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Mendip Times VOLUME 8 ISSUE 4
FREE Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas SEPTEMBER 2012
IN THIS ISSUE: FOCUS ON EDUCATION • ARTS & ANTIQUES • FOOD & DRINK • CARNIVAL PREVIEW • SPORT • WILDLIFE Local people, local history, local places, local events and local news
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Canadian Rockies by Train We are now on Facebook which will hold exclusive offers for our followers HORSE FLY SPRAYS NOW IN STOCK
Get Olympic hooves! Now in stock Showshine fast drying hoof polish and sealer! Perfect for arena work as the polish dries onto the hoof eliminating the surface sticking to the hooves!! Come and see our full grooming products range and why not take a peak at our extensive garden wild bird and pet sections!
HIGHLIGHTS . . . G British Columbia G Vancouver G Jasper G Columbia Icefield G Lake Louise G Banff G Calgary 11 Days G 13 Meals See the glistening glaciers of the Albreda Icefields and Mt. Robson – the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Stand on the amazing 1,000-foot thick Athabasca Glacier during an exciting excursion at the Columbia Icefield. Spend two nights at the magnificent The Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, properly nicknamed the "Castle in the Mountains." Enjoy an overnight journey aboard "The Canadian" by VIA Rail viewing coastal forests, roaring river canyons and the snowcapped peaks of the Canadian Rockies. You are invited to attend our Canada presentation on Weds 10th Oct at 7pm – call us now as places are limited
ALBERT E JAMES & SON LTD Barrow Mill, Barrow Street, Barrow Gurney, Bristol BS48 3RU
T: 01275 463496 • F: 01275 463791 E: enquiries@aejames.com • www.aejames.com
Robin Weelen, Libby Warder, Bill Bartlett, Dervla Nash and Gareth Reynolds
Our Services Include: Commercial and Residential Property Wills and Probate Litigation and Personal Injury Criminal and Family Law Agricultural, Business and Commercial Employment Shepton Mallet: 57 High Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5AQ. Tel: 01749 343091
Glastonbury: 11 Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 8DL. Tel: 01458 832510
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To register your interest please contact: Cathedral City Travel 80 High Street, Wells, Somerset BA5 2AJ. Tel: 01749 671660 Email: sales@cathedralcitytravel.co.uk
No baby news to report this month, although the staff at the Cheddar Office had an unexpected new arrival recently when they came to work to find a bat hanging from the blinds in reception! Despite the fact that the little creature was sleeping quite peacefully, the staff fled the scene until our very own “Batman” in the form of Cheddar office partner Gareth Reynolds found some gloves and, after a fearsome struggle (which at times it seemed the bat might win), he placed it in a bag where it remained until it was released back into the wild that evening. The bat was probably a member of the colony of greater horseshoe bats that live in Gough’s Cave in the Gorge. All requests by staff for time off to recover from posttraumatic stress disorder have been refused. Even more impressive than Gareth’s antics with the bat is the fact that our probate partner Dervla Nash has recently been admitted as a member of The Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (known as “STEP”). This is the result of four year’s of study and examinations. Dervla is now an acknowledged specialist in all matters associated with wills, trusts and administration of estates. She is particularly interested in complex and problematic situations including disputes relating to estates. We are extremely proud of this achievement.
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
CONTENTS
Welcome AFTER all the excitement of the Olympics, life settles into its normal Mendip routine. Harvest homes are underway across the area – we’ve pictures from a couple of them – and then we have the ploughing matches to look forward to. We’ve a picture special from the MidSomerset show and a preview of the last big agricultural show of the season – Frome Cheese Show. Then we will be in to the carnival season! We may lack the dazzle and thrills of London 2012 but Mendip life is never dull, and that’s reflected in another bumper edition of the magazine, made possible by the magnificent support we get from our advertisers. Elsewhere this month we showcase what’s on offer during Somerset Art Weeks and the Made in North Somerset festival. Our Arts and Antiques feature continues to expand and this month we have a special feature on education. We meet the couple who helped drive a horse and carriage the length of the country for charity and join the party for the Mendip AONB service’s 40th anniversary. In sport this month we look back on Frome’s first half-marathon. The rugby season is now underway, with Wells RFC hoping to build on last season’s success. With all of our regular contributors and features, let us guide you into autumn. October 2012 deadline: Friday, 14th September 2012. Published: Tuesday, 25th September 2012 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: Carly Mason and daughter Thea, aged three, enjoy the music at the Nunney Street Fayre (see page 29). Photo by Mark Adler.
6 Doing their bit – a young citizen’s scheme on Mendip
14 Just champion – Mid-Somerset show success
86 Harvest time – Wedmore’s centenary celebrations
96 Off to a flyer – Frome’s marathon effort
Plus all our regular features Environment...................................6 Farming Mary James MBE..........10 Arts & Antiques ...........................18 Business ........................................30 Food & Drink...............................34 Internet and Crossword..............44 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE .......53 Walking Sue Gearing....................54 Outdoors Les Davies MBE ..........56 Gardening Mary Payne MBE ......58
Community Simon Selby .............62 Health Dr Phil Hammond.............64 Family Mendip Mum....................64 Charities .......................................71 Caving Phil Hendy........................74 Property........................................76 Music.............................................88 Golf Peter Godsiff .........................93 Riding Celia Gadd ........................90 What’s On ..................................104 MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 3
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MENDIP TIMES
Tribute to war hero at Paulton
NEWS
Morris travellers
Dancers gather outside the Horseshoe Inn
Brigadier Mike Dauncey (left) at the Double Hills service in 2010
THIS year’s Double Hills war memorial ceremony at Paulton will feature a special tribute to Brigadier Mike Dauncey. Brig. Dauncey, 93, has been president of the Double Hills Association since 1996. The annual ceremony and parade remembers the 23 servicemen – 19 paratroopers and two air crew – who died in September1944 when a glider on its way to Arnhem crashed into the Double Hills meadow on the edge of the village. Brig. Dauncey was also a glider pilot who took part in the battle and received the DSO. This year’s service will be on Sunday, September 2nd, starting at 2.30pm with the tribute to Brig. Dauncey including the song Wind Beneath My Wings performed by jazz, blues and soul singer Lauren Reading, 22, from Bristol. There will then be a flypast by the Army Air Corps. A big crowd – including relatives of the dead servicemen – is expected for the event which will also be attended by 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers, the Army Air Corps and Somerset Army Cadets.
THE two remaining 1977 Silver Jubilee Morris sides in the country travelled to a pub near Shepton Mallet for a party to celebrate their 35th anniversaries. Priston Jubilee Morris – formed in the village with the idea of staging a one-off performance – were joined by Wyvern Jubilee Morris, from Yeovil, with guest dance teams Beetlecrushers, a step and clog team, and Knights of King Ina, a newly formed jig side, joining the celebrations. The party at the Horseshoe Inn at Bowlish was the 10th date on the Priston Jubilee Morris Grand Jubilee Tour, which has involved Morris teams performing Cotswold, Border, Clog and Stave dances and covered a number of pub venues from North Bristol all the way down to South Somerset. Priston Morris will be performing at the Priston Festival on September 14th, 15th and 16th.
The Maine man GRAHAM Hunt is the winner of this year’s Maine Plate awarded by Nailsea and Backwell Rotary Club to the rotarian who is judged to have given significant service to the club and the community in the past year. Graham was born in Ipswich, Suffolk and moved from Lancashire to Backwell just over 25 years ago, with his wife Jean. He joined the club four years ago and has recently made major contributions to the Mike Hatch 30 mile walk from Bath to Nailsea and the Nailsea charity walks, which raised over £3,000 for a number of vital charities.
Bus on the move THE Community Bus mobile project, which provides play and learning opportunities in areas where community facilities are poor in Bath and North East Somerset and beyond, is to continue thanks to new funding. The project will provide five weekly sessions during school term-time in places like Paulton, Peasedown St John, Batheaston, High Littleton, Haydon, Timsbury and Westfield. Over the summer the Playbus will be in Paulton, Haydon, Keynsham, Timsbury and Writhlington providing play schemes for 5-13 year olds. One of the mums, Josie Griffiths, using the bus at High Littleton said: “We are overjoyed that we’ll be able to keep meeting up on the bus in September as it’s our only chance to
gather together locally. There’s nothing else like it in the parish, the children look forward to it all week – it’s unique!”
The bus is looking for more trustees to be involved with the management of the project. Details: www.thecommunitybus.org.uk or telephone 01761 419557. MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 5
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MENDIP TIMES
Just good citizens By Mark Adler AT times, it may have been wet and muddy, but that didn’t prevent a group of more than 30 young volunteers from making a real difference in their communities. The teams were part of a new Government scheme called the National Citizen Service (NCS) Programme, a four-week programme for young people from all backgrounds. It is designed to equip young people with new skills, encourage them to take on new challenges, and to make a difference through volunteering in local communities. It aims to give them positive experiences so they can take a positive step to further education and employment. The programme, run by Strode College in partnership with Petroc, included a week-long residential week, featuring outdoor activities and a further week based at Bridgwater College’s Cannington centre learning about communities and new skills. The teams spent a further week planning and researching their social action project and then a week delivering their initiative in the Mendip area. A talk by Lydia Shallcross from the Head’s Up mental health project in Wells inspired two of the teams to decide to restore a neglected garden at the centre. Formerly Mendip Vale workshops, the centre at South Horrington had suffered from funding cuts. Lydia and the rest of the team had wanted to transform the garden into a therapy and sensory area but didn’t have the resources. Team Rusty and Team Extreme sourced donations of Alice with assistant leader Judith Edmondson
Destination Unknown – but will the course help them in later life
Team Rusty and Team Extreme at the Head’s Up centre
products, including timber from Snows and CRS Timber, two tones of compost from Viridor and products from Rainbow Eco – as well as a generous donation from Wells-based solicitors Chubb Bulleid. Alice Buck, who led Team Rusty and is a pupil at Sidcot School, said: “I joined NCS because I wanted to meet different people and gain a bit more confidence and do something which would benefit the community.” A playground and recreational area in Butleigh, near Street, was tackled by a third team: Destination Unknown. Finding a suitable project was not that easy. Team leader Steven Kemp said the team had approached various organizations to offer their services but were turned down for various reasons. Then team member Octavia Jose had an idea: she lived in Butleigh and knew the recreation ground needed some care and attention. The paths were weeded and a barbecue area tidied up. The gate leading to the ground was also given a new coat of sealant. Villagers were so delighted to see the team in action that they brought them cups of tea when the weather was bad – and icelollies when the sun came out! Although the NCS is aimed at young people, it can also provide opportunities for adults such as Steven: in his 40s and a former Royal Marine who had been doing voluntary work. Now he is off to university to qualify as a history teacher.
On the road to somewhere – the team’s motto
For more information about National Citizen Service young people being delivered by Strode College contact Shonagh Butler 01458 844543 or visit: www.teachthedifference.org.uk PAGE 6 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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ENVIRONMENT
Rock festival is a blast By Mark Adler HUNDREDS of people have taken part so far in the second Mendip Rocks! festival of geology which runs until Sunday, September 23rd. Organisers say even they were taken aback by the number of young people and adults who attended the first event, the Rocky Roadshow in Cheddar. Other events have included guided walks, talks and dry stone walling lessons. Mendip Rocks! is supported by the Mendip Hill AONB Partnership in collaboration with the Somerset Earth Science Centre, at Stoke St Michael and Somerset Wildlife Trust.
Bob Corns, a geologist-turned-ecologist from Natural England, led a walk through Ebbor Gorge, explaining its surprising geology Rock on! Dr. Gill Odolphie, from the Somerset Earth Science Centre, led people on tours of Whatley Quarry and Moons Hill Quarry
Family fossil fun – brachiopods and belemnites
Adele recreates Cheddar Gorge out of sand castles during the Rocky Roadshow
For information about events coming up in September, visit: www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk, www.somersetwildlifetrust.org.uk and www.somersetearthsciencecentre.org.uk
Mendip AONB celebrates THE Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) has celebrated 40 years of designation! It’s also celebrating the award of a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant to develop its Discovering Black Down Project. The project will interpret the heritage, wildlife and landscape and offer a range of learning and community involvement opportunities. Those involved in the project attended a ceremony to fix a plaque on the Black Down trig point at Beacon Batch, the highest point in the Mendip Hills AONB. For further information on AONBs visit www.landscapesforlife.org.uk or for Black Down project www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 7
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MENDIP TIMES
Have a hoot this halloween
Photo courtesy of Brian Phipps
AN owl prowl with a difference will be held on Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Westhay Moor reserve near Glastonbury to celebrate Halloween. The trust is holding a family fancy dress owl prowl in the afternoon of Wednesday, October 31st followed by a guided owl walk aimed at adults in the evening. The event is part of the Somerset-wide Community Barn Owl Project which aims to build a nest box in every parish. Mendip Times contributor Chris Sperring, Conservation Officer for the Hawk and Owl Trust and Vice President of Somerset Wildlife Trust will be leading the walks. Chris said: “The Somerset Levels are a really important place for barn owl conservation so Westhay Moor Nature Reserve is the ideal place for an owl prowl. With barn owls and tawny owls in the area, we hope to see and hear a variety of species.” The three-year Community Barn Owl Project, launched in April, is funded by Viridor Credits Environmental Company, a charity that distributes money from the Landfill Communities Fund. It is a collaboration between the wildlife trust, the Hawk and Owl Trust and local communities. The fancy dress owl prowl takes place between 4pm and 6pm. The adult walk takes place from 7pm until 9pm. Booking for both is essential. Call 01823 652400 or email: enquiries@somersetwildlife.org. For full event details go to www.somersetwildlife.org/barnowl
PAGE 8 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
ENVIRONMENT M E N D I P W E AT H E R S C E N E
Gold medal weather SO, did you all enjoy the Olympics? They might be over (although, of course, the Paralympics are now underway), but the achievements of Team GB were quite unbelievable and still worthy of the highest praises – I can add mine here. The weather played its part as well, of with DAVID course, and not just because it was MAINE largely kind to the games. It also had a bearing on some of the sports. The archers at Lord’s had to take account of wind strength and direction and it certainly had an impact on the sailing at Weymouth. My Mendip Times colleague Brian Brooks was fortunate enough to visit Weymouth (please read his article on page XX). The winds were generally kind to the sailors in Weymouth Bay, mostly a light to moderate breeze (that’s force 3 or 4 on the Beaufort scale). In fact, they were even too light on one or two occasions, some races having to be Peter Cabble, from Street, one of the Olympic postponed! torch relay runners, with Jacob, one of the young Back in torch bearers at the opening of the Barton London Carnival. See page XX there were showers too, some heavy and thundery early on, but the worst of them kept to the north and west of London, with only very limited disruption to proceedings. Fairly typical English August weather, one could say. It even kept fine for those magnificent opening and closing ceremonies. It was a little different the last time the games came to London, back in 1948. They opened on July 29th in the middle of a blazing heatwave with temperatures up to the low 90s Farenheit (that’s 32 to 34 Celsius)! On the previous day 35C was reached in Surrey which was the only time this had happened anywhere in the UK during a 25-year period! The heatwave lasted for two or three more days, before a spectacular thunderstorm brought an end to it – the weather then reverting to type and not too different to what we have experienced this time.
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GUY SALMON
Introducing Guy Salmon Land Rover Bristol!
GUY Salmon Land Rover Bristol is your local Land Rover centre, a one-stop shop for all your Land Rover and Range Rover requirements, utilising our Guy Salmon Price Promise – Our commitment to you that we will match any genuine like-for-like quote on any of our sales or after sales products and services – There really is no reason to go anywhere else! At Guy Salmon we’re passionate about customer service, and we strive continuously to exceed your expectations. We’re clearly aware that you could purchase your new Land Rover from other dealers around the country, but we’re convinced that there’s a difference when you buy from Guy Salmon. We have a new look management team here at Guy Salmon Land Rover Bristol - alongside Centre Principal Amanda BinnerVaughan is Sales Manager Simon Crane - After Sales Manager Andrew Forman and Business Manager Daniel Huke. Whether it’s a Sales or After Sales enquiry, the whole team are totally dedicated to ensuring you receive a sensational Land Rover experience during every visit.
Out and about in your area! As the local Land Rover centre for Bristol and the surrounding area, you will see the team out and about more and more, promoting the brand and enabling as many people as possible to get up close and personal with the fantastic range of Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles. You may have seen us at the recent ‘Mid-Somerset Show’ and look out for us at the ‘Frome Cheese Show’ on Saturday 8th September and at ‘Bath Southgate Shopping Centre’ on Friday 21st September. EXCLUSIVE FREELANDER OFFER! We currently have a limited number of new Freelander 2 models available with unbeatable offers exclusive to Guy Salmon Land Rover Bristol – As you can see from the below advert, these models attract considerable savings and are not to be missed! Contact us today for more information or to arrange a test drive.
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 9
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MENDIP TIMES
What a dreadful year it has been! THIS year has been one of the worst summers in living memory and it isn’t over yet. I am writing this on August 10th and in the last few days I have contacted a few farmers in the area to see how they are faring. One farmer still has 150 acres to make With MARY for hay and another 100 acres for silage. JAMES MBE Combining has started; one farmer tells me his wheat has been coming off at only one and a half tons per acre where in normal years it would be three tons to the acre. The quality is poor. The story is much the same everywhere, even in America, so the cost of grain will be very high sending up food prices. Ironically the usual harvest homes are being celebrated already. What a topsy-turvy year. The combined action of all the dairy farming groups gave a clear message to processors and some progress has been made to re-instate some of the proposed price cuts. The protests will continue particularly at some frozen food retailers and large catering businesses. It has been interesting to note that some of the supermarkets have been paying the farmers who sell to them direct a fair price but that is only a fraction of the entire number of dairy farmers. Take a look at the website nfuonline.com to see all those who have committed to paying a fair price to British dairy farmers.
Also, it has just been announced that the new Dairy Coalition have agreed a new strategy to help secure the longterm future of the dairy industry focusing on three key areas – (a) Exposing bad practices, (b) Redefining and empowering the farmers’ role in the supply chain and (c) Ensuring the supply chain is transparent and fair. Have you noticed that there is a huge amount of ragwort everywhere. Ragwort, to the general public, looks like a tall plant with a mass of tiny yellow flowers. It is a poisonous weed and can cause liver damage to animals if eaten in large enough quantities, particularly if it gets into hay. The most effective way to get rid of this pernicious weed is either to spray when young or pull and burn. Just a few environmental facts to finish off with this month. Around three quarters of the land in England and Wales is managed by farmers. You may have heard of SSSIs – Sites of Special Scientific Interest. Since 2003 the proportion of agriculturally managed SSSIs has increased from 45% to 95%. There are 190,000km of public rights of way in England, enough to go around the equator four and three quarter times, 78% are public footpaths. Plus – it’s time for the good old ploughing matches again. September 8th North Somerset at Stepstones Farm, Langford, September 16th the Vintage Ploughing at Pagans Hill Farm, Chew Stoke and September 26th, the Mendip ploughing match at Yoxter. Great days out for all the family.
Tractor club celebrates STATION ROAD, WANSTROW, SHEPTON MALLET Between Frome and Bruton on the A359 Tel: 01749 850258
RING FOR THE BEST DEALS Sales Reps: Dick Bath 07866 632413 • Brian Yeates: 07977 263794 Ask about the flexible finance deals we have to suit your business. These range from monthly through to annual payments schemes, all at 0% interest depending on model
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PAGE 10 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
THREE hundred members, family and friends attended a party to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the North Somerset Vintage Tractor Club. The event was held at Stanton Drew by kind permission of Kelston and Alan Sparkes and family. Club secretary Sheila Chapman said: “The event was very efficiently organised by our chairman, Kevin Patch, together with three club members: Mike and Rob Jenkins and Maggs Beresford. They are all to be congratulated on a fantastic job very well done.” NSVTC has around 160 members. The club organises road runs in the spring and autumn, a Christmas autojumble and an annual vintage ploughing match, which will be held on Sunday, September 16th at Pagans Hill Farm at Chew Stoke. The events raise funds for various charities – this year’s are St Peter’s Hospice and Bristol Oncology Centre. Club meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at Redhill Village Club. New members are always welcome. Contact Sheila on: 01275 474649.
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FARMING
Mendip’s got talent
Built in Britain for British Farmers Available now from your local dealer
UPHILL & SON LTD Chewton Mendip 01761 241270 Main JCB agriculture distributors for Somerset, South Glos. and West Wilts.
FARRINGTON Gurney Young Farmers Club raised £2,466 for the Dorset and Somerset Air ambulance by hosting a local version of Britain’s Got Talent at Chewton Field Farm, Ston Easton. The acts consisted of singing, dancing and the Full Monty! Farrington Young Farmers are also organising a Masquerade Fall Ball at the Royal Bath and West showground on Saturday September 29th, from 8pm to 2am – black tie, with masks optional! Tickets are £15 for YFC members and £18 for non-members, with music from Up the Function.
MENDIP PLOUGHING MATCH
Details: 07934 322086 or email farringtonfallball@hotmail.co.uk
ON WEDNESDAY 26TH SEPTEMBER 2012 AT YOXTER, PRIDDY, NR WELLS BA5 3BS • Modern and Vintage Tractor Ploughing • Heavy Horse Ploughing • Hedge Laying and Dry Stone Walling Competitions • Farm Produce Show • Trade Stands • Luncheon, Refreshments and Bar • Free Entry.
Sponsored by YEO VALLEY Horse ploughing sponsored by BLACKTHORN Further details from the Hon Secretary Jim King
Telephone: 01275 332402 Mob: 07810 413664 MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 11
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MENDIP TIMES
FARMING
NORTH SOMERSET
PLOUGHING MATCH The Dairy Show with Crafts & Produce Show
SATURDAY 8th SEPTEMBER Stepstones Farm, Langford BS40 5HS From 10.00am – parking free Adults £3 • Children free
Rural crafts, trade stands Food & Licensed bar all day
Tel: 08456 342464 tim@nsas.org.uk A great day out for all the family – all welcome
THIS one day event has become one of the most important dates in the dairy farmer's calendar, combining a comprehensive trade show with an exhibition of top quality dairy cattle. The show on October 3rd, attracts over 280 tradestands from across the country and beyond and with over 250 cattle this show is the place to be seen and visit. The show as ever continues to provide the dairy farmer or farm manager with a complete “one stop shop” event at which to meet the milk buyers, feed suppliers, AI companies and consultants, plus it showcases an extensive display of agricultural machinery and equipment. Many of the farmers and businesses also hail the event as an excellent and profitable networking opportunity Dairy cattle are at the heart of the show with 300 entries covering the six main breeds, plus classes for calves and Junior Showmanship classes to encourage the exhibitors of the future. The classes reach an exciting climax at the end of the day with each breed champion judged by a panel of five experts who mark the entrants out of ten, with all competitors hoping for the elusive 50 out of 50. Tickets can be purchased in advance from www.bathandwest.com or call the ticket hotline 01749 822200
PAGE 12 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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HARVEST
Worth so much! ONE of the first harvest homes of the year has raised thousands of pounds for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance charity. Worth Harvest Home is one of the smallest events of its kind; the village has only around 60 residents but they were joined by friends and family for the evening which featured an Elvis tribute performance by Tim Bassett as well as duck races. Wells MP Tessa Munt visited the harvest home and an auction for two tours with her of Westminster raised £2,000 alone for the air ambulance. The evening itself raised a further £1,000. G See Wedmore Harvest Home page 86.
Nick Pearce (front right) from the air ambulance with organisers, successful bidders at the auction and prize winners
Preparing to serve the harvest supper
The winning ducks cross the finish line
Farm fundraiser reaches £20,000 A CHARITY event on the Glastonbury Festival site has raised £20,000 for research into Motor Neurone disease and to care for sufferers. Live music, a raffle and an auction – plus donations – meant the night far exceeded the expectations of organisers. Fundraiser on the Farm took place at Worthy Farm, Pilton, to raise funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association in memory of Clive Frampton, chairman of food manufacturer Framptons Limited in Shepton Mallet. Clive passed away in March this year after a brave and dignified fight against the disease. Caroline Burgess, Marketing Co-ordinator at Framptons Limited, said: “We are so proud of the amount of money that has been raised for the MNDA. This would not have been possible without the support of Framptons Limited, who invested a significant sum of money in the event to ensure that all the money we received from ticket sales, and the auction and raffle, went straight to the charity. The event also wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Michael Eavis and his team, so we are truly grateful.” Sarah Hampton, Regional Fundraiser, Motor Neurone Disease Association, said: “It was a marvellous event and a great night.
The cheque was handed over to Sarah from the MNDA at Worthy Farm by event organisers Caroline Burgess and Emma Frampton (Clive’s daughter), along with Michael Eavis. Also pictured is one of the volunteers on the night, Zena Pollard from Barclay’s Bank, who raised £750 towards the total through the company’s matched-giving scheme.
“A massive thank you from everyone at the association. £20,000 could fund more than 130 days’ research into the prevention and cure of motor neurone disease, or could provide direct support for seven people with MND.” MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 13
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Shepton show stopper! RECORD crowds packed the Shepton Mallet Showground for the one-day Mid-Somerset Agricultural Show. The event was a sell-out with 220 trade stands and another memorable performance by The Wurzels. One of the highlights of the day was a parade in the main ring by Neptune Collonges, Paul Nicholls’ John Smith Grand National champion. Now retired from racing, Neptune’s future might involve hunting or showjumping, said Paul. The show also featured an appearance by not one, but two Olympic torch bearers at the Framptons Ltd. stand. Kay Franklin, who works for Framptons, one of the show sponsors, ran her leg of the Olympic Torch Relay, through Coxley, near Wells. Kay was nominated for her work with the Rowan Romania charity, which helps orphaned children. John Reynolds, the long-distance charity runner from Radstock, ran his relay leg through Frome. John’s marathon efforts have raised thousands of pounds for Children’s Hospice South West. John is planning for another record-breaking run next year.
James Hooper, 12, from Cocklake, near Wedmore, won a string of awards including best young handler. He is pictured with Millie, which won four different awards and judge Geoff Carpenter, from Publow A massive crowd gathered to watch The Wurzels
Neil Edwards, from Doulting, took part in a carriage driving competition
Showjumping in the main arena
Essays are diamonds YOUNG writer Becky Smith is the first winner of The Harvey Family Perpetual Cup for essay writing. Show chairman Ian Harvey donated the cup to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Year and to inspire young people to get writing. This year’s entrants were asked to write an essay based on the title Diamond Decades. Philip Welch, editor of Mid Somerset News and Media, judged the entries along with Ian and his wife Jenny.
Left to right: Verity Boulton, Philip Welch, Jenny Harvey, Becky Smith, Ian Harvey and Robyn Farmer PAGE 14 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Some of the many trophies up for grabs on the day
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MID-SOMERSET SHOW 2012 The Wurzels prepare to take to the stage
Marquee moments
Ian Harvey (right), chairman of the Mid-Somerset Show, with staff from Framptons Ltd. and their partners. Ian is the managing director of Framptons
DRESS code: smart. Wellies: advisable. Given the summer so far, what else do you wear to the Mid-Somerset Show pre-show party? Heavy rain in the build-up to the event didn’t stop around 80 people from attending the annual event in the Members’ Marquee. The traditional curtain raiser to the annual event featured music by Three Blind Mice. Well-known local chef Ralph Parenti prepares to cook the barbecue The Harlem Rhythm Cats performed in public for only the second time. Two of the band are from Binegar Torch runners Kay Franklin and John Reynolds with Tyler (left), Callum, Naya and Jacob
Show president Finn Cristensen (centre) with his wife Rachel (right) and guests MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 15
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Wrington on show A GROUP from Wrington Twinning Association has returned from the south of France where they took part in a festival in their twin village of Villeneuve-lès-Béziers. Members of the group ran a stall during the three-day event – known as a Feria – after taking samples of local produce with them. The feria included live music, pop-up bars and restaurants, live music, DJ concerts and professional displays of dance – all with the Spanish influence very evident. Visitors to the feria were able to sample cheddar cheese supplied by Peter Alvis, a selection of Butcombe beers and Thatcher ciders (organised by James Langford of The Plough), and fruit juice and jams from the Walled Garden. Miles West country tea was also available! Cultural presentations ranged from a display of local painting, organised by Julie Kingcott, to recorded local music from the Redhillbillies (supported by Acker Bilk, the Wurzels and Portishead) and a bar skittles game. Wrington entered two teams in the open boules competition and were awarded a trophy for outstanding efforts. They also set up a croquet pitch on the patch of rough grass adjacent to the boules and this provided a major attraction for younger The association has already been asked to make a return visit with a view to making this a regular exchange – parties from Villeneuve already having participated in events in Wrington, most recently the village pageant and fair week.
NEWS The Wrington stall at the festival
Jessica Hennis!
