Mendiptimes - Volume 10 - Issue 2

Mendip Times

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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 2

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Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas

JULY 2014

IN THIS ISSUE: SUMMER BRIDES • WARTIME MEMORIES • ROYAL TOUR • BATCOMBE CC • CHARITIES • WHAT’S ON Local people, local history, local places, local events and local news

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MENDIP TIMES

CONTENTS

Welcome

WARTIME anniversaries are, inevitably, a recurring theme this month. The start of World War One 100 years ago on August 4th is occupying the thoughts of many, with a wide range of events and projects taking place across our area.

On June 6th, the 70th anniversary of D-Day was commemorated here, as well as on the landing beaches of France, particularly in Stoke St. Michael – we capture the day in pictures. We also meet a local farmer who took his newlyrestored 1940 AEC Matador lorry to join the veterans in France.

It’s been a busy month, with the area bursting with fairs, shows and royal visits, as well as with tractors heading to the silage clamps. We’ve been out with our cameras to the Royal Bath and West show and to many other events.

We celebrate the golden wedding of Roger and Jackie Dors, who have kept the Hunters’ Lodge at Priddy for 44 years and hear about the refurbishment of the Wells and Mendip Museum – Phil Hendy gives us a guided tour.

We meet the team who have rediscovered the lost cricket pitch of Batcombe and join Sue Gearing for a walk in a hidden combe near Wells. We turn the spotlight on Wedmore this month and have a special feature on weddings.

With all of our regular features and writers, including June MacFarlane’s guide to summer food, let’s hope that salad days are here.

August 2014 deadline: Friday, 18th July 2014.

Published: Tuesday, 29th July 2014.

Editorial: Steve Egginton steve@mendiptimes.co.uk Mark Adler mark@mendiptimes.co.uk Advertising: Ann Quinn advertising@mendiptimes.co.uk Marjorie Page marjorie@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 or: letters@mendiptimes.co.uk www.mendiptimes.co.uk Design and origination by: Steve Henderson Printed by: Precision Colour Printing, Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, Shropshire TF7 4QQ 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: Harry, Lucy and Holly at Kilmersdon Village Day. Photo by Mark Adler (see page 16).

6

Welcome to our farms – gates open for family fun

37

Cider with Sophie – royals tour Mendip

85

Pots of fun – Collett Park Festival is blooming marvellous

98

Tackling cancer – the rugby tournament in memory of Kay

Plus all our regular features Environment...................................6 Farming Mary James MBE..........10 Business ........................................18 Arts & Antiques ...........................22 Internet and Crossword..............28 Food & Drink...............................30 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE .......53 Walking Sue Gearing....................54 Outdoors Les Davies MBE ..........56 Gardening Mary Payne MBE ......58

Community Simon Selby .............68 Health Dr Phil Hammond.............70 Property........................................72 Charities .......................................74 Caving Phil Hendy........................80 Motoring .......................................82 Homes and Interiors....................86 Riding Celia Gadd ........................93 Sport..............................................96 What’s On ..................................102 MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 3

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Tel: 0800 097 8611

www.johnhodge.co.uk | e-mail: mailbox@johnhodge.co.uk

WESTON-SUPER-MARE | BRISTOL | CLEVEDON | YATTON | WEDMORE

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Bank holiday fun

SIX hundred beavers, cubs, scouts, explorers, network members and leaders joined together for WanJam, a fun bank holiday jamboree under canvas at Bath Racecourse.

Dan Wood, the Scout County Commissioner for Avon, and Janet Turner, District Commissioner for Wansdyke, officially opened the event and thanked everyone who had prepared the weekend’s activities.

Wansdyke Scout District covers all of Bath & North East Somerset with the exception of the City of Bath.

Villagers discuss new hall

NEWS

MORE than 40 villagers in Congresbury have offered their time and expertise to help build a new village hall to replace the Memorial Hall, Old School Rooms and Recreation Club in the village.

Project team spokesman Ian Sheppard said: “We fully understand that some people will have long associations with these three buildings and will be worried about change.

However, this is a project that will result in a modern facility that will benefit the whole village for many years, which is why we hope everyone will be able to look to the bigger picture.”

He said the three buildings struggle financially – combined energy costs alone come to some £11,500 – and they spend between 50-60 per cent of their time empty.

However some villagers have already said that they believe it would be disrespectful to sell the Memorial Hall for redevelopment.

Mr Sheppard said: “Villagers are not using it in the numbers required to keep it going. The project team very much hopes that the memorial stones and plaques would have pride of place in any new building – a setting where they would get the prominence they deserve.”

Any decision to sell either the Memorial Hall or Old School Rooms remains with the hall committee and the parish council.

If the decision is not to sell, then a new building replacing the current recreation club will be pursued.

City welcomes new bishop Bishop Peter outside Wells Cathedral

Details: www.avonscouts.org.uk/districts/wansdyke/

THE Right Reverend Peter Hancock has been installed as the new Bishop of Bath and Wells after a celebratory service in Wells Cathedral.

Representatives of communities across the diocese attended the service before a tea party was held on the Cathedral Green.

Bishop Peter, aged 59, replaces the Rt Rev Peter Price who retired after spending 11 years in the post and becomes the 79th Bishop of Bath and Wells. He and his wife, Jane, will live in the Bishop’s Palace, after proposals for them to live in Croscombe were overturned.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 5

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MENDIP TIMES

Putting fun into farming

By Mark Adler

FINE weather and the chance to explore some hidden gems attracted big crowds to two Open Farm Sunday events on Mendip.

It was an opportunity for people to discover more about the diversity of farming in the area and for farmers themselves to showcase their land, animals and produce.

The national event is organised by LEAF – Linking Environment and Farming – but, really, it was more about linking environment and fun as visitors enjoyed attractions ranging from trailer rides, machinery demonstrations and displays to live music, crafts and, of course, food and drink.

At Fosse Farm at Stratton-on-the-Fosse, farmers Jeremy Padfield and Rob Addicott and their families joined forces to showcase their mix of arable and beef

farming. Barns were turned into craft and food halls and Jeremy’s wife, Sue, opened a pop-up café.

Ian and Sarah Davies opened Wookey Farm, near Wells, to visitors. The family

specialises in dairy goat farming and there were milking demonstration and tractor rides, along with a sheep shearing demonstration and a chance to meet the animals as well as entertainment.

Ian and Sarah Davies at Wookey Farm

Having a grrrr-eat time: a scary Daniel with sister Tamsin at Wookey Farm

Time for lunch! Quibella tries to join in as Gay Maidment (left) and Tania Foster take a break from meeting visitors at Fosse Farm

The Padfields and the Addicotts at Fosse Farm

The Tugwell family – Terry, Sue and Kirsty with her son Chester – enjoy a picnic at Fosse Farm PAGE 6 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Trailer rides around Fosse Farm showed off the area’s diversity.

The tractor was driven using GPS technology

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ENVIRONMENT Visitors to Wookey Farm enjoy a tour of the farm

A Jacob sheep waits to be sheared at Wookey Farm

A curious kid goat

Fun and games with a water-filled balloon in a slingshot at Wookey Farm

Millie, who lives in Wookey, relaxes on freshly-sheared fleeces at Wookey Farm

Open Farm Sunday was a chance for families to explore the countryside MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 7

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Giant pothole appears – council looks into it

ENVIRONMENT

HIGHWAYS engineers admit they are puzzled about what caused a huge pothole to appear beneath a busy road on Mendip.

The B3135 Roemead Road between Burnt Wood and Green Ore, above Wells, was closed for several weeks after a gaping chasm measuring five metres across and over three and a half metres deep appeared.

Engineers were quick to react, undertaking a safety study, then filling the void with nearly 200 tonnes of stone before drainage and re-surfacing took place. The council says it is unclear what exactly caused the sinkhole to appear but roads across Somerset took a pummelling during one of the wettest winters on record.

Possible explanations include soil erosion by overland and groundwater, or some link to historic mining activities dating back

The massive sinkhole near Green Ore

Repair work underway

to Roman times.

Cabinet Member for Highways, Councillor Harvey Siggs, said: “I’d like to praise the highways staff and contractors involved in this repair project. Our roads have been hit hard following the severe weather over the last couple of years but our teams have worked exceptionally hard throughout.

“Somerset County Council repaired over 25,000 potholes during the last financial year which is nearly 70 every day – thankfully extreme incidents like this one are very rare.”

M E N D I P

W E A T H E R

S C E N E

To report potholes contact Somerset Direct on 0845 345 9155 or via: www.somerset.gov.uk

Summer rain – either here or there!

ONE of the vagaries of the weather on Mendip is that one area can enjoy brilliant sunshine whilst, just five miles with DAVID away, people are MAINE running for cover as a downpour ensues.

Just look what happened on the Thursday of the Royal Bath and West Show, when the rain poured down just as the grand parade of livestock ended and the heavens opened! I mention this, of course, as the July issue of Mendip Times is published on the eve of the Glastonbury Festival … fingers crossed.

As I write, June is progressing fairly true-to-form with high pressure dominant over and to the west of the UK; much as I wrote about last month. We did, however, have a few heavy showers early in the month and one occasion six millimetres of rain –

PAGE 8 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

about a quarter of an inch – fell in the space of just six minutes.

Imagine if this had kept up for, say, one hour. We would have ended up with about 60mm of rain (nearly twoand-a-half inches), enough to cause major problems with flash floods. This heavy shower, which was all it really was, was fairly typical of the summer months when any rain tends to fall in short, heavy bursts rather than steady rain over several hours, many memories of which we all have from last winter!

So, why is there a difference in rainfall duration and intensity from summer to winter? For a start, Atlantic weather fronts are much weaker in summer so we don’t usually get a lot of rain that way but, with the strong sunshine, the atmosphere can sometimes become what is known as “unstable”, especially if the upper levels are colder than usual. This can sometimes lead to the large towering peaks of cumulus or cumulonimbus

Two visitors look for shelter during the cloudburst at the Bath and West Show; it lasted just a few minutes

clouds which we have all seen and which can produce those heavy thundery showers.

I wish everyone organising one of the numerous events on Mendip in July a very good summer! More next month.

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Website: www.bgw.uk.com

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Show chief to leave

JANE Guise, the chief executive of the Royal Bath and West Society, has announced that she is to leave the organisation after 13 years in the post.

Her decision was announced after the 151st Royal Bath and West Show which was attended by the society’s president, the Duchess of Cornwall.

Jane said: “It is the end of an era for me but I thought it was the right time to do something else.”

Jane is due to leave at the end of October. In a statement, the society said the board of trustees, led by chairman Robert Drewett, would be meeting in the near future to discuss the process for finding a successor.

Jane added: “I am delighted that the show is alive and well in Somerset when some other shows have had a horrible time.

“My one hope is that the regeneration plans for the showground will finally bear fruit and that something might be realised before I leave.”

Mr Drewett said: “Jane has made an enormous impact over the last 13 years, securing the longevity of the Royal Bath & West Show against a very difficult economic climate in which many agricultural shows have closed.

The Show has made a surplus in five of the last six years, which reflects the diversity of operations that she has established.

“I would like to thank Jane for the huge contribution she has made and wish her every success in the future.”

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PAGE 10 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Two sides of farming life

I AM close to tears as I write this article.

Three more farms nearby are shut down with bovine TB. On one farm 13 pregnant young cows were taken – they were due to calve in five weeks. There have been calves and cows in full milk taken. What a wicked, wicked waste.

With MARY Dairy farmers, particularly, spend a lot of JAMES MBE time with their cows, rising at 4am to milk, feed and care for them and then they are cruelly taken away.

There are many dairy farms affected in the Mendip area. Is there no-one out there caring about the slaughter of these animals? It is time for politicians to be really brave, but with an election looming there is fat chance of that!

On a brighter note the Royal Bath and West Show was a great success. The Farm Woman of the Year was Maureen Trott from Lovington, a worthy winner. Maureen was described as the heart of the farm and family being wife, sister, mother, grandmother and farmer’s daughter, as well as volunteering for the Farm Crisis Network.

She is also a church warden, parish councillor and helps to run a monthly lunch club for older residents of her village. It must have been a difficult job for the judges as all four finalists were extremely good: Jen Hunter from Fernhill Farm on the Mendips, Anita Simmons from Kingston Seymour and Gillian Dossun from Bridgwater.

To me it was very gratifying to see so many women nominated and I hope the competition will be run again next year. I was intrigued to meet the deputy president of the National Farmers’ Union, Minette Batters from Wiltshire, the first lady to take that post. If ever there was a male dominated organisation it is the NFU, so I wish her the best of luck.

At Fernhill Farm, home of Andrew Wear and Jen Hunter, there is a new project as well as all the exciting on-site activities they offer. Project Beanstalk offers resilience-activity sessions/holidays for groups including those with emotional/behaviour difficulties. It is run by professionals experienced in working in residential situations with young people and adults. Details: www.projectbeanstalk.org.uk At last we have got some proper summer, silage making and hay making are in full swing. Farmers are going around with smiles on their faces because the fine weather is set to last, so all is well unless there is a breakdown with a tractor or machinery then the air turns blue! If a rain cloud appeared on the horizon it would be mad panic.

Maureen Trott, from Lovington, near Castle Cary was named Farm Woman of the Year.

Maureen was described as: “The heart of the farm and the family. A wife, sister, mother, grandmother and farmer’s daughter.” She volunteers for the Farm Crisis Network, is a church warden, parish councillor and helps to run a monthly lunch club for older residents. Also shortlisted for the award were Gillian Dosson, Jen Hunter and Anita Simmons.

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Fun at Fernhill

FARMING

FERNHILL Farm, near Compton Martin, welcomed hundreds of visitors to its open day.

As well as demonstrations and some quirky “Mendip Games”, Andy Wear and Jen Hunter – who run the farm – highlighted their work with the therapeutic farm organisation Project Beanstalk and Working Wool.

Visitors were encouraged to get creative with fleeces fresh from the Fernhill flock A very Mendip version of tug ‘o war

Andy demonstrates sheep shearing to visitors MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 11

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Champion sheep

Miss Bristol 2014 Naomi Dunbar, the judge for the show’s annual Ladies Day, with winner Merietta Raymond, from Ilminster. Merietta, who made her own hat and was persuaded to take part by a friend, received a pair of tickets for Glastonbury Abbey Extravaganza featuring Robert Plant and the Sensational Space Shifters. Runners-up were Kate Gunby, from Wells and Fiona Richardson, from Somerton

Rain dance

The Somerset Paddies got people dancing

Lucy Gould with the beef champion Mells Park Bertie owned by the Mells Park Trust PAGE 12 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Cider champion Bob Chaplin receives his award from Environment Secretary Owen Patterson

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Dorset Down champions WD Borough & Sons, Axminster

ROYAL BATH & WEST SHOW 2014

Cider celebrations

Rupert Uloth, the son of former show society chief executive Colonel Tony Uloth and chief steward of ground staff, also wears another hat: he is deputy editor of Country Life

Spectacular displays by the Squibbfreestyle Motocross Arena Stunt team in the main arena thrilled the crowds

Thank you: show staff Val Bath (left) and Alison Ward were presented with bouquets by the Orchards and Cider committee in gratitude for their work

Sophie, Sophie and Isla, from the Blagdon area, enjoy some retail therapy on Ladies Day

Mendip Times contributor Les Davies was honoured with an outstanding service award for his work in the orcharding industry MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2013 • PAGE 13

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Dear Mendip Times, As part of a Wells and Mendip Museum project to commemorate the First World War, I am researching the stories of a number of sailors and Royal Marines from Wells and the surrounding villages. I would particularly like to contact any descendants or relations of the following men: Christian Edward Denning (Royal Marine Light Infantry), Henry George King (HMS Glatton), Ronald Victor Knight (Royal Naval Air Service), William John Lane (HMS Amphion), James Bilbie Ridewood (HMS Pegasus), Ernest William Job Webb (HM Submarine E20), Albert Tom Clements (HMS King George V) and Arthur Comer (HMS Conqueror).

Apart from the last two, all died during the conflict. Anyone with information or family photographs can contact me by phone (01761 453324) or by email (richard.witcombe@btinternet.com).

Richard Witcombe Clutton Dear Mendip Times, In your June edition there is a feature on the 125th anniversary of Castle Cary RFC, also stating it is the oldest club in Somerset. I would respectfully point out that there are at least 11 clubs older: Bath 1865; Wiveliscombe 1872; Wellington 1874; Bridgwater, Taunton, Weston-super-Mare 1875; Chard, Wells 1876; Walcot OB 1882; Frome, Avonvale 1883.

It may be of interest to you that the fixture Frome v Castle Cary is believed to be the oldest fixture in the Rugby Football Union that has been continuously played – and still is!

John A. Twigger Marston Bigot, Frome

Dear Mendip Times, Thanks to the generosity of the Mendip Times, we had two tickets for Ladies Day at the Royal Bath & West Show on Friday May 30th, which as well as entry to all the usual events and stands, ensured we had exclusive access to the hallowed ground of the Members’ Pavilion for afternoon tea, having also enjoyed a drinks reception in the morning.

Luckily, my husband was not, as he feared, the only gentleman there. The search for the Best Dressed Lady was carried out by Miss Bristol 2014, Naomi Dunbar, whilst the delicious cakes and sandwiches and cups of tea were consumed.

The winner, Merietta Raymond from Ilminster, had made her own striking hat; she and the runners up, Kate Gunby and Fiona Richardson are pictured with Miss Bristol after the presentation of the prizes. Previously, outside the Pavilion another prize giving had taken place; the Farm Woman of the Year Award was launched to celebrate the often unseen, behind the scenes contribution of women to the farming industry and the communities built around it.

It was won by Maureen Trott, a grandmother from Somerset, described as “the heart of the farm and the family”.

Her nomination read: “Maureen is a doer. She is practical, honest, generous and pro-active. Her family, farm business and community wouldn’t be without her.”

But, it has to be said, that we didn’t fit into the category of best dressed people. On this particular day we had come dressed for the weather: dull, the ground made muddy between stands and attractions, and for comfort; thus wellies PAGE 14 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

LETTERS

and stout dress was in order.

So we happened on some interesting things, an almost runaway wagon, the great heavy horses being shod, sheep shearers at full speed and chain saw pirate artists covering the mud churned up by sword fighting little boys with flying sawdust. No place for hats there but a great day out.

Judith Tranter Rickford

Dear Mendip Times, About five years ago I drove home from the Axbridge/Cheddar area, but it may not have been a direct route.

On the way I drove along a narrow road in a wooded area and came upon a grass covered clearing. It was not a very large area, surrounded by trees on all sides. On the left there was a row of cottages. It was almost spooky and medieval.

I have spent many hours and driven many miles trying to rediscover the place and wonder if your readers could help me to find it.

I am sure the area is ten, possibly 15 miles distant from Axbridge/Cheddar.

Anthony E. Davies, Uplands, Bristol If you think you know where this is send a photograph and details to letters@mendiptimes.co.uk

Dear Mendip Times, May I express my thanks through your publication for the generous response to the Langport and District Red Cross collection during Red Cross Week 2014.

We raised £2,152 thanks to the generosity of our local communities who clearly appreciate the service provided by the Red Cross to those in need and of course to some very dedicated volunteer collectors. Several volunteers singlehandedly raised well over £100.

We are suffering a loss of collectors in our area and are appealing for new volunteers in Somerton, Babcary, Langport and Huish Episcopi, Kingsbury Episcopi, Low Ham, Curry Rivel and Pitney.

All we ask is a few hours once a year, during the first full week of May. New volunteers are assured of a very warm welcome if they phone me on 01458 273085 or e-mail cox.cj@btinternet.com.

Many thanks Chris Cox Group Leader Langport and District Red Cross

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Ed wins fares concession

YOUNG people in the B&NES district are to get a big cut in bus fares, thanks to Ed Joseph, a member of the district’s youth parliament.

The Writhlington School pupil conducted his own consultation among young people over the spring and collected almost 300 responses from teenagers who said they never used public transport because of excessive costs, the irregularity of bus times and general poor service.

Other concerns included the dirty conditions of buses on board, minimal seating, and lack of destination coverage.

As part of its review of services, First Group has now agreed all children aged 5-15 will receive a 50% reduction on fares from July 7th and young adults aged 16-21years, a 30% reduction, if they have a First ID card, which is free for those still in education.

Ed said: “This is fantastic news for children and young people.

For so many years the price of public transport has prevented us from travelling across the area, spending time with friends outside school hours and has prevented those with part time jobs arriving at work often without already spending well over an hour’s wage.”

He met First’s directors in March, at Bath Guildhall and raised the same concerns with Don Foster MP, and local councillors at one of the council’s Policy Development and Scrutiny meetings.

He’s pictured with John Bernard, General Manager of First Bus (Bath, Wells and Weston-super-Mare).

Details: EdJosephMYP@Hotmail.com

Kids day out

NEWS

New trustees for arts board

L:R: Martin Wade, Sally Somers, Martin Bax (trust chairman), Pamela Lea, Linda Boss and Mervyn Clingan

Photo courtesy of Mervyn Clingan

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THREE new trustees have been appointed to the board of Frome’s Rook Lane Arts Trust – Mervyn Clingan, Martin Wade and Sally Somers.

Mervyn is a professional photographer and videographer.

Martin is a stonemason and photographer with a keen interest in natural history, whilst Sally is a cookbook editor and translator. Both Pamela Lea and Linda Boss were able to stand for re-election.

The board’s annual meeting heard a presentation from Jo Plimmer on the progress made with the educational work commissioned by the trust which she has project managed under the “Break 3” banner. There are plans to extend the project and proceed with a “music and maths” collaboration between local schools and the Bath Philharmonia.

The trust is also planning a series of World War One projects, researching the important local history to tell the stories behind the works of art, architecture and design linked to the war and to Mells, home of the Asquith and Horner families.

WRINGTON Vale Rotary Club organised a Kids Day Out to Longleat for 40 children, as part of rotary’s national programme to help disadvantaged youngsters. Since 1990 nearly 25,000 children have been given a fun day out.

Wild things

A WILD About Chew Day saw various organisations staging exhibitions and demonstrations on the banks of Chew Valley Lake – with pond dipping proving popular.

Details: www.bnhc.org.uk/festival-of-nature

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 15

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EVENTS

Kilmersdon Village Day

Dot Smith with a banana plant which was donated for the raffle by Writhlington School

Youngsters celebrate at the end of their race

Students from the Susan Hill School of Dance prepare to entertain the crowd in front of the village hall

Steady as you go: the annual Jack and Jill Dash

Patrick and Caitlyn try their hands at drumming with the All Mendip Drummers

The start of the junior race

Cathy, Natasha and Jackie relaxing in the sun PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Bobby Martin and the Planets stage an impromptu gig in a garden

Keen runner Jim Barron, from Holcombe, competed in the Jack and Jill Dash as part of his attempt to run 10 kilometres a day for a whole year to raise money for charity

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Travel agency

Electrical

Post Office

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MENDIP TIMES

Moolicious!

Store transformed

Sheryl Hucker, Claire Burton and Sam Easton

MINI Moos is the newest arrival at Farrington’s Farm shop – a beautiful child and baby shop brimming with gorgeous goodies for babies, toddlers, infants and juniors.

Sam and Sheryl, already behind the hugely successful Berry Barn, say they want to bring to the local community and visitors quality, adorable, affordable buys that you won’t find anywhere nearby.

They have scrummy organic clothes by Frugi, soft toys

by Little Jellycat, Sophie la Giraffe, dreamy keepsakes for newborns, Hape toys for toddlers, traditional games and books for young children.

Needful Things of Castle Cary for beautiful

Summer Clothing

Great Plains, Pomodoro, Intown, Saskia and more!

7 High Street Castle Cary Somerset BA7 7AN 01963 351352 www.needfulthings.uk.com

CAMELEY LODGE LAUNDRY

Duvets & Bedspreads washed & dried Sheets and Duvet covers washed and pressed Professional efficient service Collection & delivery service in the Chew Valley

Tel 01761 451787

www.cameleylodgelaundry.co.uk PAGE 18 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Michael Eavis cuts the ribbon watched by the society's chief executive, Don Morris (left) and store manager, David Meager

GLASTONBURY founder Michael Eavis cut the ribbon to mark the refurbishment of Radstock Co-operative Society’s Radco store in Radstock. Mr Eavis said he was delighted to be able to join in the occasion and commended the Society on its longevity in serving the local community since 1868.

Many of the guests who were familiar with the old store layout were amazed at the transformation and commented on how spacious, bright and modern it felt.

Have fun shopping

FASHION at Needful Things of Castle Cary, this summer, includes a colourful array of dresses and separates from Pomodoro, InTown, Saskia and Soft ‘B’.

Accessories such as handbags, fashion jewellery and scarves in bright, bold colours mean you can dress for everyday or a special occasion from this delightful, friendly store.

Staff are always on hand to help you with a smile and a very relaxed approach.

Feel free to browse and try on their extensive range of affordable, comfortable clothing, including beautiful scarves from under £10. Treat yourself to a shop full of fun!

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Hat-trick for Helen

RED Berry Recruitment agency founder, Helen Lacey, has won the Institute of Directors South West region Young Director of the Year award for a second time. Helen won the award in 2012 and was highly commended last year.

Helen founded Red Berry Recruitment, with offices in Shepton Mallet and Yeovil in 2007, and today has a third office in Bridgwater and a turnover of over £3m.

Helen said: “The exposure for winning the award and coming runner-up last year has been terrific so I was determined to give it another shot this year. I am continuing to grow the business, with my third office opened earlier this year and have a long term plan to be operating from five offices in the next five years with a projected turnover of around £8m.”

IoD South West chairman, Richard Ayre, said: “Helen impressed the judges with her continued business development and growth. The judges felt that this success is very much down to her personal leadership style that is built on energy, trust and professionalism.”

The winners now go forward to compete with other regional winners for the national title, which will be decided later in the year.

Tour specialists

NEP In Sri is a small, independent tour operator specialising in trips to Nepal, India and Sri Lanka.

They offer trips to suit your requirements from the number of days of travel, to the standard of hotel you wish to stay in.

They use local guides, who have excellent knowledge of the wildlife, birds, culture and history of their country. All their guides have years of experience and want to show you as much as possible of these wonderful countries.

They aim to visit well-known destinations and incredibly beautiful, less visited places “off the beaten track”, providing well-organised and safe travelling with a tour leader and they know their itineraries well, having travelled most of them themselves.

Kelly is a winner

BUSINESS

LINKS between employers, employees and education were celebrated at Weston-superMare’s Winter Gardens as Weston College held its annual business awards.

