Mendip Times

Mendip Times

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VOLUME 8 ISSUE 8

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FREE

Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas

JANUARY 2013

WISHING YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Local people, local history, local places, local events and local news

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WITHOUT RIVAL WE HAVE THE LARGEST AND BEST SELECTION OF CANE FURNITURE IN THE SOUTH WEST!

Est. 1951

SAVE MONEY WITH IN-STORE PROMOTIONS

UPDATE YOUR SUITE Made to measure cushions with removable covers and a large range of fabrics

NOT JUST CANE! We also have one of the LARGEST SELECTIONS of drop leaf & fold-up tables (in-store at Shepton Mallet)

Cane Furniture

STILL MANUFACTURING BASKETS ON SITE SINCE 1951

01749 343414 In Store Haskins Retail Centre Shepton Mallet BA4 5AX (ample free parking) Opening times: Mon - Sat 9am - 5.30pm • Sun 10.30am - 4.30pm

IN TH WI IUS Y R AD IVE R G EL ILE DIN L D M U EE 0 CL TO FR A 5 IN BRIS

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

in the January 2012 issue of Mendip Times we mentioned that we were investing in the future in a new computer software and case management system, to include all the areas of law with which we deal.

Like all new things, it took a little while for everyone to get used to the new system (apart from anything else two of our partners have been doing things “the old way” for many years) and a couple of failures of the network and email system did not help, but it has been up and running for some months now and we are pleased to report that it is indeed enabling us to build upon the efficient service which we have always prided ourselves in giving to our clients.

We continue to seek to improve; we have plans in hand and will be reporting on other landmarks during the new year.

For those of you who read this before Christmas, we wish you all a joyous and peaceful time and we take this opportunity to wish everybody in the Mendip area a happy and hopefully prosperous new Year.

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

THE start of a New Year is a time to reflect on the events of the past and to look forward to the year to come.

The year started with the untimely illness and death of our columnist Alan Goode from cancer. As a life-long newspaperman he shared our passion for the area and our pride in the remarkable success of Mendip Times, which has seen some of our biggest issues to date in the past year.

It was with Alan’s encouragement and advice that we set out nearly eight years ago to create a magazine that reflects the life of this remarkable area. This month’s issue continues this with pictures from Christmas festivities across Mendip as well as a range of features on community activities, local people and local sport. We also have expanded features on education, arts and antiques, and local charities.

Les Davies delves in to the past with his own eclectic take on the history of the hills; Sue Gearing takes us on a walk around Avebury; and Mary Payne gives advice to gardeners on how to cope with the wet weather. We also have caving, health and all of our regular features and contributors.

In many ways it has been a remarkable year. Looking to the future, may we thank readers, advertisers and contributors for their support and wish you all a healthy and prosperous New Year.

February 2013 deadline: Friday, 18th January 2013.

Published: Tuesday, 29th January 2013.

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: Wells Reindeer Parade by Mark Adler (see page 10).

10

It’s official – Father Christmas lives on Mendip!

44

Rocks around the clock – Les Davies’ guide to the history of the hills

62

The wild rovers – Pat and David’s marathon drive

78

Focus on rugby – clubs end the year on a high

Plus all our regular features Environment...................................6 Arts & Antiques ...........................12 Internet and Crossword..............15 Farming Mary James MBE..........16 Food & Drink...............................18 Business ........................................26 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE .......41 Walking Sue Gearing....................42 Outdoors Les Davies MBE ..........44 Gardening Mary Payne MBE ......46

Caving Phil Hendy........................49 Property........................................50 Health Dr Phil Hammond.............54 Family Mendip Mum....................54 Community Simon Selby .............57 Charities .......................................58 Music.............................................64 Riding Celia Gadd ........................76 Golf................................................81 What’s On ....................................82 MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 3

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MENDIP TIMES

NEWS

Fit and healthy

A marathon effort

Wrington winners

(L to R): Georgie Starkie, Race Director, Rotarian Richard Dredge and Trevor Biggs, chairman Frome Film and Video Makers

A NEW project hosted by The House Children’s Centre in Shepton Mallet is offering free opportunities for the local community to get fit, lose weight, make friends and have fun.

Participants in Community Pounds have enjoyed free gym membership, advice from an NHS health trainer and weekly weigh-ins through the centre run by Somerset County Council.

Parents with babies have also been striding out in nearby Collett Park as part of a weekly “Buggy Push”.

G The Buggy Push meets at 10am by the bandstand in Collett Park every Monday. If you would like to find out more, improve your health generally, and to find out if you qualify for free gym membership, call the centre on 01749 342322.

WRINGTON Primary School were winners of the Junior Youth Speaks Competition, held at Shipham Village Hall, with other teams from schools in Churchill, Sandford and Winscombe.

India Capon, from Wrington was Best Speaker. The event was organised by Wrington Vale Rotary Club.

Mendip Cave Rescue

WELLS MP Tessa Munt was invited to explore a whole different part of the Mendip Hills, underground with the Mendip Cave Rescue Group, to a depth of 2,000ft at Swildons Hole.

Afterwards she said: “Mendip Cave Rescue performs an invaluable service in this part of Somerset and what is even more impressive is that they are completely self-funded by cavers. The team were highly professional, I felt completely safe and I praise their dedication, skill and passion.”

She’s pictured with David Banwell (left), Bob Cork and Danny Bradshaw.

MEMBERS of Frome Film and Video Makers have completed work on a DVD capturing this year’s first Frome Half Marathon and 10k run.

Nine cameras were used around the course in July. Editor Ernie McKenna then had the task of selecting footage from almost 13 hours of material.

The event was organised by the Rotary Club of Frome and Frome Running Club. Rotarian Richard Dredge chairman of the organising committee, said: “The DVD captured many great aspects of the day and told the story in great detail. Everyone who contributed to this wonderful DVD should be proud of it.”

Trevor Biggs, chairman of the Frome Film and Video Makers, said: “This is just the sort of project our club loves to get involved with and we were happy to cover such a great event. It was for us a ‘marathon’ task to film and edit but the end result proved to be a hit with The Rotary Club of Frome and Frome Running Club.”

G Copies of the DVD, costing £10, can be obtained from: Ernie McKenna: info@emavideo.co.uk

Flying over Wedmore

A NEW Cross of St. George is now flying proudly over St. Mary’s Church in Wedmore, replacing the old tattered one.

The mighty four-yarder has been bought by the Friends of St. Mary’s, which helps to maintain the church as a focal point for the village and village activities.

Details: David Hopkins 710149 and dahopkins@aol.com MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 5

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Landowners want rethink of flood management

WEDMORE farmer Charlie Ainge has told the chairman of the Environment Agency that it should consider handing over management and maintenance of major drainage systems on the Somerset Levels to farmer co-operatives or internal drainage boards if it cannot afford to carry out the work itself.

Mr Ainge is chairman of the Country Land and Business Association’s national Business and Rural Economy committee and put the idea to agency chairman Lord Chris Smith who visited the flooded area.

He said: “We asked him to consider allowing the IDB’s or some other appropriate body to take over the work where the Environment Agency was unable to do it. I think that, providing clear objectives were laid out for the drainage boards, that many of the farmers down here would consider contributing towards the cost of this work rather than having to endure another year like this one.”

Almost all of Mr Ainge’s 200-acre farm was under water after the floods hit the south west. He warned Lord Smith that the ongoing lack of investment in flood and water management systems could lead to a point where livestock farming becomes unviable on the Levels and Moors.

Mr Ainge added: “We expect flooding down here in the winter months, but the failure to maintain the major drainage channels means the land remains saturated, resulting in spring and summer flooding. That means we cannot grow enough quality feed to carry our animals through the winter and we are now having to buy in feed just to ensure they get the energy they need.”

Last month, Defra announced that an additional £120million would be spent on flood defence but a CLA environment specialist said the funding will do little to help alleviate problems on the Somerset Levels. Derek Holliday said: “This money is targeted at capital projects but what is needed down here is spending on maintenance to keep the main rivers and drainage channels free so that there can be better management of the flow of water.”

Mr Holliday said that Lord Smith did hold out some hope Flooding on the Levels near Glastonbury

The chairman of the Environment Agency, Lord Smith, (left) talks to Charlie Ainge, on the Somerset Levels

with the promise to consider additional dredging at “pinch points” and an acknowledgement that work certainly needed to be done. But Mr Holliday added that the uncertainty of government funding meant that farmers and landowners should be taking steps to ensure they were able to protect their businesses and properties.

He said: “The problem is not that the land floods in the winter, it is the movement of water through the system that causes the problem. Farmers might be maintaining their ditches and drains, but unless the major water courses are free-running then the whole system slows down and water backs up. That is where the investment is needed.

“We were encouraged by our meeting with Lord Smith and by his understanding of the need to look at the whole issue of water conveyance across the Levels and Moors, including the need for more dredging.”

Many roads were impassable at the height of the flooding PAGE 6 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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Give barn owls a hoot this winter

(Photos courtesy of Brian Phipps

THE half-way point in an ambitious project to install a nesting box for barn owls in every parish in Somerset has been marked by the launch of a £30,000 fundraising appeal to complete the work.

Thanks to the help of more than 500 volunteers, Somerset Wildlife Trust has overseen the installation of around 170 boxes by local communities. The three-year project has also seen more than 1,000 children learning about barn owl conservation so far.

Project manager Jessy Emery said: “Winter can be a tough time for a lot of wildlife, not least the barn owl whose numbers can plummet during harsh weather. Extreme winters in the 1940s and 1960s wiped out over half the UK population and barn owls have struggled to recover ever since.

“More than 80 per cent of barn owls now nest and raise their young in man-made boxes like the ones going up in every parish of Somerset.”

The project is a collaboration with the Hawk and Owl Trust and all the farmers and landowners who are hosting parish boxes have received a visit and advice on habitat creation from Mendip Times contributor Chris Sperring. The project has been supported with funds from Viridor Credits Environmental Company and donations from local people will provide vital match funding.

Recent records indicate that there are currently just 200 breeding pairs in Somerset and their population in the UK has dropped by as much as 70% since the 1930s.

As well as providing nest sites, the project encourages landowners to provide more rough grassland hunting habitat.

In October the project celebrated its first breeding success with four baby owlets seen outside a nest box which went up at a Viridor landfill site, near Puriton, in Sedgemoor.

With so many boxes already in place, the Trust wants to start a comprehensive monitoring and recording programme next spring.

ENVIRONMENT

Rainbows win gold

1ST SANDFORD Rainbows have achieved the RSPB’s Wildlife Action Award – bronze, silver and gold – after a year of hard work and fun, including a wide range of games, crafts, activities and fundraising.

Jubilee trees

The Bishop of Bath and Wells with Cllr. Forrest

To donate visit: www.somersetwildlife.org/barnowlappeal or call 01823 652400.

THE Chairman of Mendip District Council, Cllr. Ron Forrest, has commemorated this special Jubilee year by planting trees in the five major towns across the district.

He was joined by some distinguished guests, including the Lord Lieutenant, Lady Gass, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt. Rev. Peter Price and civic leaders.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 7

Photo courtesy of G.P. Munns

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ENVIRONMENT

Every hedge tells a story

THE winners of the Somerset Hedge Group 2012 digital photographic competition have been announced.

Prizes were sponsored by Somerset County Council, Mendip Hills AONB, Blackdown Hills AONB, the Council for the Protection of Rural England and Marshall Agroecology Ltd, for Open and Junior classes. The prizes were presented to the winners

by Lady Gass, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset. The competition was held previously in 2008 and 2010.

The theme for 2012 was hedgerow flowers and fruits through the seasons. The competition was organised by Dr Jon Marshall, of Barton, near Winscombe.

The Somerset Hedge Group was formed in 1997 to co-ordinate the efforts of individuals and organisations who are concerned about hedgerows in the old county area of Somerset. The objectives of the group are: • To increase everyone’s awareness of the important roles that Somerset hedges play in farming, wildlife conservation, cultural heritage and the landscape George Dibble, of Langford, won the junior first prize with Butterfly and Berries

The overall winner was Chiffchaff with berries by Nick Stacey, of Westonzoyland

• To provide appropriate advice to all involved with hedge management and the general public • To undertake work that promotes the study, conservation, restoration and enhancement of hedges in Somerset.

G The 2013 hedge laying competition organised by the Mid Somerset Show Society will be held on Sunday, February 24th on farmland near Cannards Grave, Shepton Mallet. For more details, visit: www.midsomersetshow.org.uk

Guelder rose berries, by Sandra Howe of Pilton, was highly commended in the Open section

M E N D I P

W EAT H E R

S C E N E

For more information about the group, visit their website: www.somerset-hedgegroup.org.uk

A festive seasonal mix

I MUST first of all wish all readers the compliments of the season and also a happy and prosperous 2013.

The weather has with DAVID certainly provided MAINE the usual mix of mild, rainy weather with brief (so far anyway) incursions of colder, drier weather from the north. Last month, for example, I wrote about the brief heavy snow fall at the beginning of November.

Since then we have had the recordbreaking floods. My rainfall total for November came to 248mm or nearly ten inches, the second wettest ever, after 2009. I recorded six inches of rain in just a week (20th to 26th) and four inches, or 100mm, in just four

PAGE 8 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

days, the first time I have ever done this. No wonder there was such devastation.

Why all these fluctuations?

Actually, they are fairly common at this time of the year with a big contrast between the cold Arctic air mass from the north or northwest (known as Arctic maritime) and the Tropical maritime air mass that comes in from sub-tropical regions over the Atlantic on a SW wind. These two air masses don’t mix, as one might assume, but retain their individual identity either side of a weather front.

In a fast-moving, changeable situation such as we have had recently, these weather fronts swing back and forth across the UK, bringing these frequent changes. If the cold air is advancing it’s called a cold front but it’s a warm front if

The swollen River Brue beneath Glastonbury Tor

warm tropical air is advancing from the SW. These two air masses are not the only ones affecting the UK, but more of that another time. Let’s hope the weather in 2013 is kinder to us all.

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Wells Reindeer Parade

Swervy World entertain the crowds in the Market Place

Crowds throng Wells city centre as Emily Singleton leads a pair of reindeer from the Cairngorm Herd through the streets. Emily has written a book about the herd, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary. Visit: www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk

Heather Thomson (centre), leader of the 2nd Wells Guides, was raising money for a trip to Mexico. Among her helpers on a raffle stall in the Market Place were Beth Miles (left) and Elise Duffield, from 1st Wells Guides

Gemma Reed and Heather House, from Wells and Glastonbury Young Farmers Club, sold programmes and collected donations for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, one of the charities to benefit from the event

Madison Robinson and Byron Brock, both aged five, won a ride in Santa’s sleigh in a competition run by parade organisers, the Rotary Club of Wells. Megan Pritchard and Amandine Turnbull, both 10, won a ride in a vintage car in the same competition PAGE 10 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Fun in the Market Place on one of the many attractions

Phoebe and Wilson, from Radstock, pose in the winter wonderland garden of the Swan Hotel

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Shepton Mallet Lights

CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Stacey Lloyds helps carnival prince Ollie Robinson and carnival queen Casey Spearing switch on the lights on the town’s Christmas tree

Chew Magna School Fair

Stacey Lloyd, Kim Lowe and Chris Bowles, from Old Mill Accountants, one of the supporters of the Shepton Mallet Christmas Lights event. The evening was organised by the town’s Chamber of Commerce

Pensford Bazaar

VARIOUS organisations in Pensford teamed up with the village hall committee to hold a Christmas bazaar, which raised more than £1,400 for hall funds. Maureen Cuff and Jane Stenner are pictured serving refreshments.

CHEW Magna Primary School's Christmas fair was held in the Old Schoolroom. Ben Jones is pictured blowing up balloons for the children.

Blagdon calendar

CHRISTIAN Crawfurd, Geoff Mean and Brenda Mountain are pictured at the annual Blagdon Church Christmas Fair, which raised £1,052 for church funds. The church is also selling Blagdon calendars to raise funds.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 11

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Ticket to ride

TAMLYNS’ storeroom shelves are groaning under the weight of model trains – all sorts of OO gauge locomotives, coaches, wagons, station buildings, line-side accessories and all manner of things train related!

