Issue 10 - Volume 15 - Mendip Times

Mendip Times

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VOLUME 15 ISSUE 10

FREE

Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas

MARCH 2020

IN THIS ISSUE: SPRING GARDENING • FOCUS ON SHEPTON • BUSINESS • RIDING • FOOD & DRINK • SOMERSET DAY Local people, local history, local places, local events and local news

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MENDIP TIMES

CONTENTS

Welcome

HORSES and the homeless are among our topics this month. We preview the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale and Mendip Point to Point meetings, while also looking ahead to the Cheltenham Festival.

Rachel Thompson explains why she’s taken her mount on a 100-mile winter walk and we have horsepower in abundance at the Somerset Vintage and Classic Tractor Show.

Homelessness among the young is being highlighted by the charity YMCA this month, while a report from Somerset Community Foundation paints a grim picture of homelessness generally in the county.

We meet a family busy setting up a support scheme for homeless people in memory of their son. As usual, our charities and community pages are full of remarkable human stories.

We preview Somerset Day, which is coming up in May and turn the spotlight on Shepton Mallet, which is enjoying a month of festivals. You can find out what’s coming up this month in our comprehensive What’s On listings, which are free for community and charitable events.

As ever, our thanks to our advertisers who enable us to make so much free space available to so many worthy causes. With all of our regular contributors and features, Mendip Times is at the heart of all things Mendip.

April 2020 deadline: Friday, 13th March 2020.

Published: Tuesday, 24th March 2020.

Editorial: Steve Egginton steve@mendiptimes.co.uk Mark Adler mark@mendiptimes.co.uk Advertising: Ann Quinn advertising@mendiptimes.co.uk Rachael Abbott rachael@mendiptimes.co.uk What’s On listings: Annie Egginton annie@mendiptimes.co.uk Publisher: Mendip Times Limited Coombe Lodge, Blagdon, Somerset BS40 7RG Contacts: For all enquiries, telephone:

01761 463888

or: email: news@mendiptimes.co.uk www.mendiptimes.co.uk Design and origination by: Steve Henderson Printed by: 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: Braving Storm Dennis in Shepton Mallet.

Photo by Mark Adler, see page 15.

14

A wheelie big deal – hats off to tractor show

15

Pretty as a picture – snowdrop festival defies the storm

85

46

Heart and soul – Eavis on song for hospice

Ready for the off – point to point preview Plus all our regular features Environment ...................................6 Farming Nick Green .....................10 Internet and Crossword ..............12 Food & Drink ...............................16 Arts & Antiques ...........................24 Business.........................................28 Charities........................................42 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE .......49 Walking Sue Gearing ....................50 Outdoors Les Davies MBE ..........52

Gardening Mary Payne MBE.......54 Caving Phil Hendy ........................60 Health Dr Phil Hammond .............62 Community ...................................68 Homes and Interiors ....................75 Property ........................................80 Music & Theatre ..........................82 Riding Rachel Thompson MBE.....84 Sport ..............................................86 What’s On.....................................89 MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 3

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

Despite the dreadful stormy weather. we are heading towards Spring.

The days are feeling slightly longer and British Summer Time starts on March 29th. The long evenings make everyone feel better.

As we said last month the fact that Brexit has finally happened (although in name only at this stage) has jumpstarted the property market.

Indeed, we are very busy across the board. We are in the process of recruiting new fee earners to meet the demand.

If you haven’t looked at our website recently please do pay a visit. Over the past 12 months we have added a lot more information about the various areas of law that we cover.

There is a handy pop up contact form, so if you want further information just send a message and we’ll get back to you to very quickly!

Castle Cary: e Old Exchange, Church Street, Castle Cary, Somerset, BA7 7EJ. Tel: 01963 350888

Cheddar: Bath Street Chambers, Bath Street, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3AA. Tel: 01934 745400

Website: www.bgw-solicitors.co.uk

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MENDIP TIMES

History helped by fair

(l:r) Guy Belshaw (trustee of the Fairground Heritage Trust), David Walker (honorary curator, Wells and Mendip Museum), Dr Julia Wood (Wells city archivist) and Richard Green

THE authors of a book about a famous fairground family have donated £1,000 to the Wells city archives and Wells and Mendip Museum.

Richard Green and Guy Belshaw used the archives when they carried out research into Charles Heal and Sons, the highly-regarded showmen, businessmen and philanthropists.

The book also features illustrations of documents in the archives. The book is entitled “Big Shows, Charles Heal & Family” and is available from the Museum shop.

A second cheque – for £100 – was also presented by Richard to the museum on behalf of the Showmen's Guild of Great Britain.They donated the money at last year’s Wells May Fair buffet lunch at the Swan Hotel.

Dr Julia Wood, Wells City Archivist, said: “Both the City Archives and Wells Museum are enormously appreciative of this generosity and support from Richard, Guy and the Showmen’s Guild.”

Bush fires inspire sale

NEWS

Tilly and Joshua

TWO children from Chewton Mendip organised a nearly new sale and raised £671.62 to help the recovery from the bush fires in Australia. It will be split between the World Wildlife Fund and Red Cross Australian Wildfire Disaster Funds.

Tilly Ryrie, aged 12, who goes to the Blue School in Wells and brother, Joshua, aged ten, who attends Chewton Mendip Primary School, organised the event at Ston Easton village hall in just three weeks.

With help from family and friends, they approached companies for raffle donations, designed and distributed posters and social media posts, gathered donations of clothes, toys and books from friends, family and neighbours, baked cakes and biscuits and finally ran the event.

They were inspired to find out that Longleat game keepers were in Australia helping with the recovery efforts and said they would like to thank Longleat in particular for their support and the donation of a cuddly koala for the Guess the Name of the Koala competition – Karen was the winning name!

Mulberry, Van Dal Shoes and East Somerset Railway also donated prizes.

They said: “A huge thank you must also go to all the people who came on the day and spent their money to help this worthy cause.”

Troubled bridges over rivers replaced

A FOOTBRIDGE on a busy public right of way across the River Cary at Charlton Mackrell has been replaced by Somerset County Council.

The bridge links the village with Kingsdon and forms part of the Macmillan Way West, a nationally promoted long distance walking trail.

It was one of three bridge in South Somerset which were deteriorating and in need of repair; they were closed to the public in 2018. The others were over the River Cale in Wincanton – part of the Monarch’s Way, another popular long-distance trail – and in Broadway, near Ilminster, over the River Ding.

The council has replaced them with new standard footbridges on vastly superior foundations and they now meet modern safety regulations.

Councillor John Woodman, Somerset County Council’s cabinet member for highways, said: “It’s great that we have been able to sort out bridges in need of major repair so

The bridge over the River Cary at Charlton Mackrell

efficiently and cost-effectively. They are now designed to a much better standard and will be of massive benefit to residents as a result.”

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 5

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MENDIP TIMES

Planting for the future

MORE than 50 volunteers have planted 400 new trees on land at Barton St David which is home to a community farm.

The trees will help to create a wildlife corridor on one side of Plotgate CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which was created in 2016.

The planting was supported by a voluntary group called Reimagining the Levels, made up of community groups and

Amy (left) presents a scots pine to Amy, from Plotgate

businesses on the Somerset Levels and surrounding area, which carries out tree plantings across the county.

The volunteers were joined by Tony Capozzolli and Charlie Hull, ward members on South Somerset District Council, which has launched the Great Parish Tree Giveaway, offering 60 parishes within the authority boundary 50 free saplings each to plant in public spaces.

(l:r) Charlie Hull and Tony Capozzoli with two of Plotgate CSA’s four directors, Amy Willoughby and Dan Britton

Many hands made light work: the tree planting took place over a single weekend

Sarah Sander-Jackson, from Reimagining the Levels; the tree protectors were made by Dan Britton from upcycled chicken wire

For details about Plotgate CSA, visit: wwwplotgatecsa.wordpress.com or find them on Facebook. For details about Reimagining the Levels, visit: www.reimaginingthelevels.org.uk

PAGE 6 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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ENVIRONMENT

Hedgehog alert

New wildlife officer for Avon and Somerset

AVOn and Somerset Police’s new wildlife officer, PC Pete Wills, has completed his first two months in the role.

A former community beat manager in Burnhamon-Sea, he has taken up the role after 22 years with the force.

He grew up in the countryside and has always had a passion for wildlife.

He said: “i was brought up on the Somerset Levels by two very keen walkers and conservationists, so i naturally fell into it and carried on with this lifestyle into adulthood. “i have been a voluntary wildlife crime officer for 14 years, helping to investigate or advise other officers, so this is a natural progression for me. i’m really pleased to be given this opportunity and i am excited about to being in a role where i am guaranteed to get my boots dirty.

“Wildlife crime is generally under-reported, so a big part of my role is about raising the profile. Wildlife crime can be difficult to solve, as much of it occurs in remote locations where there are limited witnesses.

“We get all sorts of crimes reported to us, from badger act offences, to water voles and bats, as well as illegal hunting and poaching. i have looked at ivory importation to our area and we have previously investigated bird egg and butterfly collectors. it’s not just about animals though, as flora and fauna are protected too.”

PRiCkLES Hedgehog Rescue in Cheddar has been taking in a lot of poorly small hedgehogs, who have come out of hibernation early due to warmer temperatures. if you find these little ones during daylight hours, they ask that you contact them on 07806 744772.

Frome wants to share electric charge points

FROME Town Council is working with an online company to enable domestic charge points for electric vehicles to be shared across the town.

The website – bookmycharge.com – brings together people with EVs of all types looking for a charging point, with fellow EV owners or businesses who have an accessible and compatible chargepoint and space for an EV that they are willing to allow to be used for a modest fee.

Frome Town Councillor Paul Horton said: ‘'For those people who see ongoing private vehicle use a necessity, an increasing number are using electric vehicles. While many of these people have charge points at their home, others, with on street parking for example, don’t.

“Bookmycharge will enable people with a home charger to share their charge point with others when not in use and to generate income to cover all costs.”

For details, visit: www.bookmycharge.com

New green initiative in Wedmore

A nEW scheme in Wedmore encourages carbon emission offsetting and will benefit local green projects.

Green Wedmore have launched the scheme, which means residents can now choose to make a donation to off-set their air travel, helping the community reach its zero-carbon target. it says the average Uk citizen is responsible for producing approximately five tons of CO2 per year.

Taking one ten-hour hour flight can create the same amount again.

Vanessa Becker-Hughes, chair of Green Wedmore said: “if anyone would like to consider off-setting their travel, please take a look at the website and you can be assured that 100% of the donation will be ploughed back into local schemes.

Details: Twitter via @ASPRuralCrime Facebook at ‘Rural Crime Avon and Somerset Police’ https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/report/wildlife -crime/

“You can off-set future bookings and even flights already taken. Our travel web page gives a clear payment structure for the flights you are planning, so donating is easy with payments being made by BACS.” Green Wedmore was formed in 2006 and has worked tirelessly on local environmental projects including running repair cafes, freecycle days, community litter picks, a community orchard, tree planting, electric car charging points and installing solar panels on community buildings not to mention being the catalyst for the Wedmore Community Power Co-op. it says funds generated from the off-setting scheme will help to continue this work and other similar, new projects.

Details: http://greenwedmore.co.uk/Travel.aspx • greenwedmorev@gmail.com

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 7

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MENDIP TIMES

Tilting the balance for birdlife nATiOnAL Grid has partnered with a local landowner and natural England to install a specially designed tilting weir on Tickenham Moor Site of Special Scientific interest.

The weir will retain and raise water levels in this area of marshy wetland, encouraging wading birds to stay by creating a more reliable feeding and breeding ground on the site near the Causeway, between nailsea and Tickenham.

The weir was built by national Grid’s contractor, J Murphy and Sons to a Dutch design, with a specific design for this

The weir was built to a bespoke design

ENVIRONMENT

Weir working together… the new sluice is unveiled at Tickienham

location by Dan Alsop. The idea was proposed during consultation on the Hinkley Connection Project by local resident and north Somerset Conservation Advisor for natural England, Mary Trump with support from local landowner, Stewart Plant and the north Somerset Drainage board. it was operational ahead of the start of work on underground cables between the west end of nailsea and Portishead substation in January this year.

Mary said: “The wetlands are a precious resource and natural England was very pleased at how national Grid and J Murphy and Sons worked together to install the tilting weir.

“The tilting weir is an impressive

feature. Unlike traditional sluices it can be safely and accurately adjusted so we get just the right amount of water to support flora and fauna in this Site of Special Scientific interest year-round, creating stability for existing wildlife and attracting wintering wildfowl and wading birds. Peat moors like this also assist with carbon capture and flood mitigation.”

Tony Dyas, lead project manager for national Grid said: “We are working closely with landowners, listening and acting on their feedback all along the 57km route of the Hinkley Connection Project. We are delighted to be able to install this tilting weir to enhance the natural environment for wildlife and for visitors and residents.”

For details about the Hinkley Connection Project and National Grid’s work to protect and enhance the environment in areas affected by its construction activity visit: www.hinkleyconnection.co.uk

SOMERSET Wildlife Trust has successfully completed a year-long butterfly project on the Mendips with Aggregate industries which aimed to improve butterfly habitat and food sources at the trust’s Cheddar Wood nature Reserve and at wildflower grasslands around the Torr Works Quarry.

The project also helped to create more habitat patches of kidney vetch on which the small blue butterfly depends.

Lila Morris, Mendip Conservation Officer, said: “Somerset Wildlife Trust would like to thank all of the butterfly specialists, contractors and quarry staff who have helped to restore butterfly habitats across Mendip this past year and make this project a soaring success.”

A pair of small blues

Details: https://www.somersetwildlife.org/what-we-do/restore-somersets-nature/create-living-landscapes/mendiphills/making-space-butterflies

PAGE 8 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

(Photograph courtesy of Cath Shellswell)

Supporting Mendips butterflies

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MENDIP TIMES

The changing face of farming

SPRING is the time of year when many animals have their young. It’s not by accident. If you think about the cycle of pregnancy, suckling, With NICK becoming pregnant GREEN again and having a rest before another baby and the food supply it makes sense.

Naturally, cows would have their calves in early spring. This coincides with an increase in growth of grass which is a cow’s natural food. As the cow consumes more grass so her milk yield increases.

This coincides with her calf needing more milk.

In a truly natural situation the cow would only produce enough milk for her calf. If the cow is milked as well as suckled her natural response is to produce more. And that is how the dairy industry works.

A hundred years or so ago the majority of farms in the South West of England were termed as “mixed”. Cows were found on most farms. These herds formed the basis of an integrated cycle on hundreds of farms in the region.

The cows produced milk; surplus milk was made into cheese; whey is a byproduct of cheese making and was fed to pigs; the manure from the pigs and cows was used to fertilise the crops that were being grown to feed the cows and pigs and so on.

It was a neat system that relied on each process to provide the input for the next.

Over time, this form of integration died out with individual farms specialising in a particular form of farming. That said, a few integrated businesses based on cows, cheese, pigs and crops remain in the South West.

The principle remains the same but technology has aided the process and made

things more efficient and easier for those involved. Cows are milked by machine instead of by hand. The back breaking task of cutting curds is done mechanically.

Whey is broken down into its component parts to provide protein concentrate for human consumption, lactose permeate for animal feed and water for cleaning the cheese dairy. Manure is collected and applied to land by machine instead of trailer and pitch fork. And so it goes on.

The bucolic pictures of pre-machine farming and cheese-making might look nice in history books but those involved will be glad that they are in books and not real life. The food produced might be the same but the methods engaged have most definitely changed.

Nick Green is Farms Director for Alvis Bros Ltd based at Lye Cross Farm. He is responsible for the farming and estate business and is passionate about British food and farming. As well as the business, he is involved with a number of local and national farming charities.

Your main Kubota dealer for Somerset and South Gloucester Main Road A370, Hewish, Weston-super-Mare BS24 6SE

PAGE 10 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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FARMING

Contact: 01275 472471 • www.jwandtjpearce.co.uk St Katherines Farmhouse, Downside Road, Lulsgate, Bristol BS48 3DZ TOPSOIL AND STONE SUPPLIES Dry high quality screened or unscreened Topsoil.

Recycled aggregates and quarry stone supplies, road planings and building stone.

Can-am ATV’s and SSV’s • Westwood ride on lawnmowers • Ariens zero turn and push mowers • Echo Power tools • Agricultural Machinery and servicing

DEMOLITION AND STRIP OUT All types of demolition works. From small household to main contractor projects, including rail, schools and city centre redevelopments. Complete range of specialist equipment and services available.

ASBESTOS Asbestos removal and collection. Roof sheets, tiles and guttering. Call for information.

TRANSPORT 4,6 and 8 wheeled tipper Lorries for hire and muck away. Low loader, beaver tail and road brush hire.

PLANT HIRE Wide range of plant. 360 excavators, Dumpers, Bulldozers and Crushers.

Call into our shop to find: u Tools u Fasteners u Fixings u Timber u Fencing u Electric fencing u Oils u Lubricants u Water fittings u Clothing u Spares u Parts

EXCAVATIONS Large and small excavations. Specialist works include Equestrian all weather surfaces, drainage and bulk excavations.

5% Discount for NFU members on Can-am ATV’s and SSV’s

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 11

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INTERNET

Tabs and how to use them

INTERNET browsing revolves round tabs. If you click on a link in an email, for example, (having established that it is a genuine link you are expecting, and not a scam) it will open your default (usual) browser as an extra tab. This example gives three tabs – second one is Google, third one is John Lewis.

CROSSWORD

The Mendip Mindbender

So you check out the suggestion from your friend in John Lewis, but perhaps you wonder if there is a cheaper or better version somewhere and want to compare? Just click on the + sign on the right of the tabs and search for another shop. We’ll go with M&S. So now you have John Lewis and M&S and can check each one independently and flip back and forth between the two by clicking on the tabs.

If there is a link to something you like and you want that as an extra tab again, hold down Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click the link and it will open as another tab, so you will need to click on that tab to view it – this example shows I’ve Cmd+clicked on the Food dept, but it’s not active – I’m still looking at the M&S home page. To close a tab, just click on the cross beside it.

This example is from Safari.

If you want to change the order of the tabs, just click and hold on the middle of the tab and move it left or right to where you want it to be. Or you can drag it away from the window you are in and drop it on your desktop.

Ctrl+click on a tab for more options – see example on right.

Please note – in last month’s article I talked about Windows not supporting W7 any more, and suggested upgrading to W10 for security. I understood that the free upgrade had been withdrawn, but it is still possible to upgrade for free. Search microsoft.com or go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/softwaredownload/windows10ISO I would suggest you take advice, and definitely make sure you back everything up first.

Submitted by IT for the Terrified: Cheddar Village Hall, Church St, Cheddar BS27 3RF 01934 741751 (usually goes to answer phone) Please note – we have had some trouble with our phone line, so if you have tried to ring and not got through, please try again. www.itfortheterrified.co.uk itfortheterrified@btconnect.com I.T. for the Terrified – for all your computer training needs. A skill-sharing, community project. Run by a Committee – Staffed by Volunteers Registered Charity No. 1130308 : Company No. 06779600 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. 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: Macs: Tablets: iPads: smartphones.

PAGE 12 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

ACROSS 1 Ebbing tides will do this (6) 8 Observing instructions of how to top a plain cake (8) 9 Cast down, demoralize (10) 10 Semi-precious variety of agate (4) 11 Sounds like a seabird but will run your car! (6) 13 Makes a sudden cry or yells (8) 15 and 21 down. Town that was home to Babycham, Britain’s oldest prison (closed 2013) and John Lewis Esq. of department store fame (7) 17 Uses a rope to descend a nearly vertical surface (7) 20 It’s under your plate at dinner time (5,3) 22 Link up, work together (6) 24 Impending ruin or in old use ‘Judgement Day’ (4) 26 In ... ....... you will be in the doldrums (3,7) 28 A teetotaller will suffer from this (8) 29 Not very often (6) DOWN 1 An abominable snowman (4) 2 A gentle breeze or fine gingham cotton (6) 3 Ladies’ quarters in a

Muslim palace (8) Denoting origin by birth rather than nationality (6) 5 A touch on the shoulders with a sword from the monarch (8) 6 The green-eyed monster (4) 8 and 19 down. This village sits at the foot of the Quantocks and is where Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote ‘The Rime of the Ancient Marine’ (6) 12 Christian name of the American singer who first sang “There’s no business like show business” (5) 14 This village is close to Frome and was where Jack Horner of nursery rhyme fame lived (5) 16 Scar that could be the result of acne (8) 18 What the Americans call our sports ground (8) 19 See 8 down (6) 21 See 15 across (6) 23 The desired result of putting washing (3-3) 25 Double reed woodwind instrument (4) 27 Chat or gossip or a lecture (4) 4

Clues in italics are cryptic by greendandelion

This month’s solution can be found on page 97

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Tribute to village legend

Robin’s widow Shirley on the memorial bench

A mEmORiAL bench has been unveiled in Coleford to honour villager Robin Thompson who passed away last year. Robin was a former collier and quarryman but was best known as landlord of the King’s Head for 33 years before retiring. Robin also helped with research into the Jarge Balsh talking book which celebrated the unique dialect of the village. individuals and village organisations donated towards the cost of the bench which sits outside the pub.

Love letters to Radstock

TWO artists have been commissioned to create exciting and engaging artworks with the Radstock community, inspired by love!

Love Letters to Radstock, is a new arts project delivered by Creativity Works, an arts organisation who have been based in the town for more than 30 years. They say they are hoping to create a positive and uplifting project with the Radstock community after such challenging times over the past few years. Through this project they want to emphasise the love for people, place and community.

Alicia Ridley is to work on The Angel of Radstock – a terracotta work complete with the names of loved ones written on its wings. Once made, it will have pride of place on the front of Radstock Community Hub & Library.

Artist Ellie Shipman is creating an intriguing love trail of letters placed around the town. Stunning maps will be created by community groups detailing the locations for residents and visitors alike to walk and enjoy into the future.

Oliver Jones, director of Creativity Works, said: “We had an incredible response from artists based all over the country wanting to be involved in the project, however we were only able to choose two artists, Alicia Ridley and Ellie Shipman.

“Their approach stood out as it was about engaging the local community in high quality arts activity and creating beautiful and interactive pieces of art that can be enjoyed by the whole community as well as visitors to Radstock.”

For more details, visit www.creativityworks.org.uk

NEWS

Saving Somerset’s dormice

SOmERSET Wildlife Trust has announced an urgent appeal for £35,000 to help save the county’s dormice from possible extinction.

Despite once being common, in the last 100 years the native hazel dormouse has become extinct in 17 English counties, with recent UK reports showing that their numbers have declined by 51% in just 18 years. it says Somerset could easily be the next county to lose its dormouse populations unless positive action is taken now to make their habitats safe.

Senior reserves manager, Chris Eyles said: “Dormice need well-managed, connected woodlands through which they can safely move to find food, breed and have secure places to hibernate - something that is already becoming increasingly problematic for them as we continue to see the impacts of a warming climate.”

Details: www.somersetwildlife.org/dormouse-appeal or telephone 01823 652429

New repair café

HigH Littleton’s repair café had a fantastic launch. Volunteers worked hard to check in visitors, fix things, log the results and serve delicious home-made cakes, tea and coffee.

The café will be held at High Littleton Church Hall every third Saturday.

Details: HLRepairCafe@gmail.com Facebook @HighLittletonRepairCafe

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 13

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MENDIP TIMES

Tractor fans thanks for their kindness ALMOST £14,000 was raised for charity by exhibitors and visitors to the annual Somerset Vintage and Classic Tractor Show.

The total – £13,800 – was shared between Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Eady’s Journey, School in a Bag, Cots for Tots, Dorothy House Hospice, Yeovil District Hospital and the RUH Forever Friends Appeal. Hot Rock Carnival Club also received a donation from the fundraising efforts for their work stewarding the two-day event at the Royal Bath and West Showground.

Michael Brent, aged six and from Coleford, was named best junior exhibitor for this 1964 Fordson Dexta

Alan Clapp, from Exeter, in the cab of his two-thirds scale replica of a 1976 Massey Ferguson 550. The retired agricultural engineer is a keen modelmaker

Representatives from the various organisations which shared £13,800

The HJ Pugh and Co auction of vehicles, machinery and spare parts underway

Mike Brockway, from Coleford, on the Fordson stand. On the left is the front section of his distinctive two-engined Fordson Super Major Doe Duel, a familiar sight at ploughing matches PAGE 14 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

The best tractor in the show judged to be this pre-war Massey Harris Pacemaker

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EVENTS

Festival goes down a storm

STORM Dennis forced the cancellation of the outside events planned for the 2020 Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival, but organisations refused to allow it to put a dampener on the celebrations.

The weekend of all things snowdrop ranged from specialist advice from snowdrop traders and a gardeners’ question time to poetry and hhotography competition and children's activities.

The event raised funds for the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Project, which celebrates the achievements of James Allen, the Victorian “Snowdrop King” who cultivated the plants as they are known today.

Town crier Andy Neal with the festival organisers

Helen Reader, Shepton’s Fairy Godmother, with Ivy, the youngest entrant in the fancy dress parade, aged three months

The festival was opened in SS Peter and Paul church by Glastonbury Festival’s Michael Eavis

Pippa and Poppy, who sang during the festival

One of the hundreds of snowdrops on sale.

At £40 this Galanthus Trinity, on the Avon Bulbs stand, is not the cheapest but certainly not the most expensive. Some examples can fetch thousands of pounds

Eve, Mabel and Elizabeth brave the weather on their way to the fancy dress parade MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 15

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MENDIP TIMES

Ladies, March is our month

With JUNE MACFARLANE

Half of us are women and everyone has a mother. With International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8th and Mother’s Day in the UK on Sunday, March 22nd we should celebrate!

Here is a wonderful lemon cheesecake that ticks all the boxes, sweet, sharp and a bit wobbly. We have a pasta dish from Rome to make you think it is spring, and a warming soup because you know it isn’t quite. But it will be!

LEMON CREAM-CHEESE MOUSSE CAKE

RED LENTIL AND SQUASH SOUP

INGREDIENTS

A warming soup for chilly March days This no-cook cake ticks all the boxes

Lots of mixing and whipping, no cooking, exquisite wobbly result! You need a 20-22cm tin with a removable base, lined with a disc of baking paper.

METHOD Mix the ground almonds and biscuits, melt the butter and add, mixing well. Press a thin layer over base of tin. Chill 30 mins.

Reserve egg whites in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk yolks and sugar together in electric mixer until thick and pale. Add lemon zest.

Soak gelatine in cool water. Just warm lemon juice in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and add softened gelatine. Stir to dissolve.

Add cream cheese to egg mix, beating until smooth. Add lemon juice and gelatine. Whip cream until it just holds its shape INGREDIENTS and fold into mix.