Mike Jackson, CEO North Somerset One of the night’s Council, Kelly Hooper and Jude big winners was Ferguson, Chairman of Governors medical products distributor Freelance Surgical, based in Wrington, which took both the Apprentice Ambassador Award and Principal’s Award for Employer of the Year. It has had four Weston College apprentices and continues to work in close partnership with the college.

Former Weston College beauty therapy student Kelly Hooper, who went on to open The Barn beauty salon in Badgworth, near Axbridge, walked away with the Principal’s Award for Outstanding Success.

She’s pictured with North Somerset chief executive, Mike Jackson, and college governor, Jude Ferguson.

Karl Limb, 20, of Cheddar, was awarded Sales and Letting of Residential Property Learner of the Year.

ECATCHER MOL

NO MOLE NO FEE Telephone 01275 332966 www.mendipmolecatcher.co.uk

www.nepinsri-travel.co.uk

Find us on Facebook – Nep In Sri Travel Ltd SPECIALISING IN PHOTOGRAPHIC, WILDLIFE, BIRD WATCHING, WALKING, CYCLING & CULTURE HOLIDAYS FOR INDEPENDENT TRAVELLERS & GROUPS

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 19

Photo by Ignyte Limited, Radstock.

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MENDIP TIMES

We will remember them

WAR veterans shared their experiences with teenagers as an entire Mendip village turned out to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings.

Stoke St Michael, near Shepton Mallet, holds a special place in the preparations for the Normandy landings as some of the most senior Allied military commanders met in secret at the village’s Knatchbull Arms.

No-one knows what was discussed during the meeting – and probably no-one ever will – but villagers decided the event should be marked with a D-Day Festival.

Second World War veterans – including some who saw action on the Normandy beaches – were joined by two Chelsea Pensioners, other ex-service personnel, military cadets and community groups for the day, the centre of which was a drumhead service of remembrance.

Guests of honour, including Rear Admiral Benjamin Perowne, Major B. Angus and Squadron Leader John Heath alongside Peter D’Auganno, one of the event organisers

Pupils from Stoke St Michael’s village school staged their own parade

Pipers from the Avonglen Pipes and Drums, from Bristol, took part in the event

The Wiltshire Youth Marching Band performing

Standards are raised after the Reveille

PAGE 20 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

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HISTORY Villagers arrive in the centre of Stoke St Michael for the D-Day event

The procession makes its way through the village

Brothers David and Tom Lyall – Tom is assistant archivist at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea – home of the Chelsea Pensioners

Melissa and Verity Walmsley with Melissa’s son Harrison

Amelia Marden and Harriett Phelps, from the village’s youth club, dressed for the day

Sarah with her son Aeson carrying his gas mask and wearing an evacuee’s address label

A bugler sounds the Last Post

The standard of the Shepton Mallet branch of the Royal British Legion lies draped over the drums which formed the centrepiece of the drumhead service MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 21

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MENDIP TIMES

The Parade – Shepton Mallet’s role in WWI

WELL-known Shepton Mallet artist Martin Alford has combined his skill of painting horses with his interest in local history to produce a painting commemorating the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the Great War. During the 1990s and early 2000s, Martin produced more than ten historical prints of Shepton Mallet which were enthusiastically collected by many townspeople. This is the first historical painting and print of the town he has produced for more than a decade.

The painting depicts Lt. J.A. Barton, of Pylle, with C. Squadron of the North Somerset Yeomanry lined up outside the old Horse and Hounds Hotel in Shepton Mallet’s Commercial Road, parading in front of the townspeople.

In the background can be seen the still existing Natwest building. The house on the extreme left is now the present day Indian restaurant.

Departing from High Street Station on the same day, they travelled to their war station in Sussex, then in October to France, joining the 6th Cavalry Brigade, part of the 3rd Cavalry Division. They took part in the second battle of Ypres and Loos in 1915 and, in 1917, saw action in the battle of Arras.

The painting, which measures 30” x 20”, will be on display in Parkway Antiques, High Street, Shepton Mallet, along with prints of the painting from the middle of July. Parkway Antiques specialises in fine furniture, jewellery and paintings. It is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am until 4pm. Appointments can be made outside those hours with owner Pauline Brereton on: 01749 840356.

MARTIN ALFORD FINE ARTIST

LANDSCAPE, BUILDINGS, PORTRAITS, DOGS, EQUESTRIAN, CARICATURE

Parkways Antiques Pauline Brereton

Specialist in Fine Furniture and Antiques

OIL/WATERCOLOUR/PENCIL

Valuation Service

www.martinalford.co.uk

31 High Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 5AQ Tel: 01749 345065 Home 01749 840356

Tel: 01749 342045 Mobile: 07970 969 385

PAGE 22 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

An artistic eye

A NEW enterprise is promising to bring good news for artists with autism and great art for us all. Josh Curd, aged 20, has Asperger’s Syndrome and is co-founder of Autistic Eye. This is a social enterprise which prints, publicises and sells art by people with autistic spectrum disorders.

It all started when Jo, Josh’s mum, an education consultant, says she had a dream and followed it through, seeking funding for a job coach for Josh and registering the enterprise as a social enterprise company.

They started with five of Josh’s photographs and now have four more artists with autism on board, with more in the pipeline. Since they started in December they have sold over 700 cards.

Josh, supported by job coach Jonny Wakely, receives and processes the orders and other artists with autism receive half the proceeds to supplement other income. Josh attended Writhlington School before going on to the City of Bath College.

Jo said: “The best thing about Autistic Eye is knowing that Josh has occupation and a reason to get up in the mornings, showing the skills of others with autism, and valuing what people can do rather than what they can’t.”

She and her husband, Jerry, who works in video production, have another son Ben, aged 18 and live in Radstock.

Cards can be purchased from the internet www.autisticeye.co.uk or from Café at the Centre, Manvers Street Bath, Victoria Hall Radstock and Pricelis art Holcombe. They also sell the cards from stalls at farmers markets in Midsomer Norton and Keynsham.

You can support the enterprise by becoming a friend and for a monthly subscription of £7 you will be sent four cards and a newsletter each month, written by Josh. Organisations like schools are also signing up to support the venture.

Details: www.autisticeye.co.uk or contact Jo on jocurd@aol.com

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ARTS AND ANTIQUES

Parisian snow scene melts bidders’ hearts

Appreciating art

IT may be warm outside but that did not deter bidders at Clevedon Saleroom’s June Specialist sale from bidding on this Antoine Blanchard (French 1910-1988) oil on canvas depicting a busy wintry Parisian street scene with Notre Dame in the distance.

Measuring 58cm x 89cm the picture exceeded all expectations with telephone and online bidders eager to secure the work, the successful bidder paying £16,000 for the privilege.

STUDENTS from Chew Valley School had a day out at the National Museum of Cardiff to see the exhibition Wales Visitation: Poetry, Romanticism and Myth in Art. The trip by 31 high attaining arts students received financial support from Mendip Decorative and Fine Arts Society.

Mendip DFAS (www.mdfas.org.uk) is a member of a national organisation, NADFAS, which fosters art appreciation across the age ranges.

Some Oriental results from the June Specialist Sale

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

FREE ANTIQUE VALUATION DAYS 7th, 8th, 9th July 21st, 22nd, 23rd July 9.30am–1pm and 2pm–5pm Held at the salerooms – ample free parking no appointment necessary

Pair of Chinese Demi-lune tables

Sold for £26,000

Tel: 01934 830111 or 0117 325 6789 The Auction Centre, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon, Bristol BS21 6TT

Chinese hardstone pendant

Cloisonné Vase by Kyoto Namikawa

www.clevedon-salerooms.com

Sold for £4,350

Sold for £13,600 MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 23

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MENDIP TIMES

Arts and crafts in Cheddar A NEW pop-up arts and crafts shop has opened in Cheddar for the summer, thanks to Jen Rowlands, who has reluctantly decided to close Highnams Deli in Tweentown. She’s put the space to good use by exhibiting a wide range of handmade work by local villagers.

It’s great for unique gifts

and the women involved are all happy to take commissions.

They include: Laura Griffiths, who has a wide range of bespoke shabby chic gifts for the home; Sue Davey with hand-crafted cards; Bridget Hemmings, a selection of mixed media work; Marie Owen, home wares made from vintage and recycled materials; jewellery from Tracy Burkinshaw and Karen Way; Lindsey Capps, natural soaps and luxury skincare products; and Julie Standen, handmade jewellery and accessories.

Anniversary celebration

CHURCH House Designs, in Congresbury, has been chosen to host an exhibition, Ceramic Celebration, marking the 50th anniversary of the South Wales Potters group. It will run from July 19th to August 23rd.

The exhibition will feature work by SWP’s president Walter Keller and founder members Janet and Frank Hamer, alongside work by over 20 of the group’s current members, encompassing the diversity of contemporary ceramic practice.

Church House Designs is the only gallery outside Wales where you will get a chance to see the work of these talented ceramicists.

Owner, Lorraine Coles, said: “Back in 2006 we had a very successful exhibition celebrating our then 20th anniversary, in which we had selected members of the South Wales Potters including many of the members that will be exhibiting with us again this year. We are delighted to be part of this 50th golden anniversary.”

Church House Designs

Gallery selected for quality by the Crafts Council of Great Britain

Open Wednesday – Friday 10am – 5pm, Saturday 10am – 2pm (or by appointment) Broad Street, Congresbury, Bristol, North Somerset BS49 5DG Telephone 01934 833660 • info@churchhousedesigns.co.uk • www.churchhousedesigns.co.uk PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

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Best seat in the house

Page 25

SATURDAY June 7th was host to one of Mendip Auction Room’s largest sales and included approximately 1,000 lots of sporting, antiques and collectable items.

With an abundance of buyers in the room all seats were occupied including those lots in the sale and one chair was particularly hard to secure which was a Charles Eames style chair retailed by Herman Miller that eventually sold to a bidder in the room for £1,600.

Other items sold included a 20th century Chinese tile screen in a wooden frame mount which sold for £1,400 and a watercolour of a country scene signed G Boolock sold for £668.

There was also a good entry of jewellery, silver and gold each display cabinet full of interesting items such as a rare National Union of Woman’s Suffrage Societies badge and original ribbon circa 1912 that sold for £270, an 18ct white gold art deco ring sold for £900, a 9ct golf charm bracelet sold for £650 and an 18ct gold heart shaped diamond pendant sold for £550.

The sporting section was popular with enthusiast bidding on the sporting memorabilia, shotguns and fishing equipment. An interesting 14 gauge double-barrel muzzle loading percussion shotgun circa 1860, engraved “John Wiggan maker to the Royal Family and the Pasha of Egypt” sold for £400.

Entries are now being accepted for both the Antique and Collectables sale on Saturday July 12th and the Victorian and

ARTS AND ANTIQUES

Later Effects sale on July 22nd.

Don’t forget that Mendip Auction Rooms are able to provide a FREE valuation appraisal of any items at the auction rooms Wednesday – Friday or alternatively a free house visit can be arranged.

For more information or to request a free appraisal please contact Gareth Wasp or Jake Smith – 01749 840770.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 25

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Art for all

THE Cam Valley Arts Trail group (CVAT) recently held an exhibition and sale at Conygre Hall in Timsbury. It was a free event with art demonstrations, children’s activities and refreshments, involving over 100 people.

The event was held to celebrate arts in the local area and promote the annual Cam Valley Arts Trail which will be taking place over the first weekend in November. Artists can register to take part now by filling out a form available at www.camvalleyartstrail.co.uk (closing date July 31st). They will be having a stand at Paulton in the Park on July 5th, with information about the arts trail and how to get involved.

PAGE 26 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

ARTS AND ANTIQUES

Wristwatches worth having

FOR centuries the ownership of a good quality clock or watch was a statement of wealth and power. They were passed from father to son (for some reason watches always seem to be left to male members of the family!) and became treasured heirlooms.

At the beginning of the 20th century pocket watches became unpopular with the advent of the wristwatch. Pocket watches are now a more specialised collectable item but old, or “retro”, wristwatches are fashionable and some are now selling well at auction.

It is the gents wristwatches that tend to have greater appeal than the ladies – partly because most ladies watches tended to be small, decorative things which seldom appeal to modern women. Famous makes such as Rolex and Omega are an obvious choice for collectors – but some of the later Japanese makes are also becoming desirable, as are the “cutting edge” designs of the 1970s and 1980s that featured things like digital displays and futuristic dial designs.

Tamlyns’ July 29th antiques auction has a section devoted to wristwatches and included will be a gents and a ladies Rolex Oyster Perpetual wristwatch, both with steel straps and in their original boxes and an elegant gents 18ct gold Baume & Mercier in its original box.

Old wristwatches are a good buy – modern examples are hideously expensive and at auction you can buy a good make of watch for less than half, but always take advice and buy from a reputable source as there are many fakes about!

Contact Tamlyns on 01278 445251 for advice.

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EVENTS

40 years of dance festival success

SOME 1,000 schoolchildren – watched by hundreds of families – took part in the 40th anniversary Somerset Schools’ Folk Dance Festival on Wells Cathedral Green.

More than 50 schools took part in the event, watched by civic dignitaries from across the county and further afield.

David Hayward, Executive and Liaison Officer for the Somerset Association of Primary Headteachers and Officers (SAPHTO) and organiser of the event, said: “As always, the Folk Dance Festival is a major date in the annual calendar of the County Council and is a great example of all that is best about Somerset’s Primary Schools.”

Each school had its own set dance with all the schools performing at the same time making intricate patterns.

Stowberry Park school

Walton Primary pupils and their sword dance

Wedmore First School

Wedmore First School

Pupils from Coleford’s Bishop Henderson School arrive on the green after taking part in the procession through Wells MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 27

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INTERNET

Word 2003 (Just

when you thought it was safe to go back into the water!!!)

I HAVE just discovered that when Microsoft stopped supporting XP, they also stopped supporting Word 2003, which also leaves it vulnerable to attacks and viruses. Like XP, Word 2003 won’t stop working, but it won’t get patches or security fixes, and Microsoft say it “should not be considered protected”. So what to do? There are alternatives, and here are some, but (as Eric Morecambe would say) not necessarily in the right order!

1. Buy a new Microsoft product – Office 2013 is the newest, and costs around £95, but looks and works slightly differently – no drop-down menus, just tabs and ribbons, but does all the same things, plus a few extras. But this won’t run on Vista.

2. Go with Office 365, which is a downloaded version, which is backed up online and cost £6 per month, and so has an ongoing cost. Also a new look.

3. Go with a free online package, such as GoogleDrive https://www.google.com/drive/download. As you are working online, it’s a different set up. If you wish you, you will need to manually save to your hard drive – click File and Download As and then choose where to save it.

4. Change to a free or cheaper package – Ability Office costs £30 www.ability.com Apple has http://www.apple.com/uk/creativity-apps/mac/ Free versions are LibreOffice http://www.libreoffice.org/ or OpenOffice http://www.openoffice.org (the .org bit at the end of these addresses indicates that they are voluntary organisations that work a bit like IT4TT – skill sharing for the greater good!)

LibreOffice and OpenOffice look and work almost the same as Word 2003, so not such a steep learning curve. Slightly cut down, so they don’t offer quite the same package, but does the job well enough. You can still open your Word documents with these packages.

5. Stick with Office 2003, but take precautions. Unplug your Ethernet cable (the one that connects from your PC to your router and phone line or dongle) or turn off WiFi on your laptop or device (laptops have a symbol on the keyboard – may need the Fn key pressed at the same time). However, you are still at risk of infection from external drives, as they will remember any viruses as well as your documents and files. On a tablet, Wifi on/off may be in your settings, which probably looks like a cog.

6. You can also run Office 2003 within a “Sandbox” – a safe, walled-off part of the PC, but you’ll need to install a free tool called Sandboxie www.sandboxie.com Make sure your antivirus programme is up to date and active and run a full virus scan on everything which ever option you go with.

Be very cautious of opening attachments in an email – the most likely way to get a virus.

Submitted by IT for the Terrified: The Old Cowshed, Station Road, Cheddar BS27 3AG 01934 741751 • www.itfortheterrified.co.uk This article is for guidance only, and the opinion of the writer. For more in depth information, please contact us. We offer individual training, at a pace to suit you; a session lasts 2 hours and costs £10.

We can cover a range of subjects – including absolute basics; photo management; shopping online; emailing; Word processing, spreadsheets; basic web design; etc. on a range of devices, including Windows XP/Vista/W7/W8: Macs: Tablets: iPads: smartphones.

Last day of term – 18th July.

PAGE 28 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

CROSSWORD

The Mendip Mindbender

ACROSS 1/5 A gallant end run becomes vital for the countryside’s wildlife (7,7) 9 King amongst the stragglers has to follow (5) 10 Ancient split as they say Minehead way (3,6) 11 I bet paste could be rather pricey (1,3,5) 12 No one with two degrees became President (5) 13 Trendy type grasped a pile (4) 14 Produced by plug to go through the water near Yeovil (9) 17 Sort out pay or chap to find religious texts (9) 20 Retain chance of slow advance (4) 23 Tot returns in charge of scores (5) 24 Shed tears about prohibition upset and make mistake – now you’re talking turkey! (9) 25 Place of worship badly placed on the A38 (9) 26 Herbal tit-bit of spicy food (5) 27 No dip in presidency which moves to background (7) 28 Assignment – suitable for male, so I’ve heard (7) DOWN 1 Band to makes changes – quite good really (3,3) 2 Watch me eat it about 4pm (3-4)

Arrives and prepares to have a fag (5,2) 4 Changes into something comfortable – no standing on ceremony (7,2) 5 Finish . . . vertical? (3,2) 6/22 Tuck longingly into getting your skates on (7,6) 7 Becomes old and takes a turn from the past (4,3) 8 Dared his mates to become traditionalists (8) 15 Make a pal gloat really fast (2,1,6) 16 Horse’s joints with a millimetre injection produce restful movements (8) 18 Cry uncontrollably and heal what’s hard to see (7) 19 Keep your bike up to the mark? (7) 20 It’s the climb I best remember watching as he swallows a pint (7) 21 Following the heart of the matter two students and I discover 23 man (7) 22 See 6 24 Impatient for lunch Ivy sought to chase things up (5) 3

Answers on Page 105

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Cerian to the rescue

Cerian (left), with daughters Daisy and Leah and some of her Romanian rescue dogs at the Cholwell Dog Show in Temple Cloud

CERIAN Adams from Dundry has a mission to rescue as many dogs as possible, many from abroad, and is setting up her own charity Happily Ever After.

She started ten years ago and said: “Since I started rescuing dogs I’ve fostered over 700 dogs of every size and shape and age. This includes over 100 Romanian, four Turkish, two Bulgarian and eight Greek.”

She’s pictured (right) with some of the Romanian dogs at Cholwell Dog Show, with daughters Daisy and Leah.

95 years young!

Theatre faces crisis

NEWS

NORTH Somerset’s only professional performing arts organisation, The Theatre Orchard, is facing a cash crisis. It says it needs to raise £10,000 by the end of July to avoid closure.

Over the next few weeks, The Theatre Orchard is touring Living Spit’s hilarious production of ‘One Man and His Cow’ in Bristol and North Somerset, as well as running a programme of ‘Pens in Pubs’ and ‘Jamming for the Terrified’ workshops.

Established in 2007, the organisation specialises in providing performances and creative opportunities in communities throughout the area and has collaborated with the likes of Bristol Old Vic, Travelling Light, Instant Wit, Company of Angels and Bristol Festival of Puppetry.

Chairman, Bob Walton, said: “Our current Arts Council funding runs out very soon and they want to see more local financial support before we can go back to them with another bid. We’ve hit a crisis and we’re hoping that everyone who has enjoyed our work over the past seven years will jump to the rescue.

We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far and we’ve got some great plans for the future.”

To donate to The Theatre Orchard Charity’s survival campaign, please text TOC14£10 to: 70070 or email info@thetheatreorchard.org.uk for other ways of giving to the charity.

Ffi: Bob Walton (Chair): waltoncobra@aol.com 0117 9272922, or Becky Chapman (Creative Producer) Becky@thetheatreorchard.org.uk 07952619763.

PAST presidents from the last 50 years of Chewton Mendip Women’s Institute gathered in the village to celebrate the 95th anniversary of the branch.

The WI organisation itself will celebrate its centenary next year, so the event was something of a milestone.

Members of the 40-strong Chewton branch were joined by

Current president Carol Curtis with nine of the previous incumbents

Members of Chewton Mendip WI and their guests gather before the 95th anniversary lunch

friends from neighbouring branches for a party along with Somerset county chairman Margaret Bigg.

A birthday cake made by Chewton member Pat Hellard was cut by Liz Johnson, a member of long-standing and the table cloth had its embroidery extended by Jan Truman to include the new anniversary date.

The lunch concluded with an illustrated talk by expert Richard Slater, who spoke about the Secret Surprises and Speculation of the Titanic.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 29

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MENDIP TIMES

Salad days are here again!

With JUNE MACFARLANE

AS we reach July the weather is more dependable, even if the longest day has passed and the nights are drawing in (oh yes they are)! With a bit of luck we can eat outside. Time to get out of a hot kitchen and dawdle over some fresh and colourful cold dishes.

BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS

½ red onion, sliced thinly 8 ripe tomatoes about 200g day old bread olive oil 2 red peppers, charred, skinned and sliced 4 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp capers 2 anchovies, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 6 tbsp best olive oil fresh basil

Do not under any circumstances use cheap sliced white for this salad.

What you need is some leftover bread from a good loaf with a bit of body. Get the best available tomatoes, a red onion and a few other things and serve the finished dish at room temperature. I toast the bread lightly in the oven for some crunch and let parts of it get soggy in the dressing.

METHOD

Heat oven to 150˚C. Soak the onion in a bowl of cold water with a little salt for an hour.

Cut the tomatoes into pieces, put into a colander with a sprinkle of salt and leave to drain.

Tear the bread into chunks, toss in olive oil, put on a baking tray and toast in the oven until golden. Put the vinegar in a salad bowl, add the toasted bread and moisten slightly.

Drain the onion and add to bowl, along with the capers. Add sliced peppers. Squeeze juice out of the tomatoes, reserve juice and add flesh to bowl. Add anchovies and garlic to tomato juice and whisk in olive oil. Taste and season.

Pour dressing on to salad and toss. Tear up basil leaves and scatter over the top. Allow to sit for a while for flavours to develop, then serve.

Bread and tomato salad

POTTED SHRIMPS

North Atlantic brown INGREDIENTS shrimps are in season 100g brown shrimps now. They are not 125g unsalted butter overfished, stocks are at Mace, cayenne pepper, safe levels, and they are nutmeg, salt and pepper absolutely delicious – tiny, pinky brown morsels that are an expensive delicacy in restaurants and therefore well worth making yourself. They are estuarine creatures, many catches coming from the mudflats of the Bristol Channel. Potted in a lightly spiced butter, they are a traditional English luxury.

METHOD

If you get hold of raw shrimps boil them for four minutes and shell. If you buy them already cooked just drain in a sieve.

Clarify the butter, discard milky residue and return clarified butter to pan.

Add a large pinch of mace, a large pinch of cayenne, a few grates of nutmeg, a pinch of salt and some ground pepper.

Simmer spices in butter for thirty seconds. Take off heat and add shrimps.

Pour into clean dry jar/pot/ramekin and allow to cool.

Chill in fridge. Remove from fridge long enough before needed for the butter to soften, and serve with toast

SMOKED MACKEREL AND BACON SALAD

Good strong flavours work really well out of doors, something to do with warm air and sunshine bringing out the best in gutsy food.

Have everything for this dish ready and waiting and assemble it all at the last minute.

METHOD

Put the shallot in a small bowl with the cider vinegar and soak for about 10 minutes. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain.

Grill bacon until crisp. In a small bowl whisk the mustard, capers, cider vinegar and olive oil to make a dressing. Chop the dill and add half PAGE 30 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

of it to the dressing.

Remove shallot from vinegar and add to dressing.

Taste and season. Flake the mackerel into big chunks and put into a salad bowl with the rest of the dill. Halve the potatoes and add, snip the bacon into pieces and add. Pour over the dressing and stir gently to mix.

INGREDIENTS

1 shallot, thinly sliced 3 tbsp cider vinegar about 12 salad potatoes 6 rashers good quality smoked streaky bacon 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 heaped tsp capers, rinsed 2 tbsp cider vinegar 2 tbsp olive oil 4 bushy sprigs dill 4 fillets smoked mackerel

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STAFF and customers sprang a surprise golden wedding party for Roger and Jackie Dors, who have been running Mendip’s most famous caving pub, The Hunters’ Lodge, for the last 44 years.

Roger’s family have had the pub since 1902 and he took it on from his parents Ben and Phyllis. He and Jackie are now helped by daughter Helen and son-in-law Nigel Frayne. Barmaid Sue Gray is pictured presenting them with tickets for a rail tour of North Yorkshire.

When asked about retirement, Roger said: “We are only coming up to 75, so we won’t be looking to retire yet, but we may slow up a bit.”

FOOD & DRINK

E OF FEATHER M U S PL Traditional country pub and B & B with flagstone floors, log fires, beer garden and a beautiful stream side location.

Family run with a welcoming atmosphere, dog and children friendly.

Opening times 12pm till 11pm.

Food served 12pm till 2.30pm and 6pm till 9.30pm. To book, ring 01761 462682.

DUCK RACE SATURDAY 12th JULY

5pm start, pig roast, bbq, ice cream stall, face painting, local band playing and 3 bars open. raising money for Blagdon and Burrington pre schools and Blagdon guide and scouts Best dressed Plastic Duck competition – see website for entry details

With Burrington fete on the same day – make a day of it with an afternoon at Burrington and an evening at The Plume!

Visit www.theplumeoffeathers.com

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 31

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MENDIP TIMES

Just what the abbots ordered

Members of the abbey’s education team prepare a typical meal outside the Abbot’s Kitchen

Just what the abbot ordered: Brother Dunstan

FROM the serious to the fun, Glastonbury Abbey hosted two days of events exploring the medieval history of our food.

Some 80 delegates attended a one-day conference with talks by experts. That was followed by an event celebrating the restoration of the abbey’s Abbot’s Kitchen. Food stalls and free entrance to the spectacular kitchen attracted crowds of visitors.

