Mendiptimes - VOLUME 9 ISSUE 10

Mendip Times

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FREE

Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas

MARCH 2014

IN THIS ISSUE: SPRING GARDENING • FLOOD AID • SPORT • PROPERTY FOCUS • MOTORING • ARTS & ANTIQUES Local people, local history, local places, local events and local news

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MENDIP TIMES

CONTENTS

Welcome

THE terrible floods on the Somerset Levels have been on everyone’s mind this month and several of our regular contributors write about the situation there.

Mary James details the charities trying to help her fellow farmers; Les Davies wonders how the situation might be improved in years to come; and Simon Selby warns of the danger of cowboy builders trying to cash in on people’s misery.

The community spirit generated by the disaster is the one bright spot to have come out of it; the stirring efforts of charities, the authorities and other voluntary organisations are reported throughout our pages.

But surely spring must be on the way!

Mary Payne is preparing for it and heads a bumper gardening section, which includes our first NGS garden of the month, while Chris Sperring goes in search of early nesting dunnocks.

We meet a remarkable doctor who has been making videos showing her personal struggle with dementia and youngsters who are benefitting from a local sports charity.

We preview the Westcountry Game Fair, have a bumper What’s On section, and have extra pages devoted to property and Mother’s Day. With all of our regular contributors and features, welcome to our March issue.

March 2014 deadline: Friday, 14th March 2014.

Published: Tuesday, 25th March 2014.

Editorial: Steve Egginton steve@mendiptimes.co.uk Mark Adler mark@mendiptimes.co.uk Advertising: Ann Quinn advertising@mendiptimes.co.uk Marjorie Page marjorie@mendiptimes.co.uk Publisher: Mendip Times Limited Coombe Lodge, Blagdon, Somerset BS40 7RG Contacts: For all enquiries, telephone:

01761 463888 or: email news@mendiptimes.co.uk or: letters@mendiptimes.co.uk www.mendiptimes.co.uk Design and origination by: Steve Henderson Printed by: Precision Colour Printing, Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, Shropshire TF7 4QQ Copyright of editorial content held by Mendip Times Ltd. and its contributors. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the Publisher. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or its associates.

Front cover: Castle Cary under-13s rugby festival (see page 74).

Photograph by Mark Adler

10

Aid for flood victims – find out how you can help

31

Who’s a clever boy then – Valiant’s vital role in helping the disabled

52

Once upon a time – library creates a noise

74

Come and try it – rugby is for girls!

Plus all our regular features Environment...................................6 Farming Mary James MBE..........10 Arts & Antiques ...........................12 Food & Drink...............................18 Internet and Crossword..............24 Business ........................................26 Charities .......................................28 Music.............................................36 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE .......41 Walking Sue Gearing....................42

Outdoors Les Davies MBE ..........44 Gardening Mary Payne MBE ......46 Caving Phil Hendy........................53 Family Mendip Mum....................54 Health Dr Phil Hammond.............54 Community Simon Selby .............57 Homes and Interiors....................64 Riding Celia Gadd ........................70 Sport..............................................73 What’s On ....................................77 MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 3

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MENDIP TIMES

Buttons and video games – youngsters’ speaking skills

Grace Jackson, Isabel Jones and Madeline Howes from Selwood Academy with Dot Cretney, president of Frome Rotary Club

THE public speaking skills of young people from local schools were put to the test at a number of competitions organised by rotary clubs around Mendip.

Subjects for the talks ranged from homelessness to chocolate and from video games to Fairtrade.

A team from Ansford Academy at Castle Cary won the competition organised by the Rotary Clubs of Shepton Mallet and Brue Valley with their subject “Buttons”. Their talk referred to chocolate buttons and the character in the pantomime Cinderella and even suggested that the 21 hours or so per year spent doing up buttons on clothes could be used more productively.

A talk about “School Life” earned first prize for a team from St. Benedict’s RC primary school in Westfield, in the contest hosted by the Rotary Club of Midsomer Norton and Radstock.

And a team from Selwood Academy in Frome won their contest hosted by the Rotary Club of Frome with a talk about social

Rob Porter presents the winning team from St. Benedict’s with their trophies

NEWS

Ruth Metherell presented a trophy in memory of her late husband, a deputy head teacher at Ansford and a member of the Rotary Club of Shepton Mallet, to the winners of the contest organised by Shepton Mallet and Brue Valley rotary clubs

networking sites.

Intermediate semi-finals were due to be held on Thursday, February 27th in Shepton Mallet and at Standerwick in Frome.

Rotary Youth Speaks is a national competition for children of varying age groups. Following the district semi finals and finals there will be a regional competition in April and the national final in May.

Fireman Mike sparks action

TWO defibrillators have been installed in Rodney Stoke and Draycott, after Wedmore butcher and fireman, Mike Carthy, gave a talk to Draycott and Rodney Stoke WI about resuscitation.

The ladies went into action with other members of the two communities and launched the defibrillator project at Draycott Strawberry Fayre last June, raising funds through a variety of events, concerts, raffles, donations and cream teas.

The defibrillators are located at The Rodney Stoke Inn and The Strawberry Special Pub and were installed by Ian Patch, an electrician and fireman. Mike was asked to cut the ribbons at the celebration and public awareness evening.

He also does talks on the art of sausage making and the Rodney Stoke and Draycott WI have booked him for a demonstration. They wonder what the consequences in the two villages will be after this presentation!

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 5

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MENDIP TIMES

From Burrington to Panama

ARRON Ford, a young British explorer who lives on a farm in Burrington, is taking part in an expedition to Panama, hoping to provide protection of critically endangered species and habitats along Panama’s coastline.

He and his partner, Rob Cunliffe, from Bristol, will be prone paddleboarding along the entire coastline of Panama, travelling over 600 miles by arm power alone, setting a new world record. Since the creation of these 12-foot boards as a means of transport for ancient Polynesians some 3,000 years ago, nobody has attempted a journey of this magnitude.

The duo first visited Panama in 2009, searching the rain forest for the rare Strawberry Poison Dart Frog. It was an experience that left them in awe of not only the beauty and stunning biodiversity of the country, but also the fragility of this unique eco system, which they want to protect.

Arron graduated in 2013 with a degree in Integrated Wildlife Conservation from the University of the West of England. Although he decided to follow in the centuries-old family tradition of farming in Somerset he wanted to continue his passion for travelling and has worked on projects in Greece, India, Gibralter and Cuba.

Details: www.panamapaddle.com www.facebook.com/panamapaddle

Coffin carriers protest

A PROTEST march will take place from Axbridge to Cross on March 1st calling for a safer route for pedestrians and cyclists along the very busy A371 Cross Lane, which only has a footpath along part of its length.

The route was known locally as the Coffin Path, as the deceased inmates of the workhouse in Axbridge used to be carried along it to Compton Bishop church for burial. Local resident, Andy Tobin, said: “Unless we make the footpath safe, we might be calling it the Coffin Path for tragic reasons. It’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt or even killed.”

The Coffin Lane Campaign has support from local residents, Compton Bishop Parish Council, Axbridge Town Council and local MP Tessa Munt. Campaign co-ordinator, Tess Gill, said: “There are lots of local people who would prefer to walk or cycle the short distance between the two communities rather than drive, but it is just too dangerous.”

Protesters will set off from Axbridge Town Square on March 1st carrying symbolic coffins to the New Inn at Cross.

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

PAGE 6 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Railway walks 2014

WESSEX Wanderer Railway walks start in May, led by experienced volunteer members of the Ramblers Association, from stations along the wonderfully scenic ‘Heart of Wessex’ railway line which runs between Bristol and Weymouth.

They are an excellent way of escaping to the countryside, seaside, or visiting market towns such as Frome and Castle Cary, without the need to drive. The walks are free (although transport costs are not included), are open to nonmembers of the Ramblers and vary in length from five to 18 miles plus, but on average between eight and 11 miles.

They do not normally stop at a pub or cafe at lunchtime (so walkers need to bring their own food and drink) but at the end of walks there is often the opportunity to have a drink at a local pub or café with time to continue to socialise with fellow walkers.

The next programme of walks starts on Saturday May 17th, with a guided tour of Frome, and finishes on Saturday October 11th.

Details: Walks co-ordinator, 133 Conygre Grove, Filton, Bristol BS34 7HX (As the Ramblers’ Association is a charity a stamped address envelope would be appreciated). Call 0117 9798628 or go to www.wessexrailwaywalks.org.uk

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Residents’ views on future of factory site

ENVIRONMENT

Wildlife project success

(Photograph courtesy of Brian Taylor)

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A jack snipe at Carymoor

One of the discussion group at Welton Chapel

MORE than 80 residents of Welton village and the surrounding areas attended a workshop and debate on the future of the former Welton Bag site.

The outcome from seven discussion groups at the meeting at Welton Chapel was a clear preference for a mixed development on the site on the edge of Midsomer Norton.

This was broadly based on the reasoning that an allemployment option was unlikely to be achievable and an allhousing scenario would create transport and general sustainability concerns.

Organised by Welton Village Group, the evening began with a brief history of the site by Paul Myers, Mayor of Midsomer Norton before reviewing three broad development options generated at a previous workshop last year. The group will now be considering the detailed feedback sheets.

Ruth Smith, chair of Welton Village Group, said: “We were delighted with the level of interest from local residents and grateful that representatives from the town council, Bath and North East Somerset and even the potential developers were able to attend.

“The group will now be able to develop a very clear position based on the wishes of local residents for inclusion in the Place Making Plan.”

Part of the former Welton Bag site

WORK to attract a species of wading bird to Carymoor Environmental Trust’s nature reserve near Castle Cary has been hailed a success after they were identified by birdwatchers.

The normally elusive jack snipe has been found in good numbers on part of the reserve at Dimmer, where shallow scrapes and ponds were dug to replicate a wetland landscape.

Jack snipes are small, stocky wading birds and are a Species of European Conservation Concern.

Roger Dickey and Bruce Taylor of Somerset Ornithological Society are regular visitors to Carymoor and monitor the types and numbers of birds on the nature reserve.

Bruce said: “It was incredible so see these normally elusive birds at point blank range and in such detail! I saw a total of ten jack snipe in an area of about 5m by 5m. Ten jack snipe anywhere is a very good count and not surprisingly this is the highest count I’ve ever had at Carymoor. It’s also the highest count ever in the east of the county.”

Rupert Farthing, Carymoor’s chief executive, said: “We are very fortunate to have a number of local volunteers with great wildlife expertise, who regularly come to our site to monitor what we have. We monitor the numbers of butterflies, birds and reptiles on our site and the information is invaluable. We can see when our management of the site is working and we are often surprised by what we have at the site.”

Help our hedgehogs

THE relatively mild weather has left the Prickles Hedgehog Rescue Centre in Cheddar inundated with hedgehogs that have woken early from hibernation.

One local company, F.W. Whitchurch, from Braysdown, Peasedown St. John, has stepped in to help with some of the hibernation boxes it makes.

But the charity’s founder, Jules Bishop (pictured) is appealing for more volunteers, food and bedding.

Details: 0780 6744772 www.prickleshedgehogrescue.org.uk

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 7

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MENDIP TIMES

Frome hosts quarry show

THE largest exhibition organised so far by the Mendip-wide Quarry Faces history project will go on show at Frome Museum in March.

The exhibition will document the success of the project to date and celebrate the quarries local to Frome. It will include rare artefacts from Holwell and Doulting quarries whilst Mendip Rail, based at East Cranmore, has created a display of models of the trains used in the quarries from the early part of the last century through to the present day.

A detailed model of a giant 100-RB excavator, one of the first excavators to be used from the 1930s, will also be on display. The model was made by the late Ashley Massey, a former quarry worker at Whatley Quarry. Its excavator began work at the quarry in 1946 and continued in use until the 1970s.

Society celebrates

LES Davies, president of the Mendip Society, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, has invited his fellow members to join him at a President’s Dinner on Friday March 28th at the Webbington Hotel and Spa, Loxton, which will follow the society’s annual meeting.

The meeting itself starts at 7pm. Afterwards members can enjoy a three-course dinner with an after-dinner speaker. Les said: “It will be a very enjoyable night out with friends as well as a good opportunity for me to meet many more members and for them to find out what their new president is like.”

M E N D I P

W E AT H E R

S C E N E

Details: Judith Tranter 01761 462276.

When will it ever end?

with DAVID MAINE

RARELY, if ever, have I written about the same subject for two consecutive issues of Mendip Times, but the current situation is quite exceptional – and ongoing - and this is really an update to my last month’s column.

My total rainfall for January of 297mm was only slightly less than 12 inches, or a foot of rain. Not often can I measure

rainfall in feet!

As I write, February, so far, has produced no less than 140mm or five and a half inches of rain in less than half the month and, with a lot more rain forecast for the coming days, the all-time February record of 204mm, set in 2004, is almost certainly going to be beaten (final figures for the month next time).

All people want to know at the moment, of course, is of any sign of an end to the pattern.

Surface water made driving tricky at Green Ore At the moment there

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ENVIRONMENT

The Whatley 100 RB at work in the 1940s. The men in the bottom left hand corner of the photo give an idea of the size of this massive machine

Quarry Faces is a heritage lottery funded community heritage project based at Somerset Earth Science Centre, Stoke St Michael. The three-year project is working with the local community to record and celebrate the quarrying heritage of the Mendip Hills.

A Talking Tea Shop event will also be held in Frome on Saturday, March 1st, from 2.30pm at St Catherine’s Hall which will include an illustrated talk about the local quarries.

Quarry Faces is appealing for more information about the early massive mechanical shovels. They can be contacted by emailing info@quarryfaces.org.uk or telephoning 01749 840156. The exhibition at Frome Museum opens on Tuesday, March 11 and runs until Saturday, May 17th.

Sandbags ready for delivery to flood hit areas on the Somerset Levels

is no real such sign, but hopefully by the time you get to read this at the end of the month things may have changed.

I never look beyond T+144 (six days) ahead at the computer model forecasts widely available nowadays on the internet, because as I have said in the past, the reliability tails off markedly beyond that.

I made the mistake, early in the month, of looking further ahead to two or three weeks to see a glimmer of hope, but when I looked again a day or two later it was just more of the same.

Finally, my heartfelt sympathies go out to all those in our local area badly affected by the floods (See Mary James’s farming article on page 10); we can but hope that I can write a more cheerful article next time.

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Despite the awful weather Spring is not far away. Those of us lucky enough to live close to the office can get up in daylight and Saturday afternoon football matches are just about ending before dark. If only the sun would come out!

Traditionally, Spring is the time when the property market bursts into life. Last year was particularly busy as confidence gradually came back to the market and lenders began to loosen the purse strings slightly. If the start of this year is anything to go by that trend is going to continue.

Buying or selling a home is the largest financial transaction that most people enter into. It is essential to obtain proper legal advice. The feedback that we get tells us that all firms are not the same and that our clients are very satisfied with what we do for them. We have an enviable reputation built up over decades and we are confident that we offer unbeatable value for money so if you’re thinking of moving give us a call.

Away from the workplace Bridget Cleaves, from the Castle Cary office, and Sally Ogden, from the Glastonbury office, both celebrated “significant” birthdays recently and Robin Weelen’s birthday also falls around this time. This provided a great excuse to get all the partners and staff together for a celebratory lunch. Congratulations to all of them and many thanks to Bridget and Sally for all their years of service to the firm.

Castle Cary: Old Bank House, High Street, Castle Cary, Somerset, BA7 7AW. Tel: 01963 350888

Cheddar: Roley House, Church Street, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3RA. Tel: 01934 745400

Website: www.bgw.uk.com

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MENDIP TIMES

Farmers rally to help victims of the floods

THE Somerset Levels, a landscape of strange beauty, bounded by the Bristol Channel, the Mendip, Quantock and Blackdown Hills. It is a very special place, with a network of rhynes draining water (with the help of special pumps) into the rivers and on down to the sea.

With MARY Providing the rivers are dredged of JAMES MBE course. Willow trees, abundant wildlife and rich farmland produce abundant milk, beef, lamb and pork. Wonderful artisan products developed over the years of basket making and cider making.

Roads where the ‘liable to subsidence’ notice can appear and where there are few white lines to guide the driver when it is foggy! It is a magical area; an internationally recognised wetland integrating both wildlife and farming, but now the site of an unmitigated disaster.

The TV pictures have appalled everyone; the reality of it all is frightening. My husband and I viewed the operation to move James Winslade’s cattle with tears in our eyes; we could envisage being there. The trailer going down into a rhyne must have been terrifying.

Farmers always help one another in times of crisis and this has been no exception. Old and young have given support.

Somerset Young Farmers Club put out a message to members to help and they certainly have.

In this area Lindsay Carnell, who featured in my January

article, co-ordinated a fodder collection, using phone, text, Facebook and Twitter. Some 25 farmers donated 125 big bales of hay and silage which were collected and taken to Sedgemoor Auction Centre using tractors and trailers of local contractors.

It was a great effort repeated across the county and it is ongoing. Fodder has arrived from all over the country, with grateful thanks from all concerned. It would be appreciated if well-wishers could now pledge future fodder donations through the NFU at south.west@nfu.org.uk or 01392 440700 as storage space is at a premium.

The logistics of moving all this fodder around is a huge task. Several farmers have taken in James Winslade’s and other cattle. Accommodation has been found for families.

The nightmare goes on. It will take months (hopefully less) before the water subsides; then the huge clean-up can begin.

Re-generation of the land is going to be a huge job.

Financial donations will be most acceptable. The farming charities are: • Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI) 07730 765377 or www.rabi.org.uk • Addington Fund www.addingtonfund.org.uk • Farm Community Network (FCN) 0845 367 9990 • Royal Bath and West Show Society dredging and regeneration fund, Tel 01749 822200 Our heartfelt sympathy to all those suffering in the floods.

On a brighter note the North Somerset Agricultural Show takes place on the showground at Wraxall, North Somerset on May 5th.

Making an Olympic splash

OLYMPIC medallist, Sharron Davies, has officially opened Ourpool, one of the area’s more unusual farm diversification projects.

Martin and Deb Ford have turned a former pig shed at Yeowood Farm, near Wrington into a swimming pool, with support from DEFRA and Business West, as well as converting other buildings to business use.

Sharron Davies said, “I’m really pleased to see such a quality development. Swimming is a great exercise for all ages, and to have a pool like this open for people to book is great for local swimmers. Well done to Martin and Deb for such a good idea.”

Up to eight people can share the pool at one time, booked PAGE 10 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

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FARMING

F a rm m a chi ne ry s ho wca s e THE latest developments in agricultural machinery and equipment went on display at the Royal Bath and West Showground at Shepton Mallet.

A specialist one-day event, AMES featured both static displays and a chance for farmers to test drive the latest tractors and other farm vehicles.

Charlie, aged three, in the driving seat on the Uphill & Son and JCB stand

Hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of machinery was on show

B&W Feeds, a mobile feed milling service covering the south of England, was named the South West Contractor of the Year.

Maxine Thrasher, its finance director, receives the award from Neil Cox, head of agriculture in the Wells office of competition sponsor Old Mill

in advance on ourpooltime.co.uk. The pool is powered by combination of solar power and a boiler which runs on elephant grass, which is grown on the farm itself.

The farm’s expansion was part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. Chris Lyons from Business West said: “Martin and Deb came to us with this amazing farm diversification idea, and we were pleased to support them by identifying appropriate grant opportunities, assisting with the grant application process and business planning.”

Deb Ford said: “It took some time to secure funding, and a year to build but it has all been worth it as this means the farm’s business has expanded.”

Flood hit farmers were at the forefront of the show society’s thoughts. Council member Sandra Maltby is pictured with Edwin White, who is leading the society’s campaign for £3 million towards dredging the Somerset Levels and carrying out long-term remedial work Sharron Davies cuts the ribbon with Martin and Deb Ford and their children Dougie and Naomi

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 11

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MENDIP TIMES

Professional video

EVERYONE knows that a picture is worth a thousand words, but a short video, when carefully shot and edited, is an even more effective way to communicate with your customers or clients.

Wild Country Lane Studios has recently been making documentary and promotional films for a Somerset community company, training videos for the horticultural industry, and animations for interactive e-books.

Director Peter Froome (pictured) said: “I’ve been spending a lot of time lately in the wind and rain capturing fleeting moments for clients. I soon forget about the discomfort, though, when I get back to the editing suite and the polished video starts to emerge from the raw footage.”

Details: www.wclstudios.co.uk or ring 01761 221166 for more details.

PAGE 12 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Vintage year for Sarah

Becky O’Connell in The Way Forward shop

THE founder of the popular vintage clothing and collectables market in Midsomer Norton is preparing to celebrate the first anniversary of her own business in the town.

Sarah Brereton opened The Way Forward, her shop next to the war memorial, last April and says it has attracted collectors and the curious from across Somerset, Wiltshire and further afield.

Sarah says the 1970s is her favourite decade for fashion which is reflected in many of the items for sale in the shop. However, stock ranges from the 1950s through to the 1980s and also includes many recent items which have the iconic “retro” look so popular today.

The monthly vintage market is usually held on the third Saturday of each month – the market in March will be held on Saturday, March 15th. However, the April market will move to later in the month – Saturday, April 26th – because of Easter.

Sarah describes the shop as a “fashion exchange” and shares the proceeds of sales on a 5050 basis with people who supply her with clothes and vintage items. She is always on On e ird Saturday Of Every Month At “e Hollies Gardens”, Midsomer the lookout for more items to Norton High Street. 8am-2pm. sell. Sarah said: “Most of the stock is ladies wear but I am Vintage fashion, crockery, furniture, ephemera and a whole lot more. seeing a growing interest in 60s style crockery.

Next market, Saturday, March 15th!

“People are also becoming For more information or to book a more interested in mix-andstall, please contact us on: match, where they’ll buy 07840 858549 something vintage to wear with Sponsored by Midsomer Norton Town Council something modern.”

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ARTS AND ANTIQUES

Rare moon-phase Rolex sends Old gold transformed ripples around the globe WEDMORE jeweller, Erica Sharpe, has seen a steady growth in CLEVEDON Salerooms’ forthcoming Quarterly Specialist Sale on March 13th will include this rare vintage circa 1950 Rolex ‘Padellone’ wristwatch.

The 18ct gold-cased perpetual model features a moon-phase and has been in the same family since new. Clevedon Salerooms have a superb record when it comes to selling vintage Rolex, having sold a Submariner example a couple of years ago for £41,000 and a Milgauss anti-magnetic model for £14,000.

The Padellone will carry a pre-sale estimate of £22,000 £28,000 and one month prior to the sale, telephone lines were being booked by bidders in the Far East keen to own a piece of Rolex history.

If you have vintage watches sat in a drawer, regardless of condition, why not contact Clevedon Salerooms for a free no-obligation valuation. It could be time well spent. Tel: 01934 830111.

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

Quarterly Specialist Sale of Antiques, Fine Art & Collectors Items

her work to recycle customers’ old gold into new creations. She said: “It makes perfect sense to re-use broken and unwanted gold jewellery and gemstones. These valuable raw materials are completely recyclable and the design possibilities are endless.

“People very often have a collection of gold that they don’t know what to do with; I specialise in designing individual pieces to customers’ specifications to use the gold to make something that they will love to wear.”

Erica recently transformed an old gold watch into a beautiful sapphire and diamond ring.