(Serves 12) Beat egg whites 80g ground almonds until stiff and 150g Nice biscuits, finely fold into mix. crushed Pour into tin, 70g butter cover with a 4 eggs, separated dish, chill 150g caster sugar overnight. When 2 large lemons, zested ready to serve and juiced run a hot knife 5 sheets gelatine around edge to 250ml dbl cream release.

250g cream cheese

PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Great warming soup, with croutons! Love that crunch!

(for four) 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 tsp ground cumin Salt and pepper Pinch cayenne 1 litre chicken/veg stock 250g red lentils 1 large carrot, peeled and diced 500g squash, peeled and diced Homemade croutons Olive oil

METHOD In a large pot, fry the onion and garlic until soft. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and cayenne, and sauté for two minutes more. Add stock, two cups water, lentils, carrot and squash. Simmer gently until lentils are soft, about 30 mins. Taste for seasoning. Puree almost all the soup, leaving some for texture. Serve with croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.

CACIO E PEPE

Spaghetti with cheese and pepper. Three ingredients that make something wonderful. The sauce should just coat the pasta.

INGREDIENTS

(for four) 4 tsp black peppercorns 400g spaghetti 175g pecorino Romano, finely grated

METHOD Toast the peppercorns in a hot dry pan, then crush lightly. Bring a large pan of water to the boil then add pasta. Cook for 11 mins, removing a mug of cooking water after five mins. Drain pasta. Put cheese and most of the pepper into a large bowl. Beat in some of the pasta water to make a paste, then some more to make the sauce. Add the pasta and stir into the sauce, adding more water if necessary. Serve in warm bowls sprinkled with reserved pepper.

When in Rome…

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What’s new from

Myrtle Farm

A round-up of events from Thatchers Cider in Sandford

Harvested to perfection

JAMES Pullen, who’s been supplying Thatchers with apples for ten years, is our apple grower of the year for 2019.

Congratulations James!

He’s a well-known figure at Myrtle Farm, taking great pride in the apples he delivers personally from his farm in Yeovil by tractor and trailer during harvest. From Katy apples early in the season, to Harry Masters, Dabinett and Michelin three months later, James knows exactly how to ensure superb quality of fruit, harvested to perfection.

Mother’s Day at The Railway Inn TREAT Mum to an afternoon of Sunday lunch on Mother’s Day, 22nd March. The Railway Inn will have a special treat for all mothers dining with us then. Our regular delicious Sunday menu will be available from 12pm to 7pm.

For reservations please call 01934 611518.

FOOD & DRINK

Be a Thatchers apprentice

THANK you to everyone who joined us for our Careers Day, we had an amazing turn out and were inspired by so many enthusiastic people interested in a career at Myrtle Farm.

Applications for Tom Baker, one of our Cider our 2020 apprenticeships are Academy Apprentices, has just been awarded Intermediate Apprentice of open until 5th the Year at the Grow Somerset Talent March, so if you, Awards. Well done Tom! or someone you know is interested, please apply before the deadline by visiting https://www.thatcherscider.co.uk/youngtalent-programme/ The current vacancies for September include our Brand Academy, Chef Academy, Cider Academy, Finance, and University Placements.

Zero is here to quench your thirst!

ONE of the most popular purchases in our Myrtle Farm Cider Shop is our new alcohol-free cider, Zero. Introduced at the beginning of the year, customers locally were the first to try Zero out. And it really seems to have gone down well, with its appley aromas and crisp refreshment. Zero is beautifully bright and golden, looking and tasting just like cider, only without the alcohol.

We’ve used our favourite West Country bittersweet apples, and like all our ciders, Zero is made here in Sandford. There’s no compromise on quality or taste, and Zero has found a real home in our family. And of course, it’s gluten free, and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

So a big thank you to everyone who’s helped make Zero’s introduction a success!

www.thatcherscider.co.uk • Don’t forget you can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Thatchers Cider, Myrtle Farm, Sandford, Somerset, BS25 5RA

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2017 2020 • PAGE 17 MENDIP TIMES • NOVEMBER

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MENDIP TIMES

Swapping seeds and stories

A FOOD networking event in Glastonbury Town Hall saw individuals, groups and organisations getting together to discuss current issues.

The day was centred on a seed swap but stalls ranged from one ran by Extinction Rebellion to the mental health organisation Seed of Hope. The event was organised by Somerset Community Food.

The seed swap area was busy all day. Amongst those on offer were a selection from the Paddington Farm Trust organic farm on the edge of Glastonbury

Kris and Ebony from Seed of Hope, based next to Glastonbury’s Red Brick Building, The community interest company offers recovery-based social and therapeutic gardening for people with mental health issues

Some of the organisers of the day from Somerset Community Food

PAGE 18 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Food on the agenda at Glastonbury Town Hall

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GARDEN FOOD

Wild rosemary

THIS is something that caught my attention on a recent visit to a botanical garden – Eriocephalus africanus, known as wild rosemary, Kapokbos or Cape snowbush in its native range. Whilst superficially similar to true rosemary, it is actually in the daisy family and on With JAKE closer inspection it has very succulent WHITSON leaves and a somewhat creeping habit.

In the right season it is covered in a snowy mass of white flowers with purple centres – a rich source of nectar for bees and other insects – which turn into fluffy clouds of white down. In the past this down was collected as an aromatic pillow stuffing – something I'm not sure I'll have sufficient quantities for!

The incredible aroma of the leaves has to be experienced to be believed – a rich, complex, fizzy mixture of cola bottle sweets and Vicks Vaporub!

It is not fully hardy in most of Britain but should do well against a south wall in a favoured spot, or in an unheated greenhouse – I've managed to procure some cuttings for my greenhouse and hope to get enough going to start experimenting with it in the kitchen.

It is apparently used as a culinary herb, especially for lamb, in South Africa, and I've set my mind to devising recipes for it. It does not seem to hold its aroma well – even a day after picking, I've noticed the leaves have lost much of their original potency, so I'm imagining a raw, mint sauce style recipe would suit it well.

It is also used as a home remedy for coughs and colds, much as you might imagine, and I've already started using it for this purpose, adding a few sprigs to my honey and lemon teas when I'm a bit under the weather. More than anything else though, I think I'm going to enjoy it most just for its wonderful smell, which in future years I hope will fill my greenhouse in the warmer months of the year.

Jacob Whitson is a chef, food writer and smallholder.

He is currently working on setting up a small sustainable goose farm in Somerset with his partner Johanna.

FOOD & DRINK

WILD FOOD

Souper sour soup

With ADRIAN BOOTS

I WAS reading an article in a National Geographic magazine about traditional foods, when I came across a reference that a wild plant was used as the original ingredient in the dish borsch.

Well, the researcher in me was piqued! So what was this mystical wild plant in ye olde borsch? A clue is in the name as borsch comes from the Slavic word meaning

hogweed.

Some of you may remember that I did a piece on hogweed about this time last year. I had great fun banging on about edible umbellifers and even greater fun describing the big bad poisonous ones. My intention was to put people off this difficult to identify family of plants for good reason.

However, the reference in the magazine reminded me that most traditional dishes come about because of a need to be as thrifty as possible and wild plants are still a part of many people’s diets. All domesticated plants have their origin in the wild after all.

As it happens, wild plants such as hogweed, cow parsley and sorrel grow in abundance in the areas where borsch originates. So that’s most of Eastern Europe and North Asia then. Amusingly there are as many claims to the invention of it as there are to the ways of spelling it. Sorry if I haven’t used your favourite.

So what makes borsch, borsch? I bet you were thinking it was the colour for the classic Ukrainian beetroot borsch. But there is also green borsch made with sorrel, white borsch made with rye and various cabbage borsch. So if it’s not the beetroot then what is it? In a word: “sourness”.

Historically hogweed was collected in the spring, chopped up and covered with water and left to ferment creating a form of sauerkraut. This was then used to make a sour soup. Not a disgusting sour, more of a savoury sour if that makes sense.

The key thing is it’s the sourness rather than the colour that makes the dish, although there is something very appealing about the deep red of the beetroot version.

So this spring, why not go back to the roots (ahem) of this souper sour soup and try fermenting some wild hogweed and have a go at making your own borsch, or, whatever you want to call it!

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

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 19

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MENDIP TIMES

Hartley’s Kitchen

e Great Café Bistro on the Mendips At Rookery Farm, Binegar BA3 4UL Just a few miles from Wells or Shepton Mallet For full menus – have a look at: www.hartleyskitchen.com Telephone 01749 841718 Comprehensive choice of local and international dishes Breakfast – Tuesday – Saturday 8am – 3pm Sunday 9am – 11.15am Champagne Breakfast for two – Come & Celebrate!

Lunch – 12 pm through to 3pm Sunday Lunch 12 noon – last orders 2pm Luxury Afternoon Tea 1 days notice please!

Hartleys Kitchen, Rookery Farm, Binegar, BA3 4UL Reservation hotline: 01749 841718 e-mail: info@hartleyskitchen.com See our complete menus at: www.hartleyskitchen.com

Hartley’s Kitchen – 12 years young

A REAL jewel on Mendip is Rookery Farm at Binegar, an eclectic collection of individual business working in harmony.

The longest resident is Hartley’s Kitchen now in its 12th year.

Those who know Hartley’s fully licensed bistro will have enjoyed the warm welcome, the log fire in the winter and al fresco eating in the summer all from a passionate kitchen team.

Breakfast is a real treat with over 15 dishes to choose from along with fresh juices, superb coffee and their speciality three-course Champagne Breakfast – is there a better way to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries?

Lunch is an ever-changing gourmet adventure.

Celebrated comfort dishes like steak and stilton pie, Wednesday mid-week roast, fish and chips on Fridays and extremely delicious Sunday Lunches with home made horseradish for the finest roast beef.

Add to these curries, fresh fish, game and desserts like jam roly poly! There’s lots to enjoy!

Open: Monday – Saturday 7am-6pm, Sunday 10-4pm

We can cater for all events

PAGE 20 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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Celebrate Mother’s Day at the Woodborough

THE Woodborough in Winscombe has special plans for Mother’s Day. As well as its usual warm welcome and log fire it’s promising a sparkling drink on arrival for reserved tables and chocolates for mum.

There will be a set menu at 12noon and 3pm on the day, Sunday, March 22nd, with their normal menu available in the evening.

Its winter menu offers hearty dishes like beef and ale pie, seared salmon or belly pork and there’s a new wine list with some interesting bin ends.

It also has more than 25 rums and 70 gins.

FOOD & DRINK

THE

WOODBOROUGH INN

Modern and comfortable bar with traditional log burner and friendly welcome

• A real village pub – all welcome • Open all day, every day • Freshly prepared food • Extensive menu and daily specials • Local ales • Freshly-ground coffee • A stones throw from The Strawberry Line • Outside seating area www.woodborough-inn.co.uk

01934 844167 • contact@woodborough-inn.co.uk Sandford Road, Winscombe, Somerset BS25 1HD

EASTER DOUBLE POINTS WEEKEND

From 10th–13th April, you will be able to earn

2 Points for every £1* at Lye Cross Farm Shop

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 21

Mendip Times

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in print and online!

ONLINE

FREE! access to all of our recent magazines from our website FREE! links to all of our advertisers’ websites FREE! links from our features and editorial pages More information – more enjoyment No annoying pop-ups – Mendip Times pure and simple FREE! service for readers and advertisers

www.mendiptimes.co.uk

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NEWS

Let that wagon roll

FOR sale: a 22-tonne, 1964 railway van. Two careful owners.

Please apply to the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust.

The trust is looking to rehome the bagged cement van built for Blue Circle Cement and donated to the trust more than ten years ago; since then it has been used a store at Midsomer norton South station.

But the trust says the van – along with some other rolling stock – is no longer in keeping with its ambition to create a typical freight train from the 1950s and 1960s, which could be hauled by line’s resident shunting loco Joyce.

The van is complete and in a very good overall condition.

Despite being stored in the elements, it only requires a repaint to bring it back up to its former glory. The trust would ideally like the van to be sold to another heritage railway where it could continue its long and useful life.

The Trust has recently purchased two British Railway coal wagons that are more in keeping with the station. It is now appealing for funds to pay for the wagons to be transported from Swanage to Midsomer norton. Trust Chairman Stephen Lacey said: “At the coal industry’s peak in the 1960s,

For sale – two careful owners

hundreds of these wagons could be seen in the collieries sidings in Midsomer norton, Radstock and Writhlington on a daily basis. Obtaining the two wagons is a positive step towards the trust’s ambition to re-create a typical freight train of the era.”

The line’s next event is a diesel gala on Saturday, March 7th and Sunday, March 8th when there will be a visiting class 26 Diesel locomotive as well as the resident shunters.

For details, visit www.sdjr.co.uk

Lottery funding for Wake Up Wells

A SeCOnD Wake Up Wells Community Day to be held at Wells Cathedral on Saturday, September 12th, has received a grant from the national Lottery Community Fund.

Last year’s inaugural event, run by local community interest company Project Factory, saw more than 120 groups participating in the cathedral.

Three choirs, musical theatre, dancers, a jazz group and a number of school music groups also performed in the cathedral.

A new addition to the line-up for this year will be a community supper which will run in partnership with Wells Community Supper 2020, Sustainable Wells and the Connect Centre. It will be held in the nave of the cathedral and followed by a candlelit

camine through the cathedral to end the day.

Kirstie Harris, one of the directors of Project Factory, said: “Project Factory’s aim is to share knowledge and create potential in our community. We organise events, develop collaborations and projects with community partners and run a range of courses.”

Fellow director emma Lefevre added: “We want to connect, collaborate, communicate and celebrate with our community.

There’s still a little way to go to cover the costs of this ambitious event, so we’re still asking for potential project sponsors to get in touch, but this is fantastic news for the event and for the many community groups who’ll be taking part.”

One of the highlights of this year’s pruning of eldred’s Orchard by Blagdon Orchard Group was the sight of a wild bee hive, which was spotted in one of the trees.

Suzanne Wynn, who was organising the pruning, said: “One of the trickiest things when pruning a traditional orchard is that much of the work has to be done from within the tree. It did however give Andrew Chastney the opportunity for this close up photograph of the wild bee hive in one of the apple trees.”

Pictured (l to r) Alex Pegge, Andy Chastney, Mike Atkins up the tree, Suzanne Wynn, Louis Tippett, Isy Schultz and Penny Crawfurd

For details, visit www.projectfactory.uk or via social media

Wild bees in Blagdon

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 23

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MENDIP TIMES

Rare ring on display

WELLS and Mendip Museum is very excited to have recently acquired a locally-found posy ring, a finger ring inscribed with a short message.

They get their name from “Poesy” an old word for a verse of poetry or a motto. This ring is inscribed “FERE + GOD + EVER”, where “FERE” is an old word for a marriage partner – a husband or wife.

During the Middle Ages when religion was so much part of everyday life it was not unusual to combine religious, friendly or amorous words.

Medieval rings had the inscription on the outside but later ones, like this post-medieval example which dates from between 1550 and 1650, have the inscription on the inside.

Curator David Walker said: “The craftsmanship of the goldsmith is amazing and the ring will make a wonderful addition to the museum’s displays.”

Society’s new programme

SOMERSET’S oldest art society is still going strong after nearly 60 years. The Chandos Society of Artists has published its 2020 programme of activities that includes exhibitions, workshops and en plein air painting days.

The society was founded in 1961 and is based in Bridgwater.

Jean Rees RWA, who was the co-founder with Gwen Pollard of Bridgwater Arts Centre in 1946, was also a founder member of the Chandos Society of Artists and later became its chairman.

The society’s exhibitions are always well received and have delighted art lovers for almost 60 years. Work by members of the society covers the whole spectrum of styles and subjects which includes painting, sculpture and ceramics. New members are always welcome.

Details: chandosartistssociety.uk/index.php/exhibition-events/

A love of clay

CERAMICIST Ella Phillips, from Cheddar, has become one of the latest members of the prestigious Somerset Guild of Craftsmen.

Many of her pieces can be found at the guild’s showroom off Broad Street in Wells but Ella is also a teacher, working with beginners and sometimes hosts pottery activities at the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury.

Ella developed her love of clay while on the BTEC Art and Design course at Strode College, her teacher Pauline Watson laying the foundations for a lifetime appreciation of ceramics.

Ella said: “I’m delighted to have recently been accepted to join the Somerset Guild of Craftsmen. It’s a real privilege to be part of such a long-established crafts organisation, with the focus being the promotion of local craft practitioners such as myself.

“Crafts and applied arts fluctuate in their popularity; however, currently there seems to be a really strong appreciation for all things hand-made, with so many people wanting to have a go themselves. So much pleasure can be gained from both the initial process of craft-based activities along with the satisfaction of a tangible object at the end.”

Her current work has taken inspiration from all of her pottery experiences, working now in a terracotta clay from Stoke-onTrent and using the country pottery tradition of slipware. She is also experimenting with the use of ochre, using some collected from an old mine in the Forest of Dean. Ella added: “I really want to find and work with some local ochre which will be the next phase to this creative journey.”

Ella at work

PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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ARTS AND ANTIQUES Mendip Times reduces travel costs

Iconic Marcel Breuer Long Chair at Clevedon

CLEVEDON Salerooms’ Quarterly Specialist Sale on March 12th includes some interesting examples of mid-20th century furniture design.

Leading the selection is this work of architect and designer Marcel Breuer responsible for this

Marcel Breuer designed Long Chair circa 1939. Estimate £1,000-£1,500.

laminated bentwood Long Chair designed in 1936.

Early examples of this chair are incredibly rare and this example with provenance from new dates to the late 1930s. Marcel Breuer has an association with Bristol having designed furniture for P.E. Gane, Bristol furniture manufacturers.

He is well known as the architect responsible for the Gane Pavilion, a temporary stone and glass “modern” house built to display Gane furniture at the 1936 Royal Show at Ashton Court.

This 20th century icon is estimated at £1,000£1,500 and auctioneer Toby Pinn has high expectations for the piece, expecting interest from private collectors and institutions.

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

Antiques Interiors Clearances Auctions

The fully illustrated online auction catalogue is available online from March 1st at www.clevedon-salerooms.com

Ripley Antiques Vintage, The Square, Axbridge, Somerset BS26 2AY info@ripleyantiques.co.uk Tel: 01934 732641 or Mob: 07585 220591

Every lot in every auction, illustrated and sold with live internet bidding

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

FREE AnTiQuE VALuATiOn DAYS 16th, 17th & 30th, 31st March 9.30am–1pm and 2pm–5pm Held at the salerooms – no appointment necessary

Antiques, Interiors, Collectables & Jewellery Sale Thursday 26th March Sale starts at 10.30am On view day before 10am – 6.30pm

Tel: 01934 830111 The Auction Centre, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon, Bristol BS21 6TT www.clevedon-salerooms.com

The Macallan 18 years single malt 1976 £1,000 - £1,500

Rare 17th Century Italian six-hour clock £1,000 - £1,500

Mary Fedden Oil – Portrait of Julian Trevelyan £3,000 - £4,000

Set of six ‘Mouseman’ oak chairs £2,000 £3,000

Quarterly Specialist Sale Thursday 12th March at 10.30am Viewing day: 11th March 10am – 6.30pm Sale day from 9am Online catalogue available 1st March MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 25

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MENDIP TIMES

Step into spring at Heritage

ABOUT Trees is a new exhibition at Heritage Courtyard Gallery and Studios in Wells and is one not to be missed as it celebrates the arrival of spring.

Opening on Saturday, March Flow Axe East 1900 diptych, by Geoff 21st, the Dunlop exhibition will showcase an array of beautiful mixed media works by their talented studio artists along with others from Somerset.

Painting, prints, ceramics, willow, hand-made books, furniture and bentwood will all be on display in the honour and celebration of trees.

Heather Wallace and Rebecca Barnard, who run the arts space and who will themselves be exhibiting, say: “These works are a result of being immersed in the landscape and are not only a record of the passage of time, they also demonstrate how each artist has embraced nature as an active agent in creating their work.” l The exhibition will run until Wednesday, April 14th.

Open daily 10am-4pm (closed Sundays).

PAGE 26 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Artist celebrates her 100th birthday

ARTIST, Mollie Coviello celebrated her 100th birthday with family and friends at St Monica Trust’s Sandford Station retirement community.

Born in Portishead on February 13th, 1920, Mollie attended Redmaids’ School in Westbury-on-Trym in Bristol. She learned to play piano at aged three and went on to become a concertstandard pianist.

Art has always been an important part of Mollie’s life and after studying at Bristol’s West of England College of Art, she worked as the head of art departments at a number of secondary schools across Hertfordshire and London.

After moving into Sandford Station in December 2011, Mollie ran art classes for her fellow residents and her artwork is on permanent display in the retirement community’s main atrium.

Mollie was married to David Coviello for 37 years and has two children, Edward and Stephen; and one grandchild, David.

Sandford Station retirement community is operated by Bristol-based charity, the St Monica Trust which also celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2020.

Retirement community manager, Sam Pycroft, said: “Mollie is a very popular member of the community here at Sandford Station and she’s recognised for being an extremely talented artist in her own right.

“We love the fact that Mollie is sharing her 100th year with the centenary of the St Monica Trust and we hope she will be able to attend a special ceremony at Bristol Cathedral on May 4th to celebrate both milestones.”

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Many compete to grab snake

AT their Antiques and Collectables sale at the Mendip Auction Rooms on February 8th, Killens experienced a real buzz in the room with a huge level of interest for all of the 700 lots on offer with an additional 500 bidders following the sale online.

Another excellent entry of jewellery attracted strong interest with a range of rings, bracelets and necklaces selling to advantage. A gold bracelet in the design of a snake generated strong interest and sold for £1,450 after keen bidding.

There were some excellent pictures entered and refreshingly strong interest for pictures such as an oil on panel in the style of Henry Scott Tuke of a gardener that sold for £550 and a large 20th century Continental School oil on canvas of an extensive landscape making £500.

There was an excellent and extensive entry of Moorcroft ceramics and many bidders were drawn to the saleroom for these with a Florian Ware baluster vase topping the prices achieved at £380.

Other quality ceramics were also wanted with a 19th century English dessert service selling for £480, a Royal Worcester twohandled vase and cover £460 and three Sevres French porcelain cabinet plates £380.

Amongst the collectables, an Italian WW2 dagger attracted strong European interest selling for £800 and a Soprano saxophone by Buescher Elkhart £440, well above estimate.

The comment that “quality sells” applied more than ever and there seemed to be firmer interest for furniture. A Victorian mahogany writing table, stamped for T Seddon of New Bond

ARTS AND ANTIQUES Street, sold for £750, an Edwardian display cabinet by Maple & Co £700 and a Victorian winged high back three seater sofa £520.

The next sale of Antiques and Collectables at the Mendip Auction Rooms will be on Saturday March 7th with sales of Victorian and Later Effects on March 3rd, 17th and 31st. On viewing and sale days, the Lookout Café is open between 10am and 3pm and serves excellent coffees, light lunches and refreshments.

The Mendip Auction Rooms are now open Monday–Friday from 10am until 3pm for valuations or members of the team will be content to visit you at home free of charge. Contact the auction rooms on 01749 840770 or email enquiries@mendipauctionrooms.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 27

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MendiP TiMeS

Time to enter the Mendip Business Awards

LOCAL business owners can enter one of ten categories to be in with a chance of winning at the sixth annual Mendip Business Awards.

The winners will be announced during the evening celebrations at the Royal Bath & West Showground on Wednesday, May 27th.

Mendip is home to 6,000 independent and vibrant businesses and the annual awards are held to recognise and celebrate their hard work and success.

Councillor Peter Goater, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development on Mendip District Council, said: “I am looking forward to seeing which Mendip businesses take the opportunity to enter these fantastic awards. Old, new, big, or small – we’ll be celebrating the very best in Mendip and giving them the recognition they deserve.”

This year’s awards have a category for every type of business, including Market Trader of the Year. This award celebrates the art of market trading in Mendip towns throughout 2019.

Last year’s Business of the Year was Netitude, a Frome-based business offering complete IT solutions including business technologies, IT and communications infrastructure, training, cyber security, cloud migration and digital transformation.

The Customer Service Excellence Award 2019 went to Chris Young Opticians in Shepton Mallet. Chris said:”‘My team felt on top of the world when they found out that they’d won the

The launch of the 2020 Mendip Business Awards at Pillars 501 Gin Bar in Shepton Mallet

Customer Service Excellence Award. We couldn’t believe it, it was fantastic. Our customers have responded really positively to the news that we’d won.”

This year’s title sponsors are Strode College, The Royal Bath & West Show and Mendip District Council. The awards are also held in partnership with many local food and drink specialists around the district including Burns the Bread, Worleys Cider, Brothers Drinks, Barbers Farmhouse Cheese and Lilley’s Cider. Red Berry Recruitment are kindly sponsoring the welcome drinks at the awards evening.

To enter or for tickets for the awards ceremony, visit www.mendipbusinessawards.co.uk email: bizawards@mendip.gov.uk or call 01749 341345. You can also follow @MendipBizAwards on Twitter, Facebook and instagram.

PAGe 28 • MendiP TiMeS • MArch 2020

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BuSineSS

considering starting your own business? it’s never too late STARTING your own business can be an exciting prospect but knowing when to take the leap can be a hurdle. According to recent research* the average age of an entrepreneur in the UK is 47 (46 for men and 48 for women) suggesting later life is the optimum time.

If you’re considering a new business venture in your 40s and beyond, we’ve created a quick guide to help.

Know you’re ready Knowing the right time for your own business venture comes down to experience. The difference between having a great business idea and knowing how to execute it is huge and harder to do well with limited experience.

Business drivers Before jumping into the business, understand what is driving you and why you’re doing it. Is it to improve your work/life balance, financial security, or both? Are you looking for fixed income for a specified number of years, or do you want to grow, maximise the value and then sell for a profit?

decide on a structure Building a strong foundation for your business will help ensure future success.

Decide if the business is sole trader, partnership or a limited company and confirm the key roles and responsibilities within your business.

Plan for growth A business plan should detail the objectives of your business. This will vary according to whether it needs to encourage funding or if it is for you only. A good plan should consider future growth and the steps needed to achieve this year-to-year.

Finance It’s important to have a thorough

understanding of your financial situation and whether your company will be selffunded, or if you need to borrow. Many entrepreneurs receive funding from friends and family but there are also options for business grants and loans, angel investors, venture capital and crowdfunding. exit An exit strategy is key to your future in the business. This should detail any plans to sell the business or a passive income or pension allowance to make sure you are fairly compensated.

Seek expert advice The right legal and financial advice is paramount when it comes to protecting your business interests. Having an inhouse Financial Planning service allows Mogers Drewett to offer a combined financial and legal advice package to maximise convenience for busy clients.