Sue Kastner with some abbey souvenirs including mead and goblets

FRESH FISH DAILY . . . AND COOKED JUST FOR YOU BOXED . . . FOR YOU TO ENJOY Hot fish lunches or seafood suppers, proper fish & chips, from beer-battered Cod to Dover Sole Don’t want to wait? Phone ahead and order Sundays are available for private dining, birthday lunches, or a relaxed get-together with friends OPENING TIMES Tuesday to Saturday 11.30am till 7pm Major credit cards accepted

PAGE 32 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

SEASONS FISH KITCHEN Farrington’s Farm Shop, Farrington Gurney, Bristol BS39 6UB

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FOOD & DRINK

14th Annual Beer Festival Friday 25th, Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th July Real Ale, Cider, BBQ, Family fun including live science show from Mr G in the garden Saturday afternoon.

Live music Friday evening from Copperhead, Saturday evening from Kick the Cat & Sunday afternoon Steve James from 3pm.

BOOK EARLY!

JULY 2014 DATES

Wells: every Wednesday 9am-2.30pm at the Market Place All other markets 9am-1pm unless otherwise marked*

Saturday 5th Axbridge & Midsomer Norton Sunday 6th SFM@ The Frome Independent (10am-3pm)* Saturday 12th Frome & Keynsham Saturday 19th Crewkerne Friday 25th Burnham-on-Sea Saturday 26th Glastonbury & Yeovil (9am-2pm)* follow us @SFMMarkets For more information phone 01373 814646 or visit www.SomersetFarmersMarkets.co.uk

Powering Farming’s Future Tel: 01225 667151 Web: www.yourenergyuk.com

The Carpenters Tavern

A warm welcome awaits you at this traditional country pub, with well-kept real ales, fine wines and wholesome food.

Under new ownership, with a re-vamped menu and drinks prices, we are looking forward to welcoming both the regular local visitor and those who have not experienced this countryside treasure that is just a stone’s throw away from south Bristol.

Now open Mondays Mon – urs 2 course roast dinner £6.95

For restaurant bookings please call 0117 964 6423 Wells Road, Dundry, BS41 8NE

THE QUEEN ADELAIDE BLAGDON

01761 463926

Travelling through, walking local trails, or living in the village, if the doors are open – come in and enjoy what Blagdon’s little country pub has to offer.

Celebrate Canada Day with us July 1st

GOOD FOOD, LAGER, ALES AND LOCAL CIDER

GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS AVAILABLE

BEAH

English & Mediterranean Restaurant, Wells

New a la carte menu (including authentic Moroccan tagines)

New breakfast & lunch menus 2 course £10 lunch menu (Monday – Saturday) 2 course £12 dinner menu (Monday – Thursday)

Planning a party?

Our upstairs ‘chapel’ function room is ideal for private parties from 20 – 60 Summer buffet menu available For more information, call Nicola on 01749 678111 – email: info@beah.co.uk

www.beah.co.uk Relaxed and friendly dining in the heart of Wells MENDIP TIMES • JUNE 2014 • PAGE 33

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MENDIP TIMES

New Vacuum packers

WE ARE NOW 4* RATED ####

New Fatosa 80 litre Mixer NEW AND USED REFURBISHED MACHINES WITH WARRANTY Bowl Cutters Used Seydelmann 120 litre Bowl Cutter Used Rex 200 litre S/S Bowl Cutter & Bowl Used Rex 45 litre Bowl Cutter black bowl New Fatosa 35 litre Bowl Cutter S/S Bowl Mincers & Mixer Grinders Used Hobart 56 Mincer, 15 Hp Used Laska 130 Auto Mincer S/S Kilia 130 Mincer with mix arm, loader Used Hobart 4346 Mixer Grinder Used Wolfking 140 Mixer Grinder Weiler 878 Grinder, 11 inch plate with mix arm Used KS 46 Hp, upright Emulsifier for bones Vacuum Packers & Shrink/dip mc’s New ATM Table Top Vacuum Packer, single phase New ATM long table top Vacuum packer for fish New ATM Packman single chamber Vacuum Packer New ATM large single chamber Vacuum Packer New ATM double chamber Vacuum Packer Used Cryovac CJ 51 heat shrink Tunnel Used Suman semi auto dip tank Used Ilpra Inline Tray sealer, Model Speedy year 2003

Mixers & Tumblers New Fatosa 80 litre paddle Mixer, tipping Used IFM 1,000 litre Ribbon Mixer Used Lutetia 400 Kg Vacuum Tumbler Dicers, Flakers, Graters Used Treif Dicer 84 x 84 chamber Used Biro Bandsaw sliding table Used AEW 400 Bandsaw 3 phase Miscellaneous Used Weigh Bagger system complete Used Koppens VM 600 HS Former Used Vemag Robot 500 Vacuum Filler Used double clipper to suit vac filler Used Risco RS 105 sausage filler linker, year 2010 Used Vemag DP 10 C Vacuum Filler with portioner Used Ranger Apollo Skinless sausage Peeler Used Hycut sausage snipper, cuts to count Used BCH 500 litre Steam Vessel with mix Used Rapidaire 2 Trolley thro’ door steam cooker Used Nilma auto Pasta Cooker gas heated Used Do Boy continuous bag sealer Used Vertical bag clipper

EVER-CHANGING SPECIALS BOARD with extensive menu and seasonal daily specials BEER FESTIVAL Saturday 12th July – 3pm start – Sunday 13th July – 2.30pm start 10 of the finest, local real ales plus local ciders and a B-B-Q on both afternoons Saturday Musical Line-Up – Guy Johnson (Keyboards & Vocals) – Breeze – Tim Pitman, who will finish with Last Night of the Proms!

Sunday Musical Line-Up – Chelsea Paget (Vocals) – Abie Baker (Folk Music) – and introducing ‘The Moondogs’ the best Beatles tribute band around!

No charge for entry and having a wonderful two days!

G Bed & Breakfast en suite bedrooms in the attached refurbished Cider House always available to book on any night. Ideal location close to the Bath & West Showground and other local attractions.There are also some lovely walks in the vicinity.

G Cask Marque Ales G Somerset Ciders G Check the website for details of all our upcoming events

natterjack

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Mendip Times is available from over 800 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.

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PAGE 34 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

GURNEY SLADE HALLATROW HIGH LITTLETON HINTON BLEWETT HOLCOMBE HUNSTRETE HUTTON KEINTON MANDEVILLE KILMERSDON LANGFORD LEIGH on MENDIP LITTON LONG ASHTON LYDFORD ON FOSSE LYMPSHAM MARK MARKSBURY MASBURY MELLS MIDSOMER NORTON NAILSEA NETTLEBRIDGE NORTON MALREWARD NORTON ST PHILIP NUNNEY NYLAND OAKHILL PAULTON PENSFORD

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WALTON WANSTROW WEDMORE WELLS WEST HARPTREE WEST PENNARD WESTBURY SUB MENDIP WINFORD WINSCOMBE WOOKEY WOOKEY HOLE WRAXALL WRINGTON WRITHLINGTON YATTON

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GARDEN FOOD

A perennial favourite

BELIEVE it or not, I’ve been picking ripe tomatoes since May, thanks to the very mild winter we had, our double glazed conservatory and the little known fact that tomatoes are, given the right climate, perennials.

In fact, so mild was the winter that I With JAKE picked the last ripe tomatoes in January WHITSON (admittedly they tasted at that point a lot like the cheap Spanish tomatoes you can buy year-round) before they started to set fruit again in March.

I didn’t deliberately set out to keep the tomatoes going (unlike my disastrous attempt to over-winter chillies in my greenhouse a few years back) but simply let them carry on fruiting into the winter, before noticing that the almost bare stalks had started to send out new shoots in February.

In a well-insulated conservatory I see no reason, as long as they are kept well fed and barring exceptionally cold winters, why tomatoes couldn’t be kept going in this country for many years, saving significant amounts of effort starting them from seed each year and also giving you a massive head-start in the growing season.

The only recommendations I can make, if you would like to try this, is to keep the atmosphere in the conservatory as dry as possible (to avoid blight), and at the end of the season gradually strip back any unhealthy looking leaves, even to the point where you are left with only stalks for a few months.

Also, don’t forget to feed your tomatoes regularly.

I usually end up, for one reason or another, with a fair few green tomatoes during the year, but that is no shame, and I really enjoy eating them. A recent favourite of mine is this Burmese green tomato salad, for which you should use green tomatoes which are just starting to ripen.

First, slice a few handfuls of tomatoes into thickish slices around 3-4mm. Then add one or two very finely sliced shallots, 3 tbsp finely chopped salted peanuts, 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, a bunch of coriander and basil, finely chopped, salt, a little vegetable oil, and chilli powder to taste.

Mix well and squeeze everything together with your hands to slightly tenderise the tomatoes. Top with some finely sliced garlic, which you have fried until crispy in hot oil, and a little sliced red chilli.

Serve on its own with rice or, as shown here, with slices of seared raw beef.

Jacob Whitson is a chef and food writer who has worked in many of the West Country’s most prestigious restaurants. He is currently working on his first book, a travelogue detailing the regional foods of Japan.

FOOD & DRINK

WILD FOOD

Wild vertical garden

YOU may have guessed by now that when on holiday I take the first opportunity I can to forage for wild food and discover the traditional cuisine of the area I’m staying in.

On a trip to the Abruzzo region of Italy I had the good luck and fortune of exploring With ADRIAN a most beautiful part of Italy with stunning BOOTS fortified town-topped hills, snow capped mountains and crystal clear lakes that just take the breath away.

That or the altitude, I’m not sure which, probably both.

In the mountains, local dishes are most often based on meats and cheeses, traditionally sheep and goat products. This is evident in the shepherding that is still a sight to be seen in the hills, yes one man and his many dogs (to keep the wolves away – I’m not joking) and even more sheep. Happily the area also has a strong wild food culture as I was about to find out.

I had an amazing day out with some very special people including a foraging trip with Mirella the head chef at the hotel I was staying at. She took me on a tour of the area pointing out and collecting wild herbs for the pot. Her knowledge was gained from her grandparents and the older people of the village who would pay her to collect the herbs, mostly for use in sweets such as bon-bons!

We visited an open field system in a valley bottom where Mirella had a strip of ground given solely over to wild edible plants. I asked her if she seeded the ground with the variety of herbs we found but she insisted it was ‘sylvatica’ e.g. wild. Then there were the walls of the ancient fortified town where the hotel is located.

Plants had taken a foothold in the mortar between stones and succeeded in climbing to the top. She described it as her ‘wild vertical garden’, a very handy resource indeed.

The plants and herbs we collected were ideal as crudités or cooked as part of a meal. A traditional dish of the area is a lentil and sylvatica herb soup. Mirella recommends using ‘Parietaria’, we know it as Pellitory-on-the-wall (Parietria diffusa) which unsurprisingly grows on walls. A clue is in the name after all.

Cook green lentils (commonly cultivated in the area) in vegetable or meat stock, add in chopped Parietaria a bit later on so it’s not over cooked, season well and serve with crusty bread drizzled with olive oil. Wash it down with a nice Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine, fantastico!

Adrian Boots is a Landscape Ecologist, Wild Food Forager and Adventure Activity provider. You can visit his web site www.gowildactivities.co.uk to learn more about wild food foraging and activities you can do with him on the Mendip Hills.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 35

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FOOD & DRINK

An ideal venue for that special occasion ONE of the attractions of the Bowlish House Hotel in Shepton Mallet is its flexibility, especially when it comes to a party.

From an intimate family event such as a significant birthday to a very special wedding, the luxury country house hotel offers the ideal venue.

The Cape Cod Room – inspired by the American New England coast – is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and provides outstanding meals in a warm and comfortable atmosphere with a panoramic view of the gardens. It is available

for private parties of up to 30 people.

Next door is the Mendip Room, the main dining room, where chef Stephen Frost’s fine cuisine is matched by the elegant, yet restrained decor. Recently, it hosted a birthday party luncheon for just under 40 people and was a great success, said Martin Gibson, who runs the hotel with Leonard Muircroft.

And, with summer now here, the glorious garden offers the perfect space to take the celebrations outside. There is also space for a marquee.

Part of the glorious gardens at Bowlish House

The Mendip Room prepared for a private party

Sample Sunday Lunch Menu StArterS

Tomato & Basil Soup with Homemade Bread Chicken Liver Parfait with, Red Onion Chutney & Granary Toast Bowlish House Prawn & Salmon Gravlax Cocktail Deep Fried Goat’s Cheese Crotin MAin CoUrSe

Join us for Sunday Lunch and enjoy our beautiful garden

Roast Pork served with Roast Potatoes & Spiced Apple Compote Roast Leg of Lamb with Roast Potatoes & Red Wine Sauce Fillet of Atlantic Cod with a Herb Crust, Creamed Potatoes, & White Wine Sauce Goat’s Cheese and Spinach Risotto with Toasted Pine Nuts All main courses are served with seasonal vegetables DeSSertS

Email: reception@bowlishhouse.com or info@bowlishhouse.com www.bowlishhouse.com e Bowlish House, Wells Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 5JB

PAGE 36 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce Iced Banana Parfait with a Wild Berry Compote Warm Cherry Bakewell Tart with Ice Cream Selection of Westcountry Cheeses, Grapes, Homemade Chutney and Biscuits (+£5)

Two Courses £13.50 • Three Courses £15.95 All our ingredients are sourced as locally as possible and as far as we know, do not contain anything genetically modified, but may contain traces of nuts.

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ROYAL VISIT

The Royal Bath and West Society’s Somerset Levels Relief Fund received a massive boost when The Earl and Countess of Wessex attended a reception and dinner where they were able to learn more of the Society’s role in helping to fund the county’s 20 year plan.

Edwin White, Chairman of the Agricultural Policy Group behind the initiative said: “It was great that The Earl and Countess were able to join so many people from the organisations who are helping to make things happen.”

Pupils from Sandford C 0f E Primary School greet the royal couple before they went on to open Thatchers new Jubilee Building, its new packaging and warehouse facility.

The couple also visited Yoxter Ranges, near Priddy, to view the work of the Army Cadet Force and Air Cadets. The Countess is pictured meeting air cadets Joe Brace and Stephanie Tatar Meeting the crowds in Cheddar Gorge

Army and air cadets prepare for the royal visit to Yoxter. The army cadets put on displays of first aid and command tasks, as well as demonstrating their electronic target rifle range

Plaque unveiling at Thatchers, watched by Martin Thatcher MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 37

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MENDIP TIMES

Ubley Village Fete

Midsomer Fest – best yet

Priston Jubilee Morris gained a new recruit

Alison Pavey (right) and Yvonne Thompson sold ice cream to raise funds for the village church, hall and PTA, with customers Flynn Cooper-Campbell (left) and Sebastian Hemmati

Ubley Primary School choir PAGE 38 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Killing Felix: James White (rhythm guitar), Lewis Hand on vocals and guitar, George West (drums) and Kevin Dix (bass)

LIVE music from local bands Killing Felix and Confectionery, craft and arts stalls and displays were all on offer at the Midsomer Fest at Norton Radstock College.

The day of events aimed to showcase local talent and raise money for the Somer Valley Food Bank and the college’s Student Hardship Fund as well as featuring the college’s facilities.

DIY enthusiast Tina Oscroft signed up to various construction courses at the college after meeting lecturer Mark Hopkinson

Sadie Logan tries her hand at a test of dexterity watched by Mark Hopkinson, a lecturer in construction at the college

Susan Hobbs with the £1,000 Mulberry handbag which she won in the raffle. Her ticket was picked by Alfie as college principal Shirley Arayan and Jim Hall, one of the event organisers, looked on

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EVENTS

And they’re off . . . but then again . . .

MAYBE it was because they were at the centre of attention that the runners in the annual Priddy Sheep Race night were rather reluctant to compete.

After a couple of false starts when they all refused to jump the first obstacle, some helping hands were needed to encourage them along.

The event – in aid of Priddy Pre-School – attracted a large crowd to enjoy the evening and have a flutter on the field.

Runners and riders in the annual sheep race

Enjoying the fun on the Mendip Slides inflatable Thea Davis looks after some of the jockeys

Raising funds for Priddy Pre-School

Auctioneers and commentators Mike Brown (left) and Dean Sparkes

The sheep race from the top of the inflatable slide MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 39

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MENDIP TIMES

Wedmore prepares for its street fair

WEDMORE Street Fair promises to be a great day out as usual, with the Borough a throng of stalls and entertainment when it is closed for the day on July 5th.

Following on from the success of the Kids’ Zone last year, there will be more entertainment and stalls specifically for children. There are also likely to be more craft stalls and demonstrations at Borough House.

The theme this year is The Commonwealth to coincide with the Commonwealth Games being held in Glasgow, so stallholders are being asked to dress appropriately!

Profits from the day benefit local Wedmore organisations, such as the village hall, harvest home, first school academy and nursery and the Green group.

Established by royal charter in the 13th century, the fair was revived in 1978, as part of the celebrations for the 1100th anniversary of the Treaty of Wedmore between King Alfred and the Danes.

Award-winning jewellery

Open til 8pm ursdays and Fridays, with free parking.

Visit us on Facebook or for an appointment call 01934 712313.

5, King Alfred Mews Church Street, Wedmore, Somerset BS28 4AB PAGE 40 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

AWARD-winning Erica Sharpe, one of the UK’s leading contemporary fine jewellers, creates unique, hand-crafted jewellery, with a strong ethical ethos. She has had a life-long career in the arts and crafts predominantly as a fine jeweller.

A pioneer in ethical jewellery production, she works in Fairtrade or recycled precious metals and ethically sourced gemstones and is the only jeweller creating unique pieces that combine precious metals and Cornish tin.

Restoration, repair, up-cycling and commissions are a speciality.

Affordable luxury

SET in the tranquil courtyard of King Alfred Mews, Wedmore, Essence hairdressing offers affordable luxury hairdressing.

Specialising in wedding/occasion hair, colouring and gents barbering, their friendly, professional and experienced team are on hand to give advice, using only the best products, including brand leader Joico. Essence is open until 8pm on Thursdays and Fridays, with free parking. Visit them on Facebook or for an appointment call 01934 712313.

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Supporting St. Mary’s

THE Bridgwater Salvation Army band, Peter Curtin on St. Mary’s organ, Issy Emeney’s Moor Harmony Singers, the pianist Liam Davies, the flautist Beck Clark and the Wedmore First School singers helped 260 Friends of St. Mary’s, Wedmore enjoy Now Another That’s What I Call Hymns!

The evening included marvellous hymns and anthems together with poems and readings of the memories of those who experienced the First World War. The friends group gathers together all those who love St Mary’s to help the congregation maintain the church.

FOCUS ON WEDMORE

Dental expertise in the centre of Wedmore

LONG-established Wedmore Dental Practice is conveniently located in the centre of the village, nestled amongst the diverse shops and galleries Wedmore has to offer.

As a member of the BDA Good Practice Scheme, Denplan and Investors in People each member of the dental team has signed to be committed to all aspects of patient care and ensure that their needs and preferences are considered and that they can take informed decisions.

They ensure a safe environment by undertaking risk assessments and managing potential hazards within the practice.

They follow current guidelines for preventing cross-infection.

They recruit staff who are competent to undertake the duties associated with their role and provide training where required.

They encourage on-going professional development for all members of their team. The practice has successfully passed its second CQC inspection having met all outcomes that it was measured against.

They look forward to providing their existing and new patients with a pleasant visit and offering conventional, preventative and advanced cosmetic procedures, including facial rejuvenation.

The practice is open daily with early morning and late evening availability. Call in or contact them on 01934 713013 for a FREE information pack.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 41

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MENDIP TIMES

The Isle of Wedmore remembers the First World War THE approaching 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War on August 4th, 1914 has focused public interest on this bloody conflict that touched every aspect of British society and has left an indelible mark on our national identity.

Every community large and small scattered across the United Kingdom was touched by four long years of total war that required mass mobilisation and the active participation of men, women and children in the war effort.

The Isle of Wedmore in Somerset – a large rural area encompassing the villages of Wedmore, Theale, Blackford and the Allertons – sent over 300 of its young men from a wide variety of social backgrounds to fight during the First World War, serving in France, Belgium, Turkey, Egypt, Salonika,

Grave of William Cottrell

Mesopotamia (Iraq), Palestine and India.

These predominantly young men served in the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Flying Corps, as well as in smaller numbers in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, Australian Imperial Force and New Zealand Expeditionary Force. A handful of emigrants from the area, whose families remained in Somerset, also enlisted in the American Expeditionary Force.

Over 60 men paid the ultimate price in service of their country and others suffered physical and mental injury.

Those who were left behind on the ‘Home Front’ in the Isle of Wedmore between 1914-19 also played an important, but largely unsung part, in supporting the war effort with the local community growing vitally needed foodstuffs, raising funds for the war effort and contributing towards home defence.

A project, The Isle of Wedmore Remembers the First World War 191419, run by St Mary’s Church in association with Hugh Sexeys Church of England Middle School and Wedmore First School Academy (with generous support from the Heritage Lottery Fund), was set-up in the belief that much still remains to be said about the local history of the area during the war years.

To redress this lack of knowledge ongoing research has focused on lives of the servicemen who did not return, the contribution to winning the war made by selected other regulars, volunteers and conscripts and lastly the part played by those working on the ‘Home Front’ in Somerset.

All types of poultry, meats and game. For those lazy Summer days, BBQ packs and our award winning sausages Produced on our own farm or supplied locally

Just pop in or we can take your orders over the telephone, call us at the Shop on 01934 712384 PAGE 42 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Wedmore War Memorial

A wide range of photographs, original documents, medals and even a sword have been located so far in archives or offered to the project from local organisations and families, as well as others from as far afield as the USA, Canada, Australia and South Africa.

The findings of the project will be presented to the public at an exhibition held in Wedmore Village Hall between November 5th-12th, in a detailed book and lastly in the form of teaching packs for the local schools.

If any readers could help with further family information, medals, documents, letters or artifacts that may assist with research please do get in contact.

Dr Tim Moreman 01934 710278 tim@Moreman.gb.com

Is a well established luxury boarding facility, on a traditional family run farm in beautiful countryside.

Single and families of cats can be catered for, as can special/individual diets. Visit and see our comfortable, homely and loving atmosphere; see the individual attention your cat deserves, prior to booking.

Collection or delivery can be arranged.

Feline Advisory Bureau Listed (FAB) • Local Authority Licensed

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On the move

JONATHAN Weller and Fran Crandon are celebrating their second year in Wedmore by moving to larger premises in The Borough. They have also added Fairtrade jewellery, scarves and gifts to what they now offer.

Fran, who specialises in a wide range of de-stress massage techniques, said: “We’d like to thank all the people who have supported us over the last couple of years and look forward to welcoming customers to our lovely new salon.”

The couple met in Windsor, where Jonathan counted staff from the royal household among his clients. They were previously based in the courtyard of The George in Wedmore.

Wedmore Real Ale Festival

LAST year’s Wedmore Real Ale Festival raised £13,000 for 15 local beneficiaries, bringing the grand total raised to £103,571 since the festival began back in 2001.

Planning is well underway for the 14th festival which takes place from Friday September 19th – Sunday September 21st at Wedmore Village Hall.

As always, there will be a mix of live music this year, with over 60 different choices of real ales, ciders, perrys and wine, with food available throughout the weekend.

Details: www.wedmorerealale.com

Wedmore Produce Market

FOCUS ON WEDMORE Body Sanctuary HOLISTIC TREATMENTS • JEWELLERY

Jonathan Weller Salon 01934 712432

Exceptional hair styling with Jonathan Weller

Fairtrade jewellery and gifts

Holistic treatments with Fran Crandon

THE BOROUGH • WEDMORE HairBodySanctuaryWedmore@gmail.com

WEDMORE will hold its fifth Wedmore Produce Market on Saturday August 23rd, hoping to build on the success of the last four years.

The market, organised by the Isle of Wedmore Green Group, is designed to show people a range of the best local food and produce and encourage people to grow their own.

Spokesman, Steve Mewes, said: “With more local food produced and sold within a smaller area we can minimise our impact on the environment through lower food miles. I really hope this year we can attract even more locals to set up a stall and sell whatever they have a surplus of.”

The fair will be held 9am-2pm at Borough House.

Details: s.mewes@virgin.net

Swan joins in the party

IF you are attending the Wedmore Street Fair why not pop into The Swan? This relaxed pub at the heart of the village has an award-winning reputation for its outstanding food, lovely local produce prepared and served by friendly, welcoming staff.

It’s open all day for drinks, snacks, late breakfast or a full meal in the restaurant or outside terrace. Take a seat in the beautiful garden and recharge your batteries with the refreshing Wedmore Fair Cocktail, a handpicked elderflower and gooseberry Bellini.

There’ll be a wine promotion with a large selection by the glass. There are mouth-watering non-alcoholic cocktails, local Somerset artisanal ales, ciders and Mozzo coffee with cake and delicious homemade chocolate macaroons. It’s the perfect stop-off at the fair!

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 43

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MENDIP TIMES

PISCES

FISHMONGER & GREENGROCER

Direct supply of Cornish Sea Food.

Loch Fyne Smokehouse stockist.

Northern Water and Continental seafood specialists.

Fruit and vegetables personally selected at market, exotics and the unusual, fresh herbs and the best local produce.

Selection of culinary ingredients.

Open all day Tuesday to Friday plus Monday and Saturday mornings.

5 The Borough Mall, The Borough Wedmore, Somerset BS28 4EB Tel: 01934 710318

FOCUS ON WEDMORE

TWO NEW SHOPS IN THE BOROUGH MALL AVAILABLE SOON SEE ALSO RECENT CHANGED PAVING Call Ian Leavey on 01934 712081 Email: Borough Mall@btconnect.com THE BOROUGH MALL CO LTD Live, work and shop locally

Borough Mall expands

AFTER 27 years, The Borough Mall, in Wedmore, which was built by the current directors, has had a revamp, with the addition of two more shops created from former garages. These new shops will be available in the autumn.

They complement the existing business, including Post Office, Pumpkin delicatessen, gift shop and a welcome return of shoes (with Susie Kingston expanding her current fashion outlet), the very popular fish and grocery store, beauty therapy, chiropody, hairdressing, and not forgetting the exclusive jewellery in Erica Sharpe’s attractive premises.

Shoppers cannot fail to miss the newly-paved walkways created by Perfect Pave of Cheddar, and the work recently under taken to fit all the apartments with new double glazed windows. Building work has been carried out to a high standard

by Neil Leavey Builder. Call in and see for yourself!

The directors will welcome inquiries from potential tenants offering a high quality addition to augment The Mall still further.