Victorian ‘Hampton Lever’ Corkscrew

£1,000 - £1,500

Thursday 13th March at 10.30am

19th Century ivory and mother of pearl inlaid ebony table cabinet by Giovanni Battista Gatti

Viewing Tues 11th March 2pm - 5.30pm Wed 12th March 10am - 7.30pm Sale day from 9am On-line catalogue available from 1st March

£3,000 - £4,500

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

18th Century bracket clock

by Morrier of London

www.clevedon-salerooms.com

£1,500 - £2,000

Free Valuation Days Mon 17th March Tue 18th March Wed 19th March 9.30am – 1pm and 2pm – 5pm MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 13

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MENDIP TIMES

Trading places at the Trading Post

Graham and Tanith sharing a joke

GRAHAM Creasey, one of the original founders of Wells Trading Post, has announced that he is to retire in May. The shop, in West Street, Wells, offers everything from vintage interiors, furniture, jewellery and clothing to collectables including a room dedicated to old-fashioned tools.

Graham, 65, opened Wells Trading Post in May 1997 after a varied career which included spells as a farmer and landscape gardener. His long-standing business partner, Tanith Tothill, will carry on running the shop.

Graham said: “I have always done various jobs. I have only been unemployed for one week in the past 50 years.”

Tanith joked: “Our partnership has lasted longer that some people’s marriages; we’ve had a great time together!”

PAGE 14 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Something for everyone at Tamlyns

TAMLYNS have a very busy calendar of sales throughout the year and as well as specialist Antiques and Collectors sales, they also hold three-weekly mixed Antique and Decorative Item sales.

There really is a wide range of items in these sales which have come from private vendors and from deceased estates and you can expect to find everything from antiquities, gold and silver jewellery, collectables, books and clocks, to furniture, china, glassware and more.

The range is really quite extensive and, with the very nature of auctions, who knows what they might have in from sale to sale! So there are plenty of interesting buys available for the most seasoned of auction-goers and whatever your tastes.

Due to the frequency of these sales, unlike their specialist sales, these sales are not available to internet bidders, so they provide the perfect opportunity to re-visit the ‘good oldfashioned’ auctions before the introduction of worldwide bidding.

Tamlyns hold “take-in” mornings for these sales every Thursday between 9.30am-12.30pm where you can take your items for potential inclusion into one of these sales. Valuation days are held every few weeks so contact the office for details of these.

All sales are listed on the Tamlyns website, with the next mixed sales being on February 2nd and March 18th.

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ARTS AND ANTIQUES

African pictures surprise at the Mendip Auction Rooms SINCE the New Year, Killens have seen an upturn in the number of items entered for their two sales per month with an even greater attendance of buyers, many of whom seem keen to buy.

At their sale of Antiques, Fine Art and Collectables on February 8th, there was an excellent entry of collectables and the unusual with items selling particularly well including an early 19th century curtain rail achieving £800, a collection of German war memorabilia, £600, and a large cello in poor condition, £440.

There was also strong interest for Border Fine Arts and a signed

This Mackenzie Thorpe print "First Light" achieved £500

print ‘First Light’ by Mackenzie Thorpe realised £500.

On February 18th, over 500 lots went under the hammer at the monthly sale of Victorian and Later Effects and there was a large entry of ceramics and smaller items. Keen interest in the room led to strong interest for a collection of African pictures, including a painting attributed to the late Nigerian artist Ben Enwonu, which achieved a price of almost £3,500.

The next sale of Antiques, Fine Art and Collectables will be on March 8th, with online live bidding and all lots presented with excellent photography. The team at the Mendip Auction Rooms are always content to visit your home free of charge.

Old Priory Mill, West St, Wells, BA5 2HG. Tel: 01749 671454 www.wellstradingpost.co.uk • email:tanithtradingpost@gmail.com

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 15

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MENDIP TIMES

Heritage honour for scientist

A PLAQUE marking the birthplace of one of Britain’s most distinguished scientists has been unveiled n Frome.

His name may not be that well-known by many people but the world today would be very different without the pioneering work by Professor Sir Charles William Oatley.

Sir Charles made three The plaque commissioned by the outstanding contributions to two societies the engineering sciences. He was one of the team who developed radar during World War Two; he revolutionised the teaching of electronics at Cambridge University and he will always be remembered for the development of the scanning electron microscope.

The electron microscope is recognised as the single most important scientific instrument of the post-war years, allowing scientists to create three-dimensional images of micro organisms beyond the resolution of the human eye. It is widely used across a range of industries and applications include medicine, forensic science, material science, electronics, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.

The Frome Society for Local Study and the Frome and District Civic Society arranged for the plaque to be installed above a shop at Badcox. Sir Charles was born on February 14th 1904 above the baker’s shop owned by his parents. When he was six years old, his father, William, gave his son a present of an electric motor and his love of science began.

Sir Charles’s sons Michael and John, along with many members of the Oatley family, were among the guests at the ceremony.

Michael said: “The Frome baker’s son grew to be an internationally recognised scientist, whose pioneering work brought important and lasting benefits to people all around the world.

“He was a modest man. He would have been surprised by this morning’s ceremony, but pleased to think of being remembered in his birthplace and appreciative, as we are in his family, of the thoughtful generosity of the Frome Society and its committee in creating this memorial.”

Somerton and Frome MP David Heath also attended the unveiling.

The MP studied physiology at university and said: “I was not aware Professor Sir Charles Oatley of Oatley coming from Frome but I was certainly aware of the scanning

Working together

THE Frome Society for Local Study and the Frome and District Civic Society work alongside each other and have played a leading role in conserving historic local buildings.

Eleven plaques have been provided to PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

(l:r): David Heath MP, Alex Shingler, deputy youth mayor of Frome, Michael and John Oatley and Alastair Macleay and Peter Clark from the societies

electron microscope which allowed one to view images which had never been seen before. It was an extraordinary invention which transformed our understanding of the world.”

Sir Charles, who died in 1996, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1969, knighted in 1974 and, among other honours, was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Bath in 1977.

Michael and John Oatley outside the birthplace of their father – it is still a baker’s shop

mark buildings or sites of historic interest.

Important relics such as maps and documents have been purchased and maps repaired. In addition there is a programme of lectures and of outings, to foster interest in local studies. There is a

long-standing and well-respected publishing programme with a list of more than 60 books, monographs and maps of local historical and architectural interest and which are an important element in the ongoing educational activity.

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NEWS

One bus, two schools!

A 17-SEATER minibus is helping to transform the daily lives of pupils at two Mendip schools.

Priddy and Westbury-sub-Mendip are already federated – they have a joint headteacher in Rosie Turner – but the arrival of the bus means they can also share facilities more easily.

Donations and grants for the bus came from the villages’ two friendly societies, parent teacher associations and Priddy Folk

Staff, governors and pupils celebrate the arrival of the minibus at Priddy

Festival. The bus – which will have volunteer drivers behind the wheel – is also being made available to local community groups and societies. The bus will also be available to people living in Easton.

Rosie said: “Sharing school facilities means we can increase the number of curricular and extra-curricular resources such as in PE and sport.”

Wells “Rec” plans to be unveiled AN action plan outlining how the Recreation Ground in Wells could be improved for the benefit of local people and visitors is to be discussed at the next meeting of the Wells Recreation Ground Trust.

Work has been ongoing since last year to devise an improvement scheme which has a good chance of gaining grant funding and which can be delivered on time and on budget. Working in partnership with the Somerset Building Preservation Trust, Mendip District Council commissioned an options appraisal for the recreation ground, including the historic Bishop’s Barn. Wells City Council also contributed to the project.

Councillor John North, chairman of the trust, said: “A huge amount of work has gone into closely examining the

options for this site to ensure the improvements that take place are of benefit to the people of Wells and that the scheme is well positioned to attract grant funding.

“The next meeting of the Trust will look at the recommendations for improving the recreation ground and how these improvements, if agreed, could be taken forward.

“The proposed options, which have been shaped by last year’s public consultation exercise, will be presented by the board at the meeting, so we would encourage anyone who has an interest in the future of the recreation ground to try to attend the meeting to find out more.”

G The meeting will take place on Thursday, March 6th at 6.30pm at Wells Town Hall.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 17

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MENDIP TIMES

Hocks away!

I DON’T know why we don’t make more use of ham hocks – they are extremely inexpensive and you can do so many things with them.

Use them for sandwiches, omelettes, salads (instead of the expensive plastic wrapped stuff), or try one of these great recipes.

With JUNE First, soak your hock (or hocks – I usually MACFARLANE do two at a time) overnight to get rid of any excess salt. Then drain and put in a roomy pan with a medium peeled onion, one large carrot and one rib of celery cut in big pieces, a couple of bay leaves and about ten black peppercorns.

Add a bottle of dry cider and water to cover. Bring to the boil and with a lid askew simmer for about three hours until very tender – you should be able to wiggle the bone about.

When cool enough to handle pull the meat from the bones, drain and reserve the stock and the bones.

HAM HOCK TERRINE

This is a wonderful looking dish, and makes a brilliant starter.

Serve with a good piccalilli (I recommend local producer The Bay Tree’s version) and crusty bread.

METHOD

First line a 900g loaf tin with three layers of cling film so that it overhangs the edges. Tear the meat into strips, discarding any fat or gristle. Put into a bowl. Chop the cornichons roughly and add to the meat. Chop the parsley leaves and add to the mixture. Mix with your hands and pack loosely into the tin.

Taste the stock and reduce if necessary. You need to end up

CLASSIC SPLIT PEA SOUP WITH MINT

With the weather we’ve been having this is a dish that will wrap its arms about you on a wet night and make you feel better. Make in advance and chill or freeze so you have it on standby.

METHOD

Unless the packet says so there is no need to soak the split peas overnight. Put all the ingredients (except mint) into a large pan (add water if you don’t have enough stock) and simmer gently until the peas are soft. Remove INGREDIENTS bone, onion, bay 500g dried green split peas leaves. Puree 1 large onion stuck with two soup, chop mint cloves to taste and add.

2 bay leaves If you have e) 1.5 litres of ham stock (see abov some ham you Ham bone if available can shred that Small bunch mint and add it too.

PAGE 18 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Ham hock terrine

INGREDIENTS

1 ham hock, cooked as above with at least 300ml of Ham stock as above well flavoured liquid.

1 jar cornichons or baby Beware of saltiness! Soak gherkins the gelatine leaves in cold 1 bunch fresh parsley water for about 5 mins 3 gelatine leaves then, off the heat, add to the stock and stir until melted. Allow to cool but not set. Pour over the mixture in the tin and make sure the jelly is well distributed. Wrap the cling film over, place a piece of card cut to fit on the top, wrap again in cling film and refrigerate overnight.

HAM HOCK AND LENTILS

For all you people out there who say you don’t like lentils – just try this and be persuaded. I promise you it is one of the most delicious things you will ever eat!

METHOD

INGREDIENTS

250g Puy lentils/green lentils 1 large knob of butter 1 medium onion finely diced 1 large carrot finely diced 1 celery rib finely diced Ham stock as above 1 ham hock as above, shredded 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Rinse the lentils well in cold water. Melt the butter in a medium sized pan and add the vegetables. Cover and sweat for 5 mins. Add the lentils and 900 ml stock and simmer until lentils are soft – about 30 mins (make sure they are as soft as you like – over-firm lentils are not right). Add as much of the ham as you want, and the chopped parsley, mix and season with some freshly ground pepper. Serve, with the addition of a couple of spoonfuls of the stock.

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FOOD & DRINK

A decade of delicious food and drink

MARCH 2014 DATES

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

Erin Slater, Ollie Evans and Sylvie Carpenter ran the first tea stall raising money for Writhlington School’s trip to Africa

MIDSOMER Norton Farmers’ Market will celebrate its 10th anniversary in April with a party including music from the Midsomer Norton and Radstock Silver Band and additional stalls.

Among those taking part on Saturday, April 5th, will be Cathy Peglar, the original day manager of the market, who will be returning from Portugal to take part in the celebrations and to sell her own olive oil.

Initial enthusiasm for the project came from a steering group which included representatives from the Midsomer Norton Chamber of Commerce, Bath and North East Somerset Council and the town council. After early trials in the High Street alongside the river, the market was moved inside the Methodist Hall for about three years.

Eventually, and with the help of B&NES, the market was relocated and found a permanent home in Hollies Gardens under the distinctive Somerset Farmers’ Markets’ green and white striped canopies.

The town council has been a staunch supporter of the market over the years and have grant funded promotional activities such as apple days, local musicians, choirs and additional publicity. In return, the market has embraced community participation, whether from youngsters fundraising for their skate park and the local choir performing their annual carols to supporters of the Silver Street nature reserve coming along to recruit volunteers.

More recently, pupils from Writhlington School have been providing hot refreshments at the market while raising money for projects in Africa.

Regular farmers and producers at the market span a wide range, from traditional breed pork, venison and game, fresh fish, the award-winning Somerset Cheese Company, Bradley’s Juices and Pieminister Pies. Some very local producers are also getting involved, including The Pudding Kitchen, Kilmersdon-based Moonacre Farm and The Hill Bakery.

G The Rotary Club of Somer Valley will be offering a free blood pressure testing service at the April market as part of a national awareness campaign by the Stroke Association. The testing will be carried out by experienced personnel and is available to anyone who comes along.

Saturday 1st Sunday 2nd Saturday 8th Saturday 15th Saturday 22nd Friday 28th

Axbridge & Midsomer Norton The Frome Independent (10am-3pm)* Frome & Keynsham Crewkerne Glastonbury & Yeovil (9am-2pm)* Burnham-on-Sea

follow us @SFMMarkets For more information phone 01373 814646 or visit www.SomersetFarmersMarkets.co.uk

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

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 19

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MENDIP TIMES

Steak night

THE café at Jon Thorner’s in Pylle is opening its doors every Thursday evening for Steak Night! From 6pm, the Coffee Den will be serving their finest 30-day dry aged steak for just £10.

You can also enjoy a glass of wine, beer or cider at the licensed venue. And for a limited period only, the Coffee Den is also offering a FREE glass of wine with every meal for pre-bookings.

All Profits for Rainbow Charity Registered Charity Number 1120461

PAGE 20 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Call now to book 01749 838937 – Coffee Den, Pylle, Shepton Mallet BA4 6TA.

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GARDEN FOOD

Mad for miso

WHAT with the atrocious weather we’ve been having, I’ve scarcely wanted to set foot in my garden for these past few months. One thing I have been up to, however, is making my own miso.

Perhaps that just about still falls into the category of ‘garden food’, because With JAKE central to the miso-making process is WHITSON cultivating a fungus, known as Aspergillus oryzae, or koji in Japanese. This fungus, more specifically a mould, is central to all sorts of well known Japanese food and drink, from sake to miso and shoyu.

Making your own miso may seem to be a rather esoteric and specialist activity but it is actually fairly simple, no more complicated than brewing a beer for example. The following is a recipe I’ve devised, based on the ‘pea-so’ (where split peas replace the traditional soy beans) originally devised by the Nordic Food Lab. First soak 700g of pearl barley overnight, drain, rinse and then steam until cooked. Spread the cooked grain out on a large tray and sprinkle evenly with roughly a teaspoon of dried koji spores (these are hard to come by in this country, but at the moment I am selling packets on Ebay if you’re interested in taking up miso-making!).

Now, pour some boiling water on a clean tea towel and cover the tray with this (ideally so that the towel is not touching the barley) and place the tray somewhere very warm (ideally 29ºC), airing cupboards are often ideal for this).

After six hours stir the barley with a clean spoon, and remoisten the towel with more boiling water. Repeat after another six hours, and again after another. At this point you should see the barley starting to be covered with white mould.

Then use a clean spoon to shape the barley into ridges and furrows, re-cover, and leave for another 18 hours or so. At this point the barley should somewhat bind together with white mould. Watch carefully and don’t let it go too long – if it starts to turn green (sporulate) then it’s going past its prime.

With the barley now ready, soak and steam 500g yellow split peas or soy beans until cooked but not too soft. Once cool, weigh both the barley and the peas, and then weigh out precisely 4% of their weight in salt. Crumble the koji and mix thoroughly with the peas and salt.

Pack this down into a small bucket or bowl, cover the surface with cling film, place a plate over the top and weight it down with something (I use a large clean boiled stone). Leave in a cool place for at least three months, preferably six or longer.

The more I make it, the more I find it indispensable in everyday cooking. I particularly like it added generously to chicken soup with dumplings.

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

FOOD & DRINK

WILD FOOD

Who put the fun in Funchal?

I KNOW you’re thinking what’s a Funchal?

Let alone who put the fun in it! Well, it’s the capital city of Madeira, so this is a kind of a part two of last month’s article. I just felt we needed a bit more sunshine and warm weather to dream about and take our minds off our weather, even when our hearts go out With ADRIAN to those that are suffering from the floods.

BOOTS But what has the capital city of a small sub-tropical island got to do with wild food? It’s very simple because the word Funchal derives its name from ‘Funcho’ which is Portuguese for ‘fennel’ and literally means ‘fennel meadow’.

When the Portuguese arrived in today’s Bay of Funchal they were rightly staggered by the natural amphitheatre of towering volcanic rocks that form the backdrop of today’s modern city. You would have thought that they would have called it something like Volcan, Cinder cone, Pyroclast, Lava dome or something but no, they named it after the humble fennel plant.

They were obviously much more impressed by the abundance of this plant (it must have been everywhere) than the jaw-dropping geology. So food was important to the first colonisers – how confidence inspiring to find a plant growing on foreign soil you actually recognised and could use straight away.

It’s probably a good job because it goes really well with fish and they have an awful lot of that too. Look up the Black Scabbard Fish (Aphanopus carbo), ‘Espada preta’ in Portuguese on the internet; it’s pretty ugly (long and black like a sword scabbard, geddit?) but tastes very good, particularly with chunks of roasted vegetables on a laurel kebab stick and, you guessed it, fennel.

Common fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) grows 50-100cm tall and has dark green, finely pinnate leaves which are very fine and feathery. When in bloom, June to September, it has long stalks with plate-shaped umbels of yellowish blossoms which are more inconspicuous than it sounds; the whole plant smells of aniseed and looks similar to garden dill.

The fennel of Madeira also has a historic medical use in the production of cough sweets. The plant contains oils which were thought to help bad coughs but they taste fairly disgusting in their purest form. I’m sure one is so distracted by the awful bitterness that you quite forget about the cough.

However, in the shops and markets you can find a much more palatable version sweetened with orange and aniseed – it needs it.

On balance, you are probably better off cooking it with an ugly fish.

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

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 21

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MENDIP TIMES

Top garden centre cafés

Farewell to Jim and Jo Smith

TWO cafes at local garden centres have been named in the country’s top 25 in a survey of garden centre cafes by the Daily Telegraph. This is how it describes them: The Box Tree Café, Cleeve Nursery: “This small but perfectly formed nursery boasts a matching café, offering a creative specials board and delicious home-made soups, toasted paninis and more. A wood burner and comfy sofa add to the positive vibes.”

Yeo Valley organic garden: “Delicious inspiring salads from the garden coupled with cold meats, cheese and quiches (all organic and from the Yeo Valley farm). Delicious and all in view of the kitchen garden.”

Helping hand from Fair Frome

CHEW Valley Chamber of Commerce presented gifts to Jim and Jo Smith, who are retiring as landlords of the Queen’s Arms in Chew Magna after 18 years. The chamber has met there since it was formed. Jim and Jo are pictured with chamber president Rod Podger (left) and vice president, Sandy Bell.

Showcase for cider and cheese

THIS year’s Royal Bath and West Show will feature two British awards plus a host of new attractions.

A focus on food and drink brings with it the prestigious British Cheese Awards and the new British Cider Competition.

Show manager Alan Lyons said: “We’re created a Cheese Village to showcase the work of cheese producers and associated products. The British Cider Championships will also feature making the show a real celebration of all things British.

“Our Farming for the Family section will have a range of displays and demonstrations which show the route from field to fork with an extended butchery and cookery demonstrations not forgetting our new artisan food marquee will mean it’s a mustvisit for all food lovers.”

This year’s show – the 151st – takes place from Wednesday, May 28th to Saturday, May 31st.

For event and party catering Contact Gill and Rob 07443 465425 PAGE 22 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

THE first families have received packs of donated kitchen equipment as part of a campaign by Fair Frome to help people suffering financially.

The pilot project, set up at the beginning of the year, has been well received by donors and recipients.

Father of three, Nikki Cox and Allan MacDonald Allan MacDonald, the first person to receive a pack, said: “It will be of tremendous benefit. It will allow my family to prepare freshly cooked meals and for me to share meal times with my sons. It will also be of great help financially, as money is very tight at present.”

The packs include knives, forks, spoons and plates along with saucepans, wooden spoons, potato peelers, mixing bowls, whisks, chopping boards and much more to enable families to cook meals at home.

Among the project’s supporters are ASDA and Miller’s.

Nikki Cox, of Fair Frome, said: “This project has been such a great success and we have been overwhelmed with the generosity and community spirit of local people. We are still ready to receive more donations, and in particular would like can openers, plastic storage boxes, cheese graters and large metal spoons. We are also looking for a volunteer or two who would like to help us coordinate this project going forward.”

G Donations can be taken to the Fair Frome Hub, 5, Palmer Street, Frome, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am-12pm.To find out more about receiving a kitchen pack or volunteering with Fair Frome please contact Nikki Cox at nikki.frome@gmail.com or call 07714 587129.

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A warm welcome at the Red Lion SCOTT Lucas is probably the most experienced chef in the Chew Valley and has joined Duncan Ferguson, new landlord of the Red Lion in Bishop Sutton.

Together they are establishing a reputation for providing quality food in a friendly country pub, with a choice of real ales, ciders and fine wines.

Scott has been a chef for 28 years and is one of only 200 Masterchefs of Great Britain and the only one in the Bristol area. He’s cooked for the royal family at Windsor Castle and at some of the country’s great country house hotels.

But he also does a great line in home-made chips and promises “nothing pretentious” at the Red Lion, just quality pub food. He specialises in pies and casseroles, as well as making his own charcuterie and black pudding.

He said: “Everything here is fresh and home-made, using local produce. And it won’t cost you a king’s ransom to eat here – we firmly believe in providing good food at reasonable prices.”

There’s a glowing open fire to welcome you at this time of year – and extensive gardens when the weather improves.

Duncan, who formerly worked in publishing, is determined to maintain the pub’s “village local” appeal. He said: “We are looking for new players to start a second darts team and our Thursday Club for some of the village’s more senior citizens is very popular. We are also child and dog friendly.

“With Scott here I’m sure our reputation for quality food will soon spread far and wide. Add to that a friendly welcome and a

FOOD & DRINK

Scott Lucas, new chef at the Red Lion, Bishop Sutton

superb range of drinks and I am sure we have a pub the village can be proud of and that visitors will return to.”

OUR NEW EQUIPMENT FOR 2014

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

Also Flame Towers.

QU AL I T Y M A R Q UE E S F O R Y O UR S P E C I AL E VE N T

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

Call the Marquee Specialists

Tel: 01761 221366

Email enquiries: info@jgmarquees.co.uk Website: www.jgmarquees.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 23

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INTERNET

XP to XPire?

DO you have an XP computer? Did you know that Microsoft is going to stop supporting XP in April 2014?

If you continue to use Windows XP after support ends, your computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Also, you can expect to find a greater number of apps and devices that do not work with Windows XP. If you already have Microsoft Security Essentials installed, it will continue to work, you will continue to receive anti-malware signature updates for a limited time, but this does not mean that your PC will be secure because Microsoft will no longer be providing security updates to protect your PC. So what to do? There is a range of alternatives. One option would be to disconnect your XP from the internet, which will stop the virus coming in, of course, and then you could perhaps get a Tablet computer to use for just Internet and Email use, and keep your XP computer for letters, spreadsheets, etc. Tablets come in a range of sizes and a corresponding range of prices. All iPads are Tablets, but not all Tablets are iPads. iPads work on a different system to Windows PCs, and are generally more expensive than Tablets.