Tom Webb, Partner and head of department, corporate commercial team at Mogers drewett *Research from Sandler Training

To find out more about our legal and financial services for businesses, call 01749 342323 or visit mogersdrewett.com

MendiP TiMeS • MArch 2020 • PAGe 29

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MendiP TiMeS

P & C Logs Call Phil on 07734 098323, or Colleen on 07785 250033 or on Evenings 01934 741941 Friendly prompt service from Phil & Colleen at their farm in Charterhouse Quality seasoned beech and ash hardwood, chopped and split into a variety of load options (with free delivery).

PAGe 30 • MendiP TiMeS • MArch 2020

Ten years of success and now growing

IN January 2010 Mary Douglas-Jones, Viv Morris and Denise Perrin set up the Village Agent project in ten parishes within the Chew Valley. The aim was to help older people remain in their homes for as long as possible.

The team soon found that people did not expect any help and held the view that living in the countryside meant going without.

Project manager, Denise Perrin, remembers: “It took a while for people to accept that they had contributed all their lives and were entitled to the same level of support as people living elsewhere.

There was also a belief that showing any signs of not coping would lead to them losing their independence and probably their home.”

Slowly the team managed to gain trust by repeating that this was far from the truth and what they offered was more choice, comfort and new solutions that could help them feel confident.

As part of the charity West of England Rural Network (WERN), the Village Agents have grown in reputation and recognition. Bath and North East Somerset Council, Virgin Care and other significant service providers work closely with the team ensuring that rural residents are no longer an afterthought. Ten years on a bigger team of village agents is needed to help more people to live independent and fulfilled lives by linking them with support and information services. Could you be a village agent? details: www.wern.org.uk

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Take the worry out of funding long term care

PAYING for care in later life is a huge concern for many yet, for those already in a care home or about to make this move, there is an option that can provide peace of mind.

National Friendly, the Bristol based insurer, has joined forces with care funding specialists, Eldercare Solutions to launch their own Long Term Care Annuity; a type of insurance for care fees.

Nicky Cave from Eldercare Solutions answers some frequently asked questions about care funding: does a property have to be sold to pay for care?

Not necessarily. If you have funds of less than £23,250 in England (£50,000 in Wales)* then, following a 12-week disregard period, you can ask your Local Authority for a Deferred Payment Agreement. They should agree to lend you the difference between your existing income, including any rental income from the property, and the cost of your chosen care home.

The money is repaid to them out of your estate if you sell your home, leave the care home or after your death. In the event of you living in care for several years, the debt could end up offsetting most of the equity in the property. There are tax considerations and the Local Authority will charge a fee and interest on the debt.

BuSineSS

What about investing money to pay for care?

If you have a significant amount of capital, investing it wisely may produce the income you need to meet the ‘shortfall’ between your care fees and your pension(s) and Attendance Allowance but in the current economic climate this is becoming a less viable option unless you are prepared to invest in higher risk funds. The money could still run out if you live in care for several years.

Why might someone consider buying a care Fees Annuity?

As both the Deferred Payment Agreement and ‘pay as you go’ options carry a degree of uncertainty, some people prefer the option of buying a Care Fees Annuity.

You invest a single lump sum and the insurer pays a monthly income, tax-free, to your registered care provider until your death. You can protect some of the money spent on a plan in the event of an early death by choosing the capital protection option – without this, a significant sum could be lost in the event of early death.

You can make provision for fee increase and take the plan with you if you move. Any money spent on the plan will immediately reduce your estate for the purpose of Inheritance Tax. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme covers these types of plan, guaranteeing 100% of the income with no maximum cut-off point.

For an idea of what a care Fees Annuity might cost, call eldercare Solutions today and speak with a consultant on 0800 082 1155 or visit www.nationalfriendly.co.uk/es data Source: https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/local-authority-funding-for-care-costs-do-you-qualify

MendiP TiMeS • MArch 2020 • PAGe 31

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MendiP TiMeS

Three things to think about before the end of the tax year

THE tax year-end is looming and there may be a few things you haven’t yet considered. Have you maximised your tax efficiency and allowances? If not, there’s still time. We’ve come up with our top three suggestions to think about before April 5th 2020.

1. Maximise available income tax allowances If domiciled and resident in the UK, you are entitled to a tax-free personal allowance for the year of £12,500, below which, no income tax liability arises. If your total taxable income exceeds £100,000, this personal allowance is reduced.

You are also entitled to a tax-free dividend allowance of £2,000, and a taxfree savings allowance for interest income of £1,000 for basic rate taxpayers and £500 for higher rate taxpayers.

Perhaps you can reorganise your income sources to make use of these allowances ready for the new tax year?

2. utilise the capital Gains Tax annual exemption A “use it or lose it” relief is the Annual

PAGe 32 • MendiP TiMeS • MArch 2020

Exemption from Capital Gains Tax. Total gains below the limit of £12,000 for 2019/20 have no charge to Capital Gains Tax. If you don’t use it, it cannot

be carried forward to the following year. Are you holding onto assets at a gain that you could dispose of and utilise your annual exemption?

3. utilise annual gift exemptions for inheritance Tax There are a number of potential exemptions available, but the standard annual exempt amount is £3,000. If the total you have gifted within a tax year is less than £3,000 then the gifts will be immediately exempt and the seven year survivorship rule does not apply. You can also carry forward any unused annual gift exemption for one year.

There are many other opportunities available to ensure you maximise your tax efficiency and use of allowances. At Old Mill we have a team of tax specialists who would be happy to work with you to assess your tax position.

Call us or visit our website to find out more.

raj Seewooruttun 01749 335063 rajeev.seewooruttun@om.uk

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BuSineSS

hedge wars – your rights explained WHAT happens if your neighbours ignore a remedial notice issued by the council requiring them to limit the height of their hedge to allow light to your house and the council fails to take any action?

In 2003, legislation came into force authorising local authorities to take action against “high hedges”. This law applies if the hedge is a line of two or more trees or shrubs that are mostly evergreen or semi-evergreen, more than 2m tall and a barrier to light or access.

With its remedial notice, the council can ask that the hedge is kept at 2m high, but it is not entitled to demand that it be removed altogether or trimmed to a height less than 2m.The remedial notice will have been registered as a local land charge against your neighbour’s property, which means it could cause difficulties when they sell the property.

Although with a remedial notice, the council is usually the prosecuting

authority, you could also bring a private prosecution against your neighbour yourself for failing to comply with the notice. You could go to your local magistrates’ court and ask for them to issue a summons against your neighbour.

Quite apart from that, you still have your usual private law remedy of a claim for an injunction in damages under the law of nuisance. Although the fact that your neighbour is in breach of the remedial notice does not automatically mean that the courts would consider his hedge to be a nuisance, the court would definitely take into account the fact that the notice has not been complied with.

The advantage of an injunction under the law of nuisance (as opposed to a private prosecution) is that the injunction could require the neighbour to keep the hedge at an acceptable level; if not, they would be in contempt of court.

Theoretically, the sanction for that is

imprisonment, so your neighbours may well prefer to comply with an injunction.

You would be wise to take legal advice before deciding upon which course to take. edWArd LYonS

Email: enquiries@lyonslaw.co.uk Website: www.lyonslaw.co.uk Telephone: 01275 332168

An established and progressive law firm providing a personal and costeffective legal service for commercial and individual clients. lFamily & Divorce Law l Co-habitation disputes lInheritance disputes l Wills and Living Wills lPowers of Attorney l Administration of Trusts lProperty – sales and purchases Chew Magna 01275 332168

OFFICES AT: Westbury-on-Trym 0117 950 6506

Kingswood 0117 967 5252 MendiP TiMeS • MArch 2020 • PAGe 33

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MendiP TiMeS

BuSineSS

ECATCHER MOL

NO MOLE NO FEE Telephone 01761 417100 www.mendipmolecatcher.co.uk

PAGe 34 • MendiP TiMeS • MArch 2020

Mendip Times reduces travel costs

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

News page 35.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2020 12:37 Page 1

Search vehicle

VE75 in Oakhill

NEWS

AS part of the VE75 celebrations from May 7th-9th, the village of Oakhill is mounting a display to illustrate village life and information about those who served in the war.

They are particularly looking for photographs of the village during the war, artefacts and information about villagers, refugees and evacuees. Any items lent for the display will be kept securely and returned.

If you can help, please contact Janis Thomson on 07721043257 or janis.tee@gmail.com

Mells celebrate twin successes AVOn & Somerset Search and Rescue (ASSAR) has launched a new water response vehicle with funding from the Tesco Bags of Help scheme. In total £30,000 was raised to purchase and fit out the vehicle which is in memory of Pete Baker, an ASSAR team member who died suddenly last year.

His family, in the centre of the picture, were on hand to proudly receive the vehicle.

l-r Rob Waller, Chairman, Mells Village Shop Ltd, and Fr Clive Fairclough, Rector of the Mells Group of Parishes, show off their awards to volunteers from both communities

Village grants available

THE window to apply for a Peasedown St John Parish Council community grant is open; the closing date for applications is Friday, April 3rd at 12 noon.

Cllr Andrew Larcombe, chair of the finance and amenities committee, said: “If you run an organisation that benefits the community of Peasedown St John and would like to apply for a grant, we look forward to hearing from you.”

The parish council is also inviting organisers of events to be held in Peasedown St John during 2020/21, to apply for a village event grant. The event should be open to all parishioners and should be one which a minimum of 500 people are expected to attend.

Details: http://www.peasedownstjohnparishcouncil.gov.uk/Commu nity_Grants_4463.aspx or contact the parish clerk, Tanya West 01761 433686 email clerk@peasedownstjohnparishcouncil.gov.uk

In the spirit of community co-operation which has always been part of the Mells Village Shop brief, MVS staff and volunteers from both St Andrew’s Church and Mells Shop & Café gathered at Mells Manor to be thanked for their invaluable contributions over the past year.

The Mells Group of Parishes, which includes St Andrew’s, Mells, has recently been declared the national winner of British Food Fortnight’s Love British Food 2019 Award and its Rector, Fr. Clive Fairclough, proudly brought the winners’ carved wooden plaque along to the party. Fr Clive had arranged for the Harvest Torch to come to Somerset, where it was taken to events around the county by the Young Farmers culminating in the Harvest Service at Wells Cathedral. In conjunction, money and awareness for the Farming Community network has been raised by a Flower Festival organised by the five parishes of Buckland Dinham, Chantry Great Elm, Mells with Vobster, and Whatley. Mells Village Shop, which serves all these villages, added its support with its own British Food display.

Rob Waller, MVS Chairman, also brought along the Chairman of Somerset County Council’s Award for Service to the Community, which has been framed along with pictures of its presentation by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester to mark Mells Village Shop’s first ten years of successful trading.

Both Fr Clive and Rob Waller stressed the importance of volunteers to their communities and many of those present were volunteers in both capacities. “But above all,” stressed Fr Clive, “it was important to remember the fun to be had as a volunteer and a true member of the community.”

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 35

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MENDIP TIMES

Town centre takeover by children

AN arts festival for children will take centre stage in Shepton Mallet in March.

All the World’s Our Playground will feature everything from giant lizards whose tummies can store 18 children to dazzling circus acts, interactive re-tellings of Hansel and Gretel and wandering giant Neanderthals in search of home.

The festival is a collaboration between Bowlish Infants School, Make the Sunshine CiC and five partner schools in the area: Shepton Mallet Infants School, St Paul’s CofE VC, St Aldhelm’s, Croscombe and Stoke St Michael primary schools – as well as a huge range of talented artists and theatre-makers.

The festival acts have been chosen by a student programming panel as well as Higher Beings circus

Horace the Pliosaur will be taking to the streets of Shepton

through a vote on election day in December where nearly 1,000 children took to the polls. As well as professional companies taking to various stages around Shepton Mallet, more than 900 children have worked together to create a community performance.

The show, which will be performed on Friday, March 6th at St Paul’s CofE VC school, will feature nearly 300 students performing a story they have created about a young girl from Shepton

Town’s Window Wanderland

THE children’s festival will coincide with the town’s first Window Wonderland, running from Thursday, March 5th until Sunday, March 8th.

Shops, cafes and houses will light up their windows from 69m with decorations and displays creating a magical nigh time gallery. There will also be several key iconic buildings lit up including The Anglo Trading Estate building which will be illuminated with iconic Shepton Mallet figures in the windows.

St Paul’s School will light up all their windows and The Art Bank, Library, Haskins and Tescos will all feature illuminated displays.

The project has been led by The Art Bank, The Rubbish Art Project and Make the Sunshine CiC. Window Wanderland is supported by Somerset County Council Improving Lives Fund, Wells Festival of Literature and Mendip District Council.

Mallet called Rosie.

Louise Lappin-Cook who runs Make the Sunshine CiC and is working with the schools to organise the project, said: “We’ve been so lucky with the huge range of talented artists who have been part of this programme. The students have seen some incredible theatre and gained advice and insights from Martha King who specialises in making shadow puppetry animation, from Emma Hill who runs Shepton’s amazing Chapel Dance studio, David Reakes a storyteller from Glastonbury and dozens of other local and regional artists and performers.”

Thanks to support from The Arts Council, Wells Festival of Literature, Framptons, Literature Works, Right Price DIY and partnering organisations all events will be free of charge. For tickets visit: www.makethesunshine.co.uk or Eventbrite.

Residents of Field House care home and St Paul's students are working together to light up the windows on the Anglo Trading Estate

For details, visit: https://www.windowwanderland.com/event/shepton-mallet-2020/

PAGE 36 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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FOCUS ON SHEPTON MALLET

An ideal storage solution on the edge of town CLEAR Space Self Storage, on Mendip Avenue close to the Dobbies store, offers an ultra-modern – and ultra-safe – environment for all your belongings.

Security is paramount and Clear Space Self Storage utilises leading systems with unique FOB access devices and door keys.

Just as importantly, their friendly and experienced team members are always on hand during the site’s seven-day-a-week opening hours to offer advice and a helping hand and there is a spacious customer welcome area with free, superfast wi-fi.

Clear Space Self Storage is ideal for domestic and business use with dry and secure One of the many different storage internal and solutions available

The storage units are based on Mendip Avenue

external storage facilities. There are four storage types: home and personal; business, drive-up and temperaturecontrolled premium.

Many people think self-storage is expensive, but Clear Space Self Storage says that couldn’t be further from the truth. There are plenty of options to select, so people can find a unit that suits their budget. All that is needed to rent a unit is photo ID, proof of address and insurance. Don’t worry if you don’t have insurance; the team at Mendip Avenue can arrange that for you.

They say: “Our self-storage pricing is competitive and transparent. We charge you for your storage by the day.

“You only every pay for the unit size you occupy and the exact number of days you store with us. You can increase or decrease your storage size as often as you like.”

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Clear Space Self Storage, 1 Mendip Avenue, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 4PE. Tel: 01749 715000 Web: www.clearspacespelfstorage.com • Email: info@clearspaceselfstorage.com MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 37

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MENDIP TIMES

Tyre fitting is just part of the service

IN May, the family-run team at Phillips Tyres will celebrate the tenth anniversary of opening their new premises in Shepton Mallet town centre.

The new build – opposite their former premises – and subsequent expansion brought with it an MOT bay and more modern facilities enabling Phillips to become truly a one-stop shop for motorists.

Being located in the town centre has also had benefits for neighbouring businesses, especially cafes, as customers pop in for a coffee or to do some shopping.

It also sums up the Phillips Tyres values – determined to be very much a part of the Shepton Mallet community.

Sponsors of the annual Mid-Somerset Show pre-show party, Phillips Tyres also support events ranging from Shepton Mallet Carnival to the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival.

Run by three directors and with a team of 12, the company is always one to be forward-thinking. Solar panels have been installed on the roof of the

PAGE 38 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Guests at one of the Mid-Somerset Show’s ever-popular pre-show parties, sponsored by Phillips Tyres

service bays and the team is now exploring the idea of installing an electric vehicle charging point.

Chris Phillips explained: “We enjoy a great deal of support from the Shepton Mallet community and we believe it is important to play our part in return.

“We know that when people leave their cars with us, they are going into

town and supporting other local businesses and that is what being in Shepton Mallet is all about.”

Chris added: “Installing an EV charging point is something else we are considering. We’re very conscious of reducing our carbon footprint and planted several thousand trees after building the new premises.”

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Parade lights up town

FOCUS ON SHEPTON MALLET

THE tenth annual Shepton Mallet Lantern Festival saw more than 100 lanterns parade through the town to the sounds of a samba band.

Postponed from December due to bad weather, the lanterns were led by a giant “Shepton Ram” from Collett Park to the Market Place where there was also a special celebration to mark the success of a campaign to maintain the town’s library in the same place.

People of all ages took part in the lantern making workshops and procession

The Shepton Ram arriving in the Market Place Inspiration came from all sorts of objects

Jamma de samba entertained the crowds

An Emperor penguin, created

by Barbara Pearce

Kirstie Harris, from Wells. Wells had hosted its own parade a few days earlier MENDIP • MARCH MENDIP TIMEST•IMES MARCH 2020 • PAGE 39

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MENDIP TIMES

Hospice shop opens

Jonathan Webber, CHSW’s finance director, prepares to cut the ribbon to open the store

CHILDREN’S Hospice South West has opened its latest charity shop – its 36th – in Shepton Mallet.

Amongst the first visitors were children from First Steps Nursery, who enjoyed a tour of the new premises next door to the Haskins Retail Centre.

A trusted builder’s merchants

RIGHT Price DIY is a local firm which cares about all they do and which will do its best to make sure customers large or small leave with the right product.

Based at Downside, on the edge of town, Right Price DIY is a family-run business which opened in 1996. Their prices are highly competitive and the knowledgeable and friendly team are always happy to offer free advice.

Right Price boasts a huge stock range from aggregates, building materials, plumbing, paints and doors to garden equipment, coal, logs and ironmongery.

Mark and Suzie Nixon, who run Right Price DIY, are also keen supporters of the local community, with plans to donate some materials to the forthcoming children’s theatre festival in Shepton Mallet. l Sadly, Right Price DIY was hit recently by scammers who “spoofed” their accounts telephone number and bombarded people with threatening hoax calls. Their main customer phone number is unaffected.

Pillars 501 – gin and more!

Pillars 501 – an exciting new bar in Shepton Mallet

PAGE 40 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

RESIDENTS of Shepton Mallet and beyond have been enjoying a stylish new bar in the form of Pillars 501 which opened before Christmas right at the heart of the town in the Market Place.

With the help of Luxe & Twine Interiors – also based in Shepton Mallet – the building has been transformed into a chic, art deco-style venue with gin taking centre stage as the star of the show.

Alongside the more recognisable brands, those looking to try the more adventurous varieties can choose from Sweet Potato Lavender, Whitley Neill Aloe and Cucumber or Trevathon Passion and Orange amongst others! However, a fully stocked bar also offers a great choice of beers, ciders (including locally sourced Mallets Cider), wines and spirits.

Overseeing a team of experienced bartenders, Ned Lloyd James said: “I’ve been lucky to travel all over the world and I’m bringing my experiences of different products, flavours and techniques to Pillars 501. The bar has been transformed into a really special venue but we’ve got exciting plans ahead too, so watch this space!”

Pillars 501 is currently open on Friday and Saturdays with longer trading hours anticipated, new drinks brands arriving and venue hire options as part of the next phase of growth for this exciting new bar.

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Staff loyalty a tribute to Haskins YOU can tell a lot about a company by the staff, especially the longevity of their employment. This is certainly true about the J H Haskins Group and Haskins Furniture, which celebrated its 80th anniversary last year.

Some members of staff have worked for the family-owned Shepton Mallet company for many decades, including Robin Trott, who started work there in June 1972, aged 15. He remembers that his starting pay was £9 per week: “A lot of money back then,” he says, smiling.

Joining the company 37 years ago, Sue Dawson is Haskins’ longest serving sales assistant. Asked what she likes most about working at the furniture retailer, Sue replied: “It’s a really nice working environment; I get to meet some lovely customers and have become friends with many of my colleagues,” adding with a smile: “I even met my husband Frank at Haskins.”

Romance blossomed for the young adults when Frank Dawson joined the company in 1990. They’ve now been married 29 years and have two adult sons.

FOCUS ON SHEPTON MALLET

Sue laughs, as she states that she first met Frank about 14 feet away from her desk in the beds department. Here, Sue and colleague Hazel (14 years’ service), are on-hand to provide helpful advice about the right mattresses and beds to suit individual sleeping requirements.

Other long-serving members of staff include Carl Foley, foreman of the group’s maintenance team. Coming from a construction background, he has been with the company for over 23 years; about the same amount of time as Steve Whitcombe, the showroom manager.

Margaret Mercer has also helped many families furnish their homes over the past 16 years. The two longest-serving members of staff in the company’s warehouses on the historic Anglo Trading Estate are Mike Stock, employed since 1975 and Kevin Lintern, since 1983.

From some of the longest times of employment to one of the most recent and history-making: six months ago, Daisy Merriman became Haskins’ first female lorry driver. She will NOT be the last.

Pictured (l to r) Sue Dawson, Carl Foley (standing), Robin Trott and Margaret Mercer

Asked about Haskins’ employees, Jade Farthing, retail director said: “We appreciate that our team of employees are truly essential for the ongoing success of the business.”

The fourth generation of the Haskins family business management team, Jade adds: “We are proud that so many of our staff choose to stay for a long time.”

Haskins is a national furniture retailer and local employer. The company is also proud to provide local storage space and commercial premises for local and national businesses – creating local jobs and promoting the local economy.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 41

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MENDIP TIMES

Charity runner

ITV NEWS West Country presenter, Jonty Messer, is taking on the London Marathon in aid of leading cancer charity, Penny Brohn UK. He’s been braving the winter weather in his spare time by training after taking his children to school and sneaking out for a lunchtime run at work! Jonty also ran the Stroud half in october Jonty Messer and is planning to run a local 10k in March.

He said: “This is my second attempt at running the London Marathon. I ran in 2010 in memory of my youngest cousin, Fergus, who had recently died from cancer. But at 22 miles I overheated and collapsed.

“Not finishing bothers me every day. This time round I’ll be raising money for Penny Brohn to help people with cancer and I’ll make sure Fergus knows I finished it after all this time!”

Emma Gilmore, from Penny Brohn UK said: “Jonty has been an amazing supporter of Penny Brohn UK for a number of years and we are delighted that he is running the London Marathon for us this April.”

Details: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/JontyMesser1 Twitter @JontyMesser www.pennybrohn.org.uk

A marathon effort for animal welfare

ANIMAL lover Cobi Snelson, from Cranmore, is to tackle the London Marathon in April to raise funds for The Donkey Sanctuary.

Cobi and husband Mark are “guardians” to two donkeys as part of the sanctuary’s rehoming scheme; Cobi is one of 12 runners from as far afield as the United States who are taking part in the world famous annual event on Sunday, April 26th to raise funds for the charity.

It will be Cobi’s first marathon. She said: “The Donkey Sanctuary carry out such incredible work supporting donkeys worldwide.

“I’m really excited to be taking on this challenge to help raise funds in return for the support they have given our gorgeous donkeys Precious and Cudos.”

Donkey guardians play a vital role for the South West-based charity, freeing up sanctuary space and providing dedicated care in a home environment. With more than 1,400 donkeys and mules on the rehoming scheme, guardians are supported by a team of welfare advisers from the charity.

To support Cobi, visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cobi-snelson

PAGE 42 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Lunch is served

Kathy Dymond a "Stop-Off" leader ([left) with Laura Cherry from the Forever Friends appeal.

MIDSoMEr Norton Methodist Church’s “Stop-off Lunches” raised £457 for the Forever Friends Appeal, the fundraising charity for the royal United Hospital, Bath.

Every Tuesday the church offers hot drinks from 10.30am and lunches from 12-1pm, with a choice of a main meal, ham, egg and chips, jacket potatoes with fillings and a choice of sweets to follow. So if you are on your own, want company and some lunch just turn up, i.e. stop-off!

Helen Green, organiser, said they could not achieve this without the generosity of all involved in giving their time and raffle prizes.

Donation to Help the Child

(l:r): Nicky Sucksmith, Stephanie Sampson, Matthew Brook (crematorium manager), Carol Hicks and chairman Angela Webber

THE manager of Sedgemoor Crematorium has presented the Wedmore-based Help the Child charity with a cheque for £3,619.50.

The money will enable the charity to purchase specialist equipment for children in Somerset.

For details about the charity, visit: www.helpthechild.org.uk

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A choice of charity rides

CYCLISTS have a choice of three challenging cycle rides in Somerset this summer, raising funds for Prostate Cancer UK and charities of their choice.

As well as the popular Great Weston ride, organisers have added the Mendips Lakes and Lumps ride and the Great Exmoor ride.

All offer absolutely stunning routes and share the same relaxed, all-inclusive ethos, making them suitable for cyclists of all abilities.

But the series as a whole is also quite deliberately designed to become more challenging as the summer progresses. So, for those who want it, there's the opportunity and motivation to push themselves and their cycling to ever-higher levels if they choose to tackle two or even all three rides.

The Great Weston ride has been going for ten years and has raised £230,000 for Prostate Cancer UK and another £120,000 for other charities.

The Mendips Lakes and Lumps ride will get the summer underway as a big part of the National Trust's Top of the Gorge outdoor festival.

CHARITIES

In memory of Lauren

Lauren’s brother Patrick with some of the sixth formers who supported him

FroME College has been busy raising funds in memory of former pupil, Lauren Mead. Her brother Patrick invited fellow sixth formers to shave his head for charity, raising more than £1,500 for SADS UK, which researches Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome.

A non-uniform day also raised more than £1,000 for SADS and the Nyota Ing’arayo (Shining Star) Charitable Trust, working towards health, education and attendance at a school in Mombasa. richard Tewkesbury from the trust and Adrian Mead, Lauren’s father, visited the college. Mr Mead said “on behalf of the family I would like to say thank you for everyone’s continued support.”

Details: www.mendipsride.com/ www.greatwestonride.com www.greatexmoorride.com/

Charity concert

Pictured (l to r) Lauren’s father Adrian Mead, Richard Tewkesbury from Nyota Ing’arayo (Shining Star) Trust, Rosie Dover from Year 13 and college principal, Emma Reynolds

Helping the homeless CHEDDAr Male Choir will have a double celebration when it holds its anniversary concert on Saturday, April 4th.

The choir is celebrating its 25th anniversary and the concert will raise money for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, which is celebrating 20 years.

The concert will be at Draycott Memorial Hall and will feature young local violinist Poppy McGhee.

Details: contactcheddarmalechoir@gmail.com

THE YMCA’s Dulverton group is inviting people to sleep rough in Weston-super-Mare on Friday, March 13th to help raise awareness of youth homelessness.

They are supporting the YMCA’s national YMCA Sleep Easy Week, running from Friday March 6th-13th.