Loyal customers

wEdMORE POST OFFICE THE BOROUGH MALL BS28 4EB

G Extensive range of quality greetings cards G Stationery and office supplies G Euros and dollars in stock G Agents for Johnsons dry cleaners

01934 713782

A food gem in the heart of Somerset offering a fabulous array of local Artisan Cheese, Charcuterie and Deli goods Fully licensed Café and Garden Wedding Cheese Cake specialists Outside Catering for all types of functions Open: Monday-Saturday 8.30am-5.00pm 01934 713289 www.pumpkinwedmore.co.uk andrea@pumpkinwedmore.co.uk 1 e Borough Mall, Wedmore, Somerset BS28 4EB

COMING SOON! 9–10 e Borough Mall, e Borough, Wedmore, Somerset BS28 4EB For an appointment, telephone

01934 713513

Susie Kingston Shoes A new shop opening in Borough Mall, Wedmore

PAGE 44 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

PISCES fishmonger and greengrocer is now in its 23rd year.

Dean Downer is pleased that he is still serving long-standing customers from those early years, together with many new regulars since his move to the Borough Mall, in Wedmore.

Customers are always amazed and complimentary at the varied and eclectic range of goods on offer. With supply partners sourcing from many of Europe’s principal markets, he can always try to fulfil your requirements.

His advice is to shop locally first if you are looking for the unusual – and given a little notice you could be amazed at what he can provide – and to remember the motto of all good rural shops “use it or lose it”.

Perfect paving in Wedmore

WITH years of experience, Perfect Pave is the perfect answer to all your landscaping and fencing needs, as well as providing all types of groundwork requirements, including block paving, patios, walling and resin surfaces.

Perfect Pave has joined forces with The Borough Mall, in Wedmore, to provide paved walkways to the newly revamped mall and new shops that have been created.

Perfect pave can create your perfect garden using the most attractive materials on the market, all of which can be seen in their new showroom in Cheddar, where they are now showing new layouts including samples for patios, brick paving and resin samples, plus show walls of dry stone walling.

Go along and see the comprehensive range of products on offer. If you need any assistance or wish to have a free site visit and consultation phone their showroom on 01934 740163.

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Litton Village Fete

Club Day in Priddy

EVENTS

Time for a chat before the roll call

MEMBERS of Priddy’s Friendly Society paraded through the village after their annual roll call was held outside the Queen Victoria Inn. The traditional parade – it dates back to 1883 – was followed by a church service with lunch and a sports day on Priddy Green.

Snail racing was one of the attractions

The village street was filled with stalls

Parachuting Teddies were part of the fun

Society secretary Rhona Gauld calls out the names

Standard bearers and the band of the Weston-super-mare sea cadets lead the parade MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 45

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Radstock to Frome railway project A NEW organisation has been formed, the The Somer-Rail Trust, with the aim of reopening the mothballed railway line between Radstock and Frome.

It says Radstock is a town with a fine industrial heritage and their focus is to celebrate the past and embrace the future.

In its launch statement it says: “The people of Radstock have become disillusioned with the lack of progress to secure the town’s regeneration. We are of the firm belief that we can secure a secure a base for the railway.

“The big challenge to overcome is to convince the people of Radstock that we are a credible organisation, and have their best interests at heart, that what we are able to offer to the community is a positive step forward and thus gain their trust and support.”

Douglas Hill, who has been elected chairman, has wide railway experience having worked on mainline railways for 21 years. He was the general manager of the West Somerset Railway before retirement and held the position of chairman of the Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway Company at Midsomer Norton.

Honorary

Douglas Hill, chairman, Shirley Steel, secretary, and Terry Harris, membership secretary

Alderman Shirley Steel was elected secretary. She is a retired local councillor who was recently awarded a B.E.M. for her services to the local community and charitable work. A lifelong supporter of railways in the area, one of her major achievements was helping to secure the Midsomer Norton South station site for the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust, and she is a founding member and trustee of that Trust.

Terry Harris is membership secretary. He said: “This railway has been an interest of mine for many years and after all this time left derelict I am eager to see its reinstatement. It is intact apart from one section all the way from Radstock to Frome, I believe the line has a great future ahead of it and wish to see this vision realised.”

The trustees say they had “a constructive and positive meeting” with Catherine Le Grice Mack, chairman of the Norton Radstock Regeneration Company (the owners of the Radstock railway land), discussing the possible reinstatement of the Radstock end of the rail link, including some use of the Brunel engine shed.

Details: Membership of the trust costs £10. Details www.somer-rail.co.uk

Not a dead end

THE Coffin Lane campaign to get a footpath from Axbridge to Cross has seen another protest march, with walkers bearing a papier-mache coffin and several placards, as they travelled along the route of the original coffin path from Compton Bishop to Axbridge.

Campaign co-ordinator, Tess Gill, said: “It was interesting to take the actual route taken by the coffins in the past and highlighted just how dangerous it is to try to walk along that part of the A371 while heavy lorries whizz past.

“We had a good turn-out and would like to say a big thank-you to the brave walkers and all those who sponsored us.

We did get wet but it was worth it, and it was a pleasure to be walking through some of our beautiful Mendip countryside.”

Details: www.coffinlane.com or www.facebook.com/pages/coffin-lane-campaign

PAGE 46 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

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Gala night

RADSTOCK Co-operative Society held its sixth annual gala awards evening at the Bath Pavilion, attended by staff, partners, directors, business associates, sponsors and guests.

After the dinner there was an Oscar-style award ceremony, recognising individuals and teams for their performance.

The evening raised £2,000, with donations of £500 each going to First Radstock Scouts and WISH, Working in Support of Holidays for the Disabled.

Playing for England

FORMER Chew Valley School pupil, Paul Brown, has been selected to represent England in the sport of Disability Bowls at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. He will be part of a three-man team performing in the Para Triples, playing 15 ends, each person delivering two bowls.

Paul’s disability came about in 1999, when, aged 19, he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a rare bone cancer. He had a knee replacement operation, but in 2006 cancer returned which resulted in amputation of his right leg above the knee.

He had been playing the game of bowls for a number of years as an able bodied person, with Greville Smyth BC in Bristol, before his problem was diagnosed, and also achieved honours with Somerset County Bowling Association.

He then had to adapt, firstly playing from a Bradshaw Bowls Buggy and then wearing his artificial leg, and this has realised a dream in his selection for England.

Samaritans need help

NEW figures show the number of calls for help to the Samaritans was the highest for five years last year at 5.23 million across the country.

In the South West they were contacted 417,961 times by people struggling to cope. The Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset branch’s 50 volunteers had over 10,000 calls.

Although it has a record number of volunteers, 21,000, it’s looking for more. Those interested in volunteering for Samaritans should call 01934 621240 and leave a message or email samaritansrecruitmentwsm@yahoo.com or go to the volunteering page on the website: http://www.wsmsamaritans.org.uk/

Noel drops in

NEWS

NOEL Edmonds, pictured with friend, Bristol businessman Geoff Dunford, officially opened Queen Charlton’s annual fete.

Two World War 2 Spitfires, from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, also made an appearance, winging their way over the village after flying over Buckingham Palace in honour of the Queen’s birthday.

The village fete raised a record breaking figure of about £4,700 for the village hall and St Margaret’s Church.

New unit for cancer victims

SARAH, Duchess of York, and world snooker players Judd Trump and Jack Lisowski have officially opened the first specialist Teenage Cancer Trust unit in the South West at Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre (BHOC).

It means teenagers from the South West will no longer have to be treated on adult wards. A local fundraising committee, led by Lady Paula Wills, from Langford, helped raise £2.5million for the eight-bed unit.

The Duchess said: “Teenage Cancer Trust is the most incredible charity, helping young people stay teenagers first, cancer patients second. I’ve been a patron for over 20 years and I’ve seen it grow and lead the way in the treatment of teenage and young adult cancer. This new unit will help so many local young people and their families and friends.”

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 47

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Cutting edge

FOR special events, you won’t want to risk anything less than flawless hair.

The team at the Cutting Room will provide you with stunning hair that will ensure all eyes are on you – just look at the photograph.

On your wedding day, having less than perfect hair is not an option. Call them now to discuss their customised wedding packages and how they make your day spectacular.

They are located on the Wells to Cheddar Road, next to the cross in charming Westbury-sub-Mendip, with free parking directly outside the salon. They would love to hear from you.

A unique reception venue

AS host to a wide variety of events, concerts and services, the team at Wells Cathedral are experts in combining a unique location with high quality catering and event management.

Their medieval Vicars’ Hall is perfect for intimate wedding receptions (up to 75 guests). Walking up the 14th century stone steps sets the tone for your day and, with roaring log fires in winter months, provides an imposing yet intimate space for any reception.

An alternative is their contemporary Cathedral Café (for up to 60 guests) which provides stunning views across the Cathedral and The Bishop’s Palace moat.

Their experienced team is there to assist you in making your special day go smoothly. Their comprehensive range of menus makes the most of seasonal local ingredients and could there a more stunning backdrop for your wedding photographs than the Cathedral itself?

Luxury loos for special days

25% OFF FOR ALL NEW CLIENTS

Keestone House, School Hill, Westbury sub Mendip BA5 1HL

01749 870900

www.westburyhairsalon.co.uk

Chew Valley Hire

LUXURY MOBILE TOILETS 01761 221105 E: info@chewvalleyhire.co.uk • W: www.chewvalleyhire.co.uk

We give personal help and advice, deliver and collect on schedule and pay immaculate attention to detail.

We provide a wide range of luxury and standard mobile toilets and showers for special events including:

• Weddings • Corporate Events • Trackway • Fashion Shows • Film Shoots PAGE 48 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

CHEW Valley Hire have been providing super luxury mobile toilets for weddings, celebrations and festivals for the last 16 years. And once again they will be supplying units for the VIP area at the Glastonbury Festival. They have also recently been ‘engaged’ at the Let’s Rock Festival in Bristol and at the Bath Fest at Bath Racecourse.

The picture here shows two toilets built into the marquee and then the whole area is draped matching the interior of the marquee for a discreet finish.

Their latest offering is Trackway, a heavy duty covering that can be laid at entrances to fields to prevent vehicles becoming stuck and also as a pedestrian walkway between the marquee and the toilets regardless of the ground conditions.

Chew Valley Hire provide portable toilets, generators, Trackway and more for events throughout the South West and Wales.

Contact them on 01761 221105 to discuss your requirements.

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Win a night at The Swan in Wells

FACEBOOK followers of the Best Western Plus Swan Hotel, in Wells, have the opportunity to win a night for two (plus breakfast) in their award-winning Cathedral Suite plus £1,000 in cash!

The money will be waiting for the lucky winner in the suite’s brass bath. To be in with a chance of winning, simply ‘like’ the hotel on Facebook before midnight on December 31st. www.facebook.com/theswanhotelwells

Call the professionals

JG MARQUEES has been providing top quality marquee hire in Bristol, Bath and the South West since 1993. With a wealth of knowledge and years of experience, they are the South West’s leading marquee company, offering the finest marquee hire across Somerset and beyond.

Whatever your event, they can cater for it. From weddings and family parties to corporate hospitality, film shoots and sporting events, they have an extensive range of marquees to suit every occasion. They pride ourselves on delivering first class service every time, at highly competitive prices.

FOCUS ON WEDDINGS

QUALITY MARQUEES FOR YOUR SPECIAL EVENT

• High Peaked Roofs • Clear Roofs and Window Walls so ‘Conservatory Ends or Entrances’ can be created. Also Flame Towers.

• Furniture • Starlight Lining • Dance floors • Lighting • Fridge trailer hire

Call the Marquee Specialists, Tel: 01761 221366 Email enquiries: info@jgmarquees.co.uk Website: www.jgmarquees.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 49

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MENDIP TIMES Jane's Bunting IT’S JULY, LET YOUR HEART FLY!

Wide range of bunting, banners and decorative bows for hire, for marquees, halls, weddings and parties Contact Jane 01934 710430 Shirley 01934 712023 Free local delivery and collection.

We are located in Theale, Wedmore

www.janesbunting.co.uk

Mendip Times reduces travel costs

100,000 potential customers within a short distance of your business

PAGE 50 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Singles guide to weddings

ATTENDING a wedding alone can be rough – between partner-less slow dances and Aunt Gertie’s questions about why you aren’t married yet, it can be hard not to feel like a total loner. But the trick to enjoying a wedding while flying solo, is as simple as following these tips.

Change your mindset Human beings are, by their very nature, contrary; if you are trapped and told to have a good time, it’s highly likely you will not. Basically, if you feel like someone is trying to force you to have fun, you won’t. How to deal with this? Instead of likening a wedding to a Saturday night prison sentence, think of it as a chance for you to enjoy dinner, drinks, and dancing – all at someone else’s expense!

Stalk the guest list (a little bit) Just because you don’t have a date doesn’t mean there won’t be anyone to party with. Do your research before the wedding and find out who else is going. Think about how you know the bride or groom – college, work, church? The odds are they have invited at least a few other people from that realm of their lives. Connect with some of them beforehand for dinner (you could even ride with them to the wedding). At the very least, do a quick circuit before the ceremony to locate any familiar faces.

Pamper yourself beforehand Self-confidence makes all the difference, so use the wedding as an opportunity to treat yourself. Ladies: Buy a new outfit (or at least a new pair of shoes or earrings), have your hair or make-up professionally done, or get a massage so you’re feeling your best from the start. The same goes for guys – splurge on a barbershop shave, shine those shoes, and iron that shirt.

Drink slowly As soon as the ceremony is over (and you’ve been not-sosubtly reminded of your single status over and over again), it may be tempting to dive headfirst into the cocktail hour.

Don’t. While a Martini or two may loosen you up enough to make conversation with total strangers, it’ll ruin your chances at getting to really know anyone, so pace yourself.

Have an exit strategy If the wedding is out of town, book your own lodging and arrange transport so that you can make an escape if necessary. Of course, there’s a right way to duck out of a wedding early, and there’s the wrong way. Before bolting, stick around for at least the first few dances and the cake cutting (which usually signals the end of the formal festivities). Also, make sure you congratulate the bride and groom in person, and leave with as little fanfare as possible.

Don’t be a downer This day is not about your troubles so avoid bemoaning your single status. Keep your conversations light (ie “How do you know the couple? What do you do? What’s that like?”) and if you get stuck, chat about how you know the couple. Besides, you’ll be so busy looking amazing, enjoying delicious food and drinks, and – most importantly – celebrating a good friend’s happiness, you might even inspire a little envy from your coupled-up friends.

Caroline Crowther

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A versatile venue

FOCUS ON WEDDINGS

TIPI Events unique tents and venue overlooking the stunning Chew Valley Lake has to be seen to be believed and will make your day unforgettable. No matter the size, from a small intimate gathering with a Michelin Star chef, to an informal rustic hog roast with all of your friends, and plenty in between, they can help.

They offer Stratus 72 and Cirrus 40 Tipis that can come fully equipped with flooring, heating, a variety of furniture and atmospheric lighting, providing you with a beautiful yet versatile canvas to create whatever theme you want.

If you have found your dream location, they can bring the structures and furnishings to you to complete your day. Have a look at their website and download their app to your Ipad, Mac or PC. This will give you an idea of how to lay out your tipi and the sort of space to have to work with before you see the structures themselves.

For more information email info@tipievents.co.uk or phone Jo on 07872482186.

Deck the hall – with bunting

ARE you planning your wedding in a marquee or hall and want to make it look special? Jane Nisbet and Shirley Avis can help.

They both live in Theale near Wedmore and have embarked on a new business hiring out bunting. They have lots of lovely designs in themed colours to match your wedding. Their bunting is double-sided, pretty and they have enough of each to decorate a largish marquee.

They initially want to concentrate on the West Country and in particular Somerset, but will be happy also to hire it to anyone who lives further afield. If you have a wedding approaching and would like to hire well-made competitively priced quality bunting to decorate a hall, marquee or private room, for example, check out their website.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 51

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MENDIP TIMES

FOCUS ON WEDDINGS

Top-class catering

THE summer wedding season is well under way and brides are currently enjoying a good spell of weather for their special day.

Topline Catering have vast experience in catering for all types of events in all sorts of venues and their friendly and relaxed approach to organising a memorable occasion helps reduce the stress and strain that can spoil the excitement of planning your dream wedding.

From the initial enquiry, menu planning, sourcing great local ingredients, service on the day – everything is discussed, arranged and carried out in a slick and professional manner with pleasant and helpful staff ensuring that the event runs smoothly and all guests are properly looked after.

Unique location

Autumn Wedding Exhibitions 2014 Sunday 7th September 2014 Westland’s Leisure Centre, Yeovil, Somerset - 11am - 3pm Sunday 14th September 2014 Somerset Cricket Ground, Taunton - 11am - 3pm Sunday 21st September 2014 Salisbury Racecourse, Salisbury, Wiltshire - 11am - 3pm Sunday 28th September 2014 Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset Sunday 12th October 2014 Holiday Inn, Taunton, Somerset - 11am - 3pm

Wedding Daze Directory will be giving away £300 in vouchers, 2 lucky VIP Brides to Be will each receive £150 in vouchers to spend on the day with the exhibi tors of their choice. The VIP Brides to Be must be at the exhibition at the time of the prize draw to win the £150 in vouchers which can ONLY be used on the day with any of the exhibitors at the event

THE Wellsway is a traditional country pub now open for private functions only. This venue offers a blank canvas to create a bespoke celebration.

Set in the picturesque Chew Valley, The Wellsway has a separate bar, cosy lounge area with log burner and function rooms. The Mendip Room accommodates formal dining for up to 60 people with the main Harptrees Room seating 110.

Alternatively for a more informal reception there is ample space for 200 guests.

The Wellsway is unique because there are no ties to in-house caterers or entertainment and every detail becomes personal and individually tailored to the bride and groom. They think they offer something different, see for yourselves with a no obligation meeting with their wedding planner.

Wedding guide

WEDDING Daze is a directory of professional wedding suppliers, FREE to all brides. They also organise wedding exhibitions covering Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire. For a list of forthcoming exhibitions visit www.weddingdaze.co.uk or email tammy@weddingdaze.co.uk for your FREE admission voucher to any of their exhibitions or find them on Facebook.

Sit back, relax and enjoy your event . . .

Spring Wedding Exhibitions 2015 Sunday 25th January 2015 Westlands Leisure Centre, Somerset - 11am - 3pm Sunday 22nd February 2015 Salisbury Racecourse, Salisbury, Wiltshire 11am - 3pm Sunday 1st March 2015 Somerset Cricket Ground, Taunton, Somerset- 11am - 3pm

PAGE 52 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

• Peace of Mind • Flexibility • Fabulous food • High levels of service • Years of experience Call us all now on 01275 333308 or visit our website @ www.toplinecatering.co.uk

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WILDLIFE

The big, green eating machine

Mendip.

Locally, we have three members of the woodpecker family: the tiny, sparrow-sized and very rare, lesser spotted woodpecker, the larger, but similarly marked, great spotted woodpecker and lastly, the largest of them all, the green woodpecker.

Measuring around 36cm from head to tail, the upper parts are a deep green colour whilst the underparts are a lighter yellow-green. Both sexes have the red cap on the head, but males can be distinguished by the red spot in the middle of the black moustache stripe, which is solid black in females.

Juveniles are much greyer on the underside with black spots on their front and face.

Green woodpeckers do not spend as much time drumming as great spotted woodpeckers, and the sound you are most likely to hear from them is their very distinctive, laughing call. This is a familiar sound in parks and gardens, particularly those which border woodland, as this is a bird of woodland A green woodpecker hunting for ants

A green woodpecker in flight

edge. One of the many old names for this bird is the “Yaffle”, which really describes its call; a series of high notes rapidly descending like a cackling laughing fit.

The reason they live around woodland edges is that they have a very specific diet, ants. Their favourite feeding method is to break into ants’ nests and probe inside with their extremely long, sticky tongues – so long, in fact, that they can actually wrap it around their head!

The classic woodpecker bill is ideal for disturbing the nests and causing the irate ants to rush out in defence of their home where they can be consumed by their hundreds. A study in Romania found that young green woodpeckers

Photography by Chris Sperring

By CHRIS SPERRING MBE

THE green woodpecker – an unmistakable member of the woodpecker family – seems to be having a good year as I am seeing more and more of them when out and about around

were being fed around 49 grammes of ants by their 20th day, and went on to estimate that they each needed to consume 1.5 million ants and their pupae whilst being reared by their parents.

Green woodpeckers are hole-nesters; excavating 40cm deep cavities in dead tree trunks, usually near the top. The commencement of nest construction is one of the iconic sounds of spring for me, when the woodpecker can often be heard hammering away on dead wood.

Up to six white eggs are laid in the nest and, once hatched, the young grow quickly and fledge at just 24 days old.

The green woodpecker is currently given amber status on the list of birds of conservation concern, which means that it has shown some decline or reduction in range in recent decades, but at the moment at least it seems to be doing well.

These shy birds can be seen most often foraging for ants on lawns and pasture. Their call will often alert you to their presence and they have a classic undulating flight pattern. They don’t usually attack bird boxes, like great spotted woodpeckers do, as they are specialist ant feeders and don’t go hunting for eggs or baby birds to eat, although they may sometimes cause damage by drumming on the side of boxes if they find it makes a more conspicuous noise than surrounding trees when trying to impress a potential mate.

Chris Sperring is Conservation Officer for the Hawk and Owl Trust Contact him on 07799 413 918 or via chris.sperring@btinternet.com

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 53

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MENDIP TIMES

Through the hidden valley DISCOVER the breathtaking beauty of a hidden combe on the edge of Wells, an orchard, beautiful woods and fields, and glorious panoramas of Somerset, the Vale of Avalon and the cathedral.

Walking is on good tracks and paths and through fields. After the combe, climb gradually and easily for about 30 minutes. The rest of the walk is flat and downhill. En-route are gates and a few stiles - most of them are fine for dogs.

The combe is part of the estate of Simon Tudway-Quilter who has kindly given permission for the public to visit free from Easter to October, and his stunning terraced formal gardens at Milton Lodge are open for a reasonable fee on certain afternoons (see the end).

You might be able to fit them into the walk or go back at another time.

START: At Bristol Hill Crossroads on the A39 just to the north of Wells at the bottom of Bristol Hill where the Old Bristol Road leads off to Ash Lane. The private entrance to the combe is just a few yards above the crossroads on the left side if you face uphill. Find somewhere suitable to park in Ash Lane, nearby or down in Wells.

Go through the metal gate and immediately come into the quiet, green, shallow combe flanked by a variety of spectacular trees. It is wide and open so the sun is able to shine through. Covering 13 acres it was planted in the 19th

With Sue Gearing PAGE 54 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

century as an orchard and arboretum. It was an extension of the main gardens of the estate but is now rather cut-off after the building of the A39 from 1830. It was developed by Charles Tudway, the greatgrandfather of the current owner Simon Tudway-Quilter. When I came the dramatic Dove or Handkerchief Tree covered in white blossoms (see photo/and sent from China around 1900) looked magnificent.

Continue up a path straight on when the grass ends, going alongside a small stream on your right and along past magnificent ferns and bamboo. Also pass a huge old lime tree. Don’t cross the stream. At the end, go left towards a small wooden hut.

1. ORCHARD And then into the orchard through a gate

with a Conservation Walks sign. The pathway has been mown and leads you passing under a variety of apple trees, where Mendip Times’ own Les Davies has been doing some planting. Further up on the left see a gate onto the lane with the entrance to Milton Lodge Gardens just up the lane a little. If it is at one of the opening times you could visit and then continue the walk, or come back another time. Up ahead is Pen Hill communications mast.

2. WALCOMBE Go out onto a lane at the end through a gate, passing a pink thatched cottage, tucked away - part of Combe House. Turn right on the lane, bend right going by Walcombe Farmhouse and as the lane bends right, take the footpath left. Follow a small streamlet, climbing gently.

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WALKING

3. FIELD Go over a stile by a gate. Head diagaonally up across the field towards the white house at the top and a gate and stile.

4. HILL Turn left on the track and continue the gentle climb up the hill. Stay on the main route all the way. After about 20-25 minutes flatten out.

5. PEN HILL FARM Take the metalled driveway to Pen Hill Farm and enjoy magnificent views across the Vale of Avalon. At a junction, go left still towards the farm. Continue ahead on the path, having passed the farm, heading in the direction of the very visible Glastonbury Tor. Reach a field and follow the left edge.

6. STAG OAK Pass a dramatic dead old oak – a stag head oak – and at this point curve right in the field soon coming parallel with a bank/hedge on the right and heading towards a line of trees ahead. It can be a little wet underfoot in parts. At the end by the trees, go left along the edge and shortly turn right onto a crossing track under trees.

7. NEW CUT Go left down this stony track known as New Cut which becomes sunken later on and leads all the way to the Old Bristol Road near Upper Milton.

8. ROAD Turn right with great care as it is narrow and does carry some traffic. Go uphill for

4 miles, about 2.5 hours walking.

OS Explorer 141, Cheddar Gorge and Mendip Hills West, grid ref: 550461

about three minutes to a right-hand bend and take the first footpath on the left through a gate. Follow the right edge and then go through a kissing gate under an immense beech tree.

9. STEPS Take the steps and then cross the drive which leads to Milton Lodge (private).

Enter a field ahead and as you go straight down there is a memorable view of Wells Cathedral. Go into another field and diagonally left, passing a well-sited seat, and aiming for a gate down on the left side.

Turn right down the last part of the Old Bristol Road, back to Ash Lane and the crossroads where you started.

Milton Lodge Gardens open Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday and Bank Holidays 2pm-5pm or by prior arrangement with groups at other times. Refreshment may be available. Free parking. The garden was designed about 1900 for Charles Tudway and the sloping ground was transformed into architectural terraces, to capitalise on the glorious views of the Cathedral and the Vale of Avalon. £5 adult, children under 14 free. No dogs.

Telephone: 01749 672168. See website: www.miltonlodgegardens.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 55

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OUTDOORS

West Countryman’s Diary

CAN it be true that half the year has already gone? The longest day will have come and gone on June 21st and it only seems a moment ago I was putting the clocks on with the coming of British Summer time.

Ron White of Paywell Farmhouse, high on Mendip, died recently. Many will have With LES known him, but many may not. For me Ron DAVIES MBE epitomised the ‘Mendiper’, he was one of the few men that still had a trace of the Mendip dialect in his speech.

He was a very knowledgeable and practical man, who seemed to be able to do everything. When I was the Mendip Warden, Ron was an indispensable ally who dealt with difficult and awkward jobs with an air of ease and confidence that always put my mind at rest. If Ron was dealing with it there would be no problems!

