom of species decline. We also report on a new wetland area at Wraxall. We meet the postman who has been given the freedom of the village on his retirement and report on a charity trying to raise £40,000 to celebrate its 40th anniversary. Sue Gearing has a festive walk around the Chew Valley, while Adrian Boots offers some suggestions for a New Year tipple. Congratulations to the winner of our Spot the Rabbit competition – we had a huge number of entries (see page 78). With all of our regular contributors and features, may we wish you a Happy and Healthy New Year!
23
Fit for a king – Glastonbury’s royal gift
69
Freeman of the village – Roy’s first-class honour
February 2024 deadline: Friday 12th January Published: Tuesday 23rd January
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 To subscribe: subs@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 Design and origination by: Steve Henderson Printed by: William Gibbons & Sons Ltd, Willenhall, Wolverhampton WV13 3XA. Copyright of editorial content held by Mendip Times Ltd. and its contributors. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the Publisher. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or its associates. Front cover: Wrington Dickensian Fayre. Photograph by Annie Egginton. See page 53.
CONTENTS
55
Young farmers fundraise – tractor run success
77
Back of the net – council’s footballing award Plus all our regular features Environment .............................6 Farming Nick Green................10 Crossword ...............................16 Food & Drink..........................18 Arts & Antiques .....................26 Business ..................................32 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE ..41 Walking Sue Gearing...............42 Outdoors Les Davies MBE......44
Caving Phil Hendy...................45 Gardening Mary Payne MBE...46 Health & Family .....................50 Charities ..................................54 Homes & Property .................60 Community .............................68 Riding Jane Paterson ...............74 Sport ........................................76 What’s On ...............................78
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MENDIP TIMES
Calls for another pharmacy
The protest in the High Street
AROUND 20 people staged a demonstration outside Boots the Chemist in Glastonbury, following its closure in October, calling for a replacement pharmacy to be opened in the town. The protestors say it leaves the town and surrounding area with just one, smaller pharmacy. Emma King, one of the organisers, said: “The point of the demo was to raise awareness of the fact that one pharmacy is not enough, not to save Boots, which we know is going, and to encourage people to put pressure on the Integrated Care Board and Somerset Council to prioritise the provision of a new pharmacy for Glastonbury as a matter of urgency.”
New path opened
Fair for a good cause
NEWS
The SWALLOW stall at the Christmas fair
A CHRISTMAS fair at Stratton-on-the-Fosse Village Hall, organised by Rachel Broadway and her family, raised more than £1,400 for the Westfield-based SWALLOW Charity, supporting teenagers and adults with learning disabilities to live life to the full. SWALLOW had a stall and sold items that had been handcrafted by its members. They are made as part of SWALLOW’s Work Skills Enterprise programme, enabling people to explore their creativity, build skills and make and sell their work in the community. Meanwhile, SWALLOW and The Somerset Toiletry Company are planning to explore employment opportunities for people with learning disabilities; a behind-the-scenes visit to their soap factory marked the start of the new venture which sees the company become a member of the charity’s Corporate Friends Scheme. For details, email Nicky Tew: nickyt@swallowcharity.org or call 01761 414034
Couple’s award
A NEW traffic-free section of the Strawberry Line has opened at Sandford as part of the Hinkley Connection Project. More than 200 people celebrated the new link which avoids travelling along the busy and narrow Nye Road. It’s been built by National Grid as part of the construction of its new Sandford substation in partnership with North Somerset Council. Mick Fletcher, chair of the Strawberry Line Society, said: “It’s a real asset to the local community and will mean we don’t have to go along a road with all the associated traffic. “It’s also really nice to have a car park built as part of the new section, so folk don’t have to park on the road to use the path. It’s great.”
PENSFORD postmaster, Umang Patel, has been awarded a Community Service Award by the Post Office thanking him and his wife Vaishali for ten years of service. They have worked hard to build up their little store and it is now at the centre of the community. One customer said: “It's our honour to have both of you serving our community and all that you do and have done - thank you.” The couple answered by saying: “Thank you all for your support. It is an honour to be part of and serve a great community.” MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 5
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MENDIP TIMES
Community food growing heritage continues A NEW community open space – featuring a forest garden and food-foraging garden – has opened in Midsomer Norton. The area – officially opened by town mayor Gordon Mackay – builds on the area’s legacy of alloments and growing areas. Jan, a volunteer at the project at Gullock Tyning, said: “Midsomer Norton has a strong heritage of community food growing with many of the terraces having allotment gardens. If anyone’s allotment didn’t grow any food, the others would club together to make sure that person still had food. This project reflects the town’s heritage, and community spirit!” The area also features a children’s play area and landscaped picnic area. It was The space will look its best and be most created with productive by late spring
Midsomer Norton mayor Gordon Mackay at the opening
funding from The National Lottery Community Fund, Bath & North East Somerset Council, Dragonfly Leisure, Midsomer Norton Town Council and the Food Forest Project. The Food Forest Project also grows food-for-free at gardens in Shepton Mallet and Wedmore. The garden is now open for people to visit, but the real splendour won’t be until late spring/summer when the forest garden will be full of life. Over the next few years, more and more food will grow free for the community to pick whilst enjoying the rest of the space.
New wetland created at Wraxall
Before . . .
THERE’S been a transformation alongside the Land Yeo River at Wraxall. The Belmont Estate has completed its largest nature recovery project to date, creating a complex wetland system. The 300-year-old estate was broken up after the sale of nearby
After
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/
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Hedge saplings planted
ENVIRONMENT
How is wildlife faring in Somerset?
Great White Egret
Zachary, aged nine, and Rufus, aged eight
ON a wet and windy winter's afternoon, a hardy band of stalwart volunteers of all ages faced down the elements to plant 30 hedge saplings in the churchyard at St Michael and All Angels in Butcombe. The saplings were donated by the Woodland Trust as part of their schools and communities free planting scheme.
Footpath transformed by goodwill
And relax – work on the path is complete
Laying the path was a real community effort
A MUDDY and slippery footpath leading to and from the Recreation Ground in Oakhill has received a new surface thanks to volunteers and a donation of stone by a local company. A dozen people turned out to wheelbarrow and rake the stone – donated by Champions of Chilcompton – into place on the path leading to and from The Pound.
SOMERSET Wildlife Trust has launched its first ever Somerset State of Nature report showing how nature and wildlife is faring across the county. Among the key report findings, it says habitats in Somerset have seen dramatic decreases in species richness since 1990, with terrestrial insects deteriorating most significantly. It says: “Following national trends, it’s clear that Somerset’s ecosystems have been impacted by climate change, changes in land management, development and pollution; and invasive species and diseases are further threatening habitats.” But it’s not all bad news. Some mammal species are thriving, including the return of beavers, with the county’s first “recorded” kits being born this year. Wading bird populations, such as great white egret and bittern, have seen increases as a result of recent projects, particularly on the Avalon Marches. Other species doing well in Somerset include the fourspotted chaser, orange-tip butterfly, buzzard, bittern, great spotted woodpecker and goldfinch. Simon Clarke, Head of Nature Recovery said: “If you reach beyond despondency, what you can see and grasp are real seeds of real hope. “Because what the report also highlights very clearly, is that where there has been focused effort on a landscape-scale, underpinned by a truly meaningful and committed partnership approach to nature restoration, the results can be simply outstanding.” Details: www.somersetwildlife.org/stateofnature2023
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The garden at night-time
ENVIRONMENT
OUR gardens are just as busy during the night-time as they are during the day – perhaps even more so, as a variety of nocturnal creatures emerge from their day time hideaways. A night-time shift uses similar or the same resources! We may be unaware of all this activity but let us see. Perhaps they have a better time than the daytime inhabitants because there are few, even no, interfering humans around trying to dictate what is and what is not to go on! Late autumn and winter are ideal times for watching and indeed listening because no late hours have to be kept except by choice. Watchers need to be still and patient for some time so warm clothes are a must and something waterproof to sit on unless you have the luxury of a garden room or porch in which to sit. Which creatures inhabit the night? There is a huge range – birds, mammals including bats plus hedgehogs, foxes, badgers, deer and various small mammals such as mice, rats and voles. Then there will be amphibians, reptiles and a myriad of insects such as beetles. Each has a routine uninterrupted by humans. The night-time garden can be noisy with wildlife and it is easier to hear since there is little competition from traffic, lawnmowers, chainsaws or strimmers. Life for the night shift can proceed untroubled except for life and death battles between predator and prey. The evocative hoot of the tawny owl is often heard in late autumn right
through to January or February. Most are familiar with the “twit-twoo” call but may not realise that it is two owls talking to each other, the “twit” being a female and the “twoo” the male. Most of the calling is to establish territories ready for the spring breeding season or to find a mate. Occasionally there may be alarming even harrowing calls this time from female foxes searching for a mate. Or when sitting quietly a fox, badger or hedgehog may come on the scene searching for food that may even have been put out deliberately. Hedgehogs are noisy as they snuffle through dead leaves. At any hint of danger they can roll up into a tight, prickly ball. Unfortunately badgers can unroll them and find a tasty meal inside. Moths flit through the night sky. There are 2,500 moth species in the UK compared to 59 butterfly species. Each has its own time of fulfilling its life cycle. Some never eat but mate, lay eggs and then die. They have fantastic names such as the Death's Head, Hawk moth, Pale Tussock, Vapourer, Old Lady, Angle Shade and many more. Moths are excellent pollinators together with beetles, flies and even mosquitoes. There are flowers that deliberately produce fragrance and nectar especially through the night. They are usually white or pale in colour to show up in the dark. Favourites are evening primrose, tobacco plant, sweet rocket, honeysuckle, night scented phlox,
echinops, salvias and verbenas. If planting more, it is best for them to be in blocks for ease of access for pollinators. Caterpillars tend to eat mostly at night having hidden under leaves during the day. The same applies to snails and slugs. By shining a torch for a while it is likely that you will spot caterpillars like the one here, the mullein moth, that is tucking into a Mullein plant (Verbascum) its main food. It will not be a surprise to find that moths and therefore their caterpillars are in decline for the usual reasons of climate change, habitat loss and the use of toxic chemicals. There is another reason, light pollution, that disorientates flying creatures so that their circadian rhythms are interrupted. Flying, mating and finding food is harder. Birds also are affected by disturbed sleep. It is joyful to light up the garden especially at this time of year but be careful to have the lights pointing downwards or shield their tops in some way and remember to turn the lights off when not in use. Book recommendation: My Garden and Other Animals by Mike Dilger who is the naturalist for The One Show. He lives locally at Chew Stoke and describes with humour how he and his partner created a wildlife garden from scratch.
Mullein moth
Badger on the prowl
Evening Primrose
PAGE 8 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
Wishing you a happy and peaceful New Year!
DIANA REDFERN
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How to recycle a Christmas tree
WHETHER you’re a farmer, gardener or someone who just likes to reduce their environmental footprint, the next few weeks give us all a great opportunity to start the New Year in the best possible way. All that wrapping paper, plastic and glass bottles and cans can be put into the With NICK GREEN recycling boxes ready for collection. What isn’t so easy is recycling the lovely Christmas tree that has been in the house for the festive season. That said, they can be put to good use without having to take them anywhere. For those with a mulcher it’s just a case of chipping it all up and storing ready to be put on the flower beds. Branches can be taken off the trunk and used to insulate delicate plants or if you have the patience, the needles can be stripped off, dried and used for mulch on plants that need a more acid dressing. Once the needles or branches have been stripped off the tree it can be used as a frame for climbing plants. Imagine summer
sweet peas growing up and around this year’s Christmas tree. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of stripping bits of tree off, it can be bundled up and laid in a quiet part of the garden to provide a wildlife shelter. Great recycling on a small scale and all good for the environment. On a completely different scale, the inventor of the world famous vacuum cleaner James Dyson has invested a huge amount of his fortune into British faming. As well as large scale arable farming he has developed a large anaerobic digestion plant which converts some crops and organic waste into heat and power. All the heat and power generated is used to heat and light newly built greenhouses to grow strawberries. It’s new technology supplying something the British consumer wants all year round. Closer to home, Mendip farmers are looking forward to 2024. We need to think about what we can do to emulate Mr Dyson and produce Mendip food as sustainably as possible at a price people are prepared to pay. Here’s to a happy, healthy and home grown 2024 to all Mendip Times readers.
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.
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Fond farewell to Ashley
FARMING
FROME Young Farmers Ploughing Association has recently said goodbye to a long-standing member of the committee, who served for more than 60 years. Ashley Down has been Ashley (left) on his retirement associated with Frome Ploughing Match since its inception in 1959 and was elected assistant secretary in 1960 to George Cray. In 2008, with the match celebrating its 50th year, George retired leaving Ashley to continue his role up until last year. In this time, he has assisted several subsequent secretaries. The association said: “Ashley has been an immense help to the association for 62 years, his main role was taking entry’s and meticulously logging each one. He has a pleasant unflappable disposition and is highly respected by everyone that knows him not only by our ploughing committee, but also in the wider community. “On behalf of us all we would like to thank Ashley for what he has done over the years and we hope to see you at the next match.” FR st in m un ye pl no ye Pi A
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Top class entries at Frome Fatstock Show
Supreme Champion: (l to r) Society chairman Martin Hemmett, president Mike Butler, judge Richard Wright, Archie Stamp with his Limousin Steer, Frank Collins, of main sponsor the Richard Oatley Foundation and Andrew Perrott, of sponsors Monahans
FARMING
Reserve Supreme Champion: Lucy Gould with society president Mike Butler
THE highlight of the calendar at Frome Market, the 123rd annual Christmas Fatstock Show and Sale saw a fantastic day for the market and the Fatstock Society with excellent entries in all sections. A quality entry of handled cattle saw a show ring packed with spectators as the final championship line up was judged by Richard Wright, of Somerton, with young farmer Archie Stamp, from Southwick, near Mark, taking the supreme championship with his Limousin steer selling at 405p/kg and £2,382 to Whiterow Farm Shop, of Beckington. Reserve Champion, a British Blue Heifer, was shown by Lucy Gould, of Cranmore, achieving the top price of the day at 445p/kg and £2,707. Champion in the Unhandled Cattle section was taken by Stuart Perkins, of Terry Hill, near Faulkland, with his Limousin Steer selling at 300p/kg; Stuart also took Champion Cow with his Limousin.
Lambs were judged by Ed Davies, of Shepton Beauchamp, and AGF Lockyer, of East Huntspill, saw his champion lambs sell at £160/head. The champion pen of pigs, sold at £345/head, were shown by N Legge of Bromyard, Hereford, selling to the judge, John May. There was also a quality entry in the calf classes, judged by Ashley Powell of Horton, Bristol, and a British Blue Bull calf from SJ Stevens & Son, Masbury Wells, took the championship and selling at £495. The Frome Fatstock Society also presented cheques for £500 each to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Frome Market Health Hub. Also present at the show – and on a regular basis at the weekly markets – were Farmerados, a Somerset volunteer group available to chat informally to farmers and their families about mental wellbeing and The Farming Community Network, which also offers a daily telephone helpline.
Looking out for each other: Rupert Cox (left) chairman of Farmerados in Somerset, and Paul Webb an FCN volunteer
Society president Mike Butler (left) congratulates Stuart Perkins on his double success
For details visit: www.farmerados.org and www.fcn.org.uk
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MENDIP TIMES FROME
RADSTOCK
(Photography courtesy of Chris Bailey)
THE town’s annual “Light the Night” event saw hundreds of local people parade from St John’s Church to the Market Place with willow and paper lanterns designed on the theme of ice. The parade, led by Jamma de Samba, followed musical entertainment from Frome Town Band, Rock Choir and the Frukes, who between them provided plenty of Frome Christmas cheer to start the festive season. The parade was followed by the switching on of Frome’s Christmas lights.
Stealing the limelight in front of official guests
Celebrations in the Market Place
BLAGDON
Another successful sale of Christmas trees and wreaths was held by 1st Blagdon Scouts on a cold, but sunny morning at Blagdon Village Club. Scouts Charlie and Thomas are pictured delivering another tree PAGE 14 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
MUSIC from the Midsomer Norton and Radstock Silver Band, street entertainers and – of course, Father Christmas – greeted families at the switch-on of the town’s festive lights. Ladies in red: Illuminated Presents by Cirq Delight
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STRATTON-ON-THE-FOSSE
Ellora, aged nine, selling bath bombs, lip gloss and other handmade items
ROOT Connections, the community interest market garden which works to end homelessness on Mendip, held a fundraising Christmas fair next to their base at Manor Farm at Stratton-on-the-Fosse.
CHRISTMAS EVENTS COLEFORD
Father Christmas plays some festive tunes
ABBEY Piano Services hosted a gathering including live music by the Jenny Peplow Singers in aid of the village fundraising and events group C.R.O.C.K.S.