Auctioneer and valuer Claire Rawle is in her element! She has long had an abiding interest in all things steam and, to a certain extent, diesel! The present consignment is a single owner collection, formed over 40 years and includes examples from most of the regions as well as all the accessories and general paraphernalia from a very large lay-out.

These items will form the nucleus of a specialist sale devoted to all things “train” related, whether it be N, OO O gauge or larger – even full size items have been welcomed.

The sale will be taking place on January 22nd and will be fully catalogued and illustrated – and nearer the time, available on Tamlyns’ website.

Details: 01278 445251 or visit www.tamlyns.co.uk

PAGE 12 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Icon heads home to Russia

CLEVEDON Salerooms regularly attract internet bidders from around the globe. At the recent November Specialist Sale two Russian collectors decided that they just had to have this 19th century Russian painted and gilt gesso decorated wooden panel depicting Christ, consigned to the auction from a property in the Cheddar Valley.

Measuring 44cm x 35cm the icon was in what can only be described as poor condition, but the bidding exceeded all expectations with the winner parting with £4,000 to secure the piece. The Russian buyer from Kiev flew into Gatwick, hired a car and drove straight to Clevedon to collect his prize.

If you would like your art and antiques offered to the widest possible audience to ensure the highest possible price why not take them to the salerooms on one of their no-obligation Free Valuation Days or contact the salerooms on 01934 830111 to speak to a valuer.

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ARTS AND ANTIQUES

Some gems from our recent

Specialist Jewellery Sale

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

FREE ANTIQUE VALUATION DAYS

£19,600

£7,600

14 15 16 January 28 29 30 January 9.30am–1pm and 2pm–5.30pm Held at the salerooms – no appointment necessary

£3,400

£4,900

£4,600

Free Watch & Jewellery

Valuation Day

Tel: 01934 830111 or 0117 325 6789

At the Salerooms Monday 21st January 10am – 1pm & 2pm – 5pm

The Auction Centre, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon, Bristol BS21 6TT

Next Specialist Sale Thursday 28th February

www.clevedon-salerooms.com

(closing date for entries 30th January) MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 13

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MENDIP TIMES

Higos are winners

HIGOS Insurance Services has won the coveted Marketing and Promotion Award at the 2012 Somerset Business Awards.

The awards are organised by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce and over 280 people representing awards finalists and sponsors attended a gala ceremony at Somerset County Cricket Club in Taunton.

Neil Wyatt, Marketing Manager at Higos Insurance Services, is pictured being presented with the award by Alice Driscoll from Marketing and Promotion award sponsors ADPR. Jenn Chidley, Marketing and Communications Coordinator at the Somerset Chamber of Commerce said: “This year there has been 20 per cent more entries and it is fantastic to see so many businesses have such passion to drive their business forward.”

PAGE 14 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

ARTS AND ANTIQUES

Mendip reports a stronger interest in pictures

AT their December Sale of antiques and collectables, Killens saw keener interest in pictures with an oil on board attributed to Kyffin Williams selling for £880, an oil on canvas of a landscape signed Barbara Robinson £580 and an interesting oil on board by Kathleen Caddick achieving £390.

There was a good range of jewellery, silver and gold on offer with a 15ct gold Albert watch chain achieving £1,000.

Other items sold ranged from a Victorian bayonet (£200) to a Stuart Turner engine model (£190) and a carved French figure of Christ (£250).

On December 13th, Killens also staged a specialist Sporting Sale with a diverse entry including shotguns, hunting prints, football memorabilia and even a kayak. A further sale of sporting items will be held in the spring.

The team from the Mendip Auction Rooms are regularly out on the road and have valuation days throughout the West Country with days initially planned at Chew Magna, Frome, Weston-super-Mare and Bath. Contact the auction rooms for more details or log onto their website, www.mendipauctionrooms.co.uk.

The next antiques sale will be on January 12th with a further sale scheduled for February 9th – contact the auctioneers for further information.

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INTERNET

To double-click or not to double-click – that is the question!

THERE are various sorts of clicks you can do with a mouse (or should it be squeaks with a mouse?)

Single click – use the left button to select (tell the computer you want to do something with) a word; select a picture, select a clipart; select a shape; activate a link on the internet; activate an icon; activate a button; move the cursor; activate and then deactivate an icon on a Word toolbar (such as B for Bold) Always single click first – if you expected something to happen and it didn’t; wait a little; then try a double-click.

Anything lit up in blue is selected – e.g. if you click in the address bar on Internet Explorer, it will turn blue and then you can overtype with your chosen address, then press Enter and you will go straight to the web site you want.

Double-click – two single clicks very close together. A short cut to a single click and something else – e.g. for a desktop icon you can either double-click it or single-click and press Enter or rightclick and click Open etc.

Right-click – use the right button to produce a pop-up menu.

You get a different menu depending on where you are when you right-click. You can then left single-click one of the options.

There is also: Scroll button – some mice have a roller button between the two click buttons – point your mouse roughly to the bit you want to use and move the scroll button away from you or towards you to move up and down a page. Press down on the scroll button and the computer will scroll you down through a page automatically, so you can just sit back and read. The further you have moved the mouse, the faster the scroll will go.

Two single clicks – if you single click on a file or photo, then single click again on the file or photo name it will go into Edit mode you can change the name by overtyping.

Click and hold – hold down the left click and as you move it will put a selection over more than one thing – e.g. a sentence.

Or if you do the same thing on the scroll bar on the right of a Word or Internet page it will move you up or down.

Drag and drop – click on a picture or a selected text and hold down the click and as you move it will take whatever is selected and drop it wherever you are when you let go of the click – make sure you know where you are when you let go of the click.

Plus: There’s also a triple-click, which will select all the text in a Word document!

Submitted by IT for the Terrified: The Old Cowshed, Station Road, Cheddar BS27 3AG 01934 741751 www.itfortheterrified.co.uk We run a range of courses including, e-Bay, digital photography and genealogy. We also offer individual training, either one-off sessions or a series, at a pace to suit you; a session lasts 2 hours and costs £10. See our web site or contact us for further details.

There will be two Open House sessions – January 16th 1.30-3.30 and January 18th 10-12 – call in and find out more about us and book up if you wish.

CROSSWORD

The Mendip Mindbender

A U C D D V

ACROSS 1/21 Make wry herbalist enter route for walkers and others (3,10,4) 9 Parrot I lost in Lulsgate (7) 10 Lubricate instrument to make container (7) 11 For example, force rapid movement to beat constituents (8) 12 Ad lib is suitable saying for this bird (4) 14 Acceptable and given title involving monarch – so not threatening (7) 18 I refuse to pack too much back into inventive Italian (7) 19 Clergyman goes back to Hermon according to this interpretation (7) 20 Confused about medal I’m in a quandry (7) 21 See 1 22 We found, having left Rio, improvident remnant involved in local news channel (8) 27 Flu mars large amounts of produce (7) 28 Dawning of the age of . . . fishtanks? (7) 29 Cyril sulks not being being converted to things like ploughing and hedging (7,6)

3 Associated with a whipround by singer with speech impediment ? (5) 4 Whitebait chosen by many – but dropped by cockneys? (5) 5 Second class, no profit, no sea – but developed nicely (9) 6 Part for baker to play, allegedly? (4) 7 For sailors wanting a clean sweep? (4,5) 8 Unlike comedians I’m last to find dogs and cats, for example (8,7) 13 Spoken for a little while (4) 15 Make Corgi moan at prospect of a scientific approach to the land (9) 16 In the cinema I’d found my young lady (4) 17 The sort of people who eat in the evening – off matching crockery? (6-3) 23 What a mixed up milk16 might keep? (5) 24 It takes guts to prepare a turkey – or a chicken (5) 25 In Kiev I rolled in some malt extract (5) 26 Dove noise at party sounds like there may be an African antelope there (4)

DOWN 1 Leaving flat hulk around Rodney Stoke – perhaps a reminder of war (8,7) 2 Weird sounding place for a bird’s nest (5)

Answers on Page 82 MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 15

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Christmas down on the farm

ALTHOUGH this is the January edition of the magazine you should get your copy before Christmas. So I wish all readers a very Happy Christmas and a better New Year for all farmers – whose work never stops. Animals have to be cared for whatever the weather and whatever the occasion.

With MARY Can a dairy farmer, for instance, get any JAMES MBE time off at Christmas? The answer is “not a lot”. Take a look at the timetable for Christmas Day for a farmer with 250 dairy cows. Bear in mind that all dairy cows will be in their sheds at this time of year and will probably be in until March/April when the weather improves – hopefully.

Our dairy farmer (in this instance we will assume it is a man) starts the day at 4am and by 4.30am he is on the farm, first checking the calving sheds to see if there are any new arrivals and that all is well.

His next job is to move the cows out from their comfortable cubicles into the collecting yard ready for the herdsman/woman to start milking at 5am and at the same time another young man/woman will be cleaning up in the yards and renewing the bedding in the cubicles.

A large number of cows will warrant two members of staff plus the farmer. The farmer’s next job is to feed the cows from a large forage wagon containing a mix of grass silage, maize silage and concentrates.

After that he has to feed the calves and renew their beds. Then

UPHILL & SON LTD Chewton Mendip 01761 241270 PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

FARMING

all the young cows have to be fed, cleaned out and bedded up – using straw. When the milking is finished the large milking parlour and yards have to be scraped clean and thoroughly hosed down. With a bit of luck after another check of the calving sheds everyone will be off to breakfast at 9.30am. Quite a stint!

At 1.30pm the farmer is back on the farm and by 2pm the herdsman/woman is milking again whilst the farmer is feeding the calves again. In other words it is almost a repeat of the morning procedure. With a further check on the calving sheds they will hope to leave at 5.30pm looking forward to their Christmas dinner.

But all is not quite finished – at 9pm the farmer will have a final look around the cows and check the calving sheds again, back indoors by 9.30pm. Christmas Day it may be but the above working pattern is almost the same every day of the winter.

Spare a thought for the dairy farmer with 120 cows who may well have to do all the above on his/her own but with luck he/she may have family members to help out. Livestock farmers always hope they can get through Christmas Day with no mechanical breakdowns, no difficult calvings and no electricity cuts.

May it be a peaceful stress-free day for everyone.

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Update from 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!

GUY SALMON

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.

Introducing the all-new Range Rover – the world’s most refined and capable luxury SUV LAND Rover has announced the launch of the all-new Range Rover, the world’s most refined and capable SUV. The fourth generation of the iconic Range Rover line, the new model has been developed from the ground up to provide the ultimate luxury SUV, following the innovative spirit of the original design from over 40 years ago.

The world’s first SUV with a lightweight all-aluminium body, the new Range Rover takes the capabilities of the marque’s flagship to a new level, with even greater luxury and refinement, enhanced performance and handling on all terrains, and significant advances in sustainability.

“Launching the all-new Range Rover represents a major milestone for Land Rover, being the first exciting output from an unprecedented investment in premium vehicle technologies,” said John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Director. “The new Range Rover preserves the essential, unique character of the vehicle – that special blend of luxury, performance and unmatched all-terrain capability. However, its clean sheet design and revolutionary lightweight construction have enabled us to transform the experience for luxury vehicle customers, with a step change in comfort, refinement and handling.”

On sale from January 2013, the all-new Range Rover will be introduced in 170 markets worldwide. Designed and engineered at Land Rover’s development centres in the UK, the new Range Rover will be produced in a state-of-the-art new low-energy manufacturing facility at Solihull, UK. To make sure your one of the first to experience the all new Range Rover, contact the team at Guy Salmon Bristol today on 0117 239 8534 to pre book your test drive.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 17

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MENDIP TIMES

Warm and tender

A VERY happy New Year to everybody!

What I want at this time of year is something nourishing and delicious that doesn’t break the With JUNE bank and can get on MACFARLANE by itself while I do something else. Here are some unfussy, inexpensive and tasty ideas for cold days.

STICKY RIBS

There is so little work involved in this fragrant dish, and it is so inexpensive and so delicious, that I don’t know why I don’t make it at least once a week.

Maybe I will!

INGREDIENTS

1 rack pork ribs 1 tbsp soy sauce 150ml apple juice 4 tbsp honey 1 tbsp roasted sesame oil 2 fat cloves garlic 10 black peppercorns 2 star anise

METHOD

I like to cut up the ribs, but you can leave them in a piece if you prefer. Put ribs in a sealable plastic bag.

Bruise the garlic. Add to all the other ingredients in a small pan and warm through to melt the honey. Set aside to cool a little. Remove garlic from marinade. Pour over ribs in bag, seal and leave in fridge for 24-48hrs giving them a massage from time to time.

Set oven at 160°C. Tip ribs and marinade into a roasting tin and cook in the oven until glistening and tender, turning once or twice, about 1½ hrs.

Serve with the juices and some bread to mop it up. Serves 2

BEEF IN RED WINE WITH HERB DUMPLINGS Why is it that the French have so many lovely words for “stew” and we only borrowed one of them? Stew comes from the old French word estuve meaning stove, and we stuck with it, ignoring “casserole”, “cassoulet”, “daube” and all the rest. This is a delicious, slow cooked dish with an aromatic trace of orange, warm and inviting for the cold month of January. .

METHOD

INGREDIENTS

2 lb braising beef cut into big chunks I bottle red wine 1 shallot, 1 carrot, 1 rib celery, 1 clove garlic 10 black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs rosemary, peel (no pith) from 1 orange.

3 tbsp flour salt, pepper

Marinate the meat overnight in a bottle of red wine, with a shallot halved, a big carrot and a rib of celery both chopped roughly, and a fat clove of garlic squashed. Make a herb bouquet with the peppercorns, a couple of bay leaves, two sprigs of rosemary and the orange peel tied in muslin, add to the bowl and leave overnight, covered, in the fridge.

Next day drain the marinade from the beef and reserve. Put 3 tbsp seasoned flour into a sealable bag. Dry the beef carefully and plop into the bag. Seal. Roll the meat around to coat in flour.

Preheat oven to 150°C. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a heavy frying pan and brown the meat all over. In a deep, lidded flameproof casserole layer the vegetables from the marinade with the browned beef. Carefully add the rest of the marinade and bury the herb bouquet in the middle. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove and then settle in the oven for about two hours or until the meat is tender, stirring once or twice.

INGREDIENTS

100g self raising flour t 50g shredded light sue d Salt and freshly groun black pepper juice of 1 orange sh tablespoon chopped fre herbs

After 1½ hrs make the dumplings:

METHOD

Bring all the ingredients together into a soft, light dough. Form into small balls, about eight. Add to stew for final 20 mins of cooking or simmer for 15 mins in boiling water.

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 18 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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Charity among the winners at gala dinner

THE family-run business L & F Jones held its 16th annual charity gala dinner in Bristol where staff, customers and suppliers were rewarded and more than £3,000 raised for charity.

L & F Jones Holdings, based at Westfield, near Midsomer Norton, are marking their 101st year and, with the business still being family owned and managed, they pride themselves on offering service and value to the local community.

Four Customer Awards were presented on the evening on the SS Great Britain in Bristol: CircleBath Hospital won the L & F Jones Special Recognition award; Sirona Care & Health won the L & F Jones Foodservice Caterer of the Year (non licensed) sector, the Old Station Inn Hallatrow won L & F Jones caterer of the year (licensed sector) and Hands Tea Rooms won the L & F Jones Special Recognition Award.

In the employee awards category, Clive Hobbs won the L & F Jones Foodservice outstanding achievement award. The Best Western Centurion Hotel Employee of the

FOOD & DRINK

(l:r): Simon Jones, Debbie Moore and Clare Hughes, both from CircleBath and Martin Jones, chairman of L & F Jones

year award went to Louise Greenwood.

Jones Convenience Stores held their Store Awards with Westfield winning first place and Wick and Portishead second and third respectively.