Sorting out water pipes and troughs, to re-surfacing tracks, Ron with his son Alan (with the digger) did it all. When Tina Bath and I built the pathway through Nether Wood in the Blackmoor Reserve at Charterhouse, it was Ron who repaired and lent us his old dumper, free of charge. He also lent us his tractor saw bench to cut up the wooden rails that edged the pathway.

I would receive his handwritten invoice for a job some period after the work had been completed. These were normally written out when the weather was bad and he couldn’t get out and about to do anything else. He was always there to advise me and help on all matters concerning Mendip, and he smoothed many a set of ruffled feathers to help me out.

From him came the most valuable piece of advice that carried me on to work for myself: “Course see, we don’t work for people we don’t like.” Another Mendiper has gone, bringing home the reality that at some time we must all do the same. Having lost a couple of friends just recently, the view that we all hang by a thread is uppermost in my thoughts.

We should therefore live each day to the full, laugh a lot and talk to each other more. Live each day as if it were your last, but care for the land as if you are going to live forever!

The Royal Bath and West show was, from my perspective, a good one, and this month’s issue of Mendip Times will be carrying photos of those few days. My highlight was to receive the award for outstanding craftsmanship in the cider and orchard sector.

After 46 years of working with apple trees this was without doubt the greatest recognition that I could have received.

There was a Royal presence at the Environmental Youth Award exhibition when Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall presented the prizes to the winning schools in this year’s competition. She was not going to be rushed at all and spent time with each group, keenly listening to what they had to say, and what they hoped to do next.

This year’s winners were from Wiltshire, but as always the judges had great difficulty in choosing the overall champion from such a strong field of entries. If you are part of a youth group, school, or are just a group of friends who have come together with the common aim of improving or enhancing your local environment, please take a look at our website: www.environmentalyouthaward.org It could be your group picking up the prizes next year.

I like to see livestock grazing and crops growing in the fields, so after such a wet start to this year it’s pleasing to see both. The

Flower and me

Somerset Levels appear to have made a good recovery after such a bad time, and I can only hope that the lessons we have been taught are remembered. Just like the Norfolk Broads, this landscape is a product of the human impact on it. It has made it the diverse and interesting area it has become. This is also a place where people live and work.

This may not be the last time we have such weather as we experienced at the beginning of this year, perhaps climate change is starting to make itself known, and we must be prepared to change with it.

It’s a busy place in the countryside at the moment, with the contracting gangs rushing to get one grass cut after another into the silage clamps. There will be a lot of ‘agricultural’ movements on the roads during this busy period, so be safe and be patient.

As I’m writing this month’s contribution an area of high pressure is in control of our weather, giving us that sunshine we long for. June hay is being made in the fields, God is in heaven and all is well with the land. So with all this in mind it really is time to get out and about on the hill or in the valley.

If you are on the hill be aware that there will be ticks in the rough vegetation. It’s been a while since I spoke on this subject, but we all need to take care. A few simple precautions can make the difference: wear long trousers and cover your arms when walking through bracken or rough vegetation. The lighter the colour the better, as you can spot the little critters hitching a ride.

Stop and check frequently so that you can brush them off if you spot any, and don’t forget to do a body check at the end of the day when you have a shower. These little suckers love the soft southern parts of the human anatomy but will crawl around for quite a while before they decide to have a go at you.

Don’t forget the dog either – they will be at greater risk than you as they brush up against the vegetation. Ears and noses are the favorite spots of attachment here. If you do find one of these unwanted companions about your person, use a pair of tweezers to gently ease it out. Never use anything to burn it off, as this will just lead to the creature exploding its gut into you. Not nice to hear I know, but we all need to be aware. There is plenty of advice to be found on the ‘net’ that will help you, and if you have concerns over a tick bite seek some medical advice.

This month’s photo is one from my archive collection. June 1956 and I’m holding Flower as she waits to be harnessed ready for haymaking. Real horse power, and such a long time ago!

You can always contact me through my website: Westcountryman.co.uk

PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

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The cutting garden

ON a recent visit to the gardens of Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons (including the most expensive cup of coffee on the planet!) I was astonished to find that they did not attempt to grow their own cut flowers, but imported most of them from Holland.

With MARY The vegetable garden was orderly but PAYNE MBE could have been much more productive at this time of year leaving ample space to grow their own cut flowers. It always seems a shame to cut flowers from our borders unless there are ample without spoiling the display.

With a little thought, flowers for cutting can be blooming virtually all year round. December and January are perhaps the hardest to accomplish, but a few sprigs of Christmas Box (Sarcococca) with some snowdrops will suffice. February and March are easily filled with daffodils of various varieties. A bag of mixed bulbs is ideal for this purpose and planted across a vegetable plot will give a succession of flowers.

These can be followed by a similar mixed bag of tulips.

Plant up an odd corner in the autumn with some anemone tubers, but soak them overnight in a shallow plate of water before planting. They will produce their vibrant coloured flowers over a prolonged period in spring. An autumn sowing, direct into the ground, of pot marigolds (Calendula) using a taller variety such as ‘Orange King’ and cornflowers will produce an early crop of flowers in late June if the winter is kind.

Many hardy annuals can be sown direct into the ground in rows in spring to provide a cheap and easy source of flowers for cutting. An easy annual that has recently become popular is the Bishop Flower (Ammi majus). The flower head is akin to cow parsley, but much more sophisticated, and is delightful even when not fully open giving it a good vase life.

Orlaya grandiflora is another annual cow parsley relative. It is much shorter than Ammi and the flowers heads resemble paper cake doilies. Cosmos will flower for many weeks if kept dead headed. I prefer the Sonata Series as they are shorter growing but for longer stems grow Sensation.

Sweet peas are an obvious choice with a huge range of colours to choose from. Select a strong scented variety. Sadly the strongest scent comes from the smaller flowered oldfashioned variety ‘Matucana’, but the stems are rather short.

Sunflowers are easy to grow and make excellent cut blooms.

Select the multi-headed varieties such as the creamy flowered ‘Valentine’ or ‘The Bees Knees’. The latter variety is pollen free (it doesn’t seem very fair on the bees!) but has been selected as an ideal cut flower.

Rudbeckia ‘Cappuchino’ can easily be grown as an annual and rewards with mass of orange/brown shaded flowers with good stems. They may even overwinter if it is mild. The perennial rudbeckias are also valuable for late summer both as cut flowers and in a border.

Perennials can also be grown specifically for cutting.

Alstroemeria flowers last particularly well in water and now come in a wide range of heights and colours. When picking do not cut the stem, instead twist and pull it out of the ground.

This encourages more flowering stems to be produced.

As autumn approaches Michaelmas daisies have their day followed by chrysanthemums. The hardy chrysanthemums are PAGE 58 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Calendula 'Orange King'

ideal and can be left in the ground to bloom year after year.

One of the most useful flowers for filling spaces in arrangements has to be Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla) but I expect most folk have more trouble keeping this plant under control so have no need to grow it specially for cutting.

For large floral displays some tall stately blooms may be required. Delphiniums are magnificent for this purpose and could be grown in a row for cutting. The stems are hollow so fill them with water after cutting, and plug the end with a blob of cotton wool before using in your arrangement. Gladiolus are also useful and come in a wide range of colours and sizes.

If a few corms are planted every couple of weeks or so, from April onwards, they will bloom in succession.

You may wonder why I have not mentioned lilies. This is because they may well be ravaged by the red lily beetle but also because the pollen of lilies is very poisonous to cats.

There are pollen free varieties available now but not lily beetle resistant varieties.

Whilst growing some flowers for cutting why not try growing a few to eat. Edible flowers are very trendy in the top restaurants these days. Calendula petals will add colour to a salad along with nasturtium flowers and leaves. The star-like blue flowers of borage are a staple ingredient of Pimms but could also be added to a summer punch.

Flowers of lavender can be added to a shortbread adding a real touch of summer. Try freezing edible flowers in ice cubes and adding to summer drinks. The tiny Hearts Ease (Viola tricolor) would be ideal. The flower heads of chives add colour and a gentle onion flavour to salads. Even the flowers of day lilies (Hemerocallis) can be eaten, perhaps adding them to a stir fry. The scented leaves of pelargoniums have long been used to flavour sponges, but the flowers can also be used and would make an attractive decoration.

Finally, it is the season of village flower shows. Please try to support these events by entering as many classes as you can.

Whether it is fruit, flowers or vegetables; cookery, flower arranging or arts and crafts there is bound to be a class to suit you. The more folk enter the better the show for those who visit and view the exhibits.

Stanton Drew Flower Show is on Saturday, July 19th in the village hall, marquee and church. Support your own village or show or come along and support ours.

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J U LY G A R D E N T I P S

G It is time to sow winter flowering pansies, primrose and polyanthus. All are best sown in seed compost in seed trays. Cover the pansies with ¼” of compost but cover the others with cling film and put them in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks before bringing them out into a cool place to germinate. All these plants germinate best if kept cool.

G It is also time to sow your wallflowers; these are sown thinly into a prepared seedbed (water well before sowing) outside, prior to lifting and planting out in the autumn.

G Remove the dead flowers from tall perennials such as delphiniums, lupins and foxgloves. This will encourage them to flower again this year.

G Fill any gaps in your borders and pots with plants that provide instant colour.

G If you are having a few friends around for a party in the garden brighten the place up with a few extra planted pots!

G Some perennials such as Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) can be too successful and may seed themselves everywhere. To limit their spread, remove the flowers as soon as they fade so that seeds cannot form.

G Stake sunflowers and other tall plants.

G Check susceptible varieties of plants for vine weevil damage. Half-circle notches out of the edges of leaves are common at this time of the year and are caused by the adult insects.

Courtesy Cleeve Nursery

GARDENING

Cleeve Nursery & Box Tree Café Your Independent Garden Centre with great advice and home grown plants!

Cleeve Nursery & Box Tree Café, Cleeve, Bristol BS49 4PW Tel 01934 832134 Email info@cleevenursery.co.uk cleevenursery.co.uk/blog/ www.cleevenursery.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 59

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MENDIP TIMES

Temple Cloud offers flood support

NOT only has the Temple Cloud in Bloom committee been planting flowers and sowing seed all over the village, as part of the Royal Horticultural South West in Bloom award Growing for Gold 50th anniversary, but they have been helping the flood victims on the Somerset Levels by planting seeds for them.

Pictured (left to right) are Sandra Blair, Sue Moysey, Beccy Angell, Cathy Gray, Lin Paul and Mike Dean.

CONTRACT GRASS CUTTING GARDENING LANDSCAPING TREE SURGERY COMMERCIAL & DOMESTIC FENCING SEASONED HARDWOOD LOGS COMPOST, MULCHES & BARK DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL FREE QUOTATIONS & ADVICE

PAGE 60 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

NGS GARDEN OF THE MONTH

East Burford House

WHY not enjoy a day out visiting East Burford House Gardens near Wells? It is an old house set in an unspoilt Mendip valley with a large walled formal garden and an informal wild garden surrounding it. Its garden and woodland of three acres have 14 different habitats and are full of surprises.

The walled garden combines traditional elements – large herbaceous border, clipped yews, rock and herb gardens – with more contemporary ideas – the Islamic ‘Paradise’ garden with citrus trees, red scaffolding for the wisteria pergola, a cactus garden, water rills and a canal and raised strawberry and vegetable beds.

The wild garden is informal and has wide views over the surrounding valley. Its focus is the lake with pier, beach, and pagoda. Around it there are a gravel garden, a traditional wild garden cut by mown grass paths, prairie planting, willow walk, bog garden and woodland walk, all with a lot of stone and metal sculptures.

Many plants will be in flower or with good leaf colour in July – climbing and tea roses, luxuriant hosta, bamboo clumps, interesting grasses, saucer clematis, colourful salvias, orange and lemon trees, herbaceous plants, bright annuals and warm Mediterranean sun-loving plants.

Every gardener experiences their full share of triumphs and disasters. At East Burford House the disasters include the garden flood that knocked down 100 feet of six-foot wall and the wind that blew down the stone pillared pergola. The triumphs include the unexpected wonderful vistas – as of the pagoda’s reflection seen from across the lake, and some unusual foreign plants such as Chilean Flame Bush (Embothrium coccineum) which is hardy with us.

NGS opening details: Sunday July 13th and Monday 14th, 11am to 5pm. Also by appointment during July.

Admission: £4, children free Contact Information: Christopher and Lindsay Bond 01749 890352, bondchristopher@btconnect.com Address and Postcode: Summer Hill Lane, West Compton, Pilton, Shepton Mallet BA4 4PA. Other Gardens Open for the NGS To see more gardens open for the NGS, see The Yellow Book, or Local County Leaflet, soon to be available from local Garden Centres. Or go to: http://www.ngs.org.uk

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GARDENING

Growers and purveyors of the finest hardy perennials, shrubs, trees, climbers, exotics and specimens The winners of two prestigious awards at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, ‘The Herbs’ will be spending the summer in Midsomer Norton’s Hollies Gardens and will now form part of the town’s South West in Bloom entry.

Wrington Road, Congresbury BS49 5AN Tel: 01934 876337 www.middlecombenursery.co.uk

Timberwork Buildings Bespoke buildings to suit you We specialise in the manufacture of quality standard and bespoke garden buildings to suit your individual needs including:-

WORKSHOPS/GARAGES

GARDEN SHEDS

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Let our dedicated team assist you in your choice whatever your budget . . . Full design, installation and delivery service available – customise your shed to suit your needs We also do: Chicken Houses • Dog Kennels • Bin & Log Stores YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT US AND SEE OUR SHOW MODELS – OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK THE TIMBERYARD • SHUTE SHELVE • CROSS • NEAR AXBRIDGE

Tel: 01934 732 396 • www.timberworkbuildings.co.uk • e.mail: timberbuildings@aol.com MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 61

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MENDIP TIMES

GARDENING

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NURSERY

Stump Grinding and Wood Chipping Services throughout the South West

MASBURY, NR. WELLS, SOMERSET BA5 3HA TEL: 01749 841014 FAX: 01749 841055 www.rockymountainnursery.co.uk

COME & SEE OUR FINE RANGE OF FRUIT TREES, SHRUBS, GERANIUMS & FUCHSIAS

See our website at www.groundlevelcontractors.co.uk or e-mail us at info@groundlevelcontractors.co.uk Prefer to talk to us?

Tel: 01934 710135 • Mob: 07799 014639

Visit our ROCK CAKE CAFE

Lowarth Garden and Landscape Design

Serving breakfast, lunch & afternoon tea Saturday 30th August

Chelsea Flower Show Silver Gilt medal winner

< Beautiful, practical gardens < Inspiring planting < High quality hard landscaping < Treehouses and other structures < We aim to exceed your

in the Show Marquee St. Mary’s Field, Hutton 8pm to Midnight

Browse around JAMES STORE Large stock of HOME BREW PRODUCTS + many other bargains

Tickets £12 – Tel: Graham 01934 204529 or 07887 538146

See our website for more details www.rockymountainnursery.co.uk

Supported by The Bula Bula Big Band

expectations Please contact us to arrange a free consultation Alistair Barlow Mobile: 07971 264261 Tel: 01373 812031 Website: www.lowarth.com

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MIDSOMER NORTON

Family event is so precious

THE Centurion Hotel at Westfield, near Midsomer Norton, is once again supporting the local charity Time is Precious which is holding its annual fun day there on Sunday, July 6th.

With free entry and a guest appearance by former boy band hero and television celebrity Dane Bowers, who will open the event, the Time is Precious Family Fun Day is now established as a great afternoon out.

Time is Precious was set up by Neil and Nicky Halford, of Coleford, in memory of their son Ben and the Centurion Hotel has been on of its biggest supporters.

Dane Powers will open the event at 12.30pm and the afternoon offers something for everyone, from a chance to meet Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Sponge Bob Square Pants – from www.charactersforyou.co.uk – to craft stalls and displays by local organisations.

Some of the team – including Ben’s parents Neil and Nicky – who organised last year’s fun day at the Centurion

Ben Halford was just a toddler when he died from brain cancer in October 2010. The charity aims support not just those children who, because of illness or disability, find themselves in hospital for treatment but their families who want to be with them. Its aim is to help provide the hospitals where Ben received his care with the equipment and facilities to make life a bit more bearable

for young patients and their families. The charity has also recently extended its work to Yeovil District Hospital.

The Centurion Hotel – and parent company L&F Jones Holdings – has been supporting the charity for several years by hosting the fun day as well as a charity cycle ride on Sunday, October 12th and an annual black tie ball, on Saturday, October 25th.

For more information about Time is Precious, visit: www.timeisprecious.org

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 63

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A town together – Midsomer Norton prepares to party A COMMUNITY festival on Saturday, July 12th will see the many businesses, groups and organisations in Midsomer Norton come together to showcase the very best the town has to offer.

Under the banner of the Midsomer Norton Fayre, events will include a maypole festival, skate jam, town show, art exhibition, community stalls and much more. The celebrations have been organised by the Midsomer Norton Community Trust with the support of the town council.

The centre of the event will be the Skate and Adventure Play Park in Gullock Tyning – but there will be other activities going on around the town ranging from a duck race on the River Somer which passes through the town centre to the Big Gig at Midsomer Norton Rugby Club.

Midsomer Norton’s schools and community groups will be taking part in a Midsomer Maypole Festival. Five maypoles were purchased with the support of local Bath and North East Somerset councillors and loaned out to groups in the town wishing to learn to dance and for months local children have been preparing for the competition on July 12th.

Mayor Paul Myers said: “I’ve always been fascinated by maypole dancing. Not only is it great fun, it’s a great way to get people exercising and it symbolises for me how a community can come together. It would be fantastic if we

could establish maypole dancing as a regular part of Midsomer Norton Fayre Day. I’m hoping to see my fellow town councillors form a team and take up a set of ribbons on the day as this is an activity for people of all ages.”

With one of the best skate parks in the country, the Manic Skaterz will be organising a skate jam beginning with registration and music at 12 noon. Competitions will begin from 1pm until prize giving at 4pm.

The Town Show will be housed in a 720 square metre marquee at Gullock Tyning, with five main sections and 24 competitive classes. Jenny Hillman, chair of the community trust’s Town Show organising committee, said: “Overall the aim is to encourage as many people as possible to take part to celebrate the varied creative skills of local people. With over 1,500 entry forms having been printed it will be easy to enter one or more of the show sections. There will be a range of trophies, one for each of the five main sections and the Town Show Trophy for the person winning the most points overall. In addition, there will be a Children’s Trophy and a Schools Trophy presented to the Midsomer Norton School with the highest number of points.”

Copies of the entry form are available from the Town Hall, Midsomer Norton Library or online at www.midsomernortoncommunitytrust.co.uk

Any groups or schools interested in taking part should contact Community Development Manager Alex Davis on 01761 419133 or visit: www.midsomernortoncommunitytrust.co.uk

Nature reserve gains MIDSOMER NORTON FAYRE new support Saturday 12th July 2014 12noon-5pm e Town Show – Live Music – Victoriana Tea Rooms Maypole Festival – Art Exhibition – Duck Race Skate Jam – Adventure Play Park – e Big Gig For more information: 01761 419133 www.midsomernortoncommunitytrust.co.uk

Midsomer Norton Fayre sponsored by:

Flowers and arrangements for all occasions: from birthdays and weddings to corporate events and office displays – and not forgetting those special days of the year.

109c High Street, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2DA email: enquiries@millerashmanflowers.co.uk www.millerashmanflowers.co.uk Tel: +44 01761 417779

On e ird Saturday Of Every Month At “e Hollies Gardens”, Midsomer Norton High Street. 8am-4pm.

Vintage fashion, crockery, furniture, ephemera and a whole lot more.

Next market, Saturday, July 19th!

For more information or to book a stall, please contact us on: 07840 858549 Sponsored by Midsomer Norton Town Council

PAGE 64 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

MIDSOMER Norton’s Silver Street Local Nature Reserve was chosen by a company from Bath as the location for its annual community challenge for The springhead and new footpath at Silver staff.

Street Nature Reserve A group of 45 volunteers from BMT Isis safety and environmental consultants spent a day at the reserve, targeting three areas: levelling the area by the pond and laying chippings and turf and installing a table and seating and steps; made a fire pit with seating at the camp fire site and carried out work to the pathway.

The reserve is cared for by the Friends of Silver Street Local Nature Reserve who organise weekly work parties on the site. The friends have announced that the formal opening of the restored springhead and pathway will take place on Saturday, September 6th at 11am.

Before then, the friends are planning a series of events at the reserve, including a botany walk on Wednesday, July 2nd at 7pm. The group’s annual general meeting will be held on Monday, July 7th at The Hollies.

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Community Trust celebrates first year

THE Midsomer Norton Community Trust is celebrating the first anniversary of its launch and it is interesting to see how much has been achieved in its efforts to encourage community in the area.

Probably the most visible achievement has been the 70-plus events run by the trust at various venues within the town attracting visits from more than 3,000 people. A range of live music performances have been complemented by 30 cinema screenings at the Town Hall. These range from unique opportunities to see classics such as It’s A Wonderful Life on the big screen to the biggest blockbuster films of the last 12 months such as Despicable Me 2, Frozen, Gravity and 12 Years A Slave.

This has all been managed by the original steering group formed of volunteers which has developed into a dedicated board of trustees. They work alongside Alex Davis, the Community Development Manager, to tackle the challenges of managing community buildings and developing the range of events that it offer people in the town and surrounding areas.

Paul Myers, the mayor of Midsomer Norton, said: “More and more people in our town know what’s going on thanks to a promotional campaign based on a combination of a membership scheme, use of social media and the new app alongside traditional posters and mailers. In this way the trust has been able to ensure that ever increasing audience of all ages is aware of what’s going on and so can join in Midsomer Norton’s vibrant community life.”

Flower company flourishing

SINCE relocating from the top of Midsomer Norton High Street to the town centre in 2012, the team at the Miller Ashman Flower Company has seen a big increase in the number of Shirley Ashman (centre) with Leila Perham customers calling (left) and Tracey Bradley in.

Led by Shirley Ashman, the company has recently acquired some of the regular clients of the town’s Bluebells florists which closed in the spring.

The Miller Ashman Flower Company was launched in 2003 by Shirley, a former civil servant, and her business partner Alison Miller. It offers flowers and arrangements for all occasions – from celebrations to sympathy bouquets – as well as corporate events and office displays. Same day local deliveries are available in the immediate area and to places such as Shepton Mallet, Wells, Frome, Bath and Paulton; national and international deliveries can also be arranged.

Shirley, who studied floristry for two years at Bath College, said: “We pride ourselves on offering proper customer service in a friendly environment and I am lucky to have such a reliable team.”

MIDSOMER NORTON One of Midsomer Norton’s monthly vintage markets underway at The Hollies Gardens

There has also been investment in new facilities ranging from the newly installed top of the range HD projection and surround sound facilities at the Town Hall to the purchase of market stall umbrellas for use at town markets and community events managed by the Trust.

Paul added: “Add to this the installation of a function bar at the town hall to support the arts programme sponsored by B&NES Arts Team and the Town Council then all looks set for a bigger and better than ever before arts season over the coming year.

“The only thing that still remains to be solved is the transfer of community assets from B&NES to the Town Council. Let’s hope this can be speedily resolved in the coming months so that the Community Trust can come into its own.”

Picture framer on song at Open Farm Sunday

AN acoustic guitar resting on a sofa in the gallery area of Swan Artworks in Midsomer Norton is a sign that Tony Osborne, who runs the business with wife Carrie, has another string to his bow.

Tony is an enthusiastic musician who can often be seen performing around the area. At Easter, he could be found playing with an impromptu blues band at the mini Mells Festival Day. And visitors to Fosse Farm at Stratton-on-the-Fosse for Open Farm Sunday were treated to a performance by Tony and his regular music partner, singer Wendy McKinley.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 65

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Village history project

A LOCAL history project has been started in Weare and 30 people attended the first meeting, many of them interested in discovering the age and history of their house.

The parish of Weare is two miles from Axbridge and contains Upper Weare, which had many farms and trades that supplied agriculture, blacksmiths, basket makers, drovers and carters. Tracing the age of these farms and cottages will take a great deal of detective work but all those involved say they hope this will reveal an interesting past.

Already much searching in files and old boxes stored in lofts has revealed some details, with a few houses found to be older than first thought. The Victorian extension of one house put the owner in a

debtor court! Many more stories are waiting to be discovered.

The parish also contains Lower Weare, with houses that lined the old Turnpike road, now the A38.

We already know that Lower Weare was granted a weekly market and a yearly fair in 1271 by Henry III. This busy village was served by a roadway to a

Treasure in Compton Martin

THERE’LL be buried treasure in Compton Martin on Saturday, July 12th, when Compton Martin History Society hosts a visit of the famous Roman Baths’ Beau Street hoard.

The unique discovery of 17,577 Roman silver coins was found by archaeologists on the site of the new Gainsborough Hotel in Beau Street, Bath in 2007.

Bath & North East Somerset Council’s Roman Baths have acquired the hoard and a huge project, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, is now taking place to record and photograph all the coins before putting the hoard on display in the museum.

To ensure as many people as possible get to see and hold some of the coins, the Roman Baths team are taking the coins out of Bath in a series of roadshows to communities around the region.

In Compton Martin, there will be illustrated talks at about 11am and 2pm and visitors will be able to handle coins from the hoard, mint their own replicas to take home, and take part in other other activities. The exhibition is from 10am-3pm.

PAGE 66 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

river port near to the village of Cross. As we gather confidence and information we will be able to journey further back into history.

Those who lived in Weare in the past are recorded in parish records and census; families such as the Days and Hams are so numerous that it will take time to sort out who was who. At the first meeting someone brought along a photograph of Ivan Day who went off to serve his country in WW1 and died at the training camp in Wiltshire.

It is planned that the information will be a resource for those interested in these two villages now and into the future.

Some of the information we have already has been put on the village website www.wearevillage.co.uk If anyone has photographs of Upper or Lower Weare, their houses, farms, working life and the people who lived here in the past Weare History Project would be pleased to know.

Margaret Jordan 01934 732451

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HISTORY

Can you help?

ALAN Readhead, the youngest son of William Kell Readhead, a mathematics teacher at Midsomer Norton County School during WW2, is trying to find out more about his father’s war service.

He knows his father served in the RAF Volunteer Reserve Training Branch and taught mathematics to ATC Cadets. In this group photograph, he is the second from the right of the four instructors in the centre of the front row – but can any of our readers help identify the other men in the photograph?

In addition to his service in the RAF Volunteer Reserve, Mr Readhead also served in the Midsomer Norton Company of the Somerset Home Guard.