What my granny used to call “the same only different”! Or just replace your computer which a new one, which would be Windows8, which has a different look to the familiar XP one.

It is unlikely that you would be able to install W8 onto an old XP machine, as W8 requires more space, processor speed etc. and generally speaking, a new machine will be quicker, so work out the best option anyway, but you can check online.

Whichever option you choose, there is a little bit of a learning curve involved, I’m afraid, but you can book a session with us to “test drive” these devices to see which suits you best!

Without wishing to confuse things even more; Windows9 is on the horizon! Little way off yet, but it’s approaching.

Updates for Vista, 7 and 8 will continue.

Submitted by IT for the Terrified: The Old Cowshed, Station Road, Cheddar BS27 3AG 01934 741751 • www.itfortheterrified.co.uk See our web site or contact us for further details.

This article is for guidance only, and the opinion of the writer. For more in depth information, please contact us.

We offer individual training, at a pace to suit you; a session lasts 2 hours and costs £10. We can cover a range of subjects – including absolute basics; photo management; shopping online; emailing; Word processing, spreadsheets; basic web design; etc. on a range of devices, including Windows XP/Vista/W7/W8: Macs: Tablets: iPads: smartphones See our web site or contact us for further details.

Or if you can spare two hours and week have skills on any level – especially iPad – that you would like to share with others, please get in touch.

PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

CROSSWORD

The Mendip Mindbender

ACROSS 1 Destiny left the National Trust in charge for a change (11) 7 See 1 Down 9 Grinder opposes batsmen at school (9) 10 Some learning and quarter of giant’s cry produce a short literary genre (3-2) 11 State has sources of coal for 3 little girls (7) 12 In a monastery a Prior is second in command, logically (1,6) 14 For you Old English it is shortly the legendary animals to be seen (5) 16 No giant in normal circumstances receives a blessing like this (9) 17 To carry out the king we need gymnastic equipment (9) 19 Let Diana choose her favourite tortilla (5) 21 Create scare or something even cruder (7) 22 Anger after seasoning added makes cross (7) 24 Andrea may inhabit a world of her own (5) 26 Criminal to achieve best result near Shute Shelve (5,4) 28 See 6 Down 29 Pretend swan found distressed by tithe barn (4,7)

DOWN 1/7A Cats can make rhythmic sound (3,3) 2 With this lion Tim found complete freedom (2,5) 3 For myself I never miss anyone small and mischievous (5) 4 Show what alters strings and he worries away (5) 5 An overdue involvement . . . of Morse? (9) 6/28Archbishop Tutu’s little house suits him fine (3,3) 7 The sort of trip Olive would – capital! (7) 8 To make some idea go I find an MT writer (6,5) 11 Having become merry I cadge a drink of a local favourite (6,5) 13 Enter swiftly to make an arrest (3-2) 15 Make something of yourself by pulling them up (5) 16 Removes summaries (9) 18 South African golfer possesses reputation for glossy paints (7) 20 You could race him for a change – monstrous as it may seem (7) 22 Be first to get a shovel (5) 23 Appreciate unknown to make comparison (5) 25 One man’s work in his field (3) 27 Pull the wool over the eyes of a child (3)

Answers on Page 81

PENNY

Page 25 March:Layout 1

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MENDIP TIMES BUILDING DESIGN & DRAWINGS Contact: Neil or Stuart

• PLANNING APPLICATIONS • BUILDING REGULATIONS • STRUCTURAL CALCULATIONS

E: neil.dando@purpleplan-it.co.uk M: 07966 398076 E: stuart.cload@purpleplan-it.co.uk M: 07792 632492

www.purpleplan-it.co.uk

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College team scoops top awards

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BUSINESS

Photo by Ignyte Limited, Radstock.

WESTON College’s marketing team are celebrating after winning two major national awards for their work. The department, which promotes all aspects of college life internally and externally, came top in the ‘Best Communication’ category in the 2013 Best Business Awards.

In addition, they also picked up the top honour for ‘Outstanding Marketing Team’ at this year’s Global Business Awards, which praised the team for “helping Weston College turn into a nationally-recognised educational institution that gets top results”.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 27

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Award to Keith Herring

THE Rotary Club of Mendip has made a Community Service Award to Cheddar resident, Keith Herring, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to community life in the village.

Keith, a former headteacher of Kings of Wessex, is the founder and chair of the Cheddar Youth Trust which provides grant aid to children and young people. Since it was formed in 2000, the trust has helped 152 young people to the tune of £19,000.

Keith’s target is to continue to raise funds to enable grants to be made to 30 young people each year.

In presenting the award, rotary president Mike Gelder said: “Keith has given a lifetime of service to the young people of Cheddar and we are delighted to be able to recognise it in this way.”

New shop in Wrington

WESTON Hospicecare’s newest shop, Boutique on the Corner, in Wrington, was officially opened by broadcaster Alex Lovell, from BBC Points West.

The opening was well attended by villagers, shop volunteers, supporters, local businesses and the Mayor and Mayoress of Weston-super-Mare, who have chosen Weston Hospicecare as one of their charities this year.

PAGE 28 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

May the force be with you

Dave Prowse (seated) with (back) Brian Jarvis, manager of Ston Easton Park, Graham Howell, consultant urologist at Bath’s Royal United Hospital, and event organiser David Watts. Next to Dave is Lynn Addicott (left), who helped organise the evening and Jenny Fear, who donated a stay in a house in The Hamptons, New York, to the auction of promises

STAR Wars actor and legendary Green Cross Code Man Dave Prowse was the guest of honour at a charity event in Ston Easton to raise money for research into prostate cancer.

Organised by David Watts, the cheese and wine party with auction of promises and raffle raised £5,200 for the Royal United Hospital in Bath.

Dave Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the first Star Wars film, grew up in Bristol but now lives in Surrey. He is friends with Brian Jarvis, manager of Ston Easton Park Hotel, which hosted the event.

RNLI fundraiser

THE annual quiz held by the Winscombe and District branch of the R.N.L.I. at Shipham Village Hall, was a sell-out and raised £1,650 for the Bristol Channel appeal for new lifeboat stations in Portishead and Weston-super-Mare.

The photo shows (standing) Frances Warren, South West area fundraising manager, and Geoff George M.C. and auctioneer for the evening.

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Pub walk for charity

THE Butcombe Brewery Pub Walk, in aid of Arthritis Research UK, will take place on Easter Saturday April 19th.

The 9.5 mile circular walk from Butcombe Brewery’s popular pub, the Fox and Hounds at Charlton Adam, goes through Charlton Mackrell, open farmland and woodland, and past the imposing church spire of Kingweston.

It’s largely flat walking but with a steady climb through woodland, on tracks, paths and quiet lanes, with several stiles.

Dogs must be kept on leads and participants need to be reasonably fit and mobile and suitably dressed.

It costs £12.50, which includes a glass of mulled wine and supper.

Details: Susie McCallum: 01225 313632 07736 157798 s.mccallum@arthritisresearchuk.org

A decade of service

THE hospital car service run by Mendip Community Transport has just celebrated its tenth birthday.

The not-for-profit company that provides transport for the mobility impaired, elderly, sick and rurally isolated was launched at the end of 2003. It now has 73 drivers and covers the whole of the area served by Mendip District Council and a large part of the area served by Sedgemoor District Council.

During the current financial year MCT expects its drivers will make over 8,000 journeys. MCT chief executive, Mike Curtis, said: “The NHS no longer provides non-emergency hospital transport so over the years demand for our services has grown dramatically.

“MCT is a lifeline to those patients who are frail and elderly and cannot use conventional transport.” MCT’s hospital car service won the Queen’s award for voluntary service in 2011 and is always seeking new volunteer drivers.

Details: Mike Curtis or Mike Forbes on 01749 330100. For further details of the hospital car service, phone either Phil Butcher or Sarah Sheldon on 01749 330100.

CHARITIES

Calendar is simply “grand”

The cast and crew with Stuart Lees

EVERCREECH Amateur Drama Group has raised £1,000 for research into leukaemia and lymphoma from the sale of its “alternative” calendars ahead of their production of Calendar Girls.

Stuart Lees, South West Regional Manager for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research received the cheque at the village’s Bell Inn. He said: “Every penny raised helps us in our mission to beat blood cancer, by stopping people from dying and making patients’ lives better. We wish to thank Evercreech Drama Group for their support and raising such a magnificent amount of money for research into leukaemia and other blood cancers.”

Photographs for the calendar were shot by Charlie Pritchard-Williams. Bron Cooper – “Miss January” – said the photo shoots were a good bonding experience for the girls prior to the big night of the show itself.

Martyn Jessop, the director of Calendar Girls, said: “I was overwhelmed by all the hard work the cast and crew put in to make the production such a huge success.”

Back row: Nicki Vowles, Katharine Smith. Front (l:r): Lois Venn, Jill Osborne, Stuart Lees, Kath Bridge and Bron Cooper

There are still a few calendars available at £7.50 each.

Contact Greg Jessop on 01749 831122 for more information.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 29

(Photos courtesy of Charlie Pritchard-Williams: www.charlottephotography.co.uk)

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Books on wheels

OLDER people’s charity Royal Voluntary Service is calling on local people in Somerset to take advantage of its Books on Wheels service, a scheme that delivers library books to those who find getting out and about difficult.

Royal Voluntary Service volunteers take the time to get to know those who use the service and hand-pick a selection of books which suit their taste, to take them a number of times a month.

Those who use the service not only receive a number of books to enjoy; they also develop a friendship with the volunteer who delivers the books.

Joan Privett, aged 93, has come to love reading since getting out of the house has proved difficult for her and she has developed a close relationship with Hillary Timms, who volunteers for the service. They are pictured above.

Joan said: “Reading means a great deal, it takes up my time and makes the day go quicker. I can go into another world and lose all sense of time.”

Organiser, Kirsty Jensson, said: “This is a really vital service for older people in the community. Choosing a few books and taking them round to someone who finds getting out the house might not seem like much, but it makes a massive difference to the older people who use the service.

“Our volunteers are fantastic and they really enjoy what they do and those who use the service really look forward to their visits.”

Barnaby’s last chance

By Steve Egginton

JULIE Withey’s isolated bungalow is a refuge for dogs with little or no hope – and she is deluged with requests for help.

The not-for-profit rescue service called Mutts With Friends, at Stanton Wick, has added eight extra kennels to the six it had, but is currently caring for 24 dogs – so ten are given shelter in the house with Julie and her husband Robert.

Julie, a former volunteer with several other rescue centres, helps dogs that are literally on death row, after languishing in local authority pounds without finding a home. It’s estimated that one is put to sleep every 80 minutes.

Julie used to be a dog groomer. Now she and her team of 15 volunteers are busy caring for, training, fostering and re-homing as many dogs as they can.

Julie said: “Once the pound is full, dogs that have been there longest will be put to sleep, even if that dog is young and healthy. We get a lot of Staffordshire bull terriers, which can make lovely pets, if we find them the right home.”

Looking after so many dogs is expensive, so a team of fundraisers is active at local events, as well as helping with dog walking and general care.

Volunteer, Claire Good, said: “I work as a secretary in an office three days a week, so it’s good to do something useful in the fresh air. It’s not just about the dogs – it’s about helping Julie and lightening the load for her. ”

Details: Kirsty Jensson on: 07919 540487 Kirsty.jenssen@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk

Aid for flood victims

SOMERSET Freemasons have donated £4,500 to Somerset Community Foundation’s Somerset Emergency Flood Relief Fund, which is hoping to raise £150,000 for grants for flood victims. See letters page 34.

Details info@somersetcf.org.uk

PAGE 30 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Julie Withey (left) with volunteer, Claire Good, and Barnaby the Basset Hound. He was languishing in a pound, suffering from high calcium levels, which meant he could not control his bladder. Mutts With Friends paid £2,500 in vets’ bills to find a cure.

Details: www.muttswithfriends.org

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Painting the town

AS part of its 25th birthday celebrations, Weston Hospicecare is launching a brand new fundraising event, the Weston Colour Run, which will take place on Uphill Beach, Weston-superMare on Sunday, April 27th, at 12noon.

Hundreds of participants are expected to whizz through colour stations on the course and get showered with brightly coloured powder paint, transforming themselves from a blank canvas into a human kaleidoscope!

With no winners and no official timing system, the Weston Colour Run is simply an excuse for you to get really messy and have loads of fun with friends and family.

Details: www.westoncolourrun.org.uk or call the fundraising team on 01934 423960.

Couple’s marathon effort

EAST Harptree couple, Roger and Lee-Anne Sperring, will be running the London Marathon for the second year running on April 13th. First they will run the Bath halfmarathon on March 2nd.

The couple have run half-marathons right across the country, raising funds for the charity SENSE, which helps people who are both deaf and blind.

Lee-Anne, who works at New Manor Farm Shop, and Roger, who works for the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company, ran as Mickey and Minnie Mouse last year and will be in fancy dress once again.

They said: “The fancy dress adds so much more to the run. With the crowds calling out to you and cheering you along it makes it so much more fun.”

To support them go to: www.justgiving.com/lee-anne-sperring

CHARITIES

Walkies with a purpose

Yasmin and Valiant on Priddy green

Yasmin Stockwell is a familiar sight in and around Priddy walking and training a gorgeous Labrador Retriever-cross puppy called Valiant. Dressed in his distinctive green jacket, Valiant is destined to become one of the many full-time canine helpers for Dogs for the Disabled. Here, Yasmin asks whether others would like to share the experience of being a puppy socialiser for the charity.

COULD you be a Puppy Socialiser for Dogs for the Disabled?

Many of you will have seen me out and about with my ‘Dogs for the Disabled’ puppy in a green jacket. Why do I volunteer to “socialise” these puppies and what does it entail?

Dogs for the Disabled needs people like me to look after an adorable puppy for the first 12-14 months of its life and teach basic skills including walking on a lead, “sit”, “down”, “wait” and “stay”.

I also make sure Valiant is familiar with and comfortable in everything from supermarkets, schools, hospitals and dentists to buses and trains to prepare for a working life. So I never have to leave my puppy at home – in fact I should take him with me anywhere I go. It’s fun and I’ve met lots of other puppy socialisers in the area.

The charity pays for the pup’s food and vets’ bills and its puppy co-ordinator visits regularly, gives lots of advice and support and organises holiday boarding.

Yes, I will shed a tear when I give up my 14-month-old dog in May but, knowing what a life-transforming partner he will become helping an adult or child with a disability or a child with autism, is absolutely worth it.

Would you be interested in finding out more? You need to have a secure garden, limitless supplies of love and patience and be able to attend monthly puppy classes in Bristol. You might be thinking of getting a dog as a pet yourself and it’s an opportunity to find out if you’re suitable. It’s also a great way to learn how to train a puppy as you receive lots of support.

Do stop me for a chat if you see me or you can call me on 01749 670944. You can also call Liz Stone at Dogs for the Disabled’s Banbury headquarters on 01295 759827. She’ll talk it through with you and email a volunteer application form if you’d like to apply. You can also visit their website: www.dogsforthedisabled.org Yasmin Stockwell MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 31

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Highest award

JENNIE Higgins, aged 13, a member of Blagdon Guides, who has spent her time helping others, setting herself personal challenges and working in the community, has been awarded the highest honour available to guides.

Jennie is pictured receiving the Baden-Powell Award from Wrington Vale District Commissioner, Tracy Higgins, who is her mother.

Guide leader Janet Hellier said: “What she has achieved is very impressive. We are very, very proud of her. Jennie has worked hard for this award and what she has done is outstanding.”

Rotary aids flood relief

ROTARY in District 1200 (Somerset, West Wiltshire, West Dorset) has been helping flood victims on the Somerset Levels.

They are long-term members of the Emergency Voluntary Agencies Group under the wing of the Civil Contingencies Unit (CCU) of Somerset County Council.

Rotarians have been offering accommodation for those displaced, sourcing dry animal feed, recovering cars, helping with the shopping and many other tasks to try to make life just a bit easier for those affected. They now anticipate a wave of clean-up operations needed when the waters finally recede.

In preparation they have set up a District Fund and have already received a number of donations including direct support from Disaster Aid UK & Ireland, a long standing Rotary partner.

District Governor Brian Kirkup has established a small team to assess individual cases of need and allocate funds accordingly.

To donate make cheques payable to; Rotary International, District 1200 Charity Account and marked “Flood Relief” and send the donation to: Rory O’Donnell – Rotary International District 1200 Treasurer, Fluor House, Kingston St Mary, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 8AJ.

Charity skittles

SOMER Valley Rotary Club are raising money for a defibrillator to be sited at Radstock Co-operative in Peasedown St John and will be holding a charity knock-out skittles match at the Red Post Inn on March 14th.

It will cost £10 per team of four, with a further knock-out stage and finals night. The closing date is March 7th.

Details: Steve Scott 01761 434849 or 0781 369 1303.

PAGE 32 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

CHARITIES

New advice service for Mendip

Councillor Philip Ham (left) giving the keys to Stuart Chadbourne, Mendip CAB Chief Officer

MENDIP Citizens Advice Bureau is launching a mobile advice service to serve rural communities in the Mendips where internet use is currently low.

The two-year Big Lottery-funded project will run in partnership with five other agencies: Somerset Care and Repair, Mendip YMCA, Elim Connect Centre, Mendip Community Support and Aster Communities, the housing provider.

The aim at the end of the project is to establish three permanent local information hubs to be run by the local community for their residents. The mobile service will visit selected villages over the next two years on an agreed rota, which will be reviewed at six monthly intervals, and if necessary villages will be changed to ensure that the best service is delivered.

Project Co-ordinator Laura Miller said: “There are many people in our communities, particularly older people and people with disabilities, who are getting left behind if they aren’t able to get on-line. This will allow us to reach rural residents who might otherwise be unable to access advice.”

Local residents are encouraged to get involved. The villages of Mendip district can request the Mobile Advice Service to visit events such as village days and fetes.

Details: Project Coordinator, Laura Miller, 01749 345394 or Lauram@mendipcab.org.uk

Funds for wildlife

THE Chew Valley Group of the Avon Wildlife Trust raised £1,130 at its spring sale in Chew Magna.

Organiser, Annie Sewart (pictured second right) said: “This sale has become quite an institution in the valley and it’s lovely seeing so many old faces who regularly turn up annually to support the charity and who hopefully return home with some bargains, fortified by tea and cake.”

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Dear Mendip Times, I did enjoy reading the article about walking in an area of Somerset with which I’m quite familiar. I hope you won’t think it pedantic of me to point out that the path of the former railway line that Sue followed from Radstock towards Shoscombe was in fact that of the S&D route from Radstock to Bath and not to Frome.

This was part of the Evercreech to Bath extension work, which I believe was began in 1872 and completed in 1874. There was a line from Radstock to Frome but this was a GWR and followed a different route.

John Robinson Radstock

Dear Mendip Times, Community Council for Somerset (CCS) is working to support communities and individuals affected by the ever-rising flood waters across our county. As an organisation we know the issues facing rural communities on a daily basis and our Village Agents are at the “frontline”, living with the increasingly difficult situations and daily challenges the flood waters bring.

CCS has received offers of help in many forms and is extremely appreciative of the generosity of both local people and those from across the country. However, as welcome as they are - donations of supplies, clothing, toys and other items bring another set of problem; storage and transport - the best way to help is by making a financial contribution to support people in the immediate crisis and the aftermath.

To get a real understanding of the farming crisis here in Somerset follow @westyeo and @southwestfarm on Twitter, just two examples of the tragic farms giving live updates of their situations. If you can help in a practical way with offers of bedding, feed, forage or transport for livestock then please call 01278 410278 first to arrange deliveries. Sedgemoor Auction centre at J24, postcode TA6 6DF. You can make a real difference today. Help the individuals and rural businesses living in flooded rural communities.

Make online donations: http://www.justgiving.com/SomersetCommunity-Found-Flood-Appeal Text donations to NOAH95 £10 to 70070 or any amount you feel happy to donate or send a cheque: Somerset Community Foundation, Yeoman House, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 6QN. Katherine Armstrong Chief Executive CCS

Dear Mendip Times, We regret the decision of the Church Commissioners that the residence of the Bishop of Bath and Wells be moved away from the Palace. We believe that the decision has been hasty and that there has been no adequate explanation of the reasons which informed the commissioners’ decision.

There should be a longer period for a more thorough process of consultation and evaluation. During this period the Bishop should live in the flat within The Bishop’s Palace. The Palace Trust is very willing to discuss alterations to the privacy arrangements of the flat if the incoming Bishop desires them.

We are delighted that so many people want to come and visit this unique and very special place. Last year, 2013, saw a substantial increase in the number of visitors to over 60,000, an increase of 39% over the previous year.

Through opening up the Palace and the beautiful gardens to visitors, we are helping to create a sustainable and financially viable enterprise which will greatly reduce the liability of the PAGE 34 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

LETTERS

Church Commissioners, so that they might provide greater support for the Church’s mission and ministry in other parts of the country.

The Bishop’s Palace is so much more than an interesting visitor attraction with a historic building at its core and lovely gardens, although it is certainly both of those. Of course we want visitors to have a thoroughly enjoyable experience, but we also invite visitors to reflect on the spiritual significance of the site.

It is a living site valued for its tranquillity in which questions of faith and meaning continue to be explored in imaginative and exciting ways. Having the Bishop resident on the site is integral to this sense of a continuing journey of faith and exploration.

It is our earnest desire to work in partnership with the Church Commissioners. We will work very hard to secure the long-term viability of The Bishop’s Palace and we are on course to do just that, but we need the Commissioners to meet us halfway, which means allowing the Bishop to live in the Palace at least for the next crucial period of our journey.

David Wood, Chairman of The Palace Trust, Wells Dear Mendip Times, We are surrounded hourly by advertising telling us that arterial thrombosis is Britain’s greatest killer. Rivers are arteries. My very first job was with the long defunct East Sussex River Board and one of my first tasks was analysing the flooding of the county town of Lewes.

The dredging of the River Ouse took years and I cannot remember the last time I saw a dragline excavator. I wonder if we even have the equipment with which to dredge Somerset’s rivers?

Philip Styles, Cheddar

Dear Mendip Times, Somerset. Swamped, sunken. Soon to be shafted. In the focus of attention from the media and furious residents on the Somerset Levels, our posturing politicians and the Environment Agency are bickering about who is to blame for their plight, whether or not global warming is a contributory factor, and which department first had that Eureka moment of realising that dredging the moor’s key rivers might be a good idea.

Now look ahead. These ‘august’ decision-makers are the same people who are committing Somerset to another generation of fossil fuel dependence by opening up our county for fracking.

They are cutting their commitment to air monitoring as methane and other pollutants are about to be vented into the atmosphere.

Testing for NORM (Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) brought to surface by the process appears to be of no interest to them. The integrity of our water supply is seemingly of little importance and disposal of the polluted waste appears to be the environmental equivalent of brushing it under the carpet.

Whether your allegiance is with Cameron’s Clowns, Milliband’s Muppets, Farage’s ******* or any other party, it appears to be of little consequence as, at national level, NONE of the major political parties are opposed to fracking.

The Environment Agency has a grand total of six staff in its shale gas unit for the entire United Kingdom. Its budget is reduced, its workforce is about to be cut even further. While it rolls over like a submissive poodle at the whim of its Westminster masters, it is time for the ‘ordinary’ people of Somerset to make their voices heard on this blighted and misguided policy.