The event will be held in the Italian Gardens, Weston from 7pm. registration costs just £6 and participants are being asked to fundraise using Just Giving to encourage donations from friends and family.

Details: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sleep-easy-2020tickets-87106410619

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 43

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MENDIP TIMES

Billy’s charity really takes off MArCH is a difficult month for the family of Billy Abernethy-Hope, who was killed in an accident on March 27th two years ago after celebrating his 20th birthday with family and friends three weeks earlier.

But the charity they have set up in his name, the B A Hope Foundation, is now attracting worldwide interest after national press and TV coverage.

We reported last September how Billy had suggested the Billy Chip scheme to help homeless people in Bristol. A celebration of his life at the family home in Bishop Sutton, supported by MoBo and NME award-winning artist Professor Green, had raised £20,000 to kick-start it.

Billy, who had been working as a non-emergency care assistant in Bristol, had seen that people were reluctant to give money to the homeless, in case they spent it on drink or drugs. He suggested the £2 Billy Chip, which people could buy in participating outlets for the homeless to redeem at these same cafes.

But he died in an accident backpacking in Thailand four days after arriving there, before BillyChip.com could get going properly. His father, Jon, mother Sarah, and sister, Meg have been working “16 hours a day, seven days a week” to set it up in his memory.

They now have 29 outlets signed up in Bristol, Bath and Cheltenham with

PAGE 44 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

By Steve Egginton

enquiries coming in from all over the country and further afield. They have been approached by dozens of organisations, including local councils, police forces, barristers and bishops and now have 140 volunteers across the country.

Local food distributor, Arthur David, has offered to distribute Billy Chips through its national network of outlets.

A national supermarket chain has also shown interest. Another local company, Somerset Toiletry Company in Clutton has offered office space. young people, who don’t seem to prejudge the homeless in the way that some older people do. Billy’s friends still come round, they have been sublime, really beautiful souls.

“We had 16 people round the table here last night helping us.”

Jon said: “We really hadn’t expected it to take off so quickly.

We are getting so much attention, with so many places wanting to get on board, that we are now looking for some more financial support to help us with a fast-tracked roll-out.”

Billy’s sister, Meg, has given up her job working on Valley Fest for Yeo Valley to run the office. Father, Jon, is taking a back seat from his job as director of a renewable energy company and mum Sarah is working on the charity, as well as continuing her hairdressing business.

A team of trustees are now in place for the B A Hope Foundation, which also plans to provide wider support for organisations and charities linked to the homeless. They hope they might help distribute Billy Chips.

Meg, a former Miss Bristol, said: “It’s been absolutely amazing and so heart-warming to have so much support from all over the world. We’ve had messages from five Continents, the latest from Bermuda.”

Sarah said: “I’m particularly impressed by the empathy shown by Details: www.billychip.com

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Helping Henry

CHARITIES

Clicking needles raise thousands for charity

Cheques for £1,000 each were presented to Carol Hicks and Stephanie Sampson, from Wedmore-based Help a Child, Donna Peake, community development officer at Dorothy House Hospice and Lynn Williams, from SWEDA

Details: Facebook Page @HelpingHenry6 https://www.facebook.com/events/2517194955026221/

New funding initiative

DoroTHY House has launched a Pay for a Day initiative, inviting local businesses or individuals to fund one day of hospice care costs. only 17% of costs are met by government funding so the remainder has to be raised by the hospice’s fundraising in the community, gifts in wills, Actress Stephanie Cole is a retail shops and education supporter of Dorothy House programmes.

Those who support Pay for a Day can raise funds in their own way and in their own time frame to pay for 24 hours of nursing care which costs £8,595.

This covers the cost of a day and a night’s care at the hospice’s in-patient unit in Winsley or 24 hours of care provided in a patient’s home.

Actress Stephanie Cole, a supporter of Dorothy House from Bath, said: “It’s my absolute privilege to be supporting the vital care Dorothy House provides, allowing peace and comfort during a person’s final days.

“They’re a charity which receives very little government funding so it’s only with our support that they’re able to do this. I have been a proud ambassador of Dorothy House ever since my husband, Peter, fell ill and I witnessed first-hand the incredible care their lovely nurses provide.”

(Photography courtesy of Simon Annand)

THE Latcham family in Midsomer Norton are fundraising for their seven-year-old son, Henry, to have spinal surgery to improve his quality of life and mobility.

They have organised a charity fire walk on Friday, April 10th to continue their fundraising, having raised over £40,000 so far through various events.

Henry needs an operation called Selective Dorsal rhizotomy. He has cerebral palsy, which affects his mobility.

Henry was told he does not meet the NHS criteria for the operation, so the family started to fundraise to cover the cost of the operation and the rehabilitation, with a target of £65,000.

Henry`s operation is planned for the summer.

Following this he will need physiotherapy three times a week for the first six months, then twice a week for the next 12-18 months.

They say Henry is generally a very happy boy who works extremely hard to be as independent as possible and working towards his goal of being more mobile.

Henry lives with mother Lara, father Gary and brother Edward near the White Gates area of the town. Henry attends Kilmersdon C of E primary school.

The sponsored fire walk for Helping Henry will be at Prattens Sports and Social Club. Tickets are £25, plus a booking fee to reserve your place at the event.

Helping Henry is fundraising in aid of Just 4 Children who are a registered charity and are responsible for holding all the money raised and dealing with paying any invoices for therapy/operations needed.

SHEPToN Mallet’s prolific Knit and Chat group has presented cheques totalling £3,000 to three local charities from the sale of their work.

The group, which meets at the offices of the Somerset Eating Disorders Association, are regular sights at events in the Shepton Mallet and can often be found selling knitted items inside the town’s Tesco store.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 45

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MENDIP TIMES

Music night is barnstorming

SEVErAL hundred music fans packed a barn near Faulkland for a charity night in aid of Dorothy House Hospice.

The event featured Michael Eavis and his band, which included Blue Aeroplanes guitarist rodney Allen, along with sets by Avalon Highway and 15year-old soloist Taya Minchington who also sang a duet with Michael.

Midsomer Norton-based music promoter Mike Mihalas, who organised the event at the Tuckers Grave Inn, also presented a portable heart defibrillator to be used at the pub or at outside events.

Michael Eavis on stage

Raising the rafters during Storm Dennis

Appeal hits new record

SoMErSET Community Foundation’s Surviving Winter appeal has raised a record-breaking £110,000, thanks to the generosity of local people who donated their winter fuel allowance.

The team at SCF have been distributing funding across the county and aim to support more than 500 vulnerable older people with a Surviving Winter grant, helping to keep them warm, safe and well.

PAGE 46 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Having a ball – and saving lives

Taya Minchington

THE Big Hearted Valentine’s Ball in Bath raised nearly £10,000 for new equipment for the Bristol Heart Institute. Patron of the charity, Professor raimondo Ascione (pictured) said last year’s gift to the BHI was already saving lives.

This year’s fundraising will go towards a high definition medical head camera for use in theatre and for training. The professor saved the life of Gerald Creed, of Bugler Coaches, Clutton, overall sponsors of the ball.

Details: www.bigheartedvalentinesball.co.uk

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They did it – army team rows across the Atlantic A four-strong team from the Army – featuring a serviceman who grew up in Coleford – has completed one of the world’s toughest challenges – rowing across the Atlantic.

Captain Chris Hames, along with Lieutenant Rich Hall, Captain Alex Walsh and Kingsman Kian Helm, completed the Force Atlantic – Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge in 37 days, 13 hours and 53 minutes: ahead of their 40-day target. Here Chris – who still has relatives in Coleford – describes the epic voyage.

WE had trained for this moment for a year, that’s not actually that long but we were here and finally sat in the boat in La Gomera marina on December 12th 2019, the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge start day.

Previous to this we had 11 hectic days in La Gomera passing inspections, checking over the boat and, of course, having a few beers on an evening! on the briefings prior to the race start we had been warned that there would be 30–40 knot winds and some rather large waves on the very first night; this didn’t really concern us but then ignorance is bliss as they say!

The start was amazing, crowds cheering, flags flying and horns blowing as we moved further away from the island silence fell and reality began to hit home. As night fell and we moved away from the shelter of the island the ocean came alive, it had clearly noticing that we were trying to cross it and wasn’t happy! Huge crashing waves sprang out of nowhere, walls of black water the size of houses silhouetted by the moon lit sky became our new home.

Sitting on top of these and looking down into the abyss at the bottom of the next developing wave it was already easy to see why this is billed as the world’s toughest row. Another 40 days of this! Good God!!

The first week continued in this way but we quickly adapted to the environment, sea sickness was now taking its toll as well as the relentless two hours on two hours off routine. The first nine days were incredibly tough, simply getting used to eating the freeze-dried rations was an adaption that our bodies weren’t all too happy with, this combined with the ongoing sea sickness made for a testing time. No sooner had you finished rowing, eaten, cleaned yourself and slept you were back on deck and rowing once again.

As the days turned in to weeks the routine became easier, hallucinations, sore hands, bums and blistered feet were all part of the journey and accepted as such, morale remained high with banter flowing in typical military thoughtfulness of each other predicament. Wildlife became plentiful with ‘shark watch’ being a regular boat feature like a well-seasoned TV show, dolphins would visit now and again until I accidentally hit one on the head with an oar! Suicidal flying fish would regularly launch kamikaze-style attacks on the boat and crew with deadly precision and we were followed by a few inquisitive birds.

CHARITIES Their faces say it all

The weather continued to surprise us with amazing sun rises and sets, freak storms with rain downpours so intense they would flatten the waves and swamp the boat in an instant. The waves continued to attack us almost capsizing the boat on at least four occasions, this was particularly terrifying, especially at night, and left me physically shaking on two occasions. Despite over 30 years in the Army these moments were still the scariest I have ever experienced.

The weeks passed and life at sea continued, our beards and hair growing longer and all routines now second nature. Into the final week we were all elated knowing that if we kept up this pace we could reach Antigua by that Saturday. other than the start, typically, this week was the worst. The subsequent Sunday night started with a storm like our first with the boat and crew getting absolutely smashed by waves and raging seas, the next day continued the same and by Tuesday that week time started going backwards!

The days dragged terribly, we were making excuses to try to give the days meaning but ultimately we just had to row hard to make it to the finish by Saturday. We quickly realised that this required us going ‘three up’, three people rowing and a two-hours on with only 40 minutes off routine, a killer! Saturday finally arrived and Alex suddenly stated that he could see land. This was a momentous occasion and we all stopped rowing and shouted in joy!

The finish was spectacular, we were guided into the mouth of English Harbour at night by the local coastguard where we were greeted by huge super yachts and the finish line. once over the finish line we dropped the oars, jumped out of the seats and let the flares off, the media boat and multiple other boats buzzed around us, it was spectacular.

The best was yet to come as we rowed around the corner and could hear the cheers from the waiting families and crowds, then the piercing music from Lucy (rich’s daughter) on her bagpipes, phenomenal. We’d made it t0 the finish in 37 days aching all over, incredible memories, great friendships and very much looking forward to a good night’s sleep! l Chris and the team were raising money for the Army Benevolent Fund and hope to reach at least £50,000. Chris may be coming to Coleford in the spring to give a talk at the village’s royal British Legion Hall about his experiences and to raise more funds for the ABF – Mendip Times will keep you posted!

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 47

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MENDIP TIMES

THE MENDIP SOCIETY

Tranquillity, health, wellbeing and common sense

WE co-incidentally chose the day on which North Somerset Council denied planning permission for the expansion of the airport site at Lulsgate to write our article for the Mendip Times. So how could we not comment, and say to the councillors: “Well done” thus expressing our satisfaction?

No doubt this will be a contentious decision and the populace will fall into two camps, just as on the situation of Brexit; the environmentalists will be overjoyed and the “progressives” will think otherwise.

Against all expectations councillors voted 18-7, with one abstention, showing essentially that economic gain does not outweigh catastrophic environmental impacts including the most catastrophic of all – climate change.

It also proves to our members that this local authority really does mean, is serious about, and will do, what it says it will.

The council declared a climate emergency at the beginning of 2019, and is looking at all ways to become a “carbon neutral area”, surely this is a major reflection of that.

What benefits there might be from this application would not go to the local area and the communities in the villages which surround the airport. But the burdens which would come with the development certainly would, falling unbearably on the local and wider communities and the environment and the area it would affect would be wide.

From talking to a great many residents on this “progress development”, it would seem that the majority do not want it and, understandably, those who are most vocal tend to be living closer to the site than others, as a plane either landing or taking off over your village means a lot more for you than one seen from a mile or so away.

The society has made its objections to the application on health and wellbeing grounds to both people and their environment. From a personal perspective I can assure you that Bristol Airport

the idea of aircraft noise in the night and very early morning is not one to relish, we live on the flight path!

Such proposed developments do affect us all in varying degrees and our thoughts must now turn to those many people who will be affected by living near the proposed HS2 rail development; living on the Mendips must daily reinforce how very fortunate we are to be in this unique and beautiful area.

The present focus on our countryside and its value in our lives must not be taken lightly which is why even decisions covering small housing developments will nibble away at our precious landscape, because once it's gone, then it's gone forever, and future generations will not be able to enjoy it in the same way that we do today.

So please support the local initiatives from the AONB and the Council for the Protection of Rural England and the many other bodies, including ourselves, in helping to maintain our green and pleasant land.

For the society, one of its main aims and objectives is indeed to keep an eye on the Hills to conserve and protect the health and wellbeing of the land, its nature and its people.

Together with the Mendip Hills AONB in particular, we work to encourage and facilitate people from all walks of life, particularly those who find it most difficult for all sorts of reasons to connect with the outdoors and enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of our countryside.

Our nature reserve of Slader’s Leigh is a place which somehow hums with restfulness and calm, but on occasion can, and does, like our other reserve Tania’s Wood, turn into a bustling, buzzing venue of activity, learning, meeting and doing.

The very day that Dennis ratcheted itself up to a named storm, ten stalwart trainees learned how to tame a wayward hedge which it would seem, since it was planted in 1991, hasn’t ever seen a billhook.

Finally, to learn more about the value of another loved place, just off the Mendips, we have invited Julie Merrick of Natural England, as our guest speaker to talk about the Avalon Marshes at our AGM on Friday March 27th at Priddy village Hall.

All, members or not, are invited to join us.

Details on our website.

Richard Frost and Judith Tranter

For details of all events visit www.themendipsociety.org.uk and Facebook ‘The Mendip Society’

PAGE 48 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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Birds of prey can be a fairground attraction

WILDLIFE

IF the trend of recent years stays true then Watch out also for some sky dancing from the buzzards, beware because as spring starts, then winter where the buzzard will again rise up into the sky by circling in may not be too far behind. short to large circles, then will fall back towards the ground like Milder winters mean of course that plants it’s on an amusement ride, with a sudden dive, then up to a prepare for spring much earlier, even in late point where it appears to stall with wings folded then dropping December many flowers such as primrose fast again and repeated several times. When two buzzards grab and even bluebells were already pushing each other with their talons and begin swinging in mid-air, it is

By CHRIS their plants through the autumn leaf litter of associated with rivalry.

SPERRING the woodland floor. As March starts, then The common buzzard is a positive and successful story, MBE many more resident birds will begin mostly because of its nature of being such an opportunist. They singing, some may have already started nesting, so be extra can and will take live prey, from small mammals such as voles, careful when trimming hedges and borders. rats and mice, to larger mammals such as grey squirrel and Many birds attract mates or repel rivals not by song but by rabbits. But they can also be found worming in ploughed fields visual display, two of my favourites to watch out for in often following the tractor round the field, and they can feed on particular are the common buzzard and the sparrowhawk. dead animals as well, hence the reason why so many people In the case of the sparrowhawk, you will need to be up at comment on seeing them dawn to catch females along roadside verges.

Early bird – dawn is the best time to see a displaying. To Both buzzard and female sparrowhawk displaying observe them find sparrowhawk can be some open ground observed right throughout the with a view over a area, indeed even in built-up woodland, copse or forest areas as well. (these are their favoured areas), When photographing ensuring you have full view of hawks and buzzards displaying the treetops. obviously the sparrowhawk, being Around first light the so much smaller, will probably need a female sparrowhawks good camera and more powerful lens, but I will rise out of the have filmed buzzard displays many times just trees and using my mobile phone. begin slow But, as always with any wildlife circling, observation, choosing the right place to watch easily from and to look over is vital, and of course be prepared to recognisable and about the size of a wood pigeon, but with short relax, take the weight off your shoulders and enjoy being in the rounded wings and a long tail. Watch out for the classic flap, presence of two of the stars of the local sky. flap glide of the hawk which can’t be confused with the similarThe common buzzard: their flight sized kestrel because being a falcon and not true hawk, the can be a rollercoaster to watch kestrel has long pointed wings and will hover, but the hawk does not.

Things to look out for are the interactions between hawks and it’s just the females; the smaller males whilst all this is going on are hiding in the safety of the trees, as they may be a potential meal for rival females.

Of course, it’s possible to see sparrowhawk throughout the day as well, and very often they will rise when the larger common buzzards begin their display flight. Common buzzards have already been displaying through January and February, but most of these displays have involved pairs or territory holding, with individual adults rising up and displaying to visually push young first year buzzards away, preparation no doubt for the big time for displaying which is well underway during March.

Watch out for buzzards rising up from the trees and across open ground as well as wooded areas and, as they rise, they may be joined by mate or rival. If a rival comes into the territory watch for a visual display where the resident bird may circle above the rival and begin pushing the intruder away using flight and body language, both buzzards may begin calling during these flights.

Chris Sperring MBE is conservation Officer for the Hawk and Owl Trust. For news of any public walks or talks coming up please visit via Facebook @ChrisSperringwildlife

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 49

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MENDIP TIMES

An interesting short wintery walk

HERE is an interesting circle in East Mendip from the village of Stoke St Michael, once a centre for cloth manufacture. We skirt the village and head towards Holcombe, using footpaths and quiet lanes passing an interesting luxury development in two of the old quarries.

The countryside is quiet, gentle, with a mixture of woodland, streams and fields and there are good pastoral views on the

way. Stop halfway round at a pub alongside the Mells Stream and then follow the old packhorse route uphill.

Drop down through a woodland nature reserve and past what was once a bustling hamlet, which has now disappeared. There is some uphill work but not strenuous and on the whole not muddy, except after a lot of rain. En-route are several stiles, though increasingly, of course, these are being converted to kissing gates. This is another short wintery walk but in the next issue I intend to stride out more!

PARK: At the football/recreation field on the edge of Stoke St Michael village which lies north east of Shepton Mallet, between Leigh-upon-Mendip and Oakhill.

The rec is to the west of Stoke St Michael on the road to Oakhill. Just as the houses end take the first lane on the right (coming from Stoke St Michael) it is called Frog Lane but not signed as such here. It is signed to Holcombe. The recreation ground parking is a short way along on the right.

With Sue Gearing PAGE 50 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

START: Turn right from the parking area and after about a minute look for a stile tucked into the hedge on the right (opposite a kissing gate on the other side of the lane). Head straight across the field, over a double stile and then head down the centre of the field to a gate on to a lane.

Cross and take the stile opposite and drop

downhill into the valley. We have basically skirted the village of Stoke St Michael.

Reach a gate with a squeeze at the side.

1. VALLEY Turn right on the track/lane and immediately left up the lane. We now climb gently out of the valley. Follow the lane to a junction and turn left still on the lane. It should be pretty quiet along here.

You come between two limestone quarries, both of them now disused. You can see the one on the left, particularly when the trees aren’t in leaf, but at this point the one on the right is obscured by a high bank.

Continue to where there are entrance gates to the quarries on each side.

2. QUARRY DEVELOPMENT The development on the right is underway.

Known as Cookswood it is a luxury development of holiday homes which eventually will have many leisure facilities including the use of the lake in the old quarry. On the other side of the road in the quarry another development is planned.

To continue our walk go on a little further downhill to a bend in the lane and here turn off right on a footpath. Go across a rough field to a stile. Cross a plank bridge to another stile and the footpath arrow then directs you right. As you go down the field there are good views across country. Continue down the field, going gradually over to the fence on the left.

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WALKING

Continue on under an oak tree and see a white bungalow below. Go past the bungalow and then through a marked kissing gate and follow the path to a lane.

Le

3. LANE Turn left. On the bend, go left on your lane, ignoring the turn right. A few yards along on the right keep your eyes open for steps down on the right to a stile and footpath. Now head left down the length of the field, crossing a farm drive on the way.

Stay a little closer to the left than the right, go under power lines, and reach one of the telegraph poles ahead with a white junction box. Here head through into the next field and keep straight on following the left hedge. Go round the corner and reach a stile tucked down on the left.

4. EDFORD This brings you out onto a lane where you turn right down to the hamlet of Edford in the parish of Holcombe. In fact you pass the Holcombe sign. Reach the welcoming Duke of Cumberland with a garden alongside the Mells Stream. It’s a great place for refreshment. Cross the road from the pub and take the track opposite at the side of a stone cottage. This is the start of an ancient packhorse trail which linked the coal pits on Stratton Common to Edford.

Reach a bridge. This is the first packhorse bridge constructed over the ill-fated Dorset and Somerset Canal. It was one of many failed attempts to link the Bristol Channel to the English Channel with an inland waterway system. Established by Act in 1796, an 11-mile branch of this canal ran from Frome to Nettlebridge to transport coal. But capital ran out. Canals put the packhorse out of business and then canals lost out to railways.

Cross the bridge and continue on the old packhorse trail uphill for about half a mile.

Pass a farm on the left (Spring Farm) and then join Tarmac. Pass another house and before you get to another at the top of the hill, go left over a stile.

5. FIELDS Go ahead parallel with the right fence.

Cross a stile by a large gate in the corner and continue down the field in the same direction as before along the right edge.

Here at the end of a field is a kissing gate.

Once through, continue on a little further to a metal gate on the right crossing the small stream. Now continue down with the stream on your left and a couple of minutes down here reach a solitary stile unconnected to a hedge, if this has gone when you come, a good marker is the solid

4.4 miles, about 2.5 hours walking • OS Explorer 142 Shepton Mallet & Mendip Hills East, grid ref: 660 471. Nearest postcode BA3 5JL

wooden fence post on the left. At this point bear away right but still down the field.

Continue all the way to the bottom corner, ignoring a gate into a private property.

Cross the stile into Harridge Wood, in the care of Somerset Wildlife Trust and now a nature reserve.

6. WOOD This is ancient woodland and from about 1300AD part of the wood was the scene of coal mining, which continued until around 1800. The traces of mining have been well preserved. Large areas were planted for timber in the mid-20th century, and this continues to be harvested. The nature reserve is steadily reintroducing the original flora. It is a beautiful area of wild flowers including bluebells. Follow the fence down and round the corner to the right and reach a stony drive and entrance.

7. DRIVE Turn left up the drive which takes you to a lane. Cross and take the drive signed to Stoke Bottom Farm. Continue down and cross the stream. Go through a gate. Over on your right through another gate is a track leading past the old village of Fernhill. Fernhill once boasted a logwood mill and paper mill in a hamlet of about 40 houses and a population of about 200. The “big house” was Stoke House, once a very grand mansion with pleasure gardens, pastures and woods. It was abandoned by the late 1920s and dismantled piecemeal for its stone to be used in other buildings.

As is often the case with these old hamlets, there is very little to be seen, except perhaps a few parts of the ruins of the old mil and the fast flowing steeped weir.

To continue our walk, take the newish kissing gate on the right (just past the gate on the right to the old hamlet) signed as a path to Stoke St Michael. Go up across the field bearing left. Go through the next kissing gate and after this go to the left still towards Stoke St Michael. At a telegraph post, bear away to the right crossing the field to an ordinary stile. When you get close you see another stile on the right and you want this one. It takes you into Folly Wood and Combe Wood.

8. FOLLY WOOD The path climbs gently. There should be wild garlic and bluebells along here. Reach a field and continue the same direction.

Pass a new single storey building on the right where they are developing the entrance drive. Reach the drive but don’t go up it. Go straight on, crossing a stile and carry on up the centre of the next field.

Don’t bear right. Bear slightly left down into a dip, passing a piece of woodland on your left. Now head on up the field bearing slightly right (ignore a stile you can see up on your left). Then at the top, reach the stile you want. Cross to the recreation ground at the start.

The Duke of Cumberland, Edford, 01761 23373.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 51

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MENDIP TIMES

OUTDOORS

West Countryman’s diary

ANOTHER wild and windy day as I start to write this month’s column. I got quite excited the other day when I saw dust rising from the road – when the sun shines and the sky is clear I can almost imagine we are heading into spring. Heading into spring we are, but maybe not just yet.

With LES I’m still pruning in the orchards and DAVIES MBE doing more of my courses to help others understand what it’s all about. I have always found that when people come to a talk, guided walk or a course, they want to be informed and entertained.

The number of courses I have been on where the delivery consisted of nothing but facts and figures delivered without any feeling convinced me long ago mine would be different.

However please don't think I am a “song and dance” routine.

There is no purpose in gaining knowledge unless it can be handed on and the best way to do that is to make it an enjoyable experience that is remembered. I always joke that as long as the lunch is good everyone will have had a good day.

Getting out and about at the moment is to say the very least a little difficult. I’m still finding time to get a short “bimble” in whenever the opportunity arises, but regrettably I have not been up to Foxwood, as the track conditions are so bad. I’ve taken to walking in Wellington boots with all the wet and muddy conditions.

Modern boots are so much better! My arches collapsed long ago and flat feet are now the result, but good insoles and a neoprene lining do help. Waterproof coats need not cost a fortune and I have been lucky enough to pick up a good one from the charity shop at a very reasonable price.

Breathable, warm and with a well attached hood are my requirements and just such a coat was waiting for me!

Thoughts of my garden stir slowly in my mind, but at the moment they are only thoughts. The evenings are becoming lighter and hope comes with that extension of daylight hours.

Soon those lighter evening will draw me out of the house and onto the garden where the early potatoes, onions, shallots and all those other life essentials will be planted.

A lot will be given away, but I quite like doing that. These gifts are always returned, but that is not what I do it for. My blackberries are used by a neighbour who makes blackberry gin and every year a bottle arrives on my doorstep carrying a label that reads: “From the gin fairy!”

Won’t it be nice to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine? Won’t it be nice to take a walk and enjoy a picnic looking at some stunning scenery? Well they are all coming, I hope, it’s just the passage of time that will see us all through the final winter months. No doubt after the first couple of weeks of dry weather will come the hose pipe ban, or is that being just a little bit too cynical?

I really must get myself up onto Black Down and have a look around. The new open expanse of bracken-less ground will be allowing all sorts of hidden plant treasures to show themselves.

All sorts of humps and hollows will become visible, telling the story of previous land use and even settlement. I just love this type of landscape, where you can get a feel of those who lived and worked this land. They still live on!