Some of the Root Connections team
Sean and Kim Holbrook, who live next to Manor Farm, on their stall selling heaters and other items made from recycled metals
The celebrations begin in the village
A chance to get warm on a freezing evening MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 15
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MENDIP TIMES
The Mendip Mindbender ACROSS 1 Stew of meat and vegetables with sliced potato on top (6) 4 Bona fide or kosher (6) 8 Plant offering a gel much used in skincare products (4,4) 10 Religious beliefs or ideology (6) 11 Work from an octopus (4) 12 Ascot has a very good one (10) 13 Integers only divisible by one or themselves (5,7) 16 Extended relevancies of the facts (12) 20 Top rate; best way to travel (55) 21 French bread can hurt! (4) 22 Police become this when pounding the beat! (6) 23 Yes, eight managed to get vision (8) 24 Far off, channel changer (6) 25 Proust can end up in a daze if knocked about (6)
DOWN 1 Experience VTO here, in Weston or Yeovil (8) 2 Shortened people over 12 and under 20 (5) 3 Inundate, swarm into (7) 5 What you should do when sorting rubbish out (7) 6 Forerunner, harbinger or maybe just a sign (9) 7 Small, red, globular salad vegetable (6) 9 Provide living quarters or habituate (11) 14 In Greek mythology “Charybdis” or a whirlpool (9) 15 Decrypt or make sense of (8) 17 Shown with light behind (7) 18 Cut up a body with intentions to study it internally (7) 19 In a place having no support By greendandelion from on the ground (3-3) Clues in italics are cryptic 21 Arrange things as you want them (5)
This month’s solution can be found on page 76
Galhampton Shop & Country Store
Animal Feeds and Bedding Timber Supplies Tools | Hardware | Gardening Workwear | Logs and Gas Local Food | Home Essentials
Open 7 days a week Mon-Sat 7.30am – 5.30pm | Sun 10am – 4pm 01963 440464
Family-run, rural country store on A359 between Castle Cary and Sparkford
Fir Tree Business Park, High Road, Galhampton, Somerset, BA22 7BH sales@galhamptoncountrystore.co.uk
PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
CROSSWORD
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FOOD & DRINK
Winter warmers to see you through the month
With KATY BEAUCHAMP
From a simple lunch on a cold day to a menu that would work for a dinner party in the kitchen warmed by a Rayburn, these recipes are so flexible!
CURRIED CAULIFLOWER SOUP
This is a lovely winter warmer. If you don’t like it too spicy, swap the curry powder for ground cumin. METHOD Break up the cauliflower into florets and place in a saucepan with the milk and spice and season with salt and pepper. Boil until tender and then blitz with a stick blender, adding stock until you’ve achieved your required consistency. Serve in a bowl with a dollop of plain yoghurt and some naan bread, if you fancy.
Some like it hot . . . others, not so
INGREDIENTS
(serves four) 1 pack of ready rolled puff pastry (my favourite ingredient!) 600ml double cream 2tbs mustard (I used one grainy and one English) 2tsp garlic granules Juice of half a lemon 3tsps dried herbs (tarragon works well but is an acquired taste) 4 medium carrots sliced lengthways 1 bunch asparagus 1 bunch spring onions Tbs runny honey Salt and pepper to taste
POACHED PEARS
Please pass the port PAGE 18 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
INGREDIENTS
(makes five to six portions) 1 medium head of cauliflower 1 pint whole milk 3tsps curry powder or cumin 3tsps garlic granules Half pint of stock
ROASTED VEGETABLE TART
This is an incredibly rich tart so you will only need a small portion per person.
METHOD Put the carrots in an ovenproof dish and stir in honey, a glug of oil and plenty of salt and pepper and roast at 180°C for 15 mins. Add the trimmed asparagus and spring onions and roast for a further ten mins and set aside. Unroll puff pastry and lightly score a 1cm border
round the edge, sprinkle 1tsp dried herbs across the top and press in. Blind bake for 12-15 mins until golden and risen. Smash down the centre and leave aside. In a saucepan, add the cream and the remaining ingredients and gently simmer, stirring frequently until it’s reduced to a thick sauce (this will take about half an hour, but is well worth it). Assemble the tart by spreading the cream mixture
This is a good one to use up any Christmas port and the half jar of redcurrant jelly you have in the fridge. METHOD Put all the ingredients into a small deep pan and simmer for about ten mins. Peel the pears and cut off a tiny disc from the bottom. Place in the pan of sauce and simmer for a further 20 mins, basting and turning the pears. Serve in a puddle of the liquor with some crème fraiche.
Double cream is essential to this dish
on the top of the pastry and arrange the vegetables in a pleasing layer. Heat in an oven at 180°C for seven to ten mins. Eat straight away, or at room temperature (it’s not happy being reheated).
INGREDIENTS
(enough for about 3-4 pears) 3 conference pears 150ml port 100g redcurrant jelly (or raspberry jam) 2tsp vanilla extract Tsp ground nutmeg Juice of half lemon
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THAI KITCHEN Authentic ai cuisine in a traditional English pub
Dishes shown Spicy ai Tom Yum Soup from £5.50 ai Green Curry from £11.95 Pad ai Noodle from £10.95
Dang and Molly Namsanga and their family wish you a warm welcome Opening hours Sunday 5pm-8pm Monday 4pm-9.30pm Tuesday to ursday 1pm-9.30pm Friday and Saturday 1pm-10pm
ai Kitchen at the Queen Adelaide High Street Blagdon BS40 7RA
01761 258339
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WILD FOOD
Christmas leftovers
ONCE the festive season draws to a close, the cold wet reality of winter becomes much more difficult to ignore. If you are not embarking on dry January (or dreary January as it’s known around these parts) then let’s cheer ourselves up with these exciting boozy suggestions with a forager’s twist. You know those half-consumed bottles of With spirits and dried/frozen fruits that are still ADRIAN BOOTS lying around, well I have some superb suggestions on how to use up these leftovers or even create presents for next Christmas. So here are my top secret, carefully tested but most importantly fun creations to spice up the long winter evenings ahead: l Rum & Raisin: Add 2 handfuls of raisins, sultanas or mixed vine fruits to 2/3 bottle of white rum followed by a few teaspoons of cane sugar. Give it a few shakes until all the sugar disappears. Leave it for as long as you can then decant the liquor. Keep the fruit to make a boozy tart or mince pie l Blackberry and Mint Vodka: Frozen blackberries (and or raspberries) with wild mint, add ingredients to 3/4 bottle of vodka, a few teaspoons of sugar, give it a shake, leave to mature. Once the liquid is decanted the fruit is delicious poured over vanilla ice cream l Spiced Date and Prune Gin: Approx 12 prunes and dates diced, with 1-2 teaspoons of mixed spice added. Try without sugar as the dates and prunes are sweet and give a wonderfully jammy flavour Booze made this way with fresh fruit is supposed to be left for at least three months before drinking, e.g. sloe gin. The longer you leave it the more the flavour develops. The same is true here but the advantage of the dried fruit recipes is that one can start consuming much sooner, just in time for the end of dreary January. These fruity tipples make excellent aperitifs or pour over ice, add lemonade and a slice for a tall drink accompaniment or indeed neat as a digestive somewhat dictated by how much leftover turkey you have eaten. Most importantly they make great use of your Christmas leftovers. Here’s wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year! 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
FOOD & DRINK
GARDEN FOOD
Plan ahead
THERE'S much you can do now to be ready for the rapid growth of summer. For example, to make more and better compost, gather and stockpile tree leaves and woody prunings for adding to green materials in your heaps next summer. You can have woodchips delivered by a local tree surgeon or find some on the With CHARLES Arbtalk website. DOWDING In terms of planning what to grow and where, I recommend a rough sketch, just to get you going in March and April. Beyond that, things often change: such as slugs eating your plantings and weather impeding growth. Planting plans are a starting point and are useful to give ideas on what, when, and how much to propagate. Compost for propagation It’s not yet time to sow seeds, but you could prepare potting compost. Last year I had great success with a mix as follows: 40% one year old home-made compost, 10% worm compost, 10% woodchip three years old. All sieved to 4-5 mm. For sieving, the compost cannot be soggy, you need to spread it somewhere dry first. You may not have enough homemade compost to go 100% in the mix. I don’t and the remaining 40% I add is proprietary compost, Pete’s peat free (I have no commercial link). Different composts sieved and Many peat-free composts ready for mixing, soil and do not grow decent plants, wood ash too but Pete’s does. It's not the cheapest, but in the long run it is much cheaper, because your plants all succeed. You have not wasted time, space, and compost. Starting plants in poor compost can wreck a lot of plantings. Vegetables in store In our temperate climate, some storable vegetables can stand outside all winter, especially swede, parsnip and winter varieties of leek. Beetroot and carrots are better in a shed in boxes or crates, with a little soil on them and a mouse trap nearby. I learnt the value of a trap after losing a large amount of celeriac one winter. The mice ate it from below, out of sight! 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.
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 21
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MENDIP TIMES
Author’s visit
ST MARY’S C of E Primary School and Nursery in Writhlington welcomed esteemed author Stewart Foster. His books, including "The Bubble Boy" and "All the Things That Could Go Wrong," have captivated young readers worldwide, touching on themes of resilience, friendship, and empathy. Head teacher, Cathie Lampert, said: “His ability to connect with young readers through his stories is fantastic. We believe his visit will inspire our students and ignite their passion for reading and creative expression."
PAGE 22 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
Young readers
BISHOP Sutton library’s Children’s Hour sessions on Wednesdays, 3.30-4.30pm, have proved successful and will continue at The Hub during term time. Alongside BANES library books, they have a selection of books recommended for U-5s from Booktrust.
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A goodwill gesture fit for a king
CROWDS of schoolchildren and onlookers gathered in the churchyard of St John’s in Glastonbury for the annual Holy Thorn ceremony when a sprig of flowering thorn is cut by the eldest pupil at St John’s School and sent to the King for Christmas.
Enoch cuts the thorn with help from Glastonbury mayor Indra Donfrancesco and vicar the Rev. David McGeogh
EDUCATION
M
t
Civic dignitaries in the churchyard after the ceremony
Dozens of schoolchildren look on as the thorn is cut
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 23
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CHRISTMAS EVENTS
SHEPTON MALLET
Inside Santa’s Grotto
The lights on the tree are switched on
Oakhill Church School Choir
Street theatre by the Market Cross
WINSCOMBE
Santa arrives PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • JANNUARY 2024
Weston Brass
Susie Kingston ad.qxp_Layout 1 14/12/2023 13:05 Page 1
Susie Kingston Footwear and Fashion
WE ARE ON THE MOVE! Susie Kingston Shoes is moving together with Susie Kingston Fashions giving our customers the ease of choosing their outfits and footwear under one roof. Whether it be for a Mother of the Bride outfit, evening wear for a cruise or holiday, or simply casual wear, we can offer you a total look in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Our knowledgeable team are on hand to ensure your experience is an enjoyable and satisfying one. Susie Kingston has been trading for over 30 years. Our transition will take place in January 2024 to King Alfred Mews opposite The George Inn where we look forward to helping you with all your requirements. Susie and the team wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. Winter Sale starts Saturday, December 9th in the fashion and shoe shops
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Mendip Times reduces Turnip prize travel costs
100,000 potential customers within a short distance of your business
WEDMORE’S spoof arts award, the Turnip Prize, was won by “Party Gate”, a garden gate with a party hat attached to the top. Organiser, Trevor Prideaux, said: “I am delighted with the lack of effort taken to create this work.” The prize was won by Mr Keep Calm, a government employee from Chilton Polden, who said: “I was too lazy to take the gate to the recycling tip and decided to enter it into the Turnip Prize.” He added: “It’s a great honour and I can see this as an opening for greater works to come.”
Rotary winners
THIS year’s heat of the Rotary young photographers’ competition organised by the Rotary Club of Nailsea and Backwell was held at Nailsea School. The winners were Harrison, aged 15, and Erin, aged 13, both from Yatton. They were presented with a certificate and an Amazon voucher by club president, Andrew Bale, and now go forward to the regional heat. PAGE 26 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
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ARTS & ANTIQUES
Local interest always provides fertile ground
IT was a case of picture perfect at Clevedon’s Winter Specialist sale on December 7th where an oil painting by Clevedon artist With CHRIS YEO Doris Hatt proved to be one of the day’s biggest surprises. Consigned from a local private collection, “The Green Beach, Clevedon” is one of the artist’s most iconic images of her home town. Long overlooked in the art market, Hatt’s work is now receiving the attention it deserves and prices have risen significantly in the last couple of years. Hopes were certainly high, but no one could have predicted the final remarkable result of £8,000 – almost
double the previous record for a work by Hatt. It was also amongst Pictures that some of the auction’s other top prices were to be found. “The Last General Absolution of the Munsters at Rue du Bois” by Italian born war-artist Fortunino Matania showing the Irish regiment on the eve of battle during WWI, inspired fevered bidding from the Emerald Isle and it took the day’s joint highest price selling for £21,000. It was offered as part of the principal contents of Gatcombe Court which opened the sale, highlights of which included a rare 17th century stumpwork embroidery panel which sold for £5,200. Bringing some seasonal sparkle amongst the jewellery, a single stone brilliant cut diamond ring sold for
£5,000, a three-stone diamond ring and an Edwardian diamond bracelet both sold for £3,400. In the watches section a gentleman's Oyster Perpetual Submariner stainless steel wristwatch sold for £8,200, whilst a lady's Oyster Perpetual Datejust 18ct gold wristwatch sold for £4,800. Amongst a strong showing in the ceramics section, a large collection of Royal Worcester fruit decorated porcelain sold for a combined total of £10,490. Finally, that perennial problem of what to buy the Star Wars fan in your life? How about an original Star Wars cinema poster from 1977? In excellent condition despite its years, the force was still with it and it sold well over estimate for £2,400.
Chris Yeo is a valuer at Clevedon Salerooms and regular expert on BBC’s Antiques Roadshow Please visit the website www.clevedonsalerooms.com for more details
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 27
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MENDIP TIMES
1961 BSA GOLDSTAR SOLD: £17,455
AUCTION AT THE BRISTOL CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE SHOW 24 FEBRUARY 2024 INVITING ENTRIES CONTACT NICK WELLS nick.wells@doreandrees.com 07920 500 091 www.doreandrees.com enquiries@doreandrees.com 01373 462 257
Dore & Rees Auction Salerooms Vicarage Street Frome BA11 1PU PAGE 28 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
Happy New Year and thank you for your support
RECENT auctions have continued to deliver strong results for vendors and provide collectors opportunities to source quality items. The Fine Asian Art auctions of November 6th were recordbreaking for Dore & Rees, the first seven figure auction result totalling just over £1.6 million. The leading lot was a rare 17th century Chinese bronze naval cannon, sold for £214,500. The Anthony Lovett Collection of Kangxi famille verte and blue and white porcelains experienced a high level of interest with buyers from around the world energetically bidding to secure a rare piece for their collections. The Ralph Bateman Collection of paintings, featuring eight works by Moise Kisling, was a ‘white glove’ auction with all lots selling successfully on November 13, “Femme en Rouge”, a portrait of a lady by Moise Kisling sold for £119,600. Wednesday, November 29 was a bumper day in the salerooms with Fine Silver and Fine Jewellery and Victorian diamond sun ray brooch, Watches auctions drawing sold £14,950 strong interest. The top lot of the day a watch, an MB&f (Maximillian Busser) Ref H.M.4 Horological Machine No. 4 Thunderbolt sold for £80,000. Diamond jewellery also performed well with a Victorian diamond sun ray brooch selling for £14,950. A dozen silver plates (London, 1755) topped the silver selection selling for £8,450. An exciting programme of auctions are planned for 2024, offering a variety of opportunities for sellers. The team at Dore & Rees can help you understand the value of items in your collection by arranging a valuation appointment at your home or at Dore and Rees auction salerooms in Frome. Contact the team on 01373 462 257 or by email enquiries@doreandrees.com to arrange an appointment. * Sold prices include fees
UPCOMING AUCTIONS
21 & 22 February: The Private Collection of the Late ‘Great’ George Withers 24 March: Auction at The Bristol Classic Motorcycle Show 13 April: Classic Cars, The Spring Auction TBC May: Fine Asian Art Take a look at www.doreandrees.com for more details
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Classic Holsman achieves £20,000 A 1904 HOLSMAN Model 3 two seat High Wheeler Horseless Carriage that was found in a barn in Peasedown St John generated a huge amount of interest when it went under the hammer at the Killens Mendip Auction Rooms on December 9th. The car was made in Chicago in 1904 and was recovered having languished in Peasedown for over 20 years. Its existence was not previously known about and it is thought that there is only one other Holsman in the UK. It is believed the car came to the UK in around 2002 for the London to Brighton rally but broke down before it could make its appearance. Prior to that, it had belonged to a well-known Franklin Tucker from New Jersey. With strong internet interest as well as phone and room bidders, the car
eventually sold for £20,400, including buyer’s premium, to a room bidder and it is understood that it will be restored and then shown in a museum. Killens also presented an excellent array of silver and jewellery with some competitive bidding. Many pieces sold for more than £1000 with a mid-20th century three-stone diamond ring achieving £2500 and a vintage Italian 18ct gold fancy panel bracelet £1950. A charming J J Stockall pocket watch made £1650. The next specialist sale will be of Militaria, Stamps, Coins and Clocks on January 9th followed by Antiques and Collectables on January 13th. The auction rooms will be open during the Christmas period. Are you looking to sell antiques, collectables and more? Valuations can
ARTS & ANTIQUES
be undertaken on a drop-in basis at the auction rooms between 10am and 3pm each weekday. Alternatively, valuers are able to conduct free home visits. They can also arrange house clearances and undertake probate valuations.
Contact the team at Killens on 01749 840770 or email enquiries@mendipauctionrooms.co.uk for further assistance
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 29
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CHRISTMAS EVENTS
CHEW STOKE CHEW Stoke Church School raised £250 at their annual Christingle service at St Andrew’s Church in the village. It will be shared between the Children’s Society and the Christian Life School in Uganda, with which Chew Stoke has been working for several years. The service was led by Angela Fraser, who is the school’s youth chaplain, and the local vicar, the Rev Dr Ian Mills.