Mark Lumley, Clapton, Radstock

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Help for hospital riders

THE 24 lodges of the Mark Master Masons of Somerset have raised £20,000 to buy a fully equipped motorbike for Freewheelers emergency voluntary service, which provides an out-of-hours courier service to 50 key NHS locations locally on week-nights and at weekends.

Provincial Grand Master, David Nelson, said: “We are, of course, part of the community and lodges take great pride in making donations to worthy causes, such as scout groups, cancer charities and children’s groups and now we shall raise money for the needy families who have been devastated by the floods.”

He’s pictured with charity steward Eric Kellett (right) and Freewheelers representatives Steve Brookes, Megan Brookes and Richard Reeves.

Details: www.freewheelers.org.uk

Showtime at school Some of the cast in rehearsal

STUDENTS at Norton Hill School in Midsomer Norton are in their final rehearsals for their annual show in March.

More than 50 students have been preparing since November for their version of the musical Oklahoma. Every area of production has been covered by the pupils themselves including lighting, back stage and sound. Professional musicians will join student instrumentalists whilst the school’s dance company will also be taking part. The vast majority of actors in the cast are currently preparing for GCSE and A-level performance exams in the Arts.

G Everyone is welcome to attend the shows at the school from March 5th-March 8th. Tickets are available from Norton Hill School reception: adult £6 and children/students £3.

NEWS

Top dog

THE phrase teacher’s pet has a whole new meaning at Winford C. of E. Primary School, where Fernie, a chocolate coloured labrador, is now part of the team.

Head, Nik Gardner, who owns him, is having him trained as an educational assistance dog by a Devon-based charity, Dogs Helping Kids.

The training can take 18 months or more, so nine-month-old Fernie is currently a trainee, based in the head’s office, but will often be seen on a lead with Mr Gardner in classrooms, assemblies, at playtime and around school.

Eventually, Fernie will be used to motivate children, provide therapy to them and will listen while they read to him. The DHK charity says it has been proven that working and playing with a dog improves children’s social skills and self esteem. Its aim is to have a dog working and helping in every school and library in the country.

Nik said: “Animals in schools can encourage children to respect all life, teach responsibility, motivate those children who are often not that attentive, help calm children down and improve academic achievement.”

When he asked parents for their approval, they all agreed that Fernie should join the school.

Nik said: “He’s adorable and the kids just love him.”

Details: www.dogshelpingkids.co.uk

Church looks to the future

ST. MICHAEL’S Church, Dundry, is to be brought up to date, with the installation of a toilet, a small servery and a new heating system, so that the building can be used for social activities, as well as services.

The parochial church council is holding an open day from 12noon on Saturday May 17th to display the plans and answer questions, with a more formal presentation and refreshments from 4pm.

The church tower will also be open.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 35

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Churchill Young Musician of the Year

THE annual Churchill Young Musician of the Year competition took place at St John the Baptist Church, when eight of Churchill Academy’s advanced music students competed for the prestigious title.

The winner was Patrick Hegarty playing classical guitar, while the audience prize went to Georgina King playing piano, who also won the junior prize.

The competition builds on the outstanding partnership between Churchill Academy and Churchill Music! Each finalist introduced and performed a short programme of contrasting ‘moods’ to a set time limit and the judges were looking for both technical ability as well as presentation skills.

Patrick Hegarty

Band appeals for instruments

FOUR new members of the Midsomer Norton and Radstock Silver Band received gifts of instruments from the Radstock and Midsomer Norton Lions Club.

The new members are pictured receiving their baritones and cornets with musical director Jo Sykes, Lions welfare chairman Russell Ford, and Lion president Trevor Hipwood.

Spokesperson and band secretary, Heather Allard, said: “We currently have a membership of 32 with a mixture of abilities and ages, ranging from 11 to 75 in our senior band. We also run a brass academy, consisting of a training band, with a current membership of 15, aged from 6 to 70+ and a beginners’ group with a membership of 20 in the same age range.

“The beginners’ group has only been running for 12 months and is open to anyone who has a limited musical ability; members are provided with music and an instrument. The brass academy is very important to the future of the senior band as when players reach the required standard, they will join the senior band to replace players who have left or gone away to university.”

With the increase in membership in the brass academy, instruments are at a premium and an appeal has recently been made for any unused brass items to be donated.

Lucy is winner

CELLIST Lucy Little, who performed pieces by Vivaldi and Saint-Saens, won the first prize in the Frome Rotary Club young musician competition held at Selwood Academy. Eight solo competitors from in and around Frome took part in the contest and played music of their own choice in programmes of up to ten minutes.

The audience of friends, families and members of the rotary club were entertained with a range of compositions from classical to modern on stringed, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.

Musician and head at St. John’s School, Alan Burgess, was the adjudicator and he gave collective and individual comments on each competitor’s performance before announcing the prize winners. His adjudication notes will be forwarded to all the respective young performers to aid their future studies.

The event was organised and presented by rotary music officer Mike Swanson, who invited club president Dorothy Cretney, to present certificates and prizes. The second prize

PAGE 36 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Young musicians at Selwood Academy display their certificates with adjudicator Alan Burgess (left) and music officer Mike Swanson and president Dorothy Cretney (right). Winner Lucy Little is centre of picture.

went to Stan Talman following a stunning performance on marimba and xylophone and there was a tie for third place between flautist Julia Joliffe and bassoonist Eleanor Little.

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Maesbury Singers celebrate 25 years of song

MUSIC

John’s musical homecoming

RAF musicians at Wellsway School

The choir will be supported by orchestral players and soloists. Tickets, priced at £8 (free for under 16s), are available from 01749 830486 or at the door.

Busy singers

CONGRESBURY Singers, once again directed by musical director Gordon Pullin, will be singing a selection from beautiful oratorios, including familiar extracts from works by Handel, Bach, Haydn, Stainer and Gounod, amongst others, at their next concert on Sunday March 30th.

These concerts have become very popular, so how about making an effort to take your mother out on Mothering Sunday for an evening of beautiful, uplifting and enjoyable music?

The concert will be held at St Andrew’s Church, Congresbury, at 7pm. Tickets cost £5 and can be obtained in advance from Paul on 01275 878740 or other choir members, or will be available on the door.

On the following Saturday, April 5th, they will travel to St Bridget’s church at Chelvey to reprise their previous year’s well-received performances of Stainer’s Crucifixion, at 7.30pm. There will be no charge for entry.

Photo by John Hawkins, branch vice chairman

MAESBURY Singers will celebrate their 25th anniversary with a concert on March 8th, at St. Cuthbert’s Church, Wells, starting at 7.30pm.

The varied programme will include Vivaldi’s Gloria, wellknown songs and anthems and four Shakespeare songs commissioned in 2013 from talented composer Owain Park, former senior organ scholar at Wells Cathedral.

Formed in 1988, the Maesbury Singers are a chamber choir of dedicated and experienced singers based in the Mendips, with a wide repertoire, ranging from Monteverdi to Lauridsen. Brought together by a common wish to sing yearround, they give regular concerts three or four times a year, attracting a loyal audience who appreciate the musical experience that a small choir can bring.

The group is conducted by well-known local musician Iain Macleod Jones, the latest in a line of distinguished conductors who have led the Maesbury Singers since their formation. Many of the group have been members from the beginning, others have joined along the way and the anniversary concert gives an opportunity to many former members to rejoin the choir for this special performance.

A MUSICIAN from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force was back on home territory for a workshop and concert involving pupils from Bath and North East Somerset Council’s Music Service.

Bass trombonist Jonathan (Josh) Hayward is a former pupil of Midsomer Norton’s Longvernal Primary School and Somervale Secondary School, who had trombone lessons from the age of eight through the service.

Josh performed with members of the band’s brass ensemble at a workshop and concert at Wellsway School in Keynsham involving 15 pupils.

Andrew Foister, assistant head of the Music Service, said: “I used to teach Josh when he was a member of the Mendip Music Centre, as well as the School’s Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Band and Brass Tacks. It was great to welcome him back – along with his band mates – our current students were thrilled to have this opportunity to rehearse and perform with such a prestigious and accomplished set of musicians.”

Meanwhile, a concert in Street by the Central Band of the Royal Air Force to make the 70th anniversary of the Royal Air Forces Association raised a good sum for the welfare of present and past service personnel in mid-Somerset.

Cadets from the four Air Cadet squadrons in the area – 914, Glastonbury and Street; 1955, Wells; 1182, Shepton Mallet and 2277, Castle Cary – paraded standards in front of the band, conducted by Flight Lieutenant Richard Murray. The sell-out concert was organised by the Mid-Somerset Branch of the RAFA and was held at Millfield School.

The concert in Street

The 2014 concert will be held in December. Tickets will go on sale at the end of September at Millfield School (tel 01458 444320) or Street Tourist Information Centre (01458 447384) MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 37

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A perfect gift for Mother’s Day

AWARD-WINNING photographer, Jo Connor, who runs Individual Photography in Cheddar, has come up with a Mother’s Day package that’s designed to last far longer than a bunch of flowers or a box of chocolates.

You can give your mum a professional makeover and a top quality portrait to keep! Jo has teamed up with a TV and film accredited, professional make-up artist, to provide this special gift.

Enjoy a glass of something special and some nibbles whilst your make-up is done and then it’s into the studio for a fully professional photo-shoot.

Three-course Mother’s Day Menu £15.95

Jo is sure to put you at ease and the result will be a stunning framed portrait that you will treasure for a lifetime.

This “To Mum with Love” package costs £89 and is available throughout March. For more details or to book telephone 01934 741599 or email info@individualphotography.co.uk Individual Photography is conveniently located on Cheddar Business Park and is easily accessible with plenty of on-site parking. The studio relocated to these larger premises in October 2013.

Jo offers family portraiture, fine art dog portraiture and corporate headshots. She is a qualified member of the SWPP and won their prestigious title “Monochrome Photographer of the Year 2012”.

Something special

BOOK EARLY!

BOWLISH House in Shepton Mallet is offering a gourmet lunch for Mothering Sunday, with a promise that guests will be properly pampered.

The four star hotel is a grade II listed Georgian property with easy access to Bath and Wells. If you are planning a wedding or other event, or just exploring Somerset and the surrounding country, this is the perfect place for you.

It offers comfortable rooms in a friendly environment, where every effort is made to assure you of a pleasurable stay.

Why not treat mum and the other special women in your life to a gourmet lunch at Bowlish House on Sunday March 30th – booking is advised.

Cheddar Business Park, Wedmore Road, Cheddar, BS27 3EB Tel: 01934 741599 Email: info@individualphotography.co.uk Web: www.individualphotography.co.uk

PAGE 38 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

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THE RED LION

MOTHER’S DAY

VILLAGE PUB & RESTAURANT Sutton Hill Road, Bishop Sutton BS39 5UT

Photo by Ignyte Limited Radstock

01275 333042

Enjoy Mother’s Day with us

One course – £10.95 Two courses – £13.95 Three courses – £16.95 A choice of three roasts, fish and vegetarian options Prepared by our award-winning chef Scott Lucas

Home-produced food served

12noon–2pm – ish • 6pm–9pm – ish Don’t be too late! Book to make sure of a table.

A choice of real ales, ciders and quality wines

The Red Lion – the pub at the heart of the community

EXTENDED OPENING HOURS! Monday, 4.30pm – close • Tues, Wed, Thurs 12noon-2.30pm and 4.30pm-close • Friday Saturday and Sunday – open all day

The Bowlish House Sample Menu Butternut Squash Veloute with toasted Pumpkin Seeds Terrine of Ham Hock & Chicken, Piccalilli & Brioche Prawn & Smoked Salmon Salad with Dill Mascarpone & Lemon Dressing

Make Mothers Day memorable Sunday March 30th, 12.00pm to 2.00pm Booking Advisable

Roast Leg of Pork, Apple Puree, Roast Potatoes served with a Sage & Red Wine Sauce Roast Fillet of Cod, Crushed New Potatoes and a Chive & White Wine Cream Pan Fried Breast of Chicken, Truffle Creamed Potato with a Tomato & Thyme Sauce Spinach and Goat’s Cheese Risotto Chocolate Fudge Cake & Wild Strawberry Ice Cream Lemon Tart with Mascarpone Sticky Toffee & Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce Selection of Cheeses with Crackers & Chutney (£4 )

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

Two Courses £11.50 Three Courses £15.95 (Children under 12 half price) Coffee £2.95 pp • Tea £2.50 pp

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 39

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MOTHER’S DAY

BEAH

English & Mediterranean Restaurant, Wells

WE WILL BE OPEN FOR LUNCH ON BOTH MOTHERING SUNDAY & EASTER SUNDAY! Reservations are now being taken for Mother’s Day Lunch Sunday March 30th from 12 noon – 2pm.

Special three course menu available, just £16 Easter Sunday Lunch Sunday April 20th from 12 noon – 2pm Special three course menu, just £16 Booking Essential For more information, call Nicola on 01749 678111 email: info@beah.co.uk

www.beah.co.uk Relaxed and friendly dining in the heart of Wells

PAGE 40 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

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WILDLIFE

MARCH is the month that many hedgerow birds begin nesting.

One of the first to start is the dunnock, a skulky little brown bird, also known as

By CHRIS the hedge accentor SPERRING and formally known MBE as the hedge sparrow.

The modern name dunnock derives from the old British word meaning little brown one, but the common name for this bird has long been debated.

It is easy to see why hedge sparrow stuck for so long, as its streaked brown plumage is very similar to that of house or tree sparrows, but there was even an old fable that called the dunnock a female robin.

Measuring around 14cm in length, the dunnock is superbly camouflaged with brown and black streaked back intermixed with white flecks and a grey front. The head of the adults is blue-grey, and the bill is thin and straight, classic for an insect feeder. The habitat of the dunnock is mixed, from woodland, scrub and hedgerow in open countryside, to parks and gardens in urban settings.

During February and March it’s possible to hear dunnocks singing, as they normally deliver their pretty song from the top of bushes, and never high in the tree. The song is like a burst of high pitched notes, rolling in form, but not delivered with any force. It can easily be

drowned out by more dominant singers as spring progresses, but at this time it is a really uplifting sound to hear when out on a crisp March morning.

The nest is a deep cup shape and is constructed by the female. However, the breeding life of a dunnock is rather complicated; they can display monogamy, polygynandry or polygyny where, for example, one female may have several males, or two males may share several females. This behaviour seems to be regulated by the abundance of food in any one year. Females can lay up to five blue eggs, and young could be fed (in some cases) by several males and a female.

The decline of the dunnock is well noted and it is now afforded amber status on the national list of Bird of Conservation of Concern (BCC), having declined by 25-50%. For the last two years, my garden has been almost void of dunnocks and several friends have noticed the same thing.

The implications of the demise of the dunnock also appear to be affecting one of our most well known and loved summer visitors, the cuckoo. The dunnock is a favourite host species for cuckoos in Britain and so, without dunnock nests to lay their eggs in, cuckoos are also declining.

They can of course still be heard in wetland areas like the Somerset Levels where they favour nests of reed warblers, but in drier farmland areas the summer song of the cuckoo is becoming an ever rarer sound.

Photography by Chris Sperring

The dunnock – an original Mendip hedger!

Dunnocks feed mainly on insects and other invertebrates, as well as seeds of plants like dock, cocksfoot grass and nettle during the winter when invertebrates are scarce.

Though not the most spectacular bird to look at, the dunnock is a species which needs our help. They won’t use nesting boxes, but instead rely on thick hedgerows to nest inside. Leaving our hedges to grow a bit taller and thicker will really help this bird, as will avoiding using chemical insecticides wherever possible. Putting food on the ground will help them too, as they prefer to feed at ground level but, if there is any chance of cats chasing them, build or buy a large cage to place over the food with bars wide enough for small birds but too narrow for cats to squeeze in. Leaving areas of scrub like bramble for nesting sites and attracting insects will help, as will allowing nettle and dock patches to develop in wild corners of the garden.

And, if you have hedges to cut back, please do it at the end of winter and then leave until after birds have finished nesting. The odd trim is fine but any major work should only be done at the end of winter to avoid removing vital winter foods like berries, or disturbing nesting birds like dunnocks.

Many bird species will only get one chance at nesting each year and if they are disturbed it can have a huge impact on the species as a whole. Also, the lower and thinner our hedges are the easier it is for predators like cats and magpies to find and reach the nesting birds inside.

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

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 41

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Sue’s charity walk

THIS is a pretty, off-the-beaten track circle in south east Somerset. You can do it yourself or put on your walking boots (or wellies!) and join me for the annual sponsored walk in aid of Arthritis Research (ARC) on Easter Saturday.

Together with Les Davies and the former Mendip Hills rangers we will lead this varied circle, which Les and I devised, from the lovely village of Charlton Adam. (See full details at the end).

The event is sponsored, as always, by Butcombe Brewery and so it circles round from one of their great country pubs, the Fox and Hounds at Charlton Adam. We can cater for 100 walkers in five groups of 20.

Explore the very pretty farmland, enjoy good views, go through woodland, pass an amazing solar farm, visit Butleigh’s interesting war memorial and admire the graceful spired church at Kingweston. The walk follows good tracks and quiet lanes, with some field path walking and, obviously, depending on ground conditions, expect some wet and mud in parts. But by and large we have tried to keep you dry but don’t expect me to clean your boots! It is a suitable walk for dogs as stiles did not seem to be canine proof.

It is longer than usual, but has only one or two gentle hills, and is not difficult.

PARK: Charlton Adam, easily reached from the A37 south of Shepton Mallet, a

couple of miles before it joins the A303.

The Fox and Hounds is signposted and has a very good car park.

START: Turn left along the village street on the Macmillan Way West past pretty cottages. Bend left staying on the principal street, past the village shop (which has a hot drinks machine) and then bend left on Broad Street passing an old chapel. Reach the High Street and go right and as you start to leave the village, pass the village church. At the end of the church wall, go right and immediately left up steps onto a footpath and down the left side of the field. Cross a stile onto a lane.

1. WAR MEMORIAL Follow it right and shortly, at the war memorial go left on the footpath to Mill Lane along a track. At Mill Lane, go right, past a pond and under the railway.

Follow the footpath to Peacocks Corner as the lane bends right. Go up the right edge of the field and over a stile, along a path, through a gate and to the end and onto a wide stony track, Somerton Lane.

2. SOMERTON LANE Turn left. This takes you along for nearly a mile, ignoring a crossing track, and as you drop downhill at Windmill Hill, get some really good views across Somerset. Join a lane and continue on, going under the rather remarkable brick railway arch.

With Sue Gearing PAGE 42 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

3. RAILWAY ARCH After about eight/nine minutes, take the small lane right. This goes through the

hamlet of Hurcot. As the lane begins to descend, go right on the Tarmac farm track. Just past the corrugated Dutch barn, bear right through the large metal gate and continue ahead. Then bend right uphill alongside a line of poplars.

Bend left at the end and go over a stile by a gate. Now turn right and stay down (don’t clamber up the hill). This rises gently and at the top of Hurcot Hill bear over left to a stile in the fence line.

Enjoy some good views from the hill top. Cross and come to an information board about the Polden Way.

4. WOODLAND We ignore this and turn right on the track through Copley Wood on the flat.

Cross a stream and continue on. Cross a stile on the right and carry on to reach a broad track. Go left along here, still in the woods, and ignoring side paths. As you drop down, look carefully for a yellow arrow directing you to fork down left. At the foot, turn left on a track (more of less straight on). Cross the stream staying on the main path and at the end of the wood, go left on a smaller path which goes up the bank and out into the open. Here is the amazing sight of a bank of solar panels.

5. SOLAR FARM Turn left for about half a minute and down in the wood on the left is an area marked intriguingly on the map as Magotty Pagotty. Does anyone know the origin of this? As you leave the rough ground, turn up right passing a wooden high seat and with the panels on your right. Continue on, joining much more

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WALKING

of a track. There are even more panels here. They are masterminded from British Solar Renewables at Higher Hill Farm and can produce up to five megawatts of power.

Cross the road and go ahead towards Higher Hill Farm and Butleigh. After a few minutes, turn right to Higher Hill Farm, passing it on your left, and getting some wonderful views across the Vale of Avalon and up to the Hood Monument.

Bend round through Hurcot and another farm and at the end reach Butleigh Cross.

6. BUTLEIGH CROSS This elegant stone war memorial gazes across country towards Wells and the cathedral. Turn right on this back road for a few minutes to the thatched lodge cottage for Kingweston House. Here turn left on the track and pass the parish church with its very graceful spire. It does contain some medieval fragments, but was largely rebuilt in the mid-19th century.

7. KINGWESTON Also pass Kingweston House which occupies the site of a previous Tudor House. The present building was built by the Dickinson family in the 19th century and since 1946 has been part of Millfield School.

Continue on along the main track/drive past cottages. When it bends right heading for the road, turn left on a dry track (this avoids going across the field).

Continue on when the track becomes grassy. Bend left, passing woodland on the left alive with snowdrops when I came. Bend left and go all the way to the end and through a Bristol Gate. Head down the right side of the field. Take the

OS Explorer, 129, Yeovil & Sherborne Grid ref: 541 288. Also crossed on to OS Explorer 141, Cheddar Gorge & Mendip Hills West. 9.5 miles, about 4.5 hours walking.

short path at the end, with a pond left.

8. FOOTBRIDGE Turn right over a footbridge into a field.

The path goes across the field, but it is probably best to go round the right edge to the far corner. Go along the edge of the next field and follow a track to a road.

9. TRACK Cross and turn left and soon go right down the marked track, round a bend, and to the end into a field. Again, the path should go diagonally across, but I chose

to go round the right edge, round a corner and then through a kissing gate onto the lane on the edge of Keinton Mandeville.

Go across, if the path looks obvious and there are no crops.

10. KEINTON MANDEVILLE Turn right and follow Combe Lane for just over a mile into Charlton Adam. You will cross over the main railway line enroute before meeting a road junction in Charlton Adam. From here, turn left and re-trace your start route to the Fox and Hounds. You are home!

The Fox and Hounds, Charlton Adam, tel: 01458 223466. www.foxandhounds.butcombe.com BUTCOMBE BREWERY PUB WALK

in aid of Arthritis Research UK. Easter Saturday, April 19th ready to start at 1pm at the Fox and Hounds. Dogs on lead please. Participants need to be reasonably fit and mobile and suitably dressed. £12.50 includes glass of mulled wine before the walk, and supper at the end. You can top this up with sponsorship if you are able.

To register and for more info. please contact Susie McCallum: 01225 313632. s.mccallum@arthritisresearchuk.org MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 43

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OUTDOORS

West Countryman’s Diary IS there anything else but the weather on our minds and in our everyday conversation these days? Since I wrote in last month’s issue, things have With LES gone from bad to even DAVIES MBE worse on the Levels, with water levels constantly rising, whilst the pumps battle to maintain control. The truth is they are not winning and far more water is pouring in than can be shifted through the drainage systems currently in place.

Some pretty high level visits have taken place down on the Levels over the last couple of weeks, with promises of help, both now and into the future. We need to take a very close look at how water levels are controlled from now on. Perhaps it’s time to take a radical look at the systems already in place, and putting aside the arguments of dredging for just one moment, ask the question: “Are they still fit for purpose?”

Is it time for a new system of main drains to be dug alongside those already in place? Perhaps it’s also time to look at how much concrete and tarmac we are putting down and the inevitable run-off of water that creates.

I know that I am in danger of becoming one of those people who sit back and give their ‘considered opinion’ whilst others struggle to get on with their lives and sort the situation out. We cannot entirely blame the authorities for what has happened.