The evening, which was co-ordinated by Simon Jones, group managing director, and Trudi Nicholas, was a great success raising

more than £3,000 for the company’s nominated charity Time is Precious.

Simon said: “I have been extremely proud to organise this event for such a worthy cause in Time is Precious. I would like to congratulate all the winners and take this opportunity to thank our loyal employees and customers.”

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 19

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MENDIP TIMES

Sunday Lunch at Winford Manor Hotel

Foodbank launched

A FOODBANK to support families and individuals suffering hardship in the Midsomer Norton area will be launched officially on January 8th.

The co-ordinators of the Somer Valley Foodbank are appealing for volunteers to help them collect food from churches, schools and supermarkets, to help with warehouse sorting and stacking and distribution. A group of local churches, residents, community groups and councillors decided to establish the bank after a similar scheme was set up in Bath.

Details: www.stjsgroup.org/somer-valley-foodbank/

Locally-sourced and homemade to bring you THREE fabulous courses to choose from!

Old Hill, Winford, Bristol BS40 8DW. Tel: 01275 472292 reservations@winfordmanor.co.uk

More than just a coffee supplier . . .

Rob, Jane and all the team at Beans and Machines would like to thank all their customers for their support throughout the year and wish you all a . . .

Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

Looking to change how you serve your coffee in 2013? Then why not come and see us at our showroom to ‘test drive’ one of our espresso or bean to cup machines and taste our superb, freshly roasted coffee. t: 01761 418882 • m: 07753 283346 e: sales@beanandmachines.co.uk w: www.beanandmachine.co.uk Beans and Machines Limited, Unit 32, Old Mills Industrial Estate, Paulton, Bristol BS39 7SU PAGE 20 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

NEW WEEKDAY TEA DEAL £1 for a cup of tea and cup cake, 2.30pm-4.30pm Monday to Friday RESTAURANT AND FISH AND CHIPS TAKEAWAY 12noon to 2pm and 5pm-7pm CAFE OPEN 9am-5pm midweek Saturday 8.30am-7pm Sunday 8.30am-4pm for breakfasts and Sunday roasts

Function and conference rooms now available for parties, meetings and training

Traditional Fish and Chips, Sunday Roasts, Cream Teas and Ice Cream

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Young chefs shine

STUDENTS have been praised for their culinary skills after competing in a Masterchef-style cook-off in front of professional chefs.

The final of the Rotary Club of Frome’s Young Chef Competition, sponsored by Dairy Crest, the Scallop Shell and apetito was held in the Frome College Design and Technology Department.

Competitors were required to design and prepare a two course, healthy meal for two people for £10 with ethical and

Winning chef Jason Bullus with (l:r) Paul Jerram, Garry Rosser, Sarah Petroff (Curriculum Team Leader at the college) and Humphrey Barnes, chairman of the Rotary Club of Frome

FOOD & DRINK sustainable considerations.

A total of 70 students, aged 14-16, entered the competition and eight finalists progressed through the heats and semi-final.

The finalists were: Callum Fyall, Jason Bullus, Harry Hitchcock, Reece Martin, Oliver Snelgrove, Elliott Steven, Emily Facer and Kim Wiltshire.

Jason was the winner with his menu of local pan fried pigeon with a smokey bacon risotto with pan fried asparagus and a port dressing. His dessert was oozing chocolate fondant with seasonal mulled wine poached pear and vanilla cream. Elliot was second and third place went to Harry.

This year’s judges were professional chefs Paul Jerram, production manager at Trowbridge-based apetito, and Garry Rosser, of The Scallop Shell at Beckington.

Garry said: “The standard was simply amazing, these guys can really cook. They gave us a tough job and it was really hard to reach a decision. I am really looking forward to being part of this competition next year.” apetito supported the competition for the third year. Paul said: “It was so great to see so much talent and potential. Brilliant Chef’s of the future.”

Jason is now eligible to take part in the Rotary District final, which due to be held at King Alfred’s School, Highbridge in February and, if successful, could progress to the Regional and National finals. Jason said: “I was so proud to win as there were so many great cooks in the kitchen. I am really looking forward to training for the District Final.”

Nigel and Julie promise you a warm welcome Quality home-cooked food available Tuesday to Sunday

Wide range of wines, beers and ciders Family friendly – skittle alley available for functions

Join us for New Year’s Eve – fancy dress, disco and live music Open: 12noon - midnight seven days a week Food served 12noon-3pm and 6pm-9pm

The Ring O’Bells Inn, Wookey, Wells BA5 1JZ Tel: 01749 678079 • Email: ringobells@nigelbourne.com • www.ringobellswookey.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 21

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MENDIP TIMES THE MANOR HOUSE INN EAT • DRINK • SLEEP

JANUARY 2013 DATES

Wells: every Wednesday 9am-2.30pm Please note: Wells Market on Wednesday January 2nd has been cancelled

Friday 4th Wincanton Market has been cancelled All other markets 9am-1pm except where marked*

Saturday 5th Midsomer Norton & Axbridge Saturday 12th Frome & Keynsham Friday 18th Cheddar Saturday 19th Crewkerne Friday 25th Burnham-on-Sea Saturday 26th Glastonbury & Yeovil

ACOUSTIC NIGHT 10th January from 7.30pm onwards, Tickets £3 per person available from the Manor House Inn or on the door.

Due to the resounding success of our first night with Acoustic at the Manor, Aj Webber and friends will be continuing their monthly performance. Guests to be announced.

Somerset Farmers’ Markets

Tel: 01373 814646 www.somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk

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GARDEN FOOD

Poblano peppers

WELL, as of early December I am still picking peppers, thanks to a combination of an insulated greenhouse, an electric greenhouse heater to keep the frost off, and a relatively mild winter (so far).

This year I’ve grown two main types – a Peruvian type called aji dedo de mocha, With JAKE or ‘amputated fingers chilli’, which has WHITSON performed the best of all my peppers in 2012 and yields lots and lots of delicious, crinkled, smoky flavoured sweet peppers, perfect for eating green or red.

The other I’ve grown is the poblano (pictured here). The plants weren’t quite so vigorous as the aji, but I did still get a good crop of green peppers and a few red ones.

A traditional Mexican pepper, poblanos have a fair amount of heat and are usually sold and used green. However I really think it’s worth letting a few ripen all the way to cherry red, as once they reach this stage (it takes a while) they are seriously delicious. This is also the pepper which is dried to make the ancho chilli which is so important in many Mexican dishes.

The following recipe is for green pipián, a delicious and simple Mexican sauce which goes wonderfully with chicken or pork. You can substitute mild green chillis, or a mix of green chillis and green peppers, for the poblanos.

To make it first take a large handful of pumpkins seeds and toast them gently in a dry pan. Next under a very hot grill blacken 3 poblano peppers and 2 cloves of garlic, peel them both and deseed the peppers and add them to a blender along with a bunch of spring onions, a bunch of fresh coriander, about 5 romaine lettuce leaves, a handful of radish tops, and the toasted pumpkin seeds.

Blend, adding enough chicken stock to make a thick, soupy sauce.

Add a tablepoon of oil to a hot saucepan, and when smoking add the sauce and ‘fry’ it for a few minutes (don’t cook it any longer or it will lose its vibrant taste and colour) before adding pieces of cooked chicken and serving with steamed rice.

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

FOOD & DRINK

WILD FOOD

Rush in where others fear to tread

FOOLING around on the banks of rivers, rhynes, ditches, streams, brooks, lakes and ponds can test one’s balance as well as common sense.

But to find a starchy wild food in winter sometimes requires you to stand in water up to the top of your wellies, getting hands With ADRIAN down as deeply as you can and following a BOOTS stem, then heaving up a root from its usually quite muddy and stinky abode. I’m not sure I’m selling this too well.

Winter is a tricky time to find starchy foods. In fact starchy foods are difficult to find in the wild even at the best of times.

Reedmace or Bulrush provides much needed carbohydrates in winter and in huge quantity at that.

Be aware that you will need landowner permission as you will be uprooting the plant. Also look out for them in domestic ponds. If you don’t have one of your own try a friend’s, just ask first though otherwise you might be left wondering why you weren’t sent a Christmas card this year.

As a forager, what I love about this plant is the large erect maces or cat-tails waving in the wind giving away its location and the bounty below, making finding them that much easier.

They taste good too.

Great Reedmace or Bulrush (Typha latifolia) is a tall erect perennial grass up to 2.5m in height. The leaves are in two rows with the stem enclosed in leaves. The stem is completely round in cross section up to 4cm thick. Found in watercourse and damp, wet areas. Cut the young shoots in spring, pull up roots in winter. Technically it’s not a Bulrush at all, but it is now accepted as an alternative common name.

The roots contain high levels of starch which can be eaten raw, chopped into chunks, roasted or fried. It can also be baked dry to make flour. Try it in a stir-fry as a replacement for bamboo shoots. Be careful when eating the raw roots and stem as they will often be from very slow moving/still watercourses so it’s always best to peel off the outer layers and wash well in clean, fresh potable water before cooking to avoid any nasty water-borne trips to the loo.

And on that note I would like to wish you all very happy foraging for the New Year!

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 • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 23

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MENDIP TIMES

Images of peace

(l:r): Josie, Kathryn and Emily in front of their prize-winning entries

JUDGES have praised students from Frome College who entered their work into the annual Rotary Club of Frome photographic competition.

Professional photographers studied 100 entries before choosing 25 finalists, whose work was displayed at Rook Lane Chapel in the town. Each entrant had to submit three images on the same theme.

This year’s theme was Peace and Will Nicol, chairman of the judging panel, was full of praise for their interpretations. Will said: “The standard of entries this year has been brilliant. It is so very hard to capture a specific emotion in a photograph.”

Kathryn Orledge, 17, won first prize, with her photos. She said: “To me peace means tranquility, so I took images of natural, relaxing environments.”

Emily Clayton, 15, was second and Josie Massey, 16, was third.

Kathryn took first prize with her interpretations of Peace PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Community education for 2013

NEWS

VOLUNTEERS who run a community education programme in the Frome area have announced their workshops and courses for the coming months.

Frome Community Education is a Community Interest Company staffed by a small group of volunteers. It enables more than 40 tutors to run adult education classes at more than 20 venues across Frome.

The classes are for adults who want to learn for pleasure and personal fulfilment rather than to gain a certificate or qualification. FCE was established 18 months ago and more than 500 people have enrolled in its courses and workshops.

From February, FCE will be offering free classes in Gardening, Cooking on a Budget, Mindfulness, Writing for Wellbeing and a gentle exercise class, Healing Moves.

These will be available to those on benefits or low incomes or who are referred by their GP to help improve the quality of their lives and well-being.

FCE chair Sandy Usher said: “Our aim was to become a learning community which is embedded in the life of Frome. This is why it is important to us to run our classes at venues across Frome. We are putting something back into the economic life of the town by providing a new revenue stream for the venues.”

Many of the courses which started last term will take new students in the Spring term, including art, creative writing, computing, Dance Fusion Fitness, languages, T’ai Chi and yoga. There are both day and evening classes and some oneday workshops.

Cookery tutor Loo Murray will be leading the Cooking on a Budget classes

To book a course call the Cheese and Grain on 01373 455420. For more information, visit: www.fromecommed.org.uk Brochures are also available from the Library or in shops and cafes around Frome.

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tax

Just a small three-letter word.

Let’s keep it like that.

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MENDIP TIMES

New country store

SOUTHFIELD Sporting has opened its doors as the new destination shopping experience for country sports enthusiasts.

Located in North Somerset on a small rural estate, the shop is only a 40 minute drive from Bath and five minutes from Frome.

Seeing a gap in the market, young entrepreneurs Katrina Larson and Robert Lintott have created a new shopping experience which brings together both a gunshop that retails new and second hand rifles, shotguns, air rifles as well as a diverse range of clothing, footwear and accessories for both ladies, gentlemen, children and also a selection of gifts.

Having been brought up on a stalking estate on West Coast of Scotland, Katrina has had a great deal of experience with brands that are able to withstand the harshest of climates. Robert’s shooting experience has had a great influence in the brands of firearms and shotguns available in the gunroom.

A s pa c e o d y s s ey

Southfield Sporting Southfield House, Whatley, Frome, Somerset BA11 3JY email shop@southfieldsporting.co.uk www.southfieldsporting.co.uk Opening times: Wed 12noon–8pm, urs-Sat 10am–6pm • Closed Sun, Mon, Tues

01373 836339

DWARFED by 14,000 racked pallet spaces reaching ten metres high, some of the team behind a massive new distribution centre on the edge of Shepton Mallet take in the eerie, empty view.

By the end of January, this £5m 85,000 square foot distribution centre for Framptons Transport Services Ltd. will be fully operational. Pictured are: Roger Yeoman (left) and Gilly Walters from Framptons, with architect Fran Della Valle.

CAMELEY LODGE LAUNDRY

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

Tel 01761 451787

www.cameleylodgelaundry.co.uk PAGE 26 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2012

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BUSINESS

T h e L i g h t h o u s e : a b e a c o n fo r f a m i l y v a l u e s A FIVE-year project to transform a farm near Frome into The Lighthouse hotel, conference venue, wellbeing centre, retreat – and family home – has turned out “exactly the way we intended it to be”, says the couple behind the venture.

Simon and Janet Williams knew that the farm at Tytherington – set in 30 acres of parkland – was the ideal location for their Lighthouse project from the moment they set eyes on it. Their vision was to establish a centre promoting health and wellbeing which echoed their own lifestyle and family values, providing a peaceful, calming but welcoming atmosphere.

The couple also wanted to create an environment where complementary therapies could be offered or where guests could simply get away from the “rat race”.

Now, with the completion of a conference centre next door, The Lighthouse is ready to open its doors to

the wider community. The main conference hall can accommodate around 250 people; The Lighthouse itself boasts two rooms available for hire: the Coach House offers a dedicated meeting room for up to 24 people, whilst the Gable Room is available for small groups.

Simon is an accountant by profession and is financial director of The Lighthouse; Janet trained in psychotherapy and runs the complex on a day-to-day basis with the help of a team who are more like family than staff.

Part of the building is home to the Love in a Cup Tea House, a bright, airy café/restaurant serving gluten and dairy free food and drink. It is open to the public to enjoy and, in the summer, the outdoor swimming pool is also available.

Janet said: “The tea house is an intrinsic part of what we can offer the public in terms of information and education about health and wellbeing.”

Four star accommodation is provided in

Simon and Janet in the guests’ lounge

the converted stables – a garage has also been converted into a self-contained family apartment – and has proved a big hit with families visiting the area on holiday in the summer.

Simon added: “The Lighthouse is built on sustainable and ethically-sound principles. It is a fantastic place and we want to share it with people.”

The Lighthouse will be hosting a special event in mid-January for anyone interested in learning about the new conference facilities For more information, call: 01373 453585 or visit: www.lighthouse-uk.com

Brand NEW Conference event facilities The Lighthouse offers beautiful 4 star Bed & Breakfast Accommodation in the rolling Mendip countryside. Guests are welcome to enjoy our wide range of facilities:

We would like to welcome local businesses to our official Open Evening in mid January 2013, to launch the NEW Conference facilities.

With a wide range of venue and catering options, please contact Reception (01373 453585) or email: reception@lighthouse-uk.com to find out how we can help you create a tailor

Gluten and dairy free nutritional Teahouse

Choice of relaxing treatments

Family friendly accommodation

made event package for your business.

Stunning 30 acre parkland setting with fishing lake and woodland walks

The Lighthouse, Tytherington, Frome, BA11 5BW. Tel: 01373 453585 • www.lighthouse-uk.com MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 27

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MENDIP TIMES

Pippa’s new role

• Accounts preparation for sole traders, partnerships and small companies • Business taxation and self-assessment returns • Payroll services • Small business start-up advice • Free initial consultation

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BUSINESS

A SLIMMER who transformed her life by losing two stone is using her success to shape a whole new career helping other people change their lives for the better too. Pippa Westerman is pictured before and after she joined a nearby Slimming World group in Glastonbury six months ago, since when she has shed two stones and is feeling great.