Frankie
Freddie
Sylvie
CHEW MAGNA
Choirjam in action
Rosemarie Hayhow and Judy Kendall from Chew Magna speedwatch PAGE 30 • MENDIP TIMES • JANNUARY 2024
Giles, Vicky and Molly Tennick admiring Christmas trees decorated by community groups in the village church
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New projects planned across the Mendip Hills THE Mendip Hills Fund has received an amazing 28 applications from local groups wanting funds for their social or environmental project. Sadly, this means that some projects won't be successful as demand has outstripped the amount of funds available. The panel meets in January to decide which applications will be supported. The fund gives grants of up to £2000 from money raised by events and businesses that use the Mendip Hills. It's run in partnership with the Somerset Community Foundation. There is one more year of the Farming in Protected Landscape programme, which gives grant to farmers for work that helps nature, provides better access for people, improves the character of the area or helps reduce the impacts of climate change. Since the programme began three years ago nearly a million pounds will have gone to projects across the Mendip Hills National Landscape. More money will be spent this year on improving access for as many people as possible. Plans are being put in place for accessible parking spaces in some of the visitor car
parks, improvements to the “easy-going” trails, a new route for people that use trampers, the off-road wheel-chairs, plus replacement of some stiles with gates. The National Landscape Team can offer advice on the different types of funding and point you in the right direction to apply for the money you need. Please feel free to get in touch. Happy New Year!
For more information and contact details go to MendipHills-NL.org.uk or call 01761 462338
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MENDIP TIMES
ECATCHER MOL
NO MOLE NO FEE Telephone 01761 417100 www.mendipmolecatcher.co.uk
Look at just some of the exciting holidays and short breaks in 2024! For more information and brochures give us a call.
PAGE 32 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
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BUSINESS
INHERITANCE tax is payable to HMRC before the Grant of Probate is extracted. The logic is the government doesn’t want executors and beneficiaries to have full access to assets until the tax payable is paid. It is therefore a legal requirement to pay the IHT due before applying for a grant, which is very sensible, but it can create a cash flow issue. The first thing to consider is how lifetime dispositions might be made to reduce the level of IHT payable on death. For instance, lifetime gifts can be made out of surplus income. Such dispositions immediately fall out of the donor’s estate and the seven years survivorship rule which applies to other gifts does not apply. Secondly, if the value of the estate is over £2m the residence nil-rate band will not be available on death. So to make the residence nil-rate band available lifetime dispositions will need to be made to reduce the value of the estate to less than £2m. An option to do this would be to gift some cash or shares. If gifting shares there may be a liability for capital gains tax owed on the profits. An interesting aspect of the residence
nil-rate band rules is that, even though a gift of cash and/or shares would be subject to the seven-year survivorship rule, the fact of reducing assets to under £2m would make the residence nil-rate band available, even though for IHT purposes the gift which reduces the value to under £2m is still relevant for seven years. As to sorting out the payment of IHT, pure cash assets such as the testator’s savings can be accessed to pay IHT as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has an arrangement called the Direct Payment Scheme (DPS) with participating banks and building societies for cash deposits to be transferred direct to HMRC’s bank account upon a signed authority by the executors. Banks not part of DPS may have their own procedures for releasing funds. National Savings Investments and Government Stocks can also be used, as well as cash funds held in some share or investment portfolios. One further option is to apply for the IHT due on certain qualifying assets to be paid by instalments. This would be available if a house
(Photography by Kookie Blu@DreamFieldLab)
Inheritance tax issues
formed part of the estate and would allow the IHT attributable to that to be paid over ten equal instalments over ten years. Interest is payable and all the IHT is payable if the asset is sold. The executors would have to show it has been impossible to raise all the funds needed to pay the tax due and demonstrate that they have made every practical effort to raise the money, including the availability of short-term loans. Executors would do well to seek professional advice on these issues before deciding what course to take. EDWARD LYONS
NOW 50 YEARS IN THE CHEW VALLEY Email: enquiries@lyonslaw.co.uk Website: www.lyonslaw.co.uk Telephone: 01275 332168 An established and progressive law firm providing a personal and cost-effective legal service for commercial and individual clients. 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 OFFICES AT: Chew Magna 01275 332168
Westbury-on-Trym 0117 950 6506
Kingswood 0117 967 5252 MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 33
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MENDIP TIMES
Ground Floor, The Old Barn, Lady Farm, Chelwood, Bristol BS39 4NN 01275 332612 l ulco.com
Looking to reset your business after a turbulent year? Pursuing a new business venture or direction?
Daunted by the prospects of the latest Making Tax Digital changes? We are always happy to talk and, more importantly, listen to new and established businesses to see how we can help.
PAGE 34 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
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BUSINESS
Time to make a life-changing New Year resolution ACCORDING to recent research half of the adults in the UK do not have a will. The study, based on a sample of 2,000 adults, also found that a third (33%) of those aged 55 and over have yet to make a will. So, why are so many people avoiding this important piece of life admin? Perceived lack of wealth: Approximately 24% of respondents believed that they didn’t possess enough assets or wealth to warrant making a will. This is often a misconception based on what they believe to be of value and until assessed may prevent them from identifying their true assets. Assumption of automatic inheritance: Surprisingly, 17% of respondents believed that their loved ones would automatically inherit their wealth without the need for a will. This misconception can lead to unintended consequences and unfortunate rather painful family disputes. Procrastination: 15% admitted to believing they had plenty of time to make a will, often postponing it indefinitely. Getting around to it is also admitting that at some point you will not be around to procrastinate any longer, a thought many of us struggle to come to terms with. Lack of Knowledge: 14% of respondents cited not knowing how to write a will as a reason for not having one. Considering these findings, it's important to understand that making a will is actually far easier than many people think. Regardless of your age or financial status, it's never too soon to start planning. Wouldn’t now be a good time to take a positive step and get
around to making that will? You can begin by listing your assets and specifying your wishes regarding their distribution. Additionally, leaving a charitable legacy in your will can offer significant tax benefits. Charitable donations are exempt from inheritance tax, reducing the overall value of your estate (subject to taxation). This can also lower the inheritance tax rate on assets passing to non-exempt beneficiaries from 40% to 36%. You can even specify a particular purpose for your charitable legacy, ensuring that your wishes are respected. If you haven't made a will yet or would like to review your existing one, consider reaching out to a specialist wills, trusts, and probate team for guidance. They can help you draft a will that aligns with your intentions and supports charitable causes you care about. Making a will is a crucial step in securing your assets and ensuring your loved ones are taken care of according to your wishes. Don't let misconceptions or procrastination hold you back. Start the new year by making a resolution to look after the longterm future of your loved ones. [Survey undertaken by Canada Life April 2023] Cara Burr Senior Associate FCILEX, CILEX Probate Practitioner Wells Office 01749 341818 cara.burr@mogersdrewett.com
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 35
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BUSINESS
(Photography by Nick Williams Photography)
MENDIP TIMES
Mendip Times VOLUME 19
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Success for Aldwick Estate
I AM proud to announce our recent success having entered Aldwick Estate into the Bristol, Bath & Somerset Tourism Awards (unannounced to my staff). You can imagine my wedding manager’s surprise when we were visited by a secret shopper for these awards! What a great moment for myself and my team on Thursday, 30th November when we visited The Bristol Hotel as one of the final three in our category. It is true testament to my small closeknit team that we were awarded Wedding Venue of The Year 2023. We always strive to offer a personal approach to delivering high-quality weddings and our aim is to provide a sophisticated service that focuses on friendliness, support, and creative instinct. We want to ensure that beautiful memories are created for everyone that visits the estate. Our next Wedding Open Day is Sunday, January 14th, why not pop along and see what Aldwick has to offer? Sandy Luck, Managing Director
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News page 38.qxp_Layout 1 14/12/2023 13:09 Page 5
MENDIP TIMES
Helping to bring spring to Bruton
VOLUNTEERS from two environmental groups in Bruton have been busy planting thousands of springflowering bulbs around the town. The planting has been led by One Planet Bruton, a volunteer-led Community Interest Company that carries out projects in and around the town to reduce environmental impact, support nature and wildlife and build community by providing opportunities to volunteer or take part. BrueCREW trustee Cain Parminter with the bulbs At the beginning of packed in egg boxes, complete December, 25 OPB volunteers with planting instructions came together to plant 3,000 native daffodils at St Mary's churchyard and by the Packhorse Bridge in Bruton, as well as weeding Elliot Barton and the surrounding area and planted a further 1,000 native daffodils the following week with volunteers at their “patch for pollinators” at Jubilee Park. They then joined forces with the BrueCREW – which monitors and cares for the River Brue through the town – to plant bluebells and daffodils along the river bank. The bulbs were donated by Habitat Aid, a local company focusing on supplying native species, run by Nick Mann. Snowdrop bulbs were donated to the Wilf's Wood community forest project in Evercreech.
Casting a spell at Charter Market
NEWS
Matthew Bernard, ten, weaves some Harry Potter magic on the day with his wands made from foraged hazel. Matthew learned woodworking after a visit to an event at Montacute House
FOOD, drink and craft stalls filled Croscombe Village Hall for the village’s December Charter Market which raised money for the local school.
Youngsters enjoy the craft area run by Croscombe School
Here’s to spring: (l to r) Katie, Suzanna, Mike, Jane and Cain
For details about One Planet Bruton’s activities, email info@oneplanetbruton.org or follow them on Facebook or Instagram (@OnePlanetBruton)
PAGE 38 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
Professional wildlife photographer turned artist Victoria Hillman on her stall
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MENDIP TIMES
Chew floods
Mayor’s new clothes go on show
NEWS
Chew Flood Wardens led by Lynne Easton in the middle
CHEW Magna volunteer flood wardens led by Lynne Easton were kept busy all day on Monday, December 4th when Winford Brook rose quickly in the centre of Chew Magna. The primary school had to be evacuated and wardens checked that everyone had their flood defences safely installed. Lynne said: "The water came up quite quickly and all the roads in and out of the village were blocked so the wardens were kept very busy managing traffic, but the system worked well and apart from water getting into the church hall basement there was little damage."
Winford Brook and Brook Cottages with flood defences in place
Christmas music CHEDDAR Valley Singers and Joyful Voices were united in song over the Christmas season, performing together and raising money for the local charity, The Space, based in Cheddar. They are pictured at Hilliers Garden Centre with John and Mandy from The Space. PAGE 40 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
The dresses are currently on show on the top floor of the Kitty Banks Café in the Market Place
WELLS Town Hall is to host a gala preview in January of more than 70 decorated wedding gowns which will be auctioned for charity later in the year. The dresses – all repurposed by a team of volunteers after being donated or found in charity shops – are the brainchild of current city mayor Tanys Pullin, who is supporting Heads Up and Whizz-Kids during her year in office under the banner of Tanys’s Transformations – the Mayor’s New Clothes. The preview – on Saturday January 13th – will be followed by displays in the coming months in The Bishop’s Palace, Wells and Mendip Museum, Charlton House Hotel, Wookey Hole Caves and Wells Cathedral where two catwalks are planned for July. There is still a chance for more people to get involved in decorating dresses as some are still awaiting their transformation. For details and preview tickets, visit: www.Tanystransformations.co.uk
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A new year starts with hope
A VIXEN screams on a cold January night as a distant, but approaching, dog fox replies with its muffled barks. By CHRIS The scene for SPERRING January is being set, MBE as many species are slowly turning the corner from the darkest days of winter into the increased light of a yet still far away spring. The night calling tawny owl is also changing its tune slightly, away from challenging and defending its hunting areas, to just calling for their mates. Prenesting activity is well underway, with male owls now presenting their females with the gift of food to prove their reliability because, when nesting starts, the female will incubate the eggs and tend early owlets and she needs to have a male tawny owl that can constantly supply her with food over this period. So, January becomes a test for the male, the prize is raising a family with his female. An increase in daylight even slightly could produce some January bird song. The robin and wren have been mostly singing throughout but, on milder days,
Listen out for dunnock during milder days
the dunnock and great tit will sing. If it's mild, you may hear the magnificent song thrush beginning to rehearse its powerful song. And so, January, for so many, is like a new beginning. There’s much talk of change within the human conservation world as well. Many Mendip Times articles ago I wrote about some creatures of Mendip past that we could see and help return. Two of those now seem a big step closer. The pine marten is a member of the weasel family. Head to, and including, tail, it is around 78cm in length, making it one of the more medium-sized members of the mustelid family. Much effort has already gone into reintroducing this species to England and Wales with nearby populations establishing in the Forest of Dean and what seems to be a population to the south in the New Forest; a proposed Dartmoor/Exmoor scheme is also currently being planned. It becomes inevitable given the wide movements of this species that Mendip at some stage will see this species back and arguably where it belongs; indeed, some say it’s already here, though I’ve yet to see actual proof. As I’ve written about this before, I’m not going to go into more detail other than to say if you’re a grey squirrel, you might get want to read up on them. The other species is the white-tailed eagle. Even though there are no releases
WILDLIFE
Could the white-tailed eagle become a familiar sight over Mendip?
planned on Mendip, there is currently ongoing consultation over the proposal for a Wales release. I have already observed white-tailed eagle on Mendip flying over the Rowberrow plantation and Black Down near Charterhouse, though some years ago; it was suggested that this bird was a juvenile of European origin. But, more recently, white-tailed eagles from the Isle of Wight release scheme have been observed in areas such as Frome and the Longleat estate, so these birds will wander and, of course, although the new proposed release area is in South East Wales, near the Severn Estuary, it is, like the pine marten, inevitable that the number of sightings will increase as time goes by. A new year, and a new season to look ahead to and maybe some friends of the past to re-join our local natural environment. Happy New Year!
The robin can be heard throughout winter
Autumn and winter walks are underway; I have several of them coming up. Please go to my Facebook page to find out more or to create your own event. Or ring me on 07799 413918 MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 41
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MENDIP TIMES
Step into the New Year with this lake walk
DON’T miss this wonderful New Year walk taking in Chew Valley Lake, a hill with superb views, fields, streams, a folly castle home, and refreshment on the way. It encompasses a recreational trail and a good deal of dry tracks, but nevertheless, be prepared for mud in places depending on the weather.
PARK: At Woodford Lodge on the edge of Chew Valley Lake and reached up a long drive off the B3114 road between Chew Stoke and Herons Green causeway.
START: This is all land owned by Bristol Water and Woodford Lodge is a very popular lakeside restaurant and cafe. There is also a hut at the entrance to the car park serving drinks and snacks at certain times when the weather is favourable. Alongside the entrance drive and the car park is memorial woodland of about 160 trees planted by The Life for a Life Charity with memorial plaques to those whose ashes have been put there. No
With Sue Gearing PAGE 42 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
more planting is done now and the woodland is developing as a tranquil place to walk. Go to the far side of the car park and follow the Tarmac Chew Valley Recreational Trail. This drops down gently and below you can soon see the lake sailing club and you will probably pass fishermen. Continue on the trail, crossing a lane (the entry lane for the club) and keep following the trail signs until you reach the main road. Turn right on the pavement to reach the lake, dam and draw-off tower.
1. LAKE Apart from being a leisure area now, Chew Valley Lake reservoir is the fifth largest artificial lake in the UK, some 1,200 acres. The lake, created in the early 1950s, was opened by the late Queen. It enables Bristol Water to provide much of the drinking water for the city of Bristol and surrounding area, taking its supply from the Mendip Hills. It is much loved by fishermen looking to catch roach, perch, trout and pike and is a national centre for birdwatching, with over 260 species recorded. On top of this, two nature trails have been created. The flora and fauna provide habitats for some less common plants and insects. Cross the dam, passing the outlet tower in the lake and getting a good view across the lake to Denny Island and Mendip. 2. CAR PARK On the far side, continue to follow the trail
and come to a car park and recreational area with Salt and Malt restaurant and take-away. Maintain your direction following the trail signs which take you on, between the lake and road, and coming into another car park. Go through and take the drive on the left leading past toilets and to the main road.
3. ROAD Cross with care and turn right for a couple of minutes. Then turn off the road following the first footpath up the side of a field. At the top join a path which continues to climb and leads to converted homes at Knowle Hill Farm. Head through to the road and turn left. Soon, ignore a footpath left. 4. KNOWLE HILL The road bends right and you reach the edge of Knowle Hill which is an Open Access Area. Opposite a very visible hard drive on the right which serves a farm, look carefully for a small, unmarked path on the left taking you up the hill. It is one of the best paths up and should be reasonably dry. Come to a crossing path. Turn left and then reach a junction of paths. Our main route continues by going left, but it is well worth making a total detour of no more than ten minutes there and back to go up to the top of Knowle Hill with memorable 360 degree views. So, for this detour, turn right and shortly right again and take the path up. Return to the first junction and go straight on (left if you omitted the detour).
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WALKING
Head across towards a hedge on the far side. There is a crossing path before you reach the hedge and here turn right. This leads you along the west side of Knowle Hill. Go out through a gate onto a fenced path by a house and garden. It is a bit uneven and can be slippery. The path leads out into a field. Follow the right edge and then follow the fence around houses at Pitt’s Farm. This takes you to a drive – Pitt’s Lane.
5. PITTS LANE Turn left and follow it for about half a mile – hard underfoot at first – and then go through a Bristol Gate and it becomes a more basic path coming out at the end at Denny Lane on the edge of Chew Magna. 6. DENNY LANE Turn right for a yard or two and then head left up steps on the marked footpath. It’s right at the top and then take the left hand of two kissing gates. Go down the right edge of the field and through into the next. Then head on down across the middle of this field. Come out through a gate to the magnificent sight of a huge Wellingtonia tree ahead.