Things go wrong, that is a fact of life, and no-one has the ability to predict the future in any great accuracy. What’s important is the action taken once things HAVE gone wrong.

These weather conditions used to be viewed as being exceptional; now we are waking up to the reality that they could become far more frequent as climate change makes its presence felt. If we thought that 2012 was bad, it’s time to think again and hope that there is going to be a massive drying out period through the summer.

I also hope that something good will come out of all this. If we are going to see more water, let’s make use of it through sustainable energy generation. Perhaps the future will see that happen. Perhaps there will even be a new cut “The Prince of

First aid for a victim of the storms

Wales Drain” dedicated to the man who came down, saw what was going on, put his hand in his pocket and put his money where his mouth is.

Well, with all that said and done, things do not look good out of the window at the moment. High winds and heavy rain again today! If you do get the chance to get out for a walk it’s going to be criminal to miss it. With my positive head now firmly in place let me remind you of the annual Arthritis Research UK sponsored walk over the Easter weekend.

This year the walk is moving off Mendip, but still has a Butcombe Brewery connection. Take a look at Sue Gearing’s walk this month and you will see that we are moving this year’s ‘bimble’ to the Charlton Adam area of south east Somerset. Now before you rush off and get your Cheddar map to try and locate this place, let me tell you that it’s just over the border onto the Yeovil map.

It is a very different landscape and even considering the weather and ground conditions when I walked it with Sue and her husband Peter, it still has a lot to offer with stunning views, woodland and open farmland. So mark the date, Saturday April 19th in your diary for a splendid and invigorating day out over the route of around 9.5 miles.

I’m still in the orchards pruning and now moving off the levels towards the edge of Keynsham, (spelt KEYNSHAM for those of us who remember Horace Bachelor and his winning football pools formula). I recently went to prune the Long Ashton Research Station fruit tree collection at the University of Bristol’s Goldney Hall. This is an amazing place tucked away high above Hotwells Road and was the home of the wealthy Quaker merchant of the same name in the 18th century.

It commanded a strategic view of the

river approach to Bristol (before the trees grew up) thus enabling this rich merchant to identify his ships and dispatch his agents to ensure quick turnaround of his vessels.

Now part of the garden is home to the Long Ashton Orchard, a collection of 36 different varieties of fruit trees, mainly apple, that were developed over the 100 years plus of the station’s existence.

Thanks to Bob Hughes, who was the station’s greenhouse manager for many years, the collection is all in one place.

For me the pleasure is immeasurable. To be invited back to carry out the pruning on these trees is a journey fulfilled. I started my working life at Long Ashton and learnt the skills of my trade there.

I’ve now come back to repay that investment! The other good news is the local community orchard in the village of Long Ashton will be grafting these varieties on, so that they will be back in the area once more.

On my way back, I took a detour through what was once the Research Station and what is now a residential housing estate.

The entrance road to the estate goes through the site where my house was when I worked there. The remainder of the roads were a mystery to me until I reached Pear Tree Road where, still growing alongside the road, are some of the pear trees I grafted all those years ago. The words from a song by the American singer/songwriter from the 1970s, Jim Croce, spring to mind: “When people and memories join, they’re not the same!”

Some other things not to be forgotten in the West Countryman’s Diary for March: Shrove (pancake) Tuesday March 4th.

The Vernal Equinox and spring begins on Thursday 20th.

Sunday 30th is Mother’s day and, would you believe, the start of summer. The clocks go forward!

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

PAGE 44 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

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YEO VALLEY ‘Over the next few months Yeo Valley will be bringing you a wide selection of guest writers from different areas of the family farm. Ranging from news from the garden, the farm team, the Mead family plus many more, we’ll be sharing a little about what’s going on behind the scenes here in the valley. Happy reading!’

JAMES COX

HEAD GARDENER AT THE YEO VALLEY ORGANIC GARDEN

WHEN the opportunity to work at the Yeo Valley Organic Garden arose seven years ago I naturally jumped at the chance.

Having previously worked for the Prince of Wales at Highgrove it was a natural progression as the gardens share so many similarities.

I grew up in the Midlands and my parents had a garden right on the banks of the River Severn, so from an early age I was used to a gardening challenge. One of my earliest memories of gardening is of a newly created area being carried away by the river flooding! Indirectly, I suppose I was already gardening in Somerset as this is where most of my hard work was ending up downstream!

Our garden here over the last year or so has been absolutely buzzing with activity. Our visitor numbers have seen a record high; with our Spring Plant Fair alone last year we attracted over 1300 visitors in one day!

For me, a great part of my job is that we are lucky to be able to host such fantastic speakers at the garden; last year my personal favourites were Chelsea Gold Medal Winner Cleeve West, Kim Willkie the man who can make the earth move and Marc Diacono who made us all cocktails before lunch “hooray.”

They were all just brilliant!

A ‘study tour’ to the Chelsea Flower Show in May saw an early morning start for the team as we had been able to bag some exhibitor’s passes. It was sheer luxury to actually be able to see the gardens properly and not just the back of someone’s shirt (we’re not known for our height). Wandering around the show ground without anyone else being there was magical.

Another aspect of what I find so rewarding about my job is

the interaction that I get with the visitors. We regularly hold garden tours and composting talks in the summer. It’s really encouraging to know that it doesn’t matter if the group are school children or retirees – gardening captivates everyone’s imagination.

For this coming season in the garden we have planted thousands of bulbs, enlarged our cut flower area, put in new hedging, improved our disabled access, expanded our car park and reworked our Ha Ha at the back of the house . . . so much for a quiet winter rest!

The garden opens again this year on the May 4th (Star Wars Day) for our Plant Fair and we are also holding a number of other events throughout the year. Please come and say hello we would love to see you – and anyone in a Star Wars costume gets a piece of cake!

If you’re interested in attending one of our Garden & Food Days, or any of our other events, you can find out more at www.yeovalley.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 45

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Is it really spring?

AFTER the wettest winter on record, gardeners (who are ever optimistic) will be looking forward to the season ahead.

Patience will be With MARY required, as it is vital PAYNE MBE to keep off the soil until it has dried out sufficiently.

For those on a clay soil this may take some time, but much can be done to get crops started, with the benefit of a simple cold frame, unheated greenhouse or even a windowsill. Many vegetables can be sown in containers of one sort or another and then transplanted when conditions improve.

Onion sets can be started in modular trays, whilst peas can be germinated in lengths of guttering filled with compost.

When ready to be transplanted the contents of the guttering are slid into a prepared drill. Parsnips and carrots do need to be sown direct into the ground as they have a long taproot which does not transplant.

Seed of round beetroot can be sown in modules and transplanted as small clusters.

Germination of beetroot seed can often be improved by soaking the seed overnight in water, drain and sow immediately. This washes out the chemical germination inhibitor that is in the seed.

French beans sown direct outdoors can be tricky if the soil is too wet as the seed absorbs water too quickly. To help overcome this, the seed can be pregerminated under controlled conditions.

Put a piece of damp kitchen roll in a container, add the seeds and put a lid on so the paper does not dry out. Leave the container indoors, somewhere warmish for 24 hours.

Then plant the beans outdoors as normal. They will have absorbed moisture from the damp paper at a more controlled rate, and germination is often considerably improved. If we have a dry summer then French beans are often better than runner beans, however there is now a hybrid between a French and a runner bean, called ‘Moonlight’ that claims to set well in drier conditions.

Bear in mind that after all the winter rain the soil may well be deficient in nitrogen, so leafy crops such as brassicas, spinach and lettuce will benefit from an application of fertiliser prior to sowing or planting. Spring cabbage that have PAGE 46 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Vegetable plot

survived the excessive winter rain will certainly require a top dressing of nitrogen to encourage them to heart up when the temperatures start to rise. Growmore fertiliser would be suitable for both of these jobs.

If your vegetable garden is prone to wet soil then it would be worth considering making raised beds. These will allow the soil to drain and therefore warm up quicker allowing earlier sowings of vegetables. Even as little as 150mm (6”) deep beds will make a surprising difference. It is also feasible to cover raised beds with polythene for the winter to keep out excess rain and warm the soil.

Once thoroughly prepared, there is no need to dig raised beds every year, because you don’t walk on the soil, and so it doesn’t get compacted. Garden compost or other organic matter can be applied in the autumn allowing the worms to drag it down. Make the beds a convenient width for your arm reach – 1.2 metres (4’) is usually about right.

In the flower garden there is still time to prune shrubs, indeed late March or early April is the ideal time to prune Buddleja davidii, cotton lavender, caryopteris and lavender. Herbaceous perennials can be lifted and divided discarding the old woody centre of the clump and replanting the young outside pieces.

Softwood cuttings can be taken from the new basal growths of many perennials, such as Aster x frikartii and Delphiniums before the stem of the new growth becomes hollow. Cut the shoots off at ground level. Trim off the lower

leaves and insert in a pot of well drained multi-purpose potting compost.

Cover with a plastic bag secured with a rubber band and stand on a warm windowsill out of the sun. After three or four weeks make a hole in the bag and leave for a few more days. The rooted cuttings can then be potted individually into small pots, and grown on.

If you wish to make some changes to your borders there is still time to move things around. Either spread out a large piece of plastic and put the clumps on it while you decide on their new positions, or if there is likely to be a delay in replanting simply pop each clump into a plastic carrier bag where they can stay for a few days. This makes it easy to reposition the plants before replanting.

Having a colour theme is one of the easiest ways to improve a border. Try to have plants with contrasting foliage forms adjacent to each other. For example a bold foliage plant, such as a hosta, always looks better next to one with spiky foliage, such as iris, and in the company of a feathery foliaged subject, such as an astilbe.

Contrast in flower form also adds to the effect. Scatter some evergreens and coloured stems through a border to enjoy during the winter months. Add a generous dose of narcissus, tulips and alliums for early effect and aim your main flowering period of perennials for late June through to late September.

Finish the season off with some spectacular autumn foliage tints and ‘hey presto’ you have a border that will give you interest and pleasure all year round.

Gardening section:Layout 1

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MARCH GARDEN TIPS

G 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.

G Protect newly emerging Clematis shoots from attack from snails, especially those growing low down.

G 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).

G Cut out any weak, dead or diseased shoots.

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

G 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. Don’t be afraid to trim the tops back a little as this will definitely help establishment. Be sure to water thoroughly and regularly throughout this year.

G If you haven’t done it already, prune Buddlejas back to about waist height and trim Lavateras (tree mallows) back to healthy new shoots.

Courtesy Cleeve Nursery

Consult the experts

GARDENING

THE Yeo Valley Plant Fair will take place on Sunday May 4th, 11am-5pm at the Yeo Valley Organic Garden, Blagdon.

You will have the chance to meet specialist growers and buy seeds and plants. Local craftspeople will also be selling their wares and you’ll be able to enjoy their garden in all its springtime glory. If you get peckish, their tearoom serves light lunches and afternoon teas.

There will be a charge of £1 per car to park.

Details: Jill 01761 461425 or events@yeovalley.co.uk

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

WORKSHOPS/GARAGES GARDEN SHEDS 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 2014 • PAGE 47

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MENDIP TIMES NGS GARDEN OF THE MONTH

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

Weston Garden Machinery Garden Machinery Specialist

JUST LIKE A CAR Powerful & Convenient

The New Powerline Lawn Tractors Hutton Garden Centre, Banwell Road, Hutton, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset BS24 9UB

Tel: 01934 813261 www.westongarden.co.uk PAGE 48 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

THE National Gardens Scheme has published its Yellow Book for 2014, featuring details of 3,800 gardens, including 600 new ones, which will be opening to raise money for the charity.

Mendip Times will support the charity once again by publishing a local Garden of the Month every month.

The NGS raised £2.2million for charities last year and has donated more than £40 million since it was launched in 1927. It supports Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Help the Hospices and Carers UK. The NGS is interested in hearing from anyone who would like to open their garden in aid of the scheme. Contact Somerset County organiser, Lucy Hetherington on 01934 713159 lucyhetherington@btinternet.com NGS opening details: The Old Rectory, Limmington, near Yeovil, is open by appointment in March.

Contact information: John Langdon and Paul Vintner 01935 840127 jdlpr@aol.com Other Gardens Open for the NGS To see more gardens open for the NGS, see The Yellow Book, or Local County Leaflet, soon to be available from local Garden Centres. Or go to: http://www.ngs.org.uk

As one of Somerset’s leading suppliers of garden machinery, we stock a wide range of garden tractors, mowers, strimmers, chainsaws, rotavators etc from most leading manufacturers, including the Husqvarna ‘Auto Mower’ Situated between Street & Bridgwater, please come and visit our showroom.

As well as garden machinery sales, we have a service centre and spares department and our Country Store sells almost anything from DIY items to kitchenware, sweets, ice creams, cakes and biscuits.

If you need it – we've probably got it!!'

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THE cafe has been part of Garden Park Garden Centre for the last five years. With its cosy surroundings of flagstone floors, open fire and wood panelling, together with a reputation for excellent food, all freshly prepared, it has become an established part of the garden centre and nursery. Now they have a beautifully restored, chocolate and cream 1957 railway carriage, which is an extension to the main cafe, where you can eat and drink in an atmosphere of pure nostalgia. Alongside the carriage is a railway platform with eating areas for warm, sunny days, with tranquil views over the garden centre and nursery to the Mendip Hills and beyond. It’s an experience not to be forgotten.

GARDENING

www.6-x.co.uk

All aboard at Garden Park

www.6-x.co.uk

Gardening section:Layout 1

Tree Stump removal and Stump Grinding Services throughout the South West

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

Tel: 01934 710135 • Mob: 07799 014639

If not available in your local garden centre please see our website for 15Kg. and 20Kg. bags which are available online for direct delivery to your doorstep e-mail: roger@groworganic.org

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 49

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MENDIP TIMES

Lowarth Garden and Landscape Design Chelsea Flower Show Silver Gilt medal winner

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

NAILSEA and District Horticultural Society are preparing for their Ruby Anniversary Show on Saturday April 5th. It will be held as usual in the atrium of Nailsea School, a perfect setting for this type of show.

Those wishing to enter any of the 150+ classes can collect a free schedule from the library, PS Travel or the Garden Shop in the Courtyard which will give them all the information that they need.

So whether you cultivate, cook or create why not give it a go.

The show will be open to the public at 12.30 and the presentation of prizes will take place at 5pm. As well as seeing the top National Daffodil Society show in the area, visitors will be able to enjoy top-class works of floral art and photography.

John Hamblin from the society said: “To run that many annual shows is a great achievement and all those involved should be commended for their hard work, but their greatest reward would be to see the atrium full of exhibitors and visitors on what will be a landmark day for the society.”

Professional Tree Surgeons and Consultants 01761 241871 info@alltree.co.uk www.alltree.co.uk PAGE 50 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

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GARDENING

Mells “Daffs” off

THIS Easter’s Mells Daffodil Festival has been cancelled due to the current bad weather.

Organisers made the decision because the fields are saturated. A statement on the festival website said: “It is with great regret and much sadness that following the recent and unprecedented rainfall the organising committee wish to advise the cancellation of this year’s festival.

“In common with so many villages and communities in Somerset, the village, surrounding farmland and, in particular, the fields upon which we rely for our parking and major events are saturated. With little or no prospect of those fields becoming useable in the near future it was agreed that it would be in the best interests of all stallholders, festival visitors and the local community that this decision was communicated as early as practical to allow everyone the best opportunity to make alternative arrangements.

“The Mells Daffodil Festival will return in 2015 and we look forward to again welcoming you all to this wonderful event and do look in on our website and facebook page www.facebook.com/mellsdaffday for up to date information and news.

“We thank all of you for your past, continued and future support.”

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Mendip Mowers is your local authorised Honda Dealer for Trowbridge, Bradford on Avon, Westbury, Warminster and Frome – we continue to supply and service the full range of Honda Lawnmowers, Brushcutters, hedgetrimmers, tillers and snowblowers.

At Mendip Mowers and Newlands Tree Care we strive to offer the service we would look for from other providers: friendly, genuine, prompt and reliable.

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

Purveyors of the finest hardy perennials, shrubs, trees, climbers, exotics and specimens

Visit our ROCK CAKE CAFE Serving breakfast, lunch & afternoon tea Browse around JAMES STORE Large stock of HOME BREW PRODUCTS + many other bargains See our website for more details www.rockymountainnursery.co.uk

ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDS – SET IN 12 WONDERFUL ACRES –

Wrington Road, Congresbury BS49 5AN Tel: 01934 876337 www.middlecombenursery.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 51

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MENDIP TIMES

Party boosts bid for Wizzy Bug

MEMBERS of the Inner Wheel Club of Frome and their partners gathered at the Assembly Rooms in the town to celebrate the 90th year of the inauguration of the worldwide organisation.

Some 60 people attended the event Kate Lewis, president of the Inner Wheel organised by Club of Frome, with a Wizzy Bug Barbara Sellar and her club services committee. It included a presentation by club president Kate Lewis about the Wizzy Bug electronic vehicle for young children with disabilities.

A Wizzy Bug costs £4,000 and District 20 Chairman Rita Jolliffe has made this her project for her year in office.

The event also featured a celebration cake made by Renee Cole and decorated by Ann McKenna. June Seward, the club’s oldest member, had the honour of cutting it.

Flower show fundraisers

NEWS

Songs and stories in Street

Storyteller Ian Rogers with the Bookstart Bear and young library-goers Antonia and Lauren

CELEBRATIONS have taken place to mark the 90th anniversary of the public library in Street.

The library reopened in February after a refurbishment and for new self-service equipment to be installed.

Street Library was built with financial support from the Clark shoe family. It is now run by Somerset County Council.

The reopening party included music from the Street Sings! choir, storytelling by children’s author Ian Rogers, of Barton St. David and the cutting of two birthday cakes.

Here’s to the 125th show: committee members Jackie Billam, Alan Davies, Helen Gulliford, Ian Chant, Emma Gulliford and Judy Collins

ORGANISERS of the 125th annual Writhlington Flower Show are holding a series of fundraising events to ensure this year’s event is the best to date.

This year’s event takes place on the playing field next to village hall on Saturday, August 16th. The show has strong links to the area’s mining past when workers would compete for prizes such as manure or vegetable seeds. A nearly-new sale was held in February in the hall and the show committee is organising a quiz night to be held on Saturday, March 29th. All teams are welcome.

For more information contact chairman Rob Langley on 07970 708216 or secretary Helen Gulliford on 01761 420417.

PAGE 52 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Somerset County Councillor David Hall, who has responsibility for libraries, Sue Crowley, the county’s library services manager, Richard Clark and Sasha Cox, from Street library, cut the cakes

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Lost caves of Mendip

THERE are more than 1,000 caves and mines known in the Mendip Hills and more are found and extended every year. Not all of them remain, however, With PHILIP due to a variety of HENDY causes. Some are merely the subject of rumour or legend.

Quarrying and other deep commercial excavations often reveal hitherto unknown caves, though they are often short-lived.

One such discovery was Balch Cave in Fairy Cave Quarry. This was a beautifully decorated cavern, which survived long enough to be fully explored and photographed before the quarrymen moved on into the hill.

When cuttings were made for the M5 near Banwell, cavers scoured the excavations and found at least four small caves which were soon lost as work continued.

From time to time road collapses reveal caves or mines. One occurred in 1962 on the Wells Road in Priddy and there have been several subsidences in the fields and roads around Green Ore, where mineshafts were bulldozed and lost.

One shaft known as Ores Close Cave was explored to a depth of 17 metres by the Mendip Nature Research Committee in 1938. Some natural cavities were entered, but the site is now lost as the field was flattened in 1955. In 1982 at the lower end of the Old Bristol Road just outside Wells, the GPO were digging a trench to bury cables when the road collapsed into a small muddy but decorated cave.

Cavers rushed to the scene, finding the chamber to be 14 metres long by five wide.

There was a metre-high stalagmite column and flowstone on the walls. Strangely, prints made by hobnail boots were seen in the mud, but there is no record of this cave having been previously entered. The chamber was almost the width of the road

Photograph by Phil Hendy

The squeeze into Firmament Chamber, Loxton Cavern

and it was surprising that the roof had not collapsed under the weight of traffic, because it was very thin.

Over the next few days, cavers dug through a muddy crawl to another similar chamber, and a possible connection back to the surface in a nearby garden. Inevitably, the hole had to be filled to allow the road surface to be restored, though not before corrugated iron sheets were laid against the walls in the hope of protecting the formations.

Some so-called lost caves may have never existed. An old guidebook refers to a cave at Green Ore Farm. This may be a reference to Nedge Hill Hole, which itself has been lost when toxic waste oil was dumped there and the site was levelled for safety reasons.

Burrington was supposed to have a bone cave within half a mile of Aveline’s Hole. It has now been shown that the antiquarian Rutter, writing in 1829, was rather confused, and in fact described the Fairy Toot long barrow at Butcombe.

Similarly, the search for the lost cave of Cheddar, a large river cave, came to an end when it was convincingly shown that the cave in question was in fact Wookey Hole Cave. The confusion arose due to writers not familiar with the area locating the cave at Cheddar and not just outside Wells.

One lost cave which I happened upon was Seven Springs, in Asham Valley. This rising was buried when a quarry road was made in 1948. While walking there in 1982 I found that the quarry had been extended and at the foot of the face was a strong flow of water from what looked like a passable hole. I soon returned with a cave diver, but the stream had dried up, leaving a roomy crawl with a cracked mud floor.

There was a strong draught, and we entered full of hope. After a short distance, however, we found the way on was blocked by a loose boulder choke, although the passage could be seen to continue beyond it. Another visit was called for, with ropes and crowbars, but we were not quick enough, as on our return, the quarry face had been blasted again, burying the hole under an immovable pile of large rocks, from which the stream continues to flow.

A nearby shaft in the quarry floor, Yogi Hole, has been dug to some depth, but it floods after heavy rain, and the water from this and nearby holes comes out under such

CAVING

Ladder climbing in Balch Cave

pressure that it forms domes in the flood pool.

Sometimes lost caves which are well documented are found again, though not without a lot of effort. One such is Loxton Cavern, originally discovered by miners in 1757, and described by Dr. Catcott of Bristol. It had been lost by 1837, but was rediscovered in 2005 by members of the Axbridge Caving Group. The cave matches Catcott’s description almost to the letter.

Fernhill Cave in Fairy Cave Quarry was lost under waste rock in 1965. By comparing old photographs with the present quarry, in 2008 a consortium of cavers managed to relocate and then excavate the entrance, allowing visits once more to see the beautiful Curtain Passage.

On Axbridge Hill, for many years, the Axbridge Caving Group had searched for a cave with a chamber ‘as large as Axbridge Square’. This was discovered by miners around 1920, and found to be rich in ochre.

It was later sealed and lost. Eventually, close inspection of contemporary documents led to the cave being located and re-entered. Although the main chamber of Axbridge Hill Cave is not quite as large as the nearby Square, it is still an interesting place, with some traces of mining activity still to be seen.

Most of the lost sites are abandoned digs, which are backfilled when it becomes apparent that, despite all hopes, continued digging would be useless. Some, such as Hywel’s Hole in Lamb Bottom, or Ores Close Cave at Green Ore, have apparently been lost forever, as the precise location is unknown. Some dig sites are accurately located and await the enthusiasm of a new team of cavers, perhaps with more up-todate digging methods.

Phil has been caving for more than 47 years and is a member of the Wessex Cave Club. He has been involved in producing several caving publications and is a caving instructor in Cheddar. His main interest is digging for new caves.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 53

Photograph by M. Baker

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MENDIP TIMES

Dealing with stress

STRESS happens for a reason. It’s your body’s way of telling you it’s having trouble coping with whatever you’re throwing at it. And it

By Dr PHIL won’t go away unless HAMMOND you do something to stop it. Here are some tips.