Me and mum on Crook Peak

This brings me to the sad bit. At 3am on Wednesday, January 22nd my mother, Emily Elizabeth Davies slipped quietly and painlessly out of this life. She was a hard working woman, a daughter of the soil who had known hard work all of her life.

She was a “giver” who put everyone else first and that included me.

I give great thanks for my time with her. She did what all mums do, she believed in me when others doubted; she supported me when others walked away. She had a sense of humour that was dry as old boots.

“Ain’t no fun getting old,” she once told me. “Don’t think I’ll do it again.” She remained fiercely independent up until the last month of her life and for that I am thankful.

I know that I will not be the alone in losing a loved one recently. We all have to travel this painful road within our lifetime and I have walked this way before. Only the passage of time can heal the grief and turn the memories into happy recollections.

This is where the landscape comes in. I have always said Mendip is a special place. The natural world is a healer, so I’m going to leave you with a very special poem that was sent to me. I hope that for others who have suffered a loss this will help as well: Do not stand by my grave and weep I am not there; I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow, I am the diamond glints on snow, I am the sun on ripened grain.

When you awake in the morning’s hush I am that soft uplifting rush Of quiet birds in circled flight.

I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand by my grave and cry, I am not there; I did not die.

Think of this when you are out and about.

This month’s picture is in tribute to my mother. It was taken on a Sunday school day out to Crook Peak in the 1950s. You may well recognise the church below in Compton Bishop. You see, it was me who started the fashion of wearing the hat sideways!

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

PAGE 52 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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MENDIP TIMES

Let there be light – and enough of it!

AFTER such a gloomy winter, with so much cloud cover and only a precious few glimpses of the sun, it is great to see the days lengthening visibly now and the light levels improving.

To plants, light levels mean everything, so as gardeners we need to pander to their With MARY wishes.

PAYNE MBE Poor light conditions encourage plants to seek light and grow taller and spindly (etiolated) with bigger gaps between their leaves. This condition occurs frequently when plants are grown on windowsills, especially during the winter months. The light is only coming from one side compared to coming from “all round” out of doors.

Seedlings will rapidly turn towards a light source. The reason for this is because the side away from the light contains hormones which cause the cells to elongate pushing the tip of the plant towards the light source. Daily turning of plants can help reduce this effect.

Grow lights can be used as spotlights on specimen house plants to improve performance and metal halide or sodium lamps can supplement natural daylight in greenhouses. These are excellent for reducing the elongation of seedlings and young plants early in the year.

The performance of every plant in your garden will also depend on whether each is getting the right amount of light.

Plants native to Mediterranean regions, such as rosemary, lavender and broom need full sun to grow and flower well.

Even plants that are tolerant of partial shade may fail to flower if the growth of an adjacent shrub starts to cast too much shade, thus preventing the wood ripening and developing flower buds.

As the light levels are improving, March is a good time to sow seeds of many plants. It is worth remembering that it is advisable to sow using a proprietary seed compost rather than a multi-purpose because some seeds are sensitive to the levels of fertiliser added to a multipurpose compost.

Antirrhinums are a classic example of this. Most seeds need light to germinate so it is important not to cover the seeds too deeply with compost. My advice is not to cover with compost at all, but to use a very thin layer of horticultural vermiculite. This allows light to penetrate to the seeds and also holds moisture to prevent drying out.

Some seeds have no strong feelings and will germinate in light or dark e.g. asters, brassicas, peppers, tomato, marigolds and zinnias, to name but a few. Others are more particular and insist on being in the dark e.g. delphinium, cyclamen, verbena and viola.

It is safest to assume that light is required for many of our commonly grown plants e.g. lettuce, antirrhinums, petunias, Busy Lizzie, Lobelia and Nicotiana. If only a few plants are required it may be more economical to purchase ready-grown plants or “plug plants” later in the season when light levels are much improved.

This reaction of seeds to light ensures that young plants do not grow where there is insufficient light in the wild. A classic example of this adaptation can be seen with our native foxglove in woodland. The seeds can lay dormant in PAGE 54 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Seedlings

the ground while there is a dense canopy of foliage but if the timber is thinned sufficiently light gets through to break the dormancy of the foxgloves and they germinate.

The red Flanders poppy seed had laid dormant in the fields until bombs disturbed the soil exposing the seeds to light triggering germination.

Once your seed has germinated then light intensity becomes important to prevent the seedlings becoming leggy and vulnerable to disease. Sowing thinly will help prevent this. Even a simple job such as cleaning the greenhouse glass and removing plants from outside the greenhouse that are casting shade can have beneficial effects.

Weed seeds in our gardens seem to have little difficulty germinating and have a cunning plan. Some germinate in the autumn e.g. goose grass (also known as “sticky willie”) to ensure that it is ahead of the spring germinating weeds and can quickly dominate its host. Others e.g. speedwell can germinate at low temperatures and can complete its life cycle very quickly, leaving behind its seeds before adjacent plants take over.

Preventing weed seeds germinating is as relatively simple as cutting out the light that can get to them. The seeds near the surface of the soil can germinate if light is not excluded.

This is most easily done with a minimum 2” (5cm) layer of mulch such as shredded bark.

There are many grades of bark mulch available but the most economical is usually referred to as woodland mulch.

This is more attractive than the coarser landscape grade and longer lasting than the finer grades which will decompose in roughly one year.

Composted green waste can also be used, but also biodegrades rapidly. This product should never be used as a mulch for plants that like an acidic soil, as it is often very alkaline. If this is applied immediately after planting an area, it gives excellent control and has the bonus of gradually rotting down over a period of three years or so, thus adding organic matter to the soil.

Inevitably, weed seeds will blow in and germinate on the mulch, but these are easily removed. Sadly, mulch will not control existing perennial weeds such as creeping thistle or dandelions.

The new herbicides based on acetic acid (vinegar) or pelargonic acid can give excellent control of newly germinated weed seedlings, especially if applied on a warm sunny day, but are less effective at killing the roots of persistent perennials such as ground elder and bindweed.

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GARDENING

MARCH GARDEN TIPS

• Cut dogwoods (Cornus alba types) and willows (Salix) that are grown for brightly coloured winter stems down to almost ground level now. This encourages young new shoots that always have the best colour.

• Protect newly emerging clematis shoots from attack from snails, especially those growing low down.

• Prune most roses now, (climbing, rambling and shrub roses are best pruned in summer after the main flush of flower). Cut back to 6-8" from the ground and cut just above a bud, prune out any branches that are crossing to leave an open centre. Remove any root suckers as close to the roots as possible (neatly tearing them off discourages more). Cut out any weak, dead or diseased shoots.

• Start spraying roses for blackspot, rust and aphids with Roseclear Ultra* as soon as the leaves appear. Early spraying is essential!

• There is still time to transplant evergreen shrubs before it is too late but remember to disturb the roots as little as possible and keep as much soil attached to them as you can.

• If you haven’t done it already, prune Buddlejas back to about waist height and trim Lavateras back to healthy new shoots.

• Prune hardy Fuchsias back to strong new shoots. Tidy up straggly Penstemons. Give them all a feed with Vitax Q4.

• Apply a general fertiliser to all beds and borders.

l The Gardener’s Garden Centre l Expert and friendly advice l Great plants grown in our own nursery l Box Tree Café open 10am - 4pm

NOW ON SALE

Spring flowering bulbs in pots

Tomato plants many varieties on sale

Good quality plants grown at our nursery

ROCKY MOUNTAIN NURSERY MASBURY, NR. WELLS, SOMERSET BA5 3HA TEL: 01749 841014 FAX: 01749 841055 www.rockymountainnurseries.co.uk COME & SEE OUR FINE RANGE OF FRUIT TREES, SHRUBS, GERANIUMS & FUCHSIAS

Visit our MASBURY’S CAFE

Serving breakfast, lunch & afternoon tea Delicious homemade meals.

Sunday Roasts, Outside catering, buffet lunches delivered, themed cuisine events.

Telephone 01749 841155 for further details.

Fence Panels and Posts

Follow facebook for Spring surplus sale of paving slabs

BROWSE AROUND JAMES STORE SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS WWW.ROCKYMOUNTAINNURSERIES.CO.UK

ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDS – SET IN 12 WONDERFUL ACRES – MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 55

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MENDIP TIMES

Step into spring at Kilver Court KILVER Court will be holding a spring launch of their garden nursery on March 14th and 15th, promising a weekend packed with the promise of new and exciting horticultural inspiration for you and your garden this year.

Explore the carefully curated selections that capture the essence of the growing season and enjoy exclusive spring offers, seeds of wisdom and snippets of advice from their friendly gardening team.

Spring is nature’s cue to reorganise, reimagine and breathe new life into the earthy colours of winter transforming them with the bright, bold and uplifting shades of the new season.

Discover rich apricots, creamy corals and a profusion of pinks, from the vibrant Azalea Japonica Vuyks Orange to the diminutive, ruffled petals of the Primulas and Dianthus. Mix lively lilacs and swathes of sunshine yellows with the familiar blue hues of Agapanthus to herald fresh new beginnings.

Explore thoughtful trends in gardening, creating wildscapes where drifts of delicate perennial pastels create informal arrangements and havens for wildlife, adding annual interest for theatre and to energise your garden spaces. Embrace all the greens with a focus on foliage, the Coprosma Rainbow Surprise and Trachelospermum Jasminoides bring beautiful tones throughout the year and soften the explosion of colour.

Make a bee line for the Wiggly Shed, a gardening destination for rare and specialist house plants, beautiful botanical displays and innovative ideas. Shop for stylish garden accessories,

PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

specialist tools from Niwaki and Opinel to pots of pots for garden rooms and garden features.

Take the opportunity to explore the garden at Kilver Court this weekend and you will find it resplendent with the signs of spring, as bulbs work their magic pushing up to transform the gardens with a welcome fanfare of much-needed colour.

With days that are longer, lighter and a few degrees warmer, it is the ideal time to start all those optimistic spring jobs, sowing, planting, pruning and potting inspired to bring joy to your garden.

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New growing season

DOES the lawnmower need servicing? Or perhaps the chainsaw needs sharpening? Now is the time to prepare for the growing season and Mendip Rural Services is gearing up for some lastminute demand. Not that Aaron Coleman, who runs Mendip Rural Services, has been quiet over the winter. Many customers did have the foresight to book in their garden equipment at the workshop and showroom at Haydon, near Wells, for servicing and repairs.

Aaron said: “The ground has been so wet that I’ve been unable to get out and do some other jobs like fencing, but that will change in the coming weeks, I’m sure.

“But that has meant I could keep pace with things in the workshop, which has been really busy; I have some very loyal customers.”

GARDENING

Weston Garden Machinery Garden Machinery & Woodburning Specialists

Ride-on mowers, designed for the tight spots

Spring plant fair

SOME 22 top independent nurseries from all over the South West and beyond will once again be at East Lambrook Manor Gardens in Somerset on Saturday, March 28th for the ninth Early Spring Plant Fair, organised in partnership with the Hardy Plant Society, Somerset Group.

The venue for this very popular event is the former home of the queen of cottage gardening, Margery Fish, and it is a wonderful opportunity to source unusual and often quite rare plants of the kind seldom found in garden centres.

Garden design

HORTICOLOUS Landscape & Garden Design are a talented team creating award-winning and bespoke gardens from large stunning rural gardens to small beautiful courtyards. When they design your garden they work closely with you to explore and discover your needs and make sure your wishes are considered carefully whilst quietly taking in the local architecture and surrounding landscape.

Behind Shell Garage Winterstoke Road, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset BS23 2YS

Tel: 01934 626093/813261 www.westongarden.co.uk

We are a professional Garden Design team, preregistered with the Society of Garden Designers and accredited by the Association of Professional Landscapers. We design, build and plant private and commercial spaces and are a dedicated team committed to delivering outstanding quality with a professional service.

Contact Lynn on 07786 961695 or email her at Lynn.Riches@Horticolous.co.uk www.horticolous.co.uk

Mendip Rural Services Ltd. Springfield, Haydon Drove, Haydon nr Wells BA5 3EH

Spring is on its way!

Our services include: • Lawn mower sales, servicing, sharpening and repairs • Camping and paddock maintenance • Chain harrowing and rolling • Fencing • Digger and tractor hire with driver

Phone 07974 259766 • Workshop 07491 665290 www.mendipruralservices.co.uk email: mendipruralservices@outlook.com MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 57

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MENDIP TIMES

GALHAMPTON Country Store

A FAMILY-RUN SHOP & STORE ON THE A359 BETWEEN CASTLE CARY & SPARKFORD

Garden products & lawn seed

Range of composts & bagged stone

TOOLS, CLOTHING, GIFTS, FOOD-TO-GO, PET, POULTRY, LIVESTOCK FEEDS & MORE

Timber, wooden stakes & gates

extensive range of animal/poultry feeds

Open seven days a week: Mon-sat 8am-5.30pm/sun 10am-4pm

Fir Tree Business park, High Road, Galhampton, yeovil, somerset, Ba22 7BH • Tel: 01963 440464 email: sales@galhamptoncountrystore.co.uk

PAGE 58 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Wake up and smell the coffee!

WITH spring on everyone’s minds, Galhampton Country Store has a wide selection of products for all things gardening – from lawn seed, plant feeds, tools and hardware to composts, ornamental bark and bagged stone.

Along with a choice of timber including tree stakes, fencing posts and wooden gates, the store offers a one-stop-shop for all those outdoor jobs.

Owners Charles and Katie Bradley-Hudson say: “Whilst we continue to sell the day-to-day items for animals and humans, we are starting to stock some slightly more diverse products. Take our coffee logs for example. Coffee grounds can be recycled into a burnable log so avoiding landfill. Burning these reduces waste whilst keeping you warm – use with, or in place of, wood logs on your fire or BBQ, and they do burn hot!”

Return of Seedy Saturday

SEEDY Saturday returns to the Conygre Hall in Timsbury for the 11th year on Saturday, March 14th between 10am and 2pm. The “seed and spud spectacular” offers growers at all stages and ages a fun and practical way to exchange seeds and tips, buy local products and get involved in community activities.

Event organiser, Sam Ross, said: “Up to 500 people attend every year, not just from the local area but many parts of the UK as well as France and Belgium.”

Details: www.seedysaturday.org.uk

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NGS GARDEN OF THE MONTH

GARDENING

Lower Shalford Farm

THIS has a fairly large open garden with extensive lawns and wooded surroundings.

There are thousands of spring bulbs growing in the wooded area in March/April.

There’s a small stream running through with several stone bridges, walled rose/parterre garden, hedged herbaceous garden and several ornamental ponds.

NGS opening details: Saturdays March 21st and May 23rd, 10am-4pm.

Admission: £5, children free.

Contact Information: Mr and Mrs David Posnett.

Address and Postcode: Shalford Lane, Charlton Musgrove, Wincanton BA9 8HE OTHER GARDENS Friday April 17th and Saturday April 18th The Downs Preparatory School, 10am-4pm. Charlton Drive, Wraxall BS48 1PF. £6 children free.

Sunday April 19th Yeo Valley Organic Garden, 2-5pm. Holt Farm, Blagdon, BS40 7SQ. £6 children free.

Sunday April 26th Watcombe, 2-5.30 pm. 92, Church Road, Winscombe, BS25 1BP. £4 children free.

Thursday April 30th Bath Priory Hotel, 2-5pm. Weston Road Bath, BA1 2XT. £3.50 children free.

Other Gardens Open for the NGS To see more gardens open for the NGS, see The Yellow Book, or Local County Leaflet, available from local Garden Centres, or go to: http://www.ngs.org.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 SHELTERS & STABLES PLAYHOUSES 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 • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 59

MENDIP TIMES

The wonders of Wild Wookey

SINCE its inauguration in 2017, the Wild Wookey adventure caving experience has gone from strength to strength. The trip is challenging and starts with a via ferrata ascent into a rift above the main cave entrance. The via ferrata is a series of steel loops attached to the rock, which enables With PHILIP people to climb without having to be HENDY experienced rock climbers.

After some crawling and narrow rift passageways, a ten metre abseil takes cavers down to the edge of the lake in the Witch’s Kitchen. After the third chamber, the Witch’s Parlour, there is a climb into chambers discovered by cave divers, and later opened to the public through a mined tunnel.

Another via ferrata along the side of a deep pool leads to the ninth chamber, where a swinging bridge takes the adventurers across the lake and they then climb 30 metres up into the roof using another via ferrata, before abseiling back to the floor.

After visiting the spectacular Chamber 20, opened to the public in 2015, the cavers used to leave the cave via the Kilmersdon Tunnel, which is the exit used by ordinary visitors.

However, Chris Binding, the Wild Wookey technical advisor, has discovered an alternative and more exciting way of leaving the cave.

In the early days of modern cave exploration, Roger Troup, one of Herbert Balch’s associates, dug into a tight rift in the cliff face above the river exit. It was eventually abandoned, but recently (2018), Chris located a high narrow rift which connected with Charon’s Chamber, on the far side of the lake in the Witch’s Kitchen.

So adventure cavers can now cross the water in a small boat and climb up into Troup’s Rift. At the daylight exit, they make a controlled descent on a zip wire to a grassy landing in the ravine.

From the very start, Wild Wookey has proved popular, and the number of people who come to enjoy the trip has continued to grow – so much so, that Becca Burne, the lead instructor, has been joined by another leader, Craig Attmere Tocco.

More than 2,000 people have so far ventured though Wild Wookey and more than 100 experienced cavers have been impressed by the complexity of the route. It was also been used by the British Cave Rescue Council as a venue for their rescue conference last year.

In November 2018 Wild Wookey won a bronze award at the S.W. England Tourism Awards for the Bristol and Bath Area, in the New Business of the Year category. Another Mendipbased caving and climbing adventure company, CaveClimb.com headed by Andy and Rachel Sparrow won gold in the Active and Sporting Experience category.

However, in 2019 the gold award for that category was won

by Wild Wookey, and it won Gold in the regional presentations at Exeter in February.

When not involved with Wild Wookey, Chris Binding continues to explore Wookey Hole and its history. There are other possible entrances to the cave – beyond the Grille in the New Series (not currently open to the public) there is a strong draught, and a hyaena tooth was found there a few years ago.

CAVING

It is from a cave hyaena, much bigger than the modern African animal. There are also a lot of badger bones, so somewhere on the hillside is another hyaena den, similar to the one in the ravine. Although the entrance must have collapsed, it was, or maybe still is, used by badgers.

The most important find by Chris is the rediscovery of the Porter stone, first mentioned by William of Worcester in about 1470. In his Itinerarium, written in Latin, he describes a Portario “where at the beginning (of the cave) is an image of a man who goes by the name of the porter, and it is the duty of the people who desire to enter the hall of Wookey to ask permission of the porter..."

The word Portario was taken to mean a porter, but an alternative (and more fitting) interpretation of the word is “gatekeeper”. The image was lost for many years and some believed it to be the huge stalagmite, the Witch, in the Witch’s Kitchen.

This accords with Rogers, writing in 1694, who said of the first chamber, the Witch’s Kitchen, “at the Door sticks out a large Mass of the Rock, which they tell us was the Porter’s head, formerly the Keeper of this Cave; it bears the resemblance of a Head, and by it lies a stone which they call The Tombstone, under which the Report is, That his Body lies Enterred, and his Dogherd by him in the same substance…”.

It would however, seem likely that a gatekeeper should be positioned at the entrance to the cave, and so it proved to be, when Chris pulled away ivy growing near the original cave entrance, a narrow slot adjacent to the present way in.

An old photograph shows ivy growing there in Balch’s day, so he would not have seen the image. The Porter or Gatekeeper is a square boulder which resembles a face, with two eyes, nose and mouth.

The fourth chamber of Wookey Hole is known to have been used in Romano-British times as a cemetery. It is now usually inaccessible, due to the raised water level caused by the paper mill dam at the cave entrance, constructed in the 19th century.

Over the years, however, flooding has washed many bones and artefacts from the chamber, to be discovered by divers.

Recently, cave divers Mike and Robert Thomas found an intact flagon on the river bed in the third chamber and since then a human mandible was retrieved.

Wookey Hole is an amazing place, not just for its huge spectacular chambers and decorations, but for its history, archaeology, and of course Wild Wookey. No doubt there are further wonders yet to be discovered.

Phil has been caving for more than 50 years and is a member of the Wessex Cave Club. He has been involved in producing several caving publications and until his retirement was a caving instructor at Cheddar. His main interest is digging for new caves

PAGE 60 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

(Photograph courtesy of Mark Burkey)

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New head at The Downs School THE chairman and board of governors of The Downs Preparatory School have announced the appointment of Debbie Isaachsen as the next head teacher from September 2020.

Debbie is currently head of Heatherton School, part of the Berkhamsted Schools Group, where she sits on the executive team of this prestigious group of schools. Previously she was head of the lower school and the deputy head of the pre-prep at Cheltenham College Prep School.

She has extensive teaching and leadership experience within both the independent and maintained sectors, having taught many year groups across various disciplines in both prep and pre-prep, where a willingness to innovate and develop the curriculum has been a hallmark of her vibrant leadership style.

Debbie attended the University of Exeter, graduating with a BEd (Hons) and most recently she has completed a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Buckinghamshire. A keen sportswoman, she enjoys skiing, netball, walking and challenging outdoor pursuits.

She will be joined at The Downs by her husband, Alex, currently an IT co-ordinator, and their two children Bella, aged 15 and Oscar, aged 13.

Mark Burchfield, chairman of governors said: “After a rigorous selection process we are delighted to have appointed Debbie to the post of head teacher. We felt that Debbie’s

Winning design

EDUCATION

outstanding abilities, strong personal values and qualities fitted our requirements exactly and we look forward to Debbie leading The Downs into the next stage of its development.”

Marcus Gunn will continue to provide his outstanding leadership to The Downs until his retirement after 19 years at the end of the summer term.

CHEW Valley School pupil, Grace Wienburg, has won this year’s competition to design a technical T shirt for the upcoming Chew Valley 10k on Sunday, June 14th, created as part of her textiles GCSE course.

The 10k and 1k Olympic themed fun run are now open for entries and organisers are hoping for another successful year for the race, which is now in its eighth year.

The winning T-shirt design features the Chew Valley Lake within an earth shape and the theme “All in this Together”.

Grace said: “I wanted to include the fact that people come from all over the Chew Valley and beyond to take part and that everybody is welcome. The earth design also symbolises the importance of everyone being as environmentally conscious as possible.”

Details: www.chewvalley10k.co.uk Facebook or Twitter@chewvalley10k and Instagram

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 61

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MENDIP TIMES

Stairway to heaven?

We all have to die of something and respiratory infections are a common way to shuffle off this mortal coil. In the UK, an average of 600 people a year die from complications of seasonal influenza (flu) virus, usually between October and March.

In a bad year, over 10,000 deaths occur,

By Dr PHIL usually from Influenza A, and it brings the HAMMOND NHs to a temporary standstill. In 2013 there were over 13,000 deaths. Most deaths occur in the frailer elderly patients and other high-risk groups.

In rare cases, flu kills people who are otherwise healthy and some young people and children, which is why we have a vaccination program but many people who are eligible for a vaccine simply don’t bother. some of the deaths could be avoided but we are generally quite relaxed about the death risks of boring old flu. After all, it happens every year. so why has coronavirus 2019-nCoV whipped the media up into an incessant frenzy? It’s new, it’s exciting, it comes from China and it may have passed through bats, snakes and even pangolins to get to us. At the time of writing, nine people in the UK have been infected with no deaths and eight fully recovered.

More people will be infected and there may even be deaths, but will it be any worse than the seasonal flu that happens every year?

In the two sARs coronavirus outbreaks between 2002 and 2004, the UK media again went into full throttle “killer virus” mode and yet only four people in the UK were infected, with no deaths.

Globally, far more people died falling down the stAIRs than from sARs, yet this hazard very rarely gets the press it deserves. the Office for National statistics calculated that during 2015 there were 787 deaths in england and Wales caused by a fall on steps or stairs – more than two deaths a day and a 20.5% increase since 2012. there is a fall on stairs every 90 seconds in the UK, and around 250,000 non-fatal stair accidents are treated in emergency departments. It’s not just the elderly. Around 58,000 children have accidents on stairs every year. the British Woodworking Federation is at least taking the stAIRs situation seriously, with its annual stair safety Day and safe stair use guidance. stay Alert. tread carefully. Avoid athletics. Identify and act on trip hazards. Remember to hold tight. stairgates do open. And don’t wear a pointless anti-virus face mask that obscures your vision and risks a fall. there will be another pandemic infection that kills millions one day, and coronavirus 2019-nCoV may yet be it. But generally, micro-organisms die with their hosts so they prefer to keep us alive. so relax, wash your hands and try not to sneeze on the stairs.

Dr Phil Hammond is author of “Staying Alive – How to Improve Your Health and Your Healthcare” (Quercus, £9.99).

PAGE 62 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Plop the Raindrop

It’s quite useful sometimes being so tiny and translucent that I’m nearly invisible. It can be really surprising what you see and hear when no-one knows you are there. these days I can speak almost fluent sparrow, thanks to being stuck under a bird feeder. Not so long ago I could understand the language of every single dinosaur.

Compared to many animals, pigs are actually quite articulate, better than cows. they both have very rude swear words for you human beans. Pigs actually have seven.

I suppose that’s hardly surprising, given that they’re very intelligent animals and can get very bored and frustrated if they have to live inside all the time. But some of them are luckier and are allowed out to forage.

I was once stuck in an apple that was quietly fermenting under a tree in an orchard. We water droplets do get stuck in a lot of strange places.

I’d spent a lot of time listening to wasps who were nibbling away at it. When they find something tasty and want to tell all their friends, they just give them a buzz. then this pig came and ate the apple. In fact he ate an awful lot of those windfall apples. since they were busy turning themselves into natural cider, the pig got horribly drunk.

It’s bad enough sloshing around inside a pig at the best of times, but even worse if it’s staggering around like a seasick penguin. (Penguins have a very limited vocabulary by the way: orc or urc depending on which part of the southern Ocean they come from).

Getting stuck in cows is even worse. You just manage to escape from one stomach full of seething, fetid green slime only find they have a second stomach full of fetid green slime. then when you get out of that you usually end up in a cow pat and probably get drunk by beetles.

I’ve mentioned before the dire warnings I’ve had about getting drunk, particularly by humans, who eventually flush us away down the toilet. some of my most interesting observations have involved human beans.

I saw how you developed from great hairy apes, clambering through the trees, into sophisticated apes who spend so much time indoors playing on small electronic machines.

In the future you’ll probably be able to watch everything from the comfort of your multi-purpose travel pod. But I hope you won’t forget about the joy of going outside.

I really hope you don’t lose interest in the natural world – like those pigs who much prefer being outside in the orchard.

My friends and I will always be around somewhere, just watching and listening, waiting for you to come outside and play.