7. TREE Pass the tree on your left. Soon, at a junction turn left and cross a bridge over a tributary of the Chew. Follow the path on and cross a lovely old stone bridge over the Chew itself. Turn left into a field through a KG and go up the centre to the top corner. Leave through another KG and head along an attractive sunken path under trees. This leads through a metal KG gate into a field. Ignore the path straight on, which is well used, and instead fork across slightly right on what is the main right of way through the field and go up through a gate into a small field. Head along the bottom and go out left in the corner. 8. CHOTA CASTLE Chota Castle is a magnificent family house which was built as a folly castle around 1850, with later extensions. From this angle you don’t get the full view of it as a very impressive castle home, but it is worth going online to see a Facebook and YouTube video about it. An owner of note was Edgar Bowden “the paper bag king”
5.6 miles, about 3 hours walking. OS Explorer 154 Bristol West & Portishead, grid ref: 607 565, postcode: BS40 8XH. What3words: backyards.enthused.lamp
who from humble and difficult beginnings in Easton in Bristol – where he started by selling paper bags – became over the years a successful businessman and ended up living at the castle. A Chew Valley Films production in 2021 recorded his life. Now turn right alongside the wall of Chota Castle. Maintain direction through fields until you reach Chew Valley School Rugby Pitch ahead. Follow the path right and go round the pitch. On the far side, start down the slope and quickly go up right onto a path under trees. After another KG walk along the field bottom with the school up the top right. On the far side, go through another KG and maintain direction in the next field, passing a hollowed-out ash tree and a stately oak tree – one of several in this area. After a KG, head across this next field and through another KG. Follow the left hedge and at the corner bear diagonally down left and reach a KG by the river and a footbridge. 9. FOOTBRIDGE On the other side turn right along the field edge. Not far along, go right through a
kissing gate and cross the next field to a Bristol Gate in the corner. Follow a track for a few yards, where it may be muddy and go up left (quite slippery and steepish). Once in this next field, go along the right edge and in the first corner go straight ahead to join a path at the edge of woodland. This leads to a hard track which you follow to the end to a road. Turn right for a few minutes.
10. LANE Then cross and take the first lane on the left a No Through lane. This used to be a through road but its route has been cut off by the advent of the lake. Just follow it up and then it levels out. At the end of the hard track keep straight on past a post and maintain direction ahead and downhill all the way until you come to a gate – the total distance is just over half a mile from the start of the lane. This brings you back onto the Recreational Path you started out on. Turn right and retrace your steps back up to the car park at Woodford Lodge. Woodford Lodge 01275 331581
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 43
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West Countryman’s diary
JANUARY takes its name from the Roman God Janus, who seems to have been in two minds about everything as his two heads faced both forward and back. In truth many of us will be doing the same. Forward looking with hope and anticipation to the New Year ahead and retrospectively on what With LES DAVIES MBE has happened over the past year. For many people the New Year is an important event, a new start. I have never been a New Year reveller but understand those who are. For our ancestors life wasn’t very cosy. Creature comforts were minimal and at this time of year the ground was often frozen making it impossible to carry out any ground work . . . so why not have a celebration and make sure the Pagan insurance policies are renewed for another year? This is where the wassail we know and love today began. I’ve spoken about waking up the sleeping apple trees before and will be heading up several such occasions again this January. If you’re interested or have never attended a wassail before, the Mendip Society will be holding one in Burrington on February 9th. Check the society website under The Mendip Society heading. Most villages now hold them and they’re great places to spend a cold winter’s night. At the time of writing, I’m booked to be master of ceremonies at seven events. January has always been depicted as a cold and frosty month, which is mainly true. Old mottos and sayings always extol (if that’s the right word) the month’s cold outlook. “Janiveer freeze the pot upon the fire” and “The blackest month of all the year is Janiveer” are but two tributes paid to the hostility of the month. Those who have to work outside in such conditions will also bear witness to the horrors of cold wet weather linked to the lack of daylight hours. The retrospective head of Janus will no doubt be looking back to the time when the sun shone just a little too much. I remember saying that “I will be praying for days like this in the middle of winter”. I wasn’t far wrong as I look out of the window at thick mist and frosty conditions. Such conditions do have a beauty all of their own when it comes to air frost that covers the trees with a crystal mantle. I almost expect the tree to tinkle as if cloaked in the purest crystal glass. Standing on the edge of Mendip you will often see the Vale of Avalon shrouded in mist. It’s almost like looking out to sea, as the world beneath it is hidden from view. Local photographer Jason Bryant has a skill for capturing such scenes and often receives national acclaim for his pictures. If you get a chance to be at Deer Leap Nature Reserve when the sun sets, you could almost think about rivalling him with your phone camera. If you don’t, it doesn’t matter . . . you were there! The earth’s current orbit places us on the side away from the sun and so our weather is thus affected. The axis upon which this planet spins is slightly tilted, so when the spring and summer PAGE 44 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
OUTDOORS
arrive we should be closer to the sun. It’s a frightening thought that this axis is so critical and should it change by only a small amount the world climate would change. Be that a natural or “man-made” change it could plunge us into another Ice Age and that would mean permanent January, but with severe attitude. I managed to get a long-awaited cut on the rough grassland at Deer Leap recently and took a moment to recover from being dragged around behind “Trigger” the mower. Standing on the very edge of my known world I could look at the land of Kings Arthur and Alfred stretched out below. The moors were a patchwork of water that reflected the late afternoon sunlight that is such a blessing at this time of the year. With my retrospective head on I wonder how much this landscape has changed in the last 1,000 years? I know it will have. But nobody had moved Glastonbury Tor, Nyland Hill or any of those other outcrops of sterner rock that have withstood the erosion of water and time to create our own “Telly-Tubby land”. What will it look like in another 1000 years? That said, we won’t be here to see it, but will the sea have taken it back again, or will this planet of ours have even survived the excesses of the human race? Not even the Prospective head of Janus will have been able to work that one out. We also start the new year with a new designation for the Mendip Hills as it becomes a National Landscape. The team at Charterhouse will be keeping everyone up to speed and no doubt there will be more within the covers of this month’s edition of Mendip Times. I do however want to take a fond backward look at the old Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). I arrived in September 1990 to what was then a Warden Service. So much has changed since then, as change it must, but the original logo of the cow looking over the wall at a television set was there at the area’s inception in 1972. It told you all you needed to know about Mendip. It was an agricultural area with cattle, sheep and drystone walls. It stood the test of time for over 50 years. Again, my forward-looking head is turned to exciting times ahead, but I suspect the term AONB will be remembered for a long time to come. Finally, this month’s photo was taken from Deer Leap many years back. The early evening mist obscures the lands of Arthur and Alfred in a magical way!
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A time to socialise
LATE summer is traditionally when caving clubs undertake their major foreign expeditions. Cheap flights enable small groups to make short trips, mainly to France, during the year, but the big club trips come later. Last year, the Shepton Mallet Caving Club and the Wessex Cave With PHILIP Club separately tackled the Gouffre Berger, HENDY an iconic cave in the French Vercors. At 1,271 metres deep, it was once the deepest cave in France and basically consists of a series of deep, wet and draughty pitches. Descending these pitches is a daunting task and not to be undertaken lightly. Few cavers actually reach the bottom; most are content to visit the Hall of the Thirteen, with its baker’s dozen of lofty stalagmites. Training sessions went on for months, including long hikes (walking up the mountain is the only way to get there) and practising various single rope techniques (SRT) in Yorkshire potholes and on the Wessex training tower. Both expeditions were successful and all returned safely. After the expeditions, the socialising begins. First was the Hidden Earth conference, hosted by the British Cave Research Association. Held at the Gordano Sports Centre, it was the first such meeting since the Covid lockdowns. The venue is intended to rotate amongst the various UK caving regions, but the difficulty of finding a suitable location has meant that on the last few occasions, it has had to be held in Somerset. After the hiatus, it was well-attended. Among the range of lectures and workshops, one topic which aroused much interest was the latest I-phone. This has lidar and scanning apps which can be used to survey and provide a walkthrough video tour of a cave. Provided the owner wishes to risk taking such an expensive piece of kit underground! In November, Mendip and Scottish cavers gathered once more at the Hunters’ Lodge Inn for the annual J-Rat Award, given in Tony Jarrett’s memory to the group which found the most new cave in the preceding 12 months. This was the 14th
Gouffre Berger
(Photograph by Phil Hendy)
CAVING
Sid Perou
occasion and I will summarise the year’s latest discoveries in due course. A strong contender will be a significant discovery, made after nearly 50 years of hard digging, in the Cheddar area. The back end of the year is also when many clubs hold their annual general meeting and dinner. This is an opportunity to meet old friends, listen to an erudite and hopefully humorous speech by an eminent guest of honour and issue awards to various individuals who have “caved beyond their ability” or suffered some other humiliating mishap. It is all in good fun. Two clubs held their dinner at the Mendip Golf Club, which did us proud. Guest of honour at the Bristol Exploration Club’s event was Chris Howes, former editor of Descent, the cavers’ magazine, while the Wessex Cave Club hosted Sid Perou, who made several films about caves and cavers. He treated us to a retrospective film of the exploration of Castleguard Cave, one of the longest and most difficult in Canada, which ends under the Columbia Icefield, which it helps to drain in the summer thaw. The film included interviews with the original explorers, including Emeritus Professor Derek Ford of McMaster University, who is also one of the Wessex vice presidents and the late Mike Boon, formerly of the Shepton Mallet Caving Club. Mike was the first man to explore, alone and in winter, to the end of the cave.
Phil has been caving for more than 50 years and is a member of the Wessex Cave Club. He has been involved in producing several caving publications and until his retirement was a caving instructor at Cheddar. His main interest is digging for new caves
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 45
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MENDIP TIMES
Bloomin’ January – if you plan for it WITH the seasonal festivities soon behind us for another year, the month of January seems longer than any other. Low light levels, short days and With MARY often inclement PAYNE MBE weather add to the gloom. Our gardens are soggy and often not at their best, but with a bit of planning, the view from your window can be improved. By aiming to create a small area viewed from the most used room, probably the kitchen, winter can be as fascinating as other seasons, especially if you can add a bird feeder. In the absence of an abundance of flowers, evergreen foliage comes into its own, but do not get carried away with too many white or yellow variegated types. Keep the two well apart and balance them with plenty of shades of green. Many evergreen shrubs have dark green foliage full of chlorophyl so they can make the most of the lower winter light levels and that makes them useful to us, as they will grow in shade. Those with shiny leaves will also bounce light around. Holly, in all its forms, responds well to clipping in late spring, but take care not to prune off the flowering shoots that will produce berries on a female plant. Camellias also have good shiny foliage and will be showing the fat flower buds. If your soil is not acidic enough, then they grow well in containers, and respond well to pruning immediately after flowering. Aptly named Fatsia ‘Spider Web’ is worth planting for its dramatic palmate leaves with a fine tracery of white. Shorter evergreens are useful towards the front of a border. Elephant’s Ears (Bergenia) come in plain green, but more effective are those that change to the colour of raw liver or red during the winter months. ‘Ouverture’ and ‘Abendglut’ are both excellent forms. For shady spots, evergreen ferns are so valuable with Polystichum polyblepharum being one of the best. Its shiny fronds reflect light and look fresh all year round. Cut off the old PAGE 46 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
fronds just before the new ones start to emerge. Our native Heart’s Tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) looks splendid in deciduous woodland, especially if colonised with snowdrops. Winter flowering plants are always a welcome addition. The starry yellow flowers of winter jasmine will come and go all through the winter months. After flowering, cut the long shoots that flowered back to within an inch of their base, to get new growth to flower next winter. This stops the plant turning into an enormous “bird’s nest.” Christmas roses come in many shapes, shades, and sizes these days but the classic Helleborus hybridus is the easiest and, if you have not done it already, cut off all the old leaves. This helps prevent a fungal black leaf spot disease jumping from the old leaves to the flowering stems, and then onto the new foliage. Snowdrops are already on the move and can be planted “in the green” this month. Plant them on arrival in clumps of three to five bulbs spacing the clumps six inches apart for best effect. Never buy snowdrops as “dry bulbs” in the autumn as they have a high failure rate. Winter flowering heathers are ideally suited to our soils and are so good for the bees and insects when the weather entices them out. Many will start flowering just before Christmas and continue into April, after which a light trim to remove the old flower heads will help to prevent them becoming straggly. Vinca diformis is a special form of periwinkle that starts flowering in the autumn and continues all winter bearing ice blue starry flowers. Cut it back as soon as flowering is over, to keep it under control. Coloured stems are best positioned where the low winter sun shines on them rather than from behind them. The green stems of dogwood (Cornus sericea ‘Flaviramea’) contrast well with the salmon stems of C. s. ‘Cardinal’ or red stems of Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’. Orange stemmed willow (Salix alba ‘Chermesina’) can be grown as large trees,
Vinca difformis
or if pruned to ground level each spring will produce strong stems for winter interest. With all these coloured stems it is the young wood that has the best colour, so hard pruning is advantageous. Trees have much to offer, even when not in leaf. The silhouettes of different species stand out in the winter landscape, while some are valued for their peeling bark or trunk colours. Acer griseum offers stunning autumnal tints and cinnamon peeling bark that looks like flames when backlit by the sun. White stemmed birch tends to grow green algae so should ideally be give a “wash and brush up” in the autumn – yes, I really mean it! Take a scrubbing brush or even a pressure washer to them, the difference is amazing. The birds will often have stripped berries from trees and shrubs before the New Year, but some retain them. Perhaps the birds do not like the taste or are leaving the best ‘til last! Crateagus persimilis ‘Splendens,’ the Cockspur Thorn, will still be dressed in red fruits, as will Malus ‘Red Sentinel’ an excellent variety of crab apple. If you have not been too hasty in putting the garden to bed for the winter then the seed heads of many plants can add to the winter scene, especially those of ornamental grasses. Miscanthus, are one of the best. The leaves fall, leaving strong stems topped by fluffy thin seed head “fingers” if the weather is dry. Do not worry, the vast majority flower too late to actually set seed and become a nuisance. Enjoy the winter scene in your garden – January will soon be over – hopefully.
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GARDENING
J A N UA RY G A R D E N T I P S
• Cut the side branches off your old Christmas tree and use these to cover tender plants in the garden. This will keep the worst of the frost off and yet allow the plant to breathe at the same time. • Shred Christmas wrapping paper and mix it into your compost heap. • Buy hardy plants to brighten your garden in January – Hellebores, Cyclamen, Camellias etc • Buy pots of snowdrops that are now coming into flower. They establish much easier when transplanted in active growth. Winter Aconites too. • Established bulb shoots will be showing above ground now and are very tough so will not need protecting. Daffodils in thin-walled pots outside will suffer if the pot is not protected from wind driven frosts so move them to more shelter. • If your living room is looking bare now that you have taken out the Christmas tree and taken down the decorations, why not liven up the room with a houseplant! • Central heating can dry out houseplants, so stand the pots in groups on a tray of damp Hydroleca or pebbles. This will create a humid atmosphere around the plants but do avoid over-watering and position them where they can make the most of the winter daylight.
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MENDIP TIMES
Talks never fail to inspire club members
WILLOW and roses were the subjects of two contrasting talks by experts to members of Frome Selwood Horticultural Society. Mary Cross spoke about the history of willow and its hundreds of uses from medicines to baskets for air balloons, whilst plantsman Micky Little talked about his work related to growing roses. l FSHS meets on the second Tuesday of the Mary Cross month at Critchill School, Frome, BA11 4LD at 7.15pm for prompt 7.30pm start. Visitors welcome.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NURSERY
GARDENING
Club’s successful year
COMMITTEE member David Hares anticipates the American supper, following Congresbury Gardening Club's well attended annual meeting! The autumn show was cancelled, but two other shows this year were successful. New members joining have increased membership to nearly 100. For some years, membership has been £7.50, but in September 2024 year it will increase to £10.