Learn to recognise the signs early (e.g. indigestion, headaches, back aches, stomach cramps, poor sleep, racing heart, fatigue, irritability, sweaty palms, poor concentration).

Stress usually happens when demand exceeds supply. You get overwhelmed because you just can’t do what you’ve committed yourself to do. So don’t.

Take your foot off the accelerator. Step back from the edge. Get off the treadmill.

Choose whatever metaphor you want but you must do less. Or you’ll explode.

Cut out the crap. Most of us do far more than we have to, a lot of which is completely unnecessary. Be absolutely brutal with your diary. Sort out the things you want or need to do for yourself from the ones other people want you to do.

Slash the latter and delegate. Remember, time is limited and work is limitless.

Always was, always will be.

Most worries never happen. If you’re tortured by the possible consequences of doing less, write down exactly what your worries are. Sort out the ones you can do something about from the ones that are completely out of your control. Discard the second lot.

Take the first list above and rationalise.

Sort out the worries that are really likely to happen (be honest) from the one’s you’re just getting in an illogical flap about. Scrub out the second lot. You’re list will now be very short and manageable.

Come up with a sensible plan for each one that is achievable.

FART as much as you can. F for Friendship and Fun (when did you last have some?), A for Assert yourself (find out what your rights are and stand up for them or you’ll be shat on), R for Reflection (take time out regularly to consider to think about what you’re doing with your life and what needs to change.)

T is for Time-Off. Boasting that you haven’t taken a holiday for years is a sure

sign of a sad life. Take your whole quota every year. And have a very strict delineation between work and private life – especially if you work from home.

Be realistic about what you can achieve and negotiate an agreement with your boss. Don’t be trapped into overcommitment.

Talk. If you choose your confidantes wisely, your stress can vanish. But if you choose a back-stabbing gossip, it can double.

Take regular exercise. The trick is to choose something you know you’ll be able to persevere with two or three times a week.

If you can’t manage the above and you know you’ll be able to look after it, get a dog. You’ll feel duty bound to walk it and you may well end up loving it more than any human. There’s strong scientific evidence that a close bond with a pet is as a superlative stress-buster.

Never underestimate the power of relaxation. It’s isn’t just touchy-feely psycho-babble. The way you breath is a fair indicator of your stress level (rapid is high).

Five minutes deep, slow breathing wearing loose-fitting clothes in front of an open window can lead you to Nirvana.

Try not to comfort eat, drink or smoke.

Most bad habits are governed by our emotional state and it’s all too easy to get into a vicious spiral downwards.

If you think your stress is turning into depression (do you look forward to anything in life? Have you thought of harming yourself?), get help early.

Don’t nick Granny’s Valium. It’s more addictive than heroin.

Notice stuff. Anxiety is worrying about the future; depression is worrying about the past. So live in the moment and wonder at the beauty of what is around you. Spend five minutes staring at something (e.g. your hands) as if you were a curious scientist spotting it for the first time. Really notice every detail. Be Here Now is not just an Oasis album.

When the going gets tough, remember the three P’s. Pace yourself, Pamper yourself and Piss yourself laughing. You only go round the track once.

Remember, no-one ever said on their death bed that they wished they’d spent more time at the office.

And if you need a laugh, Dr Phil’s new tour comes to Frome Memorial Theatre on May 30th. Box office 01373 462795.

PAGE 54 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Party time!

IT is birthday season. Middle child has reached the grand old age of 12. Only a year away from becoming a teenager but she appears to have reached this milestone early.

I catch her applying my make-up in the car before we set off for the bus stop in the morning. I explain that this is not hygienic but hygiene will not win this one for me.

She blinks at me with mascara be-decked lashes and ignoring my protests explains how she is organising her birthday party.

She is going to meet up with friends at a restaurant for an early birthday supper.

As the bus disappears I wonder at how the stresses of party bags have been replaced by stresses of a different kind. I remember one of the first parties I organised for my eldest daughter. A bouncy castle on the recreation ground was followed by games and a party tea.

I naively thought that these activities would fill two hours but no, everyone was fired up with sugar and filled up with food 45 minutes into the party.

Then there was the barbecue and outdoor swimming with 20 friends when eldest child was 11. It rained torrentially until five minutes before the party began at which point the clouds parted and the sun came out just like the opening sequence of The Simpson’s.

This was followed by more summer fun in subsequent years, more torrential rain and the cat giving birth coinciding with one wet camp-out (at least they were out of the house!).

The sleepover in celebration of eldest child’s tenth birthday topped them all though and marked my card with several parents in the village. Half a dozen excitable girls, a film and large quantities of sugar (helpfully supplied by their parents) would never be conducive to a good night’s sleep.

They were going through a competitive phase with each other’s sleepover parties and would talk animatedly about “so and so’s” sleepover where “they broke the record” for staying up late into the night.

They broke the record in my house by not sleeping at all!

Unfortunately, I was not able to pace up and down outside the bedroom door all night, so was unaware while I slept that six small girls were wide awake and giggling.

Middle child doesn’t want anyone for a sleepover for her forthcoming birthday – I forgive her the mascara and thank God for small mercies.

MENDIP MUM

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Coping with dementia

HEALTH & FAMILY

By Steve Egginton

FORMER GP, Dr Jennifer Bute, who was forced to retire because of Alzheimer’s Disease, has gained an international reputation since then by making videos and giving lectures about the disease – and has now launched a cartoon aimed at a younger audience.

She moved to Sandford Station’s Retirement Village three years ago, with her husband, Stanley, who died four months later. Her own website www.gloriousopportunity.org shows a poignant video about her own struggle to cope with dementia.

She said: “It has become my passion to try and help people understand about it, because I do believe it is a great opportunity, a God-given unexpected gift in order to understand this hurt section of society.”

Her son, David, who owns a computer company in the Ukraine, makes her DVDs, which are sold around the world, and manages her website.

She said: “I have five grandchildren and he kept saying I needed to do something for children and suggested a cartoon.

Then someone else whom I respected asked me to do something for children and my daughter, Alison, decided in May last year to write a story about a dragon as an example of me telling my story of my dementia in disguise!

“David then said he would make it into a cartoon. So we

embarked on the journey of editing the story and choosing the style of the cartoon and David’s ‘people’ started drawing it (25 frames a second) in September last year.

“My daughter reads the story. We made changes and improvements and the Dragon Story cartoon is the end result which was finished at the beginning of December.”

The four-minute cartoon was shown at a national conference in Plymouth, chaired by former newsreader, Angela Rippon, who became an ambassador of the Alzheimer’s Society after her mother suffered from the disease. It will now be used as a national teaching aid.

Dr Bute was a GP in Southampton before moving to Sandford. She said: “I could not cope any longer in my own home. We looked all round the country and this was the best!”

Details: www.thedragonstory.org (£10 including resource pack).

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 55

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MENDIP TIMES

Torrwood Care Centre

G Brand new build 17-place residential dementia wing all rooms ensuite with their own showers G Recently landscaped garden is safe for all to enjoy G Pastoral and Spiritual support from a dedicated Chaplain G Shared lounges are places to relax or meet friends during the day G Respect for each resident as an individual helping them to enjoy the best out of every day

For more information contact Lesley Cole, General Manager, Torrwood, Gilbert Scott Road, South Horrington Village Wells, Somerset BA5 3FB • Tel: 01749 675533

PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

HEALTH & FAMILY

It’s good to talk

JULIE-ELLEN Carmichael is a BACP accredited counsellor and psychotherapist with more than nine years’ experience. She has a PGCE, is AVR registered and counsels within the BACP framework offering a confidential and safe environment near Street.

Many people are fighting battles that only they are aware of.

Talking about these feelings is the start of understanding how to deal with them and attain a better state of well-being.

Julie-Ellen offers a warm welcome to all her clients and those who have troubling emotions, fears and anxieties. She has worked with a wide variety of problems and talking really can be the first step to looking at life, in a very different way.

Contact Julie-Ellen today and start a new approach to your life.

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COMMUNITY

Beware the flood fraudsters – and the clean-up cowboys

IT’S likely to be many months before the lives of people affected by the floods on the Levels and Moors and even those higher up on Mendip

By SIMON who’ve escaped the SELBY worst can begin to return to normal but I wanted to highlight a couple of issues that are very relevant and have a not-so-obvious connection.

Firstly, what can appear to be innocuous water often isn’t. It’s obvious that you can’t see the dangerous debris, or hidden holes such as where manhole covers have become displaced; however just pause to consider what else has become mixed with all this generally static water. A recent test of some water showed huge amounts of Coliform bacteria as a direct result of effluent/sewage contamination.

Secondly, whenever there is suffering sadly there are some unpleasant people who would seek to take advantage of it.

Trading standards officers in Somerset are warning people affected by the recent floods to be aware of rogue traders and cowboy builders. Previous incidents of severe weather in the UK have seen these people offering a range of dubious and sometimes illegal flood and damage recovery services.

Somerset county councillor David Hall, the lead member for the service, which also covers Devon, said: “Previous experience has shown that dishonest traders may seek to take advantage of those affected by flooding and I would urge anyone needing essential remedial work to follow the trading standards advice.

“We are determined to clamp down on any rogue traders and we will take robust action in all cases where dishonest practice is identified.”

Trading Standards is urging people to be on their guard and to follow some simple steps: • Don’t be rushed into making a decision on the doorstep, even if the trader says the work needs to be done urgently.

• If you do need to have work done get three quotes. Estimates mean prices can increase, whereas quotes should only

Flytipping at East Woodlands

vary with your permission.

• Use local firms with good reputations.

Ask friends and family if they can recommend a trader or use a Buy with Confidence members. Buy with Confidence members are audited by Trading Standards and agree to trade fairly and honestly. To find a business near you check out the Buy with Confidence website or call 01823 357261 for a list of members in your area.

• Doorstep traders are required to give you a seven day cooling off period in which you can cancel the contract if you change your mind. Works should not start within the cooling off period without your consent. Think carefully about allowing works to start within your cooling off period.

• And don’t forget to look out for vulnerable neighbours and relatives who may be persuaded or pressured into agreeing to work they don’t need.

So, at the end of the day, where do all the ruined, broken or damaged items end up? The correct answer is disposed of properly and not just dumped. A Frome man admitted fly-tipping rubbish on behalf of a friend at a Mendip beauty spot. Leon Stevens, 38, of St John's Road, Frome, who fly-tipped in East Woodlands, near Frome, was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £250 costs.

The prosecution was brought as part of renewed efforts by all district councils in Somerset to clamp down on fly-tippers through new equipment, warning signs, newspaper adverts and further training for enforcement officers, backed by

Somerset County Council.

Meanwhile, a number of other recent court cases have highlighted the duty of care every individual and business has over their waste even after it has left their premises. In one, a £30 deal to get rid of household rubbish cost a North Petherton man £170. Wayne Clapp, aged 33, of Catalan Way, was fined £150 with a £20 victim surcharge after his waste was fly-tipped under the Huntworth Viaduct. Clapp paid someone to take away rubbish that was later fly-tipped.

He was found guilty not of fly-tipping himself but of "failing to take reasonable measures to ensure the transfer of household waste to an authorised person".

A spokesman for Somerset Waste Partnership said: “As all councils in Somerset work together to drive down fly-tipping and deter, catch and convict fly-tippers, this emphasises that residents should check that any trader taking their waste away has the right licence, and that any member of the public needs to be vigilant.”

Ironically, as Mendip Times went to press, SWP’s governing board was due to discuss extending the timetable of five of Somerset's busier recycling sites to sevenday working but closing the site at Coleford. Details of all recycling sites, their opening hours and the materials they take can be found on the SWP website at www.somersetwaste.gov.uk/sites/opening or by calling Somerset Direct on 0845 3459188. Business directories list legitimate companies that provide waste services.

Simon Selby is director of the national Crimebeat charity.

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Remembrance race

Mendip remembers

T H E G R E A T WA R 1 9 1 4 - 1 8

SCHOOLCHILDREN could benefit from a unique pigeon race being held from Belgium to Somerset to commemorate the start of World War One. Organisers are asking owners of birds to nominate schools of their choice to win an educational trip to Ypres to learn more about the conflict.

The 253-mile race from Ypres to Pilton will take place on Sunday, August 24th. It is being organised by Terry and Jane Williams, who run the Somerset One Loft Race from their home in Pilton.

One loft racing is run along the lines of a horse racing yard where owners send their animals to a specific trainer.

The Somerset “yard” has space for 2,000 birds, although there are usually only around half that number for health

Jane holding the 2014 One Loft newsletter in one of the lofts

and welfare considerations.

Terry and Jane have the backing of the municipal authorities in Ypres to release the birds from close to the town centre. Ypres was the scene of four battles in WWI and was virtually destroyed. It was gradually rebuilt after the war. The Last Post takes place every day at the iconic Menin Gate.

Jane said: “They are really pleased that we want to be involved in the Remembrance year and they regard our

Early arrivals – the lofts opened at the beginning of February and birds will continue to arrive until the beginning of April

proposals as really appropriate and most welcome.”

It will take the fliers around seven to eight hours to reach Pilton, where large crowds gather to watch the birds arrive after regular races. Those tend to begin in the south east of England and the Remembrance Flight will face particular challenges, said Terry: “We decided on Ypres because it will allow the birds to reach a good height over land before they reach the sea. They’ll also be flying east to west, which is unusual.”

He added: “It is a bit like horse racing; there are risks involved.”

Homing pigeons have a long association with conflicts because of their ability to carry messages over long distances. They were even used to carry cameras. During WWI, an American pigeon called Cher Ami received a gallantry award after successfully delivering a vital message despite being badly injured.

Jane said: “We call it heroism but pigeons and other animals used during wars don’t know that; they’re trained to do a job.”

The couple regularly give talks to schools and are happy to welcome school parties to the loft. Terry said: “We thought we should dedicate a race to the fallen of all conflicts since 1914 and want it to benefit young people so that they too can learn about the history.”

Aston Coaches of Glastonbury has already offered its support for the race but Terry and Jane would still welcome further sponsorship. For more information, visit: www.somersetoneloftrace.co.uk

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HISTORY

In the footsteps of Hannah More THESE drama students from Shipham are appearing in a film about the life of Sunday School pioneer Hannah More, being made by Bristol-based Redcliffe Films.

The scene was filmed in the 300-yearold Quaker Meeting House in Portishead, a tiny building with a thatched roof, tucked behind a high hedge at the end of the town centre.

In the film, Hannah More and her sister Patty, now living at Cowslip Green Cottage, near Wrington, have been offered funds by William Wilberforce to set up Sunday schools in the Mendip area.

In August 1789, Wilberforce had made a visit to Cheddar Caves and was shocked

On Nyland Hill

by the poverty and deprivation among the local people, some of whom were living in the caves. He found them ‘wretchedly poor and deficient in spiritual help’ and

‘grateful beyond measure’ for the money he was able to give them.

Against opposition from the farmers, the first school was set up in Cheddar. A year, later the sisters opened a school in the combined parishes of Shipham and Rowberrow, at that time two poor and isolated villages high up on Mendip, where the locals mined lapis calaminaris, an ingredient used to convert copper to brass.

By this time, the pattern was set up for further schools at Sandford, Banwell, Congresbury, Yatton and Axbridge, and in 1792 a school opened in Nailsea, a coal mining village and an important centre of the Mendip industrial scene.

The Shipham students attend a drama group every Thursday with drama teacher Belinda Hill. The group is called Dramtise. Details: 01934 844294.

The Quaker Meeting House, Portishead, is open every Sunday, details can found on its website.

To see a trailer of the film visit www.redcliffefilms.co.uk

THE view from Alan Rowntree’s window – towards Nyland Hill - isn’t just beautiful - it has proved to be inspirational. Since he moved to Westfield Barn, in Draycott, from London in 2003, he has written three local history books.

He said: “After spending two years enhancing the property and garden, I wanted to find out more about the barn and how it fitted into the village.”

The result was his first book, published in 2007, Westfield Barn Draycott & Neighbourhood, which was followed by his second on the history of Rodney Stoke.

Now Alan, a former banker, has published his third book, Nyland Hill, tracing the history of Andersey, as it was known in ancient times, through the dissolution of the monasteries, to the early 20th century. It includes a fine collection of photographs, documents and sketches.

The book retails at £15 and is available from Draycott Post Office or from Alan 01934 743063.

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 59

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MENDIP TIMES

For servicing, repairs and sales of all makes of caravans and motorhomes

Bailey approved body shop and workshop

G Caravan Servicing G Annual Habitation Checks G Alu-Tech Bailey Approved Repairers G Warranty Maintained G Damp Repairs G Accident Repairs G Insurance Repairs G Accessory Fitting

Our shop stocks a full range of accessories and equipment

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Marchants Hill, Gurney Slade BA3 4TY Call: 01749 841051 Mob: 07778 465520 Email: sales@caravanrepairs-sw.co.uk PAGE 60 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Classic cars

MOTORING

THE 20th Mendip Vintage & Classic Tour will take place on Sunday May 11th. Starting at Wookey Hole Caves, it will follow an 85-mile route, with a lunch stop at Haynes Motor Museum, before finishing on the lawns in front of Wells Cathedral.

The popular event is open to 150 pre-1994 cars, light commercials and motorcycles and always attracts an extremely wide range of interesting vintage and classic vehicles and is often oversubscribed.

Details: www.candhmotorclub.co.uk or from entry secretary john.alcock1@tesco.net 01749 678925.

UBLEY MOTOR SERVICES MG Rover Land Rover Specialists

Sales – Service – Parts – Repairs ALL MAKES SERVICING – VEHICLE DIAGNOSTICS, AIR CONDITIONING, MECHANICAL & BODY REPAIRS Collection/Loan Car by arrangement

MOT TESTING STATION

COMPETITIVE PRICES ON TYRES, BATTERIES AND EXHAUSTS

ACCIDENT REPAIR CENTRE BREAKDOWN & RECOVERY SERVICE

QUALITY USED CARS Your peace of mind is our priority

CLEEVE HILL, UBLEY. TEL: 01761 462275 (24hrs) www.ubleymotors.co.uk

TG Auto Centre is a family run garage in Midsomer Norton, committed to providing the highest levels of service and quality workmanship at affordable prices. If you are looking for a trustworthy garage to assist with repairs, MOTs and servicing, then look no further.

MOTs by appointment Gearbox & clutch replacement/repair Vehicle servicing and repairs Auto electrical Cambelts replaced Tyres supplied and fitted Motorsport preparation Body repair by arrangement

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Page 61

WITH the Oscars fast approaching and all of Hollywood holding its breath to see who will collect the top awards, local property agents Killens are already celebrating after collecting the Bronze Award for Customer Service at the Estate Agency of the Year awards in December.

The event, which is the largest of its kind for estate agents in the UK, judges 5,000 independent and corporate agents in a variety of different categories. The award ceremony which is sponsored by The Times, The Sunday Times and Zoopla is considered to be the estate agency equivalent of the Oscars.

Killens were established in 2008 and provide a wide range of property consultancy services across the Chew Valley and Mendip areas. Since their establishment, Killens have grown so that they now operate from three offices across the locality as well as operating the Mendip Auction Rooms.

PROPERTY Killens are experiencing continued growth and confidence within all property sectors and the housing market is becoming particularly buoyant. The first six weeks of 2014 have seen a record number of sales agreed across all offices in all price ranges.

This activity is buoyed by a lack of supply coupled with better access to funding and a realisation amongst potential buyers that the housing market is recovering. Killens have already seen a return to competitive bidding and even a contracts race for a property worth in excess of £2 million.

Tom Killen said: “At Killens we are committed to providing outstanding customer service as well as a proactive marketing service across mid and north Somerset including the Chew Valley and Mendip areas. We are delighted to have come third nationally in the Estate Agency of the Year Awards and this is due to the dedication and commitment of all the staff within Killens.”

If you are considering marketing your property then Killens can be contacted on 01761 241127 or office@killens.org.uk

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PROPERTY

House prices up by fifty per cent across the South West HOUSE sales in the South West are 50 per cent higher than they were a year ago, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in its latest survey.

The number of homes sold per chartered surveyor in the region reached 22 in January and, although historically relatively low, it’s a sizable increase on the same time last year when respondents were selling a mere 16.

Across the UK, the South West saw the biggest increase in activity. With encouraging sales figures in the region, a shortage of homes coming onto the housing market is pushing prices higher. During January, the number of houses coming up for sale in the South West hit its lowest point since November 2012.

However, despite vendor numbers not having seen any sustained increase for some months, some surveyors predict that supply is expected to increase as we enter the traditional ‘spring bounce’.

Looking ahead, the more positive outlook continues in the region with a net balance of 49 per cent more chartered surveyors predicting transaction numbers to increase over the coming three months, while expectations for future prices are also strongly positive with 52 per cent of respondents expecting further price increases.

Roger Punch, RICS’ residential spokesperson for the South West, said: “The recovery in the South West housing market continues with the South West seeing the biggest increase in activity in the UK. The trend does have localised limitations, however, consequent on the imbalance between supply and

Gala night for awards winners THE best buildings in the Mendip District Council area will be recognised at an awards presentation in March.

More than ten categories will reward everything from new builds to extensions, community projects and project management at Mendip District Council’s annual Building Excellence Awards 2014.

Now in their seventh year, the awards recognise projects built to the highest standards of design, workmanship and project management, during the past year. Winners will be chosen by a panel which includes Tracy Aarons, corporate manager for the built environment service.

Tracy said: “It’s great that the awards have now become a regular event at Mendip District Council, as it offers a great opportunity to showcase the best the construction industry has to offer across the district.”

This year’s event will be

held on Friday, March 7th at The Coach House at Pennard House, which was the winner of last year’s Best Commercial Building up to £1million award.

demand.

“It should be said, however, that the South West market is the strongest it has been for some time and both sellers and buyers should take confidence from this.”

CROSS, NEAR AXBRIDGE

A very spacious detached family house located in an elevated position in the centre of the village. Superb location with backdrop of National Trust land at Wavering down at the west end of the Mendips. Private drive and parking, beautiful and good size Mediterranean style landscaped gardens, pool and pool house. Four double bedrooms, en suite and family bathroom. Drawing room, dining room and study, kitchen, laundry and cloakroom. All room sizes are generous, light and airy. EPC: D PRICE GUIDE: £549,950 PROPOSED REPLACEMENT PROPERTY

WINFORD, CHEW VALLEY

A detached house in elevated rural location with open views over the surrounding countryside. Substantial outbuilding and standing in approx. 3.5 acres. PLANNING exists to replace with contemporary 4 bedroom dwelling with detached ancillary accommodation/business. A superb opportunity to acquire a Chew Valley property with land ready for your own design and build if required! EPC: E Ref: PRICE GUIDE: £550,000

Wrington Tel: 01934 864300

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 63

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HOMES & INTERIORS

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MENDIP TIMES

D.R. CARPETS

Carpets Vinyls Wood Flooring Safety flooring specialist Natural flooring Bespoke rugs Mix and match designer range Domestic and commercial supplied and fitted

Complete flooring service

Showroom 1, Evercreech Junction, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6NA T: 01749 831578

SEASONED LOGS & KINDLING BY SACK OR TRUCK-LOAD. DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR 01275 474423 • 07955 707 353 info@winfordwoodchip.com www.winfordwoodchip.com

PAGE 66 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

D R Carpets are an independent company, offering a personal touch, with a home selection service, and a large range of flooring, including carpets, vinyls, luxury vinyl tiles, laminate and wood, safety flooring, artificial grass, entrance matting, and ceramic tiles.