Now, she has trained as a consultant for Slimming World, the UK’s leading slimming club, and members at the local Street group are getting ready to welcome Pippa as their new consultant when she takes over the group on January 2nd.

Pippa’s Slimming World group will be held at The British Legion, Farm Rd, Street every Wednesday at 5.30pm and 7.30pm. For more information or to join Pippa’s group either pop along on January 2nd or call her on 07825 300403.

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Telephone: 01761 452171 Fax: 01761 453342 PAGE 28 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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‘Excellent’ teaching, learning and pastoral care THE quality of teaching and pupils’ learning at King’s Bruton is excellent, according to the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). The pastoral care at King’s is also considered excellent. The glowing report follows an “outstanding” Ofsted report and last year’s best ever A Level results.

Headmaster, Ian Wilmshurst, said he was delighted with the report, adding: “The staff at King’s are providing a quality education for all pupils; I was particularly pleased that the inspectors acknowledged that our pupils work hard, aim high and look after each other.

“The lead inspector concluded her verbal feedback to me by saying, ‘Headmaster, you should be very proud of this school.’ I am.”

The report concludes that: • The quality of academic and other achievements is excellent. Pupils are very well educated in accordance with the school’s aims; they aim high

and achieve well, both in academic examinations and in the multiplicity of extra-curricular activities in which they are encouraged to participate.

• The personal development of pupils is excellent. Pupils are confident,

relaxed and articulate. The spiritual and emotional development of the pupils is supported by the school’s Christian ethos.

• The quality of boarding provision and care is excellent.

Open Morning February 2nd: please contact Camilla Oulton tel: 01749 814251 or email registrar@kingsbruton. com

PAGE 30 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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EDUCATION

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All Hallows’ celebrates most successful year ALL Hallows’ headmaster, Ian Murphy, is certainly not one to rest on his laurels.

Dynamic and forward-thinking, he is widely credited with taking the school from strength to strength over the past seven years, establishing it as one of the most highly regarded, and best, independent prep schools in the country.

All Hallows’ is certainly flying high currently with record pupil numbers and the highest percentage of pupils ever achieving awards to senior schools at the end of the recent summer term. Mr Murphy attributes this success to the holistic view the school takes in relation to children’s personal development.

He said: “At the heart of All Hallows’ success is a vision aimed at nurturing each individual and developing the ‘whole child’ through cutting edge education, academic excellence and rich and varied experiences, underpinned by the unswerving certainty that Christian values are paramount, being reflected in the lives of the whole school community.”

Critical to this success are the myriad opportunities that children at All Hallows’

experience. In addition to the innovative and successful academic strategies, children enjoy a host of sporting activities (including a Tennis Academy with the LTA Clubmark for excellence), musical

opportunities, speech and drama, forest school which offers a fresh approach to learning, a full and varied Saturday enrichment programme and an innovative programme of off-site visits.

Important first steps

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.

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.

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PAGE 32 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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Busy year in prospect for Sidcot

THE coming year promises to be an exciting year for Sidcot School Community Arts Centre with a varied programme of events scheduled throughout the year.

The Arts Centre provides a vibrant and local resource for the community where a range of arts are offered for everyone to get involved with including visual arts, performing arts and a host of activities.

The new programme begins on Saturday January 5th with their monthly children’s activity morning. Other events during the year include a drop-in art workshop for adults, life drawing classes, ladies’ choir, printmaking courses and a Smart phone photography course.

They will be holding a number of open lectures in the New Year, as well as a range of productions and musical events.

There will also be a number of exhibitions taking place over the year to which members of the local community are warmly welcomed.

The first of these will be their ‘Open Submission Art Exhibition’ showcasing the creative talents of artists from across the South West. The exhibition will run from Saturday January 12th until Saturday February 9th, and will be open to the public between the hours of 10am – 4pm on Saturdays, 2pm-7pm on Tuesdays and 2pm-6pm on Thursdays.

Details of all of events and activities can now be viewed online at www.sidcot.org.uk (Community Activities), and will

EDUCATION

be regularly updated during the year so be sure to visit regularly to receive the very latest news.

Alternatively you might consider joining their mailing list.

Contact Emma Davis (Community Events Manager) on 01934 845299 or email emma.davis@sidcot.org.uk for more information.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 33

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New Year resolutions

WITH the New Year upon us, resolutions are being made left, right and centre across the country, but how many are actually kept? There’s often a list which goes along the lines of “get fit, go to the gym, give up smoking, eat less chocolate, find a job, change job, learn something new”.

Well at Norton Radstock College, there’s a wide range of opportunities and support for careers, training and jobsearch, whatever your circumstances.

If you’re unemployed, the PHASES programme provides weekly drop-in workshops in Radstock, Bath, Keynsham and Frome for help with things like jobsearch, CV writing, employability skills and interview techniques. There are also a range of courses and qualifications suitable for jobseekers including, CSCS card training, working in care, office skills and IT, which are all free of charge without affecting your benefits.

There’s training suitable if you are looking for a career change or wanting to set up your own business, training suitable for small businesses to train employees, including apprenticeships for which a £1,500 grant is available.

For those leaving school next summer, now is the time to apply for full-time courses, from Level 2 and 3 vocational training to HNC and HND qualifications. And for those of you on a New Year health kick, there’s even a 10-week women’s running club starting on Thursday January 10th, 6.30pm-7.30pm.

Welcome to Weston

Steven Berkoff with Weston College Performing Arts students

ACCLAIMED actor, playwright and director, Steven Berkoff, opened Weston College’s £1million refurbished Wessex Academy of Performing Arts and cut the ribbon at a theatre named after him.

Berkoff, 75, said: “The students demonstrated inimitable talent. They’ve been terrific and I was very warmed by such a joyful welcome.”

Weston College’s new facilities for performing arts students at Foundation Degree level now include six theatre studios, music studios and quiet rooms.

The foundation for education RESEARCH has shown that good quality pre-school education helps children’s development. At Blagdon Preschool they think that means providing an environment that really stimulates young children’s natural curiosity.

From the moment a child walks in through the doors of Blagdon Pre-school they want them to feel that it is their preschool. They believe that children should have time and space to make discoveries and decisions and in turn that helps them shape the curriculum that they deliver.

They do this by having

I Children accepted from 21/2 years I Funding available to assist all children over 3 years of age I Fully qualified staff with high adult to child ratios I Varied curriculum with child initiated activities I Open term time: Mon, Tues, Wed and Fri 9am–3pm and Thurs 9am–1pm

PAGE 34 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

EDUCATION

quality spaces in which learning is inspirational and motivational. Their creative area is set up to trigger the children to think and then want to make and design things themselves.

The children are encouraged to ask questions about why and how things happen.

The Pre-school is led and managed by Rachael Small. All their staff are qualified with over 40 years of experience between them and yet they are all keen learners too. As skilled Early Years Practitioners they direct and influence the children’s development in a way that allows them to be partners in their learning.

As adults they will support the children to explore, experiment and investigate and come up with their own questions. Through the development of heuristic play the children are encouraged to think and problem solve. They also offer a Stay and Play group in Blagdon Cricket Pavilion on Monday mornings from 9am.

This provides a great opportunity for families to come together and for children to play.

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HISTORY

Backing their bid

THOUSANDS of people have put their names to a £1.7m bid to transform the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury.

Schoolchildren and adults – including celebrity archaeologist Mick Aston – have signed banners backing the redevelopment.

Somerset Heritage Service, part of Somerset County Council, runs the site and is in the process of applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund and other external funders to redevelop the museum. The HLF has already approved outline plans for the project.

A team is now working on detailed plans which have to be submitted to the HLF in January. These will firm up details of space and gallery layouts, visitor routes and the stories that will be told in the new museum. This is being shaped by consultation with partners, stakeholders and visitors.

The Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury is one of the county’s most

Children from Brookside School in Street with their completed banner

Wassail celebrations

THIS year’s wassail celebrations at the Rural Life Museum take place on Saturday, January 19th.

Its Somerset Wassail Evening is open to all ages. Pre-booking is necessary. As well as the traditional wassail, there’ll be music and a barn dance with local band Rapscallion.

Seasonal refreshments included.

PAGE 36 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Pupils from St Benedict’s School in Glastonbury sign one of the banners

popular visitor attractions, welcoming more than 30,000 people of all ages from across the UK every year. It is especially popular with school groups and families.

At its heart is the 14th Century Abbey Barn, which is a Grade I Listed Building and Scheduled Ancient Monument; it is one of only four surviving barns which belonged to Glastonbury Abbey.

Amongst the proposals are: • Maintain the Abbey Barn in its present state, but improve its setting to make it more accessible and more suitable for activities and events • Create a dedicated indoor learning and activities space • Create more exhibition space in the farmhouse by opening up more areas on the ground and first floor • Improve visitor facilities through the creation of a new visitor welcome area, shop, café and toilets • Provide more ways for the local community to be involved in the museum, including through a range of volunteering and learning opportunities, and by holding more activities and events, including outside of normal museum opening hours

Mick Aston with staff from Somerset County Council’s Heritage team and friends of the museum

Leah Whiting, a spokeswoman for the heritage service, said: “The museum has not undergone major redevelopment since its creation in the 1970s. Forty years on, and the site, museum displays and visitor facilities are becoming increasingly outdated and in need of improvement.

“First and foremost, we want the museum to continue to tell the rich story of Somerset’s rural and social history. We also want to improve physical and intellectual access to the museum and its collections, provide a dedicated space for learning and community activities, and improve our visitor facilities.

“The Somerset Rural Life Museum has a special charm which we do not want to lose. Our redevelopment plans will be sympathetic to the existing fabric of the site and will build on what people tell us is important to them about the museum.

“A key message emerging from our consultation is that visitors greatly value the richness and extent of the objects on display, and the range of stories that we tell in the galleries. They have asked for more stories of Somerset’s rural history and a wider range of interpretation to meet the needs of different audiences.”

As well as the banners, the heritage service has have now created an online tool for people to sign. Visit: www.somerset.gov.uk/backthebid

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Schools win health awards

ST JOHN’S Primary School in Midsomer Norton and Peasedown St John Primary School have taken a major step towards achieving prestigious Director of Public Health Awards for their work to support the wellbeing of their pupils.

The schools are among the first in Bath and North East Somerset to be awarded the Healthy Schools Certificate by NHS B&NES and the council. This new award was developed locally and was launched in April this year. It recognises and rewards work carried out by schools, early years centres and further education colleges.

St John’s achieved the certificate by reviewing all of its healthrelated work and setting new targets. The pupils demonstrated current successes by producing a film about the school’s new spiritual garden which they helped to design.

At Peasedown, the children demonstrated current successes by producing a review of how their dining experience has improved recently. The school’s Rumbling Tum dining room has cheerful tablecloths and a well-run feel, including the volunteer Year 5 “Bistro Buddies” who “make the dining experience much nicer for everyone”.

Paul Scott, Acting Director of Public Health for B&NES, who chairs the awarding body, said: “St John’s commitment to health and wellbeing is obvious and, as a flagship Food for Life partnership school, we were particularly impressed by the whole school approach to food.”

He added: “Peasedown’s commitment to health and wellbeing is obvious and we were particularly impressed by the way in which children have been involved in improving lunchtimes. Having the Bistro Buddies is a great idea!”

Councillor Dine Romero, B&NES Cabinet Member for Early Years, Children and Youth, said: “Everyone at St John’s Primary School and Peasedown St. John have done so well in winning their Healthy Schools Certificates, and we hope their continuous efforts to improve will inspire others to follow suit.

“B&NES supports schools working towards the Director of Public Health Award as a mechanism for school improvement through tackling key health issues and reducing inequalities.”

The schools can now focus on obtaining the Healthy Outcomes Certificate. To gain this they have to show how they have improved the health and wellbeing of their pupils. Once they have achieved both certificates, they will qualify for the Director of Public Health Award.

Rural Oscars nominations

THE community-run village shop and café in Mells has been selected as a regional finalist in a prestigious national competition to celebrate countryside champions.

The Countryside Alliance’s Rural Oscars are broad in scope, highly coveted and a great morale boost to those in the running.

The overall champions will be announced at a grand final at the Houses of Parliament in early 2013.

Volunteers who support the shop were praised at a thank you party at Mells Manor.

Volunteers Janet Seviour, Rosemary Casemore and Ann Ashman raised £464 towards shop funds by running a stall and a raffle for the Christmas at Mells Barn shopping event.

As well as helping behind the counter in the Shop and serving in the Café, residents of Mells and the surrounding villages – ranging in age from 15 to 75 – help with gifts and supplies, maintenance and decoration, fund raising, gardening and window dressing.

President visits survival box charity

NEWS

JOHN Minhinick, President of Rotary International in Britain and Ireland, has paid an official visit to the offices of Worldwaterworks Limited, home of the Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge’s Water-Survival Box project.

His visit to the centre in Westfield coincided with a packing session involving trustees of the registered charity and other members of the club.

During the visit, Mr Minhinick was given a detailed briefing on the project by club chairman Tony Quinn and then helped to pack boxes that will be sent to the next disaster which could happen anywhere in the world.

The project arose from the 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean and contains a water purification pack to provide Rotary president John Minhinick (left) with clean Tony Quinn, chairman of Worldwaterworks drinking and Hugo Pike, Director of Operations water and a range of essential survival items. These include utensils for feeding and drinking, health and hygiene items, basic shelter and simple tools, various household items. The preferred method of delivery is by air freight so that the boxes can be distributed to the survivors of disaster within days rather than the weeks or months taken before.

Worldwaterworks Limited is managed by seven senior members of the rotary club who are also trustees of the registered charity. Since 2008, the Water-Survival Box project has been one of the “Opportunities to Serve” schemes approved for all rotary clubs throughout Britain and Ireland.

Mendip seeks directors

MENDIP District Council is looking for directors for its new notfor-profit lettings agency, due to be launched as a social enterprise in the New Year.

The lettings agency, which will be run independently from the council, will tackle homelessness and help vulnerable people secure long-term accommodation within the local area.

It will guarantee local landlords their rent and aims to help find housing for vulnerable people, many of whom are on benefits and often unable to find rental properties through commercial lettings agents.

As well as supporting people in housing need, it is hoped that the agency will reduce the costs the council has to meet to keep people in temporary accommodation. The council is now looking to recruit three non-executive directors to the board.

The directors will guide the direction of the agency and will play a particularly important role in helping the company to become established.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 37

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Village celebrates in style

STOWEY Sutton Social Club celebrated its 40th anniversary, with a glittering black tie event, all organised by volunteers. It was originally the Red Lion social club, but has expanded with the village and there’s now a waiting list for people wanting to attend the annual dinner and dance, which raises funds for village organisations.

It was a special night for Rosemary Wookey – this was her 39th year in charge of the kitchen. Chairman Delvin Dowling said: “It’s been a real success in bringing the village together.”

Pictured (l to r): Committee members Delvin Dowling, Rosemary Wookey, Teresa Dowling, Anna Watts, Jane Rapps, John Rapps and Rowan Tanner.

Rosemary in action

PAGE 38 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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Getting festive in Cheddar village and gorge

CHRISTMAS EVENTS

CHEDDAR Festive Night was voted a winner, with far more stalls and entertainers than ever before, stretching from the village centre right the way up through the gorge.

The event was organised by Cheddar Parish Council and the newly re-launched Cheddar Traders’ Association.

Potter Ella Phillips and her father, retired village blacksmith Peter

Staff and customers taking a break at the Sitting Room

Some of the pupils from Kings of Wessex taking part in Rotary's Big Pitch business scheme

Lucinda Simeone (left) and Laura Fineran, Tuckers Restaurant The Rotary Club of Mendip kept the chill at bay

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 39

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A look at the year ahead!

IT’S an honour and a pleasure to be taking over the Yeo Valley Mendip Times column from this month.