MENDIP GRANDAD

Health section.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2020 13:49 Page 63

A powerful health message

HEALTH & FAMILY

We Are Undefeatable somerset is a new local campaign, launched by somerset Activity & sports Partnership, with the aim of inspiring those Join the ambassadors: SASP is now recruiting wellbeing volunteers in living with longMendip and Sedgemoor term health conditions to be more active and move more.

A country wide study showed that one in four people were living with a long-term condition and were more likely to be inactive as a result. Using local ambassadors from across the county, who have one or more health conditions, sAsP wants to motivate and encourage others to move more in ways that suit them, showcasing the powerful stories of using physical activity to increase health and happiness through fun, friendships and better physical fitness. sAsP hope they will inspire and connect with other older people with long term health conditions. the official launch of this campaign took place at the Beach Hotel in Minehead at the end of January.

For details, visit www.sasp.co.uk/long-term-conditions

CLARE HALL NURSING HOME PREMIUM ROOMS DESIGNED WITH FAMILY IN MIND NOW AVAILABLE FOR VIEWING Ston Easton BA3 4DE E-mail: admin@clarehallnursinghome.co.uk Tel: 01761 241626 MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 63

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MENDIP TIMES

COURT HOUSE

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The Manager – Chris Dando • 01934 742131 • chriscourthouse@gmail.com Court House Retirement Home, Church Street, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3RA www.courthouseretirementhome.co.uk PAGE 64 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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Wedmore Dental Practice

tHe team here at Wedmore Dental Practice has recently grown and we are pleased to introduce our new members, Alison and Laura. they will be front-ofhouse on reception, welcoming you with their smiles and enhancing your experience at the practice.

Under the direction of Jennifer Morecroft, we are proud to be an all-private practice and we strongly believe that this provides patients with the best dental care. We invest in high-quality and well-researched materials and equipment.

We also offer advanced and cosmetic treatments, such as facial aesthetics and tooth whitening.

Wedmore Dental Practice has British Dental Association Good Practice and Denplan excel accreditation. Both schemes require a rigorous inspection process; only practices with high standards of patient care achieve these accreditations.

As a Denplan practice we have access to fantastic training for the whole of the dental team. Nationwide research shows that patients registered under Denplan are more likely to attend on a regular basis and be very satisfied with the care and treatment they receive.

Regular attendance is key to preventing dental decay

HEALTH & FAMILY

and gum disease. We are keen to support families looking for excellent private dental care at an affordable price; our new Denplan children’s plans start from just £4 per month.

Our facial aesthetic services include facial fillers and anti-wrinkle treatments. Dentists and hygienists are experts in facial anatomy making them the ideal clinicians to provide safe cosmetic treatment.

Furthermore, the practice is regulated by the Care Quality Commission and all clinical team members are registered with the General Dental Council.

As a practice, we support Wedmore and the surrounding villages,in many of their community events. We are currently participating in the Colgate Oral Health Care Recycling Programme. the practice is registered under this scheme to collect and recycle oral health products, such as brushes and toothpaste tubes.

You don’t have to be registered with us to use the recycling facility. the value of anything that is recycled is donated to the Axbridge and Wedmore Community Healthcare Fund. the more we recycle the more money that can be raised for this fantastic cause.

Please pop in, phone or visit us on our website, or via social media. We look forward to welcoming you to our lovely village practice.

The team at Wedmore Dental Practice MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 65

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MENDIP TIMES

HEALTH & FAMILY

Specialist worker to lead expanded service

tHe shepton Mallet-based somerset and Wessex eating Disorders Association has received funding from BBC Children in Need to improve and develop their services for children and young people across the county. sWeDA offers counselling, practical support and other services to anyone struggling with food, eating or their body image, including the Sarah Alden has joined the families and friends of SWEDA team to work with sufferers and have been doing young people across Somerset so for nearly 30 years. the charity has taken on a new specialist children’s worker, sarah Alden, to head up the new service. sarah has been working with children for 35 years and will be working across somerset in schools and youth groups as well as offering oneto-one counselling at our base in shepton Mallet.

Paula Blight, CeO of sWeDA, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have won our bid and have already begun to develop sWeDA’s specialist services for children and young people with eating disorders.”

PAGE 66 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Motoring page.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2020 14:12 Page 1

MOTORING

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MENDIP TIMES

Mendip Rotary brings hope to Ugandan village

Striking the right note

The teams after the presentations

a tEaM from st Vigor and st John’s school in Chilcompton won the annual Youth speaks competition for primary schools run by Rotary Midsomer norton and Radstock. their talk was entitled Children Going on strike and was judged the best of the five teams which entered. the event was hosted at st Benedict’s school and the club wishes to thank them for their hospitality.

For details about the club, visit: www.rotarynr.org.uk

Street party advice

FRoME town Council is to host a free workshop in March to support communities who want to host street parties through the process of road closures. last year, trinity Community Group closed selwood Road in the town for an afternoon and hosted a street party; it brought together neighbours and allowed the children to play out safely. the council says it can take time and some planning to hold such events, so it is organising a free training session to help in making the process as simple as possible. the training is open to anyone who is interested in closing their own street or helping others to do the same.

Mayor of Frome, Mark Dorrington said: “Closing your street to traffic for a few hours can help bring your community together. It gives you a chance to get to know your neighbours better and lets children play safely outside their own homes. We have heard the wonderful feedback from the successful parties held last year so this training is perfect if you would like to hold a similar event in your neighbourhood.” the session runs from 6.30-8.30pm on Monday, March 2nd at Frome town Hall. Book online at: https://www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/close-your-street/

Patients waiting to be seen

a RotaRY project in uganda, being funded and managed by the Rotary Club of Mendip and other local clubs, is now in the second year of a three-year initiative. already medical camps have been organised in this rural area, at ndwaddemutwe, in southern uganda. a water well is providing clean water for the first time, the school rooms have been refurbished and water storage tanks and latrines are to be provided shortly. a micro-loan system is now operating enabling businesses to be formed as a part of the effort to make inhabitants self– sufficient. the latest medical camp was a tremendous success with 957 people attending and being treated for wide range of conditions such as cervical and breast cancer screening, HIV testing, eye care, dental care, male circumcision, hepatitis and general clinical conditions. the ages of patients stretched from babies to those in their 80s, with the largest group, approximately 25%, being aged between one and ten years. all were grateful to the 29 doctors, nurses and specialist from local hospitals who Rotary had arranged to attend. the professionals were nearly overwhelmed with demand which also included screening for blood pressure, malaria, diabetes, body mass and blood group. a great deal of hard work was undertaken by the local Rotary Club of Kampala sunrise working in co-operation with the Mendip Club. organisers say it’s an example of how Rotary gets things done. new members are always welcome.

Paulton’s party

Paulton’s Party in the Park will be held on saturday, July 4th, 2-9pm. this will be the event’s 12th year and will be held as usual in the Memorial Park. there will be a full and varied programme and entry is free.

Details: To book a stall contact Anne Lyons on lyonsea@hotmail.uk other enquiries George Batchelar, 01761 414087, 07815989838 email batchelar26@btintertnet.com

PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Testing blood pressure

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COMMUNITY

New kitchen is just the beginning VoluntEERs who run Caryford Community Hall in ansford, near Castle Cary, have unveiled their new, purposebuilt kitchen as part of long-term plans to encourage more use of the building. the £130,000 kitchen has been created in the hall’s former meeting room and it will host a special visit in March by local chef and food writer lucas Hollweg, who will prepare a three-course meal as part of a fundraising night in March. the hall association – a charity – is now planning to build an extension to the hall to create a new, larger, meeting room and to add other features including a bar. they also hope to improve the car park. the hall was built in 1994 and has been financed by the income from lettings. liz Middleton, chair of the fundraising committee, said: “the population around here is growing, demand for the hall is increasing and we need to upgrade the facilities to be able to cope.” the association has received grants

Liz Middleton (second left) with other members of the hall association

from bodies including Viridor, south somerset District Council, Yarlington Housing association, the local parish council and the Fairfield association but has launched a crowdfunding campaign

to meet the total cost of almost £590,000. l the evening with lucas Hollweg – a Caryford Feast – takes place on saturday, March 7th. tickets cost £37.50. For details, visit: www.caryford.co.uk

Homeless are sleeping in woods and cars – report says

a nEW report claims the true scale of homelessness in somerset is much higher than official figures suggest. the latest official count showed there were 36 rough sleepers in the county and a further 397 households were recognised as statutorily homeless last year.

But the report by somerset Community Foundation says there are many more local people experiencing homelessness: whether sofa surfing, families living in B&Bs, ex-offenders leaving prison, or those trying to escape domestic abuse.

It found people are sleeping in tents in the woods, in farm outbuildings, or in cars hidden from view, suggesting 62 percent of homeless people are “hidden homeless”.

It says one homeless drop-in centre in taunton alone sees between 15-20 visitors every day, suggesting the actual number of rough sleepers is likely to be considerably higher than the official figure of 36.

the Rev stephen Fowler from Elim Connect, who provide residential and community-based services for homeless people, told how a young homeless person known to his organisation attempted to walk back to Glastonbury after being discharged from hospital in taunton on a winter evening; sadly, he never made it. In 2018 four homeless people were known to have died in the

county.

Justin sargent, chief executive of somerset Community Foundation, said: “Having a safe place to live is an essential human need and yet those who are most vulnerable in our community and most in need of a stable and safe place to live are, paradoxically, those most at risk of becoming homeless. “our aim with this report is to inspire greater awareness and support for the amazing organisations who work in the field and the people they help.

We are delighted to have secured some new funding to support local charities working with homeless people in somerset and are seeking additional donations to help us build a homelessness fund and make a bigger difference in the next three years.

“By pulling together as communities, we can all make a lasting difference to peoples’ lives in the most fundamental way – by helping people find a place they can call home.”

Details: 01749 344949 email: info@somersetcf.org.uk www.somersetcf.org.uk/special-projects/hidden-somerset-reports

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 69

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MENDIP TIMES

Music therapy sessions near first anniversary

To celebrate International Inner Wheel Day a group of Inner Wheel members and a couple of rotarians visited the St. Cecilia Care Home in Shepton Mallett for a sing-along. They were supported by Community Chimes led by Chloe Baker and rotarian Julian Thompson

FREE monthly music therapy sessions run by the Inner Wheel Club of shepton Mallet are approaching their first anniversary. the Music2Connect sessions – supported by rotarians in the town and a sHaPE Mendip lottery grant – take place in the salvation army hall, led by music therapist Julie Britton, and offer a safe place for those living with dementia and their carers to make music, make memories, exchange experiences and enjoy a relaxing coffee and chat.

New community hub

PEasEDoWn st John’s new Hive Community Centre has been awarded a total of £63,000 in funding, thanks to a series of grants from several organisations. the village’s former youth centre is now run by a team of volunteers, from both the local community and churches.

Bath & north East somerset Council is giving a 30-year lease to the new group to run the building, which will include two sessions of open-access youth work each week for teenagers. steering group Chair, Joy Fraser, said: “our vision is to be the centre for excellence for community activities and events in Peasedown st John and surrounding areas and to be the first choice for those planning activities, events, training and meetings.

“We want to provide a safe environment in which members of the community of Peasedown st John, of all ages, can be encouraged to realise their maximum potential. “and now, thanks to a starting budget of £63,000 we are well on our way to achieving this!” the funding has come from the st John’s Foundation,

Major’s story will help rescue dog charity

Club president Sue Hopkins with retired police officer Peter Chaplin

REtIRED police dog handler Peter Chaplin gave members of Midsomer norton and Radstock Inner Wheel members an insight into his years with the avon and somerset constabulary.

His talk was based on his book “a Job with Bite” about his crime fighting experiences, especially with his late dog Major, credited with 131 arrests.

In memory of Major, Peter is pledging £1 from every book he sells to Bravo Working Dog Rescue a charity that re-homes dogs after they are retired.

Members are now looking forward to their March Interclub event, april outing to the Royal Mint and travelling trends fashion show in May. l new members welcome. Contact president sue Hopkins on 07944 298036 or secretary Elaine Muir on 07543 973666.

Steering group members, Joy Fraser and Jill Souter outside The Hive

sperring Charity, Bath Boules trust, Beatrice laing trust, awards for all, Rank Foundation, Curo Group and Quartet Community Foundation. the Hive Community Centre is located next to Peasedown st John Primary school on Bath Road (Ba2 8DH).

Details: Joy Fraser joyfraser951@gmail.com 07947 008042 www.facebook.com/HiveCommunityCentrePSJ

PAGE 70 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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Support for good causes

CHEDDaR Vale lions have given their support to two very worthwhile ventures. the first was the presentation of a grant to the Café in Cheddar. the way the café is managed has changed and it is now very much a community hub in the village, being run by a new team, Hannah and neil stimpson who are determined to keep it going with the help of volunteers.

Club president Keith Cook with Hannah and Neil Stimpson

the lions awarded them a grant of £400 to help them along the way and get a new start to 2020. the second was to an organisation called ups and Downs, and followed a wonderful letter from a young boy, sam Hunt, who is supported by the organisation and wants to be part of a team they have entered for the ten tors challenge.

Help Frome fly the flag

a CoMMunItY bunting project in Frome is stepping up a gear from March as part of a plan to create a kilometre of colourful decorations. last september Frome town Council launched the project with the goal of making 1,000 metres of repurposed fabric bunting to brighten up the town for its many community events such as the carnival, Frome Festival and more. several workshops have already taken place, and bunting has been made by local volunteers from donated fabric.

Frome’s Women’s shed, supported by the town council, have been leading the project and are looking to further help local groups and individuals to make a single pennant or a couple of metres by hosting several workshops over the next few months. the workshops are being held at the Women’s shed at the Welshmill Hub on the following dates: • tuesday, March 20th, from 2pm to 4pm • saturday, May 2nd, from 10am to 2pm • tuesday, June 2nd, from 10am to 2pm Councillor sheila Gore said: “these workshops are a great opportunity to brush up on a forgotten skill or maybe try sewing for the first time! the bunting is going to look fantastic adorning the streets of Frome, something for the residents who take part in the workshops can be really proud of when they see their handiwork.” l Everyone is welcome. all materials and equipment will be available on the day along with refreshments. this is a free activity but places must be booked at: www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/community-bunting

Each member of the team needed to raise an amount to help with their equipment and training. the club granted him £50 and met him at their training day on the Quantocks to present him with the cheque.

He’s pictured with lions (l to r)), Keith Cook, sylvia Cook, Kerry Wood and Dave Wood, with his father, Martin, standing behind.

Pam at the Women’s Shed

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 71

(Photo courtesy of Nick Spratling)

COMMUNITY

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MENDIP TIMES

Skittles evening

aValon and shepton Mallet 41 Clubs joined forces at the Red lion Inn West Pennard for a friendly skittle match. the clubs originated because the age rule in the Round table movement dictated you left when you reached the age of 40.

Members say often lifetime friendships are forged working together for charities and the local community. shepton Mallet president Keith Jenkins brought the meeting to an end with a special thanks to everyone for making it such an enjoyable event. In response Ian Johns for avalon proposed a toast to "continued friendship".

Police in Street return to base

Staff and guests at the reopening of Street police station

aVon and somerset chief constable andy Marsh and police and crime commissioner, sue Mountstevens, joined the local policing team in street to officially reopen the doors at the newly refurbished police station at West End. the station has recently undergone a £300,000 transformation and will continue to provide an enquiry office for the community of street, as well as a modern, fit for purpose base for the local neighbourhood team. as a tribute to the late PC Paul lomas and PC Kevin stoodley, staff at the police station chose to name two rooms in the building after colleagues. Families of the two men attended the opening.

Inspector Mark nicholson said: “naming the rooms after PC lomas and PC stoodley felt like a very fitting tribute to two of our greatly missed colleagues, who were both well-known and respected within the local community. the team at street are extremely proud to have been able to honour our late colleagues in this way.” the refurbishment has involved modernising the lighting, electrics, general decoration and furniture on site to provide an improved facility for staff and the local community.

Insp. nicholson added: “It was important to us that our officers continued to be based in the local area and our newly refurbished station will allow the enquiry office and neighbourhood team to remain at the heart of the community in street.”

PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Quiz is well suppported

GlastonBuRY and street lions Club welcomed 21 teams to the 37th annual Brains of avalon Quiz at Glastonbury town Hall, all competing for the honour of holding the John Bromfield trophy for a year. the winning team was Forum who regained the trophy from last year’s winners Middle Rump who came third behind second place tor 1st Class. the winning youth team was orchards from the boarding house of the same name at Millfield school. the questions on many differing topics were set once again by lion Mike Edmunds who succeeded in putting together 15 rounds of questions that resulted in a spread of scores but allowed everyone to enjoy some successful rounds. the evening was kept moving along by quiz master lion Chris Ford and resulted in nearly £450 being raised for the lions Club’s Charity trust Fund. a spokesman said: “once again the club had fantastic support from the local ‘quiz’ community who came along in numbers to make the evening both a success and good fun.

Congratulations to Forum who have now won the trophy 18 times.” lion president Brenda Wood is pictured presenting the Brains of avalon trophy to the winning team.

Litter pickers

WHat better way to spend a sunday morning than join your friends and neighbours and go litter-picking round the country lanes? this is what villagers did once again as they took part in the annual village clean-up in Compton Dando, Chewton Keynsham and Burnett. over 20 volunteers turned up this year and, armed with pickers and decked out in yellow reflective jackets, they were soon on their way as they climbed aboard the tractor and trailer provided by Gary Pearce.

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COMMUNITY

Tea party celebration

tHE Inner Wheel Club of Chelwood Bridge celebrated its tenth Inner Wheel Day by hosting a tea party for over 70 guests from around the Chew Valley at Pensford Village Hall.

It was also a special day for Kenneth Hayman from upper stanton Drew, who celebrated his 76th birthday at the tea party.

Inner Wheel Day is celebrated all over the world around the anniversary of it being started in 1924 by Margarette Golding.

Some of the members preparing food for the tea party

Kenneth Hayman who celebrated his 76th birthday

Wading into the battle against rubbish

wanting to get involved. the most recent recruits have been Year 2 students from both Vallis and Critchill schools, while trinity school have also been out in their droves with many classes taking the opportunity to litter pick. nick Ray, who is one of the organisers of Frome’s litter Warriors said: “the litter pickers have great plans for 2020 and we have already scheduled in several litter picks with dates running right up until the end of May. “Everyone is welcome to take part in the litter picks, just turn up at one of the dates.

It’s an activity that we encourage the whole family to get involved with, we have children’s gloves and litter pickers so everyone can join in!”

Mayor of Frome, Mark Dorrington, who joined the Critchill school litter pick, said: “It’s a wonderful opportunity for the children to get out of the classroom and it was lovely to see the students take pride in the areas where they live and go to school. not only that but it helps them learn about recycling and what can biodegrade; it’s such a great opportunity, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could get all schools and nurseries in Frome involved!”

Town councillor Richard Ackroyd in the River Frome FRoME’s litter Warriors haven’t wasted any time in the fight against rubbish with several picks already under their belt so far this year! the team have tackled litter at the top of Catherine Hill and around Willow Vale and the Blue House where some hardy warriors donned their waders and braved the river to ensure all the rubbish was captured.

Meanwhile, the town’s Mini litter Warriors have been joining in the campaign.

Following a successful pilot with Bright stars nursery last october, further schools have been volunteering their services and

Mayor of Frome Mark Dorrington with the Critchill School litter pickers

Vallis School prepare to get to work

For details about the Litter Warriors, visit: www.frometowncouncil.gov.uk/litter-warriors

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 73

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MENDIP TIMES

New drop-in centre for veterans

Grants available

COMMUNITY

tHE trustees of the Richard Jones Foundation will be meeting in april to consider applications for grants. this trust started in 1692 for the purpose of financially assisting young people under the age of 30 who are in education and training whether at university, college or in an apprenticeship who are resident in the villages of Chew Magna, stanton Drew, newton st loe, stanton Prior and stowey sutton (Bishop sutton).

Grants are also made to organisations within these villages whose purpose is perceived as educational.

Details: peter.h.godfrey@gmail.com

Applications welcome

Wing Commander Geoff Wilson, president of the Midsomer Norton and Radstock branch of the RBL, presents a certificate to Dr. Nick Hall, chairman of Radstock Museum, to celebrate the affiliation. Looking on is Lucy Tudor the museum’s publicity volunteer

RaDstoCK Museum has joined forces with the Midsomer norton and Radstock branch of the Royal British legion to open a new drop-in centre. the aim of the affiliation is to offer a point of contact for anyone who might want the legion’s support and for friends and family and also for volunteers to help the branch, especially during the Poppy appeal. the centre will open on Monday, March 9th and will be open every second Monday and fourth Friday of the month. on Mondays, it will run from 2-4pm and on Fridays, from 10am-midday.

New man in charge

GRaHaM Currell is the new man in charge at East Harptree Village Club, although he’s been helping out there for over 20 years.

With eight skittle teams, choir practices and other events, he might need some support. the club is also available for hire free of charge, with use of the skittle alley and pool table.

Details: 01761 221754 or Nick Houlton 01761 462075

PAGE 74 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Some of the team

PEasEDoWn Party in the Park is inviting applications to its grants scheme, following another successful event last summer. since the scheme was set up in 2010 over £15,000 has been given away to local organisations. another £500 is now available. the closing date for grant applications is Friday, March 27th.

Details: www.peasedownpartyinthepark.org.uk or email Joy Fraser at joyfraser951@gmail.com

Community-led housing

tHE newly-launched Wessex Community Housing Hub is holding a free event in Wells on tuesday, March 10th to share information about community-led housing. the hub’s aim is to provide guidance, advice and support for groups about planning, finding a site, building or renovating and finally moving in.

It says it can help to create homes that are truly affordable for local people, designed to complement existing buildings in the locality on land that remains in the control of the local community, using techniques or materials that address the climate emergency. the event is at the Elim Connect Centre in Wells, tuesday, March 10th, 6-8pm.

Details: http://wessexcommunityassets.eventbrite.com

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The Staircase Manufacturing Company Limited, Wellsway Works, Wells Road, Radstock, Bath BA3 3RZ email: stairman@talktalk.net MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 75

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MENDIP TIMES

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HOMES & INTERIORS

Tincknell has free finance options available A NEW boiler may be one of the biggest household purchases that you

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As a Worcester Bosch Accredited Installer, they can also offer the best manufacturer’s backed guarantee to ensure that you can stay worry-free for up to 12 years*.

If you’re thinking of having a new boiler and looking to set a manageable budget, their payment options may offer more flexibility than you think.

They can offer 0% interest over two years or you could spread the cost even more up to ten years with 9.9% APR. *Depending on boiler type installed

Details: Call 01749 678828 or email heating@tincknells.com

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 77

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MENDIP TIMES

Kingfisher’s new showroom nears completion

IF you want to choose windows, doors and conservatories in a calm, relaxed atmosphere and without the slightest hint of pressure, then THE SHOWROOM at Mill Batch Farm, due for completion in March, is the place to go.

It’s at Mill Batch Farm on the A38 just after the bridge over the motorway if you’re going south.

THE SHOWROOM brings together the wide range and options available from Kingfisher and gives you the chance to assess the various designs and choice of materials.

Managing director, Angie Hicks, said: “The whole idea of THE SHOWROOM is to allow people to see what the market has to offer before they make decisions and if advice is needed we’re always there to give it.”

In the last few years great strides forward have been made in window, door and conservatory design both in terms of design and efficiency. THE SHOWROOM provides the perfect environment for customers to make comparisons and consider the best choice for their home.

Kingfisher’s general manager, Michelle McQuarrie, has been the driving force behind the redesign of THE SHOWROOM. She said: “For me, the real benefit is that it allows

customers to make informed decisions that are in line with their budget. All too frequently people are misled by ‘double glazing’ sales people playing fast and loose with prices and THE SHOWROOM can play a significant part in overcoming this problem.”

Windows in a choice of pVCU, aluminium and wood, Bygone sash windows, stable and entrance doors, bi-fold doors, conservatories, verandas, internal blinds, wooden shutters, stone effect sills, cladding...just a sample of what you can see, at your leisure, at THE SHOWROOM. All this and more than 30 years experience, easy free parking and limitless tea and coffee. Wonderful.

Tony Thurling

Kingfisher, 8 Mill Batch Farm, East Brent, Near Highbridge, TA9 4JN Tel: 01278 760616, hello@thekingfisherfamily.com www.thekingfisherfamily.com

Mendip Times reduces travel costs

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PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

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Homes section.qxp_Layout 1 20/02/2020 14:03 Page 79

HOMES & INTERIORS

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Call us or visit our website for more info: 01275 333603 • www.dando.org.uk

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Opening Hours: Mon – Fri 8.30pm – 5pm & Sat 10am – 3pm MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 79

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MENDIP TIMES

Cottages to tempt you

ARE you looking for a country cottage in the local area? With a shortage of properties on the market, many potential buyers remain frustrated but here are a selection currently being offered by Killens:

Chew Magna £395,000 An idyllic three bedroom cottage situated close to the heart of the village with a garden backing onto the River Chew.

East Horrington £390,000 Retaining loads of character, this two bedroom cottage has been tastefully refurbished and comes with a paved garden and parking.

l In last month’s article, editing may have caused confusion on the changes to Capital Gains Tax relating to let properties and it should have been clarified that the changes will lead to lettings relief on the sale of let properties being scaled back. For further details, contact Killens or your accountant.

PROPERTY

Shepton Mallet £335,000 Between Wells and Shepton Mallet, a three double bedroom cottage with enclosed private gardens, garage and parking.

Pilton £315,000 A spacious cottage oozing with character features and offering three bedroom accommodation. A delightful cottage garden, outbuilding and parking are included.

If you would like further details then contact any office of Killens and do register with Killens if you are seeking a property as not all properties are advertised. The Wells office of Killens can be contacted on 01749 671172 and Chew Magna on 01275 333993.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 81

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MENDIP TIMES

Vicar of Dibley comes to Timsbury tImSBury theatre Group has been entertaining audiences in the North Somerset area since 1973 and has won several prestigious rose Bowl and Somerset Fellowship of drama awards along the way. the group is now rehearsing what promises to be one of its best plays for years – the Vicar of dibley. Adapted by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter from the original tV series by richard Curtis and Paul mayhew-Archer, this play is presented with the permission of tiger Aspect Productions. the group has assembled a highly experienced cast who, despite having heard the lines many times, are still having trouble suppressing their laughter during rehearsals!

Fans of the tV series will not be disappointed as the script includes many familiar scenes, starting with the meeting where the parish councillors meet their new vicar for the first time and are shocked to discover that she’s a woman!

From Hugo and Alice’s romance to farmer owen’s fancy for the new vicar, via Geraldine trying to give up chocolate

The cast of Timsbury Theatre Group’s The Vicar of Dibley

for Lent, the comedy comes thick and fast. the Vicar of dibley will be on stage at the Conygre Hall, timsbury from thursday, April 2nd to Saturday, April 4th at 7.30 each evening. tickets are £10.