The ranges are wide and varied – 80/20 wool mix carpets start from £9.99 per square metre! They are open six days a week and all domestic and commercial work is undertaken.

The general manager, Jackie Wheeler, is constantly sourcing new ranges, ideas, and accessories. Their team of professional fitters will also undertake floor preparation work should it be required and they also have a rug-making service.

They are happy to go out and give free, no obligation quotations and advice or why not visit their showroom, situated on the main A371 between Castle Cary and Shepton Mallet.

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HOMES & INTERIORS

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HOMES & INTERIORS

Tony Hucker TV Service – Sales – Rental

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Satellite Installations Aerial Systems TV wall mounting Custom Installations Networking Signal Solutions

01275 332888 www.tonyhuckertv.co.uk Unit 4, Fairseat Workshops, Chew Stoke BS40 8XF Open: Mon-Fri 9am-6pm and Sat 9am-12 noon

Telephone: 01761 417654 Facsimile: 01761 417207 email: office@techniglaze.co.uk www.techniglaze.co.uk

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PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

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JACKSONS

Jacksons Fencing – news, topical treats and more . . .

Plan something different in your garden for spring . . .

AS far as I’m concerned it’s never too early in the year to start getting inspired about spring coming and the warmer weather and lighter days being on the way (we can hope can’t we!)

I’ve already got my gardening head well and truly fixed on because we are in the planning stages for this year’s Jacksons Show Gardens Design Competition. If you are a regular reader you may have spotted me talking about this annual competition around about this time last year. At the moment some of my time is spent looking at the seven show gardens we have here at Head Office in Kent and deciding which ones are to be redeveloped this year.

The chosen ones will end up being the embodiment of the winning designers plans and will be ‘brought to life’. If by chance you are, or know of someone, that is a garden designer, landscape architect, or landscaping professional, details of this years competition can be found on the local page at: jacksonsfencing.co.uk/bathlocal If you hurry there is still a little time left to enter the competition.

There’s also plenty to keep me busy out there tidying up the gardens and planning the refurbishment of the ones that aren’t for the full-blown redesign as well.

If you are planning to do something different with your outside space this year, here’s a product that is unique to Jacksons, that might inspire you when you are considering options available for retaining walls or raising beds.

Jakwall is a highly unusual grooved, brick wall effect landscape timber system. Manufactured from our Jakcured timber, which means it carries the Jacksons 25 year guarantee. The timbers are fixed together with a timber hex head screw system without any need for pre-drilling, (a Hex Head driver bit for use with the screws is also available).

Jakwall is ideal for raised borders, fishponds, play areas, sand pits and fascia borders. Anywhere really that could use a wooden garden wall, and it has many benefits compared to traditional brick walling; it is cheaper compared with bricks and mortar, doesn't need foundations or footings and can be installed in any weather (within reason, obviously).

You could use Jakwall in many ways in your garden, for instance terracing a sloping area that may enable you to use it in a more productive way once it is level.

I’ve put a few photos here to illustrate its uses, that may give you some ideas or inspiration.

If you don't fancy the grooved appearance that makes it look a bit like a brick wall, then it is available smooth and un-grooved.

All the details on the Jakwall options can be found in a handy link on your local page, as well as details of our special offers and the free prize draw.

A very smart raised bed constructed from Jakwall and complimented with Jacksons Palisade fencing and Tongue and Groove effect panels.

Jakwall used as edging boards on a raised deck area.

Jakwall timbers used as a retaining edge on a feature flowerbed

J

W

I N A A K WA L L

J

A C K S O N S W O R T H £ 2

50

Enter the free prize draw and be in with a chance to win £250 worth of Jakwall. Simply log on to your local page, address below and follow the easy instructions on how to enter. The draw closes 30.4.14. To enter go to: www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/bathlocal

louise@jacksons-fencing.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 69

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MENDIP TIMES

Dressage world pulls together for flood relief

OVER the last few months life has been extremely difficult for many people living in our area with the terrible flooding on the Somerset Levels since Christmas.

Many horse owners have been faced with having to re-home their horses and obviously competitions and fittening work has been With CELIA badly affected.

GADD Helen Griffiths, listed dressage judge and advanced level dressage rider, has come up with an evening packed full of fun and music to help raise much-needed funds.

She said: “I feel it is time that the horse world did something to help out. These poor people have lost their homes and their livelihoods and we would like to help if we can.”

Along with me and Anne-Marie Swainston, Helen has previously raised over £35,000 through holding an annual Dressage to Music X Factor event for a variety of charities including WaterAid, Penny Brohn cancer care, Children In Need, Happy Landings Animal Centre and the Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Centre.

These regular events were always extremely well supported by the local equestrian community and also some very well known judges and riders took part including Jennie Loriston-Clarke, Pammy Hutton, Conrad Schumacher, Isobel Wessels, Virginia Peters, Matt Frost, Jason Dur, Debbie Criddle and Emile Faurie.

On March 27th 2014 there will be a Dressage to Music Gala evening at Stretcholt Equestrian Centre near Bridgwater to raise funds for the flood victims.

There will be 12 fabulous performances from riders from novice to Grand Prix including Debbie Criddle, (Paralympic Gold medallist), Charlie Sawyer (World class scheme rider), Sally Godwin-Davis (Prix St George), Denise Kersley and Tiger Tim

Jo Lashley and Princess Spikkel

and Jayne Chapman, who recently qualified for the national Pet Plan championships.

As well as the 12 dressage to music tests there will also be a few surprises and an auction of promises and it is sure to be a funpacked evening.

All the riders and Stretcholt have given their time and facilities for free so 100% of money raised can go to the flood victims.

The tickets will be £15 in advance for adults and £12 for OAPs/under 16s and £20 for adults on the door but they will be limited so don’t miss out. Please send cheques made out to the Somerset Community Foundation and write Flood Relief on the back and send to Broadacres Equestrian Centre, Pleasant Spot Farm, Charlton Adam, Somerton, Somerset, TA11 7BA and tickets will be held on the door.

The evening entertainment will start at 7pm and refreshments will be available. For further details or if you have a prize to donate to the auction please call Helen on 07850 801254.

March 2014 show dates Sunday 2nd Area 12 Riding Club combined training at Pontispool Farm Unaffiliated dressage and show jumping at The Hand Equestrian Centre.

Luckington Equestrian Cricklands Show jumping qualifier at Hill House Farm, Buckland Dinham, near Frome. First class starts at 9:30am. Classes from 1ft9 to 3ft3 all in indoor arena. For schedule see www.luckingtonequestrian.com or call 07977 909445 Wednesday 5th Lower evening show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Thursday 6th Clear round show jumping at The Hand Equestrian Centre, Clevedon

PAGE 70 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Saturday 8th Unaffiliated dressage at Pontispool Farm BSJA Seniors at The Hand Equestrian Centre Sunday 9th Taunton Foxhounds Hunter Trial at Pontispool Farm BSJA Seniors at The Hand Equestrian Centre Tuesday 11th Affiliated dressage at The Hand Equestrian Centre, Clevedon Wednesday 12th Higher evening show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Saturday 15th Monty Roberts tour at The Hand Equestrian Centre, Clevedon

Sunday 16th Taunton Vale Team Chase at Pontispool Farm MBBA Cranmore Ride. Riders must prebook as numbers are limited. Parking at East Somerset Railway. Tel Ginnie on 01749 831276 for more details Wednesday 19th Lower jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge BSJA Seniors at The Hand Equestrian Centre, Clevedon Wednesday 26th Higher jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Thursday 27th – Sunday 30th BSJA Seniors Premiere show at The Hand Equestrian Centre, Clevedon

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Hilary and Harvey triumph again

HILARY Barnard and her New Forest pony, Harvey, who live near Blagdon, have been confirmed as the European League TREC Champions for 2013. Hilary and Harvey travelled to Ireland, Holland and Germany for their qualifying competitions and won all three.

Gently undulating, sandy tracks in Holland were a treat for the orienteering, coupled with the lovely aroma of lily-of-the-valley growing underfoot in the woodlands. Ireland was very welcoming and involved some very steep, and muddy, tracks in the Slieve Bloom mountains, but windy weather conditions meant the ferry home was delayed!

After some very wet weather, the temperature in Germany suddenly shot up and the orienteering day was very hot which made the technical route quite a trial. The following day the obstacle course crossed the river eight times. On two occasions the water was very deep and nearly came to Hilary’s knees – Harvey is only 14.1hh!

By a strange quirk in the selection criteria though, Harvey has no points to represent Great Britain at the European Championships in Italy this September; his stable-mate Roughtor has, though, been accumulating some points and although a novice and very green will have to step up to the challenge. He has big shoes to fill!

Aid for RDA

TIMSBURY Theatre Group have donated £600 to the local branch of Riding for the Disabled at Wellow Trekking Centre, raised at its three productions last year. Its nominated charity this year is the Bath Junior Gateway Club. The first collections will be at its performances of Habeas Corpus by Alan Bennett, from April 8th – to 10th April.

Tickets are available from: www.thettg.org or 01761 470471.

Pictured are Peter Buchanan, Val Simmons and Jo Whittock from TTG presenting the cheque at Wellow.

RIDING

Starring role for disabled drivers

SCREEN star, Anthony Head, is the presenter on two new videos produced for the Somerset Levels RDA Carriage Driving Group, of which he is patron.

The videos, which show carriagedrivers, their volunteer helpers and their special ponies, are designed to recruit volunteers and sponsors so the group can extend its services to disabled people on its waiting list.

The group’s vice chairman, Caroline Sturgess, said: “Anthony is known to all from his starring roles in ‘Buffy the Vampire’, ‘Merlin’, ‘The Iron Lady’, ‘Little Britain’ – and his TV commercials for ‘Gold Blend’ coffee, but to us, he is a hugely supportive patron who understands the difference we make to the lives of disabled people.”

The group’s other patron, Wells MP Tessa Munt, has been equally quick to help promote the new video venture.

She said: “Having spent time, on various occasions, with the clients and volunteers of this group, I have seen at first-hand how they really do change the lives of disabled people in Somerset.

“Anthony Head has done a superb job of explaining that work in these two new videos. They only run for about eight minutes, but I challenge anyone to watch them and not find themselves grinning – with a lump in the throat.”

The videos can be viewed on the Somerset Levels RDA carriage-driving group’s website: http://www.somersetlevelsrda.org/

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RIDING

Jo and Frankly need friends

LOCAL three-day event competitor, Jo Clarke, and her horse Frankly, have been invited onto the British Eventing Equine Pathway. This programme identifies horses with medal-winning potential and provides training and support for both horse and rider to further develop their talents.

It has taken five years of dedicated hard work and perseverance for Jo to transform an unknown and unwanted gangly two-year-old colt into a potential champion of the future.

Since 2011 Frankly has steadily qualified for more and more competitions and in 2013 started competing at international level, placed ninth at Gatcombe Park CIC International and at Osberton CC1* finishing second with a score of 41.5.

However, whether Jo can continue this season to compete Frankly at international level, and develop his medal winning abilities, hangs in the balance. Jo, together with her sister Jilly, runs Tunley Equestrian Centre, but with the horse market at an all-time low, income from the centre isn’t enough to fund her competing.

Jo said: “I’ve lived and worked in this area all my life.

Frankly is a local horse and if he does well this season I want his success to remain part of this community, rather than having to see him sold in order for him to reach his full potential.”

She’s set up Friends of Frankly which offers local people the

chance to get involved for a small yearly subscription and follow Frankly’s career through a dedicated Facebook page, regular updates and social events, including an open day on March 1st, which will feature a dressage demonstration from Jo and Frankly, a Spotted Horses Parade and afternoon tea.

The Open Day is at Tunley Equestrian Centre, Withyditch Lane, BA2 8AZ, off the B3115 Tunley Road, 1.30-3.30pm.

Wellies recommended.

Entries open for Cranmore

ORGANISERS of the annual Cranmore Ride are hoping that the weather will improve to allow the event to take place.

Entries have opened for the popular ride, on Sunday, March 16th, but Mendip Bridleways and Byways Association says it will have to cancel if the route remains wet and muddy.

A statement on the group’s website said: “We have to be careful not to ruin these bridleways for the sake of the ride as bad management now can cause long term damage. The ride may therefore be limited to the first 50 applicants and extended to the original 100 if conditions permit.”

For details, visit: www.mbba.org.uk

HORSE RACING Come to the Mendip Farmers

POINT TO POINT RACES SUNDAY 23rd MARCH Ston Easton, BA3 4DH “A great family day out”

• Children’s entertainment • Bar • Food • Trade stands • Pony Racing

Supporting Local charities: Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Wells R.D.A., Shepton Rotary

First Race 12.30pm

PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

Tel: 01761 241339

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Tony Williams (left) Mary Bignal and Millfield head Craig Considine next to the display of Olympic medals

OLYMPIC medals won by Mary Bignal Rand, originally from Wells, have gone on display at her former school.

The athlete, who now lives in California, won gold at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, when she set a long jump world record with her leap of 6.75 metres. She went on to take silver in the pentathlon and bronze as part of the Great Britain 4x100m relay team.

Mary was given the freedom of Wells when she visited the city as part of the 2012 London Olympics torch procession celebrations. Her world record feat is celebrated by a plaque on the pavement in the Market Place which also reproduces the distance she jumped.

The medals were presented to Millfield School in Street which Mary attended in the 1950s after being awarded an athletics scholarship by the school founder and head Jack “Boss” Meyer. They take pride of place in an Olympics display in the main reception, celebrating the achievements of former pupils.

Mary was represented by her neice Mary Bignal at the ceremony at the school organised by Tony Williams, of Wells who campaigned for her aunt to be given the freedom of Wells. Mary told guests: “My aunt is very honoured. She was very grateful to have been awarded the scholarship and to have been able to compete in the Olympics. She hopes these medals will inspire both present and future pupils.”

By chance, the ceremony took place on the opening day of the winter Olympics in Sochi. Millfield Year 11 pupil James Whitley, 16, a slalom skier, was representing Great Britain in the Mary Bignal Rand during her visit to British Disabled Ski Wells when she received the freedom Team’s elite squad. of the city

Olly faces hardy challenge

(Photo courtesy of Ian Bush)

Mary’s medals showcased

SPEEDWAY rider Olly Allen has stepped up to the challenging new role of captain of the Somerset Rebels for the 2014 season.

It follows the news that Australian Jason Doyle, the Rebels’ prospective captain for 2014, will not be riding for the club due to visa issues. Under his leadership last season, the side won three major trophies.

New captain Olly Allen Rebels team manager Garry May said: “To be honest, Olly was the natural choice once we knew that Doyley wasn’t going to be available.

“He has the experience that will be invaluable to the newer members of the side as well as excellent leadership qualities.”

Olly, who won the 2013 Premier League Riders’ Championship, said: “I’m really pleased and flattered about being asked to captain the team. We have a relatively young side and I hope to be able to help everyone with the experience I’ve gained throughout Europe over the last 15 years.”

He added: “We have an almost impossible task of matching what Somerset achieved last season, but we also have a lot of potential in the side and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

The hidden gem

GREAT VALUE MEMBERSHIP OFFERS • £743 – 15 months for 12 from 1st April 2014.

• £340 – Special Rate for aged 23-35.

• Children of full member (under 18 and in full-time education) play free.

• All prices exclude Golf Union Levies

For more information and Membership Application Form: www.mendipgolfclub.com or contact the Secretary: Telephone: 01749 840570 Email: secretary@mendipgolfclub.com MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 73

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MENDIP TIMES

Ponytails and tackles

A RUGBY festival for girls aged 13 and under at Castle Cary’s ground attracted players from across Somerset, Bristol, Dorset, Devon and even the Forest of Dean.

The friendly event was aimed at encouraging clubs which have fledgling junior sides to join forces to increase playing opportunities for girls.

Backed by the RFU in the south west

Exeter Saracens (in red) against Minehead

By Mark Adler

in the build-up to the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the festival is now expected to be repeated across the region. Teams represented at the round-robin Castle Cary event included Weston Hornets, Gordano, North Dorset, Exeter, Minehead and Drybrook.

Castle Cary’s side, the Castle Maidens, used the festival to unveil their new shirts, sponsored by local company ITS CAD, which works in the construction industry. Shane Haines, who runs the company, said: “My eldest son plays for Cary and I was delighted to help when the club approached me about sponsorship of the girls’ squad.”

Drybrook (in hoops) in action

CCRFC is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2014. As well as commemorative merchandise, the club is hosting a forma For more information, visit: www.

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Well played – Exeter Saracens leave the field

Castle Maidens are presented with their new shirts. Shane Haines is pictured with under13s coach Christine Barham and the squad, along with senior coaches Chris Hurd (left) and Steve Armson (right)

Castle Maidens on their warm-up run for the festival

Castle Maidens on the attack

Gordano (in red) take on Minehead

formal lunch on Sunday, April 27th when the guest speaker will be former international rugby referee Tony Spreadbury. www.pitchero.com/clubs/castlecary MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014 • PAGE 75

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SPORT

G r a n t s f o r s p o r t s s t a r s o f t o m o r ro w TEENAGE budding sports stars Josh Stevens and Kitty Snaydon, from mid-Somerset, have successfully secured grants from Somerset’s pioneering sports charity, TS5C. Josh, a 15-year-old fencer from Glastonbury, and 14-year-old swimmer Kitty, from Street, join 13 other young athletes who have been awarded grants from TS5C for the forthcoming year.

The aim is to assist talented 14-to-24 year olds, who live or train in Somerset, in their dreams of competing at regional, national and international levels.

Since the charity was set up in 2007, more than 80 young athletes, both able and disabled, have benefited from grants.

Unlike other similar organisations, TS5C is not funded by government or local authority contributions, but instead relies on private donations.

Alan Gloak, chairman of TS5C, said: “We have potential Olympic and Commonwealth medallists in our county and it is important that they are being provided with funding. The costs of training, specialist equipment and attending competitions are daunting for any family, yet essential if a young person is to

Fencer Josh Stevens in action

Lucie Spraggon is benefitting from a second year of support

achieve their full potential in their sport. TS5C grants make an important contribution in meeting these costs.”

Lucie Spraggon, a 23-year-old double world champion powerlifter from Street, is enjoying her second year of support from TS5C. A latecomer to her sport, within seven months of taking up powerlifting she had broken the South West record for squat and deadlift and qualified for both the British Championship and the World Championships .

Lucie said: “I knew that if I was going to take powerlifting seriously, I was going to need some financial support. I approached Alan and thankfully he saw something in me. The sponsorship has enabled me to buy the kit – the shoes alone cost £150. Without that I wouldn’t have been able to start competing.”

TS5C is a charity funded entirely by voluntary contributions. To find out more, contact Alan Gloak at: a.gloak@btinternet.com or via www.ts5c.org

Club remembers John Coles

CUP holders Chew Valley held a minute’s silence in memory of club stalwart, John Coles, before their Somerset Vase home victory over North Somerset rivals Winscombe.

John, aged 59, who died from cancer, rarely missed a First XV game, home or away, and for the last few years he ran the line with scrupulous fairness. He also made sure that visiting referees were happy with arrangements and were suitably refreshed

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pre and post match.

Despite being diagnosed with Asbestosis in late summer last year, John did not allow that to get in the way of his enjoyment and participation in rugby. He ran the line up until mid-December and he was able to get to watch his last home league game against Bristol Harlequins.

Chew Valley went through to the semifinals winning 21-13.

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WHAT’S ON

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C o u nt ry s i d e t ra d i t i o ns a t G a m e F a i r THE Westcountry Game Fair at Shepton Mallet offers not only a family weekend of entertainment, but it also provides a platform for countryside traditions to be celebrated and supported.

From clay pigeon shooting and fishing to dog training and falconry, the fair is very much a hands-on experience.

This year’s show takes place on Saturday, March 22nd and Sunday, March 23rd at the Royal Bath and West Showground. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation will have a team of accredited coaches on hand to help people at every level of ability from picking up their first shotgun to improvement tips for the more experienced shot.

BASC will also be running six gundog scurries – fastest dog in the west, bulldog snooker, over the bales, ducks down and obstacle course. Renowned gundog trainers Martin Love and Martin Harris will be running tests for spaniels and retrievers.

Informative and entertaining gundog demonstrations will this year be performed by Kipperidge Gundogs.

Clay Shooting R Us will provide a 40-bird shoot, pool shoot and clay snooker, with prizes and trophies to be won (fibre wads only).

G A M E FA I R T I C K E T

WINNERS

Last month we ran a competition to win three pairs of tickets to the fair. The first correct answers drawn were from: Mr C.A. Griffin, Congresbury Mrs D. Green, Worle S. Coombs, Barrow Gurney

FUNTIME

LEISURE

AMUSEMENT CATERERS FOR FETES / SHOWS / CARNIVALS Family games and stalls inc. tin can alley, archery, rifle range, mini striker, spinning tea cups and roundabout

Ideal entertainment for fetes, fairs and country shows

A family-run business covering the South West

Smarts Catering for hot dogs, burgers, roast pork, hot donuts, candyfloss etc.

Funtime Leisure • t: 07855 377902 • e: maxismart@hotmail.co.uk Smarts Catering • t: 07791 947664 • e: janiceatthecandy@yahoo.co.uk 9 Beanwood Park, Codrington Road, Westerleigh, Bristol BS37 8RG PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

An eager competitor in a gundog scurry

The terrier, lurcher and family dog show returns. Full schedules and details are available on www.contour.uk.net. In addition, terrier and lurcher racing and lure coursing will be available.

Elsewhere, the Somerset Smallholders Association has an evergrowing presence at the Westcountry Game Fair with an increase in the range and number of smallholder stands, from willowmaking and spinning demonstrations to a variety of animals and birds on display. The Exmoor halls will be packed with “hands on” activities, information, advice and enticing locally crafted smallholder goods.

For more information about the Westcountry Game Fair, visit: www.contour.uk.net

Family-run fun

WITH a history in funfairs going back 100 years, the Smart family knows just what it takes to keep youngsters – and adults – entertained.

Their Funtime Leisure range of fun inflatables and other attractions are a familiar sight at many events on Mendip and further afield, from village fetes and carnivals to country events such as the North Somerset Show and pointto-point meetings.

Based in Westerleigh in North Bristol, the Smarts cover the whole of the south west. Funtime Leisure is run by Maxi Smart, his wife Vanessa and their children Max jnr. and Mia and they are always looking to offer a new attraction for the season.

New for 2014 is their Sponge Bob Square Pants inflatable play centre but they can also supply inflatable slides and sideshows such as archery. Alongside the play equipment, the family also runs a mobile catering service.

Princes Road, Wells, BA5 1TD

COMING UP:

Tuesday 4th March Friday 7th March

(One day only) Goldfrapp Tales Of Us (12A) live 300: Rise Of An Empire 2D (15)

Wednesday 19th March (One day only) Sleeping Beauty live Friday 28th March

Captain America: The Winter Soldier 2D & 3D (Cert TBC) Muppets Most Wanted (U)

Book in person Online 24/7 @www.wellsfilmcentre.co.uk Over the ’phone: 01749 673195

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Museum of the future

THE Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury will be closing its doors at the end of March for a £1.87m pound refurbishment which will enhance its status as one of the Mendip’s most popular attractions.

To mark the closure, which could be for up to two years, the museum is staging an exhibition looking back at its own history and telling visitors about its plans.

Looking Back Looking Forward tells the museum’s story, from its origins as a working farm to the creation of the museum 40 years ago. The exhibition begins with the story of the Mapstone family, who lived and worked at Abbey Farm for more than 50 years. It also looks at the many events and activities that have helped make it such a well-loved place.