More information about the Wrington Twinning Association activities is available on the village website http://www.wrington.net/organisations/ twinningassociation.htm
Toad in the hole
THIS little chap found himself unexpectedly in the spotlight as he emerged from his underground home to start a night’s hunting. Ian Bell, from Chew Stoke, was just as surprised when he came face to face with the amphibian after triggering the security light at the back of his home. But darkness fell a couple of minutes later and the toad returned to business as usual. PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
WE are used to reporting the news at Mendip Times, rather than making it. But when Jessica the hen produced a whopping 6oz egg at the start of the Olympics, the story travelled the world. The hen’s owners Steve and Annie Egginton, publishers of Mendip Times, said it made a very substantial breakfast. The world record for a giant egg stands at 16ozs.
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SUMMER SALE SALE ends on September 2nd
vienna oak range extending oak table £369 oak chair with leather seat £79
nevada oak bedroom oak bedside
£99
oak chest of drawers
oak wardrobes
from
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£199
£339
Table + 6 chairs Special set price
£799
branches Opposite Temple Meads Station | Bristol | BS1 6PL Free parking at rear | Tel: 0117 934 9200 | www.branchesofbristol.co.uk
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Rare mascots for sale THESE two car mascots will be coming up for auction at Tamlyns, Bridgwater salerooms on September 4th. The famous Spirit of Ecstasy Rolls Royce symbol is instantly recognisable but the rather unusual glass mascot is perhaps less well known. It is made of moulded amethyst coloured glass in the form of a sparrow hawk’s head and is mounted on the original chrome bonnet fitting and bears the name of the manufacturer – the famous French glass firm “Lalique”. Many people will have come across Lalique glass vases, bowls and other household items, but in the 1920s Rene Lalique introduced a range of beautiful car mascots that could be illuminated from inside. The correct name for this one is “tete d’epervier” and it was introduced in January 1928 and it has obviously been used as it has a small chip to one side presumably from a
stone, which will affect the value. The Spirit of Ecstasy dates from the 1940s and is estimated at £140 – £160
and the Lalique mascot is estimated at £500 – £600.
Details: 01278 445251 or at www.tamlyns.co.uk
PAGE 18 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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A fine catch
THIS Victorian Minton majolica ewer dated to 1861 caused a wave of excitement at Clevedon Salerooms’ recent specialist sale as collectors from around the globe fought to tame this frog and dolphin. The frog had his own ideas and had no plans to be parted from his companion. As the net drew in the successful bidder found that £3,650 was the perfect bait required to land this diminutive six-inch tall piece, leaving the other bidders to wonder what might have been.
Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers
FREE ANTIQUE VALUATION DAYS 3 4 5 September 17 18 19 September 9am–1pm and 2pm–5.30pm (at the Salerooms)
Pair of Famille Rose vases, 64cm high
Sold for £6,750
The Auction Centre, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon, Bristol BS21 6TT
We are currently inviting entries for our forthcoming: Quarterly Specialist Sale of Antiques, Fine Art & Collectors’ Items Thursday 15th November
www.clevedon-salerooms.com
(closing date for entries 17th October)
Tel: 01934 830111 or 0117 325 6789
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 19
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Award-winning jewellery County showcase ERICA Sharpe has a reputation for awardwinning, unique precious jewellery. Having accomplished traditional goldsmith skills, Erica has developed new techniques to combine gold and silver with Cornish tin, her designs inspired by our rich and changing coastline. She will be demonstrating throughout Art Weeks with a wide selection of her exclusive work on display and for sale at her gallery in Wedmore. Commissions are a speciality, including remaking old jewellery into new creations. She will be open from Wednesday – Sunday both weeks. Details: www.ericasharpe.co.uk
PAGE 20 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
AMONGST the highlights at this year’s Somerset Art Weeks are beautiful garden ceramics, wood sculpture and bowls from sustainable local sources, a silent auction for a Goldsmith’s graduate’s paintings, site-specific weaving and light installations, colourful limited edition etchings and dreamy watercolours inspired by the Somerset landscape. These, and over 300 other inspirational, diverse artworks, will be on display in houses, barns, halls, studios and streets from September 15th – 30th. You can purchase or commission unique artworks, crafts, jewellery and ceramics, or just enjoy Somerset’s art and culture. Many artists have international reputations, all have a story to tell, and positively encourage conversation about their work. Somerset Art Weeks, started in 1994 and is organised by Somerset Art Works (SAW Ltd,) a not-for-profit organisation which promotes the visual arts and creates opportunities for visual artists and makers in Somerset by advocacy, promotion and development.
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MENDIP Auction Rooms has announced the appointment of two new members to the team. Commenting on their August sale, Leo Glass said: “Word has spread about Killen’s Mendip Action Room with over 800 lots brought in from the local area and further afield. “As a new member of the team the last few weeks have been great, meeting the people bringing in items and hearing the stories behind so many fantastic pieces. There were some interesting lots including a beautiful Italian white gold necklace set and items with some real local history behind them like a cider press.” The second person to join the team is Gareth Wasp. Gareth has extensive experience of auction rooms having previously worked for Sotheby’s, Bonham’s and other provincial auction houses.
The Mendip Saddlery Located next to the new Mendip Auction Rooms! FOR ALL OF YOUR EQUESTRIAN NEEDS INCLUDING: G G G G
Riding wear, supplements, bridlewear, body protectors, riding hats etc. Second hand goods dept. Qualified saddler, on site workshop, rug cleaning and repairs, saddle fitting and sales new and secondhand. (Good quality second hand saddles always needed to sell on a commission basis)
Tues–Fri 9.30 – 5.00 and Sat 9.30 – 4.00 Rookery Farm, Binegar BA3 4UL
Tel 01749 840838
Follow us on Facebook: MENDIP EQUESTRIAN SADDLERY www.themendipsaddlery.co.uk
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Somerset Clocks Specialists in the full restoration and repair of all types of Antique Clocks
Contact Rik Lowe for a FREE no obligation estimate Many different types of Antique Clocks in stock, fully restored and guaranteed. Phone for details or to arrange to visit our Showroom
01749 841114 All work fully guaranteed Unit 3, Rookery Farm, Binegar, Nr. Radstock, Somerset BA3 4UL www.somersetclocks.co.uk
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 21
Photographer: P. Davies
More staff at Mendip Auction Rooms
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Generation gap? Not at Swan Artworks SWAN Artworks and Picture Framers in Midsomer Norton is preparing for a special exhibition starting in September: it spans three generations of the same family! Paintings by Heather O’Brien, from Mells, will feature alongside work by her daughter Carrie Osborne, an aspiring children’s author and illustrator, as well as paintings by Carrie’s own two daughters: Elora, aged eight, and Elswyth, aged five. Carrie, who runs Swan Artworks with her husband Tony, said: “Growing up with an artist for a mother meant that drawing was almost like breathing for me, I could not imagine life without a sketchbook! It will be lovely to share an exhibition with my mother and also with my children, almost like passing the paintbrush on down the line...” Heather has painted for many years, studying at Rochdale College of Art and Corsham College of Art. She has exhibited widely, selling her work in London and the South West of England. She works in oil on canvas, painting verdant English gardens and luminescent French landscapes, as well as still life paintings and etchings. Heather said: “For me, making a garden is about creating a harmony of colour, shape and texture and watching the changing light add another dimension bringing it all to life. My love of gardens and gardening are primarily the focus of my work on canvas. It is the uplifting qualities of the interplay between light and colour that inspire me. I aim to allow those qualities to create the dynamics within my
ANTIQUES & JEWELLERY WANTED Respected Lady dealer will pay TOP PRICES for: Gold & silver Antiques of all kinds Quality vintage pieces Decorative items Please call Vivienne on:
07974 798871 kingland@metronet.co.uk EST. Since l985 PAGE 22 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Mind the Gap: Elswyth (left) and Elora (far right) with mum Carrie and grandmother Heather in the Swan Artworks Gallery
paintings.” Carrie added: “I believe there is a naturally creative soul in every child and to nurture that creativity whether it is in the form of art, music or language, should be held dear. Children create for the sheer joy of it without fear of judgement or self consciousness, something we adults could learn from! “My children are growing up surrounded by art and music and I am so pleased to be able to include them in every aspect of it and see their undampened enthusiasm.”
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A passion for photography AFTER a 30-year love affair with photography, Keith Wisbey is now making it his career – and he is not regretting it for a single moment. Having worked for many years in the printing industry, Keith decided the time was right for a change in direction. Now Keith – who works under the name KW Photography – is earning a glowing reputation for weddings, portraits and landscapes. Keith also runs digital photography courses from his home in Lower Peasedown with its spectacular views of the Cam Valley. Keith first picked up a camera when he was six years old and, for many years, was a member of the Norton Radstock Photographic Society. He is currently an enthusiastic member of the Old Bakery Artists group, which stages regular exhibitions in the Mendip area. He said: “My aim with the wedding photography is to give a warm, relaxed atmosphere to that special day. There will be two photographers present to capture a mixture of formal and candid images. “Portraits can be studio-based or taken in the attractive garden settings. Family groups and pets as well as individual portraits can be catered for.” His next photography courses are being held on September 8th and 29th but Keith is also happy to talk to people about group bookings of between four and six people. Anyone who would like to see some of Keith’s work should visit the Oakhill Inn, at Oakhill, near Shepton Mallet, where an
Keith at home
exhibition will run throughout September. He is also showing some of his work at the Boston Tea Party in Bath until September 25th. And, along with other members of the OBA, he will be exhibiting at Rook Lane Chapel in Frome, from October 20th until November 3rd. The exhibition theme is Energy and Movement. Expect some surprises!
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 23
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Feels like coming home WELLS and Mendip Museum is to host an exhibition of paintings by an artist who grew up in the city and still has strong links with the area. Loranjo was educated at Wells Blue School and she went on to have a career in the theatre, painting backdrops, as well as
SOMER CRAFT ADDIX Craft Shop
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gaining experience in stage design and management, directing and producing. Loranjo, who lives in Bristol, said: “As I grew up in Wells, I often played ‘hide and seek’ as a youngster in the Cathedral! I spent most of my teenage years earning extra pocket money serving in the many tea shops and hotels but, during all of those years, I never would have guessed that one day the museum would be showing my art work.” G Pause 4 Thought... An Exhibition of Contemporary and Light Abstract Work runs until Sunday, September 30th. For more information, visit: www.wellsmuseum.org.uk or loranjo’s own website: www.loranjo.co.uk
Martin Bentham’s new exhibition
Hedge Ash by Martin Batham
BLAGDON artist Martin Bentham RWA is springing a few surprises with his new exhibition at the Royal West of England Academy, which runs from October 3rd-11th. His beloved Mendips remain his inspiration, but he has changed his painting technique. Martin began his career as a professional artist painting the subjects that were familiar to him – the landscape and people of the Mendip Hills. An ex-farm labourer, his initial paintings were accurate studies reliant on expert drawing skills and choice of colour. He soon found that nature changes fleetingly when painting outdoors, colours alter according to light and weather and it was difficult to capture these changes. Oil paint, by its very nature, is a tricky medium with which to portray the subtlety of colours and texture inherent within Martin’s chosen scenes. Realising his paintings had become somewhat static led Martin to radically change his method of painting, especially the way in which he applies paint to the canvas surface. Using a palette knife to apply unmixed colours, Martin has discovered a new way to recreate natural textures such as rocks, leaves, and grass in a more expressive and exciting way. Martin will be giving an exhibition tour on Saturday October 6th, 2pm-3pm, providing a chance to ask questions about his artistic practice.
ANTIQUES FAIR SATURDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 2012 10.30am – 4pm at The Wellsway, Harptree Hill, West Harptree BS40 6EJ
Numerous stallholders with a variety of antiques and collectables held within the recently refurbished THE WELLSWAY
Tea and coffee, delicious homemade cakes, hog roast, ample parking Admission £2 per adult, children free
Enquiries 01278 671329 PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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An auction of genuine architectural salvage
EVEN if you have never been to an auction before here is one you should consider. Over the past 30 years Marcus Olliff has acquired a mountain of expertise in architectural salvage as he has located and matched genuine items from the past to new owners. As a consequence his collection of artefacts has grown too – to an extent that, along with planned refurbishment of his premises, it has brought him to his first ever auction. No or low reserves on over 750 lots means there will be some exceptional bargains to be secured from an eclectic collection of over 60 fireplace surrounds, 30 inserts and dog grates, over 50 period light fittings, bathroom fixtures, paneling, doors and door fittings, garden statuary and a host of other interesting items. You can view this Aladdin’s cave of sale items at his premises at 39, St Werburghs Road, Bristol BS2 9XZ on Saturday September 8th, 9am to 6pm and Monday 10th through to Friday the 14th 10am – 5 pm.
Details: www.olliffs.com or call or email Marcus 07850 235793 or marcus@olliffs.com. If you can’t attend the sale you can bid online by registering at www.wellersauctions.com MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 25
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Support your carnival, say organisers JUNE Barnes, chairman of Frome Carnival, has appealed for more people to support this year’s spectacular processions. It costs between £10,000 and £12,000 a year to stage Frome Carnival alone. Any profits go to a special carnival charity in the town which distributes the money. As well as fundraising events such as the annual duck race in September, carnival members act as marshals at other events. In recent weeks, they have run the car park at Nunney Street Fayre and manned the town centre road closures at the Frome Super Market. June said: “We desperately need more support for carnival. We’re doing something good for the town and helping people through our charity.” Frome is part of the Wessex Grand Prix Circuit which covers nine towns in Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire. This year’s season began in Sturminster Newton on August 25th. Castle Cary and Ansford Carnival takes place on Saturday, October 13th (the children’s procession is held on Saturday, October 6th). The main Somerset Carnival circuit is held in November with two big changes for 2012: for the first time, Bridgwater Carnival will be held on a Saturday (November 3rd) as part of a three-year trial. Despite being world-famous, Bridgwater is also suffering from a decline in support and organisers say moving to a Saturday should boost crowds for both the daytime events and the evening procession. Weston-Super-Mare’s carnival – traditionally the last of the processions on a Monday night – is also on the move: to Friday, November 9th.
Carnival is coming
For more information about carnivals, visit: www.somersetcarnivals.co.uk PAGE 26 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
CARNIVAL 2012
Get ready for carnival
One of Home in Frome’s Big Heads from last year’s procession
TWO new classes have been created to encourage local people to become more involved with this year’s Frome Carnival. The community-based project Home in Frome is to award a trophy for the best entry in a local masquerader class with a Frome theme. The entry could involve local organisations displaying their activities in a creative way, or be based on something from Frome’s history. Local groups could also make a comment about life in the town today through their carnival entry. This year’s Frome Carnival takes place on Saturday, September 22nd with the children’s procession happening in the afternoon. Home in Frome took part itself in the previous two years with a parade of lanterns followed by a procession last year of giant heads. As with Home in Frome’s previous entries, the challenge is also to create an entry with a low carbon footprint, primarily by using LED lights in costumes and props. Home in Frome has a collection of lights which are available for use by participating groups. A spokeswoman for Home in Frome said: “Instead of one Home in Frome entry we hope to see a host of new entries coming from Frome!” Meanwhile, carnival organisers have created a new “schools” class for the children’s afternoon procession. The class is open to any first school or playgroup in Frome and the surrounding area. The theme for 2012 is Nursery Rhymes. The winning entry will be awarded the Dean School Cup. Entry forms are available to download from the Frome Carnival website: www.fromecarnival.org.uk which has full details of this year’s events, including the annual duck race on Saturday, September 15th.
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Stanton Drew Show
Barton has a field day!
Hayley Marsh leads Ben and Lola Stamp and Lewis and Aimee Marsh on a run after they won prizes in an Olympic-themed fancy dress competition
VILLAGERS in Barton St. David partied in the sun during their annual carnival day on the playing field. There was an Olympic theme to the annual event, with a torch “relay” and the lighting of a beacon after the official opening by Olympic hurdler Gary Jennings, who also judged the children’s fancy dress competition.
Show stalwart Terry Bailey from Rocky Mountain Hurdler Gary Jennings holds an Olympic torch as he opens the carnival. The torch was used by Peter Cabble, from Street, in the relay
Clare Hazlewood and Wendy Fouracres from the Glastonbury and Street division of St. John Ambulance found time for some shopping at the plant stall £50 worth of prime local beef was the first prize on offer in the raffle
PAGE 28 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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Keep calm and carry on partying MEMBERS of the Hairy Jeremy theatre group from Frome helped Nunney turn back the clock to the Second World War during its annual street market and fayre. Organised by Nunney Community Association, many stallholders joined in the wartime theme which coincided with an exhibition in the church about villagers’ wartime experiences.
Crowds enjoy the sights and sounds
Don’t panic! Members of Hairy Jeremy theatre group perform their Little Victory Ball in the street Want to buy some nylons? Black market dealing on the streets of Nunney
Niki Carpenter (left) and Mike Elliott were joined on their wartime memorabilia stall by Peter Dayman-Jones, welfare officer for the Royal Air Force Association
Bubble fun in the sun
Live music in front of the castle entertained the crowds during the day-long event MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 29
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Guy Salmon Land Rover joins forces with Mendip Times!
Cheddar on the web
GUY Salmon Land Rover Bristol says it is delighted to announce a new advertising tie-up with Mendip Times magazine. This will see Guy Salmon sponsor the Riding/Equestrian section of the magazine and also take a full page every month to include news, updates and latest offers. There is also potential for Guy Salmon to work closely with the team from Mendip Times in regards to distribution of the magazine, local shows, charitable causes and events. Centre principal, Amanda Binner-Vaughan, said: “We are delighted with our new advertising tie-up with Mendip Times. We are working hard to increase awareness of both the Guy Salmon and Land Rover brands in Bristol and its surrounding areas and we can’t think of a better magazine than Mendip Times to help us achieve this. “Mendip Times ticks all the right boxes for us, with a high level of distribution and readership in our area, and an audience that we know contains a high number of Land Rover/Range Ranger owners, drivers and enthusiasts. We also love the real feel of ‘local, family community’ generated by the magazine, a feeling that we believe we offer our ‘community’ of happy Land Rover customers.” Guy Salmon Land Rover Bristol is your local Land Rover centre, a one-stop shop for all your Land Rover and Range Rover requirements.
ESTABLISHED in Cheddar since 2001, Martin Kay’s internet business has been creating and maintaining websites for many local small businesses and in 2004 set up a community website for Cheddar village itself. Initially little more than listings of accommodation providers and places to eat and visit, it has grown to provide a comprehensive source of local information and now also has Twitter and Facebook feeds. Also on the site now is a page for “My Cheddar”, the 2011established community group tackling various improvements to the local area, of which the first has been to re-establish the monthly Farmers’ Market. The group has also been closely involved with the discussions about proposed supermarket and cable car developments. Martin is the vice-chair of the group and is also Cheddar’s site administrator for the national “Village SOS” community regeneration scheme website. The Cheddar Village website can be seen at cheddarvillage.org.uk and to find out more about My Cheddar and maybe join the group to get involved with local community projects, click the link in the margin.
BUILDING DESIGN & DRAWINGS • PLANNING APPLICATIONS • BUILDING REGULATIONS • STRUCTURAL CALCULATIONS Contact: Neil or Stuart E: neil.dando@purpleplan-it.co.uk M: 07966 398076
E: stuart.cload@purpleplan-it.co.uk M: 07792 632492
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CAMELEY LODGE LAUNDRY
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Tel 01761 451787
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PAGE 30 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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The Swans of Wells are set to fly AS September approaches, businesses in Wells are awaiting Somerset’s own version of ‘Swan-Upping’. There will be much less struggling and splashing than at Cookham, where the scene was famously captured by artist Stanley Spencer, but the city-scape of Wells will become gradually less colourful as it progresses. For anyone who has not yet seen the Swans, there are 60, representing each year of the Queen’s reign. They are five feet high and all individually decorated by artists and placed around the City. In early September they will be taken away and placed in the grounds of the Bishop’s Palace. That, too, will be a spectacular sight, for they will all be together and for a few pounds, time can be spent in and around the historic and beautiful palace in the company of these works of art before they are sold to raise funds for local charities at a spectacular auction at the end of the month. Probusiness will be keenly following its own swan, ‘Nesta’, through the last month of her duty as one of these elegant tourist attractions. It has been delightful to see people on the Swan Trail following their maps around the city and being photographed beside each swan. Nesta has benefitted from many a cuddle by a small person intent on having 60 photographs by the end of the day! Whether you love the swans or not, there is no doubt that they have brought the business community of Wells
together in a common charitable purpose. Probusiness Ltd is proud to be the official accountants for the event and to be part of the supportive business community of Wells.
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 31
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Made in North Somerset WITH 30 venues this year, the Made in North Somerset festival promises to be a memorable showcase for what the area has to offer. From September 15th to October 7th the event, organised by North Somerset Council, will celebrate the variety and quality of local food, drink, art and craft produced in the area. The festival will launch on September 15th at Sidcot Arts
Centre, where North Somerset Arts will be presenting an art exhibition showcase, creative workshops and drama. Butcombe Brewery and Lye Cross Farm are supporting the event with open days, while a wide range of artisans and crafts people will be opening their doors to the public. One of the main events will see 40 local producers at a food and craft market in the restored courtyard area of Tyntesfield House on Sunday September 30th. Theatre Orchard will also be performing a sneak preview of their In Cider Stories production.
Details: www.innorthsomerset.co.uk/madein 01934 426341
Sidcot Arts Centre TWO local actors Howard Coggins and Stu McLoughlin will add a little drama to the Made in North Somerset festival, taking their play The Six Wives of Henry VIII on tour, following its sellout run at the Bristol Old Vic earlier this year. The play will launch events at Sidcot Arts Centre on September 15th, where
North Somerset Arts is organising a showcase exhibition and workshops from September 15th – 23rd as part of the North Somerset festival. The two-man show, written by Howard and Stu, is a hilarious adult comedy. Their tour will take them to pubs, village halls and other venues in North Somerset.
Details: www.livingspit.co.uk www.northsomersetarts.org
28th September to 7th October
Celebrating National Cask Ale Week & Made in North Somerset Why not come along to the annual BUTCOMBE BREWERY OPEN DAY – Saturday 29th September 10am–3pm G Regular Brewery Tours . . . hosted by the Butcombe Brewers G Mendip Morris Men G Orchard Theatre Company . . . performing In Cider Stories G Adam Henson . . . pulling pints of Rare Breed G Loads of fantastic Butcombe Beer & Ashton Press Cider
G The Lamb – Axbridge G Queens Arms – Bleadon G Colston Yard – Bristol G Malt Shovel – Cannington, nr. Bridgwater G Ring O’ Bells – Compton Martin G Ring O’ Bells – Hinton Blewett G The Rose & Crown – Hinton Charterhouse, nr. Bath G The Old Crown – Kelston, nr. Bath G Queen Victoria – Priddy G The Cross Keys – Rode, nr. Frome G The Swan – Rowberrow G Bell – Stokes Croft, Bristol G Prince of Wales – Westbury on Trym, Bristol G Woolpack – Worle, Weston-super-Mare G Fox and Hounds, Charlton Adam, near SomertonG The Imperial, W-s-M
BUTCOMBE BREWERY LTD, COX’S GREEN, WRINGTON, BRISTOL BS40 5PA. Tel: 01934 863963 G www.butcombe.com
PAGE 32 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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FOCUS ON NORTH SOMERSET
Artists’ showcase THE Blue Room is a local, family-run community interest company in Nailsea, North Somerset which was set up in 2010. They provide a space for local and visiting artists to sell and showcase their work in pleasant and welcoming surroundings and pride themselves on offering something different, something that is exciting and unique. They now represent over 40 artists with more on the way. During the last two years they have expanded twice into bigger premises and now have a space to hold workshops and exhibitions as well as a dedicated gallery space. The workshops have proved so popular that a number of their
V artists are adding new dates to the programme to accommodate the demand – all of the workshops held at The Blue Room are run by their artists who love sharing their knowledge and teaching people their crafts. They have some fantastic workshops starting in October including painting furniture, an abstract art fun day, beaded jewellery making, working with polymer clay and bag making to name but a few! For more information you can either pop in for a program or download one from their website – also you can follow them on Twitter @theblueroom1 or on Facebook. Why not pay a visit during the Made in North Somerset festival?
The Blue Room Nailsea Workshops 2012 Day, Evening and Weekend Workshops start in October and are run by Blue Room Ar sts . . . A Pain ng in a day with Diana Figueiredo Furniture Pain ng with Cli on Style Bag Making and Design with Absolutely Fabric Making Bath Bombs with House of Soap Polymer Clay with Caroline Casswell Abstract Art Fun Day with Sam Mildon Fused Glass Designs with Sarah Quick Crochet with Avril Best Bead Weaving Jewellery with Val Lewis Iris Paper Folding with Sue Secker Kni ng in All Direc ons with Avril Best Napkin decoupage with Sue Secker Rag Kni ng and Design with Avril Best MosaiCra with Val Lewis Christmas Gi s to Make with group of ar sts! For more details, come along to the “Open Workshop” days as part of the Made in North Somerset Event on October 5 and 6 where we will have many of the ar sts available to talk to.
Full Program available in The Blue Room, Crown Glass Place, Nailsea or online at www.theblue-room.co.uk or call 07771 550252
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 33
LYE Som from farm Th Pull opp The Mem Th
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Apples and pears
With JUNE MACFARLANE
LOCAL apples and pears are ripening on the boughs: fruits with wonderful names like Ashmead’s Kernel, Egremont Russet, Kidd’s Orange for the apples and Beth and Concorde for the pears. Most of the apples and pears in our supermarkets are foreign, which is crazy when you think they are so English.
PAN FRIED SHEEP’S MILK CHEESE AND PICKLED APPLES This dish is packed INGREDIENTS with flavour. I used a local sheep’s milk Per person 1cm thick round of sheep’s milk or cheese from goat’s cheese Wootton Organic 1/4 apple, sliced into four wedges Dairy called flour, egg and breadcrumbs for coat Shepherd’s Crook. ing 1 tbsp walnuts, chopped small The strong flavour olive oil of the cheese is butter balanced by the 1 tbsp sugar zingy apples and cider vinegar – a medium splash the walnuts in the medium cider – a big splash coating bring an unexpected crunch. I used the apple variety Charles Ross which is aromatic and quite sharp but doesn’t break down completely when cooked. Really excellent! METHOD The apples: Melt a big knob of butter in a frying pan over a low heat and coat apple wedges in butter. Raise heat and sprinkle in sugar. Allow to caramelise, turning the apples carefully. Add the vinegar and bubble for a few seconds. Add the cider and bubble to evaporate the alcohol. Put apples and liquid aside and keep warm. The cheese: Coat the cheese slices first in flour, then in beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs mixed with the walnuts. Fry gently on each side until golden and crisp. To assemble: Lay some pea shoots or watercress in a dish. Place cheese on top and finish with the pickled apples. Spoon a little of the cider sauce over.
ROAST PORK BELLY AND RUSSET APPLES Russet apples hold their shape when roasted and this is an attractive alternative to the usual apple sauce. (per person) METHOD ly 1 slice pork bel Preheat oven to 160º. Make sure the meat is olive oil dry, not wet from the packaging. Brush the salt skin side of the belly slices with olive oil, s, 1 or 2 small apple sprinkle with salt and place on an oven tray lined with baking parchment. Roast in the Egremont Russet oven for about 90 minutes or until the preferably, cored crackling is crisp and the meat is falling 1 tsp sugar apart. Fill the cored apples with the sugar and a couple of fresh stuff with a couple of sage leaves. For the last sage leaves 20 mins. or so of the cooking time put the apples in the oven and cook until their skins wrinkle. Cut the meat into serving pieces and serve with the apples.
INGREDIENTS
Roast pork belly and russet apples
PEAR & FRANGIPANE TART This is a classic tart INGREDIENTS with pears and (for two individual tarts) almonds. You can make it with shortcrust For the frangipane cream: 2 oz ground almonds pastry in the usual 2 oz caster sugar way, in a tin, but this 2 oz unsalted butter at room tempera is a freeform version ture 1 egg with puff pastry. You can get some really 1 tsp vanilla extract good puff pastry 1 tbsp plain flour ready rolled from the For the pears: chiller cabinet 1 pear – Comice or Beth are good although, of course, 8 fl oz water your own home made 4 oz sugar would be even better! 1 strip lemon peel METHOD For the tart: Make the frangipane I roll puff pastry and poach the pears 1 egg yolk, whisked a day in advance The frangipane icing sugar cream: In a food processor or mixer cream the ground almonds, sugar and butter. Add the egg slowly. Mix in the vanilla and add the flour. Refrigerate until needed. The pears: Bring water, sugar and lemon peel slowly to the boil in a small saucepan. Lower heat. Peel, halve and core the pears and lower into simmering syrup. Cut out a circle of greaseproof paper to fit saucepan. Cut a hole in the middle to allow steam to escape and press down over pears to keep submerged. Simmer until pears are cooked – test with a sharp knife. Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight, covered. The tart: Pre-heat oven to 160º. Take the pastry and the frangipane out of fridge 15 mins. before you need them. Unroll pastry on to work surface. Using a saucer as a guide cut out rounds of pastry. Place on baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Brush with egg wash, and then, with a sharp knife, score a circle lightly 1 cm in from the edge (this will help the ‘hem’ to rise). Be careful not to cut through the pastry completely. If necessary work the frangipane with a knife until it is of a spreading consistency. Spread a layer of frangipane over the pastry within the scored circle. Remove pears from poaching liquid and dry on kitchen roll. Slice thinly on the diagonal. Arrange on top of frangipane. Bake in preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until pastry has risen and cream is golden. Take out of oven and dust with icing sugar. Serve warm. G All the fruit in these recipes came from West Bradley Orchards, one of the few orchards remaining in Somerset that produces dessert as well as cider fruit. The orchards are open for Pick-Your-Own on weekends from Sept 7th. Call 01458 850227.