Ten-year anniversary
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THE small group of volunteers that make up Temple Cloud in Bloom will be celebrating ten years in 2024 and they are looking for more people to join them. One of the members, Beccy Angell, said: “The new year is often a time when we think about getting more exercise and fresh air and what better way than joining us for a spot of gardening to brighten the village?” They meet one Saturday a month, 10am-midday, stopping for coffee and cake. The next working Saturday is February 10th. Details: tcibinfo@yahoo.com
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MENDIP TIMES
CHRISTMAS EVENTS
MIDSOMER NORTON
(Photo courtesy of MW Portrait Photography)
The Santa Special – pulled by visiting loco Kilmersdon – passes through the frosty countryside towards Chilcompton
Young visitor Ziggy with Father Christmas at Midsomer Norton South Station
In good voice at the switching on of the town’s lights
Julia Ball next to the Strictly Footsteps decorated tree in St John’s Church, one of almost 30 community-themed trees on display during its Christmas Tree Festival
The Radstock and Midsomer Norton Lions Club Christmas tree
Live music at The Hollies MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 49
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MENDIP TIMES
Widening the circle
WE all have a circle of compassion and for some of us it’s quite small, just encompassing friends, family and pets. And too many of us love our mobile phones more than our life partners. You may think that’s ridiculous, but the evidence is clear. We spend far more time looking at, interacting with and even talking to our mobile phones than, say, the fabulous woman opposite us we married over 30 years ago (sorry Jo, I’ll put it away now). By Dr PHIL HAMMOND So what’s going on? There is a basic human need to connect. We are social animals, like leaves on a tree and we need to feel we belong. Every time we forge a new connection, our brains produce a little blob of dopamine that makes us feel better. And instead of going through all the effort of meeting people in a pub, mobile phones allow you to connect instantly with people and experiences all over the planet without moving from your armchair. Oh look, there’s a cat playing the piano! And a dog doing backflips! And a Bolivian grandmother singing the theme from Titanic from the top of a mountain I’ll never visit! With each connection, we get a little dopamine hit and soon we’re addicted, pleasuring and titillating ourselves to death whilst staring at a tiny screen not six inches from our faces, and forgetting to pay the bills, walk the dogs or talk to our own grandmothers. Clearly the pandemic didn’t help, forcing us to self-isolate with only our phones for entertainment, but the rise in mobile phone use and poor mental health is unlikely to be a coincidence. Constantly comparing ourselves to Chew Chat Jingle Belles doing the Can-can the exciting photo-shopped lives of others and their hyper mobile pets makes us feel we’re missing out and yet we can’t stop ourselves watching and reaching for the crisps. So here’s my New Year tip. Widen your circle of compassion beyond your phone. Get out and volunteer for a cause you’re passionate about and see how quickly the anxiety of missing out is replaced by a sense of purpose. I recently did a (sold out) gig at the Yeo Valley canteen for the Julian House homeless charity. It can only happen because Tim and Sarah Mead donate the venue and food every month to a good cause, which then keeps all the money raised. And what a night it was, with another four comedians giving their time for free (Louise Leigh, Matt Pugsley, Mark Hurman, and Omari Douglas) and a brilliant band of Wiltshire plumbers called (wait for it) Pipe Dream. There was lots of laughing and dancing and phones were only used for photos. And let’s not forget groups like Chew Chat, a community of older citizens under the umbrella of local hero Sam Oliphant who keeps people across the Chew Valley connected and entertained. I sang at their Christmas party with Mike Gough, who can do a better impression of Johnny Mathis, Van Morrison and Elvis than any man alive. Mike is soon to be opening a wine and entertainment emporium in Chew Magna. The Meads are reopening my local pub, the New Inn, in Blagdon. We must all get off our phones, get out and support these new ventures, and I promise you, you’ll have much more fun than watching an AI elephant do the can-can. Happy New Year. Dr Phil’s new podcast Doctor Doctor is on Radio 4 and BBC Sounds
PAGE 50 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
HEALTH & FAMILY
Plop the Raindrop
SO there I was on the International Space Station, having a grandstand view of the earth below, when I came under attack by a gang of Sweaties. I think I have mentioned them before, though perhaps a long time ago. When you have six people cooped up in such a small space, they start to sweat. Sweaties like to bully other water droplets like me. Perhaps it’s something they learn from you human beans. Fortunately, they are quite fat and slow, so it’s not too difficult to evade them. Otherwise, I might get drunk. Floating 250 miles above the earth in what’s basically a tin can isn’t an ideal place to be accosted by them. The weightlessness helped since none of us could direct where we were going. I bounced off a couple of Russians and an American before landing on a glass panel looking out. What a view! I started to feel dizzy. The space station orbits the earth about 16 times a day, so you can imagine the speed it travels at. From up there the earth is remarkably blue and beautiful, apart from the glow of lights you see in areas of darkness. That really made me realise the impact that you humans have had since you arrived so recently. Only volcanoes lit up the earth like that before. Obviously, I began to wonder how I might get back to earth in time to see all the New Year fireworks. There might be a chance when a new crew arrives. Otherwise, the space station is now 25 years old and may be closed and scrapped. Will that mean taking it down to earth or will it be left to float forever in space? Happy New Year!
MENDIP GRANDAD
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MENDIP TIMES
HEALTH & FAMILY
NEW SHOWROOM NOW OPEN AT COXLEY, WELLS
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Open six days a week with l Large, fully stocked showroom l Friendly local business l Free, easy and level car parking
Also at: Melksham | Warminster | Trudoxhill (nr. Frome) | Shepton Mallet PART OF OUR FAMILY OF SHOWROOMS
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You can live your life to the full and choice is our favourite word. Rooms now available with full en-suite facilities and total personal care is offered. Rated by the CQC as good in all areas
e Manager – Chris Dando • 01934 742131 • chriscourthouse@gmail.com Court House Retirement Home, Church Street, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3RA www.courthouseretirementhome.co.uk PAGE 52 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
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WRINGTON
CHRISTMAS EVENTS CHEDDAR
Plough landlord Dan Wiltshire revived the tradition of Ringing the Ton at the Dickensian Fayre Cheddar Vale Lions organised pig racing
There was a lantern parade for the first time
Carols around the Christmas tree
Cheddar Male Choir
Father Christmas arrived courtesy of the fire brigade MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 53
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MENDIP TIMES
A gift of chocolates
MEMBERS of the Inner Wheel Club of Frome have donated more than 100 bars of chocolate – and a cheque for £250 – to the town’s Fair Frome organisation helping people in need. Karen Stewart is pictured receiving the basket of chocolate from club president Yvonne Covill, together with a cheque for £250.
Christmas bikers
Craft fair for a good cause
Some of the team running the cake stall in the skittle alley
A CHRISTMAS craft fair at the Tucker’s Grave Inn at Faulkland has raised more than £2,000 for the Bowel Movement charity. The charity was founded by Jo and Amf Millard in memory of their son Benji, who bravely lost his battle to bowel cancer at the young age of 33. Alongside Benji's two sisters, Abby and Steff, the family's mission is to raise awareness about bowel cancer among young people, provide relief and support individuals.
All smiles with their cake purchases
ABOUT 1,000 bikers took part in the 18th annual charity ride in aid of Children’s Hospice South West at Charlton Farm, Wraxall. Among them were Henry Matyjasik, from Backwell, his eldest son Lance and his 15-year-old daughter, Charlotte, who raised just over £700 for the hospice. They joined bikers from right across the area and Wales at the Winterbourne Academy in South Gloucestershire before riding through Bristol to the hospice. PAGE 54 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
Craft stalls filled The Barn
Florist Tessa Nicholas on her stall in The Parlour
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Young – and not-so-young – take to the streets
CHARITIES
MORE than 115 tractors of all ages took to the roads around Frome and surrounding villages for a charity run organised by Frome Young Farmers Club. The annual fundraiser – for Hannah’s Wilberry Wonder Pony, the Farming Community Network and the club itself – started and finished at the West Woodlands Showground with a “standard” route and a shorter route for vintage vehicles.
Three of the team: (l to r) Zoe Welch, Josh March and Rosie Paines
Caroline Taylor next to her Massey Fergusson
Setting off from the showground
A night to remember!
HOMELESS charity, Julian House, raised more than £5,000 with a charity night at Yeo Valley’s Canteen in Blagdon. Every year, Yeo Valley offers community groups and charities the chance to win a night there to raise funds. Julian House provide hostel and accommodation support for rough sleepers, homeless, vulnerable and at-risk people across the South West. Their evening included live comedy with Dr Phil Hammond, Matt Pugsley, Louise Leigh, Omari Douglas and Mary Hurman, whilst Wiltshire-based band Pipe Dream got everyone up and dancing to close the evening out. Julian House fundraiser, Gavin Osborn, said: “With rising costs forcing more and more people into homelessness, having
Nigel Bevan prepares to climb on board his David Brown tractor, making its run debut after he rebuilt the engine
community support like this makes a huge difference. “We are so grateful to everyone at Yeo Valley for making this possible and to all the guests and performers, who donated their time for free. Hopefully we can do it all again next year!”
Details: www.julianhouse.org.uk/christmas-appeal
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 55
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MENDIP TIMES
Helping hedgehogs
PRICKLES Hedgehog Rescue in Cheddar wants to hear from anyone with a little spare time on their hands who could help with morning clean-outs or afternoon feeding. They would also be grateful for old newspapers for their cleaning routine. Details: 07780 6744772
Record year for grants
New facilities
BATH Cats & Dogs Home’s winter appeal will raise funds for urgently needed building improvements to their vet suite and recovery room facilities. It says 98% of the animals taken there arrived with urgent concerns for their welfare so the busy vet suite is constantly working at full capacity. The home saw a 12% increase in animal intake in 2022 plus a 122% rise in stray and abandoned cats and dogs needing assistance, blaming the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Next year it is planning an ambitious building project to upgrade their facilities to ensure they can provide the best quality of care for rescue animals and be ready to meet future demand. Details: Bath Cats & Dogs Home – Building A Better Future (biggive.org)
Support for Ukraine
Wanted not Wasted
TWO local charities were among those who gave presentations at Quartet Community Foundation’s annual meeting in Bristol. Both had received support from the foundation. Midsomer Norton-based SWALLOW, which helps teenagers and adults with learning difficulties, was represented by chief executive Beverley Craney and members Sarah and Emily. The charity, Wanted not Wasted, which supports children on the Bournville Estate in Weston-super-Mare was awarded the Penny Johnstone award, named after the foundation’s founder. It was represented by Emily Watmough and Sarah Stanton Hobs. The foundation gave out a record £6.5million in grants last year, saying the need is greater than ever.
SWALLOW PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
NORTH Somerset Trefoil Guild members created the figure 80 with £2 coins to celebrate the guild’s 80th anniversary. More than £275 was collected to support drivers taking essential goods to the Ukrainian border and for Sarah Diacono who coordinates support for Ukrainians in North Somerset and Chew Valley areas.
New health group
THE newly established Sing2breathe group, based in Cheddar, is getting good support. It was formed by Kate Lynch thanks to financial help from the Wedmore and Axbridge Community Health fund. Members combine actions with vocalising to help them manage their breathlessness. The next group starts in February. Details: vocalkate@gmail.com 07595 745884
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CHARITIES
Charity celebrates 40 years
HAPPY Landings animal sanctuary, based in Pylle, is celebrating its 40th anniversary and hopes to celebrate by raising £40,000. Since it started, it has rescued more than 10,000 creatures. The first animal that founder, Annabelle Walters, took in was a goose brought in by the RSPCA two days after she opened. She said: “It had flown into some overhead wires and was badly injured. I’d had plenty of experience with birds before and over the course of a few days, was able to rehabilitate it so it was well enough to fly away.” She called it Pimple. Since then, the sanctuary has seen everything from chinchillas and horses, to dogs, rabbits, and cats. In this landmark 40th year, the sanctuary - which relies completely on public donations - is seeking to raise £40,000 to help fund vets’ bills, shelter, heating, food and specialist care for its existing and new rescues. Annabelle said: “Our biggest obstacle has always been financial stability. If it wasn’t for the generosity of people who feel like I do, we’d never have lasted 40 years. Like other small
local charities, we struggle to continually raise enough to feel safe – it would be incredible to achieve that.” The charity is seeking one-off donations, volunteers who are able to host fun fundraisers and corporate partnerships.
Details: happy-landings.org.uk/donate office@happy-landings.org.uk].
Ambulance awards
Great Western supporters
BOTH of our local air ambulance teams are celebrating success at this year’s Air Ambulance Awards of Excellence. Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance were shortlisted as finalists in four categories. Matt Sawyer was named Critical Care Practitioner of the Year. He said: “I am incredibly grateful and completely honoured to
Matt Sawyer
receive this award and really proud to be part of such a great team.” Great Western’s Hearts Ambassadors won the Supporter of the Year category. Following the death of Sam Polledri, aged 24 from a cardiac arrest, his family started fundraising with his girlfriend, Lisa Mazzotta.
Details: www.dsairambulance.org.uk https://greatwesternairambulance.com/what-we-do/aed/
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 57
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MENDIP TIMES
UBLEY MOTOR SERVICES Sales – Service – Parts – Repairs
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0117 373 2946 PAGE 58 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
20mph zone for Yatton
SAFETY improvements and a 20mph speed limit are to be installed in Yatton to help people move around the village on foot and wheel. The work aims to ensure that the new North End development is connected to Yatton village in order to provide a safe route for walking and wheeling. The aim of the improvements is to avoid unnecessary trips
by vehicles. North Somerset Council has been working closely with local councillors to devise a package of improvements that is being delivered in phases. Councillor Hannah Young, North Somerset Council's executive member for sustainable travel said: "These works will help connect the new development with the rest of the village by providing a safer environment to walk and wheel. "We want to encourage people to make short trips by an active means of travel rather than using the car because it’s good for our health as well as the environment. These latest improvements will help make it easier to make that choice." Councillor Wendy Griggs, ward member for Yatton said: "At last we are moving forward to the eagerly awaited 20 mph limit through our village, a safety improvement that residents have long been asking for." Councillor Steve Bridger, ward member for Yatton added: "I’m pleased that we can now move forward with the commitment to bring in a wide 20mph zone to deliver on making streets in Yatton more people-friendly.”
Awards evening
WELLS Classic Motorcycle Club held its 22nd annual meeting with presentations at Wells Football Club. It donated £3,250 to Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and £1,000 to the EVS Freewheelers Blood Bikes charity, raised by its annual “Tortoise and Hare Run”. The next event will be held on the weekend of July 19th21st, 2024. New members are always welcome. Details: www.wellsclassicmotorcycleclub.weebly.com
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MOTORING
A family-run business that repair all makes and models of caravan and motorhome in our NCC approved workshop. l ACCIDENT DAMAGE l WARRANTY WORK l SERVICING l DAMP WORK l HABITATIONAL SERVICE l PAINT REPAIRS l INSURANCE WORK l TRUMA DIAGNOSTIC l MOTORMOVERS l SPEEDCOAT SPECIALISTS and many more . . . give us a call to discuss any of your caravan/motorhome needs! Come and visit our spares shop open 6 days a week!
SALES@CARAVANREPAIRS-SW.CO.UK MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 59
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MENDIP TIMES
From product advice to a full bathroom re-design, we are delighted to help you with your bathroom plans. Whatever the size of your space or your budget, we’re here to help.
Visit our Showroom today! AN INDEPENDENT, FAMILY RUN BATHROOM SHOWROOM AND DESIGN STUDIO
CALL US ON 01934 906516 info@blossombathrooms.co.uk | www.blossombathrooms.co.uk Unit 2C, Cheddar Business Park, Wedmore Road, Cheddar BS27 3EB
PAGE 60 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
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Looking forward to what 2024 brings
I’M not one for making a New Year’s Resolution, but I do make a resolution every single day of the year, and that’s to make sure that all my clients get the best possible personal service from me and my team so that they can get moving. So, if you are even just thinking of possibly moving in the next few months why not make it your own resolution to come and speak to us. We have unrivalled experience and local knowledge and so are perfectly equipped to navigate through whatever the market throws at us. All the statistics speak for themselves and they show that by any measurement, we are the “Go To” agent if you are serious about buying or selling in this area.
There are promising signs ahead. Spring is not far away and the mortgage market seems to be opening up, making it more affordable to buy a house. That will mean there is even more interest from people who want to enjoy what it means to live in the Chew Valley. They are looking for the kind of high quality properties that we have in our villages and they expect the sort of RollsRoyce service that we deliver. For example, providing a viewing experience that paints a picture of the lifestyle the house offers rather than merely being a chaperone who only runs through room dimensions and points out the number of plug sockets. And because we know the area so well, we can answer
HOMES & PROPERTY
those additional questions about the locality which makes all the difference, especially when people are coming from further afield. Those exciting prospects are awaiting you in 2024, but it means this is the moment to get your ducks in a row. We can help you take a close look at those little jobs you’ve been meaning to do, but have never quite found the time. Sometimes quite small tweaks will make all the difference to how a purchaser looks at your property. Then you need to be realistic about when it comes to price. We know this area inside out and you can rely on us to advise on the current local market so you can find the level which will attract buyers
and bring you the maximum value for your home. I am looking forward confidently to the next 12 months because we have the skills, knowledge and experience to handle whatever the market in 2024 has in store, so whether you are buying or selling you know where to come to get on the move. Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year! JOANNA TILEY
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 61
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MENDIP TIMES
We’ve got it covered Mendip Times Distribution Points
HOMES & PROPERTY
Coverage
Mendip Times is available from over 900 outlets across the Mendips from superstores to village stores and post offices, farm shops, supermarkets, garden centres, pubs, inns, hotels and restaurants, doctors’ surgeries, libraries and tourist information centres.
ALHAMPTON ASHCOTT AXBRIDGE BALTONSBOROUGH BACKWELL BADGWORTH BANWELL BARROW GURNEY BARTON ST. DAVID BASON BRIDGE BAWDRIP BECKINGTON BISHOP SUTTON BLACKFORD BLAGDON BLEADON BRENT KNOLL BROCKLEY BRUTON BURCOTT BURNHAM-ON-SEA BURRINGTON BURTLE BUTLEIGH CAMERTON CASTLE CARY CATCOTT CHARTERHOUSE CHEDDAR CHELYNCH CHEW MAGNA CHEW STOKE CHEWTON MENDIP CHILCOMPTON CHILTON POLDEN CHURCHILL CLAVERHAM
CLEEVE CLUTTON COCKLAKE COLEFORD COMPTON DANDO COMPTON DUNDON COMPTON MARTIN CONGRESBURY COSSINGTON COXLEY CRANMORE CROSCOMBE CROSS DITCHEAT DRAYCOTT DUNBALL DUNDRY EAST HARPTREE EAST HUNTSPILL EASTON EDINGTON EDITHMEAD EMBOROUGH EVERCREECH FARMBOROUGH FARRINGTON GURNEY FAULKLAND FELTON FLAX BOURTON FROME GLASTONBURY GREEN ORE GURNEY SLADE HALLATROW HIGH LITTLETON HINTON BLEWETT HIGHBRIDGE
PAGE 62 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
HEWISH HOLCOMBE HUNSTRETE HUTTON KEINTON MANDEVILLE KILMERSDON KNOWLE LANGFORD LEIGH on MENDIP LITTON LOCKING LONG ASHTON LYDFORD ON FOSSE LYMPSHAM MARK MARKSBURY MASBURY MELLS MIDSOMER NORTON NAILSEA NETTLEBRIDGE NORTH WOOTTON NORTON MALREWARD NORTON ST PHILIP NUNNEY OAKHILL PAULTON PAWLETT PENSFORD PILTON POLSHAM PRIDDY PURITON PYLLE RADSTOCK REDHILL REGIL
= catchment area
RICKFORD RODE RODNEY STOKE ROOKSBRIDGE ROWBERROW SANDFORD SHEPTON MALLET SHIPHAM SOMERTON STANDERWICK STANTON DREW STANTON WICK STOKE ST MICHAEL STONE ALLERTON STRATTON ON THE FOSSE STREET
TARNOCK TEMPLE CLOUD TICKENHAM TIMSBURY TRUDOXHILL TYTHERINGTON UBLEY UPHILL VOBSTER WALTON WANSTROW WATCHFIELD WEARE WEDMORE WELLOW WELLS
WEST HARPTREE WESTHAY WESTONZOYLAND WEST PENNARD WESTBURY SUB MENDIP WEST HUNTSPILL WHITCHURCH WINFORD WINSCOMBE WITHAM FRIARY WOOKEY WOOKEY HOLE WOOLAVINGTON WRINGTON WRITHLINGTON YATTON
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MENDIP TIMES
PAGE 64 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
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Killens here to help in 2024
THE teams at Killens are conscious of the difficulties faced by many people and businesses during these difficult times and are there to help clients achieve their objectives. Killens are a family business with roots embedded in our local communities and their specialist teams offer a range of property services from their conveniently located offices across Somerset including the running of the popular and well known Mendip Auction Rooms. In addition to estate agency, the firm offers a comprehensive range of services including professional valuations, landlord and tenant advice, planning applications, and compulsory purchase advice. With a strong team, there is specialism in each property sector including residential, country houses, commercial, equestrian and rural. As a firm, Killens work to the highest standards being regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and are members of the exclusive Guild of Property Professionals. In addition, they invest heavily in the local community supporting many good causes ranging from small charities to sports teams and larger events. This coming year, they will also be doing more to support the
HOMES & PROPERTY
environment as well as continuing to promote recycling through the running of the Mendip Auction Rooms! Tom Killen, born and bred in the Mendip Hills, who established the business in 2008, said: “When we first launched, we promised to offer a new and fresh approach to delivering property services and it is this approach combined with investment in technology that we are continuing. Our focus is on customer service and delivering honest advice that can be trusted.” He adds: “We are grateful to our staff for their enthusiasm and commitment and to our clients, old and new, for their continued support. If we can assist in 2024 then simply get in touch.”