Sadly, no known group photograph of that company exists.

However, it may be that one of our readers can help Mr Readhead track one down. If you can help with information

about ATC Flight 756 of the Midsomer Norton County School or the Midsomer Norton Company of the Somerset Home Guard, he would be delighted to hear from you.

Details: alan.readhead@btinternet.com or telephone 01394 386047.

D-Day mission

FARMER, Jeff Coles, and his friend, Stan Harding, travelled to France for the D-Day Anniversary commemorations in Jeff’s newly-restored 1941 AEC Matador. Designed as an artillery tractor, it has a 7.7 litre engine, a top speed of 30mph, 60ft turning circle and does about nine miles to the gallon.

The roar of its engine had heads turning wherever they went and their appearance was warmly welcomed by the crowds that gathered not only at the landing beaches, but also at Pegasus Bridge, Arromanches and by the war veterans themselves.

Jeff, who farms at White Ox Mead, near Wellow, had previously restored vintage tractors before buying two mighty Matadors from Edwin Swift of Beckington. He’s working on one of them himself, but sent the other to professional restorers to make sure it was ready for the journey to France.

Jeff said: “After the war a lot of them were used for recovery work or forestry. This one in particular had been used within the forestry industry. Eventually after serious engine problems it was laid up and was in what I would call hedgerow condition. It’s back to its original specification now, even down to the ash frame supporting the cab.

“It arrived back on May 31st and I’d only really driven it as far as Odd Down to get diesel before we set off for the ferry at Portsmouth on the Wednesday.”

On the way they were joined by two other Matadors, one owned by Phil Bennett and his wife Laura from Gillingham, the other by Gordon Fry and Richard Mainstone, from Bruton. They were the only three Matadors among all the other vintage vehicles that the group had seen all week.

Jeff said: “After

Jeff Coles (left) and Stan Harding

the ceremony on June 6th we drove them on to Gold Beach and to see them there on the 70th anniversary of D-Day was very moving, just trying to imagine what these young men had gone through. Among the veterans I spoke to was one American in a wheelchair. I said ‘thank you for giving us our freedom’.

“He said ‘it was no problem – no problem at all’. I hope our being there was a way of thanking all of them for what they did. It was humbling.”

Stan, a former Grenadier Guardsman, said: “On the way down to Pegasus Bridge, the sight of three Matadors caused quite a stir. It was an unforgettable experience.”

The two men have been friends since childhood. Stan is a plasterer and lives in Peasedown St. John. Jeff’s family have farmed in the area for three generations. He and his wife Lisa have three children, Henry, aged 20, George, aged 17, and Hannah, aged 13.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 67

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MENDIP TIMES

Coleford’s community hub

WORK is underway to create a new community hub for Coleford to make a wider range of public services available to people living locally.

The hub will be run by a new village social enterprise, which aims to bring a range of community facilities, including sports clubs and a café, to the village. It will also house Coleford’s youth club. The building will be available for local groups and individuals to hire and will act as a new meeting place for the village and surrounding areas.

The hub is being created at the old school building in Church Street and is the result of a partnership between Mendip District Council and the Coleford Parish Plan group, working in collaboration with community groups and other public agencies.

The hub will open later this year.

Local residents teamed up with contractors Willmott Dixon to give the building a much needed facelift and Willmott Dixon has carried out renovation works at no cost to the village. New toilets have been installed and the building has been given a new coat of paint.

Willmott Dixon is currently working on the new Shape Mendip public services hub in Shepton Mallet and offered to help with the Coleford project as part of their community engagement programme.

Local ward councillor Val Horler, who has been involved with the youth club for 15 years, said: “This is fantastic news. After years of worry about whether the youth club would survive in this rural village, its future is now more secure. I would like to personally thank Willmott Dixon for their generous help with this project.”

Meanwhile, Frome Town Council has agreed to acquire one of the town’s iconic buildings to create its own community hub.

It is expected that the transfer of the Public Offices on Christchurch Street West from Somerset County Council to the town council will take place over the summer. The hub could be

Community café boosts church

THE first Stanton Drew Community Café was a huge success, with around 100 people spending a couple of hours in the parish church catching up with neighbours and friends, and meeting new faces from around the village.

Church secretary, Anne Bennett, said: “Work to install the new toilet and kitchen facilities in the church has made this possible, and the vicar and PCC are keen to see the building used as a community resource for the benefit of the village.

“This is a true community venture, and there are lots of opportunities to be involved, be it posting leaflets, putting up notices, making cakes, helping run

Some of the team working on renovating the old school building in Coleford

open by June next year.

Mel Usher, leader of the town council said: “This is an exciting opportunity for the town that we have grabbed with both hands. It chimes with the enthusiasm and determination we see in the community and will provide a vibrant 24/7 place to meet for the town as a whole. We shall be talking to as many local small businesses and voluntary and charitable groups as possible and we shall be asking some truly imaginative local professionals to help us all to design the interior and make this iconic building a really special place.”

He added: “I can’t stress too much that even though the town council will relocate there this building is for the town to use.

Indeed it will be a town hall in its original sense. Once the deal is done we will look to transferring the building into a trust to make sure that it stays part of the town in perpetuity.”

(left to right): Chris Seaton, Caroline Pushman, Karen Lyne, Judith Chubb-Whittle and Andy Spooner serving refreshments

the cafe, or selling your own excess produce or home-made cakes or crafts.

We’d love to hear from anyone who wants to help.”

Details: Karen Lyne, 01275 333704 karenlyne@me.com or Anne Bennett, 01275 332778.

PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

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COMMUNITY

Doing your bit

ELSEWHERE in this issue of Mendip Times, you’ll see photographs from the D-Day celebrations in Stoke St. Michael, near Shepton Mallet.

I am told it was a very special day, with veteran service personnel mixing happily with young people, telling them about their

By SIMON experiences. Amongst those young people SELBY were cadets from the armed forces. It is poignant to remember that many of those who saw action in the Normandy Landings were only just a few years older at the time than the young people they met in Stoke.

The Mendip area has always had a proud military tradition, linked in the old days to the Somerset Light Infantry. Many Mendip towns such as Frome and Shepton Mallet will be remembering its heroes from the First World War with special services on Sunday, August 4th. Many will have fond memories of local heroes such as Harry Patch, but what they may not appreciate is just how many locals are still doing their bit.

Whilst Harry was a regular soldier, through necessity, there is an ever-increasing need and opportunity for reserve personnel in all the branches of Her Majesties Armed Forces. Indeed, while serving with the police in Wells, several of our officers were in what was then called the Territorial Army, including one of our sergeants who was referred to by most of us as Captain Darling (if you remember Blackadder) until the military went and spoilt it by promoting him, thereafter to be known as Major Disaster!

Anyway, even in those days their employer (and mine) supported their need to go off training and occasionally even the odd trip overseas. Nowadays, with the cutbacks in full time personnel – the Ministry of Defence announced just recently the last tranche of job losses in its Strategic Defence Review – the need for reserve forces is even greater. I think I am right in saying they are trying to attract somewhere in the region of 9,000 new recruits.

Sadly, I’m now too old or I would jump at the chance, especially as I have quite a few friends locally who have been active. Indeed readers will probable know several them, perhaps

Honoured – Simon Davies, the former Mayor of Wells.

including the former Mayor of Wells, Simon Davies. Simon is now very active helping to run the naval reserve recruitment locally. He’s even just been awarded a medal, the Operational Service Medal for his work in Dubai taking part in Royal Navy anti-piracy operations.

If you want to join the growing numbers of this generation’s local heroes here’s how; may I suggest you check out the website http://www.army.mod.uk/join/ or chat to an advisor on: 0845 600 8080.

By the way, did you know that the iconic recruitment image of Lord Kitchener was inspired by artist Alfred Leete, whose family settled in Weston-Super-Mare? By the age of 32 when the First World War started, Alfred was established in London as one of the best commercial artists around. On September 5th, 1914, Alfred’s drawing of General Kitchener featured on the front of The London Opinion magazine with the words “Your Country Needs You”.

This image was later adapted into an unofficial recruiting poster by the magazine with the words: “Britons [Kitchener] Needs You”.

Albert is featured in an exhibition at an exhibition titled “Five Lives, Five Stories: North Somerset People and the First World War” at Weston-super-Mare Museum in Burlington Street. The exhibition runs until December.

Mayor is fair when it comes to Frome A FROME-based charity set up to provide practical help and support for those struggling in the wake of benefit cuts or on low incomes has been chosen by the recently-installed new mayor of Frome as one of his chosen charities for the coming year.

Peter Macfadyen says he is committed to tackling issues of inequality alongside the charity which has welcomed Bob Ashford as its new chair alongside an expanded team of trustees. Bob is a previous mayor of Frome and has lived in the town with his family for almost 30 years. For most of his career he has worked with disadvantaged children and

families locally and nationally, and has a valuable wealth of knowledge and experience in front line services to drive the charity forward. Working in partnership with other organisations in the town and directly with disadvantaged families, Fair Frome has already hit the ground running and established the Kitchen Pack Scheme and has been working closely with the Warminster and District Food Bank.

In the next few months Fair Frome will establish a Frome-based food bank widening take-up and distribution and introducing new initiatives alongside it, such as fresh food distribution, free

community dining events and other practical schemes to offer real support to people in need.

Bob said: “For many people Frome is a success story. Low unemployment, a thriving arts and social scene and a vibrant town centre have made Frome an attractive and great place to live.

Alongside this, though, are many individuals and families who are struggling to make ends meet and pockets of real deprivation. Cuts in welfare benefits, low incomes, zero or low hours contracts are having a real impact on too many families and we are in danger of creating a two–tiered town.”

To find out more about Fair Frome, e-mail: info@fairfrome.org or find them on: Facebook/Fair-Frome

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 69

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MENDIP TIMES

How to get the most from your GP – part one

By Dr PHIL HAMMOND

THE NHS is desperately short of GPs, especially in cities, and just getting to see any GP is tough enough. BANES has the best access to GPs in the NHS but even then you only have ten minutes to talk about what matters to you most – and is sometimes embarrassing or scary – with a doctor you may never have seen before. So how can you improve your odds of getting the right care, right first time?

1. Can I sort it out myself?

If you know where to look, the internet gives you the same advice a GP, nurse or pharmacist will give you much faster and without the hassle of finding somewhere to park. Brilliant sites for checking out your symptoms and what to do to care for yourself include www.patient.co.uk and www.nhs.uk. Most ailments (coughs, colds, ear aches, skin rashes, aches and sprains) get better in time, even without treatment

2. Can I get the drugs I need without a prescription?

Often you can. Your supermarket sells drugs off the shelf that are on the General Sales List (eg painkillers) and your pharmacist can sell you a lot of stronger ‘P list’ medications after a consultation to check they’re right for you.

Antibiotic drops for conjunctivitis, emergency contraception, all sorts of thrush treatments and strong drugs to stop stomach acid are all available without the need for a prescription. If you get your prescriptions free and don’t want to pay, your pharmacist may run a minor ailment scheme, that gives you a consultation and a free prescription that your GP signs off later.

3. Is the practice nurse a better bet?

Practice nurses are now in charge of most of the long-standing diseases (eg high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, depression), they do immunisations, health checks, contraception and stop-smoking advice. They can also offer you help to monitor illnesses on your own at home using devices that send data via your computer or mobile phone and save you a trip to the surgery. You can also get text reminders to measure your blood sugar, take your tablets and get updates on blood results and investigations without going to the surgery.

4. Can I sort it over the phone?

Many people need some advice but not necessarily a consultation, and most GP practices offer phone consultations, or a call back service that sorts out half the problems then and there (hint: make sure the practice has an up to date number to call you back on). Some GPs use Skype too.

5. Gather your own notes If you have a complicated history and are having to see lots of doctors who don’t know you, make sure you know your medical story, drugs, investigations and diagnosis. You are allowed to see and copy your medical records (www.nhs.uk tells you how), and you should gather copies of all the letters written about you as they go to and from hospital or community clinics. Think ‘nothing about me, without me’. The more you know about your care, the more likely you can keep it on track and stop mistakes.

This is an extract from Dr Phil’s new book Staying Alive – How To Survive The NHS – more next month. Dr Phil’s Saturday Surgery is on BBC Radio Bristol every Saturday morning from 9am–12 noon

PAGE 70 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

A cultural feast

YOUNGEST son has been learning about different cultures. Part of his quest involves cooking up an Indian feast. We spend one Friday evening making chicken madras served with poppadoms, spinach and rice.

He shows us his Indian dance moves and we take a photo of the dancing and the food (as proof that he did his homework) before we tuck in.

Meanwhile, middle child is learning about Islam. This involves inventing a board game that teaches the players everything they need to know about the five pillars of Islam.

Middle child puts a lot of effort into her game, writing out the cards and questions and finding interesting ways to move the players around the board.

At one point we seem to get stuck in an endless loop answering the same questions but this does not detract from the success of the game.

Granny, on the other hand, appreciates some high culture. So we visit an art gallery, strolling along the Embankment, admiring the architecture of the London skyline and enjoying Pimms, street-food and bookstalls before joining the children’s uncle. He whisks youngest son away to do some charcoal drawing while Granny, middle child and I amble round an exhibition with our audio-guides.

This is all a far cry from the country show they visit with Mendip Dad. “What exactly do they do there?” asks a bewildered, towndwelling Granny. They recount tales from their day enthusiastically. Part of the fun is being entertained by some highly trained police dogs who demonstrate their vicious moves on their dog handlers. This makes quite an impression on the children. Then there are the stunt bikes and the delicious west-country sausages.

All this is topped off with a visit to the agricultural stalls. While this might not sound like the most interesting part of the fair, as I explain to Granny later, youngest son was particularly excited by the bulls and the chickens that appeared to be sporting Mohican hairstyles; describing them as “epic” and “awesome”.

As I sit down to write, Mendip Dad and I are wrestling with the fact that youngest son is desperate to watch the England vs Italy match. Can we allow him to appreciate this important part of our culture when the match isn’t likely to finish until 1am?

I hope you enjoy the sunshine, the football and everything else that makes up our cultural melting pot this summer!

MENDIP MUM

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A flower doesn’t question whether it should blossom A tree doesn’t hold back its growth

HEALTH & FAMILY

It’s unnatural for you to do so too Be kind to yourself – give yourself the space to unravel your thoughts and feelings when things are difficult; to understand your behaviour, decisions and relationships.

Increase your emotional vitality – identify and remove limiting beliefs holding you back.

Access your true potential; develop greater self-expression, a deeper connection with others and a more fulfilling life experience.

Ja ne Ross-Wh ea tley

BACP ACCREDITED COUNSELLOR AAMET CERTIFIED EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE PRACTITIONER Evening and weekend appointments available Introductory rate available – Complimentary initial half hour session Visit janeross-wheatley.com or call 07731 937293 e Remedy Centre, 23 Cuthbert Street, Wells

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MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 71

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MENDIP TIMES

Residential lettings are growing!

PROPERTY letting experts, Bishop & Co, say that 2014 is proving to be a great year for South West and Bristol landlords! With buy-to-let mortgage deals being at their most competitive for years and local house prices about to climb even more, buying a property to let certainly looks like an attractive long-term investment option.

Bishop & Co’s lettings team are there to help you; offering their services and advice on all aspects of residential letting throughout the South West and Bristol. They understand that every client is unique and therefore tailor their range of packages to suit, from their full property management service, to their new cost-effective advertising only option.

The experienced team can also advise you about the right buy-to-let opportunity, the right mortgage, and can help you to understand and

Wendy Green and Keren Tyler

comply with legislation. Heading up their lettings teams are Wendy Green, at their Midsomer Norton branch, and Keren Tyler at their Bristol branch, who have over 25 years’ experience of property letting and management.

There’s no obligation to instruct;

Cor, what a sculpture!

THREE wooden apple sculptures on a new affordable housing scheme in Baltonsborough, near Glastonbury, celebrate the area’s history as an orchard.

Talbots Mead is a development of eight rural homes for rent in the centre of the village. The new homes have been built to help tackle the shortage of affordable rental accommodation for local people living in the area.

Raglan Housing worked in partnership with Mendip District Council and regional builders Brookvale Homes to create the £1.15 million development on land which was previously known as Talbots Orchard in Ham Street.

Richard Stevenson, Raglan’s business development director, said: “Raglan is passionate about providing affordable and sustainable homes for local people in rural villages like Baltonsborough so that they can continue to live in the community

One of three apple sculptures commissioned by Raglan Housing PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

just invite Bishop & Co to appraise your property for free and they’ll provide you with a full lettings report, including advice on all aspects of letting and legislation – and you only pay when they successfully let your property.

Resident Georgina Cross cuts the ribbon at the official opening of Talbots Mead as guests and residents look on

close to their families and friends. Talbots Mead is a perfect example of this and we wish our new tenants every happiness in their new homes.”

Talbots Mead is one of Raglan’s first rural developments to achieve the Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 standard which measures the sustainability of new homes against categories such as CO2 emissions, materials and water. The environmentallyfriendly homes all have energy-saving features such as high levels of thermal insulation and air source heat pumps to help minimise residents’ fuel bills and day-to-day running costs.

Councillor Nigel Woollcombe-Adams, Portfolio Holder for Built Environment at Mendip District Council, said: “This is a very impressive development, which will make eight new, and much needed, homes available for affordable rent. In a rural district like Mendip, it is essential that we do all we can to make affordable homes available for communities like Baltonsborough.”

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PROPERTY

House prices at record levels TOO few properties coming onto the market and more stringent lending conditions appear to be stemming the tide of prospective home buyers, according to the latest RICS Residential Market Survey.

The supply of homes coming onto the market remained low in May in the South West, with two per cent more chartered surveyors seeing a fall rather than rise in new instructions.

Demand for new homes dropped slightly (24 per cent of surveyors seeing a rise rather than fall in new buyer enquiries).

In London, where fears of an overheating market have been expressed, demand for new homes fell for the first time since June 2012.

In the month that saw UK house prices reach record levels (average £186,512) and greater lending restrictions begin to

impact the market, respondents reported that banks are lending less.

As well as the more modest expectations for growth in activity being visible in the capital, there are some early signs that concerns over both supply and finance could be influencing prospects in the South West.

New Houses Extensions Conversions and Refurbishments Listed Buildings Repairs and alterations to Buildings Agricultural Buildings

LOWER LANGFORD, NR. WRINGTON

FOR SALE BY AUCTION – TUESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2014 – UNLESS PREVIOUSLY SOLD. An imposing detached house located in the centre of the village with half acre gardens and orchard. Requires some modernisation and ideally extension (subject to planning).

Positioned well back from the lane and accessed via a good length of drive with garden either side. Large level rear garden and lovely southerly views. EPC: F and Ref: 24716.

PRICE GUIDE: £400,000

STANTON DREW, CHEW VALLEY

FOR SALE BY AUCTION – TUESDAY 23RD SEPTEMBER 2014 – UNLESS PREVIOUSLY SOLD. BUILDING PLOT WITH PLANNING FOR 4 BEDROOM DETACHED HOUSE Superb village location with rural outlook over countryside. Ref: 24717 GUIDE PRICE £200,000

Wrington Tel: 01934 864300

Landlords and Investors – contact us now quoting Bishop01 to receive a

50% reduction on our Gold and Silver set-up charges Bishop & Co – Helping you make all the right moves

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 73

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MENDIP TIMES

Fairtrade café closes in Axbridge

THE Fairtrade Community Café in Axbridge has closed, after raising over £300 for the Cheddar Valley Food Bank in the last year. The weekly café, held in the church rooms, was well supported by volunteers, but was not attracting enough customers.

Sue Albone, Fairtrade committee member for the Chamber of Commerce, said: “We would like to thank all of those who have supported the café and for sharing their friendly banter with us over a welcome cuppa.”

Helping victims of heart attack

THE Friends of Frome Hospital have launched a scheme to provide defibrillators at up to a dozen key sites around the town. The next step could be to provide a unit in every village around Frome.

Project Leader Derek Trick said: “The scheme that will be introduced has been advised by the South Western Ambulance Service and will be managed by the Arrhythmia Alliance Charity (AAC). AAC already have over 400 units installed throughout the UK.”

Radstock carers’ appeal

RADSTOCK-based the Carers’ Centre has launched an appeal to raise £750,000 to buy a second permanent base in Bath. The appeal was launched at the opening of its new rented premises in Bath at Lower Bristol Road.

The charity’s senior breaks officer, Sarah Dixon, said: “Carers of all ages need to have the chance to take time out to enjoy a hobby, learn a new skill or try something different.

“We know that taking quality time away from caring helps our carers to unwind and make new friends, improve their health and enables them to carry on caring for longer.”

Details: Freephone: 0800 0388 885 or visit www.banescarerscentre.org.uk

PAGE 74 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Page 74

Top dog

KIND-HEARTED Weston College students raised £5,000 to sponsor Weston, a puppy for Guide Dogs for the Blind – and he’s made himself at home.

The 10-week-old Labrador puppy makes regular college appearances with college information advice assistant, Linda Jones, who is also one of the charity’s puppy walkers.

The 52-year-old, of Wick-St-Lawrence, has trained several puppies and said: “College students worked really hard to raise the money, from dog walks and abseiling to cake and sweet sales.”

Sisters with a mission

TWO sisters from Wrington have been working hard to raise funds for two very different projects. Hannah Quantick, aged 18, is going to help street children in India this summer. Her sister, Megan, aged 14, is part of the Euphoria Show Choir, which has been invited to perform in Hollywood next year.

They have been raising money through a range of activities including cake sales, pudding baking by order, babysitting, waitressing and washing up Hannah (left) and Megan Quantick at local functions. They even offered a present wrapping service over the Christmas period which was extremely popular.

Both girls say they have been really heartened by the support and interest shown by people so far, including some they had never met before.

Hannah will be part of a small team from two churches going to India, who will be providing day care for street children and general support to their families. The programme is predominantly based in Kolkata and includes some visits to local schools and villages, churches and charities.

She needs to raise a total of about £1,400 and has so far reached £960. Any funds she raises over her total will be spent on providing much-needed clothes and basic equipment to the families in India.

Megan is one of some 30 members of Euphoria, who perform various types of music, which is carefully and expertly choreographed, ranging from pop to musical theatre, rock and jazz. The choir have been given the opportunity to perform as guest stars at the United States National Show Choir Championships in Hollywood in February 2015.

They will also be performing at Disney. Megan has to raise £1,300 to fund her trip and has so far raised £240.

Details: quanticks@btinternet.com www.euphoriashowchoir.co.uk

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Doctors trek for cancer centre

Hugh and Dorothy at home in Wells

A COUPLE from Wells, who are both medical doctors, are preparing for a fundraising trip to China in aid of the planned new cancer centre at Bath’s Royal United Hospital.

Dorothy and Hugh Goddard will tackle 80 miles of the Great Wall of China in September as part of 14-strong team.

The couple are keen walkers but say the trek will be their toughest challenge to date.

Dorothy recently retired as director of the Breast Cancer Unit at the Royal United Hospital Bath and is now Associate Medical Director for Cancer Strategy at the hospital trust.

Hugh, who retired from general practice in Wells in 2012, still works as a GP locum in Somerset.

The new cancer centre, which is due to open in 2017/18, will provide the latest specialist state-of-the-art equipment for treating cancer in a modern spacious building and with the most up-to-date facilities and services to provide patients and their families with ongoing support.

G Hugh and Dorothy will be paying their own travel and accommodation expenses so all money raised will go towards the Cancer Centre. To sponsor them visit: www.doitforcharity.com/dorothyg or www.doitforcharity.com/Hughgoddard. Alternatively cheques should be made out to “RUH Charitable Funds – Cancer Care Campaign” and sent to Dr D. Goddard c/o The Breast Unit, Royal United Hospital, Combe Park, Bath BA1 3NG.

Youngsters day out

CHARITIES

SIXTEEN young carers from Nailsea, Clevedon, Portishead and the surrounding area had a great day out at Cattle Country Adventure Park in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, thanks to the support of the Rotary Club of Nailsea & Backwell.

North Somerset Crossroads Care organised the trip, for youngsters, aged eight to 14. Rotary organiser, Richard Gaunt, said: “It is just the type of project rotary like to be involved with – working for the community and charities in our area.”

Heidi Every, Crossroads Young Carers Service Manager said: “These young people don’t get the chance to act as children that often – due to the pressures of looking after parents and siblings who have physical, mental or other disabilities.

“They have to grow up quickly – so it was great to see them just have the chance to be children and run around and have fun.”

Details: North Somerset Crossroads Care 01934 411854.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 75

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MENDIP TIMES

Andrea has high hopes

MOTHER-oftwo, Andrea Denham, from Midsomer Norton, has been preparing for an attempt on a world sky-diving record, joining 260 skydivers making a mass descent.

The attempt was due to be made as Mendip Times went to press – the previous record was set by 251 skydivers in Germany.

Andrea, who works at Farrington Park, hopes to raise £1,000 for Chelwood Rotary’s water survival box scheme.

Mike the bike’s marathon

A CHARITY started in a farm in Norton Malreward three years ago is about to spread its wings across the region and is gathering support nationally.

Founder, Mike Burns, has just completed a 1,000 mile sponsored bike ride, with up to 200 people joining him for stages along the route, raising £25,000 to cover the cost of the latest BMW i3 for the charity, Bloodbikes – NICU support.

Its volunteer drivers provide transport for mothers to visit their premature babies in Neonatal Intensive Care units in Bristol and Bath. With the support of BMW, the charity plans to extend its fleet of futuristic i3 electric cars and extend its service to cover Gloucester, Taunton and Swindon.

Mike, who has now completed three bike marathons for the charity, hopes to expand his service to Truro, Plymouth and Exeter next.

The latest bike ride was supported by BMW, Malmaison, Harvey Nichols and Giant Cycles, who supplied 20 bikes and a back-up van.

Mike said: “I did the whole ride, criss-crossing the country visiting 12 cities in 12 days, before finishing in Bristol, with about 20 supporters each day. We’ve raised enough money to buy another i3 vehicle.”

PAGE 76 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Weekend away

MEMBERS from Wrington Vale Rotary Club and Wrington Vale Inner Wheel provided a weekend of fun, food, outdoor activities and entertainment at Goblin Combe in support of young carers during Crossroads Carers week.

It meant 18 young carers from North Somerset accompanied by four of their support workers from the Crossroads team were able to spend time having fun away from their everyday caring responsibilities.

Volunteers meet

SOMERSET Sight, the local charity supporting people who are visually impaired in Somerset, recently held a meeting at Coxley for some of the charity’s 150 volunteer visitors who support visually impaired people in their own homes or care homes across Somerset.