June is a former television producer. She is currently a public relations consultant in the food and drink industry and has just started a new blog: www.thekitchenscribbler.blogspot.com PAGE 34 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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FOOD & DRINK
Between Shepton Mallet and Castle Cary on the A371
Christmas Menus available from mid-September and will be downloadable from our website
DIARY NOTES: The White Hart (as it was) has returned! Come and join us with the whole family for a traditional country pub experience . . . delicious home cooking, quaffable ales, succulent selected wines, and of course, A WARM WELCOME!
We have open fires all winter and the beer garden for summer evenings (weather permitting!!)
Book now for Christmas!
THE QUEEN ADELAIDE BLAGDON
Thursday 20th September An accoustic set from Joe Burt, a session musician who has performed with The Police, Queen and Black Sabbath" Ever-changing ‘Chef’s Specials Board’ Catch of the Day from Samways Fish of Bridport Three regular real Casque mark ales Butcombe bitter, Bath Ales ‘Gem’ plus guest ales Now available – 5 luxury en-suite rooms The Natterjack Inn, Evercreech Junction, Somerset BA4 6NA. Tel: 01749 860253. Fax: 01749 860757. www.thenatterjackinn.com • email: natterjack@btconnect.com
Phil and Pauline promise you a warm welcome Real ales, local cider, fine wines and locally-sourced, home-cooked food
Now open seven days a week Weekdays and Saturdays 12noon–3pm and 6pm –11pm Sunday 12noon–11pm Food served Monday to Saturday 12noon2.30pm and 6pm-9pm Sunday 12noon-5pm
Sample menu
Dog friendly Children welcome at limited times
Sunday roasts £8.50 – senior citizens and children £6.50
Senior Citizen’s lunches Tuesday lunchtime – 2 courses £6.95
Duck apricot and brandy pate Warm salads Jackets and salad Local sausages, mash and vegetables Home-made pies and trimmings Sweet chilli chicken Pork tenderloin Lamb shank Steaks
(Served from 12 – 5pm)
Wide range of snacks, lunches and meals, with vegetarian options Christmas menus available from September 1st Now booking – parties welcome
All meat and vegetables locally sourced
RESERVATIONS TAKEN ON 01761 463926 MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 35
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A decade of food delights SEPTEMBER DATES Wells: every Wednesday 9am-2.30pm
Friday 7th Wincanton 9am-12pm All other markets 9am-1pm except where marked *
Saturday 1st Midsomer Norton & Axbridge (Celebrating its 10th Anniversary) Saturday 8th Frome & Keynsham Saturday 15th Crewkerne Friday 21st Cheddar Saturday 22nd Glastonbury & Yeovil 9am-2pm*
Friday 28th
Burnham-on-Sea Somerset Farmers’ Markets
Tel: 01373 814646
www.somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk
Your Power Proudly Supports Sustainability in Somerset Your Power is a Leading Expert in the Field of Renewable Energy. Whether it’s Domestic or Commercial, We Have the Right System for You. Call Today for Your Free Survey: 0800 924 7364 or www.yourpoweruk.com
AXBRIDGE Farmers’ Market – one of the most popular in Somerset – celebrates its 10th anniversary on Saturday, September 1st. Day Manager Baz Cross promises a festive celebration with birthday cakes and balloons, a tombola and special offers from producers. The idea of a market came initially from Axbridge Town Council in early 2002 when the authority approached Somerset Farmers’ Markets to Liz Scott has been a regular suggest a quarterly market to stallholder at the market coincide with other events in from the beginning the town. A trial market was held in March, featuring 16 local farmers. They included Liz Scott, from Moorland Farm and Kate Odey, from Beamsclose Dorsets; they both remain stalwart members. By September that year, it had been agreed to hold the event monthly and it has gradually increased in size, reaching 25 stall holders during the summer months when the regulars are joined by seasonal strawberries, herbs and flowers. Liz says the market has become a great local asset by bringing the community together and providing opportunities via a community stall supported by the town council for local groups to showcase and promote what else is happening locally. In 2011, Axbridge was shortlisted for the best Farmers Market in Somerset, losing out to the weekly Wells market; a huge accolade for Axbridge which supports a city-sized market in a tiny medieval town and is down to the local support it consistently receives.
The monthly market is set in the magnificent surroundings of the medieval square
For market dates and information, visit: www.somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk. You can now follow SFM on Twitter! PAGE 36 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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Summer success story
IT may not have been the best of summers to start a new business, but Wendy Parker and her staff aren’t complaining. Three months after reopening the Lillypool Cafe and Farm Shop near Shipham she says business is good. Wendy had previous experience in the trade in Weston-superMare and she and the team seem to have a winning formula. The shop has 20 different cheeses, a range of ciders, pickles, preserves, fruit and veg and SAMPLE MENU Choo Moo’s ice cream. Full breakfast from £4.50 The café offers a Ham, Egg and Chips £5.00 wide range of Large plaice fillet, snacks and meals, £6.00 all home-made and chips and peas £2.50 reasonably priced San dwiches £4.00 and is fully Jackets licensed. With 50 £5. s cial Spe Daily seven people now Steak and ale pie, Liver and bacon, faggots, curries etc. working in the £2.75 business, Wendy Children’s 90p said: “People love Tea £1.10 the Lillypool and Coffee are so glad to see it open once again.”
Winford Manor Hotel held a strawberry tea in aid of Breast Cancer Care, raising £845.21. They found a cake sale is the perfect way to raise money, especially on a perfect English summer’s day.
Lillypool
Café Farm Shop Camping Local Cider Cider and and Cheeses Cheeses Local
Shipham Hill, Winscombe BS25 1RQ Tel: 01934 741244 Open 7am-3pm seven days a week Available for private parties and birthdays
Licensed for civil ceremonies MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 37
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Pick of the crop from the market THE Midsomer Norton-based catering services company L&F Jones has formed a partnership with a Bristolbased fruit and vegetable supplier to offer businesses a one-stop shop for quality produce. Class One is based in the Bristol Fruit Market, enabling them to source the freshest produce available. By forming the partnership, it means that businesses ordering from L&F Jones benefit from needing just one delivery a day from a single supplier. It also means customers need make only one phone call to one of L&F Jones’s telesales team. Both companies place great emphasis on sourcing fresh produce as locally as possible and, for L&F Jones, it was a logical extension of their work with their in-house butcher Paul Loader. The new arrangement also offers dairy and other fresh products on the same delivery. L&F Jones director David Jones said:
PAGE 38 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
One stop shop – just some of the produce on offer from L&F Jones
“The idea is something we have been working on for quite a long time and follows suggestions from our customers. The challenge was to find the right partner who shared a similar vision. “Class One fitted the bill perfectly because they place the same emphasis on quality as we do.”
The majority of Class One’s goods come from farms in a 50-mile radius of Bristol. Amongst its suppliers is New Cross Fruit Farm in South Petherton, which features in the August fresh produce price list. L&F Jones plans to profile different suppliers each month.
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FOOD & DRINK GARDEN FOOD
Cucumbers LAST year I wrote in this column about how I have varied luck with cucumbers – some years they just seem to take off and in others just flounder around pitifully. Subsequently someone wrote to me advising that I should keep my cucumbers in a ‘swampy’ climate – and I have to say, With JAKE this advice has worked wonders. WHITSON I now grow my cucumbers in the polytunnel, which has a much more humid, swampy atmosphere than my greenhouse. I also planted them in a generous amount of garden compost and used a mycorrhizal inoculant powder on the young plants. The combination of these things, along with keeping their roots good and watered at all times, has resulted in a bumper cucumber harvest this year. From six plants, I am getting at least one large cucumber a day. They are utterly delicious and surprisingly sweet, and often I will eat a whole one just as it is pretty much in situ, whilst gardening. One of my favourite recipes this year has been this refreshing Thai-style salad, which I adapted from a recipe in an old Jamie Oliver cookbook. Essentially, you thinly slice any vegetables you have – cucumbers on their own would be nice, but it’s better to use a nice mix. As well as cucumbers I’ve been using mangetout, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, spring onions and radishes. My enthusiasm for this salad finally brought me around to investing in a good mandolin, as finely slicing so many vegetables with a knife can be a real bore. You’ll want at least a very large handful of sliced veg for each person. Take a handful of ordinary salted peanuts, toast them in a pan until dark brown in patches, cool on kitchen paper, and add these to the salad too. Then, for the dressing, for four people mix together six tablespoons lime juice, four tablespoons olive oil, one and a half tablespoons each of toasted sesame oil, fish sauce, and finely grated ginger, a teaspoon of dark brown or palm sugar, a finely grated clove of garlic, a finely chopped bird’s eye chilli, and a finely sliced handful of basil (preferably Thai) and coriander. Toss this through the salad and eat at once. 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.
WILD FOOD
Is it esculent or inesculent? NO, I wasn’t sure either so I had to look it up. Esculent means edible, fit to be eaten from the Latin ‘sca’ meaning food and ‘edere’, to eat. Inesculent means inedible. Well, I’m glad that’s cleared up but I do think that it is a fine if old-fashioned word to describe some of the wild mushrooms a With ADRIAN forager might find. BOOTS Some mushrooms (as I’ve described before) are truly outstanding to look at and taste, whilst others languish on the sidelines, unloved and un-relished. There are many mushrooms on the edge (I am naturally suspicious about those that take too much processing to make edible) so I wonder if they should jolly well be left there. But for those of us with an enquiring nature and bombproof palate, there are some interesting fungal experiences still to be had. Take the famous Beefsteak Fungus – there cannot be a more aptly named fungus or one that inspires some to exclaim excitedly that it tastes just like beef steak , which it does not. It does however look very much like a well marbled piece of meat and when you cut into young specimens they drip a blood like latex. In fact ‘hepatica’ part of the Latin name refers to liver which they can very well resemble. Beefsteak Fungus (fistulina hepatica), is 15 to 25cm across and up to 6cm thick, liver coloured on top and exudes a bloodlike fluid when cut. This fungus has tubes (no gills) which are creamy coloured and the cut flesh is red, marbled with creamy white veins running through it when young. They are quite common in the autumn so look for them mainly on oak but sometimes on sweet chestnut. Recipes call for it to be thinly sliced and soaked in milk for a long period or cooked for a long time with (or without) red wine, butter, herbs, onions and plenty of seasoning to make it edible. It has a very acidic flavour (so not good with wine) which in my book makes it very much a Marmite thing: some love it, some hate it. So to answer the question is it esculent or inesculent? I would have to reply that I prefer Marmite.
Adrian Boots is a Landscape Ecologist, researcher and farm conservation advisor. You can visit his website www.walkthemendips.com to learn more about the Mendips and his Wild Food Walks. MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 39
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New look for Lyncombe Lodge IN its idyllic 250-acre woodland setting, Lyncombe Lodge Hotel and Restaurant at Churchill is perfectly positioned to explore the Mendips, Bath, Wells or Bristol and is only a few miles from Bristol International Airport. Now a new team is in place to establish it as a premier destination for fine dining, weddings and conferences. It’s also now open for lunch and afternoon tea. Nick James is the new general manager, after three years in charge of Guyers House, near Chippenham. In a career spanning 25 years he’s worked at major hotels all over the country and had a stint with Sheraton in the USA. They’ve set about their task with gusto, introducing a new menu (three courses from £23.50), all home-produced using local suppliers. The hotel’s 14 bedrooms are being refurbished, bringing them into the digital age. But the emphasis is very much on offering a warm welcome to all – four refurbished chalet rooms are designed to
cater for residents with dogs – and they are keen to encourage local people and groups to use the facilities or to call in while out hiking or after using the ski centre below. Nick said: “There’s a pianist playing our baby grand while you enjoy your Sunday lunch or you can choose to relax outside and enjoy our wonderful views. We are the perfect size for anyone wanting exclusive use, for a wedding or conference, but can also accommodate community groups holding a meeting. We are a friendly, family run hotel that prides itself on service and presentation.”
Open 7 days a week to residents and non-residents 12 noon – 2.30pm & 7pm – 9.15pm Monday to Saturday
Sample A La Carte menu STARTERS Goat’s cheese roulade rolled in a hazelnut crumb, carpaccio of summer beetroot, crostini, hazelnut praline. French onion soup with toasted Gruyère croute. Rilettes of wild Mendip rabbit, toasted brioche, lavender and apricot chutney, hand picked summer salad. Salad of Dorset white crab, crispy soft shell crab, mango and chilli salsa. MAIN COURSES 8oz. Prime cut Mendip beef sirloin, creamed watercress, fondant potatoes, glazed carrots, braised oxtail. Old spot pork belly, twice cooked, caramelised orange and beetroot puree, seared scallops, roasted vine tomato, black linguine. Pot roast breast of corn fed chicken, sweet potato mash, fricassee of hand picked peas, pancetta and baby gems, roast onions, red wine sauce. Chargrilled Welsh lamb’s liver, colcannon, caramelised shallots, gremolata, pine nuts, port reduction. DESSERTS Dark chocolate chilli fondant, biscuit crumble, clotted cream ice cream. Strawberry blancmange kiwi salsa, strawberry caviar. Rum baba, savarin sponge soaked in rum syrup, apricot sabayon, soft fruits. A selection of British and international cheeses accompanied with water biscuits, fresh fruit, grapes, celery and homemade chutney.
PAGE 40 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Join us for Sunday Lunch Two courses for £15.50 Three courses for £19.50 • Innovative and seasonal menus • Available to hire for meetings, community groups and conferences • Weddings • Exclusive hire • Now taking bookings for Christmas! We are pleased to announce that we are now
OPEN FOR LUNCH! Freshly prepared, locally sourced produce, lovingly prepared and served daily. Available from 12 noon to 2:30pm. Also open for breakfast and afternoon tea Email: info@lyncombelodge.co.uk Telephone: 01934 854800 Website: www.lyncombelodge.co.uk Lyncombe Lodge Hotel & Restaurant, Lyncombe Drive, Churchill, BS25 5PQ Situated just above Avon Ski and Action Centre Dry Ski Slope.
Sample Sunday Lunch menu STARTERS Heritage potato soup, crème fraîche, chives. Game terrine, puree of William pear, crispy shallots. Duck liver ballotine, smoked duck breast, pear caramel, fresh pear. Red onion tart, goat’s cheese, asparagus, tomato coulis, vintage balsamic. MAIN COURSES Roasted sirloin of beef, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and a rich homemade jus. Roast chicken with apricot stuffing, roast potatoes, roasting pan gravy. Pan fried salmon, tomato, parsley, baby gem salad, heritage potatoes, pesto dressing. Twice cooked old spot pork belly and sauté scallops, black pasta, caramelized orange and beetroot puree, trufa negra jus. All dishes served with fresh, seasonal local vegetables DESSERTS Strawberry mousse, honey biscuit soil, burnt passion fruit and mint sauce, compote of summer berries. Trio of choux buns, white chocolate, coffee ice cream ganache, custard cream. Lime and Tequila posset, petit chocolate biscuits. A selection of British cheeses with biscuits, homemade chutney, grapes and celery. Selection of locally made ice creams with red fruit compote, biscuit crumble and meringues.
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Life begins at 40!
Photo courtesy of Nick Bradstock
Bob Chaplin from the Shepton Mallet Cider Mill with Mike Brockway, one of the winners at last year’s Mendip Ploughing Match
DRY Blackthorn cider – one of the most iconic symbols of the West Country – is celebrating its 40th anniversary. Produced at the Shepton Mallet Cider Mill, Dry Blackthorn is now very much part of the fabric of the region, supporting local sports clubs and community events such as the Mendip Ploughing Match and Mendip in Bloom. But when the idea of Blackthorn was first conceived, it represented a highly innovative approach to both the production and sale of cider. The drinks market in the UK was evolving rapidly in 1972 and the Shepton Mallet Cider Mill (at that time Taunton Cider Company Ltd.) was a successful South West cider maker with a loyal local following. It was felt the time was right to expand its position nationally and cement its credentials as the home of traditional English cider. Brands available at that time were typically sweet or, at best, medium dry. Bob Chaplin, Fruit and Orcharding Manager at Shepton Mallet Cider Mill, said: “The brief in 1972 was to come up with a dry, full-bodied cider to appeal first to men, but that might also be adopted by women who prefer to avoid sweeter drinks.” Nick Bradstock was Second Cider Maker at Taunton Cider Company at the time. He said: “We spent many months blending different apples before we hit upon the right mix. The secret was in the balance of bittersweet and sharper cider apples in the final blend, providing the kind of crisp, dry taste we were looking for.” Market research determined the name Blackthorn as the clear winner – coupled with the prefix “Dry”. It became an instant hit with traditional cider drinkers in the West Country. Its launch coincided with a boom in draught keg beers and by 1975, Dry Blackthorn was the first cider to be supplied to pubs in kegs A Dry Blackthorn cider mug enabling it to be served in the made around the time of the same way as beer and lager. launch of the brand. MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 41
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What a super market! Ivan and Sue look forward to welcoming you to Strangers with Coffee Open for gourmet coffee, continental-style breakfasts, Mediterranean-style lunches, a sandwich or just a nibble. Fully licenced. There’s a coffee for everyone from espresso to caffe mocha. We use the finest Fair Trade coffees from Allpress
We’re open Monday to Saturday from 8am-5pm and Strangers with Coffee is available for private functions in the evenings
Our sheltered courtyard is open all the year round
31 St. Cuthbert Street, Wells
Telephone 07728 047233
Join us for Christmas at North Somerset’s best-kept Secret For Lunches & Dinners (includes a disco) from 1st December – January 12th 2013 A selec on of the choices available Chef’s Cream of Winter Vegetable Soup Pan Fried Mushrooms Vegetarian Op on ### Local Roast Turkey Poached Salmon Local Topside of Beef Vegetarian Op on ### Chef’s Home Made Christmas Pudding Selec on of Local Cheese Board Selec on of Local Ice Cream ### Coffee/Tea & Home Made Mince Pies. Honeyhall Lane Congresbury North Somerset BS49 5JT Email info@mendipspringgolfclub.com www.mendipspringgolfclub.com
Tel 01934 852322 PAGE 42 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
AS this photo shows, heavy showers didn’t deter visitors – or traders! – to the second Super-Market in Frome.
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Alex is ambitious at The Bell at Leigh CHEF Alex Blackford has taken over in the kitchen at The Bell at Leigh-on-Mendip with the aim of putting the inn firmly on the food map. Alex is no stranger to the village; he spent several years as a child in Leigh. Now 25 and living in Midsomer Norton, Alex has joined The Bell from the Centurion Hotel, near Midsomer Norton. He learnt his skills with Mrs B’s Catering in Frome before joining the Centurion six years ago. His menu at The Bell – designed with landlord Bryan Johnson – is aimed at offering good, simply prepared food, as locally-sourced as possible. Alex also makes all his own stock, soups and desserts. There is a specials board as well as the lunchtime and evening menu. One main course special was parmesan-crusted chicken breast, served on a bed of cherry tomato tagliatelli with a basil dressing. Alex said: “We want The Bell to have a reputation far and wide for excellent food at affordable prices. There’s only me in the kitchen at the moment but I want us to be so busy that we need two more chefs in there.” Bryan said: “We have great confidence in our new chef. Alex is driven by his desire to succeed.” Chef Alex Blackford in the restaurant at The Bell at Leigh-on-Mendip
TASTE THE DIFFERENCE AT
The Bell Inn A traditional village pub in the heart of the Mendips A SPECIAL OFFER TO MENDIP TIMES READERS Enjoy 12.5% off a main course (lunchtimes only inc. Sunday lunch) during September. Advance bookings only. Quote: MT0912 when phoning We are now taking bookings for Christmas lunches and parties in the pub, restaurant or function room
Meet our new chef Alex Blackford
Food available: Thursday – Sunday lunchtimes (12noon-2pm), Wednesday-Saturday evenings (6pm-9pm) The Bell Inn, Leigh Street, Leigh Upon Mendip, Radstock, BA3 5QQ. Tel: 01373 812316. Website: www.bellinnleigh.co.uk
Some samples from our menu available lunchtimes and evenings Starters: Homemade Soup of the Day (with a freshly baked roll) £3.95 Wild Mushrooms on Toast (in a garlic cream with runny poached egg) £3.95 Classic Prawn Cocktail (with brown bread and butter) £4.95 Homemade Scotch Egg (with brown bread) £4.95 Sharing Platter (chicken strips, onion rings, wedges and a sour cream dip) £7.95 Main Courses: Ham, Egg and Chips (£8.95) Chicken Forestiere and Smoked Bacon (with leeks, wild mushrooms, garlic cream and mashed potatoes) £11.95 Sun Dried Tomato and Goat’s Cheese Tart (with a mixed salad) £6.95 (From the Grill): 8oz Prime Sirloin Steak (with all the trimmings) £13.95 Double-peppered Pork Chops (with tomatoes, mushrooms, onion rings and chips) £12.95 (See our Special Board) Desserts (all homemade): Tiramisu (with cream or ice cream) £4.95 Sticky Toffee Pudding (with a toffee sauce) £4.95 Raspberry Frangipane (with cream or ice cream) £4.95 Selection of ice cream £3 Our Famous Sunday Lunches: One course £7.95. Two courses £9.95 Freshly made sandwiches and baguettes: £5.95
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 43
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INTERNET
iPad 2 hints
CROSSWORD
The Mendip Mindbender
IF you have the latest operating system for your iPad 2, you might find the following tips useful to get just that little bit more out of this pretty powerful piece of kit (the article assumes a basic knowledge of the iPad). Keyboard Tips: It can be annoying to have to change keyboards, for keys such as the apostrophe. Hold down the comma key a little longer than usual and you’ve got the apostrophe. Similarly the full stop key gives you quotation marks. Hold down other keys to see the options available; these are mainly foreign language accent keys - slide over to the one you want to use. To access the Euro sign, the obvious route is to click on the numeric keyboard, then on the character keyboard. Instead, in the numeric keyboard, hold down the £ sign, and various currency options appear; slide over the €. When typing internet addresses in the address bar, hold down the .com button for alternatives. To type in capitals, double tap one of the shift keys. Tap again to turn Caps Lock off. Scrolling: When you have scrolled down a long page, the quick
way back to the top is to tap the black bar at the top of the screen (where the time is displayed). Dictionary: to access the built in dictionary, hold your finger on a word to bring up the Copy/Define tab and click on Define. To close, tap another area of the screen. Split keyboard: a quirky one, but if you are used to using two thumbs to type on a smartphone keyboard, it is now possible to split the keyboard into two, anchored either side of the screen. To do this, drag both thumbs from around the middle of the screen in outward directions. To revert to the usual keyboard, reverse the action, or click on the keyboard key (bottom right) and select Dock & Merge. When the keyboard is split, you can move it up and down the screen by holding down and dragging the keyboard key. Grabbing: Using two fingers it is possible to zoom in/out on the page. Pinching or grabbing with four or five fingers and moving them inwards will return you to the Home screen (as will a single tap on the Home Button). Doing the same, but swiping up, will reveal the multitasking bar (as will double tapping on the Home Button). More tips next month. We re-open on September 4th. Open House sessions Wed Sept 5th 1.30-3.30 and Fri Sept 7th 10-12. Submitted by IT for the Terrified: The Old Cowshed, Station Road, Cheddar BS27 3AG 01934 741751 www.itfortheterrified.co.uk Not just for the Terrified! We run a range of courses, a computer club, and individual training, either one-off sessions or a series, at a pace to suit you. See our website or contact us for further details. PAGE 44 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
ACROSS 1 Needs firm ramp to mix with the hunting community (6,7) 9 Experience . . . like going caving . . ? (7) 10 . . . invade . . . crosscountry? (7) 11 Swingeing blow delivered particularly in hot weather? (8) 12 Corporal on guard found moving forward (5) 14 Spencer’s oppo to cover spot on the A39 (9) 17 Blackfriar attracts no flack for having a pipe (5) 18 See 18 Down 20 Lambs on active service? Sounds risky (9) 23 Give example in diagram form of large country (5) 24 Back each way – and come to grief (8) 28 Drew a bead on the oak I’m to trim (4,3) 29 Some serials just take my breath away (7) 30 Plan speed trap . . . according to the season? (43-6)
Loud sounding flower became extremely cold (5) 5 Take the bird for a ride? (4) 6 We amble about, sorting out the flock (3,4) 7 Trails oar in the manner of a snappy 22 (9) 8 Make bearing to 51° 14N, 2° 33W. Aye, aye sir. (7) 13 Cheshire parish where it’s said to cost an arm and a leg to live? (4) 15 Decline in showers – but keep your hat on (9) 16 Colour generally produces strong desire (4) 18/18A Decimal indicator enjoyed by 1ac. (5,2,5) 19 Putting rival at a disadvantage is hard work (7) 21 Where the heart is, the family is also (3,4) 22 Prepare her majesty to receive furniture (7) 25 Return to sketch a mark of distinction (5) 26 Allegedly nasty bird song (5) 27 Mother follows me back to read one of Miss Austen’s books (4) 4
DOWN 1 Writer, not as you might think, a Somerset man (7) 2 Blyton character . . . whose pal had exceptional hearing? (5) 3 Impositions on those arriving? (7)
Answers on Page 106
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MENDIP TIMES
Aly’s marathon swim
NEWS
Norton Cordiale
Michel Heritie (left) and Paul Myers sign the twinning agreement watched by some of the guests
FORMER Chew Valley school pupil Aly Phippen, now a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF, has successfully swum the English Channel, raising money for the RAF Benevolent Fund. Aly, whose parents run Chosen Hill PYO farm near Chew Magna, made the swim on a challenging spring tide, taking 15 hours and 37 minutes to complete the crossing and covering far more than the distance of 22 miles as the crow flies! The supporting crew on the boat included two RAF friends Wooley and Laura and Aly’s Dad, Mark. Aly trained six months for the swim and said: “It was certainly the biggest and hardest challenge I’ve ever faced!”
MIDSOMER Norton enjoyed a champagne moment when its town council formally twinned with counterparts in south west France. A ceremony was held in the town hall when Midsomer Norton mayor Paul Myers was joined by Michel Héritié, the mayor of Ambarès-et-Lagrave, to sign the twinning document. The signing was the highlight of a week of events celebrating a link between the two towns which stretches back 30 years. Ambarès-et-Lagrave is a commune in the Gironde region. French and English guests at the ceremony made a “twinning promise” before celebrating with champagne, followed by a tree planting ceremony, a tour of Midsomer Norton and a cream tea.
Details of the swim are on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Phippen-eck-Alysswimmin-the-Channel/404124732981321 and funds are still being raised for the RAF Benevolent Fund via the just giving site: https://www.justgiving.com/account/yourpages/Aly-Phippen
Villagers have a ball SUPPORTERS and friends of the community-run Mells Village Shop attended a summer ball in aid of the award-winning facility. The event in Mells Barn was the brainchild of Great Elm residents Brian and Sandie Blake who had organised a similar event for charity ten years ago. Profits from the event amounted to more than £825. Village shop chairman David Sheridan told guests: “It made a refreshing change for the committee to sit back and enjoy themselves at such a successful fund-raising event. Our heartfelt thanks go to Brian and Sandie for their splendid organisation on behalf of Mells Village Shop.”
Michel presented Paul with an authentic road sign from the town; Paul gave Michel a gift of a painting by local artist Simon Wellington of the town centre
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 45
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St Brendan’s among the best THE St Brendan’s campus was recently re-built and the facilities and the resources available on this single, secure site are amongst the best in the country. The teaching accommodation is world class and the sports and performing arts facilities are available for all to use. As the only sixth form college in the area it is able to offer a very wide range of courses, such as the well-respected International Baccalaureate, A levels, BTEC level 3 and level 2, and GCSEs. You will be able to combine almost any blend of A Levels and BTEC Level 3 to create a programme which meets your needs. The staff in the college are all experts in their own field and support for students was judged ‘outstanding’ (OFSTED 2012). Students benefit from a wide range of educational visits and enrichment activities and obtain excellent results. Many progress from St Brendan’s to higher education, employment or apprenticeships with excellent prospects. The college has a faith base and regards each person as an individual creation of God. Principal, Michael Jaffrain, says: “We welcome all who are happy to be educated in a college which promotes an awareness of faith, tolerance and respect for others, in a manner which enriches each and every student.” If you are ambitious to achieve highly in a more adult atmosphere, where personal development and diversity are valued and promoted, then look no further. It is vital that you
visit one of the open evenings to make sure you are making the wisest choices and to hear at first-hand about all the aspects of student life at St Brendan’s from their student ambassadors. The college will be open for visitors to talk to teaching staff and view facilities this autumn on Saturday October 20th 10.30 until 2pm, Wednesday October 24th from 6pm until 9pm and Thursday October 25th from 6pm until 9pm. An advice and information evening will be held on Wednesday November 28th. If you wish to view the college during the working day call 0117 977 7766.