Firstly let me introduce myself; I’m

By TOM DE Tom de Pass and I’ve PASS taken up the role of Head of Communications and Events at Yeo Valley. As a foodie and having worked at organic food and farming charity the Soil Association, I’d always known about Yeo Valley and been a huge admirer. So when I saw this Somerset family business was looking for a communications expert I pulled out all the stops to get the job.

My role here is to help spread the word about the many good things Yeo Valley does over and above what it’s best known for; making yogurt. The Yeo Valley Organic Garden is a great example.

Our garden is the only ornamental garden to be certified organic by The Soil Association. It’s the work of Sarah Mead (wife of Tim, our Managing Director), and her hard-working team who have

spent the last 19 years turning six and a half acres into a highly personal, contemporary and imaginative garden.

The garden also has its own Tea Room where visitors can enjoy a lunch of locally-sourced meat, fruit and veg grown in the garden or tea with a slice of homemade cake. Please see the box below for information about our visiting times.

In 2012 our garden played host to some of Britain’s best loved gardeners for a series of special one off events. This year we will be welcoming back some familiar faces as well as a host of new experts who will be sharing their tips and tricks.

• Sarah Raven, on the 18th & 19th March ‘The Cutting Garden’ & ‘Grow, Cook, Eat’ • Kim Wilke, on the 26th April ‘Led by the Land’ • James Cox, on the 10th May ‘Slugs, Bugs, Trugs and a Pug’ • Cleve West, on the 21st June ‘Chelsea and Back Again • Bunny Guinness, on the 13th September

YEO VALLEY ‘Beautiful Food, Beautiful Gardens’ • Mark Diacono, on the 4th October ‘The New Kitchen Garden’ All proceeds from these events will go towards the Horatio’s Garden Appeal.

Horatio’s Garden is a place of tranquillity and beauty for spinal cord injury patients at the Duke of Cornwall treatment centre in Salisbury. The centre is a specialist centre for patients living in the South and South West.

As well as a beautiful outdoor space in which to relax Horatio’s Garden also has a working area for patients to use as part of their rehabilitation. A bespoke greenhouse is fitted with staging built to wheelchair height and there are raised beds and a workstation where patients can grow flowers, vegetables and herbs.

It is a fantastic cause and we are very excited to be working with the SSIT Team once again.

So if your New Year’s resolution is to be more green-fingered visit www.ssit.org.uk or call 07935 054622 to book your tickets or join us at one of our Yeo Valley Organic Garden open days.

We hope to see you in the spring!

Visiting the Yeo Valley Organic Garden in 2013 WE will be open to the public Thursdays and Fridays 10am – 5pm, from Thursday 25th April until Friday 25th October. On these open days lunch will be served in our Tea Room between 12pm and 2pm and coffee and cake will be available all day.

We will also be open on the first Sunday of every month during the season from 10am – 5pm. Our Tea Room will be open serving brunch, lunch, and light refreshments so if you are visiting the garden why not pop in. Entrance to the garden costs £5 per person.

If your organisation or garden group would like to find out more about the story of our organic garden we also provide private tours for groups of 15 or more. For more information about the packages we have to offer please contact the team on gardens@yeovalley.co.uk or 01761 461650.

Tom de Pass is head of communications and events 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 PAGE 40 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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WILDLIFE

KEEP a watch out for a special winter visitor in January, the waxwing.

A good number of these stunning birds have left their

By CHRIS Scandinavian SPERRING breeding grounds, as MBE berries have failed in the Nordic countries. The onslaught of winter has pushed them down across the UK and there are increasing reports of them turning up here in the West Country.

The Bohemian Waxwing gets the first part of its name because of its nature of roaming around in the winter looking for food. The waxwing part comes from the fact that it has red tips to some of the wing feathers where the shafts that protect the feather extend toward the barb; these tips look like old fashioned sealing wax.

It is around the same size as the European Starling, of stout build with small legs and a beautiful light pink back.

On top of its head is a very distinctive crest, which is raised when perched and there is also a characteristic black bib and

eye stripe. The front is more light grey in colour and the short, dark grey tail ends with a band of yellow, which is repeated on the folded wing edge.

In the breeding season it feeds on insects, particularly small flying insects, and as the autumn progresses it turns to berries. When the berry crop in Scandinavia fails or is low, it begins moving to more southern countries looking for food. They are often seen in more northern and eastern parts of the UK, but are more unusual further south and west unless there is a berry shortage that forces them our way.

This year seems to be a particularly bad berry year in Scandinavia so we are seeing lots of waxwings here in the UK this winter. The first arrivals appeared on the eastern coast of England and in Scotland, in flocks ranging from three to well over 100 in number, but as the UK berry crop has largely failed too (due to the summer that never was) they have been forced to move inland and are now turning up here.

Their favoured berries are hawthorn, rose, cotoneaster and, their particular favourite, rowan. In 2010, I came across waxwings on Stronsay (one of the

Photography by Chris Sperring

Some special winter visitors

Orkney Islands) where they are regular winter visitors. Here, the islanders have really taken this bird to their hearts and supply them with apples and other fruit throughout the winter months because there is a natural shortage of berries on the island due to the lack of trees and shrubs.

They are such stunning little birds that groups of waxwings are often accompanied by groups of birdwatchers and photographers and news quickly spreads when they are around. They turn up in some unlikely places too; supermarket car parks and petrol station forecourts seem to be regular hot spots, probably due to the planners preferring native species of shrub like rowan for landscaping.

Many people who encounter waxwings comment about just how bold they are, they show little or no fear of humans, so can be easily observed and enjoyed. It is really worth putting fruit in your garden this winter for all the fruit feeding birds like blackbirds and other thrushes, because berries are in short supply and it would really help them – you never know you may even get an extra special visitor!

Chris Sperring is Conservation Officer for the Hawk and Owl Trust Contact him on 01275 849287 or via chris.sperring@btinternet.com

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 41

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Awesome Avebury

A MAGICAL day trip out of the immediate Mendip area back into Neolithic times to enjoy one of my alltime favourite walks at Avebury, Wiltshire. It draws together some of the amazing Neolithic monuments of Avebury and the Sanctuary and strides out on the exhilarating Wiltshire Downs studded with tumuli. Go into a huge long barrow and pass awesome Silbury Hill. Walking is easy and on good tracks with one steady hill up to the Ridgeway and another if you choose to take the quick detour to visit West Kennet Long Barrow.

The walk takes you through Avebury to see several of the sights. There is a cafe

With Sue Gearing PAGE 42 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

and pub in Avebury as well. Either start in Avebury, or at the free parking at the Sanctuary half way round, and enjoy Avebury in the middle. There are two or three stiles so a great doggy day out too. It can be cold and exposed on the downs so go well wrapped up!

PARK: NT Avebury car park (free for members) £5 parking all day nonmembers. Or park at the parking area (free for all) for Overton Hill and the Sanctuary at Overton Hill along the A4 Calne-Marlborough road about 1.5 miles south of Avebury (then follow directions from ‘Overton Hill’).

START: Go out the back right corner of the car park following signs to the Stone Circles and Manor. Pass an information board and continue to the village. Go left and then turn right to St. James’ church and take the path to the left of the church along the thatched top wall. It leads to beautiful Avebury Manor and gardens and the fascinating Alexander Keiller Museum. Opposite the Museum entrance, go right through metal gates to the barn, tearooms and beautiful round stone dovecot. Go through, passing a museum, shop and tearooms and out the other side.

1. STONE CIRCLE Go up steps to part of the Stone Circles.

Follow the circle round to reach a paved path alongside the main road. Turn right parallel with the road on your left.

Continue on back to the village and the Red Lion. Cross the road opposite the pub, go through a gate and pass more of the ancient stones. Don’t go out to the road but carry on to steps up on to the henge bank. Turn left and follow this round with the ditch on your left until you drop down to a small side lane.

2. LANE Turn right and continue to Manor Farm on the right. Go past it and immediately take the right track. Follow this along and then up for about a mile to a junction with the Wessex Ridgeway.

3. RIDGEWAY Turn right and before long this wide track takes you down to a parking area at Overton Hill and the Sanctuary just before the main road.

4. OVERTON HILL This is the alternative start to this walk.

Here you can see the Overton Hill Barrows. There is a useful information board about the history of the Barrows.

Cross to the Sanctuary where concrete stones mark the site of former stone and wood circles dating back to 2,500 BC. Go down the byway at the side, passing a tumulus and gradually drop downhill towards the village of East Kennett.

Ignore a path on the right. Just maintain direction, crossing a bridge over the Kennett stream and into East Kennett.

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WALKING

5. EAST KENNETT Pass the glorious manor house and reach a junction. Keep on for a few more yards and take a public footpath on the right alongside a capped wall which takes you across to another road. Turn right still in the village. Take the No Through road on the left by the Old Vicarage and go on past the church.

6. CHURCH Standing on the site of an earlier church, it was rebuilt in 1863 of chequered ashlar and knapped flint in Early English style and contains some of the earlier church monuments. Follow the bridleway bending round through a farm, on through a gate and bend right. When you reach a staggered crossroads of tracks, turn right between hedges dropping down. There may be a little mud along here. At the next junction with a track turn left. Ignore a path immediately on the right. Rise very slightly and then flatten out.

7. FARM BARNS Continue to farm barns. Turn right on the Tarmac farm lane just past the barn and

5.6 miles, max 3 hours walking but allow plenty of time to explore OS Explorer 157, Marlborough and Savernake Forest, grid ref: 099 696

follow this down. Reach a crossing path just before a bridge and turn left. Ahead start to see the huge mound of Silbury Hill. Cross a stile and continue on. Up left is the hill with West Kennett Long Barrow. At a large oak where you join a track you can turn left uphill if you want to visit, and go in, this huge barrow.

8. LONG BARROW This is one of the largest, most impressive, most accessible and wellpreserved Neolithic chambered tombs in Britain. Built in around 3650 BC, it was used for a short time as a burial chamber, nearly 50 people being buried here before the chambers were blocked. Part of the Avebury World Heritage Site, you can

enter part of it by going behind the huge entrance stone. There are wonderful views from on top. The clumps of trees on the downs seemed to me to look like gigantic bison striding across the country.

Return to the foot of the hill and follow the track out to the main road.

9. MAIN ROAD Go left a few yards and then right on the public footpath to Avebury. Over on the left is impressive Silbury Hill, 131 ft high, part of the complex of Neolithic monuments around Avebury. It is the tallest prehistoric human-made mound in Europe and one of the largest in the world, similar in size to some of the smaller Egyptian pyramids. Its original purpose, however, is still highly debated.

It is off limits to the public.

According to legend, Silbury is the last resting place of a King Sil, represented in a lifesize gold statue and sitting on a golden horse. A local legend noted in 1913 has it that the Devil was carrying a bag of soil to drop on the citizens of Marlborough, but he was stopped by the priests of nearby Avebury.

The path goes alongside the Kennett through gates and over a couple of stiles all the way to the main road.

Go right a few yards and then left into the NT Avebury car park.

The Red Lion, Avebury, tel: 01672 539266 MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 43

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MENDIP TIMES

The birth of mankind and Mendip – a personal view f

With LES DAVIES MBE

THE birth of a hill and its development into the landscape we know as the Mendip H now (but not quite that long), and with its telling to both young and old, I hope that that spans some 416 million years in the distance of just over 40 metres of Mendip d This one-metre rule represents 10 million years in my story.

10

Around 416 million years ago in the Devonian period, the world had not yet settled down and the British Isles were somewhere south of the equator. During this time sandy deposits were being washed from a large mountain range and spread across massive flood plains. This would become the Devonian red sandstone that now appears in four places across Mendip. The most noticeable of these being Black Down.

Mendip only rose from the depths a few million years ago and the Ice Age began just over 2.5 million years ago.

This was a time of freeze and thaw that shaped the landscape we know today, as melt-water scoured out gorge and valley.

By the end of the last ice age, around 10,000 years ago, Cheddar Gorge was completed.

PAGE 44 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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30

Some 350 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, the sea had risen, and being full of sediment, took a little while to clear. This sediment became the limestone shale that can be seen as you walk up West Twin Swallet in Burrington Coombe, it’s very thin and crumbly. The water finally clears and as millions upon millions of tiny sea creatures die, they sink to the ocean floor and become pressed into the silt that is now our Black Rock limestone. It is at this stage of the planet’s evolution that our oil reserves were being laid down by incredibly high pressure exerted on these fossil remains. Coal reserves are laid down later in this period and are the result of river deltas that have become afforested and subsequently drowned. Again very high geological forces pressed them into the seams of coal that now contain some amazingly well preserved fossils.

70

At the end of the Carboniferous period, around 299 million years ago, there is a collision between the moving landmasses and a series of mountain building begins in the Permian period. This is the birth of a hill, as the resulting collision tilts the rock layer up at the high angles clearly seen today in both Cheddar Gorge and Burrington Coombe. At this stage the lower formations of rock, including the Devonian red sandstone, are exposed just as if a layer cake had been heaved up and split open. Mendip is now a mountain range.

The next major change to our landscape would not start until about 7,000 years ago when humans started farming. This was to change our lives and the way we used the land forever as animals were domesticated and crops grown for food.

80

Have the very best New Year you have ever had

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OUTDOORS

w from our man on the hills

ip Hills has been millions of years in the making. I have been telling this story for a long time hat the importance of our landscape can be understood and appreciated. Here then is my time-line ip dry stone wall at the Yeo Valley Wills Barn.

0

40

Climate change now starts to make itself felt as very hot, dry conditions prevail. This is the Triassic period around 250 million years ago, when everything is a hot dry desert, apart from a couple of months in the rainy season. During this season, violent rainstorms cause rivers to form that cut their way through the sides of this Mendip mountain range like drainage channels. One of these “Wadis” or dried up riverbeds, is Burrington Coombe. It must have been a terrifying sight to behold when it was in full flood. At the end of this period some of the early dinosaurs are starting to appear.

0

50

Another massive change occurs as the sea levels rise and drown the Mendip Hills. Mendip is now a series of tiny islands poking out of the water. The Jurassic period has arrived and we are around about 200 million years ago.

More and more limestone deposits are being laid on the ocean floor. Mendip will not rise from the deep for several millions of years to come.

60

This is the Cretaceous period 145 million years ago, when the earth is ruled by dinosaurs. The most powerful and terrifying of them all, Tyrannosaurus Rex, evolves to be the top predator. It is a time of great change and at the end of this period, some 65 million years back, disaster strikes. The Earth is hit by an asteroid with a destructive power estimated to be more than 10 billion times greater than the Hiroshima nuclear blast. Some 65% of life on the planet is wiped out and the earth will take millions of years to recover. But there are survivors, though the dinosaurs will never return and their place will be taken by the mammals, who will rule this planet in the future.

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The earliest human remains found in Britain are from around the period of half a million ago. Our ancestors were in what we now know as the continent about 40,000 years back, long before the sea levels rose to make us the island we are today. From those early beginnings of agriculture about 7,000 years ago, we humans have dominated and manipulated this planet for our needs. Farming released us from the daily need to find our own food and allowed us to develop our civilisations and trade. Today we cover more and more of the land with concrete and tarmac, we build on the flood plains and take up more and more good agricultural land for development every year – perhaps we need to stop and think a little; after all we have only been here for a few millimetres in a story that began over 40 metres ago. had and let’s all hope for a better year in 2013.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 45

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MENDIP TIMES

Water, water, everywhere . . .

AS we enter a New Year gardeners everywhere will be reflecting on the deluge that was 2012.

After a dry early spring, when hosepipe With MARY bans were imminent, PAYNE MBE who could have predicted what was to come?

It’s been a disastrous year for gardeners, but a fantastic year for plants. No shortage of water has led to amazing growth rates and excellent establishment of young plants and trees, providing they were not standing in water all summer.

So what effect will the floods of 2012 have on our gardens in 2013? As Arthur Fallowfield used to say: “The answer lies in the soil.” Those of you who garden on well-drained soils should see little aftereffects but for those on heavy, poorly drained, clay soils I fear the news is not so good.