If you would like to speak to a member of the Killens team regarding any property matter, contact your nearest office or telephone 01761 241127 or office@killens.org.uk
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 65
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MENDIP TIMES
CHRISTMAS EVENTS
WEDMORE BY LAMPLIGHT
St Mary's bellringers
Wedmore brownies
Combined school choir
Cheddar Vale Lions
Wedmore Men's Club members Martin Gregory and Ian Penney
Father Christmas
PAGE 66 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
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NEWS
New deputy lieutenants appointed
R l re fro Bi
Justin Sargent with the Lord Lieutenant
TWO new deputy lieutenants have been appointed to assist and support the Lord Lieutenant in Somerset. They are Brigadier Nigel Beacom QVRM TD VR DL, from Wedmore, and Justin Sargent OBE DL, from Ashwick. Welcoming their appointments, which have been sanctioned by His Majesty The King, Somerset’s Lord Lieutenant, Mohammed Saddiq, said: “Nigel and Justin bring wide and varied experience to the lieutenancy in Somerset. “They will do a great deal to encourage, support and celebrate the lives and achievements of people and voluntary organisations in our county – and that is what the lieutenancy is about.” Brigadier Beacom said: “I feel honoured and privileged to be appointed a deputy lieutenant. I am looking forward to doing what I can to support our communities in Somerset.” Mr Sargent commented: “It’s a great honour and it’s humbling. I am looking forward to working as part of the lieutenancy to raise the profile of local charities and philanthropy in our county.” Nigel is a retired military officer who dedicated 36 years of service to the Territorial Army, now known as the Army Reserve. In his civilian life, Nigel established and successfully ran a market research company with six offices across the UK. Justin has been CEO of Somerset Community Foundation since 2005. Justin was awarded an OBE in 2020 for services to the community of Somerset.
Ami’s legacy
Nigel Beacom with the Lord Lieutenant
Justin and his wife, Sally, have three children. He is also a trustee of The Nelson Trust, a charity with a strong presence in Somerset, supporting women to overcome addiction and other complex needs. They bring to 34 the number of deputy lieutenants in Somerset, spread over a wide geographic area. Deputy lieutenants come from all walks of life. Their appointments often recognise distinguished service to the community, predominantly in a voluntary capacity. l John Bishton, from Bruton, has received an MBE and Christopher Rutt, from Kilve, a BEM, also at a ceremony in the Bishop’s Palace. Both were presented with their honours by the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, who thanked them both for their “enduring commitment to Somerset wellbeing, whilst scripting a story of progress, compassion and shared success”. John has an outstanding record of service to the Bruton community where his tireless voluntary work has made a significant difference to town. A member of The Bruton Trust, a civic society, he has played a pivotal role as secretary in preserving the nature of the town and has taken the lead in several notable and innovative campaigns. Christopher has been responsible for improving village life in Kilve for more than 40 years.
THE annual Chew Valley Tractor Express will be held as usual on Christmas Eve, with Santa and his elves touring the Chew Valley. It will be in memory of young mum, Ami Millard, from Knowle Hill, who died from cancer this summer. Organiser, Carrianne Summers, said: “The funds raised from the tractor express will be used to provide bespoke bereavement training in the local schools giving them the skills and confidence they need to support grieving children and young people in their care. “At the request of the family any funds raised above the cost of the training will be donated to St Peter’s Hospice.” A Christmas market held in Stanton Drew village hall raised £161.90 towards the event.
Santa in Stanton Drew
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 67
by M bo So sto su se hi sig so se to no in
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MENDIP TIMES
Royal tree planting
THe final celebration in a series of events in Kilmersdon to mark the coronation of King charles saw the planting of a flowering cherry tree by The Hon. Diana Jolliffe.
Keeping warm
Warm welcome on a cold day
Event organiser Martin Horler (left) with Diana Jolliffe and Yvonne Kirby
THe community council for Somerset says about ten per cent of households in the county, about 25,000, are in fuel poverty. Last winter it allocated just under £50,000 of Surviving Winter Grants, funded by Somerset community Foundation. This year they are looking to increase that to £83,000. Val Bishop, ccS chief executive said: “The UK has faced an energy crisis for two years now and our teams working within Somerset’s communities see the impact of this every single day as people have to choose between heating and eating. “With the recently announced energy price cap rise in January 2024, this impact will only deepen and affect more and more households.” As well as the Surviving Winter grants, ccS has launched their new winter Knit for your neighbour campaign and put together a list of resources to create a one-stop shop for individuals, businesses and community spaces to source help with energy costs this winter.
Marlene Holes and Lyndia Fell
A SUnny frosty morning encouraged villagers to the Friends of St. Andrew’s christmas Fair in congresbury Methodist Hall where they were met with a warm welcome, colourful stalls and delicious homemade food. eager customers purchased plants, cards, jewellery, chutney, cookies and cakes, including individual christmas cakes, and stunning handicrafts, while the raffle did a roaring trade. The event raised £600 towards church repairs.
Race night
Details: www.ccslovesomerset.org
A new year
cHeDDAr u3a’s 2024 programme starts with its first monthly speaker meeting on Thursday, January 4th. These are held on the first Thursday of the month. The first coffee morning is on Thursday, January 18th. These are held on the third Thursday of the month. Both take place in the village hall and visitors are welcome. cheddar u3a can offer almost 50 special interest groups, where hobbies and interests can be enjoyed in the company of like-minded people. Details: www.u3asites.org.uk/cheddar-valley/home or Facebook @cheddarvalleyu3a
PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
A rAce night held by chelwood Bridge rotary club raised more than £2,000 for local charities. More than 70 people crowded into Stanton Drew village hall. club member, colin robinson, said: “Sustained by a ploughman's supper and encouraged by Mc Jim Farmer, much money changed hands leading to great delight for the few lucky winners. “Unfortunately, there was much more disappointment for those whose fancied horses trailed in behind.” Two hampers were raffled, won by Andrew Vickery and Sandy Aitken, both presented by club member Umang Patel.
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COMMUNITY
Postman Roy gets super send-off A PoSTMAn who’s served the same village for the last 40 years has been given the Freedom of Barrow Gurney. roy Horlick started out helping his mother deliver the christmas post when he was ten years old, before becoming a fulltime postman aged 17 in 1983. He retired on Friday, December 1st. over the years roy has come to know everyone on his round personally. He has rescued villagers in trouble and even delivered a newborn lamb with the morning post. Villagers were so keen to recognise roy's exceptional service that they made him a Freeman of Barrow Gurney – the first person ever to receive the honour. He was presented with the title at a packed village hall. He said he thought of everyone on his round as his second family: "For me being a postman was not just about delivering the post but being part of that community, knowing the people and the area and being there to help when needed. “For the late Mrs James, arriving with her post one morning, I found her shouting for help from her window; she had somehow got trapped in her bedroom, I was able to reassure her and get help from the village so she could be rescued. “Another local lady was out for a walk one day and had become surrounded by
Roy 40 years ago
The village hall was packed
three horses; she had been bitten and was calling for help. I jumped the wall and was able to move the horses away for her to escape. “It wasn’t always people that needed rescuing: one early snowy morning I came across a new-born lamb that had rolled onto the lane at Gatcombe. I placed the lamb in the van and gave the farmer an unexpected delivery that morning. Thankfully he was able to save it. “on some occasions it was me that needed rescuing when my worn-out van broke down. And villagers were always there on hand to lend support while awaiting rescue.” Lizzie and Si Fosbury said the service has been wonderful: “could you possibly find a more interesting postie than roy? Photographer, musician, woodworker,
composer, historian. How he's had time to post letters, check our parcels are in a safe place, and act as a security guard . . . we have no idea. “His visits nearly always involved a chat about something of interest – including the family history. And he’s had to cope with our five dogs over the years . . .” roy is planning to spend his retirement investigating his long family history and pursuing his woodwork and music hobbies that combine neatly in the musical instruments that he makes. As a Freeman, roy must visit Barrow Gurney at least once a month – but in return he is entitled to park where he wants, drive his geese through the village and demand a free pint from the local pub. Nick Kerswell
Roy with future wife Becky in 1987
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Publow Christmas market
Record collection
THe Poppy Appeal raised a record £12,347.60 in congresbury this year. Irving Prowse, organiser for the last 25 years, said it could have been more with more collectors. He’s appealing for more support next year. Details: 01934 832004
Volunteers wanted
THe annual christmas market at All Saints’ church in Publow raised nearly £2,000 for the church’s general fund. The event is so popular that the church was packed with villagers, as well as supporters from further afield. There was a huge range of stalls for them to browse and buy from, with refreshments and mince pies also available. one of the organisers, Judith Hillman, said: “our grateful thanks to everyone involved.” The monthly market will be taking a break in January and will resume at the church on Saturday, February 3rd, 1011.30am. Details: Judith Hillman 01761 490324, Janet Smith 01761 490584 or Gillian Wookey 01761 490336
BrenT Knoll’s community Shop had a busy month leading up to christmas. Somerset council conducted a food hygiene inspection and awarded the shop a top five-star rating. The council has also extended the planning consent on their current Portakabin for two years, to allow for the delay to work on the public toilets and new shop building. The community shop, created as an “emergency Shop” when the village lost its village shop and Post office, continues to trade profitably. Secretary, David Sturgess, said: “This is entirely thanks to the hard work of our dedicated team of volunteers. “We would like to expand our opening hours and reduce the load on some of the key members of the team, but this needs more volunteers to join us.” Details: Ali 07411 571038 email: a.mages33@outlook.com or apply at the shop
Showfield to become a showpiece for play
FroMe Town council is working with a specialist firm of children’s playground designers ahead of the opening early in 2024 of a new-look play area at the old Showfield in the town. Work is ongoing on the site which will incorporate existing play equipment with elements including a wider, more accessible slide, shelter, seating, softclose gates and a new sandpit and climbing frame. Trees and grasses were recently planted to improve drainage at the site. The council have worked with Bristolbased playground specialists Green Play Project on the upgrade. councillor Mark Dorrington said: “The old Showfield is the largest green space in Frome, the home of Parkrun Frome, popular with walkers with and without dogs, users of the outdoor gym and hosts regular football and cricket matches. PAGE 70 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
“A great community space deserves a great playground, and we hope the new
Tree planting at the Old Showfield in Frome
park will be enjoyed by everyone; a truly accessible space for all young people.” Meanwhile, a raft of improvements to Tom Huyton Park and Somervale Gardens in radstock are under way as part of a regeneration action plan for the town centre. radstock Town council is currently upgrading the play equipment in Tom Huyton Park, including a chair swing already installed and a new multiplay unit and zip wire. Surfacing will also be repaired throughout the park. chris Dando, Mayor of radstock Town council, said: “It has been incredible how so many teams have pulled together to improve the site. We hope that the new features will make this a site that everyone can enjoy. It is lovely to see the plans that were put into place almost two years ago coming together. We look forward to welcoming back all who visit!”
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East Harptree market
Pictured (l to r) Abigail, 10, Sarah Evans and Manom, 11
Winter appeal
A SUM of £700 was raised for PTA funds thanks to the annual christmas market held by east Harptree Primary School in east Harptree Theatre. PTA representative, Jody Judd, gave a big thank you to everyone who went along and said she hoped that the market had helped everyone get in the mood for christmas.
JUST over a month after launching their Surviving Winter appeal, Somerset community Foundation (ScF) has raised over £125,000 thanks to the generosity of local people. If ScF raise £175,000 they can make sure around 800 vulnerable older people across Somerset have the support they need to get through the winter. Details: www.somersetcf.org.uk/winter 01749 344949
Christmas dinner
MeMBerS of chelwood Bridge rotary club and their wives enjoyed a christmas dinner at Folly Farm, with entertainment from Spike Parker. It was arranged by Jim Farmer and began with grace by Doug nash followed by a few words from the club president, Andrew Martin.
COMMUNITY
Pantomime returns
coMPTon Martin Players are hailing a bright new future of pantomimes and plays after staging their first production, robin Hood and the Babes in the Woods, since covid. They say it was a delight to see new members beside their veterans, all enjoying themselves, with youngsters taking to the stage for the first time. The backstage crew also got in on the act, expertly changing the scenes in full view of the audience. Their comical timing and changing of headgear was both entertaining and very clever. one villager said: “This production showed the great diversity of talent we have in compton Martin from actors, directors, costume ladies, backstage crew who paint, hammer, shift, climb ladders etc. and of course our wonderful musical duo of rachel and Paul Bramston.”
Blagdon fair
BLAGDon church’s christmas Fair was ablaze with christmas goodies and raised more than £870 for church funds. MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 71
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A fond farewell
Festive funds for foodbank in Shepton Mallet
VILLAGerS in compton Dando gathered to thank Joy and Ken Webb who are moving to the new Forest after 27 years. The 70 people there represented bellringers, Keynsham friends, flower arrangers, church wardens past and present, members of the hall committee and the local community association, which the couple had supported.
Merry Christmas
BISHoP Sutton and Stowey WI met at the red Lion Inn, Bishop Sutton for their christmas lunch and say they enjoyed every minute. They particularly enjoyed the christmas pudding.
Memories of home
Inner Wheel members at the craft fair
MeMBerS of the Inner Wheel club of Shepton Mallet took part in a craft fair at the town’s SS Peter and Paul church, raising funds for the foodbank run by the Salvation Army. They also contributed to a christmas tree festival in Shepton Mallet Baptist church to promote a monthly music group – Music 2 connect – run by club members and aimed at people with dementia and other memory problems and their carers also. For details about Music 2 Connect, contact club president Judi Rice on 01749 890575
TWo Ukrainian refugees went out of their way to see a production of a play written by one of their compatriots in Axbridge. Axbridge community Theatre staged nikolai Vasilievich Gogol’s The Government Inspector in the town hall. Sitting in the audience on the second night were Anna Shelest and Katrina Bykovchenko who had both studied the text at
Katina, Marina and Anna with town crier Nigel Scott
The cast with their Ukrainian guests PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
school before the war changed their lives. During the interval they noticed one of the cast had a Ukrainian name, Maринa (Marina) Kirichenko who is also from Ukraine who played the doctor in the comedy drama set in what was then Tsarist russia. Anna said: “I really appreciate what British people have done for us Ukrainians – for your hospitality and to help us realise our potential here.”
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Christmas breakfast
Kitchen helpers (l to r) Pete Sherborne, Anne Harrison, Lucy Sherborne, Ann Sherborne, Harry and Sam Burnside and Gee (Georgina) Burnside
More than 80 guests turned up at chelwood Village Hall and enjoyed a sumptuous breakfast, organised by Ann Sherborne and friends. Ann is the former churchwarden of the recently closed church of St Leonard’s. The event raised money for the upkeep of the churchyard and the village hall.