Visit the college website for information about courses or ring for a prospectus on 0117 9777766
PAGE 46 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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EDUCATION
Thirty years of fun and education AN outdoor activity centre at Bruton, which attracts children and adults from across the UK, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this summer. Mill on the Brue is a not-for-profit educational organisation, run by Tricia Rawlingson Plant and her son Matt. Tricia and her late husband Tony set up the centre in 1982 when Tony left the army and they moved to Somerset from the Outer Hebrides. The couple had three young children of their own and Tricia said: “When we started out it was just the two of us and we only opened during the summer holidays. Today we’re open all year round and we employ 15 people, rising to 50 during the summer.” Tricia and Matt are organising a reunion in September for the staff who have worked with them over the years, as well as some customers, including teachers from schools who have been visiting Mill on the Brue since the early days. Sadly Tony died in 2009, but his spirit
lives on in the centre and, with Matt working there since 2001, it remains very much a family affair. Matt said: “We’re a small family business with strong values and this is something the schools that come here really appreciate. “We believe it’s vital for children’s development to do things outside the classroom. They learn so much through fun and adventure. We see real changes in children over the period of a few days, their confidence grows and they develop deep friendships. “We have children coming from London and the Home Counties, as well as lots from the South West including Bristol and Bath. City children in particular love the freedom that Mill on the Brue offers.” Everything at Mill on the Brue, including the land, the food and the buildings, is built around strong environmental principles and this has been recognised by numerous awards over the years. Tricia admits, however, that things have changed a lot over the last 30 years:
Outdoor learning is fun at Mill On the Brue
“There’s no doubt that children have changed. They have so much more choice now; they travel far more and are much more confident in talking about a huge range of subjects and they’re much more multicultural. “Unfortunately children are also definitely less fit. Activities they could all do 30 years ago they struggle with now, such as long hikes. They’re just not used to walking. “I also think parents have a tendency to be over-protective these days and are passing their fears on to children. Many children are scared of heights when they get here – most of them get over it during their time with us they see this as a major achievement.”
Find out more at www.millonthebrue.co.uk
Child-friendly environment
Funding available
LITTLE Owls is an award-winning childcare centre with the emphasis on outdoor fun and learning, situated on the Isle of Wedmore overlooking the Mendips. Their building has been adapted to ensure that there is a child-friendly learning environment. Outdoors they have a wildlife nature garden and a forest school activity centre. Their qualified early years teacher and her team are committed to delivering outstanding care and education. They are proud to work in partnership with Wedmore First School Academy, with 15 of their pre-school children due to start this September. They have a few places left.
Mendip Times reduces travel costs
An exclusive Children’s Day Nursery delivering exceptional care & education in an award winning environment Babyroom
Nursery
100,000 potential customers just a few miles from your business
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Forest School
Ofsted 2010 “Children have developed good language and number skills and show a passion for exploring and investigating their world.” “These skills will help support their future learning”
Funding now available for 2-3-4 year olds Wells Road Latcham Wedmore BS28 4SA
01934 713527
www.littleowlschildcare.com
NEXT Steps is a well-established and popular childcare centre situated within 240 acres on the Royal Bath and West Showground just outside Shepton Mallet. They have an exciting activity garden, a private forest school area and access to all the varied outdoor space within the showground. They are proud to be working in partnership with all their local first schools. This year their “graduates” all attended the Leavers Express Party, on the miniature railway steam train within the showground. Government funding is available now for children who are two-years-old, as well education funding for three to four-tofour-year olds. Award winning Children’s Day Nursery Baby room - Nursery - Pre-school - Forest School
Next Steps Childcare Centre Highly qualified team. Excellent secure rural location. Funding available for 2-3-4 year olds Gardening, Yoga, Music & Dance, Cookery
01749 346808
www.nextstepschildcare.com The Royal Bath & West Showground Shepton Mallet BA4 6QL Ofsted 2009 “Outstanding partnership with parents”. “Children have great fun freedom exploring the world outside in the fresh air, Excellent organised activities.”
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 47
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MENDIP TIMES
Action packed summer STUDENTS at The Red Maids’ School have had a busy summer break. The holidays began with a trip to Uganda for a group of Year 11 girls as part of their work with the United World Schools Trust with whom they have helped build a school in the remotest part of the country. To mark the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games, a contingent of Red Maids made the journey to the Olympic stadium having been specially selected to take part in the guard of honour welcoming the athletes into the arena. If that wasn’t enough, 17 girls were chosen by Bristol’s View art gallery to display pieces of their artwork for the enjoyment of the general public. Headmistress of The Red Maids’ Senior School, Mrs Isabel Tobias, said: “I am so proud of our students for what they achieve and must pay tribute to our staff who support them every step of the way.” Red Maids’, with its neighbouring Junior
School which has just celebrated its 25th anniversary, provides for girls aged 7-18 in Bristol and surrounding areas. Teaching independent thinking and study skills is a key part of the Red Maids’ philosophy and leads each year to excellent exam results as well as passing on the expertise needed for living and working in the 21st century. In keeping with its founding origins, Red Maids’ continues to offer a number of assisted places and, conscious of cost, curricular trips and examination charges are included in the fees. Parents and children are welcome to visit both schools at any time but joint Open Mornings are taking place on Thursday October 11th and Saturday November 10th. No appointments are needed. The Red Maids’ Experience is also available for girls currently in Year 6 and includes taster lessons and lunch. Advance booking is essential.
For information about admission to the Junior School, please call 0117 962 9451 or for Senior School admission, call 0117 989 8252.
Nursery expands THE Old Potting Shed Nursery at Coombe Lodge, Blagdon will be opening a new room from the beginning of September. The new space will be called The Old Stable and it has been especially adapted to suit ages from six months to two years. The children will also have access to their own private garden with many new areas to explore.
Telephone 01761 462652 Mobile 07777 692115
PAGE 48 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
The Old Potting Shed nursery takes children from six months to school age and also runs an after-school club and holiday club for children aged three to 11. The nursery opened last September and the owners are delighted to have had such a good first year. The nursery is run and managed by Elizabeth Richards and Sarah Grannan, both experienced teachers. All their staff have been chosen with the greatest of care to ensure that they can deliver their high standard of childcare. As teachers they are aware of the benefit of professional development and therefore encourage all their staff to train to level 3 or 4 NVQ childcare. They welcome children from across North Somerset including Blagdon, Wrington and the Chew Valley. They are ideally located for parents commuting to Bristol and Bath.
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EDUCATION
Sidcot celebrates success SIXTH Form students at Sidcot School in Winscombe achieved outstanding results in A Level and International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations with 100% pass rates. At A Level 50% of grades awarded were A* and A, with 26% of students achieving A* and A while 89% were awarded grades A to C. All International Baccaleaureate students at the independent day and boarding Quaker school were awarded their Diploma with 60% also achieving Bilingual Diplomas. Sidcot’s new headmaster, Iain Kilpatrick, said: “Sidcot has long prided itself in educating pupils with a wide range of abilities and these results are truly excellent. “They are a testament to the hard work put in by our students, as well as the commitment of teachers and support from families. I wish all our students every success in whatever they choose to do after school.” Harriet Hodge, 18, of Brean Down Avenue, Weston-superMare, took the International Baccalaureate achieving the equivalent of three A-grades at A-level. She said: “I want to be an accountant but have decided not to go to university. I’d rather join a company and work my way to professional qualifications. I am really pleased with my results.” Alice Pickles, 18, who lives on the Tyntesfield estate in Wraxall, achieved an A, B and C in textiles, history and English. She said: “I’m so happy and aim to go to London for a
Foundation Art course because I want to be a fashion designer.” Jack Hawes, 18, of Front Street, Churchill, was awarded an A* and two more A’s in English Literature, physics and maths. He said: “I never expected such good results and I’m going to go to Bath University to study Integrated Engineering and can’t wait.” Taylor Rampton, 18, of Sidcot Lane, Winscombe, achieved three A’s in physics, maths and economics. He said: “I am really happy and aim to go to the London School of Economics and work in finance eventually.” Deputy Head, Russell Spooner added: “It’s been a very good year for results.”
You can explore the school at their Open Morning on Friday September 21st at 9.30am – call Valerie Kennedy on 01934 845212
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 49
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EDUCATION
Meet the high achievers at Prior Park College PRIOR Park College is a high-achieving, co-educational, Catholic, day and boarding school. Its encouraging ethos nurtures pupils to become confident, capable, compassionate and independentminded young people. Led by James
PAGE 50 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Murphy O’Connor, the College achieved an outstanding report in its November 2011 ISI Inspection. To quote from the report: “Prior Park College is outstandingly successful in achieving its aims.
“The College’s ethos is rooted in the best traditions of Catholic education and redolent of aspiration for the highest standards in academic endeavour and in every area of young people’s skills and talents.”
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Here at Abbey Piano Services Ltd we have a large range of piano sheet music in stock, from Classical to Rock and Pop, Film, Musicals, Theory and Exam. We have something for all ages and standards. We also stock some Vocal sheet music for those that want to be sing along! Need something but just can't make it out to visit, or perhaps you want sheet music for other instruments other than piano . . . why not take a look at our sheet music website.
Unit 5 New Rock Ind Estate, Chilcompton, Bath. BA3 4JE Tel. 01761 239006 / 07866 132282 www.abbeysheetmusic.co.uk
Mendip Marquees offer the hire of small, medium and large marquees to suit every type of event and budget such as weddings, country shows, garden parties etc. Look out for our set wedding packages, full details in the Mendip Times October edition, where we can cater for 60 people from £996.00. Please visit our website for more details.
Don't let the weather spoil the party Late availability always available: 07881 402489 Email: info@mendipmarquees.co.uk Website: www.mendipmarquees.co.uk
Tel: 0800 097 8611 www.johnhodge.co.uk | e-mail: mailbox@johnhodge.co.uk WESTON-SUPER-MARE | BRISTOL | CLEVEDON | YATTON | WEDMORE
* Sales * Repairs * Restoration * Removals * Tuning * Gifts and Accessories * Sheet Music available for all instruments
Mon-Sat 10–6 • Sunday 11–5 Wells Road, Hallatrow, BS39 6EX (where the A37 meets the A39)
www.bookbarninternational.com • 01761 451333 Millions of books, thousands of topics, ONE Bookbarn
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WILDLIFE
Time for teasel ALTHOUGH we can’t all be fortunate enough to live in the countryside, most of us can manage to attract some wildlife into our gardens by building ponds, putting up a bird table or leaving a
“wild” patch. In my garden I have done all of these and, although I am surrounded by neatly manicured lawns and cropped hedges, an abundance of wildlife manages to find my little oasis. Most of the huge varieties of plants that now exist in my garden have arrived by natural means and every time I step outside I seem to find something new. One of the most obvious plants that I now have to admire is the teasel; also known as Fuller’s Teasel or wild teasel. These plants seem to have done particularly well this year (as most plants have, thanks to the wettest drought on record!) and they are attracting a huge variety of invertebrates, which in turn are attracting birds and other wildlife. Teasel is a biennial plant which starts life as a small, star-shaped plant with leaves firmly pressed to the ground. By the second year the flowering stalk rises from the main plant and the familiar eggshaped head is formed. To begin with, the head is spiny and green, but during the summer a stunning transformation occurs, with more than 2,000 minute blue, lavender-like flowers busting into bloom. It’s said that teasel is unique in the plant world because of the way in which it blooms: beginning with a ring of flowers around the centre of the head and, gradually, as each ring of flowers dies another ring of flowers opens up, each one further from the original central ring. Many different species of pollinating insects are attracted to teasel flowers, including bees (like the white-tailed bumblebee pictured), butterflies, moths and hoverflies. Following these of course are the predators, such as spiders which seem to find the teasel plants ideal structures in which to construct their webs. Once the flowering season has finished
Photography by Chris Sperring
By CHRIS SPERRING MBE
As w Brig wild
an abundance of seeds develop within the now dry, hard brown head, and this attracts a whole new variety of animals. Finches, especially the stunning gold finch, are particularly fond of teasel seeds and, even if you don’t see them during the rest of the year, they will miraculously appear to harvest the ripe teasel seeds during the autumn and winter months. Small mammals also enjoy these seeds and the huge leaves provide an excellent source of cover for small animals such as newly emerged froglets seeking refuge from eagle-eyed blackbirds, and even the
neighbourhood cats. This hardy plant has also been used by people for centuries; as combs in the woollen and fabric industries, and as ornaments, for example in Christmas decorations and flower arranging. I do recommend growing teasel in your garden as a positive way of helping your local wildlife and it’s a great way of growing your own Christmas decs too! G I’m planning a few dusk and evening Mendip walks through the autumn and early winter – please drop me a line if you are interested in attending and I will keep you informed of the details.
Chris Sperring is Conservation Officer for the Hawk and Owl Trust (www.hawkandowl.org) You can contact him on 01275 849287 or via chris.sperring@btinternet.com , Facebook or Twitter MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 53
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Abbots Leigh walk THIS is an interesting circular day walk on the edge of Bristol from near Abbots Leigh taking in the towpath of the River Avon. Step back in time as you follow the river to the Clifton Suspension Bridge and imagine the boats which used to make this journey laden with all kinds of goods. Pass open fields with clear views before coming closer to Bristol into the high sided Avon Gorge with 300ft cliffs. Here you may well see peregrine falcons, and in this area are two unique trees, Bristol and Wilmott’s Whitebeam which grow nowhere else. Leave the Avon by the Suspension Bridge and go up Nightingale Valley through Leigh Woods and across country. Enjoy a break at the George, an old coaching inn. Nearby, at the end, is Hazel
Tearooms at Brackenwood Garden Centre. There are several stiles near the start but most dogs should manage. Look up the tide times and try and go when the tide is high and the river full of water – much better than looking at a bed of mud! The walk is flat except for an uphill stretch up Nightingale Valley.
through three fields and onto a crossing lane/drive. You can either turn left here and then reach a road and turn right, and then pick up the path on the right. Or go on through another field to the far side and turn left on a footpath which may be overgrown. This leads to the road and turns right alongside it.
PARK: In a large lay-by just down the hill from Abbots Leigh on the A369 between J19, M5 and Bristol – a short distance West of Bristol. This lay-by, behind a bus shelter, leads to a farm and is between Leigh Court Garden Centre and Bristol. Park carefully, parallel with the edge. If full, go on a few yards further, towards the M5, and park in Denny View Road on the left. There is a good frequent bus service, the 357, 358 and 359 Bristol-Portishead service which stops by the lay-by – ‘Sandy Lane’ stop.
2. SCHOOL Pass a school. Just past a bus stop take the footpath right between fences. It bends left and crosses a stile and reaches a residential drive. Carry on to a T-junction with another drive/track. Take the footpath ahead over a stile into a cricket field and head round the right edge and out in the corner. Turn right and pass the entrance to an office park and soon follow signs to the cancer care centre and cycle route. Just maintain direction on the track passing the cancer centre and on past a fishing lake. Go through a barrier on the Avon Trail and follow this down to the Avon by Chapel Pill where it bends right.
START: The first part of the walk to take us to the banks of the Avon is the least interesting but is still pleasant. From the lay-by take the pavement at the side, shielded by bushes, heading in the Portishead direction. If parking in Denny View Lane, cross carefully and go up onto the pavement and turn left. Pass the entrance to Leigh Court and the garden centre where there is a good tea shop. The pavement drops back down to the road.
With Sue Gearing PAGE 54 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
1. BLACKMOOR LANE Turn right in Blackmoor Lane and immediately take the footpath left. Go
3. RIVER AVON You now have 3.25 miles along the towing path, passing navigational lights, mooring bollards, and with changing views. Look out for herons and birds such as the shelduck, oystercatcher and tufted duck. Soon look across to a white house on the opposite edge with a river wall and lifting device This is the Old Powder House, dating from the late 18th century to store gunpowder, which was not allowed into Bristol docks, a measure intended to avoid
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WALKING accidentally blowing up the city centre. It is a grade II listed building. The scene along here is all very rural at first and with open views. Go round Horseshoe Bend. The land here on the other side is a Site of Special Scientific Interest largely because it is the home of the True Service tree growing on the cliffs as well as Bristol and Wilmott’s Whitebeams. The bend was also where the SS Ettrick was grounded in 1924 illustrating the hazards of the tidal River Avon with its strong currents and shifting mud banks. Unable to free her, her crew abandoned ship and by morning, she had turned with the tide and capsized. People flocked to the wreck to scavenge tobacco, cigarettes, sweets and boots that were seen floating on the tide. A special railway station was set up so people could come and see her! Seven weeks later the ship was towed away and broken up. Read all about it on an Information board further on. Pass Shirehampton and Sea Mills over on the other side where the River Trym joins. Then walk with Leigh Woods climbing up on the right. Avoid all side paths. Start to come into the high-sided Gorge. It has a micro-climate that is a degree or so warmer than the surrounding landscape. The steep rocky slopes of the Gorge have preserved this unique wilderness at the edge of a busy city. Species of plants have survived in the wooded and grassy areas of the Gorge that have either disappeared or are rare this far north. There are also unique species here such as the Bristol onion and Bristol rockcress. Peregrine falcons have returned to hunt and breed in the Gorge. They venture further into the docks at Hotwells to swoop on smaller gulls. Start to see ahead the magnificent Clifton Suspension bridge designed by Brunel. Ignore a path on the right and continue to just before the bridge to turn right under a railway arch into the National Trust’s Leigh Woods through a gate.
OS Explorer, 155, Bristol & Bath, grid ref: 538 738. 7.5 miles, about 3.5 hours walking. 4. LEIGH WOODS The track through Nightingale Valley climbs uphill out of the gorge in woodland all the way to a road at Leigh Woods. Don’t go onto the road, and instead turn right up towards an open area. Turn left here across the grass, bearing slightly left to go through a gate and between a bungalow and cottages. 5. NT OFFICE Go through a parking area and alongside a National Trust wooden office and information point (with a toilet). Turn right between posts and follow a broad track signed to a play area. Look out for a wooden carved crocodile seat on the left. Go left through a wall opening and take the left hand path. The track takes you fairly close to a field on the left after a
while. Continue to a broad crossing drive and small parking lay-by. 6. DRIVE Turn left under the avenue of copper beeches. After two or three minutes, turn right on a crossing footpath into a field joining the Monarch’s Way. Go straight on and into another field and continue to a hedge and then go left along the hedge and round to the corner and a gate. Cross a drive and go through a kissing gate. In the field, go ahead towards Abbots Leigh church up ahead. Drop down and then climb out of the valley. Go through a recreational area at the top onto the lane in Abbots Leigh. 7. ABBOTS LEIGH Turn left and continue to the main road at the end and the welcoming George Inn opposite with a great range of food. Take the hedged tarmac footpath alongside the road which starts at the side of the George. Drop downhill and come back to where you started to the lay-by, or residential road. The George Inn, Abbots Leigh, tel: 01275 372467. They plan to serve lunch on Monday as well as on other days. Ring to check. MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 55
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OUTDOORS
West Countryman’s Diary A BRIEF spell of very warm weather at the end of July was quite a shock for those of us who had become used to the ‘rainy season’! Everyone took full With LES advantage of the DAVIES MBE opportunity and agricultural contractors worked all hours to bring in the silage. Fields were filled with swaths of hay awaiting the baler whilst the autumn barley crop was cut and the straw baled. So much frenzied activity in such a short space of time means that there is little time for rest if your livelihood depends upon these crops. There have however been those less fortunate, especially down on the moors and levels where high water levels have ruined maize and other feed crops. This has been another blow to the small farmer whose milking herd needs these crops for winter feed. I fear there will be more small farms going out of business as a result of this and the recent news that supermarkets are pushing down the price paid to the milk producers. Thank God that this may have been turned around due to the outcry it has created, not only from the farmers but from the public as well. We need these people and all those other farmers and growers in this island nation. Farming is our backbone and industry our muscle, but I wonder if this may have been forgotten. I don’t want to see another ragwort plant for a long while, yet it is everywhere I look, and the more I look the more I see. The most despicable act I have seen was a load of ragwort dumped in a field gateway where horses were grazing. Whoever was responsible for this has deliberately inflicted the problem upon someone else. It is then that ‘someone else’ who has to deal
with the fly-tip. The local authorities will deem it to be on private property and not the public highway. As Mendip Warden I dealt with these situations a lot, but always managed to get a satisfactory outcome for the landowner affected. I fear that this may not be the case in these days of local authority spending cuts. The last time I looked, the heap was still there. Ticks may be a problem if you are out and about where there is bracken and rough vegetation. These nasty little hitchhikers will hang from the vegetation in the hope that they can grab hold of any passing animal and I include us within that category. Once aboard they will have a wander around to see where the ‘best bits’ are so that they can get stuck in and extract that blood meal. Spotting ticks is much easier on light coloured clothing, so stop every once in a while and check yourself over, brushing off any you see. Take a good look at the end of the day just to make sure you haven’t got a tick on you and don’t forget the dog, where the head and ears are the most common place to find them. If you do find you have a tick, don’t panic. Don’t use chemicals or burning to extract the beastie as this will only result in the tick exploding its gut into you in shock. Instead use a pair of thin-nosed tweezers to grasp the tick as closely to the skin as possible and gently but firmly pull upwards until it lets go. Most tick bites are harmless although unpleasant, but there is always concern about Lyme disease. This disease affects the nervous system but if diagnosed early it is treatable with antibiotics. Early signs are an expanding, reddish, round rash in the area of the bite. This would usually appear within three to 33 days after being bitten. Symptoms may resemble those of Flu, with
swollen glands near to the bite, mild headaches, aching muscles and tiredness. If you find yourself suffering from any of these, consult your doctor. Avon and Somerset Search and Rescue Team are an organisation that I am very proud to be associated with. Part of my work as the Mendip Warden was to work closely with this group of volunteers who give their time freely 24 hours a day and seven days a week. You may have seen them featured in the news recently, with cliff rescues in Cheddar Gorge. This is only a part of their work; they also search for missing persons, both young and old; carry out rescues from high structures; water searches; and they provide a First Responder within the Mendip Hills. They are in short true ‘local heroes’ who have saved lives through the work they do. In recognition of this, longserving members were awarded with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal at a ceremony in Bristol. Previous High Sherriff of Somerset, John Alvis MBE, read out letters of support from the Queen’s Lord Lieutenants of Somerset and Gloucestershire, whilst the Lord Lieutenant of Bristol, Mary Prior MBE presented the medals. As a Life Member, my job is now to support and champion their cause, which I do gladly. This month’s photo shows Mrs Prior with everyone after the presentation. If you would like to find out more about them take a look at the web site; ASCRT.com. Finally, I have just accepted the offer of becoming the President of the Mendip Society. This is an exciting opportunity for me, but tinged with sadness at the death of Simon Whitmore, who had only just accepted the role before he died. Simon did sterling work as the society’s chairman for many years. There will be many tributes paid to him.
I’m always happy to hear from you, so drop me a line at Les.Davies@westcountryman.org.uk PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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Yeo Valley goes on tour! IT’S been a busy time for us over the past few weeks as we hit the road with our Yeo Valley van joining revellers at music and arts festivals, and even By KATIE stopping off to share BUNTING our products with shoppers along the way! It was a soggy start to the season at Sunrise Celebration in Bruton. Despite the sun hiding for most of the weekend we merrily donned our waterproofs and wellies, keeping our fingers crossed that things would brighten up for Glastonbury’s Orchestra in a Field. Luckily they did and the classical music lovers’ festival set in the picturesque parklands of Glastonbury Abbey was a great success. The sun continued to shine at WOMAD as we joined forces with organic farmers The Story Group, providing our dairy produce, yogurts and frozen pots for their cafe. In a rare weekend of sunshine, festival goers were in high spirits taking in the atmosphere and enjoying performances from world renowned musicians, artists and dancers. Strummer of Love was the final stop on our festival tour. Held in Somerset close to the village of Churchstanton, the festival was a celebration of the life and legacy of Joe Strummer, lead vocalist, lyricist and rhythm guitarist of punk rock band, The Clash. Ticket holders were treated to a jam packed line up, including performances
from The Pogues, Basement Jaxx and Badly Drawn Boy. Alongside our festival jaunts we’ve also been out and about meeting with shoppers at supermarkets across the south west. With our berry red, strawberry covered van we’ve been putting a smile on the faces of busy shoppers by offering them the chance to try our fruity yogurts. We also shared with them our passion for British farming and for our family home in Blagdon. So far we’ve visited supermarkets in Bristol, Wells, Exeter, Yeovil and Exmouth so you may have spotted us at a store near you! Back in the valley we were very excited to be hosting a bat safari organised by our suppliers the Organic Milk Cooperative (OMSCO) at our children’s education facility, Will’s Barn. The evening walk for families was held in support of OMSCO’s ‘Year of the Bat’ which is raising awareness of these endangered mammals.
The campaign is backed by television presenter Kate Humble. Despite the windy weather on top of the Mendips the bats put on a good show for our visitors. Although the elements have been against us for the majority of the season the sun rose brilliantly over the valley on Thursday 9th August and record numbers of visitors flocked to the garden to enjoy the balmy weather. 160 visitors joined us to stroll through the six and a half acres of our organic garden and to relax on the terrace with a cup of tea and a slice of cake. The garden closes for the season at the end of September so please pop in and see us before then. The garden will be open Thursdays from 10am – 5pm and on Sunday 2nd September 2pm – 5pm. Entry costs £5. For more information visit www.theorganicgardens.co.uk
Katie Bunting is communications co-ordinator at Yeo Valley, a family-owned farming and dairy processing business based in Blagdon, and will be bringing us a monthly report on their activities. The Holt Farms organic farming operation has 1250 acres on the Mendip Hills and in the Yeo Valley beside Blagdon Lake. www.yeovalley.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 57
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Light up your garden with spring bulbs THE garden centres are full of colourful packets of a host of varieties of bulbs, fill a bag offers, and sacks of mixed bulbs but what do you need to With MARY know to get the best PAYNE MBE displays? A bulb is a remarkable structure. Each is a whole plant, flowers and leaves, bundled into an apparently dried up lump of plant material. The truth is that it is all there just waiting for the right conditions to occur to trigger it into growth and flower. Narcissus (the proper name for what are often referred to as daffodils and narcissi) come from Europe and indeed we have our own native species. As such all are well adapted to our temperate climate of relatively mild winters, and summers that are rarely too dry (and certainly not this year!). This means that they can be planted in the autumn and will come up year after year and indeed may well increase their numbers. This makes them ideal for permanent planting schemes such as naturalising in orchards, groups in borders and even growing in containers. Tulips on the other hand come from climates where the summers are very hot and dry, so the bulbs get a good baking while dormant, although the winters can be very cold. This makes them less of a longterm investment in our climate and, as such, I regard them as “annuals” to be replaced every year wherever a good display is required. Parks departments always replant with new bulbs every year when used in spring bedding displays.
Tulip 'Perestroyka' PAGE 58 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
All bulbs can be grown in containers for display on patios, decks or simply to stand into a border to add spring colour. Indeed several layers of bulbs can be put in a large container to achieve a bold impact. I like to use tulips in large pots with a few winter flowering pansies planted on the top. Tulips are divided into groups according to their flower shape and flowering season. For example the Lily Flowered group of tulips have elegant, pointed petals and flower in about May, depending on the season. Darwin Hybrid tulips have some of the largest flowers and are also May flowering. By carefully selecting varieties a succession of colourful pots can be achieved. Ensure that the compost used is well drained by adding some grit when potting in the autumn, so the bulbs do not sit in soggy compost all winter. There is no need to purchase special bulb compost, often called “bulb fibre”. Any good multipurpose compost will do. Daffodils and narcissus are also classified into groups according to the length of the outer petals in relation to the central trumpet. The Cyclamineus group offer shorter stems and traditional trumpetshaped flowers but the outer petals are swept back giving them a slightly windswept appearance. This group are ideal for smaller gardens as the flower heads are more in proportion than some of the large trumpet flowered varieties. It is worth avoiding double flowered daffodils as the heads often get so heavy with rain that they bend over and then get eaten by the small black slugs that are on the prowl looking for a tasty meal. I prefer to use hyacinths in pots where their scent can be better appreciated. The large flower spikes have a tendency to lean over, especially when grown indoors, but this can be prevented by stabbing a wooden kebab stick through the side of the bulb and tying the flower spike to it. This does not damage the bulb and will keep the flower upright. Alliums must be the rising stars of the spring garden. So many new ones are available it is hard to choose. Allium ‘Purple Sensation’ flowers conveniently between the tulips finishing in May and the perennial border plants getting underway. For sheer size then the football heads of Allium christophii are spectacular and look good either in a gravel garden or a traditional border. Allium schubertii has even larger heads made up of star like
Tulip 'Ballerina'
flowers each held on stalks of different lengths reminiscent of a firework. For July/August flowering the less flamboyant, yellow flowered, Allium flavum is charming in gravel. Its loose heads of yellow flowers are set above grassy blue green foliage. When selecting bulbs to purchase look for firm bulbs that are heavy for their size. As a general rule the larger the bulb the better the flower quality will be. Store the bulbs in a cool dry place until planting. Most bulbs can be planted immediately you get them, but tulips are better delayed until November so that they spend less time in wet soil or compost. With the exception of nerines and Madonna lilies, most bulbs are better planted deeply, covering the bulb with a depth of soil equivalent to twice the height of the bulb. When attempting to naturalise bulbs into grass, I personally prefer to see drifts of one variety with the bulbs planted in random clusters, rather than individual bulbs dotted here and there. A later flowering variety can be added to that area, also planted in small clumps. The overall effect is preferable to buying a sack of mixed bulbs and dotting them over the area to be planted. In borders clumps of five to seven bulbs of tulips or narcissus also look better than dotting the bulbs throughout the border. The purple headed alliums are an exception, as I feel the round heads need to be seen individually rather than knocking into each other, so these I plant as single bulbs. Spring flowering bulbs area easy to grow and add a dash of colour before the shrubs and perennials take over the show. After such a difficult year in the garden we can now start to look forward to next spring.