Plants that are not used to growing in very wet conditions may appear to have survived the summer, but may not be able to tolerate the same conditions during the cold winter months, and may not survive.

Plants from the Mediterranean regions, such as lavender, cotton lavender and sun roses (Cistus) that are well adapted to tolerate summer drought may be hardest hit. Waterlogging in summer, when plants are growing rapidly and the roots have a high demand for oxygen, can be more damaging than winter flooding when the roots are less active.

Short-lived flash floods rarely cause any permanent damage to plants, but when plants are waterlogged for prolonged periods the roots are literally starved of oxygen. This is required for respiration and therefore growth. Also the carbon dioxide, released during respiration, cannot escape from the soil as all the pore spaces are full of water.

A few plants are well adapted to grow in waterlogged conditions, notably the Black Mangrove and the Swamp Cypress (Taxodium distichum), a hardy deciduous conifer, popular for its russet foliage in autumn. These plants develop pneumatophores, specialised root-like structures, which stick up out of the soil like straws for breathing.

So what symptoms can we expect on plants next spring that have been affected by the recent conditions? New leaves in spring may appear yellow, while those on PAGE 46 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

evergreens may go brown. The cause of this will be that the roots have died and therefore cannot take up nutrients. Indeed the leaves may wilt, appearing to be short of water, but the roots cannot take it up.

The roots of affected plants may appear black, instead of a healthy whitish colour, and the outer surface of the roots may peel way. These roots are dead.

Shoots of woody plants may exhibit dieback as the roots cannot supply sufficient water, while herbaceous perennials may start to grow away in spring but then die as the plants stop relying on stored materials and need to rely on water and nutrient absorption through their roots.

What can we do to help?

• Keep off your soil until conditions have improved. If the soil sticks to your boots – keep off it.

• Prune out damaged shoots from affected plants.

• Apply a balanced fertiliser in the spring as the soluble nutrients in the soil will have been washed away.

• Exercise caution if your vegetable garden has been affected by contaminated flood water and you still have root vegetables in the ground.

If your garden is prone to waterlogging is there anything you can do to help?

• Improve your soil structure, especially if you have a clay soil. Yearly applications of organic matter will pay dividends and gradually open up the soil which will improve the drainage.

• Consider planting trees and shrubs on a slight mound • Grow vegetables in raised beds • Choose permeable surfaces for drives so the water soaks in instead of running off

and causing flooding somewhere else.

• When digging holes for new plants avoid creating a sump. Use a fork so that the sides of the hole are not smeared smooth.

• Plant bulbs on a handful of grit, so that the base does not sit in water.

• Ensure that plants in containers are lifted clear of puddles and floods, so that they can drain freely. Use bricks or “feet”.

• Choose plants that are suited to wet sites.

Plants for wet sites When considering a hedge opt for hornbeam rather than beech as it is more tolerant of wet sites. My choice of trees would include River Birch (Betula nigra).

This is a beautiful tree with shaggy peeling bark and yellow autumnal tints.

The golden leaved grey alder (Alnus incana ‘Aurea’) has golden suffused leaves in summer with orange winter twigs bedecked with orange catkins. Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) is noted for its striking autumn colours.

Shrubs such as the dogwoods are ideal and coloured stemmed willows, hard pruned every year make an excellent winter feature. Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus), a native hedgerow plant gives bright red berries and good foliage colours in autumn. There is an abundance of herbaceous perennials tolerant of these conditions usually referred to as bog or marginal plants and these can stand extended periods of flooding but may suffer if we get a dry summer.

A Happy New Year to all gardeners and may 2013 send us gentle rain by night and warm sunny days. Have you remembered to cut the old leaves off your hellebores?

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JANUARY GARDEN TIPS

GARDENING

G Apply a general fertiliser to all borders. Growmore, Vitax Q4, bonemeal or blood, fish and bone are all good.

G Gather up and burn diseased leaves from under roses and fruit. This will help to limit the carry-over of disease from one season to the next.

G Check tree ties and stakes. Adjust those that are too tight and tighten those that are not! Make sure the top tie is near to the top of the stake so that it prevents the tree rubbing.

G Plant when the weather is mild and when the soil is not wet, sticky or frozen hard. Improve the planting area with well-rotted compost or manure.

G Protect from deer and rabbits where damage is likely. The product ‘Grazers’ should do this for you. Keep plants weed free and mulch well.

G After frost, check around shrubs and roses for signs of soil upheaval and wind-rock. Firm the soil back down with your feet.

G Root hardwood cuttings this month. Always choose healthy shoots as cuttings. Easy ones to root include Forsythia, Escallonia, Ribes, Cornus and Salix.

G Trim Virginia Creeper, Boston Ivy, rambling roses and other climbers away from windows, gutters and eaves.

G Inspect leylandii hedges closely for aphids. This is a newish pest and leads to dead patches if not controlled with a pesticide now.

Courtesy Cleeve Nursery

Seed Potatoes and Onion Sets available in January (subject to weather!)

We re-open on Wednesday 2nd January

Cleeve Nursery for great plants Tel: 01934 832134

CLEEVE NURSERY & GARDEN CENTRE Main A370, Cleeve, Bristol BS49 4PW

www.cleevenursery.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 47

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GARDENING

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Mendip Times is available from over 800 outlets across the Mendips from superstores to village stores and post offices, farm shops, supermarkets, garden centres, pubs, inns, hotels and restaurants, doctors’ surgeries, libraries and tourist information centres.

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PAGE 48 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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

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Colours from the Earth

THE Mendip Hills are pockmarked with the traces of ancient mine workings and until recently I, like many others, assumed that most of these were dug in search of lead.

My view was changed recently by the publication by the Mendip Cave Registry and Archive of a book, Earth Colours. Written by With PHILIP Marie Clarke and Neville Gregory, it has been HENDY edited and updated by Alan Gray. The book reveals that ochre and oxide mining was probably at least as important on Mendip as lead.

Ochre and oxide are earthy minerals rich in iron oxide, although they have rarely been used as ore in smelting iron. Their main use was in providing pigment for a variety of products such as paint, floorcloth and later linoleum, glass, cosmetics, medicine and clothing.

Ochre is mainly yellow because its constituents contain more molecular water than oxide, which is red. Other minerals give rise to a range of colours from black and purple through red to brown and yellow.

The earliest use of red oxide was in the Stone Age and the socalled Red Lady of Paviland, a male skeleton more than 30,000 years old, was found with his bones coloured red by this mineral.

The colouring may have come from his clothing as even until recently some South African tribes used red ochre to coat their blankets which they wore as shawls.

An animal rib found in Gough’s Cave was coloured red and of course oxide and ochre were used in some of the cave paintings which abound in the continental caves. More recently, these minerals were used by the Romans to add colour to their wall plasters. Mixed with animal fat, red oxide, known as reddle, was used by farmers to mark their animals.

Ochre and oxide extraction has always been closely associated with iron mining and the earliest reference to ochre processing comes from Sussex, during the medieval period. The minerals were often found with lead and no doubt early Mendip miners sold any they found as a by-product.

Specialisation in mining pigments probably started in the 18th century and the product was sold to oil and colourman shops and builder’s merchants. There were also travelling salesmen called reddlemen, who were stained red from their wares; their appearance often frightened children.

Miners dug for oxide and ochre in most Mendip parishes, including Axbridge, Cheddar, Compton Martin and also Wick (near Bitton). One of the largest works was at Winford, where there were both surface and underground workings. The output was prodigious and, although much of the mineral was sold to West Country markets, there was for many years a flourishing export trade, to Ireland, the United States, the West Indies, Africa and other countries.

Once extracted, the mineral had to be purified and most mines had their own processing plants. Some processes used a lot of water and often old grist mills were converted to grinding the product. Once ground to a fine powder, the oxide or ochre had to be purified and a common method was levigation, whereby the powder was mixed with water and allowed to settle.

Compton Martin Ochre Mine

CAVING

Sand and other impurities sank to the bottom of the tank and the clean pigment could then be taken out and dried. Minerals from other mines could be mixed with the pigment to alter the colour.

The heyday of the industry was during the Victorian period, when people wanted coloured floor coverings such as floorcloth and later linoleum and paint to decorate their homes. Specialist paint manufacturers developed from the colourmen.

Bristol had four main paint companies: John Hare, Colthurst and Harding, Evans and John Hall. This latter company was based in Broadmead and Broadmead Laquer Paints became known as Brolac, a name which survives to this day, although the company has now been absorbed by Berger Paints.

The Second World War caused immense disruption to the import and export of oxide and ochre and the finished product. In Britain manufacturers turned to providing aircraft dopes and camouflage colours and also khaki for military clothing. The industry never recovered after the development of synthetic pigments.

All of the mines have been closed for many years and most of the land reclaimed. Some buildings survive such as those at Upper Littleton Mill in Winford, as does the millpond from the Golden Valley Ochre and Oxide Works at Wick. Some mines remain open: Axbridge Ochre Cavern is a high rift with natural cave chambers above, while Compton Martin Ochre Mine, which was actually a source of oxide, is an unstable series of passages supported by rotten timbers.

Recently, excavations by the Axbridge Caving Group have revealed some old mines on Axbridge Hill, such as Shute Shelve Cavern. Here short workings have led to a large cave passage which was not discovered by miners. Nearby is Carcass Cave, discovered beyond a mined shaft.

The most recent discovery was Axbridge Hill Cavern, which was blocked and lost, probably in the 1920s, when the price of ochre plummeted. There are still extensive reserves of ochre here, so presumably the miners blocked the entrance to prevent exploitation by others until they could resume work when demand for the mineral improved. Sadly, this never happened.

Earth Colours is a very thorough account of the history of oxide and ochre mining in the Mendip and Bristol area, with descriptions of the local ancillary industries. Details can be found on the MCRA website where the book can be purchased for £20 plus p&p – www.mcra.org.uk Earth Colours is also on sale at the Wells and Mendip Museum.

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.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 49

Photograph by Phil Hendy

Caving page January:Layout 1

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MENDIP TIMES

Retirement dreaming? Wake up to the benefits of renting FINDING a practical solution which matches the quality of your retirement living dream may be easier said than done – and renting may not automatically spring to the top of your list of possible solutions.

However, according to Hawthorns Retirement, increasing numbers of UK retirees are discovering what their counterparts in America and Australia found out a few years back – that renting your retirement home offers many advantages over continued property ownership.

Even more are discovering how you can continue to benefit from both!

Hawthorns Retirement has brought its highly successful American formula for retirement living to the UK at Eastbourne, Clevedon and Braintree. These developments, in a nutshell, offer you continued independent living, none of the worries of home ownership and total flexibility to change your lifestyle at a month’s notice should circumstances dictate. And all this is achieved by renting your retirement home at The Hawthorns.

Your monthly rental includes all your many monthly expenses including all your meals and snacks, utility bills, housekeeping, maintenance – even a free mini-bus to take you to the shops and back. If you sit down and calculate what you are spending on all those items living in your own home, they say the rental fees appear very reasonable indeed.

As well as the financial argument, life at The Hawthorns offers the added benefits of security, companionship and the flexibility of handing in just one month’s notice of your decision to leave.

Whilst many residents fund this idyllic retirement lifestyle from the proceeds of the sale of their home, many others opt to rent out their own property and fund their new-found lifestyle from the rental income, maintaining their property as part of their estate.

So whilst home ownership may be central to our traditional aspirations, it’s not necessarily central to the great retirement dream. Maybe you should wake up to the benefits of renting!

Details: Call: 01275 790060 or pop in and visit them at: 18-19 Elton Road, Clevedon, North Somerset, BS21 7EH or find them at: www.hawthornsretirement.co.uk

PAGE 50 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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Property review from David James and Partners DAVID James and Partners have now set the timetable for auctions from the Wrington office for the forthcoming year and Richard Nancekivell, auctioneer, believes that “cash will be king” in the New Year.

The company has a significant list of prospective purchasers registered on their database with cash available to acquire rural property, particularly properties which can be improved, redeveloped or altered by way of a change of use subject to the relevant planning permission.

A classic example of this was the auction of Mulberry Farmhouse, outbuildings and 10.5 acres at Wick St Lawrence which was successfully auctioned for £460,000 as a whole leaving two disappointed under-bidders.

Richard said: “It seems that cash purchasers are specifically seeking to target rural property as it represents a secure investment which is often unusual and rare on the open market particularly with land. Agricultural land often represents an attractive investment

Richard Nancekivell

because it seems reasonably priced per square foot.

“Also, if land is in a strategic location adjoining a road or a house or buildings, this provides the house (or buildings) with a buffer zone from other property

PROPERTY

and potential for change of use.”

The prime lot for the first spring auction programmed for Tuesday March 19th at Mendip Spring Golf Club is “The Hollies”, a classic cottage in West End, Nailsea with outbuildings and two paddocks in its own grounds with considerable scope to redevelop and with excellent views across the Tickenham Valley.

David James and Partners have an unrivalled position as far as the auction of land and property is concerned; the residential market is still uncertain, but they report some significant improvement during the last year, with some notable sales from two-bedroom cottages to large family houses with land.

Whilst there is still uncertainty in the housing market, the letting market is an entirely different animal. They say there has been high demand for both good quality and unusual property, with many disappointed tenants. As one market falters, the other accelerates, with rental incomes increasing.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 51

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MENDIP TIMES

Cary’s big christmas

s

Youngsters from Castle Cary and North Cadbury primary schools sing carols outside the historic Market House

PAGE 52 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Valerie Singleton, who lives near Castle Cary, switched on the town’s lights after a lantern procession by schoolchildren through the town Christmas at the Horse Pond

(Right): Sam, four and his brother, George, seven, from Lovington, enjoy a driver’s eye view from a 1913 showman’s engine, watched by Bob Gilbey, the owner (Below): The showman’s engine lights up the night

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CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Midsomer Norton Festive Night

Talula, aged three, at the fun event at the town’s library

Father Christmas was joined by donkeys Benjamin and Barnaby at the celebrations

Harry, aged three, is watched by sister Lauren, 10, and brother Jack, eight, as he switches on the town’s lights. The three won a fancy dress competition. They are watched by Councillor Neil Butters, vice-chairman of Bath and North East Somerset Council (left) and Paul Myers, mayor of Midsomer Norton

Youngsters took part in a “bling your scooter” event at South Wansdyke Leisure Centre to coincide with the town’s festive celebrations

Association’s farewell

A VIBRANT and varied array of Christmas stalls and food were on offer at the final event organised by Peasedown St. John Residents’ Association. Under the Localism Act 2011, community assets are to be run by parish and town councils, rather than associations.

Organiser Kathy Thomas said: “Liz Whitrow and I have enjoyed arranging events, but it is now time for others to become involved. It is very good news that the parish council is to take on the management of Beacon Hall, ensuring the future of this important facility.”

Local councillor Sarah Bevan said: “Kathy and the other Trustees have run this facility with flair and consistency over the past years, and our parish councillors have even greater

plans for this precious community asset.”

Kathy Thomas is pictured selling raffle tickets to stall holder Sarah Buck of Christmas Designs.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 53

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MENDIP TIMES

Are you a consumer or a patient?

TIM Kelsey, the NHS Commissioning Board’s national director of patients and information, wants to see patients who are “empowered through data to become consumers who shape the NHS and are more responsible for their own health”.

He wants to see data on all aspects of the NHS made available “in real time” to staff and patients and is keen

By Dr PHIL to get a joined up IT system and encourage the HAMMOND development of apps to make access to information quick and easy. Is he speaking your language? Or do you prefer to lie back and take whatever the NHS throws at you, no questions asked? Or maybe just one: “What’s an app?”

An app is simply computer software that performs a specific task (plays a game, tells you the weather, directs you to the nearest hair removal clinic). There are lots of health apps out there, but you used to need kit made by Apple (ipad, iphone, macbook) to access them. However, Windows are fast catching up so your trusty old PC should soon be able to play along.