COMMUNITY
Lanterns and more at community day
More than 70 stalls and a huge range of musical entertainment will be on offer in Wells on Saturday, January 20th. organised by Wells community network, the day of free activities in Wells cathedral will be followed by the annual lantern parade around the city centre. emma Leferve, one of the team from Wcn who are organising the event, said: “There’s so many great things happening in Wells that not many people know about. This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to see what’s on offer.” The music performances will range from the Pop, rock, Pub contemporary choir to the Priddy Singers, Wells oratorio Society and the Blue School’s Folk Band. The day runs from 10am – 4pm with the lantern parade beginning at 6.30pm
Village pub bid
Busy breakfast
Sleigh ride
yeo Valley Lions have been busy taking Santa and his elves around yatton, claverham, cleeve, congresbury, Langford, Wrington and the surrounding area collecting money for good causes. The group has a very busy programme of meetings and events and also runs the area’s bright yellow minibus with volunteers, a lifeline since yatton lost all its buses. www.yeovalleylions.org.uk
VILLAGerS in east Harptree have raised £80,000 so far in their attempt to buy the village pub, the Waldegrave Arms. They need to raise £400,000 by April 19th to bid for the pub, a former courthouse as well as alehouse. The east Harptree community Benefit Society (eHcBS) hosted a community Shares Launch night, which was attended by more than 100 people. Membership starts at £100 and gives people one vote in the future direction of the pub. Details: waldegravearms.com/buyshares
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A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
JUGGLING stable duties with excited children wanting to open presents on Christmas morning is a perennial problem for anyone who has horses and ponies. I have always said that the care and attention lavished on our equines despite the grind of having to repeat the smelly With JANE backbreaking chores every single day, is PATERSON not for the faint hearted, particularly at Christmas and New Year. Having raced to get it all done before breakfast, there are only a few hours before the dears have to come in again and be tucked up in their stables with rugs on, possibly bedecked with tinsel. It’s mad! Still, we are now at the shortest day. Autumn seems to have gone quite quickly this year. Right now, we must feel for folk who have been flooded, particularly down on the Somerset Levels where winter turnout is all but impossible at the moment. We may get the gale force winds up on Mendip but we do generally get better drainage, making it more likely our horses can go out for one or two hours most days to have a stretch. Making sure the water hasn’t frozen over is another chore. On frosty mornings you wonder why the water trough is right across the other side of the field as you crunch across the frozen grass in your wellies. Mine have holes in at the moment so I was hoping Father Christmas might have brought me some new ones . . . and some new thermals too. Exciting gifts but essential additions to the wardrobe. Christmas fun at Badgworth for Pony Clubbers was a treat on the last weekend in November. Teams of youngsters from the South West came to compete for a place at the Mini Regional Championships to be held at Bicton Charlotte and Harry
PAGE 74 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
Rosina Downton from Chew Farmers
next summer. Local teams including the Weston Harriers and the Mendip Farmers did well and will be continuing to polish up their acts throughout the winter and spring when the weather allows. The season of good cheer meant that some of the ponies were dressed for the occasion . . . not that they really appreciated all the effort involved! If you are riding on the roads more at the moment, simply because the ground is too sodden, don’t forget your high-vis gear so that you can be clearly seen even in the daytime. If you have any scary incidents involving drivers in a hurry and/or loose dogs giving chase, it is worth reporting these incidents to the BHS (British Horse Society) via their new App called Horse i. Download from the App Store and let them know, because this will identify hotspots so that the BHS can offer support to equestrians in local safety campaigns, and maybe hold special events in your area to highlight what issues you are facing. The BHS also lobbies and advises MPs as well as other organisations such as the police. They need to know whether motorists are taking heed of the rules of giving distance to riders, as well as slowing down. Many of you will have been out and about over Christmas with your horses – maybe hunting, going to competitions, or just out hacking. Whatever you are up to, have a great Christmas, and a Happy New Year. I shall enjoy the racing when the ground allows, but from the comfort of a fireside chair with a slice of Christmas cake, a piece of Stilton and a nip of port to wash it down. What more could anyone want?
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Horses – make some new friends in 2024 THERE’S sometimes just one way to get away from the pressure cooker that can be the festive season and that is to get outside into the fresh air. Get some thinking time, put life into perspective, have a laugh and feel useful to someone. For me, time with my horses is that time, many people find the same so at Divoky we now welcome people who just want to come for a few hours, just to brush a pony, muck out Volunteers play a vital role or help with our accompanying riders and it is a disabled riders as a side great way to make new friends walker. This can be so rewarding; you don't need to get onto a horse to feel the benefit of being around them. Even sitting around having a chat whilst cleaning some tack can take you away from your problems and help you to put life back into perspective. From January this year we will be welcoming lots of new people to the yard just as volunteers to come in and simply enjoy the experience of meeting new people and being around like-minded souls.
Solar farm “risk” to bridleway
MEMBERS of the Mendip Bridleway and Byways Association have voiced their concern over the impact of a proposed solar farm at Beckington, near Frome, on an historic route used regularly by horseriders. The MBBA says the panels will run just a few feet from the Monkley Lane bridleway, part of which is a sunken route. It also says the metalled section of the lane is too narrow for construction traffic to use without endangering walkers and riders. There are also concerns about water run-off and drainage. l A decision on the planning application for the project, at Rode Farm, was due to be made as Mendip Times was being published.
There is no commitment, no cost (other than getting yourself here). Of course, if you want to bake a cake or contribute to the coffee fund that is always welcome, but you can just come, make friends with horses and people and get some “you time”. Those that would like to get more involved as volunteers with the RDA groups can come along for training. Once we have enough people who can come regularly, we can then restart our work with the local special schools. Sadly, this service stopped during the COVID pandemic and has not yet restarted. It would be wonderful if we could get a little committee together to organise volunteers and let the children come back to Divoky. If you would like to join us as a volunteer do get in touch; we would love to hear from you. Email pat.divoky@gmail.com Tel 01749 880233. Wishing you all a very Happy and Healthy 2024. Pat, Martin and the team at Divoky Riding School
An award-winning riding school in the heart of Mendip
Happy New Year – Happy New Hobby!
H Do you or does someone you know want to take up riding, but have never quite got round to it? We now offer riding lesson vouchers – a great way to start the new year with a new hobby H We can personalise the vouchers and they can be for any financial amount. All vouchers are valid for 12 months. H Vouchers can be emailed once payment has been received. H Vouchers can also be gifted forward if the original recipient doesn’t wish to take them up. H (e rider must be within our weight limit and complete a registration form)
Call or email us for more details
Divoky Riding School, Manor Farm, Downhead, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 4LG www.divoky.co.uk • Email: info@divoky.co.uk T: 01749 880233 • M: 07971 207037
MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 75
(Photo courtesy of Kitty’s Equine Photography)
RIDING
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Seems a bit cold and wet out there!
CYCLING with EDMUND LODITE
THE winter ride is a peculiar one. The weather plays a much bigger part in how often and how far I want to ride. And, although the days start to get a bit longer it is still cold, wet and windy outside. Occasionally, there are a few nice days with clear blue sky that makes cycling rewarding. But more often than not the prospect of going outside is not that
appealing. It’s not the physical effort that will be required that can put me off. Nor is it the weather. Although I know my overshoes, waterproof clothing and gloves will protect me from whatever is going on outside, there is still a yearning to stay inside. I think of it as feline mentality. It’s like the cat sitting on a windowsill, looking outside at the wind and rain, and thinking “No, not today, I’ll stay here in the warm and dry”. That negative energy can be difficult to overcome at this time of year. But maybe there are some alternatives. For instance, how about using a turbo-trainer indoors? When I say indoors, I really mean the garage. Because why would you want to annoy the rest of your household with the sound of whirring wheels and the smell of sweat dripping onto a towel on the floor? My experience of doing this is that it is like entering a time warp. I find that the amount of time I think I have spent pedalling nowhere is always far greater than the time passed in the real world. To overcome this boredom, some may hook-up a television and watch a few more episodes of a favourite show, or even take part in a virtual ride online. But I always wonder why? Only elite cyclists need to do elevated levels of training, but they take themselves off to warmer climates for winter training anyway. In fact, the only reason to stay here in the winter for professional cyclists would be to practice riding in the rain. They practice for everything else: extreme heat, high altitude, mountain climbs and descents but – not the rain. In fact, in recent editions of the Grand Tours there were days when cyclists protested about the amount of rain and hail they had to deal with. Perhaps a winter training season in the UK would help! Even though it may mean less miles on the clock I would rather get outside even if it were less frequent or for a shorter time. The challenge is finding inspiration and motivation.
I don’t think New Year Resolutions are necessarily the answer. We are in January when we have some of the worst weather in the year for cycling and it’s not the best time to take on a lifestyle change. A more achievable goal would be to maybe identify a race or event later in the year and then start a gradual process of building up to it. I collect quite a bit of data about my rides. Many years ago, I set a target that I would cycle more miles this year than I did last year. That really worked and then I made it even harder by using an algorithm based on the highest monthly values from the previous five years. It made the target harder and created some more motivation. But I always knew in the back of my mind that it could not be an infinite process. At some point it would have to stop. And so eventually I reached a tipping point where I started to slide backwards. Nowadays I measure things a bit differently. I still keep track of the data but now I look for the pleasure from a ride rather more than the speed or time. For my winter rides, I try and look for ways to make the experience more interesting. As the rides are shorter, I try and throw in a punchy hill climb here and there. Changing direction on a favoured route can be enlightening, as you now get to see the view that was always behind you! The hardest part about riding at this time of year is not the rain or the wind or the hills. It is simply nothing more than one small and simple decision to go outside!
JANUARY CROSSWORD SOLUTION
ACROSS: 1. Hotpot 4. Proper 8. Aloe vera 10. Creeds 11. Opus 12. Racecourse 13. Prime numbers 16. Embroideries 20. First class 21. Pain 22. Patrol 23. Eyesight 24. Remote 25. Stupor. DOWN: 1. Heliport 2. Teens 3. Overrun 5. Recycle 6. Precursor 7. Radish 9. Accomodate 14. Maelstrom 15. Decipher 17. Backlit 18. Dissect 19. Mid-air 21. Primp PAGE 76 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
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Teeing off for charity
(L to r): Jen Warmington (lady captain) Ian Barrett (seniors' captain) Gerry Morgan (club captain) Kate Cleverley (ladies club champion)
MEMBERS of Wheathill Golf Club, near Castle Cary, have donated more than £6,000 to Prostate Cancer UK after a year of fundraising activities. The total amount included £1,400 raised by Jen Warmington and Kate Cleverley who took on the Big Golf Race, a challenge of playing 72 holes in one day, in May.
Supporting youngsters
CHEW Valley Rugby Club held its annual fundraiser for its STAR scheme in the Lansdown Suite at Ashton Gate which raised nearly £40,000 to help deprived youngsters through involvement in rugby. The club launched the scheme, Support, Transform and Achieve through Rugby, during the Covid Dan Wooler lockdown and it has now been rolled out by clubs across the country. Guest speakers were ex-internationals Scott Quinnell and Gareth Chilcott. The funds raised will provide crucial support for 80 young individuals, covering an entire year of transformative programmes. Founder and trustee, Dan Wooler, shared the scheme's humble beginnings, highlighting the pivotal moments that led to its establishment at Chew Valley RFC. He unveiled expansion plans, aiming to reach more communities, schools, and rugby clubs across the UK, Wales and Ireland. Its next large-scale event is the Bristol 10k on May 19th, with around 100 runners already signed up to support the scheme. Details:https://www.givengain.com/campaign/ support-star-sche
SPORT
Town council scores with football supporters
FROME Town Council has won the Non-League Club Award at the Football Supporters Association Awards, the first time the award has ever been awarded to a town council. In a strong category of entries from across the UK, the council was chosen for its work in securing the Badgers Hill Stadium in Frome – home to Frome Town AFC – and protecting the future of the town’s footballing scene. In October 2022, the council stepped in to prevent the imminent closure of Badger’s Hill. As a result, a not-forprofit Frome Town Community Benefit Society was formed to manage the site and develop the stadium as a multi-purpose community asset, working in partnership with Frome Town AFC. The award recognises the achievements of the society, which took over the management of Badgers Hill in August 2023. Mel Usher, lead councillor on the Badgers Hill project said: “This national award is a fantastic endorsement of all the hard work put in by the FTCBS, by Frome Town Council and all the members of the community who have contributed to the project.” Frome Town AFC’s senior men’s side play in the Southern League Division One South. The women’s side play in the Eastern Division of the South West Regional Women’s Football League. For details, visit: https://badgershillnews.org or www.weareba11.com
Players reunion is a big success
Friends reunited at the Old Down Inn
MORE than 20 former players and associates of Midsomer Norton Cricket Club gathered at the Old Down Inn at Emborough for an annual get-together over lunch. MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 77
T
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HAMPER COMPETITION WINNER
CONGRATULATIONS to Richard Western, of Peasedown St John, who is the winner of our Find the Rabbits competition run in conjunction with Wookey Hole Cave Aged Cheese and Wookey Hole Caves. A festive hamper and a family ticket to the attraction are on their way. Very many thanks to everyone who entered; we were inundated with entries! The correct answers are: gold – pages 8, 14, 62 and the back cover; platinum – page 97.
BATH & WEST SHOWGROUND BA4 6QN Saturday, January 27th and Sunday, January 28th 2024
INDOOR STATIC TRACTOR SHOW Special Feature: Allis-Chalmers Tractors Implements, trade stands, toys, models and books, etc.
AUCTION On Saturday, January 27th by HJ Pugh & Co • www.hjpugh.com
SHOW PROCEEDS TO CHARITY Entrance £10 adults, £8 senior citizens, £5 children
Saturday: 8.30am-4pm Sunday: 9am-3.30pm
PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
A celebration of tractors
THE annual Somerset Vintage and Classic Tractor Show returns to the Royal Bath & West Showground at the end of January for a weekend celebrating the much-loved workhorse. As well as a static display of literally hundreds of tractors, the weekend is a great event for enthusiasts and collectors. This year there will be about 200 tractors on display ranging Tractors down the years at the from early models, built popular show from about 1920, up to the latest models farmers use today. There will also be trade stands, with 1000s of tractor spares, books and model tractors and toys etc. for sale. Allis-Chalmers Tractors will take pride of place at this year’s event; the American manufacturer can trace its history to 1901. The show takes place on Saturday, January 27th and Sunday, January 28th with the ever-popular auction by HJ Pugh, of Ledbury, taking place on the Saturday morning.
Proceeds from the show are donated to local charities. The 2023 show raised £11,500.
All welcome
CONGRESBURY Singers’ new term starts on Tuesday, January 9th at 7.30pm in Congresbury War Memorial hall. New singers are welcome with no audition. Details: congresburysingers@gmail.co or 07717 887897
Festival plans
PEASEDOWN Party in the Park has teamed up with Radio Bath for a third year to provide music at the event, due to be held on June 8th in Beacon Field. It will be the festival’s 15th year.
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A busy year in prospect
The Langport Mummers at last year’s wassail celebrations
THE Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society is looking forward to welcoming visitors to a number of high-profile events this year, including its annual wassail, expanded Countryside Day and the Mid-Somerset Show. The wassail will be returning to North Wootton Village Hall on Wednesday, January 17th. It promises an evening steeped in ancient tradition with entertainment coming from The Beetlecrushers clog dancers and the Langport Mummers. The bonfire will be lit at 6pm. The wassail ceremony is free to all to watch and take part, but there is a £14 per person charge to enjoy the other entertainment and food in the hall. Tickets are available only in advance. The Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society Countryside Day, formerly known as the hedge laying competition, will be held on Sunday, February 18th at Bagborough Farm, Pylle. The event will feature the annual hedge laying competition alongside a vintage tractor run, Land Rover meet and some family-friendly activities. Entries are open for both the hedge laying and the tractor run. All entries must be made in advance. Tractors must be at least 25-years-old. The Land Rover meet is free to attend. The Countryside Day is free to attend. The society’s headline event, The Mid-Somerset Show, will be on Sunday, August 18th with a new main ring line-up, even more shopping and lots of family friendly activities. Entry is free but there is a car parking fee. Advance booking for discounted car parking is due to open on February 16th.
New season
WHAT’S ON
YATTON Music Society has announced details of its spring concerts at St Mary’s Church. The first concert of the season on Saturday, February 3rd will be “Vivaldi by Candlelight” performed by the Bristol Ensemble led by Roger Huckle. Music will include Vivaldi’s four seasons, Pachelbel’s canon, Albinoni’s concerto for oboe etc. The church will be lit by candles to create a wonderful atmosphere for beautiful music. Concerts start at 7.30pm. Details: www.yms.org.uk
For details, visit: www.midsomersetshow.org.uk or by following @Mid-Somerset Show on Facebook and Instagram.
Tales of yore
MENDIP Storytelling Circle will host the epic The Prophecy of Merlin to celebrate National Storytelling Week, telling the story of Athelstan’s “cleansing” of the Cornish from Devon. It will feature Mike O’Connor with music by Barbara Griggs at Ston Easton village hall on Saturday, February 3rd. Money raised will go to the charities Médecins Sans Frontières and the Red Cross. Details: www.mendipstorycircle.com
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MENDIP TIMES
T H E
M E N D I P
T I M E S
W H A T ’ S
We’re happy to list entries for non-profit community groups and charity fundraisers free of charge. Please send them written as a succinct single paragraph, in the format below, to annie@mendiptimes.co.uk Entries sent in as posters or which take time to re-write may be charged for at the commercial rate, £25.