The speaker at the meeting was Steven Aughton who is the charity’s training officer, who is visually impaired himself. He talked inspiringly and with humour about his own experiences and about his role with Somerset Sight, which currently supports 130 blind or partially sighted people in the county.

If any schools or care homes would like him to visit them, please contact him at Somerset Sight’s main office on 01823 333818.

Details: Gloria Williams 01823 366146 or email gloria@somersetsight.org.uk

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Pedal power

GEOFF Taylor, one of the founding directors of Winford Ford in the Chew Valley, is training hard for this year’s PROPS Bristol to Bordeaux Charity bike ride. It is the third time Geoff has taken part in this gruelling event.

Along with son-in-law Matt and his wife, Geoff’s youngest daughter Kirstie/Buzz, he will be setting off on July 2nd with around 60 other riders on the four-day ride to Bordeaux.

PROPS provides opportunity and support to children and young people with physical and learning disabilities.

Geoff (right) said: “It’s amazing how generous people have been in sponsoring us in the past two years and I hope to raise even more for PROPS this year.”

Details: www.justgiving.com/pedal4propsGeoffBuzzandMatt

In memory of mum

THERESA Hodges’ charity fundraising has reached new lengths – she’s raised more than £2,000 for the Breast Cancer Campaign by having her hair cut off, donating it to The Little Princess Trust, in Hereford, which makes wigs for cancer sufferers.

She’s also held a Pink Teaparty at her house, Moorlands, Backwell Hill, raising another £1,000 for the campaign. She started fundraising in 2009, before her mother, Barbara Russell, died from breast cancer, aged 63, also raising money for Marie Curie and Macmillan.

She said: “It made me realise the support these great charities give, not only to the patient, but to the families too. I hope this enables other sufferers, like my mum, to have the terrific care and support that we did. Thanks so much to them all!”

Cream of the crop

CHARITIES

A CREAM tea celebration was organised by Anne Taylor at the Midsomer Norton and Radstock Inner Wheel Club’s Inter Club meeting.

IW district chairman Rita Jolliffe attended and was presented with a £2,000 cheque towards Wizzibugs, the wheelchair buggies made in Bath for disabled children. A £1,500 cheque was also presented to Helen Bown, the development officer of STAR, the charity that improves the lives of Somerset’s disadvantaged young people. The money was raised by IW members during club president Brenda Whitchurch’s year in office.

Guest speaker at the event was George Hill, who spoke about his career as a ballet dancer. George was joined by his mother, Susan, head of the Susan Hill School of Dancing in Radstock. Student Caroline Albrow displayed her ballet shoes and demonstrated point work.

£15,000 for charity

AT a special charity evening the Rotary Club of Mendip presented cheques to the West of England MS Therapy Centre, Heads Up, based in Wells, which works with mentally ill adults, and Mend the Gap, which works with schools in Africa on projects to eradicate poverty and advance education.

In total, the club has raised almost £15,000 for local and international charities during the past year. President Mike Gelder is pictured with Sally Dempsey from Heads Up and Jenny Barstow from the West of England MS Therapy Centre.

Skyfall Sandra

SANDRA Gregory from The Coffee Shop, Brownes Garden Centre, Wells did a charity tandem skydive at Dunkeswell on June 7th to raise money for the Stroke Association and has raised a total of £946.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 77

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MENDIP TIMES

Amazon adventure

Sculptor/singer songwriter Cathy Judge and her husband Colin have recently returned from the Amazonian rainforest where they undertook voluntary work for a small charity called DB Peru.

This charity provides medical assistance to those living in remote areas of the jungle. The next few Saturdays (weather depending) will see Cathy and friend Johnny Francis busking in Wells Market to raise money for this charity. This is her report.

I HAD never been to the jungle before and to be taken out of your comfort zone was both challenging and very exciting. The main lodge had weak electricity but our rooms, toilets and shower blocks did not. A head torch was therefore essential and added to the drama. It was beautiful and another world entirely.

Being part of a team of 13, most newly qualified doctors, was rewarding. Everyone was working for the benefit of others, whilst reaping huge personal gains, and we all instantly bonded.

They were young, eager for adventure and it was infectious.

We met tourists passing through our lodge to visit the largest canopy walkway in the world, which was on our doorstep.

Theirs was such a different experience to ours that we felt blessed to be able to access the heart of remote villages and connect with the people in ways that tourists never can. We were able to get a real taste of their culture. Most importantly we changed lives.

A lady approached one of the newly qualified doctors with a trivial complaint and the young female doctor suspected something else. With the aid of a translator it soon became apparent that this lady was being abused by her husband and was desperate to escape her village. She asked for our help and we took her and her children away with us when we left.

They left with nothing but the clothes on their backs; she could not pack as her husband was at home. We took her to a village further up the river where the elder is known to be a very good man. He agreed to take her and her children under the care of their village and promised to protect them from her husband.

He said that they had only ever seen this once and that they had tied the man to a tree – it’s not clear however how long for!

She and the elder both gave a speech which our guide translated as “not only have you saved the life of this lady but you have saved the lives of her children”. Our whole team struggled to retain composure; it was such a moving experience.

You see deserving causes all the time but when it’s personal one is compelled to act. Another lady’s family needs to have a house built and it costs £300. Since I’ve only recently raised over £3,000 for my Shelter Xmas Appeal I feel I can’t ask people/friends for money Cathy (centre back) at one of the again. Hence the idea of villages busking in the market.

PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

CHARITIES

Riding to the challenge

The fundraising cyclists gather at Clarks Village

CYCLISTS of all abilities turned out in force for a fundraising ride around Mendip in aid of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The event saw riders tackle distances of either 60 miles or 60 kilometres, taking in countryside ranging from the Levels to Burrington Combe and Cheddar Gorge. It was rganised by Peter Graham, landlord of The George Inn at Croscombe The ride began and ended at Clarks Village in Street, which is supporting Peter’s efforts. Peter is chairman of the Mendip branch of the MS society and is aiming to raise £60,000 during his time in office. So far, he has raised more than £10,000.

Visitors to Clarks Village were also encouraged to join in the fundraising efforts by taking part on different static cycling machines, including some designed especially for people with disabilities.

The ride raised money for research into Multiple Sclerosis

To donate to the Mendip branch, visit: http://www.justgiving.com/Peter-Graham-Cycle60

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A rewarding environment

OWL Babies Pre-school based in Leigh on Mendip, situated between Frome, Shepton Mallet and Radstock, provides a stimulating, caring and safe environment for children aged two to five years.

They are encouraged to explore the world around them, develop relationships with others and build skills through a carefully planned programme of activities which encourages learning through play.

With a huge sun-sail and a newly refurbished all-weather garden area, the children spend nearly as much time outdoors as they do in the classroom, while external visits, for example to local farms to see the baby animals in spring, help to create an exciting and rewarding environment for the children.

Open during term times, Owl Babies is rated Outstanding

by Ofsted and highly regarded by parents.

For more information visit www.owlbabies.info or find us on Facebook

Summer activities

THIS summer Explorium, a creative learning centre just outside Street, are offering unique holiday learning opportunities called Jams.

An Explorium Jam is a gathering of six-to-12-year olds, who come together with no prior preparation to design, develop and produce something new, be it a film, a new sport or a radio show.

On offer throughout August is a Game Jam, a Sports Jam, a Radio Jam and four different varieties of Film Jams – all offering the chance for some real world learning experiences!

Lance Clark, of Clark Shoes, sent his two daughters along to one of Explorium’s Game Jams and highly recommends it: “The three days were a great and enriching experience for the girls. It was a real endorsement of your philosophy.”

If you are looking for some different summer holiday experiences for your children, visit explorium.co.uk/jams or call 01458 274050!

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Every child’s progress is carefully recorded in their personal journey file, providing a complete visual and written record of their development, ensuring specialists in every area to best meet the needs of your child, whatever their age.

Their award-winning day nursery offers superb age appropriate facilities in a safe and caring environment offering quality care with an extensive range of outdoor facilities to meet every child’s needs.

Small group sizes

LITTLE Owls’ mission is to ensure that all their children have fun, learn through play, eat healthily and feel secure.

Your child will benefit hugely from the small group sizes and the structured approach to the individual care every child receives from the exceptionally highly qualified and talented team. Their day nursery offers superb facilities for all the different age groups and has a baby room, nursery and preschool.

Their holistic approach encompasses a range of outdoor activities, looking and learning about the changing world around us. Their rural setting is ideal for this. For the older children they have daily access to the adjoining paddock, enabling them to develop their nature watching skills and participate in forest school activities.

Owl Babies Pre-School

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www.littleowlschildcare.com MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 79

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MENDIP TIMES

HERBERT Balch was born in Wells in 1869 and lived there until his death in 1958. He had very little formal education, as was usual for working class children of the time, but he had a thirst for knowledge, particularly wanting to know more about the Mendip Hills.

With PHILIP He was very intelligent and quickly HENDY learned about geology, natural history and archaeology, subjects in which advances were rapidly being made. He also gained practical as well as theoretical knowledge of these subjects, beginning to explore the local caves while still a teenager.

Not content to merely explore the known caves, Balch and his friends searched for new ones, and to them we are indebted for the discoveries of Swildon’s Hole and Eastwater Cavern at Priddy.

His interest in archaeology led him to instigate or assist in various cave digs, most notably at Wookey Hole and other caves in the locality such as Hyaena Den and Rhinoceros Hole. Badger Hole, high on the left bank of the ravine, was a long-term dig and he worked there until well into his eighties.

Balch also excavated many of the small caves and rock shelters in Ebbor Gorge. He found the remains of Woolly Rhinoceros and Straight-Tusked Elephant in a rift at Milton Hill and a late Palaeolithic burial and Romano-British bones at Chelm’s Coombe Shelter near Cheddar. In Cheddar Gorge, he dug Soldier’s Hole.

Balch’s great passion was for Wookey Hole, where he found early Iron Age and Romano-British remains. Later, in the 1950s, he oversaw the Cave Diving Group in their underwater excavations, where they found many more human bones from the Roman period. Perhaps his most famous

Balch Room

Balch plaque

discovery was that of the skeleton of the Witch of Wookey, with associated Romano-British artefacts and a stalagmite sphere, supposedly her crystal ball.

Nearby were the skeletons of two goats, which were presumed to have starved to death after the demise of the witch.

The result of all of these archaeological digs was a wealth of bones and artefacts and in 1928 Balch rented rooms above the cathedral cloisters to create a museum for his finds. The collection grew and in 1931 a benefactor purchased a building on the Cathedral Green, which is still home to the Wells and Mendip Museum.

On his retirement, Balch moved into the museum, where he devoted his time to researching and displaying his finds. He was keen to encourage like-minded youngsters and the museum became an unofficial headquarters for many young cavers of the 1940s and 1950s. They sought his advice and reported their finds to him and he inspired them to explore the caves for themselves.

In those days there were few health and safety concerns and by being given the responsibility to look after themselves, these youngsters became resourceful and selfreliant.

Although the Wells and Mendip Museum houses items of

Photography by Phil Hendy

Balch revisited at the Wells and Mendip Museum

Phil has been caving for more than 47 years and is a member of the Wessex Cave Club. He has been involved in produc

PAGE 80 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

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interest from all over Mendip and from various periods and disciplines, the hub of the collection was always the archaeological collection, kept in the Balch Room and overlooked by the skeleton of the witch. It was a delightful assembly of finds and, importantly, showed a variety of bones and artefacts from the various sites dug by Balch and others.

Many exhibitions today simply show a ‘type’ specimen, which is rather meaningless as similar objects, even from the same site, can vary immensely in size and manufacturing technique.

It is an important collection, and the museum trustees recognised that it was time to modernise it. Generous grants were given by Gerry Cottle and Daniel Medley of Wookey Hole Caves, and by the Mendip Hills AONB Sustainability Fund. The trustees, museum volunteers and cavers all gave their time freely and on Thursday, May 22nd the new Balch Room was formally opened to a specially invited group of local dignitaries, archaeologists, antiquarians and cavers.

Even the cathedral cat put in an appearance! Most of us were familiar with the old collection and we wondered if the modernisation would do it justice.

We were greeted by Martin Grass, chairman of the trustees, who explained what had been done and thanked all of those who had worked on the project. We were then invited to see the new Balch Room. The exhibition has been moved into a larger room, where the displays are shown in a mixture of original and new cases. The room is light and airy, but none of the original ambiance has been lost.

Many of Balch’s handwritten labels are still there, as are examples of his notebooks. The finds from each site have been kept together, and the witch, surrounded by her possessions, still keeps guard over all. I think everyone was pleasantly surprised and impressed by the mixture of old and new. The atmosphere of the old collection remains.

An introduction to caving

CAVING

Martin explained that as part of the modernisation a grant has allowed carbon dating of the bones of the witch, and the goats. Balch’s assertion that the old woman was of RomanoBritish age has been borne out – she lived and died around 70 AD. However, the goat bones were dated to a much later period, around 770 AD, making them of Anglo-Saxon age.

Clearly, they had nothing to do with the witch, so how they came to die in Wookey Hole is a mystery.

Currently, the old Balch Room houses an exhibition of caving photographs – the museum is sponsoring a competition, open to all cavers. It is hoped to make this an annual event and the judges will have a very hard job, judging by the quality of work on display.

The caving exhibition, Netherworld of Mendip, is still at the museum and gives an excellent insight into the world lying under our feet. So there are three very good reasons to give the museum a visit in the near future.

THE Wessex Cave Club are running a Try Caving with the Wessex weekend at their headquarters near Priddy on August 1st-3rd.

The weekend gives would-be cavers the chance to meet the club members and try out caving for the first time or get back into a sport they used take part in.

Maxine Bateman from the club said: “We would like to show you why the Wessex is such a great club and how fun caving can be as a sport.

“The weekend consists of caving trips on Saturday and Sunday; slide shows and presentations will be taking place throughout Saturday evening and you will be able to meet lots of cavers who will be able to answer your questions.

Breakfast will be provided both mornings and there will be a BBQ on Saturday night.”

The cost for the weekend is £15 to cover accommodation, kit hire and food. Those who are only able to make a short part of the weekend or who have any questions can contact Maxine to discuss options by e-mail at maxine@seventyf.co.uk or by calling 07753 342682.

Details: www.wessex-cave-club.org

oducing several caving publications and is a caving instructor in Cheddar. His main interest is digging for new caves.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 81

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MENDIP TIMES

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Nick Briton, the mayor of Wells and town crier Len Sweales, start one of the rides

DOZENS of motorcyclists took part in the fourth Tortoise and Hare Run on classic machines of all ages.

The event began and ended in Wells and took the riders on various routes according to the type of motorcycle. It was organised by the Wells Classic Motorcycle Club.

The 70-mile “tortoise” ride was for old, low-powered machines of unlimited capacity built up to 1950 and small capacity machines, including scooters up to 250cc up to 1985. A few low capacity, modern machines also took part.

Riders on machines built up to 2000 and over 250cc – along with a few modern bikes – entered the 115-mile “hare” run. There was also a “snail” ride for veteran and very low capacity motorcycles.

This 1904 Humber took part in the snail ride

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MOTORING

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 83

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MENDIP TIMES

Leigh Country Fair

Peasedown Party in the Park

Peasedown Mercury Explorer unit from Radstock

The big crowds enjoyed sunshine

Pupils from the village school take part in the traditional maypole dance

The Frukes – a Frome-based ukulele orchestra entertain in the main marquee PAGE 84 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Lucy Aston and Simon Cruse from Heat, one of the bands that appeared

The team from Dorothy House Hospice

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Collett Park Festival

SHEPTON Mallet’s annual Collett Day Festival saw one of its biggest crowds in years – thanks largely to a decision to host live music in the park on the eve of the event and on the day itself, which also included appearances by Bath Natural Theatre Company.

Clive Mullins, leader of the Minsky’s Jazz Quartet, who got the crowd into a dancing mood on the Friday night

EVENTS

The fundraising campaign for a new skate park in Shepton Mallet continues

Fun in the sun – a reveller dances to Friday night music

Andy and Laura Bain and baby Elsie, enjoy the music

Shepton Mallet’s Knit and Chat team were selling produce to raise money for the Head’s Up charity

Shepton Mallet town crier Andy Burr encourages visitors to the stall run by the town’s horticultural society

Easy peasy: Louise Johnson makes plate spinning look like a piece of cake MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 85

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MENDIP TIMES

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PAGE 88 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

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JACKSONS

Jacksons Fencing – news, topical treats and more . . .

Jacksons Show Gardens update

AS you might expect when I was thinking about writing July’s pages for this and other local magazines, it would be pretty difficult for me not to mention this year’s Jacksons Show Gardens Design competition. In fact you’d probably think it was odd if I didn’t give you some sort of update, as at the time of writing this it is the week, the gardens have been completed and we’ve had the two separate launches, one at our HQ in Kent for the two winning 2014 show garden designs opening, and then another launch a week later, for the rather unusual additional part of the competition, which is the show garden that opened at the Ashford Designer Outlet, celebrating a summer of sport and especially the World Cup. Apologies if you are not local to us in Kent, but some of you may well travel around and decide to drop in to see our lovely gardens if you are in the vicinity.

And for those of you who won’t get a chance to see them in the flesh, I can at least show you some pictures of the completed gardens now. This year’s winners are Sally Perigo, with Mediterranean Memories, Annie Berriman with the Tropical garden and Amy Roberts with Jacksons FC. If you are an avid reader of my monthly pages (said tongue in cheek of course!) you may well remember our recent product spotlight and free prize

Mediterranean Memories by Sally Perigo – all the raised beds were constructed from ungrooved Jakwall

W I N J A C K S O N S J A K WA L L

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The draw closes 31.8.14. To enter go to: www.jacksonsfencing.co.uk/bathlocal

draw to win £250 worth of Jakwall. Well there’s a link here; the ungrooved version of Jakwall was used extensively in the build of the Mediterranean Memories garden. It looks fantastic, I’m sure you will agree, many visitors were impressed, as was the landscaper who built the garden. Ian Day said it was so much better than using sleepers, it was lighter and had very nice chamfered

Lush and colourful planting in Tropical garden by Annie Berriman – in the background you can see a bit more of Mediterranean Memories

WORTH

£250...

edges. Well that’s a definite thumbs-up for the Jakwall. So I think we will re-run the free prize draw to win £250 of Jakwall – see above.

You can see more of the winning gardens and updated pics of all seven show gardens at: jacksonsfencing.co.uk/showgardens louise@jacksons-fencing.co.uk

Me (centre left), Amy Roberts (centre right) designer of Jacksons FC and Samba PeloMar (the band!) at the opening of the show garden at Ashford Designer Outlet MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 89

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MENDIP TIMES

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25% OFF SHERBORNE UPHOLSTERY

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2 Str Sofa £1306 now £979

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MENDIP TIMES

Weston Garden Machinery Garden Machinery & Woodburning Specialists

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RIDING

Support for Beanie

I FIRST met Beanie Box when she was five years old and I had the pleasure of teaching her in the Banwell Pony Club. It was obvious even at With CELIA that very early age GADD that Beanie’s passion and talent lay in dressage and she certainly shone out.

To see such a tiny girl so determined to get her pony going ‘properly’ was refreshing and unusual when most of her peers were only interested in galloping and doing gymkhana games and so I was not surprised at all to follow her success over the years.

Now a mum to the lovely Harry she continues to work and compete very hard alongside running her equestrian business at the Milfort House Training and livery yard at Lower Langford.

Beanie worked her way up through the pony club, competing in all disciplines, but with dressage always her favourite and went on to compete for Great Britain in pony, junior and young rider teams, whilst also competing her own and clients’ horses

in many British dressage competitions, successfully qualifying for regional and national championships.

Beanie met her partner Alec and he has proved a fantastic support and together they have successfully bred several promising foals and have a promising team of horses to compete.

Beanie is looking for support in the term of some sponsorship for the current season.

July 2014 show dates Wednesday 2nd Higher unaffiliated evening show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Saturday 5th Unaffiliated dressage at Cannington, Bridgwater Wednesday 9th Lower unaffiliated evening show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Wednesday 16th Higher unaffiliated evening show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Saturday 19th Hardington Mandeville Horse and Dog Show, Yeovil Sunday 20th SWPA Summer show at

Details: 07871 790844

Stretcholt Equestrian Centre Wednesday 23rd Lower unaffiliated show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Sunday 27th Open Horse and Pony Show with family dogs at Stogursey, Bridgwater Wednesday 30th Higher unaffiliated evening show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge

Very sadly she has lost her Grand Prix horse, Teddy this month and is absolutely devastated although luckily has bred some gorgeous youngsters from him.

Beanie said: “Ted was, and always will be, amazing and will live on in our hearts.

He was the friend that taught me so much, in such a generous way and was a total pleasure. He was a very special generous horse and I will miss his huge personality and handsome face every day.”

Sycamore alert

THE HorseWorld animal welfare charity is warning horse owners of the dangers of poisonous sycamore seeds and plants, with reports that a large number of horses across the country have fallen ill or died after eating them.

Seedlings are now sprouting on grazing land due to an unusually large crop of seeds last autumn, spread further than usual by the stormy winter weather.

HorseWorld’s Equine Rescue Manager, Jerry Watkins, said: “The disease caused by sycamore poisoning is called Atypical Myopathy. It is a muscle disease which is fatal in around 75% of cases. There is no known cure for the illness, which weakens a horse’s muscles so it struggles to breathe and often results in a heart attack.

“Symptoms can include muscle stiffness, weakness or tremors, lethargy, dark red coloured urine, collapsing, choke or colic-like symptoms, frenzied vocalisation and head shaking. The sooner Atypical Myopathy is diagnosed the better the likely outcome.

So if any of these symptoms are present and you suspect your horse has eaten sycamore, call the vet immediately.”

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 93

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Mixed emotions at horse trials COMPETITION on the second day of the Nunney International Horse Trials was abandoned after the tragic death of a rider.

Jordan McDonald, 30, was fatally injured on the crosscountry course. His wife of one year, Shandiss, had also been competing in the trials. Jordan was aged 30 and based in Leicestershire but was Canadian by nationality.

The event had begun in brilliant sunshine on the Friday of the three-day competition, being staged once more in the grounds of Southfield House, near Whatley. The competition – which featured top riders including Zara Phillips and Sam Griffiths – resumed on the Sunday. Riders, organisers and spectators observed a minute’s silence and some competitors choose to wear a black armband as a sign of respect.

The CIC2* winner was Wiltshire-based Kitty King riding Ceylor L A N. Kitty said: “It is good to have won but it feels strange with what has happened yesterday in eventing. It has made me feel so subdued about it all and it does put it all in perspective. It is difficult to feel thrilled with a win in circumstances like this.”

Mrs Angela Yeoman, who owns the venue, said: “It has been a very difficult couple of days and our thoughts are very much with Jordan’s family in Canada at this time.”

Action underway in the showjumping arena

Zara Phillips competed on all three days. She is pictured here with novice horse Hunua before the start of the dressage section

Lessons Taster Lesson £10 (Adult or Child come and have a try at Riding) Show Jump, Flat Work or Cross Country Training on your own horse/pony from £15 per 1hr Groups Most Saturdays and some Sundays Riding School Lessons £25

Try something new or just brush off the cobwebs and remember the wonderful time in years gone by you had getting in the saddle. In association with Sport England and e British Equestrian Federation. Hill Farm Equestrian is very proud to be offering a seven week course “Take Back the Reins” – this has been designed specifically for those wanting to find a little “me time” – e sessions will not only include riding, but also enjoying a coffee with fellow participants each week – £20 per week

Livery DIY, Part, Full, Schooling & Holiday Livery available.

Purpose built stable yard and New American Barn style stables.

Fantastic facilities including – 2 x All Weather Arenas, Show Jump Paddock with XC Jumps, Wash Box, Meeting Room, Tuck Shop, Saddlery Goods for sale, Free Lorry/ Trailer Parking.

Reduced Price Lessons. Plus other excellent facilities.

British Horse Society Approved Riding School & Livery Yard (Highest Rating) Local Authority Licensed Riding School Hill Farm Equestrian, Hill Farm, Burtle, Bridgwater, Somerset TA7 8NB 01278 723415 or 07891 555151 or 07977 122047 Hillfarmequestrian.com or hillfarmequestrian@hotmail.co.uk

PAGE 94 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Southfield House again provided a spectacular backdrop to the showjumping arena

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Liam riding high

FARRIER, Liam Collins, aged 23, only started his own business last September but won two top trophies at the Royal Bath and West Show at his first attempt. One was for best competitor in pony shoeing, the other as the highest placed competitor from the South West.

Having picked up a couple of trophies at the Devon Show the previous week, he’s clearly impressing the judges with his skills – and surprising more experienced competitors by winning open classes so soon.

Liam, from Congresbury, said his interest started young: “As a kid we always had horses and I always got on well with the farrier that did ours and just knew from an early age that this is what I wanted to do.”

He attended St. Andrew’s School, in Congresbury, and Churchill School, before embarking on a four and a half year apprenticeship in Taunton. Now he’s back home with mum Julie, in Congresbury, and has invested heavily in mobile farrier’s kit. He also makes all of his own horse shoes.

Liam said: “It’s a particular passion of mine and making my own shoes all the time has obviously helped my competition skills. I’m really chuffed. I’m a newby and to come into open classes straight away and get placed is really great.”

He was off to the Three Counties Show in Malvern as we went to press.

Horse show revived

RIDING

THE Emborough Horse Show will take place on Saturday August 9th, after an absence of four years.

Started more than 60 years ago, the show was a highlight of the local equestrian calendar and was the place where many children started their showing and jumping careers.

Jane Uphill ran it for several years, before handing over to Emma Mott. Now there’s a new committee in charge: Lucy Dixon, Amanda Bown, Kelly Parker, Charlotte Ellis and Julia Mckievor.

It was started originally by the Trippick family, who have agreed to host it once again at Manor Farm in Emborough.

Classes will include show jumping, showing, gymkhanas and children’s classes. The committee are currently looking into running qualifiers for show jumping, showing and veteran classes. They are keen to hear from anyone interested in sponsorship or trade stands.

Details: Lucy Dixon on 07917 662819 or email emboroughhorseshow@outlook.com

Wellow open day WELLOW Trekking Centre’s open day on Sunday, July 6th, is an opportunity for everyone to go along and see what they have to offer. The centre is situated on the Two Tunnels cycle route a short distance from Bath.