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GARDENING SEPTEMBER GARDEN TIPS G Plant shady borders and areas under large shrubs with small flowered Crocus, Scilla, Anemone blanda, Snowdrops and English Bluebells, (don’t plant Spanish bluebells as they may hybridise with our own native bluebells). G Try growing a few bulbs, other than the proverbial Hyacinths, in pots for the house. It is much easier than you might imagine! Dwarf Irises aren’t often grown but are very easy if they have good drainage. There are masses of dwarf Tulips and Daffodils to try! Probably the easiest are Tulip ‘Red Riding Hood’ and ‘Hearts Delight’. For Daffodils try ‘Tete a Tete’ or ‘Jet Fire’. G Remember to use bulb fibre rather than potting compost if the pots you use have no drainage holes. Make certain that the bulbs have made plenty of roots and that you can feel the flower bud in the shoot protruding out of the bulb before you bring them into warmth. G Pot up prepared Hyacinths to get them in flower for Christmas. Get them potted this month unless you are happy to have them in flower in January. Try some in water-filled glass jars! G Gladioli corms of the non-hardy type (the majority) should be lifted, dried off and stored in a frost free place. The small corms that form around the base are probably best discarded as they can take several years to reach flowering size. Courtesy of Cleeve Nursery
Green shoots
YEAR 6 pupils at Winford Primary School have triumphed over the weather with their bumper crop of vegetables and herbs, grown on ten brand new raised beds built in the newlylandscaped school grounds last autumn. Over the year they have spent hours planting and tending their vegetable garden – with amazing results. Year 6 teacher, William Luxton, has led the gardening project and is delighted with its success. He said: “We launched our home-grown initiative last year following the major rebuild of our school and the redesigning of its grounds. It’s fantastic to see all their hard work has paid off despite the summer rain.”
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ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDS – SET IN 12 WONDERFUL ACRES – MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 59
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Somerlap helps the garden grow AN outdoor education centre in Somerset has been able to help children develop their green fingers, thanks to its newly fittedout garden area. Northfields Education Centre in Taunton, which caters for children who are unable to attend school due to medical reasons, was able to refurbish its garden area with the help of local firm Somerlap Forest Products. The firm supplied the centre with a custom built shed (complete with partition to ensure it could be used in a multitude of ways), raised beds, planters and soil so that the children could learn how to grow their own vegetables. Support worker Helen Hoyle said: “The shed is a lovely space to use for relaxation and group work. We have grown a range of vegetables in the beds and ate our own salad at the end of term barbeque.” Gardening has become a hot topic amongst education and government officials. Somerlap’s custom-made garden equipment is one of the perfect ways in which schools can utilise the space which they have to encourage children to get their hands dirty. With a wide range of sheds and shelters, Somerlap Forest Products always endeavour to meet all specifications. On those occasions when something a little different is required, however, they are always available to work with the client to create a custom designed, custom built structure.
NGS GARDEN OF THE MONTH
Bartley Cottage in Cheddar
COME and walk round the stunning garden at Bartley Cottage, admire and be amazed at the very rare and unusual conifers (of which there are more than 100) and hardy Japanese Acers. This is a garden with all-year-round interest and colour, changing with the seasons. It offers spectacular views of Cheddar Gorge. Creating this garden has been a six- year project, from an overgrown, worn-out space into a calm and relaxing oriental-style garden, complete with a large koi pond, large outdoor bonsai and a new Japanese tea house. The first two years of the project involved the removal of the unimaginative beds, removal of three large cherry trees, and the digging out of the Koi pond (started on Boxing Day). In the third and fourth years they started to plant up the curved beds and regeneration of the uneven and patchy lawn – now virtually weed-free complete with sharp edges and stripes. Then the large bonsai, which stay out all winter, were positioned. The fifth and sixth years saw owners Jane and Steve Cleverdon sitting, relaxing and enjoying a glass of wine. NGS opening details: Sunday September 16th, 2pm6pm. Visitors also welcome by appointment. Admission: £2.50, children free. Contact Information: 01934 740387 or 07737 132214. Postcode: BS27 3JP.
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 PAGE 60 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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GARDENING A country store which sells everything from sweets and ice creams to DIY. The Orchard Cafe is open on the first floor serving breakfast and lunches 6 days a week.
Gardening gets real ORGANISERS of the National Gardening Show at the Royal Bath and West Showground will be an inspiration to all gardeners but will also be down-to-earth in every sense. They believe the three-day event, starting on Friday, August 31st, will offer more practical advice and ideas
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which are achievable by most people than similar events. Stunning garden displays, spectacular floral arrangements and some true beasts of the giant vegetable world will still thrill visitors but they will be matched by talks and demonstrations, showing a more practical side.
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WELCOMES YOU THIS AUTUMN • Autumn bedding now ready incl. Pansies, Wallflowers etc. • Spring flowering bulbs – plant now for brilliant spring colour • Unwins, Fothergills and Johnsons Seeds • Extensive range of Terracotta and Glazed Pots • Composts, Mulches and Barks (Multi-buy and Special Offers) • National Garden Gift Vouchers sold and redeemed • Shrubs, Climbers, Perennials etc.
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Norton Green Farm Nursery Wells Road, Chilcompton, Nr. Bath Tel: 01761 232137 E. nortongreenfarm@tiscali.co.uk
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 61
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Your influence can help us win DO you care about the negative effects alcohol can often have within our society and if there was a chance to support something which really has the potential to reduce those effect, could you help to make it happen? Under the Influence is a scheme which By SIMON was created locally with our schools and SELBY young people. This educational resource helps young people, and anyone else for that matter, to consider the issues with excessive alcohol consumption and its consequences on their health, their future and wellbeing of our society in general. Our young people actually co-constructed the material and were key at every stage of its development. Its worth and preventative value are now a matter of fact and a credit to the local young people and partnership who helped make it happen. Avon and Somerset has adopted this preventative resource for use across our area and other forces such as Devon and Cornwall are following suit. The partnership behind Under the Influence included four local schools, Bath and North East Somerset Council, Somerset Crimebeat Trust, John and Philippa Hayhoe, Dr Nick Rutterford, a behavioural psychologist and the police. The scheme was launched at Somervale School in Midsomer Norton when John and Philippa visited pupils to highlight how one man’s punch left them facing a lifetime of heartache. John
and Philippa gave a frank account about the way the death of their son James affected them after he was punched in a Bath street after a night out in 2006 aged 21. James was a former pupil at Somervale. So how can you help? Every year, the Home Office tries to identify projects and initiatives from across the country which have the potential to make a significant national difference through a scheme called The Tilley Awards. These projects and initiatives are then scrutinized and part of the process includes a public vote; however if a project comes from a large city or organisation the “block vote” can easily mean that these projects are adopted, while others can be overlooked. As our Under the Influence initiative is one of those being considered I thought I would ask for your help. On September 21st the Home Office is due to open the public vote via the following link: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/tilley-awards/. If we can get sufficient support from people who believe this local success story is worth voting for, it could be recognised nationally thereby bringing about real change to a huge audience. The Home Office would then take a major role in progressing this Somerset initiative. Please take the time to have a quick look via the link above; it should be under a section called “Public Vote”. If you then think it is good enough and something that you wish to help progress please give it your vote and persuade anyone else you can think of to add their support. Many thanks.
An evening with Lesley Garratt IN my role as director of the Crimebeat charity, I’m delighted to tell you about a fantastic concert starring the soprano singer Lesley Garrett, which will be held in Wells Cathedral on Saturday, September 22nd. The Gala Charity Concert has been organised by the High Sheriff of Somerset, Mrs Sylvana Chandler, in aid of Somerset Crimebeat, a project which she leads during her year in office. Somerset Crimebeat gives financial support to projects ranging from youth shelters and mobile health cafes to boxing clubs; anything which offers valuable and worthwhile opportunities to our young people. The concert will feature the Somerset Chamber Choir, the Wells Cathedral Choristers and Wells Cathedral School. Lesley Garrett will both perform and compere. The office of High Sheriff is at least 1,000 years old, having its roots in Saxon times, before the Norman Conquest. It is the oldest continuous secular office under the Crown. Originally, the office held many of the powers now vested in lord-lieutenants, high court judges, magistrates, local authorities, coroners and even the Inland Revenue. During the reign of Edward VII, lord-lieutenants became the prime officers under the Crown as the Sovereign’s personal representative. Lord-lieutenants were created in 1547 for military duties in the shires. The high sheriff remains the Sovereign’s representative in the county for all matters relating to the judiciary and the maintenance of law and order.
In recent years, high sheriffs in many parts of England and Wales have been particularly active in the field of reduction of crime and the development of an anti-crime culture, particularly among young people. Thus Somerset Crimebeat. A legal service in Wells Cathedral marks the start of the year for a high sheriff. The gala concert starts at 7.00pm. Tickets cost £15, £25 and £35 and are available from the Wells Cathedral Shop Box Office (01749 672773) and on the door.
Simon Selby is Director of the Crimebeat Awards Scheme. PAGE 62 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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COMMUNITY
There to lend a helping hand By Steve Egginton THESE are the people with a licence to help – the Village Agents scheme pioneered locally in the Chew Valley has recruited three new agents and has doubled the size of the area it covers, thanks to new funding of £48,000 from Bath and North East Somerset Council. Denise Perrin, who has been project manager since the launch in 2010, said: “The pilot project covering 10 parishes has now grown to 19 parishes, which means we can help even more people than we have in the past.” The agents work with various agencies and charities to advise people on where they can find help and support and as it’s become more well-known more and more people are making direct contact. One big success has been its community car scheme, run by volunteers, which regularly carries more than 100 passengers and covers more than 27 medical facilities. Denise said: “We are not age specific, but the elderly need our help most. Some were facing taxi fares of £75 a trip to get to hospital appointments, so in some cases they had no choice but to not attend. “We are talking about a generation who didn’t ask for anything, growing older in fear of change, which becomes terror when someone loses their husband, has a stroke or
Village agents
THE Community Council for Somerset has just appointed its first six village agents to support six community ‘clusters’ in Somerset, two of whom will be supporting communities in Mendip. Diana Romrig will be supporting Godney, Meare, Sharpham and Wookey; and Jacky Smith will be supporting Binegar, Chewton Mendip, Emborough, Litton, Priddy, Rodney Stoke and Ston Easton. The Village Agents scheme aims to provide vulnerable people with access to services and information they might otherwise find difficult to obtain for themselves. The initiative has been made possible thanks to funding by The Big Lottery fund, the Bernard Herridge Trust and Total Somerset via the Taunton Deane Partnership. Contact Diana Romrig by telephone on 07950 783069 or by email: dromrigva@somersetrcc.org.uk Contact Jacky Smith by telephone on 07950 782436 or by email: jsmithva@somersetrcc.org.uk
Pictured rear: Denise Perrin and Ken Webb; front: Julie Bragg and Jane Egan
suddenly can’t drive. That’s when we encourage them to accept help.” The original agents were Mary Douglas-Jones and Viv Morris, who did an excellent job of establishing the service. The new agents will each work 10 hours a week, covering specific areas. Julie Bragg, from Stanton Drew, who has been clerk to Pensford Parish Council for ten years, said: “I’m from a farming background and lived in Norton Hawkfield from the age of four. It’s just going to be nice to give something back to the community I’ve been raised in.” Jane Eagon, from East Harptree, was a civil servant for 30 years before the tax office closed in Wells. She said: “I started helping with the transport service as a volunteer and decided it was time to do something more productive than housework.” Ken Webb, from Compton Dando, was in production management before he retired. He said: “I couldn’t really hack retirement – I was bored. I ran a charity shop for MIND in Keynsham for two years and enjoyed that. So when I saw the advertisement for this job I thought it would be a good extension of that. It’s very fulfilling doing this sort of work.” Deputy council leader Nathan Hartley said: “Better connecting people in rural areas with local services is one of Bath & North East Somerset Council’s ways of promoting independence and positive lives for older people. “The Village Agents scheme combined with the Community Transport scheme in the Chew Valley will give many people a lifeline in 20 parishes to services like health and voluntary organisations.” The Performance Reward Programme, a one-off funding pot of £1 million, has now been invested within Bath and North East Somerset in projects that will support the delivery of the Council’s Sustainable Community Strategy. MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 63
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How to spot a bogus doctor ALWAYS wanted to be a doctor? Not got the grades for medical school? Feel that you’ve let your mother down? Well worry no more because you too can join the ranks of the elite thanks to Dr Phil’s Instant Medical Degree. What’s more, I promise to cut out all the nasty bits of being a medical student. No torturing harmless domestic mammals or By Dr PHIL hacking your way through a dead person’s colon. HAMMOND No public humiliation by hairy surgeons with lowset ears or late nights in the library memorising the embryology of almost everything. And you won’t be forced to drink a pint of vomit in honour of the rugby club. In fact, with Dr Phil’s IMD you can bi-pass medical school altogether. Just pop down to Ikea, buy yourself a desk, sit behind it and say “there’s a lot of it about” – for 30 or so. Perhaps I’m trivialising the doctor’s craft (you may be called on to say “it’s probably a virus” too) but if you strip any job to its bare essentials, it becomes distressingly easy to fake it. Indeed, there are plenty of pseudo-doctors who’ve deceived the punters for years without attending so much as a night class in wrist-splinting. The British record goes to a Bradford man who impersonated a GP for 30 years before he was caught. He was prescribing shampoo for conjunctivitis and creosote for a sore throat but his patients didn’t complain and had he not been shopped by a member of his family he could still be practicing. To be fair, a few of the local pharmacists were a mite suspicious but when the creosote sales are going so well, you don’t like to cause a fuss. General practice is well suited to the fraudster as GPs tend to practice alone and can, if they wish, resist attempts by others to scrutinise their work. In hospital, you might expect the loony locum to come a cropper on the first ward round when put on the spot by his consultant, but many survive for months. The reason, rather depressingly, is that consultants have very low expectations of their junior staff and locums in particular. Indeed, some hoodwinked consultants have later admitted that their bogus house-officers were by no means the worst they’d had. The GMC has now tightened up on the registration of doctors; photocopied certificates or anything with Tipex on are now rejected, and all hospitals are advised to check with the GMC before employing any doctor. Although fakes are on the wane, they have at least taught us that front-line medicine is not nearly as academic as we’d like to think it is and many people who wouldn’t survive the brain torture of medical school would make perfectly good doctors. Also, those who haven’t been near a medical school often have the empathy and communication skills that are beaten out of medical graduates. So how do you tell if your doctor’s a fake? Well, 96% of fakes are men, so if a woman tells you she’s a doctor, she probably is. For a male doctor, there are two shock tactics to try. You could ask him if he’s ever drunk his own vomit – if he looks at all shocked at the suggestion, he hasn’t been to a UK medical school. Or you could just ask him for some Creosote. If he doesn’t look shocked, you should be. PAGE 64 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Good-bye to a glorious summer WHAT an exciting summer it’s been. I surprised myself by hauling the whole family out of bed at around 5am one morning to see the Olympic torch carried through a nearby village before it was lost somewhere near Wraxall. The sun was shining and eldest child said she felt the heat from the Olympic flame as it went by. A couple of weeks later we decided to capitalise on Granny’s proximity to London and watch the Jubilee flotilla wending its way along the River Thames. As the train approached Waterloo I noticed a million people lining the river who’d had the same idea. By the time we reached the Embankment the crowds were at least ten deep and bemused volunteers in oversized reflective jackets were corralling people into ever smaller spaces. We stayed with the ten-deep crowd and lifted the younger two children onto our shoulders as the cheers grew louder. Eldest child held her camera high in the air. “What can you see?” I asked youngest child. “Some boats,” he shouted enthusiastically. Eldest child’s camera revealed more – the tip of the Queen’s golden barge in the very corner of the photograph. Luckily that wasn’t the end of the excitement for one summer. The Olympics arrived and everyone was beside themselves. We had managed to secure tickets for a final event coinciding with youngest child’s seventh birthday. It lived up to all our expectations. In the preceding week mealtimes, bedtimes and any routine whatsoever was forgotten as we all sat glued to the television. “What time is my bedtime?” youngest child asked on more than one occasion. We all began to suffer from sleep deprivation but that didn’t spoil our enjoyment as we soaked up the national positivity. We even managed to forget that we were in a double-dip recession as the news only reported joyous medalwinning. To coincide with the closing ceremony we packed up the car. Following our usual tradition we left the house to the crackle of lightning and a deluge of biblical proportions, to spend the next few days in a tent. I begged Mendip Dad to let me stay at home after looking at the little black clouds with lightning coming out of them on the Met Office website. He ignored my protests. Fortunately, he was right and the Met Office was wrong. We even managed to watch the closing ceremony of the Olympics tucked up in our sleeping bags on Mendip Dad’s IPad. The Olympics dominated our conversations the following morning. However, it ended with a slightly inappropriate conversation between Mendip Dad and eldest child as they debated a young Olympian’s sexuality. This was overheard by youngest child who then posed the surreal question: “Why would you go camping with a Christmas tree?” I tried to remedy the situation by explaining that he needn’t worry about that as we wouldn’t be able to fit a Christmas tree in the car. MENDIP MUM
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HEALTH & FAMILY
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How starting a business can change you I WENT to a talk by an extraordinary woman. Deb was a secretary for many years. When her children were in their late teens (10 years ago) she had a smart idea for a new business. The initial idea was for a product she developed to help the police force with scene of crime investigation. Her husband was a police officer and her light bulb moment came at a conference she went to with him. Once she made the decision to go ahead nothing would stop her. She was tenacious and utterly determined and also had to find a substantial sum of money she didn’t have to develop a prototype. She now works with her husband. Some of the things she said that have stayed with me: • She sometimes wants to murder her husband. Great to hear, since I work with my husband and sometimes feel like that too. It doesn’t mean we are bust or that we can’t work together. Its normal! • She didn’t understand or know what her attitude to money was until she started the business. I am learning that about myself too. I am fundamentally cautious with money and need to let go a bit. However part of my psyche is a perfectly rational dislike of waste. • She is a different person now to when she started. I would love to explore this with her some more. In what ways? For better or for worse? I am at the foothills compared to her but as
I have some successes I can feel myself changing: for example, shedding being self-effacing all the time; the constant put downs I volunteer about myself. I’m sure that the new more confident me won’t be to everyone’s liking, but that’s the way it goes. JUDITH DERBYSHIRE
Judith runs Purely Probate and writes a regular blog about her experiences called Oldpreneur, inspired by a newspaper article about people who start a new business in their 50s. You can read more at: http://oldpreneur.com/blog designs:Layout Front cover
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Cars are the stars VETERAN cars – including some more than 100 years old – took to the roads around Mendip for a three-day rally called a Wessex Wander. The rally was organised by John and Pamela Thompson, of Chapmanslade, near Frome, from the south western division of the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain. Vehicle owners used the Centurion Hotel at Radstock as their base. All but one of the 30-plus cars booked on the rally turned up – sadly, a steam car owned by a relative of John’s broke down on the way to Radstock and John himself was forced to miss the on-road events due to a broken arm.
Pamela Thompson with family friend Tom Fussel, of Devizes, who drove Pamela’s 1911 Rover
On the road to Wells This Alldays car has spent all its life in Wales
Day one of the Wessex Wander took the cars through Emborough
PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
A 1911 Renault leaves the Centurion Hotel
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LETTERS
Dear Mendip Times, Let me say immediately that I sympathise with those campaigning against the installation of a cable car system within the Cheddar Gorge. I have myself been a campaigner against the pollution of our living environment by giant wind generators! However the Cheddar Gorge cable cars may, perhaps, not be the eyesore that the campaigners suggest. On their leaflet they show the cable-cars in garish white just as in Switzerland. But the only reason they are white in Switzerland is for camouflage (!) since they normally only operate against a background of snow. But just as Swiss cable-cars are white, so Swiss electricity pylons are all painted green (something that perhaps our Cheddar Gorge campaigners could suggest for the UK). The cable-cars in Cheddar Gorge would similarly be painted green to camouflage them against their background not to shockingly contrast it. Let us be realistic; the great majority of visitors to Cheddar Gorge rarely get beyond the souvenir shops, the cafes and the open top buses. The cable-car system would actually transport the visitors to see the Gorge as it should be seen – from the top – just as we walkers do. It is a magnificent vista and it is sad that so few ever see it and perhaps it would encourage a few more to take to their hiking boots. And anyway, is a green camouflaged cable-car more shocking than a garish open-topped bus? Philip Styles Cheddar
Dear Mendip Times, It’s that time of year again when we think about harvest festivals, harvest suppers and of course ploughing matches. This year Mendip Ploughing Society are holding their 143rd annual competitions on land near the MoD Rifle Range at Yoxter, Priddy, Nr Wells by kind permission of the Mead Family and Holt Farms on Wednesday, September 26th. This year we are delighted to have Yeo Valley as our main sponsor together with Blackthorn Cider who will sponsor the horse ploughing. The Society, which was formed in 1858, now relies on sponsorship to a great extent and is extremely grateful to the support from local companies. On the day spectators will see ploughing in various forms, from the skilled champions to the vintage tractors, the modern high tech huge tractors and ploughs, not forgetting the horse ploughing where teams of heavy horses smartly turned out in brasses and ribbons steadily pull the plough responding to verbal command from the ploughmen. The Society fosters other agricultural skills such as hedge laying and dry stone walling and there is the farm produce show. There will be a refreshments marquee where the ladies committee put on delicious lunches and a bar where one can buy a refreshing glass of cider. This is a good day out and don’t forget that entry and car parking is free but you may like to buy a draw ticket or two to support the funds. You will be sure of a warm welcome whatever the weather. Jim King Hon Secretary
We’ve got it covered Mendip Times Distribution Points Mendip Times is available from over 800 outlets across the Mendips from superstores to village stores and post offices, farm shops, supermarkets, garden centres, pubs, inns, hotels and restaurants, doctors’ surgeries, libraries and tourist information centres. ALHAMPTON AXBRIDGE BALTONSBOROUGH BACKWELL BANWELL BARROW GURNEY BARTON ST. DAVID BECKINGTON BISHOP SUTTON BLACKFORD BLAGDON BLEADON BRENT KNOLL BRISTOL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BROCKLEY BRUTON BUCKLAND DINHAM BURCOTT BURRINGTON BUTLEIGH CAMERTON CASTLE CARY CHARTERHOUSE CHEDDAR CHELYNCH CHEW MAGNA
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Record breakers Pictured (l tor) Rob Knott, Ric Canham and relief rower Neil Sutor.
THE Active Living Group from the Handicraft and Games Afternoon at Gorehedge in Frome have raised £150 by holding a summer fete. The money was presented to Adrian Williams Community Fundraiser – South West for the Alzheimer’s Society. The group welcomes new members and volunteers. Details: Julie Russell 07809192997.
Help is at hand PATIENTS who are carers in Chew Stoke are benefitting from help and advice from the Carers’ Centre at Chew Medical Practice. For local resident Joan Soan, getting the help and support she needed has changed her life for the better. Joan, whose 89-yearold husband, Brian, has problems with vision, hearing and mobility, said: “I didn’t think I was officially a carer. Life was getting hard and I began to feel unwell. I went to my doctor for tests and saw an advert for the Carers’ Centre. I wondered if I was a carer? To me I was doing my duty as a wife.” Joan was booked in for a one-to-one advice session with a member of the Carers’ Centre team. She said: “I felt I didn’t need help and that I wasting people’s time, but I was wrong – it was wonderful. So many good things have happened since then.” Joan and Brian were referred to the Independent Living Team and emergency help is now on hand for them through a simple telephone response service. The couple were also signposted to receive Occupational Therapy from Sirona Care and Health, which lead to grab rails and mobility aids being fitted throughout their home to help Brian. “It’s hard to admit that you can’t do everything and that sometimes you can’t manage,” added Joan. “I’d say to anyone wondering if they deserve some help to just go for it, contacting the Carers’ Centre could change your life for the better as it did mine!” Details: www.banescarerscentre.org.uk or telephone 0800 0388 885.
BATH-TUB heroes Rob Knott, aged 40, from Portishead, and Ric Canham, aged 56, from Axbridge have raised around £3,500 for the Alzheimer’s Society and the Portishead and Bristol Lifeboat Trust, by rowing from Bath to Bristol, smashing the world record! Ric said afterwards: “Steve Redgrave said that if you ever saw him in a boat again you had permission to kill him . . . I feel the same about bathtubs at the moment. Perhaps I’ll do the organising next time!”
Race night success
THE annual Woollard Charity Horse Race evening raised £2,350 for the Jessie May Trust. Julie Kembrey (left) is pictured receiving the cheque from popular best-selling author Lesley Pearse on behalf of the race night organisers. Mrs Kembrey, who was there with her husband Chris, said: “As bereaved parents, whose family has received support from Jessie May for the last 15 years, we are so grateful for this wonderful donation. “We know that this cheque will provide vital support to other families who are in a similar situation.” MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 71
Photo courtesy of Bob Bowen
Active Living
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Head for heights for hospice A FUNDRAISING event in aid of the St Margaret’s Hospice charity is being held near Wells in September – but people taking part will need a head for heights. Stunning views of the city and the Mendip Hills will be on offer with a 100-foot abseil from Split Rock Quarry on Sunday, September 16th. Brooke Brownlow, Sponsored Events Fundraiser at St Margaret’s Hospice, said: “This is definitely a Sunday walk with a difference and chance to support the work of the hospice by scaring yourself silly. “We are just asking that people raise a minimum sponsorship of £50 and with a 100-foot cliff face to navigate, I would think that people will really support those taking part in this challenge.” G The abseil – sponsored by Wells-based solicitors Harris and Harris – costs £10 to register and is open to all ages and abilities. To register visit, www.st-margarets-hospice.org.uk or telephone the fundraising team on 0845 345 9671.
Cabaret and crafts help cancer charity TWO unusual events are being staged to raise much-needed funds for the Frome-based charity Positive Action on Cancer. Millie Moon, the crafting shops in Wells and Frome, are organising a Great Create day at Mells Tithe Barn on Sunday, October 7th. The day will be packed full of Millie Moon workshops, the opportunity to listen to a guest speaker and chance to see the latest craze in quilting – a jelly roll race! The event is being sponsored by EQS and Moda. Kelly Hall, PAC Fundraiser, said: “It is the perfect opportunity for crafting enthusiasts to have a wonderful day and support a local charity. The day will offer people to opportunity to learn new skills and meet the Millie Moon team.” Before then, on Saturday, September 15th, Rook Lane Chapel in Frome will host Lolita Noir’s Crimson Cabaret, an evening of decadent cabaret with top burlesque artists, sensational vintage singing, some fabulous naughty poetry and much more! The evening has been sponsored by Solar Communications and all ticket proceeds will go to the charity. PAC is currently the only organisation to offer free professional counselling to any adults or children affected or bereaved by cancer and other life-threatening illnesses in BANES, Somerset and West Wiltshire. For information about counselling, the work of the charity or fundraising, contact Karen Dufton, administrator at PAC, on 01373 455255 or info@positiveactiononcancer.co.uk G Tickets for Great Create cost £40 and will include all materials, a light lunch and afternoon tea. Tickets are available from Millie Moon shops in Frome and Wells or by calling 01373 464650. Tickets for the Crimson Cabaret (strictly over-18s only) are £12 in advance and £15 on the door. They can be bought from The Cheese and Grain box office and website. PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Financial help CHEDDAR Valley residents are being given the chance to get their finances in order with a popular free course being run by a local church. Members of Cheddar Valley Community Church, who have been trained by UK charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP), are again running the three-session course aimed at helping people in the local community to best handle the current economic downturn. Money coach Richard Timm, who will be leading the three sessions called CAP Money, said: “If you know how to save and budget effectively, it can have a hugely positive impact on the whole family. With households feeling the squeeze on their disposable income, we’ve all got to get a bit more savvy about our money to get through these tough times.” The next free course begins at the Church Centre, The Oasis, Tweentown, Cheddar, BS27 3JB, starting at 7.45pm on September 10th. The remaining two sessions are at 7.45pm on September 17th and 24th. Details: www.capmoney.org or telephone 01934 844721
Supporting St. Peter’s
Pictured (l to r) Gemma Edgell, Audrey Press, Pam King, Constance Bowdler, Raynor Nix, Sue Bond and Anne Bennett with Marina Locke in front.