Details: www.thettg.org, call or text 07542 152595 or email timsburytheatre@gmail.com

Music for the soul

SomerSet Arts Well was formed last year with funding from Somerset Skills and Learning to provide singing opportunities for people from all walks of life, including mums with tiny babies, toddlers to older adults and adults with additional needs.

It’s run by two freelance music leaders eliza Wylie and Amy Hardwick who say they are passionate about the power of

music to “nourish and empower” people. the Glastonbury daytime Singers meet in the red Brick Building in Glastonbury on Wednesdays. they sing harmony songs together, with drums and say a lot of joy is gained from singing together. there will be taster sessions, costing £2 on monday, march 9th in North Curry village hall, Sunday, April 26th at the Connect Centre in Wells and on Sunday, June 21st at St mary’s parish rooms in Glastonbury.

Details: https://www.somersetartswell.co.uk/

Spring concert

PAGE 82 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Wedmore festival

Wedmore Arts Festival has confirmed the dates for this year, with a huge variety of events taking place from Friday, may 8th to Saturday, may 16th.

It promises plenty of entertainment for the whole family available at various venues around the beautiful village of Wedmore.

Details: www.wedmoreartsfestival.co.uk

mozArt’S choral masterpiece, requiem, and Haydn's dramatic Insanae et vanae curae will transport the audience through a powerful range of emotions at Wells Cathedral oratorio Society's spring concert. the internationally acclaimed english Symphony orchestra, led by violinist zoë Beyers, will accompany the choir at Wells Cathedral on Saturday, march 28th. the soloists are Alexandra oomens (soprano), Helen Charlston (alto), James oxley (tenor) and Grant doyle (bass). the conductor is Jeremy Cole. the concert is on Saturday, march 28th, 7pm at Wells Cathedral. tickets are £12-£28 online at www.wcos.org by phone (01749 834483) or at the Wells Cathedral Shop (01749 672773).

Bristol Brass in Yatton

BrIStoL Brass Consort will be playing at St mary’s, yatton, on march 28th at 7.30pm. the talented Bristol ensemble was formed in 1985 and has played at many prestigious venues, for BBC television and radio, to royalty and at festivals home and abroad. the concert will cover an international galaxy of composers from Vivaldi and Shostokovitch to Scott Joplin and Gershwin. tickets £8 ymS members, £10 non-members, can be obtained from the church office or on the door on the night.

Details: David Ford 01934 830255 or e-mail david.ford@yms.org.uk

MUSIC & THEATRE

Premiere in Shipham

SHIPHAm Players latest production was Cinderella’s Sisters by mark Billen, which was receiving its uk premiere. directed by daniel Jeffery, it was staged on Friday, February 7th and 8th at 7.30pm with a matinee on the Saturday at 2.30pm.

Programme donations were match funded by Shipham Players and sent to Cancer research uk.

Details: Facebook or www.shiphamplayers.org.uk

Music for small people

Top coach visits Frome

mArk de-Lisser, one of the country’s top arrangers and vocal coaches, conducted workshops at Frome College, culminating in a performance at the Westfield Academy in yeovil with a small group from oakfield Academy.

He’s been a vocal coach on numerous BBC programmes, with the most recent being the highly acclaimed 2019 show “my dementia Choir” with Line of duty’s, Vicky mcClure.

JACkdAWS music education trust are running a series of fun and educational music classes for babies and toddlers, using singing games, movement and rhymes to inspire a lifelong love of music.

Starting after easter, sessions run at Jackdaws in Great elm from monday, April 20th, 10-11am with cafe on site and free parking. the sessions are led by eliza Wylie, who has been teaching music and dance to people of all ages since 2002.

Sessions are £6 drop-in, or £45 for the series of nine.

Details: www.jackdaws.org.uk 01373 812383

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 83

(Photo courtesy of Louis Smith)

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MENDIP TIMES

The horse and his boy

With RACHEL THOMPSON MBE

“WE have a long way to go,” sighed the boy.

“Yes, but look how far we have come” said the horse. That is taken from C.S. Lewis’s story The Horse and his Boy. Waking to Storm Ciara rattling the roof tiles, hurling rain and hail at the windows, reminds me that mild winters often go “out like a lion”. On the TV the haunting wail of the wartime-like siren warns Hebden Bridge town folk of a river surge danger to life and

damage to property.

Sometimes in mid-winter it’s hard to remember how lucky we are. In her third rug-less year Tam presents in the morning as caked in mud as any unfortunate battlefield horse. What to do with her on busy work days I pondered, unwilling to spend ages grooming just to keep her fit by trotting around the block?

Flicking through Facebook in a bored moment I came across the answer from American trainer Steve Halfpenny and his 100-milea-month walk with your horse.

Inspired by the promise of a braver, calmer (and yes ungroomed!) horse, Tam and I walked 100 miles through January.

This relationship exercise is awesome. As the miles passed, we drifted into a state of companionable mindfulness, aware only of our steps, the clop of Tam’s feet, the colour of the sky, clouds rippling, rolling and towering – cirrus, cumulus and fog, the weather – rain, sun, sleet, frost. On a blustery wind swept day meeting a friend dog walking in Stockhill wood, she rolled her eyes: “Mad dogs and Englishmen!”

Walking from winter towards spring we watched the verges coming alive – snowdrops, cow parsley and tiny strands of the sticky goose grass, that Tam loves, pushing up through the grass.

In the hedgerows the first full song of the chaffinch and song thrush, perched amongst catkins, pussy willow and early cherry blossom.

Walking beside me on left or right Tam became less spooky, less on guard the way that clever mares are. On the ground, next to her, I could see her expression relaxing, eyes softening, the occasional lick and chew that signals a happy horse, her stride lengthening and when sometimes we ran, her trot lifting. On

Supporting owners and horses across the Mendips since 1997 Stables Equine Practice, Conkerfield, Pennybatch Lane, Wookey, Wells BA5 1NH Tel: 01749 830666 • www.stablesequinepractice.co.uk

PAGE 84 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Casting shadows on a winter’s day

narrow paths she ambled behind me, occasionally touching my hand with her nose, in front on long reins she pranced – a lead mare snorting, in charge of her herd.

We wandered from Priddy up over Broad Road down through Westbury-sub-Mendip, past the growing piglets in their barn, puffing up the combe, along the lanes – Nine Barrows, Dale Lane, Coxton End and along the old sheep droves and bridleways, Dursdon, Lower Pitts, and Eastwater. Up the beautiful sweeping hill to North Hill, down past Fairlady Well, along old causeways from lead mines to woods.

Rambling along in the dawn we watched a fox trotting across a field, two does – both with twins – and a badger running down the lane. Groups and gangs of horses hanging over gates waiting for cars bearing humans and food buckets. A lone horse running and neighing for a lost friend.

We walked out of the old political landscape into the new.

Following a fractious week at work, tangled up in the details of horses and politics, we walked into the hills on a rare sunny blue sky day, our two shadows cast from on top of a barrow as mysterious as the long dead people beneath our feet breathing ancient air, she and I together sharing the view.

“What was the most beautiful experience of your life?”.

“Finding I wasn’t alone”, said the horse.

Practice getting busy

THE team at Stables Equine Practice are gearing up for another busy season attending many equestrian events as well as looking after clients old and new.

They’ve already welcomed their first foal of the year and have a new face at their centre at Burcott, near Wells: Matilda, the latest vet to join them.

SEP founder Nicko Robertson will again be on duty at the Mendip Farmer’s Point-to-Point meeting, the Royal Bath and West Show and the Mid-Somerset Show, whilst colleague Tim Randle will be in attendance at both the Badminton and Burghley horse trials. l To join their mailing list, contact: info@sepvets.com

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Let’s go racing!

THE point-to-point racing season is well underway and both enthusiasts and the curious alike have two outstanding meetings on their doorstep coming up in March – at Charlton Horethorne and Ston Easton.

The Blackmore and Sparkford Vale fixture is first up, on Sunday, March 8th. The course is just a short drive from Wincanton and Sherborne and will feature six races, including a new one for four- and five-year-old horses, part of a series sponsored by Tattersalls Cheltenham.

Unlike previous years, the popular pony races have been switched to the beginning of the meeting, starting at midday.

Point-to-point racing has a 1pm start.

During the parade of hounds, there will be a head-to-head with trainers Colin Tizzard and Paul Nicholls, both heading to the Cheltenham Festival two days after the meeting.

There will be a good variety of trade stands, including hot food and children's entertainments as well as a bar. A big screen will provide close-up action from each race from close to the paddock.

The Mendip Farmers Point-to-Point meeting takes place on Sunday, March 22nd. This year, the day will begin with a family dog show (up to ten classes with registration from 9.30am) with

RIDING

Enjoy a day of action and fun at a point-to-point meeting

racing kicking off at 12.30pm.

The meeting will feature six races, followed by pony racing.

The races include PPORA Conditions (novice and veteran), Ladies Open, Mens Open, Open Maiden, four-, five- and six-year-old Maiden (2m4f), and a Restricted (2m4f) race.

A parade of hounds will follow the first race. As with the BSV meeting, there will be plenty of trade stands, entertainment and a bar.

For details about point-to-point fixtures in the Wessex region, visit: www.pointingwessex.co.uk

SUNDAY MARCH 8th (Pony racing from midday, followed by six point to point races from 1pm) Admission £10 per person, under 12 years old free • Racecards £3

SUNDAY MARCH 22nd (Fun dog show from 09.30am, first race 12.30pm followed by pony racing) MENDIP FARMERS’ POINT-TO-POINT Ston Easton, (off A37, 8m N of Shepton Mallet, BA3 4DH)

For more information: www.mendipfarmerspointtopoint.co.uk • facebook.com/mendipfarmersp2p www.pointingwessex.co.uk • Telephone: 07879 645364

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 85

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MENDIP TIMES

Cycling the lumps n’ bumps of Mendip

IF off-road cycling appeals to you then the Mendip Hills is the place to go. With a wide variety of mountain bike (MTB) trails and tracks there is something to suit all abilities.

The best tracks and trails are at the west of the Mendip Hills, ranging from technical downhill tracks within Rowberrow Warren CYCLING Wood to open moorland bridleways across with EDMUND LODITE Black Down.

The highest point on the Mendips can be reached at Beacon Batch where there are fine views on a clear day across to South Wales and across the Somerset Levels.

Quiet lanes link to good trails at Cheddar Gorge, Strawberry Line and Crook Peak.

The trails are rideable in all but the worst conditions making this a great all year round sport – just expect some mud depending on the rainfall.

There are plenty of differences between road cycling and MTB riding. Road bikes are lightweight so can accelerate quickly and travel faster over good surfaces. MTB bike frames in contrast need to be strong to withstand severe impacts and components are designed with a different need in mind.

To provide good grip and traction on gravel trails, dirt and rocky paths the tyres on a MTB bike need to be thicker and wider. MTB bikes also need more suspension than road bikes to

Night riders

Colts come out on top

MIDSOMER Norton RFC Colts have won the north division of the Dorset and Wilts merit table.

Unbeaten in their seven previous league fixtures, they beat Wells 6-5, with Finn Shakespeare kicking a long penalty in the dying minutes of the game. Defensively Norton had a good day but failed to match that in attack.

PAGE 86 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Along the trails

cope with bumpy trails and heavy landings. Disc brakes are needed for faster and safer braking to cope with anything you suddenly meet on a trail.

All of these make the MTB bike heavier and therefore much slower than a road bike. But, all the things you can do and places you can go on a mountain bike you could never do on a road bike. You would simply break the bike or yourself. MTB riding is a more technical discipline of cycling that requires a higher level of energy and intensity.

There are one or two dedicated MTB clubs in Mendip. For some the thrill is further boosted by regular weekly night rides, all year round, made more possible by affordable and powerful LED lights. There may not be stunning views but the riding experience is enhanced by the dancing shadows and a higher sense of fun and danger as every noise and movement is exaggerated.

A trail map of approved routes to guide riders through Rowberrow Forest is available online from RideMendips. They are a voluntary group who work in partnership with, and the permission of, the Forestry Commission to develop and maintain sustainable mountain bike trails in Rowberrow Woods.

For organised MTB rides there are two events planned this year. The Evans Cycles (Ride IT) sportive takes place on March 28th and the Mendip Murmuration (Top of the Gorge Festival) takes place on June 13th.

The Mendip Hills are packed with some lovely tracks and intimate trails. There is no better way to enjoy them and get closer to nature than by MTB if you are a cyclist – and if you do go at night time take a spare light just in case!

Frome are winners

FROME U15s beat Yeovil in the Dorset and Wilts U15s Plate semi-final 19-12 after trailing 7-12 at half time.

Captain, Harry Stamp, said: “This was a great characterproving performance from the Frome lads, made all the sweeter for such a strong challenge from Yeovil and their great hospitality after the game.” The final is in April.

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Winford are winners

Boxing against the clock for wildlife

SPORT

Winford Primary School girls Div 1 winners

THE Chew Valley Primary School Football Tournament, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge, was a success with over 200 primary school pupils from eight schools taking part.

In the girls 1st division the competition was won by Winford Primary School who were also the winners of the boys 1st division.

In the 2nd divisions, the girls Competition was won by Stanton Drew and the boys competition won by Chew Magna Primary.

Cups and medals were presented to the winning teams by Rotarian John Palmer, chairman of the community and vocational committee.

Winford Primary School boys Div 1 winners

Del and the team in the boxing club

NORTON Radstock Amateur Boxing Club has held a fundraising night at its gym in Coombend in aid of an Australian wildlife charity helping with the aftermath of the country’s bush fires.

It was the idea of club member Del Buckingham, a native of Sydney, who watched the tragedy unfold on television.

Del, a member of the ladies fitness club at the gym, said: “Being an animal lover I was really upset to see the tragic results left by these bush fires my country is enveloped in, seeing night after night the death of all the innocent animals and the woodland burnt to blackness is so sad.”

The sponsored event featured a timer, a punch bag and boxing gloves. Entrants had to strike the heavy bag as many times as possible in 90 seconds. Ben Coles, aged 13, came out on top with 499 hits. With donations still coming in the team have so far collected £495.

Coach Sean Jenkins said: “It wasn’t really about who could hit the most; at the end of the day it was a bit of fun for a serious cause but everyone involved put in a great effort and pushed each other plus Ben asked me to make sure I gave him a mention.

“Joking aside, I know how upset Del is being thousands of miles away from home and not being able to help, so this is her way of doing her small bit for the wildlife she loves.”

New croquet course

CAMERTON and Peasedown Croquet Club has a beginners’ course starting on March 15th, 2-5pm. During five Sunday afternoons, their accredited coaches will introduce you to the essential skills.

No equipment is needed – the club supplies it all. The cost is £25 for all five sessions and that is refunded when you join the club.

Chew Magna Primary School Div 2 winners

Details: Mo Boys 01225 780540 or Ros Key Pugh 01225 427525.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 87

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MENDIP TIMES

Looking ahead to the new season THIS year will be Chilcompton Sports Cricket Club’s sixth season under their new guise and members are hoping to carry on where they left off in 2019.

Thomas Scott – Junior Player of the Year

The Saturday 1st XI finished a comfortable fifth in Bristol & District Division 5 following their promotion in 2018. The Sunday 2nd XI finished runners-up to local rivals Mells by one solitary point in Bristol & District Division 13 and were promoted into Division 11 for this season. The Sunday XI finished fourth in North Somerset Division 3 following their promotion in 2018.

The youth section had a very enjoyable season with expert professional coaching from Frome’s Mark Watts who had great help from parents and senior players. Following in the footsteps of Joe Fussell in 2018 and Alexandra Baughan in 2019, Zak Gloudemans was selected to represent Somerset Juniors in 2020.

Meanwhile, 14-year-old Thomas Scott won Junior Player of the Year and successfully moved up to the Senior Sunday XI. Senior outside training starts on

SPORT

A county call-up for Zak Gloudemans

Thursday, March 26th at Chilcompton Sports Club from 6.30-8pm. The junior registration night will be held at the club on Friday, March 13th (67pm).

New players welcome. For details, contact Dave Travis on 07725 458404 or dave.travis@hotmail.co.uk or visit: www.chilcomptonsports.com/cricket

Tennis for fitness

CONGRESBURY Tennis Club have just had their courts resurfaced and will be starting a number of new courses from March 9th.

They think the most popular will be Cardio Tennis because people are increasingly looking to be healthy, get fit and rack up steps on their Fitbit, but want to do it in fun ways.

You don't need to be a tennis player – the aim is to keep going with the exercises rather than beating an opponent. Level 3 qualified tennis coach Stuart Bannerman will help your tennis improve – but that's not the primary objective.

Let him know in advance if you need to borrow a racket. To get started go to Congresbury Tennis Club (BS49 5DW) any Monday morning just before 9.15am in trainers, whatever casual/sporty/gym clothes you like and a bottle of water.

It costs just £7.50, or £5 if you become a member of the club.

Details: Stuart 07593 456869 or email cardio@congresburyLTC.net

PAGE 88 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Gymnasts enjoy fine start to the season

(l:r): Millie Rood (gold, Darcie Snait (silver) and Calla Scott (sixth place)

A GROUP of tumblers from Shepton Mallet Gymnastics Clubs have secured a place in the South West Tumbling finals at the end of March.

The club travelled to Dorset to compete in their first competition of the year and it proved to be quite an emotional rollercoaster for the youngsters with lots of happy tears by the end of the day.

The youngest of the gymnasts was Calla Scott who proved that she was tough enough to tumble her way to sixth place out of a huge group of 25. Darcie Snaith was rated excellent on execution and with her elegance, power and determination, she took home a silver medal.

Millie Rood then maintained the high standards with a gold medal.

Millie has moved up a level this year and is once again South West tumbling Champion for the second year in a row.

The club is still looking for somewhere in Shepton Mallet where they can train.

Email: sheptonmalletgymnasticsclub@gmail.com

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WHAT’S ON

SOMERSET DAY

Somerset Day gains support

This year somerset Day on Monday, May 11th coincides with the special VE Day Bank holiday weekend, so there’ll be plenty of opportunities to take part in celebratory events and activities over the long weekend of May 8th-10th.

Building on the success of previous years, there’s already some exciting activities planned across the county. some communities are planning to combine somerset Day and VE Day celebrations by reflecting on what took place in their village or town 75 years ago. The Royal Bath & West showground will host a 1940s style Tea Dance with Bertie’s Big Band (Glen Miller style).

The fantastic eat:Taunton (which attracted over 24,000 people in 2019) will again be held in the centre of Taunton on saturday, May 9th.

All 569 parish churches in the Bath and Wells Diocese are being encouraged to celebrate over the weekend by holding “open days” and ringing the church bells over the somerset Day/VE Day weekend.

The Pride Of somerset Youth Awards, now in their 12th year, will be held on Wednesday, May 6th and will again celebrate inspirational young people in somerset.

Around 120,000 students in schools across somerset will be encouraged to join in a

Last year's town crier competition

somerset-themed non-uniform day, raising money for the somerset Crisis Fund.

An event-filled week and weekend will round-off with a special somerset Day Choral Evensong service in Wells Cathedral, open to all. somerset Day events will continue into the following weekend with the popular Town Criers Competition on saturday, May 16th in ilminster as part of the town’s celebrations.

Founder of somerset Day, Nigel Muers-Raby said “We want this year to be a bumper year for celebrating all that is great about our county. it will be a wonderful opportunity for communities, villages, towns and organisations to have some fun whilst raising funds for much needed projects and charities either in their community or throughout somerset.”

Details: www.somersetday.com

Your county wants you!

As part of the national celebrations for VE Day – 75th Anniversary, The Royal Bath and West of England society are hosting an afternoon of true nostalgia to mark this memorable occasion and to support somerset Day 2020.

You can take yourself back in time and bring out all the dance moves of jitterbug, jive and swing, performed by West Country favourites, Berties Big Band in true Glyn Miller style. Keeping in line with wartime tradition, afternoon tea will be served before the fun and dancing begins! Go in vintage attire to set the scene and you could be a prize winner.

The celebrations will be one of the premier events in the county over this important weekend. As ssAFA have been nominated as the national charity for VE Day celebrations, there will be a retiring collection for the charity at the end of the event.

Details: www.bathandwest.com/tickets or call 01749 822217 MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 89

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WHAT’S ON

Somerset Larder supports Somerset Day

CATERiNG company somerset Larder is partnering with somerset Day for the first time this year. A relatively new business, it made a name for itself after winning the contract to supply hinkley Point C’s food outlets in 2016. since then it has rapidly expanded and now also delivers locally-sourced high-end food to several large businesses in the county, prepared at the company’s central kitchens in Bridgwater.

The managing director, steve Braithwaite, said: “supporting somerset Day is a perfect fit for us as we are bringing together all the county’s best producers, including farmers, small food manufacturers and drinks makers, to supply everything from ‘meals to go’ to fine corporate dining.

“We are in a position to reflect all that is great about somerset produce, which is a big part of what somerset Day is all about.” somerset Larder will be sponsoring and taking part in various foodie events throughout the year, including Taunton’s Feast Festival in september.

Details: www.somersetlarder.com @somersetlarder

Celebrate at Haynes International Motor Museum

FROM May 8th-11th, haynes international Motor Museum invites you to visit for a celebratory long weekend event highlighting both somerset Day and the 75th anniversary of VE day.

Look out for the museum team, who will be taking the WW2 Jeep on the road to reveal the important role of somerset during the war and share some local stories as they visit schools, villages and significant sites in south somerset.

Visitors to the museum during the event can enjoy a special educational display with the chance to handle original artefacts such as weapons, uniforms and equipment.

Afterwards you can explore the museum and enjoy hot and cold refreshments in the onsite café.

The museum is the UK's largest collection of the greatest cars from around the world with over 400 amazing cars and bikes from the dawn of motoring in the late 1800s through nostalgic classics of the 1950s and 1960s, glorious Bentleys and Rolls Royces to world renowned super cars like the Jaguar XJ220.

Located just off the A303 at sparkford in somerset the museum currently offers 19 individual exhibitions and it is very much a “Museum in Motion” with tours, talks and activities for families, children and enthusiasts alike.

Details: www.himm.co.uk

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Taunton prepares for Festival sOMERsET Day celebrations in Taunton town centre look to be bigger and better than ever. The multi-award winning eat:Taunton returns to hammet street and the churchyard of st Mary Magdalene for an all-day celebration of local food and drink on saturday, May 9th.

Alongside the 90 plus local producers the organisers have a great line-up of free entertainment. Organiser sarah Milner simonds said: “We are proud of the festival here in Taunton and think that the range of food and drink producers we attract here is one of our best.

“This festival is very popular with our producers as the visitors are always so interested in the stories behind the produce.

We will have music from Court Productions and strolling entertainment, sponsored by Porter Dodson, drop-in cook school and lots of strolling street entertainers.”

Co-organiser Bev Milner simonds added:

"in 2020 we will have ten brand new to eat:Taunton producers plus three schools competing in the somerset finals of the Young Enterprise competition. it is great to have local community partners on board, like the Taunton Area Cycling Campaign – which aligns very well with our sustainable transport goals for our festivals.

“We have a great range of producers offering farmers' markets favourites like ales, cheese and bread alongside brand new gin flavours, street food, vegan chocolate and curled ice cream."

The event is fully accessible, dogs are welcome and there are plenty of gluten free, vegan, vegetarian and dairy free options as well as smaller portions. The festival is also single-use plastic free and all food to go packaging is fully compostable. Don't forget your shopping bags.

The festival opens at 10am and runs until 4pm on hammet street and in and around st Mary Magdalene Church. Road closures and diversions will be in place from 7am to 7pm, including the closure of Whirligig car park.

SOMERSET DAY

Celebrating Somerset

ThATChERs Cider are supporting somerset Day. Managing director, Martin Thatcher, said: “What would somerset be without cider? We’re a somerset company through and through.

“My family has lived in the county for generations and celebrating somerset is what we do every day of our lives through our orchards, which are such a stunning part of our local environment, to the cider we make. “somerset Day at our pub, The Railway inn, has become a really popular annual event, with live music, cider and cheese tastings and activities for all the family.

For us, somerset Day is all about coming together with friends and family, in our community, and celebrating this fantastic area we live and work in.”

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Open days at Fernhill Farm

Blade shearers from across the world are expected to take part in the competition

SATURDAY, March 21st sees the first of two open days and blade shearing tournaments for 2020 at Fernhill Farm, above Compton Martin.

The day is free for visitors to attend, thanks to support from the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and as well as the tournaments to watch there will plenty of other activities to enjoy, including have-a-go blade shearing taster sessions, sheep dog trialling, food foraging walks, wool craft activities and natural fibre artisan stalls.

And with live music, bar and food available, it promises to offer a full day’s entertainment.

There is a charge for attending the workshops and foraging walks – book online at https://www.fernhillfarm.co.uk/bladeshearing-tournamentsand-open-days – all proceeds go as prize money to the blade hearers. Some places may be available on the day.

International blade shearing champions, together with our wool handling and shepherding teams gather at the farm from the Wednesday beforehand, shearing approximately 2,000 sheep in preparation for the competition day on Saturdays. The competition consists of novice, intermediate and open finals.

The ethos behind this competition is to raise the profile of using blades opposed to mechanical shears to complete the necessary removal of a full fleece in a quiet and calm manner, releasing the sheep from its tangling and often heavy, wet fibre burden. It also highlights the camaraderie within the wool harvesting industry, where dogs and shepherds, wool handlers, chef and farmers work together in rural locations, providing essential income and communication from an honest day’s hard graft!

The second open day takes place on Saturday, September 19th. For full details, visit: www.fernhillfarm.co.uk

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New competitions to find Somerset’s best gardens

WHAT’S ON (Photograph courtesy of Rosalind Furlong)

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THe Somerset Gardens Trust has launched two competitions to find the best gardens in the county to celebrate the passion of those who look after them. entries are now open in the individually owned gardens and schools categories; the closing date for entries for both categories is Friday, May 22nd.

Alan Power, head gardener at the National Trust’s Stourhead estate, will judge the private gardens category alongside selectors with strong connections with the Royal Horticultural Society. every garden will be visited by a selector in late May to June. Alan will then choose the winner from the two or three shortlisted gardens with the winner announced in July or August. The first prize is £250. entries cost £15 for larger gardens, £5 for smaller ones.

Annie Maw, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, is backing the competitions. Mrs Maw said: “Many people, in all situations and in very diverse ways of life, have the opportunity to shape a garden. The results are often amazing benefitting the owner and the environment, as mine has.

“Sadly, many of these oasis of creativity and survival are rarely seen by others. The competition enables those who take part to make their gardens better known – and appreciated. No garden is too small – it is the passion and skill that count.”