They will be running displays from their regular group lessons and members of the Wellow Trekking Pony Club and Riding for the Disabled will be doing a musical ride. This will be followed by the chance to have a go at clay pigeon shooting and archery. There will be a bouncy castle for the younger children and pony rides.

Henry the medicinal horse will be trotting along to meet everyone, with the chance to have a ride on him. So if you have never ridden a horse this will be your chance to have a

go. He is part of the ‘Hoof’ equestrian legacy of the British Equestrian Federation, which Wellow is part of, which aims to get more people riding and enjoying equestrian sport.

Go along and meet the staff and have a chat about all they have to offer.

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 95

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New wicket in village cricket

By Mark Adler

VILLAGERS from Batcombe have celebrated the official reopening of their cricket pitch which had been “lost” for decades.

For years, the Batcombe cricket club had used the ground of their friendly rivals Evercreech for their home games until a chance meeting in the village’s Three Horseshoes Inn pub inspired club members to turn detectives.

A visitor to the pub remembered cricket being played on a pitch above the village and their search led them to Lower Farm owned

by Bruno Cristofoli. The pitch was completely overgrown and the club members even found the ruins of the former pavilion.

Bruno agreed to lend the land to the club and work began to clear the outfield and reseed the wicket. Bruno said: “It gives me great pleasure to hand over this cricket pitch to Batcombe Cricket Club.”

Club president Johnnie Baker told Bruno: “On behalf of Batcombe Cricket Club, we are truly grateful.”

There was also praise for the volunteers who cleared the pitch and relaid the wicket, including local agricultural contractor and groundsworker Justin Witcombe who gave his services for free.

Evercreech CC were the guests of honour for the official reopening, although they spoiled the party a little by winning the match by six runs.

Kav Javvi opens the bowling for Batcombe

Cricket history – Mark Wade with the scoreboard showing the first wicket to fall PAGE 96 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Farmer Bruno Cristofili and Batcombe CC president Johnnie Baker cut the ribbon to declare the ground open Batcombe players toast the wicket

Friendly rivals – Batcombe and Evercreech cricketers

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Duncan’s tribute to dad

SPORT

Golfers tee off for charity

Rotary club members who organised the annual competition

DUNCAN Offer, Mendip Golf Club captain, has made Prostate Cancer UK his charity for the year, in memory of his father, Lionel, who died from the disease.

The club has raised more than £150,000 for charities since the captain’s charity event was started in 1999.

You can enter a team in his charity golf day on Thursday July 3rd or send a raffle prize or donation to the club.

MORE than 100 players took part in the 10th annual charity golf day organised by the Rotary Club of Avalon.

Teams of three or four players from across Somerset and further afield took on the challenge of Wells Golf Club.

This year’s competition was raising money for Riding for the Disabled at Burcott and the local MacMillan Cancer Support.

Previous golf days have raised more than £50,000 for other local charities and organisers predicted that this year’s event would raise around £5,000.

Golfers invade Normandy

The winners were The Four Tees – Tim Bussell, Tony Hilton, Tony Tucker and Terry Petherbridge

TO coincide with D-Day, eight Mendip Spring senior golfers invaded the golf courses of Normandy.

During the visit they enjoyed a very pleasant, but damp, dayoff in Honfleur. Despite the weather, the trip was very successful and the men are now planning their next excursion.

Pictured (l to r) are Ray Cole, Dave Oxenham, Mike Field, Alan Brown, Mike Richards, Roger Hoskins and Peter Carpenter. Peter Clayson took the photograph.

Mark Murphy, Gavin Snell and Neil Kite were the first to tee off

The team from Jeanes Holland Burnell MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 97

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Great rugby + great times = great for charity

By Mark Adler

THE annual Kay 7s charity rugby tournament at Castle Cary is now firmly established on the map for men’s and women’s teams from across the south of England.

Held in memory of former player Kay Booker, the weekend raises thousands of pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Friends and family of Kay launched the tournament as a way of saying thank you to the rugby community for their support after the popular player died of cancer in 2009. Kay represented women’s rugby both in her work and as a player, supporting Castle Cary RFC, Rosslyn Park RFC, Moody Cows 7s, Bristol Rugby and England Women’s Rugby.

As usual, Castle Cary RFC entered men’s and women’s teams. The women’s tournament is usually dominated by the world-famous Moody Cows side, although honours this year went to a new

The victorious Pilgrims Pie and Pints

Some of the match officials who gave their time for free over the weekend PAGE 98 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

The Moody Cows and Castle Cary women are joined by some young fans and match official Sara Cox

7s team, Swift 7s, made up of divisional players – and upwards – from many of the west country’s leading clubs, including Bristol, Plymouth Albion and Worcester. Their opponents in the final

were The Predators.

The men’s tournament was won by the Pilgrims Pie and Pints, from the south east, who overcame the Royal Navy side Sailor Jerrys in the final.

United Weston, from Weston-super-Mare

Cary ladies on the attack against the Swift 7s

Chloe and Alice with Jeffro the beagle

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SPORT

Margaret Bebbington (left) and Marvic Bosworth, from the Castle Cary branch of Macmillan Cancer Support who ran the raffle, give out balloons to youngsters

Typical Moodys – players offer their traditional greeting!

Colourful: Cary men dress to impress in the tournament

The victorious Swifts 7s

Cary player Ann-Marie Javvi with Kay’s widower Mark Pamplin, who travelled from Australia to enjoy the tournament

The medals carry a reminder of the tournament’s aims

Brothers Thomas and Josh signal the start of the awards ceremony MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 99

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Wells done!

MEMBERS of Wells City Harriers completed a remarkable treble in the annual Wells Fun Run around the city, which attracted more than 500 competitors.

In the main 10-kilometre race, Nathan Young came home in 33minutes, 47 seconds. His younger brother, Kieran, was exactly a minute behind in second place. Tom Dukes completed the Harrier set with his third place finish in 35.44.

However, the team race prize went to the Somer AC team as the Harriers forgot to enter themselves in the category!

Young runners at the start of the junior 500-metre race

Wells firecrew took part in full uniform – although running shoes were allowed!

Isabelle and Richard Mannings cross the 10km finish line together

The start of the 5km race

Made it – the 10km race was a real test of stamina

Fancy that: Jackie Treasure with her young runners PAGE 100 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

Staff from the Westfield veterinary surgery in Wells

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Suzie is a champion

Celebrations continue

SPORT

The two teams before the start of the match

SUZIE Richards, a former Backwell Tennis Club player, was crowned World Duathlon Champion in Pontevedra, Spain, as she competed for team GB. Suzie played tennis for Backwell for 10 years and was club ladies champion as well as competing at county level, before starting to train and compete in both the duathlon and triathlon four years ago.

Richard Gaunt, Backwell Tennis Club chairman, said: “This is a fantastic achievement by Suzie and is the result of many years of absolute dedication.

“Her next target is to earn an elite GB vest at the European Duathlon Championships in Austria this summer.

Sporting excellence must run in the family, as her brother Chris also played tennis at Backwell and was a county junior player.”

Details of Backwell Tennis Club: Head coach Ben Tilling 07737 725805 or membership secretary, John Lurie 01275 856771 or at www.backwelltennisclub.co.uk

CENTENARY celebrations at Wells Bowls Club have continued with a number of matches against high-profile opposition.

The Somerset Patrons – a Barbarians rugby-style invitational team drawn from clubs across the county – were amongst the visitors to WBC’s home on the city’s Recreation Ground.

Membership of the Patrons is open to any member of a club based within the old Somerset county boundary. Amongst those competing against Wells were players from Chew Stoke, Prattens, Castle Cary, Clevedon, Shepton Mallet and Isle of Wedmore clubs.

Other visitors to Wells have included Burnham-on-Sea – the first recorded match in WBC’s history.

G Consultants recruited to look at options to improve the Bishop’s Barn and increase the use of the recreation ground have recommended that the bowls club should be moved elsewhere with a long-term view to relocating completely off-site. The trustees of the site are to set up a working group to look at the recommendations in more detail.

David Bishop, chairman of Wells Bowls Club shakes hands with Gerry Gridley, chairman of The Somerset Patrons

Players compete against the backdrop of the Bishop’s Barn – the bowling green could move under plans to improve the Recreation Ground MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 101

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Fundraising boost for village day festival

PREPARATIONS to revive a traditional village day in Coleford, near Frome, have received a boost after a series of fundraising events and a donation from the recent Coleford Music Festival.

Several decades have passed since Coleford last hosted a village day, but members of the Coleford Revival Group have been raising the funds needed to host the community event on Sunday, August 24th.

The CRG says it is confident that the variety of attractions, stalls and entertainment organised for the day will attract a good number of locals and visitors from the surrounding areas. The organisers of the Coleford Flower and Craft Show have joined forces with the CRG and the 116th Annual Flower and Organisers of the Coleford Music Festival Craft Show will be part of what is hoped will go on to be an annual have made a generous major village celebration. donation to the village day funds Along with attractions such as a tug-of-war competition and dog show, local bands Parfenon, Spindrift and Charlie Miller and the Soul Agents will play during the afternoon and evening.

G A few spaces remain for stalls in the main arena. Anyone interested in booking a space should contact Nicola Phillips on 07522 323619. Schedules for the Coleford Flower and Craft Show are available from the show chairman, Philip Ham, on: 01373 812152.

Meanwhile, residents of Holcombe have decided to relaunch their gala day to celebrate village life.

This year’s event will take place from 2pm on Saturday, July 5th on the village playing field and will include displays by the Holcombe Majorettes, live music from Mark Travis, bar and tea tent, hog roast, welly-wanging and hay bale throwing competitions. The central arena will also host a dog show, tug 'o war and children's fancy dress competition.

G For more information on any of the events or competitions, please e-mail: Holcombeplayingfieldcommittee@yahoo.co.uk or telephone: 07766 812731 or 07891 545852.

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Shepton shows its social side

WHAT’S ON

Show committee members and guests at the sponsors’ evening at Shepton Mallet Cider Mill

ORGANISERS of the Mid-Somerset Agricultural Show have held a number of social events recently to raise the profile of the popular one-day event.

Shepton Mallet Cider Mill hosted an evening get together for the show’s current and potential sponsors, whilst a members’ evening at Pennard House at East Pennard attracted more than 100 people.

This year’s show takes place on Sunday, August 17th at the Shepton Mallet Showground. Entry is free to pedestrians but car park charges apply.

All the presidents: this year’s show president Paul Barber (left) presents last year’s president Roger Penny with a commemorative photo album of his year in office watched by former president Michael Eavis

Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor of the show should visit: www.midsomersetshow.org

COMPETITION WINNERS

Last month we offered you the chance to win family tickets to Yeovilton International Air Day. The first five correct entries drawn were from: Mrs Gill Selwyn, Backwell; Mrs Audrey Bull, Bridgwater; Mrs J. Heard, North Common, Bristol; Martin Harrington, Evercreech; and Lucy Taylor, Market Lavington, Devizes.

Congratulations - we hope you have a great day out.

Singles Social Group (Not a dating agency – est. 1979) Age range 40 – 60 approx.

Weekly Bar Night Events include: walks, dances, parties, meals out, theatre, cinema etc.

For further details call 01749 330455 01278 788077 01458 840958 01934 743139 www.singleprofessionalassociation.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014 • PAGE 103

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M e n d i p

Please send entries for these listings as a single paragraph of approximately 25 words. We’re happy to list entries for charities and voluntary groups free of charge – but please submit them in the format below. Commercial entries cost £25.

Friday June 27th – Sunday June 29th Yeo Valley Lions, Claverham Beer Festival, 35 beers, live music, tickets needed for Friday and Saturday evening sessions. Details: Nigel Carson 07884 118 664.

Friday June 27th Concert at Holy Trinity Church, Coleford (BA3 5NF), 7.30pm, the Jenny Peplow Singers and The New Chilcompton Choir, tickets £8.50 each to include light refreshments. Details: The Rev Clarissa Cridland 01373 812705 or www.colefordchurch.co.uk Saturday June 28th – Sunday June 29th Village Open Gardens, The Charltons, Somerton, from 12noon – 5.30pm.

Admission £3.50, one day £6 both days.

Maps at the Reading Room, Hillway Charlton Mackrell, TA11 6AN. Refreshments. Proceeds to support our beautiful churches.

Saturday June 28th Avon & Somerset Constabulary Male Voice Choir singing at St Francis’ Church, Nailsea, in aid of Parkinson’s UK. Tickets £7.50, include glass of wine in the interval, available in Nailsea and Portishead.

Enquiries: Ann Axe, 01275 856322.

Mendip Society Walk – Faulkland to Norton St.Philip. Details: Gill 01934 742508.

Congresbury Book Sale, at the summer fete, St Andrews field from 1.30 pm onwards.

Chew Magna Village Party celebrating Chew Magna Society’s 50th anniversary in the main village car park.

Sunday June 29th Open Garden: Overbrook Cottage, Cocklake, Nr Wedmore, BS28 4HF. Open in aid of Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, 2pm-5.30pm, tea and cakes!

Entry £2.50 (accompanied children free).

Tuesday July 1st Mendip DFAS, Charles Dickens: The Man and His Life Through His Characters, Westex Suite, Royal Bath and West.

Details: Tony Lane 01749 670652.

Wednesday July 2nd Cheddar Vale Lions Charity Golf Day at Isle of Wedmore Golf Club, BS28 4QT. £160/team to include green fees, coffee, PAGE 104 • MENDIP TIMES • JULY 2014

T i m e s

lunch and prizes. Details: pam@pamholmes.com or 01934 713710.

Thursday July 3rd Frome Country Market, 8am – 12noon in the Cheese & Grain, display of original handcrafted wedding items for sale (also on July 10th) and a grand tasting day of home cooked foods and preserves. Details Margaret Bond 01373 301049.

West Mendip Walkers, a moderate 9.7 mile (15.5kms) circular walk on Dartmoor from Drewsteighton to Castle Drogo and on to Chagford returning via Fingle Bridge.

Start 10.30am. Details: Tony Strange anthonyestrange@gmail.com 01934 733783 or 07976 902706.

Saturday July 5th Wedmore Street Fair – see page 40.

The Comedy of Errors, performed by The Festival Players in the garden of Speeds Farm, Lamyatt. Tickets £15 (U-15s £5), in aid of Lamyatt church and village hall.

Details: 01749 812031.

Grand Book Sale and Coffee Morning (plus cakes to buy) 10am- 12.30pm, at Backwell WI Hall, in aid of The Macular Society Research Appeal and the WI Hall Fund. Please ring Sheila on 01275 462107 if you have books to donate or to collect if required.

Easton Extravaganza afternoon event at Easton Village Hall 2pm – 4.30pm, opening

by Wells Town Cryer, various attractions, barbecue and bar, evening ceilidh with The Back Room Band. Details: Jean Mair 01749 870929.

Mendip Society Walk, Harridge Wood and Stoke Bottom. Details: Richard 01275 852786.

Summer Fayre, All Saints Church, Farmborough, Bath Spa Training Band, ploughman’s lunches, stalls and plenty of fun! 11.30am – 2,30pm.

Chewton Mendip Village Fete, 12.30pm.

Your City: Your Say. Launch of Wells Neighbourhood Plan. 2pm, Seager Hall, Union Street, Wells. Details on www.wellsneighbourhoodplan.co.

Paulton Party in the Park, with local bands, Paulton Memorial Park, 2pm.

Sunday, July 6th Time Is Precious Family Fun Day. Centurion Hotel, Midsomer Norton. 12.304.30pm. Free entry. Dane Bowers from ITV’s Big Reunion will be opening the day Wednesday July 9th Yeo Valley Garden and Food Days – a chance to see the garden and enjoy its

W h a t ’ s

produce, £50 per person. Details: www.yeovalley.co.uk Thursday July 10th West Mendip Walkers, a moderate circular walk of 7.2 miles (11.5kms) from West Pennard over rolling hills to Hembridge returning through woodland after West Bradley. Start 1.30pm.

Friday July 11th – Saturday July 19th Somerton Summer Arts Festival. Details: www.somerton.co.uk Friday July 11th – Sunday July 13th Priddy Folk Festival. Details www.priddyfolk.org Flower Festival at Doulting Church. Open Fri 3pm-7pm, Sat 10am-7pm with strawberry tea from 3pm, Sun 10am-7pm.

Details: Betty Brake 01749 830236.

Friday July 11th Summer Concert at St Paul’s Church, Easton, Near Wells, BA5 1DU, 8pm, featuring Sarah Minns (soloist) and Nicola Rose (pianist), tickets £10 each, include a glass of wine and light refreshments.

Details Jane Hilborne 01749 870543 or Pam Yates 01749 870585 or at www.eastonvillage.co.uk Friday July 11th and Saturday July 12th Big Gig charity weekend at Midsomer Norton Rugby Club, various bands, 5-aside football tournament, ticket only £7.50 in advance Friday, £15 in advance Saturday.

Details: www.thebiggigmsn.co.uk, Facebook page: Facebook/theevenbiggergig or call 07738127904.

Saturday July 12th Duck Race, Plume of Feathers, Rickford, in aid of Blagdon and Burrington preschools and Blagdon guides and scouts, 5pm. Details: www.theplumeoffeathers.com Tenth anniversary of Croscombe’s Show and Funday, a ‘don’t miss’ day out for the whole family, including craft and produce show, food, beer tent, live music and a veritable arcade of stalls and attractions.

Galhampton’s tenth Party in the Park, with eight bands, children’s activity tent and a broad range of high quality hot and cold food, tickets £20 for adults with under12s free, in aid of the village charity and rebuilding of the village hall.

Details:www.galhampton.com Alhampton Village Fete, 12noon, model railway, duck race, fun dog show, BBQ, stalls, games, crafts, teas and cakes. Details: http://alhampton.com Burrington Village Fete, 2pm in the picturesque garden at Burrington House,

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G u i d e

next to the church.

St. Martin’s Church, Worle, Richard Lennox in concert, 7.30pm, £8. Details Worle parish office 01934 515922.

Ditcheat Patronal Flower Festival at St Mary Magdalene Church, Ditcheat, 10am – 4pm each day, refreshments available. No entry fee but donations invited. Details: Eleanor Yeoman, church warden, 01749 860337.

Barn Sale weekend at Heavens Gate Farm nr Langport, 12noon – 4pm (no charge), see the animals up for homing, have a go at the Tombola, treat yourself to a piece of homemade cake and tea. New stock in the Barn every month! Details: 01458 252656.

Mendip Society Walk, Burrington.

Contact: Bob 01934 820575 or 07896 633157.

Songs for a Summer Evening with the delightful 30-strong Unity Singers at Barrow Gurney Village Hall at 7.30pm.

Tickets £5 including light refreshments available on the door or from Mary James 01275 392120. Fundraising for St Peter’s Hospice. Organised by Barrow Gurney WI. Music on the Green, Brent Knoll, with The Fallen Apples, 7.30pm, £8, children free from the village shop or call Eddie 01278 760308. Earlier Brent Knoll farmers market and café.

Backwell Festival, independent music festival with 16 bands, inc Doreen Doreen, celebrity chefs, circus skills, and a whole lot morel From 1.30pm in the grounds of Backwell Junior School. Details: www.backwellfestival.co.uk “Fun Day for Animal Charities. Bellevue Veterinary Clinic, Trudoxhill, near Frome.

12 noon until 4pm. Face painting, tombola, family dog show and dog agility, meeting animals at the clinic, pony rides, refreshments, BBQ, ice creams, stalls selling local crafts or produce, bird of prey display Tuesday July 15th Mid Somerset DFAS. Micromosaics, souvenirs of the Grand Tour 1770-1870.

Caryford Hall, Castle Cary BA7 7JJ, 11am, £6. Details: 01963 350 527.

Thursday July 17th – Saturday July 19th Backwell’s St Andrew’s Art Group open art exhibition, Backwell Parish Hall.

Details: Lindsey Busby 01275 852348 or 0750 4423 271.

Thursday July 17th Cheddar Valley U3A meet & greet coffee morning at Church House, Cheddar

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(opposite St Andrew’s Church) 10.30 to 12 noon. All visitors welcome. Or come along and meet us at Cheddar library every Monday from 10.30 to 12 noon. Further details 01934 710242 or www.cheddarvalleyu3a.org.uk.

West Mendip Walkers, a strenuous 12.8 mile (20.5kms) circular walk from East Somerset Railway Station, Cranmore to Chelynch to Cranmore Estate passing through Great Gains Wood to Downhead skirting the east edge of the Merehead Quarry returning via Batcombe Lodge and Higher Alham. Start 10am.

Redhill Village Club Classic Car Evening, 7pm–10pm. BBQ food will be available, plus hot & cold beverages. Come along and enjoy the cars on show. FREE ENTRY. Church Road, BS40 5SG Tel: 01934 862619.

Saturday July 19th Holcombe Old Church fete with entertainment provided at different times by Cam Valley Morris Men, the Priston Morris Men, the Hotwells Howlers folk group, and the Mendip Brass Band, Pimms bar and refreshments, plus an exhibition of art by the artist and illustrator Rodney Matthews inside the Old Church, 10.30-5pm. Details: 01373 802705 or 01761 232140.

Corston Country Fair, stalls, classic cars, dog show, beer tent, bbq, entertainment, 2pm-5pm.

Mendip Society Walk, Cranmore Tower from the Poacher’s Pocket, Doulting.

Details: Terry 01749 840752.

Barton St David Carnival on the village playing field from 2pm. Attractions include Children’s fancy dress, novelty and agility dog shows, village sports, fairground rides, the Shepton Mallet Big Band as well as the annual wife carrying race. Also the return of tug ‘o war. ‘It’s a Knockout’ competition from 6.30pm, hog roast and live music from the ‘Mid Rod Ends’. Admission free.

Sunday July 20th CBE Festival of Archaeology, Keith Faxon, an expert Flint Knapper and Archaeologist, will be demonstrating the ancient art of Flint Knapping in the Courtyard of Weston

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Museum, Burlington Street, W-s-M, BS23 1PR, 10.30am to 3.30pm. FREE. NGS Garden Open, Honeyhurst Farm, Rodney Stoke, BS27 3UJ, 2-5 p.m. Adults £3 Children free. Cream teas, cakes & plants available.

Thursday July 24th West Mendip Walkers, a leisurely circular walk of 7.9 miles (12.7kms) in the Gordano Valley, North Somerset. A stroll through woodland and nature reserves. A couple of steep climbs and a few stiles. Start 1.30pm.

Saturday July 26th and Sunday July 27th Portishead Flower Show & Country Fair at The Show Field, Clevedon Road, Portishead, BS20 7RA. Sat 11.30am – 6pm & Sun 10.30am – 6pm. Adults £5, children under 17 free. Free Parking. All enquiries to 01275 817350 or 07989 140367. Full details on www.portisheadflowershow.com Saturday July 26th Mendip Society Walk, Farrington Gurney.

Details: Roger 01225 872777.

Sunday July 27th Bruton Walk and a visit to a new contemporary art gallery, 10am. Details: www.dontwalkalone.co.uk Wednesday July 30th Backwell and Nailsea Macular Support Group, Steve Gallagher from OPTELEC on the subject of “Treating Low Vision Issues”, W.I. Hall, Backwell, from 1.30pm.

Details: Sheila 01275 462107.

Sunday, August 3rd Dedication of WWI statue. Cast from a model of Frome man, Charlie Robbins, the statue will be dedicated in its new location at the Memorial Garden outside the Memorial Theatre in Frome. 3pm.

Monday, August 4th WWI Service of Reflection at St John’s Church, Frome at 7pm followed by a candle lit vigil at the Memorial Theatre Garden, between 10pm and 11pm.

Monday August 25th City of Wells Moat Boat Race. Want to participate and raise money for your charity? Raft entries contact Jane Miller 07708 468269.

ANSWERS TO THE MENDIP MINDBENDER

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ACROSS: 1/5 Natural England, 9 Trail, 10 Old Cleeve, 11 A bit steep, 12 Obama, 13 Heap, 14 Sparkford, 17 Apocrypha, 20 Inch, 23 Music, 24 Cranberry, 25 Churchill, 26 Balti, 27 Scenery, 28 Posting.

DOWN: 1 Not bad, 2 Tea-time, 3 Rolls up, 4 Loosens up, 5 End up, 6/22 Gullock Tyning, 7 Ages ago, 8 Diehards, 15 At a gallop, 16 Hammocks, 18 Obscure, 19 Recycle, 20 Imbibes, 21 Corelli, 24 Chivy.

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Princes Road, Wells, BA5 1TD

COMING UP:

From Friday 27th June Wednesday 2nd July From Friday 4th July Monday 7th July

From Friday 11th July

Jimmy’s Hall (12A) Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie (15)

WHAT’S ON

Portishead puts on a show

Macbeth (Globe on screen) How To Train Your Dragon 2 (PG) 3D/2D Transformers – Age of Extinction (12A) 3D/2D Fault In Our Stars (12a) La Grande Illusion (U) (part of our WWI season) Walking On Sunshine (12A)

G Book in person G Online 24/7 @www.wellsfilmcentre.co.uk G Over the ’phone: 01749 673195

Portishead Flower Show & Country Fair 2014 @ e Show Field, Clevedon Road, Portishead, BS20 7RA On Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th July Saturday 11.30am to 6.00pm - Sunday 10.30am to 6.00pm Adults £5.00 Children under 17 Free. Free parking Horticultural, Handicraft and Cookery exhibits, Trade stands. Arena events include e Ferret School, Paws for ought Dog Display Team, North Somerset Bird of Prey Centre, Alpaca’s, Portishead Town Band, the Somerset Paddies, Companion Dog Show. Refreshments available

For full details of what's on and when - see our web site – www.portisheadflowershow.com Contact Details Tel: 01275 817350 Mob: 07989 140367

PAGE 106 • MENDIP TIMES • JUNE 2014

THE Portishead Flower Show & Country Fair is a major event in Portishead’s calendar. The accent today is very much on activities for children and young people and for promoting local country life, nature and environment, as well as being an outlet for local talent.

There are over 500 classes to enter across a range of horticultural, floral, handicrafts and cooking. In fact the marquees cover an area as big as a supermarket (24,000 square feet). If you have been inspired by the Big Allotment Challenge and Great British Bake Off, why not have a go.

Apart from the flowers, vegetables and fruit they have a packed programme of events, which they hope will be of interest to all ages, including the Ferret School Display, Paws for Thought Dog Display Team, North Somerset Bird of Prey Centre, Punch and Judy, Portishead Town Band, the Somerset Paddies, donkey rides and alpacas.

They are also hosting a Songs of Praise on the Sunday morning.

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WHAT’S ON

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