The exhibition includes visualisations of how the galleries will look after the redevelopment and offers a preview of some of the objects that will be on display. The essential work and support of the Friends of the Rural Life Museum is also celebrated.

Somerset County Council’s Heritage Service says it needs to redevelop the museum because displays and facilities are becoming increasingly outdated and in need of improvement.

Many of the exhibitions are not displayed or interpreted in ways that meet the expectations of today’s audiences.

The service says physical access is difficult for wheelchairs and buggies due to varying floor levels, visitor facilities are limited

Visitors will enter the new-look museum through the original front door to the farmhouse

and there is no dedicated indoor space for learning activities.

Under the redevelopment plans, the magnificent Abbey Barn will be kept in its present state, but will be made more accessible and more suitable for activities and events. More exhibition space will be created in the farmhouse by opening up more areas on the ground and first floor.

There will be improved access to the orchard and new visitor facilities will include a welcome area, shop and café.

A spokeswoman for the service said: “The Somerset Rural Life Museum has a special charm which we do not want to lose. Our redevelopment plans will be sympathetic to the existing fabric of the site and will build on what people tell us is important to them about the museum.”

Looking Back, Looking Forward runs until Saturday, March 29th. Admission is free. For more information about the plans, visit the museum’s own blog at: www.somersetrurallifemuseum.org.uk

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Thursday February 27th Chew Valley Wildlife Group: An Atlantic Odyssey from Ushaia to the Cape Verde islands, Chew Magna, Millennium Hall, 7.45pm, visitors £2.50.

East Mendip Branch of Somerset Wildlife Trust: 50 years of Somerset Wildlife Trust – a talk by Simon Nash, CEO of SWT, outlining progress made and challenges for the future; Chris Sperring will also be talking, 7.30pm at St Catherine’s Church Hall, Park Road, Frome, BA11 1EU. Adults £2.50 (£1) Friday February 28th Cheddar Vale Lions host Lions Brass 4 Youth & Churchill Gospel Choir in Concert at Churchill Academy, 7pm. Tickets £8 (U-18’s £4) online from Positickets.

Wells Cathedral Tour – ‘How Wells Cathedral Survived the Reformation’ – 2.15pm-3.45pm, £10.

Booking essential as places limited – details: miranda.young@wellscathedral.uk.net or ring 01749 674483 ext 211 www.wellscathedral.org.uk Annual Charity Showcase with Writhlington School at 7.30pm in the Downside School Theatre in aid of two charities including HART. Booking essential.

Tickets: cwroe@downside.co.uk or 01761 235151. A great evening of singing and music, £5 retiring collection. www.downside.co.uk Saturday March 1st Book sale and Freecycle event in aid of Winscombe Community Association, 9am-12.30pm. Refreshments available. Please leave donations of books & DVDs on the book trolley in the Community Centre at the Thursday markets, 9-11am or call: 01934 823609 or 842250.

Kingston Seymour Market in the village hall, 10amnoon, a wide variety of stalls from jams & chutneys, vegetables, cakes, meat, handicrafts, books, dvds and jigsaw puzzles.

Mendip Society Walk – Westhay Moor Nature Reserve. Meet at 1.30pm at the reserve car park, BA5 1PT. An easy four-mile walk with the SWT warden.

Binoculars recommended. Contact: Brian 01749 672457.

Showcase Your Club or Society – What is available for you in Cheddar, 10am-3.30pm at St Andrew’s Church Hall, Cheddar. Tables free. Book: 0845 7338402 or www.cheddarvalelions.org.uk/contactus Dance or singalong with The Fallen Apples at a fun evening in support of the Somerset levels RDA carriage-driving group. Buffet and top prize of a week in France, 7.30pm, at The Watchfield Inn (TA9 4RD).

Tickets £15 from: volunteers@somersetlevelsrda.org or 01278 760621.

Community Garden – how to start a veg plot –the first part of a series of workshops at the Bishop’s Palace & Garden, Wells. £10, places limited: 01749 988111 ext 200.

Monday March 3rd King’s School Big Band with a programme of 40s and 50s swing music, at the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Batcombe, 7.30pm. Tickets £5 incl. glass of wine, from 07786 987888 or batcombelive@gmail.com Green Drinks (www.greendrinks.org) an evening of socialising for environmentally minded people at The Archangel, Frome. Contact Laila, 07930 278445 or greendrinksfrome@gmail.com Wells Cathedral – meet a Fairtrade Columbian banana producer, enjoy Fairtrade cakes & drinks, fun activities for children; free stickers, quiz & postcards.

2.30pm-4.00pm. Free! www.wellscathedral.org.uk Tuesday March 4th “Vermeer the musical paintings” Mid-Somerset DFAS Study Day, 10am-3.30pm at Batcombe Jubilee Hall, BA4 6HE. Lectures, live period music and PAGE 80 • MENDIP TIMES • MARCH 2014

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singing, £40, including all refreshments & buffet lunch. Details: 01934 743153.

Antique Magpie and the fascinating world of art & antiques – lecture for Mendip DFAS. Call 01749 670652 for details.

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Races at the Community Centre, Sandford Road, Winscombe. Starts 3.30pm, free admission. Teas in St. James’ Church Hall.

Enquiries: 01934 842084.

Congresbury Over-60s Club, entertainment by Perry and his keyboard. Congresbury War Memorial Hall, 2.30pm – 4pm. Details: 01934 832004.

The Avon Gorge Area – a talk by Dan Evans for The Mendip Society, 2pm at Wells Museum, Cathedral Green, Wells.

Thursday March 6th Hedges in Somerset by Peter Grainger, ecologist, talking to the Mendip Society meeting at 2.30pm, St. James’ Church Hall, Woodborough Rd, Winscombe BS25 1BA. Contact: 01934 641461.

The Mendips through the Time Tunnel a talk by Les Davis for Cheddar Valley U3A at Church House Cheddar, 2.15pm. Visitors welcome, details 01934 710242 or www.cheddarvalleyu3a.org.uk Wells Cathedral – free lunchtime organ recital, by William Fox, junior organ scholar, 1.05-1.45pm.

Retiring collection in aid of Wells Cathedral Music. www.wellscathedral.org.uk Tours of Wells Cathedral Library – in celebration of World Book Day – at 10.15am; 11.30am; 2.00pm; 3.15pm. Details: www.wellscathedral.org.uk Mendip Business Womens Forum. Mercer Design’s office, Mells. Michelle Wake will be talking about ‘Fail safe plants for the garden’. Meeting starts 7.30pm with beverage, networking and chat. Find out about joining MBWF by visiting the website www.mendipbusinsswomen.co.uk or e-mail: kim@kinkajouknowhow.co.uk Friday March 7th Wells Evening Society – our energy future with David Edwards, 7.30pm Wells Town Hall.

Redhill Village Club Open Mic Night from 8pm, hosted by Jerry Blythe. All welcome, artists and spectators alike, free entry, Church Road, Redhill, BS40 5SG.Tel:01934 862619.

Policing in Victorian Wells – a talk by Bob Love for Wells Natural History & Archaeology Society, 7pm at Wells Museum. Details: admin@wellsmuseum.org.uk Stargazing from Hutton! Astronomer Simon Ould is running three separate guided stargazing sessions during the evening for Mendip AONB: families: 5.30pm-6.45pm (min.age four) then later at 7pm8.15pm & 8.30pm-9.45pm. Tickets £10 (children £7.50) –proceeds to the Mendip Hills Fund. To book: mendiphills@somerset.gov.uk Saturday March 8th Wedmore’s Clash of the Choirs – eight choirs and singing groups, numbering 210 singers in all, at St. Mary’s from 5.30 for a 6.30pm start. Tickets £7 (U14s £2) from the Village Store and The Cottage Gallery, Wedmore.

Frome Society for Local Study – Julian Orbach, the Revised Pevsner for south and west Somerset, Assembly Rooms, Frome, 2.30pm.

Giant Jumble Sale in aid of St Mary’s Church, Timsbury, 10am–12noon, Conygre Hall, Timsbury.

For information/donations ring Rosemary, 01761 471790.

Congresbury Book Sale, 9am-1pm at the War Memorial Hall. Good quality books, jigsaw puzzles, dvds, cds and talking books will be available.

Mendip Society Walk– Star – Meet at 1.30pm at ‘Apple Acre’, down the lane by the side of the Star Inn (BS25 1QF). A moderate walk of four miles,

W h a t ’ s

some hills. Tea & homemade cakes to follow!

Contact: Mary 01934 843789.

Croscombe Charter Spring Market at Croscombe Village Hall, 10am-12pm, crafts, cards, books, plants, home cooking, tombola & refreshments. All funds raised in aid of Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance.

Contact 01749 343502 or paradisehouse@talktalk.net Seedy Saturday – Seed Swap, Potato Day and Green Fayre, 10am-2pm at Farmborough Memorial Hall.

Stalls, expert talks and children’s activities. Details: 07849 055 339 or seedswap@farmborough.org.uk Village Market in the Victory Hall, Uphill, 10am1pm. Local foods, craft and Fairtrade stalls. A community event will also be taking place with local clubs, groups and small businesses present – Enquiries: 01934 418184.

Brent Knoll Bazaar, Farmers’ Market and Café, 10am-12noon in Brent Knoll Parish Hall, FREE admission. Information etc, 01278 760308 Maesbury Singers will celebrate their 25th anniversary with a concert at St. Cuthbert’s Church, Wells, at 7.30pm. Tickets £8 (U-16s free) from 01749 830486 or at the door.

Tuesday March 11th Weston Clevedon Portishead Railway – the story of a great little railway by Christopher Redwood at the AGM of The Strawberry Line Society, Woodborough Inn, Winscombe, BS25 1JA, at 7.30pm. Free, all welcome.

Wednesday March 12th Pruning – a talk by Jon Mason for Nailsea & District Horticultural Society, 7.30pm at the United Reformed Church Hall, Stockway North, Nailsea, £3 (members £2), all welcome.

Wells Civic Society talk – The History & Conservation of Stained Glass by Steven Clare, who worked on the Jesse Window in Wells Cathedral, 7.30pm, Wells Museum.

Wells Cathedral Lent Course – 7.30pm -9pm – A Study of St Paul’s letter to the Philippians written at the time of his captivity. www.wellscathedral.org.uk Friday March 14th Wells Cathedral – Noah – for pre-school children from 10.15-11am, a craft session, story and song, then watch the clock strike the hour. FREE. www.wellscathedral.org.uk Friday March 14th – Saturday March 15th Shipham Community Cinema Film Festival in the village hall. Films, food and workshops for all ages.

Details: http://cinema.shiphamhall.co.uk Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/tinyurl.com/shiphamfilmfestival Saturday March 15th Mendip Society Walk – Crook Peak & Wavering Down. Meet at 1.30pm in Cross at the parking area along Old Coach Road (BS26 2EG). A moderate walk of about 6 miles with a steep hill to start. No dogs.

Contact: Mike 01934 743730.

Churchill Music! – Carducci String Quartet, 7.30pm at St John the Baptist Church, Churchill, BS25 5QW. Details: www.churchillmusic.org.uk Tickets £14.50 (Champions £10.50, U-25’s free) from 01934 852919 or info@churchillmusic.org.uk Angel Heart Theatre presents” Oshima and the Big Sea” for Ubley School PTA at Ubley Parish Hall 2pm.

Tickets £5 (U-3’s free) from 01761 463373 or 01761 463863.

Bleadon Village Market, 9am-12.30. BS24 0PG. Busy market with over 30 stalls, crafts, local produce, bric-a-brac, plants and much more. Refreshments.

Enq: 01934 812370, www.bleadon.org.uk/market Redhill Village Hall Soup & Pud Lunch – 12noon – 1.30pm – held in the hall, on behalf of Redhill WI, £5 ticket in advance from a WI member or on the door.

All welcome. Proceeds in aid of Parkinsons research.

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Sunday March 16th Walk: The wildlife of Nunney, led by Eve Tigwell.

Meet in Nunney car park ST 737 546 at 10am. East Mendip branch of SWT. The Mendip Ensemble (Carole Jenner-Timms – flute, Simon Naylor – oboe & Jacquelyn Bevan – piano) present Party Time, a varied selection of music for wind instruments and piano. 5-6pm, Midsomer Norton Town Hall. Entrance free; donations welcome. Ffi: manager@midsomernortoncommunitytrust.co.uk or 07595 671116.

Tuesday March 18th Midsomer Norton Townswomens’ Guild AGM at 2pm in St John’s Church Hall, Midsomer Norton.

Details: 01761 413580.

Crowns and Chalices: the art of the medieval goldsmith – the Mid-Somerset DFAS illustrated lectures at Caryford Hall, Castle Cary BA7 7JJ, Tuesdays at 11am, free parking, £6, all welcome.

Congresbury Over-60s Club – Borneo – a Travelogue with Orchids –an illustrated talk by Ian Parsons at Congresbury War Memorial Hall, 2.30 pm – 4pm. Details: 01934 832004.

Elf & Safety – myth or fact? – a talk by Roy Ackrill for the Mendip Society, 2.30pm at the Catholic Church Hall, Tweentown, Cheddar, BS27 3HU. Contact: 01934 641461.

Wednesday March 19th The changes in television gardening over the decades – a talk by Toby Buckland, TV presenter and author, at Henton Village Hall, 7.30pm, tickets £10 from 01749 762084.

Wells Cathedral Lent Course – A Study of St Paul’s letter to the Philippians – 7.30-9pm. www.wellscathedral.org.uk Thursday March 20th Cheddar Valley meet & greet coffee morning at Church House, Cheddar, 10.30am-12noon. Display by the Needles and Pins Group. Visitors welcome. Details 01934 710242 or www.cheddarvalleyu3a.org.uk.

Saturday March 22nd Craft Fair at Camerton Hall, BA2 0NL, 10am-1pm, in aid of Children’s Hospice SW. There will be a wonderful variety of crafts, plants & refreshments available.

Congresbury Book Sale at the War Memorial Hall, 9am-1pm.

Mendip Society Walk – Compton Dando. Meet at 1.30pm at the village hall, BS39 4JZ. Park considerately on road. A moderate walk of five miles through Marksbury Vale. No dogs. Contact: Roger 01225 872777.

Backwell Village Market with SW Wildlife – Fundraising at the WI Hall, Backwell, BS48 3QW, 10.30am-1pm.Organic and Fairtrade food & craft stalls, refreshments; entrance free. www.backwellvillagemarket.weebly.com Proceeds to Backwell Judo Club rebuild project.

Italian Vespers – three Magnificats by Vivaldi, Pergolesi and Isabella Leonarda performed by The Trinity Singers and the Frideswide Ensemble at St Mary the Virgin Church, Yatton at 7.30pm.

Pre-Concert talk at 7pm.Tickets £12 (£10), Accompanied U-18s free, from www.oxboffice.com, on the door, or 01934 844106.

Sunday March 23rd Mendip Farmers’ – Point to Point, Ston Easton.

Rare Plant Fair at the Bishop’s Palace & Garden, Wells. 11am-4pm, £4 (U-16s & members free).

Redhill Village Club – Classic Car Breakfast Gathering -9.30am-12noon, for local classic car owners and interested spectators alike, BS40 5SG. Full English breakfast and hot drinks. Details: 01934 862619.

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Syrinx – the South West’s foremost wind and piano ensemble – present The Joys of Spring. Enjoy a candlelit supper in a cafe-style atmosphere whilst listening to a varied programme of music for wind instruments and piano. Book a table for six or come along and meet new friends. 7pm (note new time), Henton Village Hall (three minutes from Wells on B3139 Wells-Wedmore road). Tickets £15 (incl. cheese & wine supper) 07595 671116/jacquelynbevan@yahoo.co.uk Tuesday March 25th Wildlife at Arnos Vale – a Somerset Wildlife Trust talk, 7.30pm at Wells Museum. Details: 01749 673563.

Isle of Wedmore Gardening Club, talk by Les Cloutman 'Somerset's Wonderful Wildlife', 7.30pm, Wedmore Masonic Hall Wednesday March 26th Wells Cathedral Lent Course – A Study of St Paul’s letter to the Philippians – 7.30pm-9pm.

Friends of Weston-super-Mare Museum, AGM, 7pm, followed by a museum update by Cllr John Crockford-Hawley, Burlington St, Weston, BS23 1PR. Thursday March 27th Chew Valley Wildlife Group: Otters on my Doorstep

by Gill Brown in Chew Magna Millennium Hall, 7.45pm. Visitors £2.50; season ticket available. An illustrated talk on the return of otters from the brink of extinction and the issues facing them today.

Wildlife of Blagdon Lake – an illustrated talk by Nigel Milbourne for the East Mendip branch of SWT at 7.30pm, St Catherine’s Church Hall, Park Road, Frome, BA11 1EU. Adults £2.50 (£1).

A concert of Verdi’s Requiem in the Abbey Church, Downside, Stratton-on-the-Fosse at 7.15pm. Tickets £10 (Family £30) Booking essential: 01761 235194. www.downside.co.uk Friday, March 28th Quiz Night in aid of Churchill/Langford village fund.

7.30pm, Churchill Primary school. Somerset Ploughmans included. Full bar and quiz. Tickets available at Churchill Post Office.

Friday March 28th – Sunday March 30th Shades of Shipham – an exhibition by five Shipham artists in the Village Hall. Friday evening, 6.30-8.30pm – meet the artists and preview. Open Saturday: 10am5pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.

Park Lane Big Band Dance Night at Conygre Hall, Timsbury, BA2 0JG, tickets £10, bar, food, raffle.

Donation to Kenyan Orphan’s Project. Details: 01761 471245 or www.mendipmusic.com Saturday March 29th Frome Society for Local Study – Alastair Macleay, Frome’s Buildings, 2.30pm, Assembly Rooms, Frome, preceded by agm 2pm.

Compton Dundon Village Auction, 8pm in Meadway Hall. All proceeds towards providing recreational facilities at the village hall. View the auction catalogue on: www.comptondundon.com or at the event from 6pm – drinks & hot dogs available. Details: 01458 273874.

Jumble Sale at Winscombe Community Centre, Sandford Road, at 2pm in aid of Old Station Millennium Green. Donations welcome: 01934 843868.

WHAT’S ON

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Bath Choral Society bring Mozart’s heart-rending C Minor Mass together with Stravinsky’s Mass for Double Wind Quartet to Bath Abbey, 7.30pm. Tickets: www.bathboxoffice.org.uk or 01225 463362.

Chocolate Festival with chocolatiers from across the west country – hosted by Cheddar Vale Lions Club at the Kings of Wessex Academy, 10.30am -4pm.

The NEW Wells Cathedral Tower Tour will provide a unique opportunity to learn about the origins and history of our beautiful cathedral. Explore hidden spaces in the walls, roof and tower. 12noon – 1pm.

Email: visits@wellscathedral.uk.net Creating a cutting garden – workshop at the Bishop’s Palace & Garden, Wells. £10, to book: 01749 988111 ext 200.

Sunday March 30th Congesbury Singers Concert of “Favourite Oratorios” including Handel, Bach, Haydn, 7pm at St. Andrew’s Church, Congresbury. Tickets £5 from 01275 878740 or on the door.

Tuesday April 1st Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes – a lecture for Mendip DFAS. Call 01749 670652 for details.

Mendip Business Womens Forum. Mercer Design’s office, Mells. Anni Tuffnell will be running a workshop on panic healing. Meeting starts 7.30pm with beverage, networking and chat. Find out about joining MBWF by visiting the website www.mendipbusinsswomen.co.uk or e-mail: kim@kinkajouknowhow.co.

Friday, April 2nd Steve Knightley – grow your own gig tour. 8pm, Midsomer Norton Town Hall, The Island, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2HQ. Tickets via Bath Box Office http://www.bathboxoffice.org.uk/01225 463362 or locally via 07977 737621 Thursday April 3rd Wells Evening Society, the drama behind the Taj Mahal, with Oliver Everett, 7.30pm, Wells Town Hall.

Friday April 4th Redhill Village Club Open Mic Night from 8pm, hosted by Jerry Blythe. All welcome, artist and spectators alike. Free entry. Church Road, Redhill, BS40 5SG.Tel:01934 862619.

Dave and Rodge Cabaret. Dave and Rodge return to Tilham Farm for another riotous evening of sketches and songs! The Stalls, Tilham Farm, Tilham Lane, Baltonsborough, BA6 8QA. 7.30pm.

Saturday April 5th Stainer’s Crucifixion sung by Congresbury Singers with bass soloist Simon Perkins and organist Jean Routley, at St Bridget’s church, Chelvey, 7.30pm. No charge.

Nailsea & District Horticultural Society Spring Show at Nailsea School.

Wednesday April 9th Fuchsias – a talk by John Nicholass for Nailsea & District Horticultural Society, 7.30pm at the United Reformed Church Hall, Stockway North, Nailsea, £3 (members £2). All welcome.

Blooming Wells a talk for Wells Civic Society by Non Hobson & Jenny Jones of the Wells and District Floral Art Society, 7.30pm at Wells Museum, Cathedral Green.

ANSWERS TO THE MENDIP MINDBENDER

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ACROSS: 1 Tyntesfield, 9 Millfield, 10 Sci-fi, 11 Gamines, 12 A priori, 14 Yetis, 16 Anointing, 17 Exerciser, 19 Nacho, 21 Coarser, 22 Saltire, 24 Dream, 26 Crook Peak, 29 West Pennard.

DOWN: 1/7A Tom tom, 2 No limit, 3 Elfin, 4 Frets, 5 Endeavour, 6/28 Des res, 7 Tripoli, 8 Maisie Goode, 11 Gaymer Cider, 13 Run-in, 15 Socks, 16 Abstracts, 18 Enamels, 20 Chimera, 22 Scoop, 23 Liken, 25 Mow, 27 Kid.

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MENDIP TIMES

Market House celebrations

THE Lord Lieutenant of Somerset will officially open the refurbished Market House in Castle Cary on Saturday, March 1st.

The iconic building, which dates from 1855, is the focal point of the town. It is currently home to the town council, tourist and community information point and the town’s museum.

Extensive renovation of the building was completed in February and it now offers space for community and other events. The Shambles inside is now a venue for productions, lectures, exhibitions and films, complete with a glazed roof and underfloor heating. It can seat up to 50 people.

Outside, the cobbled area in front of The Undercroft will be the venue for weekly general street markets – starting on Tuesday, March 18th and running until December – which will feature food, crafts, clothing and plants. There are also plans for workshops and demonstrations.

The idea of refurbishing the building was first mooted in 1999 when Cary 2000 was formed to commemorate the Millennium.

After several years of fundraising, work began in 2011 on Phase One to create a new entrance through the former prison cell in the building. Work on Phase Two began last year.

Funding for the project came from the Big Lottery Fund, Centaur Services, Viridor Credits, James Wellbeloved and Yarlington Housing Group as well as South Somerset District Council, Castle Cary Town Council, Ansford Parish Council and the Rotary Club of Brue Valley.

Project manager Nick Weeks said: “We are very pleased with

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WHAT WHAT ’S O’NS ON

Project manager Nick Weeks in the refurbished Shambles in the Market House

the outcome. It’s been a long arduous challenge but the results are worth it. The space was being wasted and we wanted to do something with it.”

Nick added: “We have already taken bookings for The Shambles and it’s attracting a lot of interest. Our intention is that it should not be a burden on the town but should pay for itself.”

Lady Gass, the Lord Lieutenant, will open the building at around 10am. Everyone is welcome to attend.

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