The winner of the best school garden will win £250 and a visit from a professional garden designer. entry to the competition is free. The competition recognises that gardens can take many forms, and smaller gardens will have an equal opportunity to win. It is quality that counts. Mrs Maw added: “Of invaluable worth is the fact that the competition will encourage children and teachers to create school gardens and nurture the love of plants.

“This will allow us, as a generation, to pass on this great and life affirming experience for the future. This is our duty but also our great pleasure.”

The competition is also supported by the National Gardens Scheme. For details, visit the competitions page at: www.somersetgardenstrust.org.uk

Spring into spring

THe barn dancing club that meets at Ditcheat’s Jubilee Hall offers a warm welcome to new members.

The dances are normally held every second Friday, though April’s dance will

be on the first Friday, because of easter.

Caller Peter Bolton and live music from Jeroka promise jolly evenings, with nothing too serious. Dancing is from 7.309.30pm. Admission is £4 on the door.

Details: Ama Bolton 01749 672911

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WHAT’S ON

All roads lead to Cheltenham – home of The Festival!

FROM the unforgettable roar of the crowd when the first race is flagged off, to the thrill of the action and atmosphere, The Jockey Club opens its doors for four of the biggest days in sport as jump racing’s top protagonists take to their greatest stage at Cheltenham: The Festival™ presented by Magners.

Over four days – Tuesday, March 10th to Gold Cup Day on Friday, March 13th – more than 260,000 people will flock through the gates.

Racing always takes centre stage, but The Festival offers so much else to enjoy. New for 2020 is The Park, the perfect spot for the idyllic Instagram photo, with live music from top DJs Nick Grimshaw, Laura Whitmore, Roman Kemp and Marvin Humes. The Park will be a hive of fun, and style with racegoers looking to combine the action off the track with the fun of a day at the races. In addition, The Orchard™ returns for a second year and will be home to brands such as Boodles and Bentley.

The hospitality available at The Festival is world-class; more than 45,000 meals are plated up throughout the four days! In true British style, more than 9,000 gallons of tea and coffee are consumed, with nine tons of locally produced potatoes and five tons of locally sourced salmon devoured throughout the week.

Award-winning venues such as The Horse and Groom Pub, Theatre@ The Festival and the iconic Roux Family in Chez Roux are amongst the 255 hospitality options

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Reigning Gold Cup champion Al Boum Photo – trained by Willy Mullins and ridden to victory by Paul Townend – is poised to return to try to reclaim his crown. His rivals are expected to include Colin Tizzard's pair of Lostintranslation and Native River and the Paul Nicholls-trained dual King George hero Clan Des Obeaux

available; something for every palate.

Four days of the extraordinary await in March as champions return to retain their crown while others battle to steal the limelight. A week of drama and high emotion, with moments of pure theatre thrown in for good measure.

The Festival 2020 is set to have it all.

Bishop’s Palace anniversary

THIS year, one of Somerset’s most important historical sites, The Bishop’s Palace in Wells, is celebrating 800 years since construction of the palace buildings began and from May onwards there will be a whole host of community events to celebrate this year.

In 1206 Bishop Jocelyn moved the home of the Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury to Wells and in 1207 was granted land by King John to the south of the cathedral for a deer park and new palace.

As Jocelyn was occupied by matters of state, went into exile until 1213, and was then embroiled in the first Baron’s Revolt until 1217, the construction of his new palace is likely to have begun in 1220.

The Palace Trust, which has operated the site since 1969, has planned a year of activities, beginning in May, with a range of events designed to appeal to visitors of all ages and interests.

It will kick off in May with a new exhibition telling the stories of 800 years of the palace, from its resident bishops to local and national events that have been played out on the site. The Palace Pageant will be one of the flagship events of the year’s programme on May 1st and 2nd.

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Please send entries for these listings as a single paragraph of less than 25 words. We’re happy to list entries for charities and voluntary groups free of charge – but please submit them in the format below. We may not be able to use entries which are too lengthy or submitted as posters or leaflets. Commercial entries cost £25.

Wednesday February 26th Backwell & Nailsea Macular Support meeting 1.30pm Backwell WI Hall. Talk by Vision North Somerset on vision aids. All welcome. Details: 01275 462107.

Baby Bounce & Rhyme free drop-in for ages up to 3, 10.30–11am Mid Norton Library BA3 2DP. Harptrees History Society talk by Jo & Kevin Brown "Perfect & Fresh: memorialising the dead in paint" 7.30 West Harptree Hall BS40 6eB. Details: 01761 221758 or 221941.

Thursday February 27th Mendip Ramblers moderate 6m in the Oakhill area www.mendipramblers.co.uk Storytime free drop-in for ages up to 5. 10-10.30am.

Mid Norton Library, BA3 2DP. Chew Valley Wildlife Group: Secret World Wildlife Rescue aims to rehabilitate & release orphaned and injured animals. Jamie Kingscott, 7.45pm Chew Magna Old School Room, £2.50.

Adult Social Table Tennis all abilities 7.15pm Compton Dando village hall £3pp. Details: Richard Davis 07968 269841.

Friday February 28th Frome Memorial Theatre: Marty Wilde & the Wildcats 7.30pm, tickets £25 from 01373 462795 www.fmt.website Saturday February 29th Blagdon Lantern Parade 5.30pm from New Inn to the school: blagdonlanternparade@gmail.com Natalia Williams-Wandoch piano concert, 7.30pm, St Mary’s Church, Yatton, Tickets £10, YMS members £8, details: www.yms.org.uk Cam Valley Arts Trail workshops Timsbury Conygre Hall, to fund free taster art sessions at the group’s annual autumn arts trail www.camvalleyartstrail.co.uk Community Archaeology Day Somerset Archaeological & Natural History Society 10-5.30pm Shipham village hall, BS25 1SG. Rag Mama Rag: 20s & 30s blues-based duo. Market House, Castle Cary. Tickets £12 www.wegottickets.com Doors 18.45, cash bar.

Community Festival of Singing workshops 2pm St Thomas' Church Wells. £10, no experience needed.

Participants invited to sing in concert at 7pm for Heads Up. Mendip Society Walk: mod 4 to 5m from Wrington: www.themendipsociety.org.uk Caryford Music Productions present Rag Mama Rag. Market House, Castle Cary. Doors 6.45pm; set 7.30pm. Advance online tickets £12 (+ 10% booking fee) via www.wegottickets.com/events and Bailey Hill Bookshop. £15 on the door.

Sunday March 1st Mendip Ramblers mod 10m around Castle Cary & Bruton www.mendipramblers.co.uk Tea, delicious cakes and a warm welcome, 3-5pm St Mary's Church Timsbury BA2 0LG. Quiz night. In aid of Frome Carnival. 7.30pm start at the Masons Arms, Frome, BA11 4DJ. Team of four £10. All funds raised towards the 2020 procession.

Ffi: 01373 461625.

Monday March 2nd Get Together Café for people & carers to live well with dementia, 2-3.30pm Radstock Museum. Free, donations welcome. Details: 01761 437722.

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New Orleans Jazz at the Old Mill pub, Portishead, 8.30pm –10.30pm upstairs room. £5. Details: 01934 838017.

Tuesday March 3rd The tale of two towers: Ammerdown & Turners, 7.30pm Somer Centre, BA3 2UH. £4 www.radstockmuseum.co.uk/whats-on ‘Ancient Egyptian artistry in class’ talk by egyptologist Lucia Gahlin to The Arts Society Mendip, 11am Strode Theatre, Street, BA16 0AB www.theartssocietymendip.org.uk Guests welcome by arrangement: 01934 862435.

Wells S.P.A singles social group meets every Tues evening 8pm Tramways, West St BA5 2HN. Details: Jackie 07707528346 or www.spasinglesocialgroup.co.uk Somerset Wildlife Trust Talk on the Mendip dew ponds project, 7.30 for 8pm Caryford Hall, Ansford BA7 7JJ. £3 adults.

Wednesday March 4th Backwell & Nailsea Support Group for Carers & ex-carers. North Somerset Birds of Prey, live birds & animals display. Backwell WI Hall 2pm–3.30.

Thursday March 5th Mendip Storytelling Circle: tall tales, myths, legends, riddles. Free, donations, 7.30 pm Chewton Mendip village hall, BA3 4NS. Details: mendipstorycircle@gmail.com Congresbury Folk Club: Three Cane Whale & The Steepholmers, 8pm Congresbury War Memorial Hall, High St BS49 5JA. See Facebook.

Mendip Ramblers mod 7m Great elm, east Mendip Way Whatley www.mendipramblers.co.uk Yatton Cancer café, 2-4pm, St Mary’s Chapter House, for anyone living with cancer, their family and friends. We offer a warm welcome, support, companionship, activities & cake!

Congresbury Gardening Club "Lift the latch, an all year round garden" with Pauline & David Wright.

Methodist Hall 7.30pm.

Storytime free drop-in for 0-5yrs, 10-10.30am Midsomer Norton Library BS3 2DP. Chatter Books reading group for 7-11’s, 3.354.45pm, register in branch: M Norton Library.

Valley Arts “Music for Miniatures”: classical music for ages six months to four and their carers 10.30am Chew Magna Baptist Church BS40 8SP. Tickets £4+ booking fee from www.valleyartscentre.co.uk Babies U6m free.

Friday March 6th 'Back in the day', local history & a cuppa at Radstock Museum, 10.30-12. Free, donations welcome 01761 437722.

African drumming every Friday 7pm-9 easton Church Hall BA5 1eH. Drums provided, £5. See Facebook Mendip All Drummers or Nick 07855 129165.

Shared Reading groups, every Friday. Join in or just enjoy listening. Glastonbury library 10.30am-12; Wells library 11am -12.30. Details: 0151 7292200.

World Day of Prayer ecumenical service St Bartholomew's, Ubley 10.30am. All welcome, followed by refreshments.

Redhill Club Open Mic Night 8pm-11pm hosted by Jerry Blythe: 07900 587646. Free entry, all welcome.

Saturday March 7th Churchill Music: Jess Gillam, saxophonist, with Zeynep Özsuca, piano. All Saint’s Church Wrington, BS40 5LF. www.ticketsource.co.uk or Mary 01934 852589.

Mendip Society Walk: an easy 4.5m from Clevedon.

Details: www.themendipsociety.org.uk Cats Protection Spring Fayre 10am-12 Midsomer Norton Methodist Hall BA3 2DR. entry free. Tables £10. Details: 07583 956442 or 01761 410594.

Bleadon Horticultural Society 46th Spring Show,

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2.30pm Coronation Hall BS24 0PG. All welcome. Adults £1.

Frome Memorial Theatre "Joel Dommett – Unapologetic (If that's Okay?)" 8pm For age 14+ Tickets £18 from 01373 462795 www.fmt.website Frome Civic Society and FSLS Dave Chapple on Somerset Coal Miners: a social and political history, Assembly Rooms 2.30pm.

Sunday March 8th Mendip Ramblers mod 10.5m Holcombe, Blacker’s Hill, Stoke Bottom www.mendipramblers.co.uk Macmillan Quiz Britannia Inn Wells, 7.30pm start.

Teams up to four, £3pp. Please book: Terry 01749 672342. Raffle prizes welcome.

Redhill Club Classic Car & Motorbike Gathering BS40 5SG. Full english breakfast 9-11am, details 01934 862619.

Women of Wells Women’s Day celebration 12-4pm Wells Town Hall. Free talks, music, workshops etc with a focus on mental health & wellbeing. Details: Chris 01749 673610 or Facebook.

Monday March 9th Military Veterans’ drop-in: support, friendship, understanding & expertise. Hosted by fellow veterans, 10.30-12 Radstock Museum with the RBL. Music in Mind: friendship & music for those with memory problems in a relaxed, supportive group.

2.15- 3.30pm, Wedmore Masonic Hall. Details: Stella 01934 732282.

‘My Life on the Severn’ talk by Chris Witts to Nailsea & District Local History Society 7.45pm, Green Lecture Room, Nailsea School. Visitors £2: www.ndlhs.org.uk Mendip Folk Dance Club 8pm-10 St James Church Hall Winscombe BS25 1AQ. £3pp. No experience necessary. Details: Pat 01934 742853.

Tuesday March 10th Fosseway Gardening Club “Somerset Lavender” by Judith Green 7.30pm Pylle village hall, nr Shepton Mallet. Visitors welcome. Details: 07772 008594.

Wednesday March 11th Kilmersdon Gardeners ‘Hedgehogs in your garden & local area’ talk by Laura Batt 7.30pm village hall BA3 5TD. Visitors £3 kilmersdongardeners.org Mendip Society Walk: mod 5m from Cranmore: www.themendipsociety.org.uk Nailsea Horticultural Society talk by Don everitt on Spring Colour from Bulbs 7.30pm Nailsea United Reformed Church Hall.

Wells Civic Society, Somerset Buildings Preservation Trust, with Russell Lillford, Wells and Mendip Museum, 7.30pm.

Thursday March 12th Mendip Ramblers mod 6.5m Coleford, Leigh-uponMendip www.mendipramblers.co.uk Storytime free drop-in for 0-5yrs, 10-10.30am Midsomer Norton Library BS3 2DP. Congresbury Gardening Club Q&A with Helen Yemm 7pm Shipham village hall. Visitors £6. Details: 01934 876320.

Children’s World Charity Ball. Sparkford Hall, BA22 7LD. Tickets £25 to include welcome drink, three-course “walkabout” supper, live music and DJ, auction. Tickets via Ticket Tailor https://www.tickettailor.com/events/childrensworld/34 0132 or at their offices: 28 Northload St, Glastonbury BA6 9JJ. Tel: 01458 833693.

Friday March 13th Barn Dancing 7.30pm Ditcheat Jubilee Hall, £4.

Music by Jeroka. All welcome. Organised by caller, Peter Bolton: 01749 672911.

Welsh National Opera’s Carmen evening Charity Theatre trip to Bristol Hippodrome: Chris 01458 273085, www.theatretrips.webeden.co.uk Saturday March 14th Nailsea Concert Orchestra: Beethoven, Grieg &

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Philip Glass, 7.30pm St Francis of Assisi Church. £12 (£10, U18s £2.50) Nailsea Music shop or on door. For Ravenwood School sports hall.

Croscombe Spring Market 10am-2pm village hall BA5 3RA. Local produce, bakes, crafts, easter egg hunt. Details: Mary 01749 572875 or marylucia.cadogan@gmail.com Seedy Saturday: 10am-2pm, Timsbury Conygre Hall. Seeds, potatoes, plants, produce, talks, workshops. Adults £1, U16 free www.seedysaturday.org.uk The Band of HM Royal Marines 7.30pm Frome Memorial Theatre. £18: 01373 462795 www.fmt.website Sunday March 15th Mendip Ramblers mod 12m Harptree Combe & Compton Martin www.mendipramblers.co.uk Mendip Society Walk: mod 4 to 5m from Winscombe: www.themendipsociety.org.uk Monday March 16th Fagus Garden Club "The Beth Chatto Gardens: Past, present & future" talk by their head gardener & nursery director 7.30pm Nailsea Methodist Church Hall BS48 2AA. Members £2, Visitors £4.

“Moths/camouflage/photography” talk by John Bebbington for Timsbury Natural History Group, 7.30pm Conygre Hall. Visitors welcome, £3.

Tuesday March 17th 'Ultrasound' talk by Dr Francis Duck 7.30pm Radstock Working Men's Club BA3 3PL. £3 www.radstockmuseum.co.uk/whats-on BARN POETS meet at the Bookbarn BS39 6eX. Café 6.30pm for readings 7-8.15pm. Poets, readers, listeners welcome!

‘The Transformation of the Western Region’ talk

by Paul Stanford of Network Rail 7.30pm Horsecastle Chapel Yatton BS49 4QQ. Admission £3, for the Strawberry Line Café. Details: 01934 835208.

Wednesday March 18th Queen: We Will Rock You evening Charity Theatre trip to Bristol Hippodrome. Details Chris 01458 273085 www.theatretrips.webeden.co.uk Mendip Gardening Club "Gardening on Clay" Neil Lovsey 7.30pm Ston easton village hall. www.mendipgardeningclub.com Chew Valley Connect meeting for older people 3pm, The Woodford, Chew Valley Lake, BS40 8XH. All welcome. Details: www.chewvalleyconnect.uk Thursday March 19th Mendip Ramblers mod 6m Stourhead via Mere www.mendipramblers.co.uk Storytime free drop-in for 0-5yrs, 10-10.30am Midsomer Norton Library BS3 2DP. Friday March 20th Memory Café for those living with dementia 10.3012noon, Radstock Museum. Free, donations welcome, 01761 437722.

West Mendip Orchestra: Schumann, Grieg, RimskyKorsakov 7.45pm Churchill Academy £10 (£8, students £2).

Quiz Night 7.30pm Binegar village hall. Teams of four £10, in aid of Heads Up and village funds. Bar. Binegar & Gurney Slade fundraisers. Please book: 07528 169533.

Saturday March 21st Andy Eastwood, music hall style entertainment, 8pm Princess Theatre Burnham, £15. Box office 01278 784464. Supporting Burnham Hospital League of Friends.

Mendip Society Walk: a hard 4m from Sand Point: www.themendipsociety.org.uk Charity Fashion Show 7.30pm Stoberry Park school hall, Wells. £7 on door, £6 in advance: 01749 595735 or ewheattuition@gmail.com U-18s must be accompanied.

Yatton & District Horticultural Society Spring

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Show 2-4.30pm, Yatton village hall BS49 4HL. Congresbury Community café open third Sat every month, 9am- 1pm. Fresh coffee, teas, homemade cakes. Bridge House Broad St. Claverham village market, village hall Bishops Rd. Food, plants, craft & book stalls> Details: 01934 838017.

Winscombe Community Association Quiz Night 7 for 7.30pm. Teams of six, £6pp: 01934 844235.

Spectra Musica 7.30pm St Luke & St Teresa's Church, Wincanton. Tickets £12 from 01963 31607 or tickets@spectramusica.co.uk “An afternoon of Irish music” from the Hibernia Centre Bristol, 2-5pm St Bridget’s Church, Chelvey & Brockley BS48 4AA. Refreshments, donations for the church.

Frome Civic Society and FSLS agm followed by Phil Nichols on Somerset photographers 1839-1939, Assembly Rooms, 2pm.

Farm open day and blade shearing tournament.

Free, family event. Fernhill Farm, Cheddar Road, Compton Martin Bs40 6LD. Ffi: www.fernhillfarm.co.uk Considering Adoption? Families for Children Trust information session 10am-12noon Monks Yard, Horton Manor TA19 9PY. To book: 01271 612004 or www.familiesforchildren.org.uk Sunday March 22nd Mendip Ramblers mod 10.8m from Wellow: www.mendipramblers.co.uk Burnham & Highbridge Band Spring Concert, Princess Theatre. Tickets £7 (£6) from 01278 784464 or www.princesstheatreburnhamtickets.co.uk Monday March 23rd Mendip Folk Dance Club 8pm-10 St James Church Hall Winscombe BS25 1AQ. £3pp. No experience necessary. Details: Pat 01934 742853.

Music in Mind: friendship & music for those with memory problems in a relaxed, supportive group, 2.15 to 3.30pm Wedmore Masonic Hall. Details: Stella 01934 732282.

Green Gardeners ‘Plants to Plate’ by Sue Applegate 7.30pm Parish Rooms, Somerton. Visitors welcome £3.

Tuesday March 24th Chilcompton Garden Club “Grasses & Perennials” talk by Mary Payne, 7.30pm village hall.

RNLI Winscombe & District AGM 7.30pm Winscombe Cricket Club. Review of 2019 & accounts. Cricket club bar.

Wednesday March 25th Baby Bounce & Rhyme free drop-in for 0-3yrs, 10.30-11am M Norton Library, BA3 2DP. Wells Cathedral School Junior String Ensemble 1pm Bishop’s Palace, admission free, collection.

Harptrees History Society talk by Helen Thomas “Bedminster Tobacco Women” 7.30 West Harptree Hall BS40 6eB. Details: 01761 221758 or 221941.

Backwell & Nailsea Macular Support talk by Bob Baxter "Setting up a Trust" 1.30pm Backwell WI Hall. All welcome. Details: 01275 462107.

Thursday March 26th Mendip Ramblers mod 6m edford & Harridge Wood www.mendipramblers.co.uk

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Storytime free drop-in for 0-5yrs, 10-10.30am Midsomer Norton Library BS3 2DP. Yatton & District Horticultural Society talk by Nick Bailey ‘Revive Your Garden’ 7.30pm Yatton village hall £8 (£10) 01934 834889 www.yattonhorticulturalsociety.co.uk Chew Valley Wildlife Group: “What makes our trees special” with Rose Walker from the Woodlands Trust, 7.45pm Chew Magna Old School Room £2.50.

Friday March 27th Wine Tasting led by Mimi Avery, 6.30-8.30pm Old Schoolroom, Stone Allerton. For the village hall.

Tickets £15 from 01934 712642 or andymidge1@aol.com Quiz Night to support Chew Valley School, 7 for 7.30pm. Teams of up to 6, £10pp, incl. chilli supper, from 01275 332272 or cvschoolsociety@outlook.com Military Veterans’ drop-in: support, friendship, understanding & expertise. Hosted by fellow veterans, 10.30-12 Radstock Museum with the RBL. Behind the Scenes at Mendip Auction Rooms talk

by Nicky Houston, 7pm Camerton Community Hall. £5 on door, cash bar. www.camertoncommunityhall.co.uk Saturday March 28th Mendip Society Walk: mod 6m from Wellow: www.themendipsociety.org.uk Faulty Towers, The Dining experience at the Bishop’s Palace Wells. Three course meal & show,7.30pm.Tickets £50 from 01749 988111 www.bishopspalace.org.uk Congresbury Singers' Easter concert 7.30pm St Andrew’s Church. Tickets £8 from Congresbury PO. “The private life of Britain’s cathedrals” talk by Christopher Somerville, 2pm Balliol Hall, West Huntspill TA9 3RN. Members £8, visitors £10, incl cream tea: 01278 229379 or www.friendsofspaahc.org Somerset Choral Society: come & sing Durufle Requiem 10am to 3.30pm St Mary’s Church Wedmore. £10 + £3 score hire. Details: 01934 742134 or www.somersetsingers.co.uk Bristol Brass Consort 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Yatton. Tickets £10, £8 YMS members: www.yms.org.uk Mozart & Haydn Wells Oratorio with the english Symphony Orchestra, 7pm, Wells Cathedral, £12£28 from 01749 834483 or www.wcos.org Congresbury Gardening Club Spring Flower Show 2.30 -4-30pm, The Old School Rooms, Station Rd. Winscombe Tennis Club Open Day 10am-4pm at 'The Lynch' BS25 1AP. All ages & abilities. Reduced membership if you join on the day winscombelawntennisclub@live.co.uk Bristol Military Wives Choir 7.30pm St. Mary's Church Timsbury BA2 0LG.Tickets £10 from 01761 472448 or 471790.

Sunday March 29th Sedgemoor Vintage Sort Out for the Vintage Club & local charities, R.O.F. 37 club, Puriton TA7 8AD. Details: Paul 07785 765826.

Monday March 30th Mendip Folk Dance Club 8pm-10 St James Church Hall Winscombe BS25 1AQ. £3pp. No experience necessary. Details: Pat 01934 742853.

MARCH CROSSWORD SOLUTION

ACROSS: 7. Recede 8. Noticing 9. Dishearten 10. Onyx 11. Petrol 13. exclaims 15. (& 21 down) Shepton Mallet 17. Abseils 20. Place mat 22. Liaise 24. Doom 26.

Low spirits 27. Sobriety 29. Rarely DOWN: 1. Yeti 2. Zephyr 3. Seraglio 4. ethnic 5. Accolade 6. envy 8 & 19. Nether Stowey 12. ethel (Merman) 14. Mells 16. Pockmark 18. Ballpark. 19. (see 8 down) 21. (see 15 across) 23. Air-dry 25. Oboe 27. Talk MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020 • PAGE 97

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MENDIP TIMES

GAME FAIR TICKET WINNERS

LAST month we offered two readers the chance to win a pair of day tickets each to the West of england Game Fair being held on Saturday, March 20th and Sunday, March 21st at the Bath and West Showground. The first two correct entries drawn were from Sally Moon from Frome and Rosie Holmes from Shepton Mallet. Congratulations, enjoy the show!

WHAT’S ON

Tackling climate change

Marketing manager, Grace Harvey and operations manager, Phil Payne

PUXTON Park near Weston-super-Mare is making changes to help the current climate emergency.

Managing director, Alistair Mead, says in addition to the thousands of trees on site, they will be planting another 2,500 trees and shrubs this winter.

He said: “We have already made changes within the park through introducing new eco-friendly compostable food packaging in The Meadows Restaurant and our newly refurbished Clover Café to make sure we can recycle as much as possible.”

It is also installing a ten-megawatt solar park on its land, enough to power over 3,000 homes annually.

Around 50% of the park is run from solar energy, with panels lining the farm shop, dairy barn and cheese factory roofs.

The park’s reception building is covered in a living, green sedum roof and the onsite dairy farm is certified organic, which helps reduce chemical pollution and encourages native wildlife to flourish around the park.

Puxton Park has also been recognised for their efforts to source local and fair-trade products and services, to reduce energy and offset the park’s carbon footprint.

Princes Road, Wells, BA5 1TD

Starts Friday 28th February Starts Friday 6th March Starts Friday 13th February Starts Friday 20th March Starts Friday 27th March

EVENT CINEMA FOR MARCH

Parasite (15) Best film at Oscars 2020 Military Wives (12A) • Onward (U) • Like A Boss (15) Misbehaviour (12A) Radioactive (12A) • Bloodshot (cert tbc) Mulan • Peter Rabbit Fidelio ROH Tues 17th 7.15pm, Mon 23rd 2pm Jonas Kaufmann Tues 24th 7.30pm Michael Ball & Alfie Boe Sat 28th 7.30pm, Tues 31st 2pm

l Book in person l Online 24/7 @www.wellsfilmcentre.co.uk l Over the ’phone: 01749 673195

PAGE 98 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2020

Radioactive – two special screenings

A SPeCIAL advance screening of Radioactive – based on the incredible life of pioneering scientist Marie Curie – is to be held at the Wells Film Centre on Sunday, March 8th to coincide with International Women’s Day. The screening begins at 1.45pm and will be followed by a live satellite Q&A with Radioactive star Rosamund Pike and director Marjane Satrapi, broadcast live from the Curzon Mayfair.

Radioactive (cert. 12A) will also have a gala screening on Friday, March 20th at 7.30pm, raising funds for the Wells in Mosaic project. Tickets for the evening cost £12.50 each and include a glass of wine or orange juice.

Members of the project team are hoping to display an image of the mosaic design onto the big screen before the start of the film.

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