I finally succumbed to the Apple revolution because my 82-year-old stepfather bought an ipad and loves it. It’s fun, easy to use and you can read from the screen even more clearly than from a Kindle and far more easily than a book or newspaper. But what sold it to me was the Siri software that allows me to dictate everything quickly and accurately. Even this column.

So back to health apps. The first to catch my eye was GP Ratings. Stick your postcode in and it tells you not just your ten nearest surgeries and how to get there, but a rating based on NHS survey data of: Would patients recommend their GP surgery to others? Do patients have confidence and trust in their doctor? Are patients happy with surgery opening hours? Are patients able to see a doctor within two working days? Do patients feel their doctor involves them in decisions about their care? Are patients satisfied with the care they received? Are patients satisfied with their ability to see a preferred doctor?

My current surgery has 2.5 stars out of five, but there’s a nearer one to me that gets 3.5. Should I swap?

And what about making sure my doctor is up to date? Step forward the Guidelines app. Don’t be put off by the openly declared drug company sponsorship, this baby links up to the best that NICE and other expert organisations has to offer for a vast range of conditions.

I currently work with children and adolescents with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and this app gives me an excellent aide-memoire of the principles of care, diagnosis and initial management, symptoms, investigations and other diagnoses to consider. Very useful to me, but how much more useful to patients to access during consultations to check they’re being offered the treatment they deserve?

Slightly less technical but equally useful is the Patient.co.uk app with a vast database of trusted and updated patient information leaflets and links to nearby services. The expert patient can also get apps that tell you everything you need to know about prescription and over the counter drugs, First Aid, Fitness, Lab Tests, Clinical Trials and Meditation apps (I’m currently listening to Near the River – though given the recent floods in the Chew Valley, I could just open my window).

The NHS itself is running slightly behind the curve on health apps – “The Fun Generator” and “Drinks Tracker” are the only ones I’ve found so far.

But I’m sure technology has a much wider role to play in a more open, transparent, responsive NHS. Or perhaps we’ll just create a nation of hypochondriacs and the worried well. Either way, if you design a health app that everybody buys, you’ll be able to go private. Happy New Year.

For Dr Phil’s DVDs, books and tour dates go to www.drphilhammond.com

PAGE 54 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Rescue remedy

THIS current phase of disorder began with Mendip Dad stepping into a cold bath one morning. I hasten to add, this was not Mendip Dad’s quest for a stiff upper lip, it was instead my failure to order heating oil, even though I knew the tank’s supply was waning.

The boiler shut down (as it does when there is nothing to power it) and failed to spark back to life for several days. In between, I had several heated conversations with our oil supplier, who could not deliver for at least a week. As we sat shivering everyone chipped in with helpful suggestions.

“Why can’t we use this?” Middle child pointed to a bottle of olive oil on the kitchen table. I’ve heard of car engines running on waste cooking oil but a domestic heating system running on olive oil? This suggestion could be a middle-class rescue-package for the Greek economy.

Needless to say, we switched oil suppliers and were soon enjoying heating and hot water again – after a heating engineer had extracted the air drawn into the boiler in the absence of oil (a costly post-script to this sorry tale).

Soon after this Mendip Dad was feeling some festive goodwill and decided to give my car a full valet, inside and out. Even though this is an act of kindness, it is one that I greet with a feeling of dread. Before long he will find the dirty socks and empty water bottles in the foot-wells, not to mention the blackened banana skin in the door (breakfast on the way to work).

I have to admit, this time he undertook the job with remarkable lack of judgement, borrowing the washing-up liquid to fill countless buckets with soapy water. I make tea and smile sweetly.

However, when I need to wash-up a little while later, the washing-up liquid has disappeared. I accuse youngest son of misplacing it while helping to clean the car. No-one takes any notice of me so I decide Mendip Dad must have put it away in the shed with the car-washing sponge and bucket.

He assures me this is not the case. Only later, when I open the fridge, I find the washing-up liquid slotted in nicely, alongside the milk. Maybe the chaos will ease a little in 2013!

MENDIP MUM

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HEALTH & FAMILY

Nail care from Nikki

COURT HOUSE

NICOLA Reed (née Loveless formerly of the Queen Adelaide, Blagdon) has launched her new business Nikki’s Nails.

Professionally taught Nikki has set up on her own offering all aspects of nail care from simple manicure to extensions, creating beautiful nails for that special occasion.

She is offering visits to your own home or appointments at Head Office Hair and Beauty in Cheddar, Heads-Up in Blagdon or appointments at her own house in Axbridge to make your experience relaxing and at your convenience. Nikki’s Nails aim to offer a service that can be enjoyed in your choice of environment also offering mums a place they can relax with their children.

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07769 684559 / 01934 733098

R E TI R E M E N T H O M E C H E D D A R

Accommodation available now with full en-suite Court House is a very special place to live, the very fact that it is made up of different areas of accommodation adds to its attraction. e Main House with gracious large rooms with full en-suite looking out onto different aspects and personalized with Resident’s own furniture and pictures etc. A spacious Drawing Room with doors to a covered veranda and patio area leading onto lawns and flower beds. e Courtyard which has lovely vaulted accommodation with full en-suite and cleverly concealed kitchenettes where Residents can make a cup of tea or a snack for themselves or their guests and small raised gardens so that the people living there may, if they so wish plant and tend their own flowers. e lovely cottage accommodation full of character with a large Victorian style conservatory looking towards St. Andrews Church and doors opening out from a lovely sitting room to a tranquil garden.

Putting all of this together with the very special care given by dedicated staff that respect and give privacy and dignity to all who live here, you can see why people who come to live at Court House are so happy to have found this very special place.

Respite Care also available

“One of the most beautiful and well kept retirement homes I’ve ever seen”.

– e Photographer

Please contact Chris Dando 01934 742131 Website: www.courthouseretirementhome.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 55

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MENDIP TIMES

What is mindfulness?

JOHN Waller explains: Mindfulness is a meditation-based approach that helps us get more out of our lives. The style of learning is experiential: we cultivate skills and come directly to understand their effectiveness through practice – rather than reading or hearing about them.

WEIGHTLOSS PROGRAMME start with a detox DO YOU WANT A REVOLUTIONARY ROUTE TO YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT? Look great, feel confident and healthy Make 2013 the year for you

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Based on awareness of the body and breath, mindfulness develops awareness of the activity of the mind. Mindfulness skills help us work with physical or emotional pain, stress, fatigue – and the ups and downs of ordinary everyday life.

There’s a continuous tradition of mindfulness going back thousands of years. Mindfulness itself has no cultural or religious connotations. Entirely secular in content and style – yet coming straight from basic Buddhist principles – the effectiveness of mindfulness is explained by contemporary neurological research and validated by NICE: the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

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

• Small Classes (4-6 max) • Exclusive private sessions also available • All levels & abilities – beginners always welcome • Excellent “follow-on” after Physio, Chiro etc • Pilates Foundation UK teacher for both mat and studio work • Visit our website for more information

31 Stockhill Road, Chilcompton, Nr Radstock, Somerset BA3 4JL Visit: www.acornpilates.co.uk

Tel: 01761 232122

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We are there for everyone . . . whatever the problem (Samaritans are contacted every 6 seconds)

There’s 1 suicide every 90 minutes in the UK and Ireland (That’s 16 people a day…every day)

People do not have to be ac(vely suicidal to contact us (Around 80% of people who contact us do not express suicidal feelings)

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or come to a 2013 volunteer open evening Thurs 27th June at 7pm, Sat 6th July at 10am, Thurs 28th Nov at 7pm and Sat 7th Dec at 10am The venue is 25 The Park, Yeovil BA20 1DG PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

HEALTH & FAMILY

Help for farmers

FARMERS who trade at the South West’s largest auction centre can now visit a brand new facility which will enable them, and their families, to stay fit and healthy. The Health Room at Junction 24 near Bridgwater is a joint initiative with Somerset NHS and a number of medical charities and organisations, and will offer a wide and varied range of dropin clinics.

The Idea originally came from Junction 24’s managing director Katherine Mead, whose family company, headed by her father, Derek, developed and opened the centre. She’s pictured with Derek (left) and Steve Adams, chairman of Bridgwater Agricultural Association, which has supported the scheme.

Trust achieves first goal

Former cancer patient, Ella Cottle, 15 enjoying the indoor garden room

A FUND-RAISING committee set up in North Somerset just two years ago to support the Teenage Cancer Trust has achieved its first goal.

A brand new hospital ward, uniquely designed for 11 to 16year-olds with a variety of complex health issues including cancer, has been opened by University Hospital Bristol NHS Foundation Trust at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.

The home-from-home themed ward is unlike any other ward in the hospital thanks to design expertise from the Teenage Cancer Trust and the enhancements funded jointly by the trust and Wallace and Gromit’s Grand Appeal.

The Ward 35 opening comes at a time when Teenage Cancer Trust is also working on plans to develop a new state-of-the-art specialist cancer unit for 16-24 year olds in the Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre.

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COMMUNITY

New Year thanks

I WOULD like to start the New Year with some thank yous: firstly, to staff and students at Writhlington School, Radstock, and St

By SIMON Mark’s School in Bath.

SELBY Both of these establishments volunteered to be pilots for my research project going on across the Bath and North East Somerset area into cyber-bullying.

As part of this study, the schools distributed and returned more than 1,000 detailed student questionnaires, which are currently in huge piles all over my kitchen table, office floor and various other areas of the house.

The questionnaires start off by asking exactly what is understood by the term “cyber-bullying” and what form it might take, whether via computers, phones, games consoles and such like.

If people have different interpretations then any measure of the problem would be inconsistent, inaccurate and unsound. So, when finally analysed, this pilot will provide crucial data towards understanding the true picture within our local youth population.

Some other areas which will be examined include the prevalence of cyberbullying, what methods are used (Facebook, mobile etc.), what is being done about it (both preventative and reactive) and whether those measures work. It must be remembered, however,

that these research questions represent only the tip of the iceberg as regards how we hope to progress our knowledge and understanding of the problem.

Once done, this pilot will be followed by a much larger phase of questionnaires throughout many more local schools during the coming spring and summer.

All of this requires support and I am very grateful to Somerset Crimebeat, Bath Spa University, BANES staff and our other partners who clearly have the welfare of our youth prominently on their agendas.

My next note of thanks is to everyone who supported our entry in the annual Home Office Tilley Awards, which aim to recognise community safety partnerships.

Before I left Avon and Somerset Police, we entered our project Under The Influence alcohol education package,

Cadets have it in the bag!

aimed at young people.

Sadly we didn’t make the finals, which is such a shame given the project’s potential to make a positive influence; you can’t win them all.

Congratulations, then, to Bristol’s Senior Citizens Liaison Team which aims to tackle doorstep crime, distraction burglary and rogue traders amongst vulnerable groups.

Bristol presently has 95,000 citizens over 55 years old and suffers a significant number of doorstep crimes by criminals who use deception and guile to trick and steal money from vulnerable victims. The Senior Citizen Liaison Team was established to target doorstep crime and reduce the impact of this offending on the senior population. They were awarded a Certificate of Merit.

Ryan Clark with his collecting bucket

(Photo courtesy of CSjt Peter Russell)

BAG-packing Army cadets raised £1,500 by offering to help customers with their purchases at a supermarket in Shepton Mallet.

Fifty two cadets and 15 adult instructors from Normandy Company, Somerset Cadet Battalion (The Rifles) Army Cadet Force, helped shoppers pack their bags at Tesco.

The cadets – from Bath, Frome, Glastonbury, Midsomer Norton, Paulton, Shepton Mallet and Wells – platoons spent two days, working in shifts, at the store.

The aims were to help fund supplementary training and to recruit more cadets and adult instructors. Colour Serjeant Peter Russell said: “In both aims the weekend was enormously successful, with almost £1,500 being donated by generous shoppers. A healthy number of potential recruits were also provided with joining information.

“The cadets also learned a valuable lesson in the art of bag packing: heavy at the bottom, fragile on top;

Cyber-bullying can take many forms (photo posed by a model)

something that many who shop with their parents failed to appreciate!”

Simon Selby is Director of the Crimebeat Awards Scheme.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 57

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MENDIP TIMES

Skittlers throw their weight behind charity

CHILDREN’S Hospice South West was the big winner of a charity skittles event involving 21 teams competing on the same night.

The competition has become an important part of the Rotary Club of Shepton Mallet’s fundraising year. This year, 20 venues were involved, raising more than £5,300 for the hospice and Rotary charities.

Teams of ten competed against the clock to score as many points as possible within 90 minutes; the winners were a team from the Ring o’ Bells at Moorlynch. Led by James Tucker, the team knocked down 2,842 pins playing 506 hands, 384 more than the second team which played at The King William in Shepton Mallet.

The team which raised the most sponsorship was The Levellers, based at the Pound at Aller. Both teams win dinner at the Fox and Hounds at Charlton Mackerell on Monday, January 14th.

This year’s sponsors included Bartlett, Gooding and Weelen, Old Mill and Graham Walton Publishing. One of the competition organisers, Peter Clark, said: “Alan Britten, Andrew Look and myself who organised the competition would like to thank everyone who supported us in any way. I think it was quite remarkable in view of the weather that all 21 teams, helpers and adjudicators all made it to their designated pubs on time and in spite of flooded roads and in some cases quite lengthy Shepton rotary club president Marcus WyburnMason with the winning Ring o’ Roses team diversions.”

Shepton Mallet Rotarians with the Haymakers skittles team at the Manor House Inn, Ditcheat Stickers-up share the duties on the alley at the Brook House Inn

Madeleine Street keeps score at the Brook House Inn near Castle Cary

The Well Shod team from the Horseshoe at Bowlish PAGE 58 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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Marathon challenge

EAST Harptree husband and wife, Roger and Lee-Anne Sperring, are running in the London Marathon in April, to raise money for the deaf and blind charity SENSE. Lee-Anne, who works at New Manor Farm shop, will be running her first full marathon, while, Roger, who works for the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company, will be running his second.

Both have run in half-marathons, including Bristol, Bath, the Great North, in Newcastle, and the Great South in Portsmouth, but the London Marathon will be their biggest challenge to date.

They are planning to run in fancy dress, as Mickey and Minnie Mouse.

They will also be holding some charity nights at East Harptree Village Hall, also in aid of SENSE, which supports children and adults who are both blind and deaf.

Details: www.justgiving.com/lee-anne-sperring

Dash for cash

NAILSEA Miners, a new Rotary group supported by the Rotary Club of Nailsea and Backwell, is planning a trolley dash around a local supermarket, in aid of the GI Trust, a charity that helps street children in Uganda.

Tickets at £1 can be obtained from Hudson Accountants, 14 West Town Road, Backwell and the draw will take place at the Nailsea Chamber of Trade meeting, on January 15th.

Details: www.nailseaminers.org.uk/lottery12

Top award

BROADWAY Lodge in Weston-super-Mare has been named IHA Independent Specialist Care Provider of the Year. It has nearly 40 years of experience in helping people with issues around addiction.

Chief Executive Brian Dudley (pictured) said: “With the Duchess of Cambridge choosing an addiction charity and by winning awards such as this, the hope is more people will be aware of the quality of the work we deliver and support us in helping those most in need.”

Details: www.broadwaylodge.org.uk

Helping the needy

CHARITIES

RADSTOCK Cooperative is supporting the Food Bank campaign, which aims to get muchneeded food to those in need. You can donate tins, cans, dried food pasta, rice, etc. by placing your items in one of the collection boxes throughout the Radstock Cooperative Society’s 12 stores.

All they ask is that the goods are in date, with the original packaging intact and are not damaged. They will arrange regular collections to ensure that all donations get to the local distribution point in Midsomer Norton.

Don Morris, Chief Executive (pictured) said: “When we were approached by the Rev. Stephen Burrows, Curate of the Benefice of Chilcompton, Downside and Stratton on the Fosse on behalf of the Somer Valley Food Bank and felt that Radstock Co-operative Society had facilities to support a local Food bank.