Wednesday December 20th Mendip Storytelling Circle. Stories to entertain a grown-up audience, 7.30 to 9.30pm Ston Easton Village Hall, Green St, BA3 4DA. Thursday December 21st West Mendip Walkers 9.2m circular walk starting 9.30am from Stratton-on-the-Fosse, BA3 4QQ. Details: www.mendipramblers.co.uk Cheddar Valley u3a Coffee Morning 10am11.30 Village Hall BS27 3RB. Yatton & District Horticultural Society talk “A Victorian Christmas” by Katherine Kear. 8pm Hangstones Pavilion, Stowey Rd, BS49 4HS. Details: www.yattonhorticulturalsociety.co.uk. Shepton Mallet Local History Group, 7.30pm at the Bowls Club: “Where in Shepton?“ quiz by Len Ware, with in-depth answers. Glastonbury Winter Solstice Storytelling for families 3.30 to 4.30pm, £6. The Gables Studio, BA6 8AB. Details: www.soundwell.co.uk/experiences/events. Friday December 21st and Sat Dec 22nd Volunteer Tree Planting at Great Avon Wood, Pensford, BS39 4JE. 10am-3pm. Please register as a volunteer & then book session: www.avonneedstrees.org.uk Thursday 28th December West Mendip Walkers 11.5m circular walk starting 9.30am from Holford, TA5 1SA. Details: www.mendipramblers.co.uk Friday December 29th Volunteer Tree Planting at Great Avon Wood, Pensford, BS39 4JE. 10am-3pm. Please register as a volunteer & then book session: www.avonneedstrees.org.uk Saturday December 30th Draycott Christmastide concert with Barry and Nicola Rose with the Pooley family, 6pm St. Peter’s Church. Tickets £10 from Community Shop or on door. U14s free. Binegar’s Bonkers Barrow Run: Decorate a scarecrow for your barrow and enter a team of four, 3pm start, raising funds for foodbank. Details: Facebook: Horse & Jockey. Monday January 1st Priston celebrates New Year’s Day with dancing, music, storytelling and a duck race! Details: 3inabar@gmail.com Tuesday January 2nd Backwell Sequence Dance Club: 7.15-9pm every Tuesday, Backwell WI Hall, BS48 3QW. Dancing couples always welcome. Details: Paul 07710 460550 email backwellsequencedance@gmail.com Yatton Local History Society: “1992 Video Project: a year in the life of a village”, by Anita Jays, 7.30pm Methodist Church, BS49 4DW. Details: www.yattonlocalhistorysociety.co.uk Wednesday January 3rd Sing2breathe (Singing for Lung Health) Learn techniques for breath control through singing. 1.45 to 3pm every Wednesday, Cheddar Catholic Community Hall. Booking essential. Details: Kate vocalkate@gmail.com 07595 745884. PAGE 80 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024
Bereavement Support Keynsham drop-in first Wednesday every month, 5.30pm-7pm, Baptist Church Hall, High St. A safe place to meet others who are bereaved. Free, with refreshments. Details: 07776 493221 or bereavementkeynsham@gmail.com Thursday January 4th Bath Railway Society talk by Mark Glover “Railway Signalling in Chippenham” 7.30pm The Museum of Bath at Work, Julian Rd BA1 2RH. Refreshments. Visitors welcome £5. Living Spit: A Christmas Carol – comedy retelling by local favourites. 7.30pm Compton Martin. Details: www.valley-arts.co.uk Irish Set Dancing 8pm-10 every Thursday Dinder Village Hall BA5 3PF. £3 incl refreshments. Fun, friendly, no need to book. Details 01458 210051 or paulrharper@btopenworld.com Chew Valley Library reopens as a warm space at The Link, Bishop Sutton BS39 5UU. All welcome, details: www.chewvalleylibrary.org.uk Cheddar Valley u3a Speaker Meeting 2pm Village Hall, Parsons Penn, Cheddar, Dr Helen Frisby. West Mendip Walkers moderate 11.8m circular walk starting 9.30am from Wrington Chapel, BS40 5NH. Details: www.mendipramblers.co.uk Congresbury Gardening Club Painswick Rococo Gardens, talk by Dominic Hamilton, 7.30pm Methodist Hall. Visitors welcome. Details: www.congresburygardeningclub.com Friday January 5th Radstock Folk Dance Club, every Friday, 810pm St Peter's Church Hall, Westfield. Country dancing at a steady speed. Beginners welcome, partners not essential. £3, incl refreshments. heather.m.leverton@gmail.com Saturday January 6th Frome Society for Local Study: “The Rebirth of Trowbridge Museum” 2.30pm Assembly Rooms, Frome Memorial Theatre BA11 1EB. Visitors welcome £5. Monday January 8th Nailsea & District Local History Society: “From Brunel to HST & Beyond” by Roy Ackrill, 7.45pm, Green Lecture Room, Nailsea School. Visitors welcome £3. Details: 01275 463479. Congresbury Memorial Hall Club Friendship evening with bingo, 8pm War Memorial Hall. Visitors welcome. Cheddar Valley Singers: Mondays 7-8.15pm, Cheddar Catholic Community Hall. Details: cheddarvalleysingers@gmail.com Facebook @cheddarvalleysingers RAFA Mid-Somerset Meeting talk by Dave Willmott: “The Tudor & the Atom Bomb” 11am Wells Golf Club, Blackheath Lane, BA5 3DS, optional lunch, email: Lunchrafa.midsomerset@gmail.com or tel 01458 224057. Tuesday January 9th Shipham Rowberrow & Star History Society: ‘Show & Tell’ for members to bring
their own historical items, 7.30pm Shipham Village Hall, BS25 1SG. Guests £4. Details: Jan, 01934 260784. The Arts Society Mendip: The Two Gustavs: Mahler and Klimt with Gavin Plumley. 11am, Croscombe Village Hall. Guests welcome £10. Details: www.theartssocietymendip.org.uk. Joyful Voices: Fill your afternoon with song! Tuesdays 1.30-3pm Cheddar Catholic Community Hall. Details: joyfulvoicesafternoon@gmail.com Fosseway Gardening Club talk by Les Cloutman on Wildlife Friendly Gardening, 7.30pm Pylle Village Hall. Visitors £2. All welcome. Details 07772 008594. West of England Cricket Society Widcombe Social Club BA2 6AA speaker to be confirmed. Visitors welcome, £5. Details: Richard Hanks, r.hanks0691@mail.com • 01749 675077. Wednesday January 10th Kilmersdon Gardeners talk by Amanda Hirst: “James Allen – The Snowdrop King”, 7.30pm Kilmersdon village hall, BA3 5TD. Visitors welcome, £3 inc tea/coffee. www.kilmersdongardeners.org Blagdon Local History Society “Tales from beyond the grave” family stories from St Andrew’s churchyard, 2.30pm Court Lodge, next to village shop, BS40 7TQ. Details: www.blagdonlhs.com Mendip Storytelling Circle: stories for a grown-up audience, 7.30 to 9.30pm Ston Easton Village Hall, BA3 4DA. Details: www.mendipstorycircle.com Pensford Souper Soup Lunch 12-2pm, Old School Room (the old Church Room) All welcome. Details: Jane 07780 677253. Backwell & Nailsea Support Group for Carers: Grete Howard “Svalbard in the realm of the Ice Bear” 2pm-3.30 Backwell WI Hall. Wells Folk & Barn Dance Club 7.30-9.30pm St Thomas’s Church Hall, BA5 2UZ. All welcome: 2nd, 3rd & 4th Wed every month. Details: 01749 674920 or www.wellsfdc.co.uk Thursday January 11th Chew Valley Gardening Club: Adam Alexander, “The Seed Detective” will talk on seed collection, 8pm Stanton Drew village hall. Wells Garden Club AGM and social event, with a fiendish quiz and a delicious array of food and drink. 7.30pm Wells Town Hall www.wellsgarden.club Wells Scottish Dancers 6.30 to 8.30pm Blue School Dance Studio BA5 2NR. Beginners welcome. Also Thursday 18th and 25th. Tel 01934 740065 or email ann.wellsdancers@gmail.com West Mendip Walkers moderate 10.5m circular walk starting 9.30am from Holford Green car park, TA5 1SA. Details: www.mendipramblers.co.uk Friday 12th January Keynsham Avon Wildlife Trust, talk by Pete Cooper “Harvest Mice” 7.30pm, Baptist Church Hall, Keynsham BS31 1DS. Members £3.50 Visitors £4.50. Keynsham AWT talk by Pete Cooper,
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“Harvest Mice”, 7.15pm for 7.30pm Baptist Church, High St, Keynsham BS31 1DS. Visitors welcome £4.50 (includes drink) Saturday January 13th Brent Knoll Bazaar, farmer’s market & café 10-12noon Brent Knoll Parish Hall. Jumble Sale, Chew Magna: 10am Old Schoolroom. Chew Valley Wildlife Group fundraising for AWT. Please bring donations 4pm to 8 on Friday, or call 01275 332482 – especially if you can offer to help! Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial Hall. Good quality books etc. Monday January 15th Chew Valley U3A a talk by Caroline Duckworth about The Society of Merchant Venturers in Bristol, 10.30am Ubley Parish Hall. Guests welcome. Wednesday January 17th Friends of Weston Museum talk: “The Battle Of Sedgemoor”, the “Pitchfork Rebellion” by: Elizabeth Bawdon and Peter Evans, 2.30pm Weston Museum, BS23 1PR. Members £2, Visitors £4 Details: www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofthemuseu mwsm/ Bath RSPB talk by Adrian Langdon "Iceland in the Snow" and "Arctic Norway for Sea Ducks". Zoom Talk starting at 7.30 pm. Details on https://group.rspb.org.uk/bath/ Thursday 18th January Cheddar Valley u3a Coffee Morning 10am to 11.30 Village Hall, Parsons Penn, Cheddar. West Mendip Walkers moderate 8m circular walk from Burrington Combe top car park, BS40 7TZ. Details: www.mendipramblers.co.uk Friday January 19th Save the Children Lunch 12.30pm Shipham village hall. £5 for soup, bread & cheese. Come and join us! Saturday January 20th Frome Society for Local Study: “Recent Discoveries in the History of the Somerset Coalfields” 2.30pm Assembly Rooms, Frome Memorial Theatre BA11 1EB. Visitors welcome £5. Kilmersdon Wassail from 3pm, Community Orchard at the end of Ames Lane. Village car park is in front of the church. Free, with donations towards village hanging baskets fund. Details: Martin Horler 07773 044285. Claverham Market 10am-12pm Village Hall. Butcher, veg. crafts etc. 01934 830553. Sunday January 21st Bishop Sutton Wassail from 3pm: Somerset Morris, cider, hot dogs and a huge bonfire. Some disabled parking may be possible but most need to park somewhere safe and walk – follow the crowds to the orchard off Bonhill Road! Ticket details: colinemmett@gmail.com Monday January 22nd Congresbury Memorial Hall Club Friendship evening with bingo, 8pm War Memorial Hall. Visitors welcome. Tuesday January 23rd Chilcompton Garden Club AGM, buffet & quiz, 7pm Chilcompton Village Hall, BA3 4EX. New members welcome. Wednesday January 24th Pensford Souper Soup Lunch 12-2pm, Old
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School Room (the old Church Room), all welcome. Details: Jane 07780 677253. "Stories Under the Ancient Oak" free online event, join Avon Needs Trees and Lisa Schniedau for stories of ancient trees and folklore, 7pm. Details: https://avonneedstrees.org.uk/events/ Thursday January 25th Chew Valley group Avon Wildlife Trust talk about beavers in Avon by Bevis Watts & Rob Stephens 7.45pm Chew Magna Old School Room, £2.50. West Mendip Walkers strenuous 8m circular walk starting 9.30am from Ash Lane, Wells, BA5 2LS. Details: www.mendipramblers.co.uk Saturday January 27th Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial Hall. Good quality books, jigsaws etc. RNLI Winscombe & District Super Quiz: teams of up to six, £12pp, incl Ploughman’s supper. Cash bar. 7pm Shipham Village Hall, BS25 1SG. Details e-mail: meejlfh@gmail.com 01934 842304. Chew Valley Community Farm wassail with folk singer songwriter Susanna Waters, 1-3pm. Tuesday January 30th Wells & District Wildlife Group: “Climate & Ecological Crisis? What's all the fuss about?” talk by David Ramsden, co-founder of the Barn Owl Trust, 2.30pm Wells Museum. Details: www.wdwg.org.uk or 01749 677600. Wednesday January 31st Harptrees History Society: Reflections on coal mining in the Pensford Area by Gary Atterton, 7.15 for 7.30pm West Harptree Memorial Hall, BS40 6EG. Visitors welcome £3. Booking essential. email: info@harptreeshistorysociety.org Backwell & Nailsea Macular Support meeting 1.30pm Backwell WI Hall Details: Sheila, 01275 462107. Thursday February 1st Irish Set Dancing 8pm-10 every Thursday Dinder Village Hall BA5 3PF, £3 incl refreshments. Fun, friendly, no need to book. Details 01458 210051 paulrharper@btopenworld.com Cheddar Valley u3a Speaker Meeting 2pm Village Hall, Parsons Penn, Cheddar, Fire & Rescue Service. Bath Railway Society talk by Andy Cope “the last wheeltapper” 7.30pm Museum of Bath at Work, Julian Rd, BA1 2RH. £5, tea & coffee. Congresbury Gardening Club talk by Sally Nex: “A World Under Our Feet” 7.30pm Methodist Hall. Visitors welcome. Details: www.congresburygardeningclub.com Friday February 2nd Save the Children Lunch 12.30pm Shipham village hall. £5 for soup, bread & cheese. Come and join us! Wells Natural History & Archaeological Society “The Mendip Hospital and its Patients”, a talk by Clare Blackmore 2.30pm Wells Museum. Details 01458 851443. Saturday February 3rd Frome Society for Local Study: “Caring for
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& repairing the redundant churches of Wessex” 2.30pm Assembly Rooms, Frome Memorial Theatre, BA11 1EB. Visitors welcome £5. The Prophecy of Merlin: a story of Cornish expulsion from Exeter. A fundraiser for the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders. Ston Easton Village Hall, BS39 4DA. Tickets and details: www.mendipstorycircle.com “Vivaldi by Candlelight” with the Bristol Ensemble, 7.30pm St Mary’s church, Yatton. £10, Students over 16 £5, accompanied children free. Details: www.yms.org.uk Tuesday February 6th Yatton Local History Society: Talk by Samantha Ball about the history of Weston Playhouse, 7.30pm Methodist Church, BS49 4DW.Details: www.yattonlocalhistorysociety.co.uk Backwell Sequence Dance Club: 7.15-9pm every Tuesday, Backwell WI Hall, BS48 3QW. Dancing couples always welcome. Details: Paul 07710 460550 email backwellsequencedance@gmail.com The Arts Society Mendip: Edward Seago: from Circus to Sandringham with James Russell. 11am, Croscombe Village Hall and by Zoom. Guests welcome £10. Details: www.theartssocietymendip.org.uk. Wednesday February 7th Kilmersdon Gardeners AGM 7.30pm village hall BA3 5TD. All welcome. www.kilmersdongardeners.org Backwell & Nailsea Support Group for Carers: “Grassy Knoll Ukulele Ensemble” 2pm-3.30 Backwell WI Hall. Friday February 9th Keynsham branch Avon Wildlife Trust: talk by Dr Natalie Sanders about “Britain's Vanishing West Coast Orcas”, 7.30pm Baptist Church Hall, Keynsham BS31 1DS. Members £3.50 Visitors £4.50. Saturday February 10th Brent Knoll Bazaar, farmer’s market & café 10-12 Brent Knoll Parish Hall. Monday February 12th Nailsea & District Local History Society: “From Brycgstow to Bristol in 45 Bridges” by Jeff Lucas, 7.45pm Green Lecture Room, Nailsea School. Visitors welcome £3. Details: 01275 463479. Tuesday February 13th Fosseway Gardening Club talk by Clare Hart on Plants for problem areas, 7.30pm Pylle Village Hall. Visitors £2. All welcome. Details 07772008594 Wednesday February 14th Blagdon Local History Society AGM followed by local 1921 census updates, 2.30pm, Court Lodge, next to village shop BS40 7TQ. Details: www.blagdonlhs.com Wells Folk & Barn Dance Club 7.30-9.30pm St Thomas's Church Hall, BA5 2UZ. All welcome: 2nd, 3rd & 4th Wed every month. Details: 01749 674920 or www.wellsfdc.co.uk Saturday February 17th Frome Society for Local Study: “Somerset: A County of Glorious Gardens” 2.30pm Assembly Rooms, Frome Memorial Theatre BA11 1EB. Visitors welcome £5. MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2024 • PAGE 81
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Snowdrop Festival preparations are signs of spring
THE week-long Shepton Snowdrop Festival returns once again in February with an exciting programme of workshops, talks and walks which is more extensive than ever before. Coinciding with February half term, festival organisers have included creative activities and drama workshops for children and families, all of them free. Once again, walks, talks and garden visits are a strong feature of the 2024 festival programme thanks to partner gardens and Shepton Walks. Highlights include: l A winter ramble with snowdrops and beautiful countryside views l A talk “Planning your Wildlife Garden”, by Angela Morley, Wildlife Garden Designer and plantswoman l Shepton Snowdrops Festival openings by partner gardens, Kilver Court in Shepton Mallet and The
Organic Garden at Yeo Valley l “Winter Interest”: walk and talk with James Cross, Head Gardener at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells. Festival Director, Amanda Hirst, said: “One of the things that has always made the Shepton Snowdrop Festival unique is its broad appeal. We always
Organisers hope the town and surrounding area will be a sea of snowdrops in February
extend a warm welcome to visitors from across the country and even further afield. Shepton Mallet is a fascinating market town with a rich history and a great base for visiting snowdrop gardens across Somerset after spending time at the festival. “But it’s very much a community event as well and many of our family workshops and activities are free.” The festival runs from Monday, February 12th to Sunday, February 18th, with core events on Friday and Saturday. It celebrates the legacy of Victorian galanthophile, James Allen, known as the Snowdrop King, who was born and lived his entire life in Shepton Mallet. The annual bulb planting around the town of Shepton Mallet and summer open gardens are organised and run entirely by volunteers.
For details, visit: www.sheptonsnowdrops.org
Tickets go on sale for a tasty treat
TICKETS have gone on sale for the first Bath & West Food & Drink Festival at the Royal Bath & West Showground in March. A celebration of the South West’s farmers, producers and purveyors, the Food & Drink Festival, taking place on March 23rd and March 24th, will be built around the British Cheese Awards judging arena, giving visitors the chance to view hundreds of the country’s top cheeses and even sample some of the trophy winners. Food and drink stands will surround the judging area – the awards are being made on March 22nd – bringing together the region’s finest produce. Alongside the stands will be an area for celebrating and sampling the best ale, cider and spirits, while the Main Stage will host an abundance of talks from experts in the food and drink industry, featuring some tasty food and drink pairings. Plus, there will be a dedicated Kids Zone. Tickets cost £6 per day for an adult ticket and are free for ages 15 and under. For details, visit: www.bathandwest.com
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