A FUNDRAISING afternoon tea in Compton Martin village hall, held by friends, family and neighbours of the late Ann Shippobotham raised £900 for St. Peter’s Hospice. Petra Besala from St Peter’s Hospice and Constance Bowdler from the hospice’s Chew Valley Support Group thanked everyone for attending the tea, which was organised by Audrey Press.
Markets for charity THE organisers of Croscombe Charter Markets have chosen the charity Hope for Tomorrow as their charity of the year. Hope for Tomorrow aims to alleviate some of the stresses and strains associated with receiving treatment for cancer. Mobile chemotherapy units reduce travel, parking and waiting times. At present in Somerset the unit visits Bridgwater and Minehead with plans for Glastonbury in the future. The next charter market will be held on Saturday, September 8th from 10am – 12noon in Croscombe Village Hall. For more information about Hope for Tomorrow, visit: www.hopefortomorrow.org.uk
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Sponsored ride for Dial a Ride!
Tom Marsh (rear) with (l:r): Irene Heal, Dial a Ride trustee, Stacey Stott, Britannia Building Society, branch manager, June Drake, Dial a Ride treasurer, Hayley Kite Britannia Building Society customer relationship advice manager and Shirley Steel, Dial a Ride vice-chair
STAFF at the Midsomer Norton branch of the Britannia Building Society carried out a day-long sponsored static bike ride, raising £128 for the Midsomer Norton and Radstock Dial a Ride charity’s Christmas Dinner event. The Christmas dinner is an annual opportunity for all members of the service to socialise with each other, as well as to touch base with the Dial a Ride trustees and coordinators. Promoting social inclusion is a large objective for the service, and therefore the chance for clients to meet new people is paramount. The Christmas dinner also acts as an excellent opportunity for the organisation to personally thank all the volunteers and users for supporting the service. Dial a Ride co-ordinator Tom Marsh said: “We would like to thank Britannia Building Society, the Midsomer Norton branch staff, and the contributing members of the community for their hard work and generosity.” Dial a Ride operates within the Bath and North East Somerset area, by providing an easily-accessible door-to-door community transport link. The service currently has more than 700 active users, with an average of 1,250 journeys undertaken each month.
Making a difference THE Street-based branch of Epilepsy Action, which helps those living with epilepsy and their carers, is looking for volunteers to help at fund-raising events. They host regular meetings on a monthly basis March-July and September-November at Street Royal British Legion Club on Farm Road from 1.30pm-3.30 pm. They’ve also started attending the Car Boot/Table Top sale held on Saturdays at the Crispin Hall in Street, 10am-4pm. They also go to other venues during the year, to raise awareness as well as funds. Details: email epilepsyactionstreet@hotmail.co.uk 07542 517300.
CAB music evening FRIENDS of Mendip Citizens Advice Bureau have announced the line-up for their first music evening, to be held at Wells Town Hall on Thursday, September 20th. The event will be headlined by Seize the Day, the local folk group whose members include a Mendip CAB volunteer. Seize the Day are known from festivals such as Cambridge, Glastonbury, The Big Chill and the Big Green Gathering. Supporting acts include the Mendip Recorders, an organ recital by Meredith Foster, viola-player Peter Sackett and the Axbridge Singers. Michael Sackett, one of the Friends’ founders, said: “We are very excited that Seize the Day have agreed to play. We’re able to offer a real mix of local talent and it looks set to be a very enjoyable evening in aid of a valued local charity.” The performance runs from 7–9pm (doors open 6pm) and tickets are £7.50 on the door, £6.50 in advance, concessions £2 (students, unemployed, children) and all money raised will go towards Mendip Citizens Advice Bureaux. Details: 01749 342695 email admin@mendipcab.org.uk or at www.mendipcab.org.uk
Riding for charity
MORE than 30 local people and customers of the Natterjack Inn, Evercreech Junction have raised over £2,500 with a 25mile sponsored cycle ride, raising funds for Avon and Somerset Search and Rescue, and the Somerset Prostate Cancer charity. Landlord Ade Brixey said: “I am extremely proud and overwhelmed by the response of our customers and friends who so valiantly rose to this challenge to support these deserving local charities. These charities without doubt provide services to our communities that are critical to all our safety and wellbeing.” The pub is planning a further ride on September 9th. Pictured (l to r) Elizabeth and Brian Smart, honorary secretary of Somerset Prostate Cancer, Ann Pratt, supporter, Ade Brixey, landlord, Alan George, Chief Rescue Officer, Avon & Somerset Search and Rescue, Chris Thing, local rider, event supporter and search party member of A&SSAR, Simon Carter, local rider and supporter of the event. MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 73
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CAVING
I LAST wrote about Home Close Hole in November 2008, when a Hymac digger was used to excavate a depression on Wigmore Farm at Red With PHILIP Quar. Radio location HENDY suggested that the site lay some 100 metres above Young Blood’s Inlet, a high level passage in Wigmore Swallet. Providing a short new entrance to the cave would enable diggers to bypass the seventh sump, avoiding a lot of awkward diving. Then, a mere 10-metre dive would give easy access to the terminal sump, where prospects for extending the cave seem good. On a hot July day, I was invited by the digging team to have a look at progress over the last four years. The diggers are from several clubs and digging groups, led by Tony and Alice Audsley. The late lamented Tony Jarratt attended the early digging sessions, until a week before he died. Between four and six cavers dig on a regular basis, with others helping from time to time. The depression has been securely fenced to prevent the entry of curious cattle, and the surface structures are impressive. An engine shed houses a petrol Lister winch and adjacent to this is the site hut, currently out of bounds due to nesting swallows. The entrance shaft has been caged and lidded and there is an ingenious self-tipping spoil bucket. My guides for the tour were Tony and Jeff Price. Alice remained on the surface to brew up. This is really a very civilised dig – they even have a microwave oven! The 12-metre entrance shaft consists of concrete rings. When these were placed in the hole dug by the Hymac, they were found to be resting on soft mud. Months were then spent in supporting them on concrete walls which were cast in situ. Only then, at the end of 2010, could the real digging begin. A tantalising hole to one side was enlarged with explosives and now forms a small chamber, Rough Diamond Rift. The upper part of the dig is in conglomerate, with large calcite crystals and veins of barytes with a small amount of galena. The Wigmore area was
Looking up the entrance shaft
extensively mined in the past for lead. A hand windlass has been bolted to the wall to haul spoil up from the dig face. The rift descended and had to be chemically enlarged all the way. This shaft, Tollens’ Shaft, is nine metres deep, divided by a small ledge halfway down. It is descended using a flexible wire ladder. At the bottom, a small chamber has a tiny choked inlet, but the way on is down. Here, the rigid ladder has been covered with a length of old conveyor belt, so the precarious descent is made by back-and-footing, a controlled slide down on one’s back, while searching for footholds on the far wall. The last part is a low hands and knees crawl, which after five metres brings the digger to the current end. I found a pile of rock, the result of the last ‘bang’, partially blocking a small cross-rift which seems to continue downwards. This last part of the dig is in mudstone, a soft brown layered rock. Although there has been an open and draughting passage all of the way so far, Jeff Price and Tony Audsley at the top of Tollens’ Shaft
every part of the dig has had to be enlarged with explosives. The fumes are removed with a flexible hose attached to a vacuum cleaner – diggers are an inventive and resourceful lot! On a good day, several charges can be laid; the spoil is then bagged and hauled to the surface, to be dumped. I was fascinated by the dig and the ingenuity of the diggers in making it possible to work there and remove the spoil efficiently. Caves in conglomerate are rare; Wigmore Swallet is mainly in this type of rock, as is the first part of Wookey Hole. It was interesting to see the rock, with its mineral veins and crystals. There are even some small areas of calcite flowstone. It was for all its relatively shallow depth – Tony estimates it at around 33 metres – a rather strenuous undertaking. I am sure that the air was not as good as it could be, although perhaps this can be put down to age. I was certainly glad to climb back to the sunshine, where Mike Wilson demonstrated the winching procedure and Alice showed how the dig bucket can be slid along a rail from the top of the shaft to be self-emptied into a wheelbarrow. It is estimated that the bottom of the dig is around 30 metres above the end of Young Blood’s Inlet, though a little farther away horizontally. Wigmore Swallet is unique in that its stream resurges at Cheddar some six miles away, when the logical rising would be Wookey Hole, where most of the Priddy swallet streams resurge. Home Close Hole looks like being an interesting cave in its own right, but should the connection be made to Wigmore, then we can expect a big push towards Cheddar.
Phil is a member of Wessex Cave Club and has been caving for the last 44 years. Still active, his main interest is in digging to try to find new caves. He has published a caving cartoon book and collaborated on the recently-published Swildon’s Hole – 100 Years of Exploration. PAGE 74 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Photography by Phil Hendy
Home Close Hole
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NEWS
Closer my God . . .
New president
Robin Maine prepares to abseil down the tower
A ZIP wire and abseil from the top of Priddy church tower attracted dozens of thrill-seekers and raised hundreds of pounds for church funds. Children as young as five were joined on the ropes by people in their 70s. Wells MP Tessa Munt also took part. Members of Cheddar Caving Club and expert volunteers from other clubs supervised the event. Organiser Pam Maine, whose husband Robin joined in the fun, said: “Everyone said how well the event went and all the participants said how much they had enjoyed taking part in something which they will never forget. Not one person came down from the abseil or the zip wire without a smile or an ‘I’ve done it’ grin. “To see so many people just standing around, chatting and enjoying the sunshine made every thing worthwhile, and I would like to say a big thank you to all who made this event possible.”
Jake Baynes on the zip wire
If any one would like to forward donations for Priddy Church, please contact Pamela Maine 01749 870423.
CHELWOOD Bridge Inner Wheel Club, which was formed in 2010, begins its third year with a new president, Mrs Val Coles (left), who has taken over from former president Mrs Linda Quinn, pictured handing over the chain of office.
Rotarian’s fast recovery
THE Rotary Club of Wrington Vale belatedly welcomed their new President, Peter Roswell, who suffered a heart attack and had to undergo heart surgery just two weeks before he was due to take over. Such is the measure of the man, though, that he was determined to return to full health and six weeks later took up the duties that he had spent nearly two years preparing for. The photo shows Peter, from Sandford, receiving his “badge of office” from Ivor Metherell, the outgoing president. MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 75
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Taking action on rural affordable housing EVERYONE should be able to afford a decent home, but in rural areas many households are priced out of the local housing market. Competition for a limited social and private rented stock is fierce and many will have to move from their rural community in order to find a home they can afford. Providing rural affordable housing helps create a sustainable, thriving community that is able to meet the needs of its families, young people and those on lower incomes. From September 24th – 30th Rural Housing Week across the South West is highlighting the problem of the lack of affordable housing in rural parishes and the adverse impact this has on the community and the local economy. In the South West, where around 49% of the population lives in rural areas, the average rural home costs 13 times the average family income and there are around 90,000 people on waiting lists needing a rural affordable home Wendy and Daniel Banfield are among those who have benefited. They live with their seven- month-old daughter Olivia in a two-bed rented home in Winford, North Somerset. There is nothing particularly unusual about this, except for the fact that nine years ago Wendy, then aged 33, was still living at home with her parents in the village where she grew up. She could see no possible housing options open to her and her fiancé that would let them afford to buy or rent a home in the village despite the fact that both of them were working full
PAGE 76 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Wendy and Daniel Banfield with daughter Olivia
time. Wendy is an air stewardess working out of nearby Bristol Airport; Daniel works as a laboratory technician for a local private hospital. Then everything changed for the family. The parish council had been so worried about the lack of homes for the young families in the village that they had begun working with a specialist rural housing association and North Somerset Council to develop a small scheme of rural affordable homes for their local community. Wendy and Daniel applied for one of these homes and in 2005, on the strength of their local connection to the village and their housing need, were allocated a brand new two-bedroom affordable
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PROPERTY home. Wendy said: “Without the development of these homes, we would have been forced to leave Winford if we wanted to find a home that we could afford and have a family. “Now we live in this lovely home, close to all of our friends, family and work and have been able to stay part of our village. It means Olivia can grow up in the same village I did and be close to her grandmother.” Southwestern Housing Society is a Somerset-based housing association specialising in providing affordable homes in rural areas and market towns and is currently developing the former Live and Let Live pub site in Blagdon. Spokesman Phil Yorke said: “We were pleased to have been successful in obtaining grant funding for these homes from the Homes and Communities Agency and are delighted that this development makes use of a brownfield site.” Rural housing development activity is not limited to the Chew Valley and North Somerset. Across the rest of the Mendip Times catchment area, communities and housing associations are working together to deliver new homes for local people – contact your local authority for more details. During Rural Housing Week, WERN (West of England Rural Network) is hosting a workshop for parish councils who are interested in exploring community ownership of rural affordable housing initiatives and other vital rural assets by forming a Community Land Trust. Louise Davidson English Rural Housing Association and chair of the West of England Rural Delivery Panel Details: wern.org.uk or telephone 01275 333701.
FOR SALE BY PRIVATE TREATY KINGSTON SEYMOUR Substantial detached Georgian listed house with large gardens – approximately 0.5 acre located in rural lane on edge of the village. Recently restored whilst retaining period features of shuttered sash windows, old pine doors, high ceilings and Aga in kitchen. Would suit dual occupancy – 5 bedrooms, 3/4 reception rooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 kitchens. GUIDE PRICE £640,000 WOOLLARD LANE WHITCHURCH Detached house – over 2000 sq ft of internal accommodation and 1000 sq ft of outbuildings in rural secluded position with superb views over the valley to the Mendip Hills. Approx 6 acres of paddocks and garden. Tucked away position approx 2.5 miles from Keynsham. GUIDE PRICE £675,000 BURRINGTON A true country cottage located in a quiet lane close to the centre of Burrington village, with far reaching views over countryside to the Bristol Channel and beyond. 4 double bedrooms, en suite wet room, sitting room, living & dining room, bespoke kitchen. Many character features – fireplaces, beams, pine panelling. Green oak carport, gardens, parking. GUIDE PRICE £475,000 ROOKSBRIDGE Bungalow and Building Plot
Detached bungalow in tucked away position away from the main road offering 3 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, modern kitchen and conservatory, en suite and bathroom. Substantial outbuildings – office, workshop, garaging and barn, garden and paddock. In all approx. 0.8 acres. PP for second detached bungalow. Huge potential! GUIDE PRICE £430,000
WOODLAND FOR SALE LOXTON SOMERSET 47.13 acres (19.06 ha) deciduous woodland at Christon Road. As a whole or in 5 lots: ACRES (HA) GUIDE PRICE As a whole: 47.13 (19.06) £285,000 £85,000 LOT 1 New Woodland 13.66 (5.52) 13.62 (5.51) £85,000 LOT 2 Woodland 9.39 (3.80) £55,000 LOT 3 New Woodland 5.27 (2.13) £30,000 LOT 4 Woodland 5.19 (2.10) £30,000 LOT 5 Woodland
COLLECTIVE LAND AND PROPERTY AUCTION TUESDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER (7.00PM) AT MENDIP SPRING GOLF CLUB, HONEY HALL LANE, CONGRESBURY, BS49 5JT
CLEVEDON NORTH SOMERSET Building plot at Dial Hill Road with PP for approx 1919 sq ft detached 3-bed dwelling in elevated position with outstanding panoramic views across Clevedon and the Bristol Channel. The property will have a drive that leads to a double garage and parking area. £300,000 KINGSWOOD Investment opportunity A rare opportunity to buy a property with planning permission for a detached one bed annexe. This Victorian semi-detached house has been converted into two self-contained flats and has off street parking. Ground floor 1-bed flat with garden. First floor 2-bed maisonette £195,000 REGIL BS40 8BL Prime organic agricultural land in scenic location at Gravel Hill. 7.50 acres (3.03ha) £55,000 5.16 acres (2.08ha) £35,000 STANTON WICK BS39 4BU Stables and paddocks at Little Clapper Hill 3.61 acres (1.46ha) £35,000 PUXTON NORTH SOMERSET BS40 8BH Meadow at Dolemoor Lane. As a whole or in 2 lots: 4.10 acres (1.66ha) £40,000 A: Meadow 1.85 acres (0.75ha) £17,500 B: Meadow 2.24 acres (0.91ha) £25,500 £50,000 LANGFORD NORTH SOMERSET Stone barn and Dutch barn in Duck Lane FOR DETAILS OF ALL LOTS VISIT OUR WEBSITE
HOUSEHOLD CLEARANCE & MACHINERY SALE
SATURDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER (11.00AM) AT MULBERRY FARM, WICK ST. LAWRENCE
SELECTION OF HOUSEHOLD AND WORKSHOP ITEMS INCLUDING: Gun cabinet, Selection of Clocks, Troughs, Stihl chainsaw, Stihl Strimmer, Kell & Grad Rotavator, woodwork tools, Massey Ferguson T20, McCormick finger mower, Hay bob, Subaru Forester, Morris Marina pick-up, International Harvester Tractor 354 with loader, Cart/horse drawn trailer.
Wrington North Somerset BS40 5SA Tel: 01934 864300 www.davidjames.org.uk MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 77
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Iconic furniture SIMON Austen’s design-led, contemporary style is a result of his keen eye for detail and a 20-year background as an engineer. A brilliant CAD designer, Simon uses his extensive knowledge of mechanics to create iconic pieces, which are often displayed in galleries. Simon studied at Rycotewood College in
Oxford, before launching his highly successful furniture business. The iconic Austen Lounger is a well known item from his collection and he has recently launched the Mk2 Rocker. Simon’s work would suit those looking for style with substance and a piece of furniture that pushes the boundaries of tradition and art. Everything his company makes is very carefully designed to function perfectly and look beautiful. All making and installation is done to their very high standards whether they are working on the simplest
Weston Garden Machinery Garden Machinery & Woodburning Specialists
hall cupboard or the most sophisticated dining room with table, chairs, and sideboards. Being bespoke designer/makers they are able to take on commissions for really super, unique work at the very highest level, but they also do a great deal of work for people who have a modest budget but want or need something that is not available on the high street. Simon’s first love is working in solid wood, but he is always looking at different materials and ways to use them to keep his designs evolving.
R. O. DANDO & SONS Registered Builders & Decorators
FAMILY BUSINESS ESTABLISHED 100 YEARS MOORLEDGE ROAD CHEW MAGNA BRISTOL BS40 8TA
Telephone: 01275 333603
Woodburning, Multifuel and Gas Stoves Call Jamie Crawford Heating Services Qualified gas safe
Hutton Garden Centre, Banwell Road, Hutton, Weston-super-Mare BS24 9UB
Tel: 01934 813261 www.westongarden.co.uk PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
15 years experience, friendly and reliable service For all your heating needs: I Fully “Gas Safe” Qualified I Landlords Safety Certificates I Breakdown & General Maintenance I Full Boiler Replacements I System Upgrades I Power Flushing I General Plumbing Repairs
Telephone: 07516 118198 or 01761 432469
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HOMES & INTERIORS
The Aga specialists COOK & Heat Ltd are the independent Aga specialists covering the South West of England and offer a complete Aga service including installations and relocation, cosmetic renovations, servicing and repairs. Their team are both OFTEC and Gas Safe registered and can offer more than just a basic service facility for your Aga. They are a progressive company using the latest technology and systems, whilst offering the most important element – excellent customer service. They know you have a choice and for that reason they appreciate it is important to answer your call for assistance promptly together with offering a first class service every time. They are fully independent Aga specialists and provide all services relating to the product known as an Aga. Their Gas Safe and Oftec registered engineers are fully trained to service, repair and install Aga cookers.
Some Tyte e
(Wells)
•
Restoration • Renovation • Decoration THE COMPLETE SERVICE All aspects of building and decorating work individually carried out – up to complete refurbishment.
Interior Design Service also available All domestic and commercial work undertaken
Tel/fax: 01749 675386 • Mobile: 07860 821496 Email: boyce.millington@btconnect.com Website: www.boycemillington.co.uk
GAS LPG OIL SOLAR Commercial & Domestic Tel: 01761 416286/07968 650911 Email: info@jstams-heating.co.uk www.jstams-heating.co.uk
C5936
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 79
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Better by design
127 High Street, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset BS23 1HN
01934 643133 www.idesigninteriors.co.uk
IDESIGN Interiors offers inspiring and innovative interior design, with the aim of creating a living space which is as beautiful as it is practical. They specialise in designing and installing quality bespoke kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and interiors. Since the kitchen is often the most used room in the house and is often referred to as ‘the heart of the home’, they regard it not just as a refuelling station, but the place where adults congregate and children naturally migrate, not just for food but for company. It is truly a multipurpose space unique to each family. Whether your taste is for the contemporary or the traditional they are on hand to guide you through the myriad of styles, finishes, appliances and accessories to create a room which is perfectly tailored to suit your individual family needs, reflecting both your lifestyle and habits. For more inspiration why not pay a visit to their Westonsuper-Mare showroom, they will be delighted to meet you and discuss your ideas.
Boiler Servicing, Installation, Gas, Solid Fuel, Oil. Local Housing Authority Approved.
Geoff Thomas & Son Ltd Tel: 01761 437440 www.gthomasandson.co.uk
PAGE 80 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
MENDIP TIMES •JANUARY 2012 • PAGE 80
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HOMES & INTERIORS
JOINERY Established 1968 Softwood and Hardwood Windows and Doors Bespoke Joinery For . . . Barn Conversions New Builds Grade 1 & Grade 2 Listed Properties Machine Mould Sections to Match
01761 232723
PERFECT PAVE LTD Patios Block Paving Driveways
t: 01934 740163 www.perfectpave.com
Tel: 0117 940 0074 Fax: 0117 964 4666 info@bristoldrains.com
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 81
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MENDIP TIMES
ADVERTISING FEATURE
The hot secret of sustainable income generation LET me tell you a secret that for many businesses can reduce costs and increase income at the same time. It’s a government subsidy called the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), payable to businesses adopting renewable heating. The financial case for converting to renewables can be compelling, with returns of over 20% per annum and payback periods of under 4 years common. Income for heating your business At present RHI pays up to 8.3p per Kwh of heat generated using a biomass boiler. Other renewable technologies supported include solar thermal and heat pumps. Payments are index-linked and guaranteed for 20 years. This incentive quite literally pays you to heat your business. Reduced fuel bills Recently we’ve seen enormous volatility in the price of fossil fuels. Per unit of heat woodchip is the cheapest fuel commercially available. And its price isn’t affected by wars in the Middle East. FUEL COST COMPARISON Fuel
Typical Cost (pence per KWh)
LPG
7.6
Oil
6.0
Natural Gas
4.8
Woodchip (30% MC)
2.9
Prices for domestic or small commercial scale, February 2012. Source: The Biomass Energy Centre
If you’re currently burning oil, you could halve your fuel bill by switching to a biomass boiler. Biomass boilers can run on a variety of fuels – woodchip, pellets, wood shavings and sawdust, chipped waste wood (pallets), oilseed rape straw and elephant grass. This gives added flexibility and the option to reduce fuel bills even further (by growing your own, or converting waste materials to fuel). CASE STUDY 200KW woodchip Biomass Boiler replacing oil Annual
20 Year (ignoring indexation)
Fuel savings £
7,500
150,000
RHI Income £
20,750
415,000
Total Return £
28,250
565,000
66
1,320
Carbon Saving £
Total installed system cost: £100,000
Reduced carbon footprint Wood is a renewable resource, so you can also reduce your carbon footprint while at the same time saving money on your fuel costs and generating income. It really is a win-win-win scenario. If your business uses a significant amount of heat you might want to investigate how you could benefit from the RHI. Ecocetera are a local company that can help you with this – see page opposite for further details. PAGE 82 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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HOMES & INTERIORS Need Planning Permission? Looking to Add Value to your Property? New Build • Self-Build • Extensions • Barn Conversions • Land Uplift/Plot Creation • Commercial • Full Architectural Design Service from planning to start on site contact: tony@blackwelldesigns.co.uk Offices in Bristol & The Mendips
Telephone: 0117 230 5401 or 07976 686605
RH Windows THE CHEW VALLEY’S LONGEST ESTABLISHED WINDOW COMPANY WITH A REPUTATION BUILT ON QUALITY AND SERVICE FOR CONSERVATORIES, WINDOWS AND DOORS IN HARDWOOD OR UPVC
HARDWOOD JOINERY SPECIALISTS www.rhwindowsltd.co.uk
Telephone: 01761 452171 Fax: 01761 453342 PAGE 84 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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NEWS Julie Ford, John Turner and Chloe Ledger, from Frome Town Band, took part in the celebrations. The band is still based on the estate
A street party to celebrate . . . a new street! FAMILIES in the Singers Knoll area of Frome celebrated the completion of the regeneration of their estate with a street party. Singers Knoll, along with Randolph Road, has been transformed by a £16m project which saw 54 precast reinforced concrete (PRC) properties replaced with 133 new homes. In addition, a 36-unit extra care housing scheme called Keyford Heights has been created and recently welcomed its first residents. Residents played a key role in the management of the project, overseen by housing provider Aster Group. Aster helped residents to form a board which
played a significant part in choosing the contractor to carry out the work and also had input into the new homes’ design. The homes incorporate a number of sustainable features including photovoltaic panels and high levels of insulation. Vikki Milverton, a member of the committee, said: “I think most people are very pleased with the way it’s turned out. I am very happy.” Aster worked with Westbury Partnerships and the Homes and Communities Agency on the scheme,
which took two years to complete and features a new “village green”. Sarah Durbin, project manager for Aster, said: “We wanted to do something to show our appreciation for all the help and support we’ve received from everyone at the estate throughout this project.” G The community project Home in Frome has been working with residents to record the redevelopment as part of its aim to collect and share memories and stories of life and work in the town. A book called Working Memories, telling the stories of Frome’s industries and workplaces is due to be published in October.
Banners being created for the Home in Frome project
Jessica Milverton, aged six, with some of the banners being created by Singers Knoll residents for Home In Frome’s entry in this year’s carnival
Magdalena, one of the youngest residents of the estate, enjoys the sunshine
By Mark Adler
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 85
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Wedmore Harvest Home
The Swans of Wedmore (with sleeping cygnet Henry Cook, aged four months)!
Television presenter John Craven was the guest of honour. He is pictured with (l:r) Trevor Denny, Neil Ellis and Malcolm Isgar
Next generation: Steven, Jack and Harry Rousell
The royal party: princess Sarah Moreman and prince Alexander Cramp with queen Kezia Beale and king Noah Wilcox behind PAGE 86 â&#x20AC;˘ MENDIP TIMES â&#x20AC;˘ SEPTEMBER 2012
Lunch is served: some of the volunteers at the harvest home
Laura Sampson, one of the procession stewards with the commemorative programme
Phyllis Cousins joins in the party spirit
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EVENTS
Port Reeves Ken Chick and Bob Jackson lead the procession through Wedmore
Mad Hatters
Ann-Marie Wilkinson (left) and Trixie Young at the harvest lunch
It’s a yes! Port Reeve Ken Chick approves of the cider
The Chamelion Batonettes dance through Wedmore
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 87
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A TALENTED young violinist, who lives near Wells, has won a major award from the organisers of a series of chamber music concerts. Phoebe Tarleton, aged 13, won the Cossington Concert Trust Nancy Carr Prize after performing in front of a panel of judges. Phoebe, the youngest musician in the competition, secured her prize with performances of three works carefully selected by her violin teacher: Sonata in G Minor by Henry Eccles, Scène de ballet, Op. 100 by Charles de Beriot and Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 by Sergei Rachmaninov. Cossington Concerts is a music series based in Cossington on the Polden Hills and fosters music appreciation through concerts and supporting local young people via the Fund for Young Musicians. Nancy Carr was a much-loved friend and member of the Cossington Concert Circle who died in 2010. Thanks to the generosity of the Carr family and friends, the Cossington Concert Trust established the Nancy Carr Prize in her memory and this year was the third time the competition has been held. The candidates for the competition were drawn from past winners of awards from the Cossington Concerts’ Fund for Young Musicians which assists local young people with the purchase of instruments and tuition. As the winner, Phoebe received £500 and the opportunity to give a recital in 2013. Phoebe, of South Horrington, who will attend Wells Cathedral School in September, began playing the violin as a four-year-old
Photo courtesy of Ian Beech
Prestigious prize for Phoebe
Violinist Phoebe Tarleton (middle of front row) with the other musicians and the adjudicators at the Nancy Carr Prize Competition. Back Row (l:r): Antony Carr (husband of the late Nancy Carr), Jamie Neslen (violin), Carolyn Gibley (Adjudicator), Tatty Theo (Adjudicator). Front Row (l:r): Oscar Tabor (violin), Phoebe and Tom Allen (horn) (photo courtesy of Ian Beech)
living in London. She said: “I was quite surprised to win as I was up against some much older musicians than me, but I am very grateful to the judges for choosing me. I’m not too nervous about the recital next year as I’ve got lots of time to prepare.” Applications for the next round of awards from The Fund for Young Musicians must be submitted before the end of October.
Further details are available from the website: www.cossingtonconcerts.com
Choir’s date at the Royal Albert Hall MENDIP Male Voice Choir will cap a memorable year by performing at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday November 3rd at the Cancer Research UK Festival, which is held every three years. The choir’s concert secretary Terry Phillips contacted the organising committee to see if there was an opportunity for the choir and was accepted. The choir has been going for over 90 years, originally as Timsbury Male Voice Choir, before the name was changed to Mendip Male Voice Choir in 2006. At that time there were fewer than 40 members – now that number has grown to over 80 with many under 20 years of age. Under the expert guidance of their musical director Kate Courage, it has achieved very high standards to give concerts in some really outstanding venues. Glastonbury Extravaganza had to be the highlight of the year appearing on the same stage as Katherine Jenkins,
followed by concerts in the impressive theatre at Writhlington School with Jane Lilley Singers, Keynsham Church with Bel Canto and Bath Forum with Pendyrus Male Choir. The Royal Albert Hall concert will be a once in a lifetime experience in front of 5,000 people as a part of the Festival of Brass and Voices. The last event in November 2009 raised £150,000 for Cancer Research UK. The next event will feature 60 choirs with 1,500 members alongside The Cory Band,
Grimethorpe Colliery Band, and of course the Royal Albert Hall organ. Before then the choir will perform on October 6th at Radstock Methodist Church and on Saturday October 13th at Midsomer Norton Methodist Church with Midsomer Norton and Radstock Silver Band. New members are welcome. Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings, 7.30pm at St Mary’s Junior School Timsbury, recommencing on September 3rd 2012.
Tickets will be available through the choir’s website www.mendipmen.co.uk To buy tickets for the Royal Albert Hall contact Janet Gledhill 01484 647146 or by emailing janet@qcdesigns.co.uk PAGE 88 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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Get inspired by song
Show time
NORTH Somerset’s Euphoria Show Choir are over halfway towards their fund-raising target of £30,000 to help finance their trip to New York in March 2013 where they will perform as guests at the USA National Show Choir championships. Although they originate from America, Show Choirs, combining intricate dance and song arrangements, have become popular in the UK mainly as a result of the TV series Glee. The 30-strong choir, aged between 12 and 32, however, are the first from this country to receive an invitation to this prestigious event. During the spring and summer Euphoria have been regular performers at village events and received great reviews for two sold-out shows at Nailsea and Churchill school theatres, the latter raising more than £3,000 for Vine Counselling Services. Ahead of a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in November for Barnado’s, the next opportunity to see Euphoria perform locally will be in Wrington Memorial Hall on October 6th. They will present The Euphoria Story, a one-off concert narrating their formation and rise and including new numbers they will perform in New York. With a varied repertoire ranging from Bill Withers and Queen through to Take That and Lady Gaga and also embracing stage musicals such as Les Mis, their shows are not to be missed. Details: 01934 863034 or at www.euphoriashowchoir.co.uk
IF you have ever considered joining a choir, perhaps inspired by Gareth Malone’s ‘Military Wives’ success, the Easton Singers, a community choir near Wells, invites you to go along and find out how joyous and uplifting singing can be. Under the inspirational direction of Jon Conway they learn songs by ear in four-part harmony from many traditions around the globe including pop, gospel, African and Taize as well as his own acappella arrangements. They welcome all levels of singers from those frightened of their own voice to the more confident soloists. Whatever your level is the emphasis is on having fun, creating a wonderful uplifting sound as well as learning to be a more confident singer. Singing can be a powerful life changing experience which they invite you to discover for yourself. The choir was started by Maya Preece who sings in the local folk fusion band ‘Dragonsfly’. Jon took over the choir in the spring and his passion and enthusiasm for bringing people together to create harmony is very infectious. People with very little or no singing experience have said how wonderful it is to be involved. The choir meets at 7.30pm at Easton Village Hall on Monday evenings starting September 17th. Details: www.eastonsingers.herobo.com.
Pete supports Art Weeks ONE of those opening his studio for the first time for Somerset Art Weeks is Pete Beer, who makes high-quality classical guitars at his home in Cross. He’s been making them professionally for six years, since taking college and degree courses in guitar making. He said: “I used to play in bands when I was young while working in a shop, when I decided to make myself an electric guitar. Then I heard about the college course and decided this was what I wanted to do.” Each guitar takes around 150 hours of work, using spruce, Indian rosewood and Spanish cedar, ethically sourced where possible. With some of the woods becoming scarce, he’s also just started using African blackwood, harvested by
the Forest Stewardship Council in Tanzania, which aims to establish a sustainable trade in the timber for the benefit of local people. Pete has built two guitars with this timber so far and has exhibited one of them in Montreal and at guitar festivals in Britain and Germany. With starting prices around £4,000, his guitars aren’t cheap, but he’s not short of orders. He said: “My customers range from professional performers, teachers, and music students, to committed amateurs. A lot of orders come through word of mouth.” Pete will have guitars at various stages of construction which he will be working on throughout the event. There will also be an exhibition of photographs of the
guitar-making process at the cottage he shares with his partner Becky, a specialist in animal behaviour at Langford Vet School. The couple expect their first child in December.
Details: 07971 964935. email: pete@petebeerguitars.com or www.petebeerguitars.com MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 89
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A golden Olympics WOW! Last month I wrote that I was hoping to be able to report on some medals in the equestrian games. I have to say even in my wildest dreams I was not anticipating a gold medal in the team show jumping as well as a gold in the team dressage, an individual dressage gold and With CELIA bronze and a team silver in the eventing. GADD What a fantastic result! All our riders have done us extremely proud and finally proved what a brilliant nation of horsemen and women we really are. Every single athlete that won a medal under Team GB at the games has undoubtedly worked extremely hard, been dedicated to their sport and made many normal life sacrifices to achieve their medal success. However to gain a medal on a horse brings a completely different set of potential set-backs as not only do you have to keep yourself in peak condition, but you also have to keep your horse in peak condition. All of us who own horses know how easy it is for a small injury to occur just during the normal daily activities and for horses competing at the top levels in these sports the risks are obviously more apparent. The event horses this year have had a difficult season with so many events cancelled but our team of Nicola Wilson, Kristina Cook, William Fox-Pitt, Zara Phillips and Mary King showed us why they have all been consistently at the top of the sport for so long. Nicola and Opposition Buzz did a brilliant job of being pathfinder around the cross country and it was unfortunate that they had a fence down in the show jumping. Tina Cook rode a fabulous dressage test in appalling conditions and Zara coped with the immense pressure that the media put upon her by following her every move and rode brilliantly in all three phases on the relatively inexperienced High Kingdom. Mary King was totally amazing in her sixth consecutive Olympic Games and despite being one of the oldest competitors in London 2012 has already got her sights on Rio in four years. William Fox-Pitt was disappointed that his horse Lionheart ran out of energy on the cross country but William has such depth of horse-power he will for sure be in the running to defend their silver in four years at Rio 2016. The dressage team all performed out of their skins in every test and to think that all three riders come from Gloucestershire (with two from the same yard!) is great for us West Country riders. Dressage has never been well televised and often not thought of as a spectator sport but the fabulous performances in the Kur Individual musical test captured everybody’s imagination and I have heard people talking about ‘dancing’ horses everywhere I have been since. Laura Bechtolscheimer, Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester have put British dressage firmly on the map and their performances will inspire more people without doubt to join the sport. Charlotte’s story is amazing really as she had only ridden for the first time at Grand Prix level just 18 months ago and her obvious rapport with the great Valegro was tear-jerking to watch. She went to Carl’s for a lesson seven years ago and has never left
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and he was extremely generous and philosophical when discussing his fifth place individually compared with Charlotte’s gold medal winning performance. He said: “I am thrilled for Charlotte. Valegro has always been the gold medal winning horse out of the two, Uthopia is amazing but didn’t quite have the energy for the final day.” These horses are huge, powerful and potentially extremely strong, and it was wonderful to see horse after horse coming into the arena and performing so confidently and enthusiastically for their riders despite the huge crowds and highly tense atmosphere in the arena. Dressage is about creating harmony and rapport with your horse and our British riders had that in bucketfuls. For this to be the first ever team medals in dressage for GB is awesome and I am sure we will remain on the podium now for many years to come with the current depth of talent we have. There has been much written about the potential sale of Valegro and Carl’s ride Uthopia but I think we can rest assured that these two very talented riders will have other younger horses with great potential that can be produced in time for Rio in 2016. And as for the show jumpers – for me this was the most emotional of all the equestrian disciplines this year to watch. Nick Skelton has always been a hero of mine. Show jumping is one of the most difficult sports there are; the accuracy, confidence and sheer power that is required at this level is difficult to comprehend and Nick and Big Star were absolutely incredible to watch throughout every round of the games. Ben Maher, Scott Brash and Peter Charles made up our superb gold medal winning team and all contributed well and made me extremely proud. It was in the individual competition though that dreams were smashed and hearts broken when the brilliant Big Star touched a pole dashing Nick’s hopes of individual glory. It seemed so unfair when this was the only pole this big-hearted and hugely talented gelding touched throughout the whole games – if the earlier rounds had counted he would have been the winner, but such was not to be at this time. Nick has come back from a broken neck and has so many other injuries he can hardly walk so to see him riding so brilliantly was fantastic. Again he proved what a great sportsmen he is when so philosophical in defeat and said: “It was just not meant to be – I guess I’d better just try again at Rio.” All in all we need to embrace the success of all our riders and work hard to promote our sport now in order for us to keep winning medals for many years to come. Well done to Team GB and to all the owners, grooms and other support people behind the scenes that make successes like this possible.
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Success for Mendip Pony Club MENDIP Pony Club enjoyed success at the recent Junior Area Show Jumping competition in Hampshire. Izzy Twiggs was on her pony Henry, Charlie Padfield on BoJangles, Lucy Osborne on Peanut and Chloe Cole on Gemiriquai. Alex Sljiemers on Magic competed as an individual. Believing they had done well enough to at least get 4th place, the team was delighted when the final scores came out with three
September show dates Saturday 1st Dressage clinic at King Sedgemoor Equestrian Centre with Celia Gadd BHSII BHS SM Polden and Bridgwater Riding Club unaffiliated dressage at Cannington College Sunday 2nd One Day Event at Urchinwood Manor Equitation Centre, Wrington Barrow Guerney Fun Ride Wednesday 5th Lower unaffiliated show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Saturday 8th Unaffiliated show jumping at Stockland Lovell Manor, Fiddington Sunday 9th British Eventing at Pontispool Farm, Norton Fitzwarren Wednesday 12th British Dressage at Stockland Lovell Manor Seniors BSJA at The Hand Equestrian Centre, Clevedon Higher unaffiliated show jumping at Badgworth Arena Friday 14th Unaffiliated dressage at
Urchinwood Manor Equitation Centre, Wrington Sunday 16th Charity Fun Ride at Stockland Lovell Manor Wednesday 19th Lower unaffiliated show jumping at Badgworth Arena Saturday 22nd Unaffiliated dressage at Pontispool Manor, Norton Fitzwarren Sunday 23rd Polden and Bridgwater Riding Clubs Open Showing Show at Cossington Tuesday 25th Unaffiliated dressage at Stretcholt Equestrian Centre, Bridgwater Wednesday 26th Higher unaffiliated show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Friday 28th – Sunday 30th Senior BSJA at The Hand Equestrian Centre, Clevedon Saturday 29th Dressage clinic at King Sedgemoor Equestrian Centre with Celia Gadd BHSII BHS SM
(l:r): Chloe Cole, Charlie Padfield, Lucy Osborne and Izzy Twiggs on the winners’ podium.
teams equal on four faults each. The placings were decided by the times on the final two rounds and Mendip were the quickest! Tori Osborne said: “Big thanks must go to Mandie Bown of Wells who trained the squad and who took the time to travel all the way to Hampshire to walk the courses with the children. The children were a privilege to take competing and we are proud of them all.” Anyone with a pony who is interested in joining the Mendip Pony Club should contact Membership secretary Rosemary Reakes on 01934 742672
Fun ride THIS year’s Mendip Fun ride is being held on October 7th, at Franklyns Farm, Chewton Mendip, BA3 4NB, offering a ride of about ten miles across beautiful countryside, with optional jumps. Adults £15, children £10 – all children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Details: 01761 241741
Ebborlands Riding Centre Wookey Hole, Wells BA5 1AY.
Tel: 01749 672550 # LESSONS: Beginners upwards. # LIVERY: Full, part, working or D.I.Y. Indoor and outdoor schools, c/c fences. # HACKING: Farm fields on southern slopes of Mendip Hills, nearby moor roads.
B.H.S. Approved Livery Yard & Riding Centre
FREE Evening Talk – Wednesday 19th September 6.30–8pm 5-stage Pre-purchase Examination
Langford Equine Practice Langford Veterinary Services Langford House Langford Bristol BS40 5DU Tel: 0117 928 9620 equinecentre@langfordvets.co.uk www.langfordvets.co.uk
G Do you wonder what the vet is looking for during a pre-purchase examination? G Would you like to know what the different stages are for? Then come along to our practical evening at the Equine Centre where Andrew Hill will guide you through the different stages. To book please call reception on: 0117 928 9620 or register online via the website www.langfordvets.co.uk/cpdinfo.htm Langford Veterinary Services is a fully owned subsidiary of the University of Bristol
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 91
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RIDING
The long drive home
Leaving Scotland
Picture courtesy of The Wells Journal
JOHN and Angie Horne, well-known competitors on the carriage driving circuit, have recently completed their biggest challenge yet – joining a small team driving from John O’Groats to Lands End in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. The event was organised by their friend and fellow carriage driving enthusiast Trisha Luxton, a radiologist at MusgrovePark Hospital in Taunton, the owner of the ponies, in memory of Sam McDonald, the son of one of her colleagues at the hospital, Jane McDonald. Sam died from cancer, aged 17, after receiving most of his treatment on children’s wards. The Teenage Cancer Trust aims to provide more suitable facilities for teenagers like Sam. The drive has raised more than £20,000 for the charity.
Angie Horne (left) and Tricia Luxton in Wells.
John and Angie, who live at Stone Allerton, said they were amazed at the logistics involved in organising the drive, which averaged about 40 miles a day. Angie said: “We had a scout car and a back-up trailer carrying rugs, feed and everything else, with four Dartmoor ponies, usually driven as two singles and one pair to spread the workload, averaging 20 miles at a time. “The route had to be worked out so the team had somewhere to stay and the ponies could be put out overnight. It was a bit daunting at times, with endless traffic, constant noise and the bitter cold winds. However, most people were wonderful, winding down their windows to drop money into our buckets.” She and John, the former managing director of Passey and Porter in Weston-super-Mare, got the carriage driving bug when they moved to Stone Allerton in 1997. They’ve competed on the
national circuit at Sandringham, Alnwick Castle and other major venues with their hackney horse, Downtown Double Diamond, commonly known as Ernie, who is now 20 years old. They were sponsored by various individuals and organisations including the rotary clubs of West Woodspring and Weston-superMare. Details: www.ponydriving-end2end.co.uk
Feeling inspired by our Dressage Gold Medal? A series of six clinics over the next three months has been put together to make an overall improvement in the general way of going of the horse, as well as learning how to gain more marks while riding a test. Celia Gadd BHSII BHS SM and listed dressage judge, will work through the scales of training, and explain how important it is to establish a correct basic training before progressing towards more advanced movements. These clinics are suitable for all levels of horse and rider, from those just embarking onto their dressage career, including young and inexperienced horses, to those more seasoned campaigners who wish to improve their % scores at competitions.
Journey’s end
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Venue: King Sedgemoor Equestrian Centre, Greinton, Somerset Details: celia@celiagadd.co.uk or telephone or text to 07779716826.
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National win MENDIP Spring professional John Blackburn and his amateur partner Mike Edwards are on their way to Mexico for a fantastic golfing trip after clinching a place in the Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship final. They beat a quality field in the West qualifier at Saunton by carding a five-underWith PETER par round of 66 to win by two shots ahead GODSIFF of Andy Pye and Chay Hughes from North Devon club Portmore Park. Their destination will be the Moon Palace Golf and Spa Resort at Cancun in Mexico where 16 PGA professionals and their amateurs will contest the event at the 27hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course in December. They could even afford to drop a shot at the 18th after taking advantage of the best weather of the day. Edwards, 56, who works in the golf shop at Mendip Spring, has only been playing for four years. His handicap was 15 when he won the club’s qualifying round but he has since been cut to 12. He profited by the nine shots he was allowed and the pair took a firm grip on the result in midround by picking up four shots on three holes. After Blackburn had holed his wedge shot at the 380-yard eighth for an eagle, Edwards made a birdie three for a net eagle at the 337-yard tenth. “That was the turning point,” said Blackburn who joined the club at Congresbury 20 years ago. “We had the best of any good weather that was going and it had stopped raining when we went out. That was a help as some of the groups who went out early had a nightmare. “Despite our bogey at the 18th, after I made birdies at the 16th and 17th, I just said to Mike that if anyone passes our
John Blackburn (left) and Mike Edwards
score they’ll have done well and that’s how it proved. Full marks to Mike, he played some good shots.” Edwards said: “I was pleased for John because he’s been playing a long time and hasn’t made it to the final before. Of course I was glad I was able to get there with him. But I’m still a bit gobsmacked by it all as I’ve never been involved in anything as big as this before.” Blackburn spends much of his time teaching although he gets plenty of practice by giving playing lessons. He came close to reaching the final in 1994 and was close again last year. He added: “The course in Mexico looks amazing. I went to Valderrama with the Hampshire PGA and have played an overseas pro-am in La Manga, but this is going to be something really special.”
Farrington pro-am WEST Region Assistants champion Fern Grimshaw (Wessex Golf Centre) continued her most successful season as a professional by sharing top place in the Farrington pro-am in Somerset with late starter Giuseppe Licata (Bristol Golf Centre). Her first pro-am success was founded on a remarkable spurt over the closing eight holes in which she made five birdies, including three in a row from the 11th and then at the 15th and 16th. She said. “I played well today and enjoyed the golf course that was in tremendous condition after the terrible recent weather.” An outright victory in the pro-am sponsored by Natures Flame looked probable until Licata matched the two-under-par 70 in the penultimate group. The Bristol player held a one-shot lead until he dropped a shot at the 16th and missed a five-foot putt for birdie at the 17th. John Goymer (Mendip) is still cursing himself for not winning. A birdie on the first, an eagle on the par five ninth and another birdie at the 15th took the former Farrington course record holder to four-under-par. But he dropped a shot at the 16th and made a triple bogey at the 17th and shared fourth. Trick shot and long-driving specialist Paul Barrington (Players Club) had never won a pro-am team prize in 24 years as a professional until this year. He broke his duck in the Microsoft Masters pro-am at Bowood and has now added a second success.
Pictured from left to right: Giuseppe Licata, Malcolm Clark, Fern Grimshaw, Paul Barrington, Terry Stacey, Steve Brixey.
This time he was helped by home players Terry Stacey, Steve Brixey and Malcolm Clark who all weighed in to score 13under-par 131. They beat another home team led by the club’s teaching professional Terry Williams with Nigel Denham, Steve Maggs and Somerset county champion Tom Small who contributed five birdies. The team award was won by Cardiff Golf club assistant Lewis Jones who helped another Farrington team of former Somerset county champion Michaela Chivers, Chris Coles and Rob Riccio into third place 132, winning on countback from Ian Ferrie (West Wilts). Farrington’s head professional Jonathan Lawrence was praised for the way he organised the day, with the help of the club’s director of golf Jon Cowgill, Terry Williams and pro shop manager Jon Calway. MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 93
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Club champion JOSH Hilleard, aged 17, has won the Farrington Golf Club men’s club championship for the first time. The two-handicapper from Writhlington shot a flawless one under par 71 in the rain-shortened event after torrential rain caused the first day’s play to be cancelled. He took advantage of the absence of both defending champion Tom Small, who was away on county duty, and Craig Adams who was in France representing England. His round of three birdies, 13 pars and two bogeys was good enough to beat pro shop worker and previous Writhlington Academy player Alex Todd by two shots. Hilleard won the Somerset County Junior Order of Merit last year and is a regular junior county player. Evergreen Ken Stokes completed a rare double by winning both the Wells and Farrington seniors’ championships this year. After winning at Wells by a six-shot margin he shot 81 two weeks later at Farrington. His handicap has been trimmed to nine. Wells pair Mike Metcalfe and Martin Barnes shot 42 points to win the inaugural Somerset county betterball championship on their home course. It was settled on countback over the final three holes against Matt and Richard Kippen (Enmore Park). The day attracted 28 pairs from 16 clubs.
Happy Joan
(Left to right) Andrea Williams, Sandy Nott, Joan Hayes with Elaine Kitchenham.
JOAN Hayes, who farms at Oakhill with her brother Geoff who has been made a life member of Mendip Golf Club this year, has been playing golf purely for enjoyment for 35 years. But she couldn’t hide her excitement when she came first for the first time in her career. She partnered Andrea Williams and Sandy Nott to victory in lady captain Elaine Kitchenham’s special day with 68 points. Patricia Rawlins won the Cooper Goblet and Jill Jestico won the Gladys Shepherd Trophy. Multiple club champion June Millington won the charity a fun stableford which raised another £230 for Macmillan Cancer Support with 36 points on count back from Liz Rose. PAGE 94 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Tough conditions at Mendip
Mendip captain Terry Russell congratulates John Cowgill, watched by fellow winners Russ Berry and Danny White.
MENDIP professional John Goymer studied the high scores on the leader board and declared: “Today Mendip showed it teeth.” The windy conditions and fast, tricky greens proved to be a tough test in the pro-am sponsored by Wellsway BMW. Veteran head greenkeeper Richard Flower said: “The greens may have been a fraction faster at times in the past but what made it more difficult today was the wind.” Jon Cowgill, director of golf at Farrington, was one of four players to share top spot on one-over-par 72. After his first win for several years he said: “The greens were excellent and they got faster as the day went and we didn’t experience one bad lie on the fairways.” One of the other winners George Ryall (Players Club) dashed back to the West Country to become a late entry after waiting in vain to gain a place in the British Seniors Open at Turnberry. He was first reserve but no-one withdrew at the last minute. The score was also matched by Cheltenham’s Russ Berry (RB Driving Range) and Danny White (Players Club). Alex Nicholson’s Tracy Park team won the first team prize on 12-under-par 130. Mendip trio Somerset county player George Morgan, Neil Onslow and former Paulton Rovers football manager Andy Jones were helped by Gareth Bennett (Cirencester) into second place one shot behind. Goymer, who organised the day with the help of fellow professional Kevin Pitts who even persuaded his brother Tony (the St Austell pro and former West Region PGA captain) to play, said that the pro-am, would be held again next year. He said: “It was windy and the course was firm which made it a tricky day for scoring but the course was in very good condition and the professionals were most appreciative of the efforts we put in.” He shot 74 to finish joint sixth alongside Frome’s Ross Jones (Bath).
Golf shorts G BACKWELL School finished 15th in the England Schools championship at Woodhall Spa, scoring 70 points. The team was Noah Hessey (handicap 5) 36, Jack Pring (5) 34, Charlie Carpenter (4) 31. G LESLEY MOORE who plays off eight at Stockwood Vale won Somerset’s inaugural seniors championship at Long Sutton with a gross 80. Sue Stilwell (Farrington) won the net award with 85-71.
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GOLF Autumn Memberships
Members matter at Mendip Golf Club DESPITE the economic climate, Mendip Golf Club continues to reverse the national trend and attract new members, especially in the target lower age group categories. It is difficult to pinpoint one specific reason but to echo the Team GB Cycling Coach Dave Brailsford, it can be put down to “an aggregation of marginal gains.” As Rob Needham, Club Chairman, comments: “We are a Members’ Club and aim to please them. We communicate regularly and they have a big say in our plans. We are financially sound and all our profits are ploughed back into continually improving our facilities, yet we maintain our fees as the most competitive in our catchment area.” An excellent example of this is the new academy course and driving range, which is an enormous new benefit at no additional cost for existing members and is also attracting new younger players from other clubs and beginners through our subsidised “Newcomers to Golf” scheme, organised by our renowned professionals. Focus is now very much on welcoming member’s partners, family, friends and local villagers to our much acclaimed restaurant run by Andy Jones, our top-class chef, and to all club social functions. Weekly whist, bridge and ballroom dancing lessons are run throughout the winter months, with a huge range of social events including Race Nights, Murder Mystery Evenings, festive parties and the infamous monthly quizzes, which are invariably sold out.
Exciting New Membership Offers
Join Mendip Golf Club for only £2 a day “The course can be enjoyed by all levels of golfer. There are few that offer such far-reaching views over seven counties, and you will find it hard not to enjoy the beautiful walk followed by the tasty and well-priced refreshments in the clubhouse.” Golf Monthly Magazine 2011 • New Par 3 Course & Driving Range • Subsidised ‘Newcomers to Golf Scheme’ for Beginners • Excellent Home Cooked Fayre available to Members & Non Members from Dawn till Dusk • Exciting Social Programme Special Rates for Under 35’s, Husband & Wives and Families. Under 16 FREE
Contact The Secretary on 01749 840570 secretary@mendipgolfclub.com www.mendipgolfclub.com
The Mendip Clubhouse Andy, Beth and their team joined The Mendip Golf Club in 2011 and consist of 4 fully qualified chefs with over 30 years of experience between them. The Restaurant is open to Members and Non Members 7 days a week from dawn till dusk and booking is advised. G Sunday lunches are available for both Members and guests throughout the year. G Our dining facilities, which can comfortably seat up to 100 people, are available for private hire. G Other nights available on request
New Years Eve Party 31st December Music with Phoenix, 4 course dinner – only £35 per head
Christmas Menu Now Available Live Music Party Nights, BOOK YOUR TABLE NOW Friday 7th December – Spaces Available Saturday 8th December – Spaces Available Friday 14th December – Full Saturday 15th December – Few Spaces Left Friday 21st December – Spaces Available Saturday 22nd December – Few Spaces Left
£25 for 3 Course Dinner
Call Andy or Beth on 01749 840570 To book your Place. We look forward to welcoming you to The Mendip Clubhouse very soon, please call 01749 840570 for more information. www.mendipgolfclub.com
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 95
If y fam
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Frome is on the running map
The first Frome half marathon and 10k races are underway
Words and pictures by Mark Adler RUNNERS in Frome’s first half marathon and 10 kilometre race were full of praise for the route, the organisation and the massive support they received from spectators. Hundreds of people lined the route for the two races, which both started and finished outside Frome Town FC’s stadium, which also served as the race village. The event was organised by the Rotary Club of Frome and Frome Running Club and attracted 700 runners from all over the country. There were also events for children. Ex-Bath Rugby player and television presenter Jerry Guscott got the races underway after a brief delay whilst road closures on the route were confirmed. The men’s 10k race was won by Oliver Thwaites, from the Road Runners Club in London. Oliver used to be a member of Frome Running Club and his parents and grandparents still live in the town. The first woman home in the 10k was Ruth Barnes, from Avon Valley Runners; Ruth lives in Bradford-onAvon. Michael Hiscott, from Windsor and a member of Maidenhead Athletic Club took the honours in the half marathon with a time of just under one hour and 16 minutes. Michael said: “The course
Jerry Guscott wi th Frome town crier Mike Bishop
Norman Sellar and Rotary club treasurer on were amongst past president Ken Bates the organisers
Hydro benefits from run
Critchill School head teacher Mark Armstrong
HARRY’S Hydro, one of the main charities to benefit from the event, will be officially opened in September. The £300,000 specialist pool and sensory centre has been built next to Critchill Special Needs School in Frome, which was chosen by the Rotary Club of Frome as its designated charity. Head teacher Mark Armstrong took Paula Fox, centre, with daughter Frances, and category winners in part in the half marathon, the 10k run. On the left is rotary club president Humphrey Barnes finishing in a time of 1:57:58. and Saz Guscott, Jerry’s wife. David Heath MP is on the right Harry’s Hydro was the idea of Digby and Paula Fox in memory of their baby son Harry, who died aged just 13 months after an infection left him badly brain-damaged. They discovered that he responded only when splashing around in a very warm pool. The half marathon and 10k run was the biggest fundraising event of the year for Harry’s Hydro and Paula thanked as many runners as she could as they crossed the finish line.
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SPORT FC Jerry Guscott on the Frome Town t even the of t star the re pitch befo
Sam Kelly: “I kn ew it was going to be tough”
was very challenging but there was great support all along the route.” Sam Kelly won the women’s half marathon race in a time of 1:32:48. Sam, a member of Wootton Bassett Hounds running club, said: “I’ll be back next year. I knew the course was going to be tough so I was well prepared for that.” David Heath, MP for Somerton and Frome, presented the prizes. David said: “Events like these are the things that make Frome feel important about itself.”
Oliver Thwaites wins the men’s 10k race
Ellie and Lois Attel sey with Charles an d Arthur Biggs prepar e to cheer on their uncles Matt and Sim on Silvester
For full results, visit: www.fromehalfmarathon.co.uk
Limber up for the Scenic 7 FROME Running Club, coorganiser of the half marathon and 10k races, is staging another seven-mile race around the Mells area. The Mells Scenic 7 will take place on Sunday, September 30th. The trail race is comprised of five miles of footpath and bridleway and two miles of quiet country lanes. More than 130 runners took part last year. The race is part of the Somerset Series 2012.
Some of the members of Frome Running Club who took part in the half marathon and 10k races
The closing date for postal entries is Friday, September 21st. For more information, visit: www.fromerunningclub.org.uk MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 97
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Seconds out for new club SHEPTON Mallet Amateur Boxing Club has opened its doors to anyone wanting to try the sport. And on its first day, members of the original club, which closed in the 1970s, were on hand to wish them well. Amongst the well-wishers was Ray Lyons, a former assistant national secretary of the Amateur Boxing Association. Ray, who grew up in Blagdon but now Paul Warren (far left) and Ray Lyons (far right) with would-be boxers and members of the old club
Just knockout. Ronnie Kelly enjoys the limelight in the ring
lives in Shepton Mallet, will act as club secretary, said: “I am still involved in the sport. Boxing has played a very big part in my life. “I am delighted the club is open and will try to help them in any way I can.” Shepton Mallet ABC is based in the Paul Street Community Rooms and is run by Paul Warren and his wife Diana, both qualified coaches. Paul said: “We’ve had people sign up who are aged ten to 50, men and women.” They have already set a date of Saturday, October 27th for the club’s first show but are currently looking for a suitable venue.
Anyone who can help the club should contact Paul on 07976 207159
Going for gold PUPILS from Winford Church of England Primary School notched up some excellent wins at this summer’s Quad Kids sports challenge competition for young athletes in and around the Churchill area, winning three individual ‘golds’. Adam Murphy, Year 5, was the overall Quad Kids champion for 2012 beating some 140 young pupils to take the top spot. Henderson Bridges, Year 6, won first place for the longest throw, and Molly Foskett, Year 6, triumphed with the longest jump of the competition. Winford’s Quad Kids team took overall third position in the contest in which 14 local schools participated. All the young competitors take part in four disciplines: 600m distance run, 75m sprint, a long throw and standing long jump. Year 6 teacher William Luxton, the team’s sports coach, said: “We are really proud of our Quad Kids team! They trained hard for a month before the competition and showed just how versatile and committed they are when it comes to athletics.” Winford Primary School’s 2012 Quad Kids team with individual winners, Molly Foskett, Adam Murphy and Henderson Bridges (front row). PAGE 98 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Training sessions are open to girls and women
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I WAS fortunate to be at Weymouth and Portland for the Olympic sailing events: those of you who also visited the venue during the racing might have noticed the dark silhouette of a naval ship, about three to four miles out to sea. This ship was HMS Bulwark, an By BRIAN Amphibious Assault Landing Platform Dock BROOKS (LPD) ship, there to provide a command post that could deploy the necessary forces in case of the unexpected. Dorset Police had requested the assistance of various departments of the Armed Services. A plan was evolved that was to ensure more than adequate security in and around the sailing venue for competitors and the general public alike; but without there being any evidence of disproportionate security that might create some concern in the public’s mind. HMS Bulwark spent most of its time on operational duty at this discreet distance from the shore. So how do I know all of this? A special invitation was sent out to a delegation of military and civil attachés to visit HMS Bulwark; that invitation was also extended to three Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club members. The tour started with a visit to a shore-based facility where the Royal Marine Bomb Disposal Team and divers were based. On board, we were met by HMS Bulwark’s Commander, Captain Alex Burton. A tour of the ship gave us all a very in-depth account as to how such an operation had been set up. To me, the heart of the whole operation seemed to be centred on the ship’s Operations Room. Much of the information came from one of its three Merlin helicopters, one or two of which would always be airborne with the third on the landing deck with its engines continuously running. It was a grand day out and we all felt privileged to be invited to meet the commander and crew as well as the various members of the fighting forces who were there to provide additional support. Coverage of the 2012 Olympics from the Weymouth venue was, in my opinion, excellent, with camera shots and angles that really made one feel up with the chase and involved. But none of
(L to R): Ship’s commander capt. Alex Burton; Colin Shepherd and myself from CVLSC, Commodore Jamie Miler CBE and Philip Burnham, also from the club
the coverage on TV can compare with being there; I know one can’t see as much but the event was well worth a visit. Four of us from the club made the journey down to Weymouth on Monday, August 6th. We made straight for the Nothe (the free area) where we made ourselves comfortable on the grass bank awaiting the start of the first two races which were the Women’s Laser Radial and Men’s Laser Medal Races. Where we were sat was right in line with the first mark, which was just offshore from us. This was then followed by two races in the Men’s 49er race series; again the first mark being right in front of us. We were surrounded by spectators from all corners of the world who were there to cheer their sailors on and did they do just that. It was all good fun with lots of good-humoured banter between rival countries; something that does not come over on TV. OK, so it was not the best Olympics for Team GB in that we did not win as many sailing golds as was expected, or have been won at past events. However, we did win more medals in sailing than any other country; five to be precise. You don’t have to be a medal winner to visit our club. If the sailing has inspired you, why not contact us and try a new sport?
Pupils to be inspired by Olympics CHILDREN in Frome will soon be inspired by a British Olympic medallist as part of a new nationwide programme. Christ Church C of E First School and The Key Centre in the town are taking part in Be the Best You can Be!, designed to help young people to recognise and fulfil their potential in the wake of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Natasha Danvers, who won bronze in the 400 metres hurdles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will meet youngsters on Monday, September 10th. Natasha, who trained in Bath, was forced to abandon her dream of competing at London because of injury. The Be the Best you can Be! programme includes a programme launch, where an Olympian, Paralympian or other high achiever shares their story of how success is a journey that requires the ability to overcome inevitable setbacks along the way. The programme is the brainchild of former Olympic gold medallist David Emery who is the founder of 21st Century Legacy. Sarah Bullmore, headteacher at Christ Church First School
and manager of The Key Centre, said: “I was determined that our school would be one of the schools to undertake the Be the Best you can Be! programme as it begins to roll out nationally. “The inspiration offered by Olympians, Paralympians and high achievers who strive to achieve their dreams is incredibly powerful and can really reach out and engage our young people.’’ Youngsters who take part in the programme are presented with a recognition medallion produced and sponsored by the Royal Mint, intended to encourage them to continue to work towards their goals or set new ones. Frome Town Council is to consider marking the Olympics by making a limited number of Sports Civic Awards to local people in recognition of their sporting achievements. Council leader Mel Usher said: “Announcements will be made at a later date regarding the process for nominations and the nature of the awards. Those nominated will be contacted to ensure they are happy to receive the awards.”
For more information on 21st Century Legacy, visit: www.21stcenturylegacy.com MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 99
Photo courtesy of Sophie Elbourn
Safe and sound!
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Cranmore camps BATH Rugby has just finished running a Premiership Rugby Summer Camp in the Mendip area, hosted by All Hallows School at Cranmore, near Shepton Mallet. It was a fantastic venue for the camps where more than 40 children took part in two camps: one ran for two days for By PAM children aged 6–10 years and another, for BURKE the rest of the week, for 11-13 year-olds. Bath Rugby’s Community Coach, John Harrison, who organises all the club’s camps, said: “It’s the first time we have delivered a camp at All Hallows and it has allowed a new group of participants to join in the fun of a BR Summer Camp. It was great to see a number of players from Castle Cary Rugby Club where we held a tag festival in March.” The youngsters had a terrific time enjoying action-packed days of game-based activities which tested their core skills and allowed them to improve their handling and spatial awareness in a fun environment. The days, which ran through all weather conditions, included mini matches, individual practices and fun competitions. When I arrived to take a few photos at the beginning of the week, the children were all enthusiastically involved in a game of tag. They gave me a quizzical look as I walked onto the pitch in my flowery wellies and they all looked quite relieved when John told them it was okay, that I was a lady from the club and that I was there to take photos! This was nothing new to them as they soon organised themselves into a group to form a perfectly-posed picture. Club flags were handed out to them which they enjoyed waving in the air for a snapshot. Becky Venner-Coombes, head of PE at All Hallows, who had done a terrific job of organising the school’s own summer camps as well as the Bath Rugby camp, said: “The All Hallows holiday courses, in conjunction with Bath Rugby have been a great success, allowing lots of children, not just pupils of All Hallows, to experience rugby or to refresh their skills with superb coaches prior to the season beginning in September.” To complete the Bath Rugby experience the camp participants were invited to attend the Bath Rugby v London Welsh friendly match played at the Rec on Saturday 11th August. Even better, Bath won! Does this bode well for the coming season?
Aim for the Olympics
Back Row: Amie Pickles, Callum Neate, Arthur Rousell. Front Row: Ellie Gregory, Kat Tanner, Claire Westgate, Sarah Jackson, Sabrina Page
SPORTING students from Weston College helped primary pupils aged four to seven celebrate World Sports’ Day across five schools in North Somerset. Students delivered tailor-made sport sessions from football and hurdles to long-jump and sprinting to Fairlands Middle School in Cheddar, Cheddar First School, Draycott and Rodney First School and Shipham First School. Weston College Sports Co-ordinator Sabrina Page, said: “It was a fantastic day and great to see our students actively involved in delivering the sessions. It brought to life how the Olympics has already had a huge impact on our community.”
Starting them young
CAMERTON and Peasedown Croquet Club is recruiting young players for a new junior section, showing it’s a game for all ages and skill levels, with a handicap system which enables players with lower skill levels to compete against the better players. The junior championship winners are pictured. Pam Burke is press officer for Bath Rugby’s Community Foundation PAGE 100 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Details: Jan Crang 01225 873016 or Ros Key-Pugh 01225 427525.
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Ready for new challenge
Peter Kennedy (centre) and the club coaching team of Craig Barrow, Jerry Davies, Richard Hickman, Alex Knight , Aaron Cook, John Owen, Mike Phelps and Barry Jenkins.
MEET the coaching team at Wells Rugby Club as the 1st XV prepare for life after promotion. Led by Director of Rugby Peter Kennedy, the team will this season compete in Western Counties North League. Victory at Twickenham in the National Senior Vase Cup made it probably the club’s most successful year in its history.
Gian on the ball
A LOCAL care assistant has returned home from Boston after sponsorship allowed him to tour with the Great Britain Under-23 Baseball Team. Gian Jiminez, 21, who is a community support worker at The Granary care home in Wraxall, was able to travel to Boston to play against some of the world’s best under-23 baseball teams. Gian said: “It was hard as the standard in America is very high, but I really enjoyed it.” Gian started playing baseball at seven years old in the Philippines, where he worked his way up to play for the under-18 national side. After moving to the UK in 2007 with his parents, who also work at The Granary, he started playing for the Bristol Badgers, before qualifying for the Great Britain national team.
Club of the year 29, High Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 5AQ. Tel: 01749 344104
Fun Casino Night in aid of Shepton Mallet Football Club FROME Town Football Club is through to the finals of a national competition after being named the FA Charter Standard Regional Community Club of the Year. Sir Geoff Hurst and Sir Trevor Brooking will be amongst the judges who will assess Frome in the national finals. Frome FC won recognition for its work with the local community and the support it has received, especially with the building of a 250-seat grandstand funded 50/50 by personal and local business donations and a grant from the FA. The club’s contribution of £27,000 was raised from an appeal launched in October 2011. Frome FC is currently Somerset’s highest-ranked charter standard community club in the men’s football pyramid. Advertising and sponorship opportunities are still available for this season. Contact Commercial Manager Ivan Carver on 07981 583786 or e-mail: commercial@frometownfc.co.uk
Casino • Live Band • Buffet £200.00 of fun chips with every ticket £15.00 per ticket Smart Dress/Black tie Saturday, September 29th from 8pm
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! THREE SCREENS SHOWING
The Club & The Club Lounge Are Available for Birthdays, Weddings, Christenings, Meetings etc. (up to 200 capacity)
TheA fully Club Lounge Licensed Cafe/Bar Entrance in Paul Street
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 101
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Skittles club celebrates CHURCHILL Skittle Club will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this month. It was built on land belonging to Churchill Parish Council at the rear of the Memorial Hall and was given as a gift to the local branch of the Royal British Legion and the parish by Miss Vera Wills who was president of the branch in September 1937. Originally it was purely an alley for the use of the British Legion. Some years later a members club was formed and a licence granted for the sale of alcohol. Teams then joined the club and played in both the Weston and District League and the Wrington Vale League. In 1972 a ladies team called the Drifters was formed and plays in the Weston and District Ladies League. Shortly afterwards another ladies team The Strugglers joined that league The Yatton and District League was formed in 1976 and there are currently three teams playing at the club in that league in the summer. Similarly about 17 years ago a mixed league was formed in Weston and a team called the Rejects plays in that league The club now has a total of eight teams playing during the winter season and five teams in the summer. They have been fortunate in all leagues to host cup matches and interleague matches. Local village organisations have also booked the club for fun events. Before Churchill Football Club had their own clubhouse they joined Churchill Skittle Club as associate members and had refreshments in the club after their matches. The committee of the club felt it appropriate to celebrate the 75th anniversary and are holding an event in Churchill Memorial Hall on Saturday September 22nd at 7.30pm. There will be live entertainment by Pete McKenzie and a hog roast, as well as a bar and draw. Tickets are £7.50 (to include the hog roast) and can be obtained from any team captain, the club or the secretary, Enid Plumley 01934 852045.
Get fit and save money FROM Monday September 3rd Chew Valley Leisure Centre will be making some exciting changes to their fitness suite memberships. To offer customers better value for money they will be including a variety of exercise classes with their fitness suite memberships. They will also be introducing a new exercise class-only membership, at a cost of only £20 per month. Exercise classes will also be open to non-members on a pay as you go basis at a cost of £4 per class. A spokesman said: “We are looking forward to this exciting change in our memberships and the exercise classes we offer, and look forward to welcoming you at Chew Valley Leisure Centre.” For more information contact reception on 01275 333375
New coaches at Cary CASTLE Cary rugby club has appointed two new coaches who say they are excited by the club’s potential. Chris Hurd is the new head coach, who joined from Weston-superMare RFC. Chris is currently Director of Rugby at Weston College. Chris said: “I cannot fault the effort and welcome (Back): Simon Harris, 1st XV captain Tommy from all players, Hemsworth and Chris Hurd with (front) parents, Richard Stephens (Crusaders capt.) and Josh committee Richardson (Colts capt.) members and coaches. “I wanted to take up an opportunity to coach a senior side who are well thought of in the rugby community as a club who are on the up, on and off the field.“ Chris has brought in his friend Simon Harris, also from Weston, as backs coach. PAGE 102 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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Going for gold THE Centurion Health Club near Midsomer Norton is aiming for double gold in September – thanks entirely to its loyal members. Last year, the club was a runner-up in the Members’ Choice Health Club Awards which recognise independent gyms based on the views of the people who use them. The team at the club believes it has spent the past year building on that success and is hoping for more honours at the ceremony in Birmingham on Tuesday, September 18th. What is more, one of its most popular fitness consultants is in the running for national honours at the same event: Derek George could be named the UK’s top trainer after award judges studied comments made by his clients. Derek, a former printer who lives in Frome, has been with the Centurion Health Club for eight years and said he was honoured to be recognised. Ray D’Arcy, leisure director at L&F Jones which owns the health club, said: “The fact that it is our members who have nominated the club and whose comments have earned Derek the recognition he deserves is a great tribute to what we have tried to achieve here.” The adults-only club opened in June 2000 and has developed and expanded over the years. The club is now spread out over three individual rooms creating a specious but friendly exercise environment. The continued reinvestment in state of the art cardiovascular and resistance equipment has ensured the Centurion offers some of the best exercise equipment anywhere. The Centurion also offers a comprehensive exercise class programme
Honours even? Derek George (left) with Joel Burgess, manager at the Centurion Health Club
that is accessible to both member and non-members. Its spa facilities have been specifically created to provide a relaxing haven and include a large hydrotherapy spa pool, sauna, steam room and relaxation area. Its indoor heated family swimming pool is ideal for both adults and children.
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 103
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Cheese show deli-ghts! THE flair and imagination of delicatessens in Somerset will be celebrated at the Global Cheese Awards during this year’s Frome Cheese Show. Organisers have sent “secret shoppers” on visits to delis across the county to judge their passion and flair for customer service, the quality and thought that has gone into selecting and displaying their product range, as well as product knowledge and community initiatives. The winners will be announced at the Global Cheese Awards presentation ceremony on Friday, September 7th which is the show’s Trade Day. Frome Cheese Show – the 151st – is open to Some of the trophies on offer at the Global Cheese Awards
the public on Saturday, September 8th. Nigel Pooley, chairman of the Global Cheese Awards Committee, said: “Delis have an enormous amount to offer both town and rural communities. We all love to shop in our local deli and source unusual artisan products that we can’t always find in our standard weekly shopping baskets.” Cheese really is at the heart of the one-day show at the West Woodlands showfield. Hundreds of different cheese and dairy products will be on show and expert graders will be on hand to explain their craft. There will also be cookery demonstrations by television chef Lesley Waters and Nigel Barden, the food and drink presenter on Simon Mayo’s show on BBC Radio 2. G Discounted advance tickets are now available for this year’s show from local shops, businesses and Tourist Information Centres, by phone and via the internet. The 8-Week
Mindfulness Meditation MBCT Course A course of clear mindfulness meditation instruction combined with CBT to help lift mood, prevent depression, anxiety and stress (NICE Approved). September, January and April in Bath, Wells and Bristol
For information call John Waller UKCP: 01761 437214 or Email: jlwaller@uk2.net www.mindfulnesscoursesbath-bristol.co.uk
FANTASTIC FUNGAL FORAYS with Adrian Boots
Join me this autumn on a fantastic fungal foray. Enjoy the autumn colours whilst tasting some of the best wild edible mushrooms the season has to offer
28th October 2012 – 2pm to 5.30pm. £35 per person Please call 01761 463356 to book your place or visit www.walkthemendips.com for more details PAGE 104 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
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Tantalising Tyntesfield WITH over 40 species of fungi, eight species of bat and numerous other champion trees, birds and insect habitats The National Trust Tyntesfield estate near Wraxall, North Somerset is a nature lovers’ paradise. Tyntesfield hosts a number of walks and lectures throughout the year on all things wild as well as a varied events programme including living history, cookery demonstrations and outdoor theatre. Saved for the nation in 2002 Tyntesfield is a fine Victorian country house created by one of England’s richest commoners, William Gibbs, who built his fortune on fertiliser. Spiralling turrets and pinnacles adorn the roof, ornate stone carvings and church-like windows complete the Gothic look, giving the feel of a mysterious, fairytale mansion. Terraced lawns give way to spacious parkland scattered with hundreds of trees collected by the family and a glorious walled kitchen garden beyond.
Popular festival WELLS will soon see the start of the annual St. Cuthbert’s Music Festival, which runs from Sunday September 2nd to the 9th. This highly popular event will showcase many local musicians, but others are from much further afield and include international artistes, with broadcasts and recordings to their credit. There are free concerts each lunchtime from Monday to Friday and evening concerts at £10 from Monday to Saturday (one for accompanied children). The music is guaranteed to suit all tastes, with highlights such as Phillip Dyson, an internationally renowned pianist, who will perform an eclectic mixture of popular classical and light music. Other events include organ, ‘big band’, jazz, folk, barber shop, classical groups and solo and choral singers. Once again, they also have excellent young musicians from Wells Cathedral School. Be sure to book early, as some of these events will be extremely popular.
Season of mists . . . and fantastic films THE autumn season at Wells Film Centre begins in September with some new releases which will appeal to every cinema fan. They include A Few Best Men with Kris Marshall, who grew up on Mendip and Anna Karenina, General manager Sally Cooper outside the featuring cinema alongside Oscar the Swan Keira Knightley. Wells Film Centre will mark its 20th anniversary in November and Derek Cooper and his family who own the complex are planning some special celebrations. The days of “film” are now long gone as have the old projectors. Instead the three-screen cinema is fully digital and capable of showing 3D films. But for those who remember the days of film with nostalgia, there is a special screening to savour: The Last Projectionist, a documentary about the history of independent cinemas, will be shown at 3pm on Thursday, September 6th. There will also be a question and answer session with its director Tom Lawes On Saturday, September 22nd, there will also be a gala screening of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, in 3D. The evening (tickets cost £10) will raise money for the Swans of Wells and other local charities. The cinema sponsored one of the famous swans.
COMING UP:
Celebrating 20 years in November
The fully digital, independent and familyrun cinema
From Friday, August 31st: The Watch (cert 15) & A Few Best Men (cert 15) From Friday, September 7th: Anna Karenina (cert tbc) & Opera on Ice (cert U) From Friday, September 14th: The Sweeney (cert 15) & Paranorman (3D) (cert tbc) Plus other films G Book in person G Online 24/7 @www.wellsfilmcentre.co.uk G Over the ’phone: 01749 673195
Wells Film Centre, Princes Road, Wells, BA5 1TD MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012 • PAGE 105
Photograph courtesy of Neil Crick ARPS
WHAT’S ON
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WHAT’S ON
The Mendip Times What’s On Guide for September Saturday September 1st Chew Stoke Harvest Home. Details: www.chewstokeharvesthome.org.uk The (Chew) Valley Green Belt Show, Pensford Memorial Hall and Playing Field, 11am – 5pm. Many stalls, live music, vintage vehicles, hog roast & barbeque. All proceeds to the protection of the Pensford Colliery site at Stanton Wick. Details: thevalleygreenbeltshow@gmail.com Monday September 3rd – Monday September 15th Embroidery exhibition: “A walk through Somerset” by the Avalon branch of the Embroidery Guild at Street Public Library, BA16 0HA. The library is closed on Tuesdays and Sundays. Monday September 3rd Street Creative Writer’s Group – afternoon with local author Jackie Gingell at the Crispin Community Centre, 2.30pm. Tuesday September 4th Nailsea Choral Society’s first rehearsal for Bach’s Christmas Oratorio – performance early December. Rehearsals held every Tuesday at 7.30pm in the Vestry Hall, Christ Church. Details: www.nailseachoral.org.uk Wednesday September 5th Booker Prize winning author Ben Okri will be reading some of his work at Bath Central Library from 8pm–9pm. Tickets £4 in advance (with 75p booking fee) or £6 on the door, from: www.benokri.eventbrite.com Friday September 7th Open mic night at Redhilll Village Hall, from 8pm, hosted by Jerry Blythe. Saturday September 8th – Sunday September 9th The Rotary Club of Mendip announces Lawn Mower Racing! – held for the first time in Somerset at Old Coach Road, Lower Weare, Axbridge, BS26 2JB. Rounds 10 and 11 of the National Championships 11am to 5pm. Sideshows, refreshments and much more! Saturday September 8th – Sunday September 16th Cutting Edge Crafts, at Tor Hole, Chewton Mendip. Come and start your Christmas shopping here – 11 craftworkers exhibiting, cream tea in aid of Children’s Hospice SW. Open 10.30am – 5.30pm daily. Details: 01761 241539. Saturday September 8th Winscombe Michaelmas Fair, the Community Centre, Sandford Road, from 1.45pm. Horticultural show and fete, Morris men, dog display. Enquiries: Jill Cureton, 01934 843776. East Mendip Gardening Club Annual Produce Show, Oakhilll Village Hall and Recreation Field, 2pm. Stalls and attractions, including archery, Morris dancing and an egg throwing contest! A Musical Extravaganza at St John’s Church, Midsomer Norton, from 7pm. Music from pop to opera, in aid of The Young ME Sufferer’s Trust. Tickets £6.50. Details: www.tymestrust.org Street Chrysanthemum, Dahlia and Vegetable Society – 64th Annual Show, at Crispin Hall, High St, Street, 12 – 5.30pm. Details: www.streetcdvs.org.uk
ACROSS: 1 Mendip Farmers, 9 Undergo, 10 Overrun, 11 Haymaker, 12 Along, 14 Marksbury, 17 Briar, 20 Gambolled, 23 India, 24 Backache, 28 Took aim, 29 Airless, 30 Salt-and-pepper. DOWN: 1 Maugham, 2 Noddy, 3 Inroads, 4 Froze, 5 Rook, 6 Ewe lamb, 7 Sartorial, 8 Binegar, 13 Lymm, 15 Raindrops, 16 Urge, 18/18A Point to point, 19 Travail, 21 Oak tree, 22 Dresser, 25 Award, 26 Cheap, 27 Emma.
ANSWERS TO THE MENDIP MINDBENDER PAGE 106 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2012
Sunday September 9th Claverham Village Hall’s “Launch Party” – the newly revamped village hall has a range of family activities from 3 – 7pm. Redhill Club – member’s Produce Show open from 12 noon, followed by Harvest Church service then evening Harvest Supper, music from The Twerzels. Details from Redhill Club and Alvis Farm Shop. Wednesday September 12th Midsomer Norton, Radstock and District Dial-a-Ride AGM, 2pm, Council Chambers, The Hollies, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2DP. All welcome! Details: Tom Marsh 01761 417504. Friday September 14th – Sunday September 16th “A Somerset Schubertiad” – the village of Cossington plays host to world class musicians. Details: www.cossingtonconcerts.com or 01278 683777. Friday September 14th Chelynch walk – details: www.dontwalkalone.co.uk Saturday September 15th Brent Knoll Countryside Fun Day, from 2pm. Fun for all the family. FUN dog show, ponies, hog roast and much more. Details: Eddie Fuller 01278 760308. Compton Dando’s 3rd “Fun” dog show, from 2pm. Lots of classes for all dogs over four-months-old, including waggiest tail! Details: Peter Middleton – plcm@btinternet.com Sunday, September 16th North Somerset Vintage Tractor and Engine Club ploughing match. Pagans Hill Farm, Chew Stoke, BS40 8UN. 10am start. For information, contact Sheila on: 01275 474649. Friday September 21st The Grey Dogs –traditional and mainstream dance in café style setting at Timsbury Conygre Hall, 8 -11pm. Tickets £8, on the door, in aid of Alzheimers’ “The Snowdrop Appeal”. Details: 01761 471245 or www.mendipmusic.com Trinity Singers’ Quiz Night, Burrington Village Hall, BS40 7AD. Starts 7.30pm prompt. Teams of six. Tickets £5 each includes supper – contact 01934 852123. Sunday September 23rd Westbury-sub-Mendip walk, www.dontwalkalone.co.uk Saturday September 29th Chapter 2 book fair, Wells Town Hall, 10am – 4pm in aid of St Cuthbert’s Church. Over 3,000 books, including first editions and collectibles. Details: 01749 673356 or 674409. “Howling in the Harvest” – traditional autumn songs from the Hotwell’s Howlers at Kilmersdon Village Hall, Nr Radstock. 7.30pm. Details and tickets: 01761 419224 or 437372. Masquerade Fall Ball, organised by Farrington Gurney Young Farmers, Royal Bath and West Showground, 8pm – 2am, £15 YFC members, £18 non members. Details: 07934 322086 or email farringtonfallball@hotmail.co.uk. The Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge present an evening of song from the Avon and Somerset Constabulary Male Voice Choir, St Andrew’s Church, Chew Magna, 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Tickets, £ 8.50 include a glass of wine, available from Chew Magna Post Office, or from Rob on 01275 331093. Saturday October 13th Race Night at Frome Football Club, 7pm. Tickets £5 include ploughman’s, from Terry: 01373 464333. Organised by Frome Friends of Dorothy House Hospice Sunday October 14th Claudia Aurora singing at Hornblotton Village Hall. 7.30pm, Tickets £12. Details: bowencolin@hotmail.com or www.hvh.btck.co.u
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Est. 1977
VISIT OUR SHOWROOMS AT SHEPTON MALLET TO SEE THE LATEST NEW MODELS ON DISPLAY
Building on the success of the C-Four woodburning stove, we now offer the C-Six, a clean lined and contemporary stove
A new external design change to this proven model by Jotul now incorporates a clear door to give maximum view of the fire
The Harmony Evolution’s progression to today’s high efficiency and user friendly appliance is the result of over 150 years of experience
In the Presence of beauty: Faber’s newest hole-in-thewall gas fire designed specifically for the UK The New Esse Plus 1 incorporates woodfired cooking with single oven and large hot plate. The Larger 990 cooker offers wood fire cooking with 3 x ovens and dual hotplates.
For more than 35 years, we have been supplying good quality fires, wood burning and multi-fuel stoves, all types of chimney linings, fireplace surrounds, accessories and much, much more.
Windsor Hill, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 4JE. Telephone: 01749 344015 • www.mendipfireplaces.co.uk