“With the help of local charities like the Midsomer Norton branch of The Salvation Army, we could assist by giving local people a helping hand. We are delighted to be in a position to supply the premises from which the distribution network will operate free of charge for a period of up to six months.”

People seeking support from the Food Bank should contact their local Citizens Advice Centre, doctors’ surgery, social worker etc.

Medal winners

THE annual RNLI carol service in Weston-super-Mare was chosen as the venue for the awarding of the RNLI Diamond Jubilee Medals to members of the Weston-super-Mare RNLI station. The service was held in the Salvation Army Citadel.

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 59

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MENDIP TIMES

Wild west

Media students help charity

Pictured (l to r) Sue Sweet, Ivor Metherell, Dennis Jones, Pauline Pearce, Sally Jones and Peter Roswell

IT was a wild, wet night when The Rotary Club of Wrington Vale in conjunction with Dennis and Sally Jones of Elm Farm, Hewish put on a Wild West Night, which raised a staggering £5,643.

There was Country and Western music from the Redhillbillies, a bucking bull to ride, burgers and, perhaps, the longest bar in the west, as well as gunfights staged by enactment group The Lawmen.

A cheque for £3,643 was presented to Weston Hospicecare, £1000 to Hewish Village Hall and £1000 went to The Rotary Club of Wrington Vale’s charity account for distribution to other good causes in due course.

Wrington Vale Rotary Club meets weekly at the Burrington Inn, Burrington and is involved in charitable projects locally, nationally and internationally.

Details: Peter Roswell 01934 822280

High tea

THE Rotary Club of Clevedon recently held Putting on the Ritz – a grand afternoon tea party in the style of the Ritz Hotel. Smartly dressed ladies and gentlemen were served delicious mini sandwiches, cream scones and mouth-watering cakes by the black-clad waitresses, in their frilly caps and aprons. The event raised nearly a thousand pounds, which will be shared between Cancer Research, the British Heart Foundation and Rotary charities.

PAGE 60 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Filming underway at SWALLOW’s base in Westfield

A GROUP of media students from Midsomer Norton are gaining valuable work experience and helping a local charity at the same time.

Midsomer Norton Sixth Form Year 13 Creative Media BTEC Class is collaborating with SWALLOW, a charity in Westfield which aims to encourage independence and equality for people with learning disabilities.

SWALLOW staff approached the sixth form to ask students to make a promotional video which will go on their website to raise awareness about the charity. The promotional video will include five individual films of aspects of SWALLOW life including independent life, work life, creative life, fit for life and social life.

Part of the students’ curriculum encourages learning about “Social Action and Community Media”. Student Emma Shoosmith said: “Having SWALLOW as a client and pitching us a brief of what they want, has given us a taste of real life, and what it would be like working within the media industry.”

Al Hannan, teacher of the Creative Media BTEC, said: “This has been a challenging project and I have been hugely impressed by the mature and professional way the students have responded. Working with SWALLOW has given us the opportunity to produce films for a real client and to help to support the positive work the charity does with adults with learning disabilities. It has been a valuable and memorable learning experience.”

Bev Craney, general manager at SWALLOW, said: “We are thrilled that MSN Sixth Form is helping us in our quest to produce a short film about our work. It has been lovely to have some young faces around the office and they have coped very well in dealing with the many challenges that come from working in a busy charitable environment.

“We really appreciate their support. The finished product will be used to raise awareness about the fantastic work that we do to support people with learning disabilities.”

The films are due to be ready to preview to SWALLOW members by the end of January.

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CHARITIES

Verity’s walk

Charity concert

Back row (l to r) – Ray Tarleton, Jean Lee, Margaret Dodge, Geoff and Ann Roscoe, Pat Knott and Alice Crisp; front row – John Hickling, Gwen Roch, Verity Stokes, Pat Gunning and Harry Palmer.

THE Clevedon Corps of the Salvation Army lifted the rafters at the Methodist Church in Nailsea at an event hosted by the Rotary Club of Nailsea and Backwell, which raised funds for the Parkinson’s Society locally. Rotary President Roy Ackrill is pictured handing over a cheque for £650 to Peter Marsh of the Parkinson Society.

VERITY Stokes, from Stanton Drew, who recently completed her seven and a half week challenge to walk the entire South West Coast Path in aid of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, was special guest at a tea party held in her honour by local couple Geoff and Ann Roscoe at their home in Stanton Drew.

Verity, who lives in the village with her partner Harry Palmer, said: “The tea was lovely, it was great to meet local people who were supporting me, especially while I was away on the walk. The support and donations I’ve received from local people has been amazing, it was great to know people at home were thinking about me as I was doing the walk.”

Ann and Geoff knew her grandparents when they lived in Keynsham and when they heard she lived in Stanton Drew they tracked Verity down through family friends.”

Mrs Roscoe said: “We did the afternoon tea as I admire Verity so much. A girl on her own for six weeks. We older generation should say thanks to young people like her. She is a tribute to young people”.

Verity, who is property manager for Hunstrete Estates Limited, decided to raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, because her father died of the illness in 1998. She has raised £5,305.56 so far but would love to raise a bit more.

Details: www.justgiving.com/Verity-Stokes1

Bishop’s talk

GLASTONBURY-based charity CHALISS are holding a special fund-raising evening with the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt. Rev. Peter Price, on Thursday January 31st at the Bishop’s Palace Undercroft in Wells.

The bishop will talk about his work in the field of reconciliation and his contributions to peacemaking in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Zimbabwe, where he was awarded the Coventry Cross of Nails for this work in 1999.

CHALISS, Child and Adolescent Listening Support Services, provides much-needed counselling support to young people aged 11-19 years, living in the Glastonbury area. In the last year it supported 43 young people who were struggling with a wide range of issues including self-esteem and confidence, bullying, self-harm, bereavement, stress and anxiety, to name but a few.

Doors open at 7pm and the talk will start at 7.30pm. Tickets are £8.00 per person.

Details: thecrispys@talktalk.net or call 01749 346123 or 01458 850081

Christmas at a canter

A CAROL service and nativity play organised by the Wellow branch of Riding for the Disabled raised more than £200 for the organisation.

And the branch was delighted to receive a cheque for £300 from United Chapel church in Combe Down in Bath.

Organisers Tracey Eames and Sharon Stallard said: “A lot of raffle prizes were donated from local businesses in Midsomer Norton and surrounding areas. We would like to thank everyone who has supported us.”

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 61

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MENDIP TIMES

Peter Pan, the caravan . . . and Josephine the Rover!

A COUPLE from Ston Easton have completed an extraordinary journey from Land’s End to John O’Groat’s driving a classic car and sleeping in a tiny caravan.

Pat and David Harper, members of the Classic and Historic Motor Club, took nine days to complete the journey.

They drove their 1967 Rover P6 and hitched to it was a 1973 Dutch-built Eriba Pan caravan, which is more like a “doll’s house on wheels” than a modern caravan with all mod cons!

The retired couple aimed to travel between 150-200 miles a day at a top speed of 55mph on a journey which took them first to a campsite at Clevedon, through the Wye Valley and Shropshire across to Hexham then onto the Scottish Borders, Dundee and Inverness. Pat and David also found time to play golf at the legendary St. Andrew’s – although it was only on a putting course!

The Rover – called Josephine – and the caravan (Peter Pan), attracted a huge amount of interest as the couple travelled north, staying at campsites on the way.

The caravan is only big enough for a bed, cooker and heater, so the couple always looked for sites with showers and toilets and electricity.

Pat said: “People were just so friendly and wanted to know all about Josephine We made it!

Back at home: Pat and David with their “companions”

and Peter Pan. They had so many photos taken of themselves.”

David said: “It was a challenge but very enjoyable and we were still talking to each other at the end of it!”

The style of caravan is still popular on the continent, said David, where people take a more basic view of caravanning and campsite facilities are much better.

Josephine at the start of the journey. There wasn’t enough space for the caravan to be in the photo

PAGE 62 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Pat said: “We bought Peter Pan especially for the trip as Josephine can’t pull too much weight, but I’m now so fond of him that I don’t want him to go and the grandchildren love using him as a playhouse.”

Pat kept a detailed diary during the trip and is now writing up the story as a present to their family.

En-route to John O’Groats

Champagne celebrations inside Peter Pan

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Bailey approved body shop and workshop

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

Our shop stocks a full range of accessories and equipment

Open Monday - Friday 9am–5pm; Saturday 9am–1pm

Marchants Hill, Gurney Slade BA3 4TY Call: 01749 841051 Mob: 07778 465520 Email: sales@caravanrepairs-sw.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 63

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P r a i s e f o r p u p i l s i n mu s i c fe s ti v a l PROFESSIONAL oboe player Ellen Marsden has praised young musicians who performed at a Festival of Music for primary schools in the Shepton Mallet area.

St Paul’s C of E junior school hosted the event, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Shepton Mallet. Each school was invited to present a 15-minute programme. The festival aimed to celebrate the abundance of musical talent in mid-Somerset. Almost 100 youngsters took part.

Marcus Wyburn-Mason, rotary club president, presented each school with a cheque for £75 to help pay for musical instruments and awarded certificates to all the children who performed.

Here are Ellen’s appraisals of the performances: • The afternoon opened with three choral performances by the hosting school, St. Paul’s, singing advanced two-part harmonies in renditions of “I close my Eyes,” Gary Barlow’s, “Sing,” and “You don’t know you’re Beautiful.” Three recorder players completed the musical offering from St. Paul’s, performing with energy and accuracy.

• Oakhill Church of England primary school presented a series of accomplished solo performances, pupils playing instruments ranging from piano, through to flute, guitar, clarinet and saxophone, covering repertoire including Telemann, traditional folk tunes and blues, testament to the diversity of instrumental tuition available currently in the county. The large recorder group performed a stunning interpretation of a traditional folk song to close their visit.

• All Hallow’s Preparatory school provided a most professional performance from their String Stars group, followed by a high energy two-part vocal show stopper from the year 6’s, “I’m gonna Rise Up Singin!”. This was technically challenging and masterfully performed.

• The afternoon concluded with three songs from Ditcheat Primary School. The choir performed a capella, singing two World War songs, linking with their current history curriculum, “This is the Army, Mr. Jones,” and “We’ll Meet

Ellen Marsden with rotary president Marcus Wyburn-Mason

Again.” Ditcheat closed their energetic set with their own version of the more contemporary, “Sing,” providing confident solos and supportive choral backing.

Headline act at Frome JIM Moray, one of folk music’s greatest innovators, has been announced as Sunday headliner of the second Frome Folk Festival next February. Bristol-based Jim is a triple nominee in the 2013 BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards – Folk Singer of the Year, Best Album for his much acclaimed Skulk and Best Traditional Track for his

performance of the song Lord Douglas.

Clarinet Teacher CT ABRSM

Children and Adults both Welcome Bishop Sutton 01275 332958 PAGE 64 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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MUSIC

Choir seeks new director

MENDIP Male Voice Choir is looking for a new musical director.

After nine years with the choir Kate Courage has decided to move on to pastures new and will be leaving on August 30th, the tenth anniversary of her appointment.

Next summer the choir has chosen the theme ‘A summer of love’ which will be enjoyed with all their usual enthusiasm even though it will be the last year under her baton. Sportingly Kate has given the choir 12 months notice so they are now advertising for a replacement with the musical knowledge and charisma to take up the gauntlet left by her.

Mendip Male Voice Choir was formed just six years ago, but it has a history of 93 years, previously as Timsbury Male Voice Choir.

During 2010 the choir celebrated its 90th year with a year of special events, the highlight of which was a concert with three Welsh choirs in Bath Abbey. The following year the choir was invited to support Katherine Jenkins at the Glastonbury Extravaganza held in the grounds of Glastonbury Abbey.

The 2012 Diamond Jubilee year included many patriotic pieces and culminated in a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in November with over 1500 voices as part of the Festival of Brass and Voice in aid of Cancer Research UK. If anyone is interested in the role of musical director, please contact Les Debenham at secretary@mendipmen.co.uk The choir is always recruiting new members and any readers who would like to join are invited to one of the choir’s rehearsals on a Monday evening at St Mary’s School Timsbury.

For details, e-mail: secretary@mendipmen.co.uk

Mendip Male Voice Choir Performing Show and Popular Music

Wanted, Musical Director Mendip Male Voice Choir has a vacancy for a new Musical Director from 1 September 2013. The choir is now 80 strong with a balance in all four sections and the ages range from 16 to 80.

The choir rehearses on Monday evenings in the village of Timsbury which is 7 miles south of Bath.

The successful candidate for the post will be a qualified musician able to control an 80 strong choir, capable of arranging pieces for four part male choir and perhaps composing pieces specifically for the choir.

The closing date for applications is 22 February 2013.

Please contact the secretary for an application pack.

e-mail: secretary@mendipmen.co.uk Telephone: 07946 461305 website: www.mendipmen.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 65

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Radstock Museum Fair

Lady Gass, the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, cuts the ribbon to open Radstock Museum’s Christmas Fair. She is watched by Neil Butters, vice chairman of Bath and North East Somerset Council and Clem Maidment, museum chairman

Pupils from Shoscombe School entertained the crowds and also found time to enjoy the stalls

Brenda Bonsteel with some of the gifts on sale on her stall PAGE 66 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Croscombe Charter Market

Father Christmas with Imelda North (left) and Val Dow, who ran a bookstall at Croscombe’s Christmas Charter Market in aid of Hope for Tomorrow, the market’s chosen charity for the 2012

Caroline Crumplin and Val McRobbie selling festive cakes and savouries at the market. The market raised around £300 for Hope for Tomorrow

Shopping night

A SHOPPING night at High Littleton church hall raised £300 for Bo--Peep Pre-school. Pictured are the organisers (left to right) Lea Sanderson, Kate Fuglesany (pre-school chairman), Josie Griffith (pre-school secretary), Kay Knott, Mandy Harris (fundraising co-ordinator for the pre-school) and Anouska Loader (pre-school leader).

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Wedmore by Lamplight

CHRISTMAS EVENTS The Nativity

Wedmore Pre-school

(l to r) Phillippa Armstrong, Emma Rogers and Alison Bennett Carols around the Christmas tree

Entertaining the crowd

Part of the Parade MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 67

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Season’s Greetings

PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Marty’s wild design

A DESIGN for a Scandinavian-style writing desk by Norton Radstock College carpentry student Marty Woodland has won a competition judged by homes and interiors guru Kevin McCloud.

Now Marty, 17, could see his desk go into Marty Woodland (centre) with Kevin McCloud and Ross Charlton production at Charltons Furniture, based near Radstock. His design also won him £500.

The competition was open to Level 2 carpentry students aged between 16 and 21 at the college. Marty’s simple design in either natural or fumed oak caught the eye of both Kevin and Ross Charlton, head of product and design at Charltons Furniture, when they visited the construction centre.

Kevin said: “These guys are carpenters and joiners and have been asked to step up to the plate of becoming cabinet makers; designing furniture is quite an art.

“I was really impressed by them all and in particular the standard of draughtsmanship. We have had a skills shortage in construction for the past 30 years and it is really important that these students are given the opportunity to be stretched and to come across as many materials as possible.”

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HOMES & INTERIORS

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 69

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Caring for birds

DO not forget the wild birds over the harsh winter months when natural food sources are limited. Lanes Home Hardware have a range of specialist feeds from Gardman to enhance the more traditional peanut and wild bird mix staples.

The range covers different seed mixes suitable for robins, blue tits, song birds and finches. If the weather turns very severe there is a new winter warmer mix which is packed with high calorific ingredients such as sunflower hearts.

A large range of feeders is also stocked with the latest addition being a flip-top alternative which makes replenishment easy avoiding the more fiddly process on more basic models.

Some of the heavy duty range counter the issue of hygiene by applying a biocidal coating which kills harmful bacteria on contact.

Finally do not forget the importance of water as birds’ diets in winter are usually drier than in summer when juicy insects are readily available. Water is also vital to keep the feathers in good condition which helps body insulation during the cold winter nights. Make sure the bird bath is cleaned and refreshed regularly for a healthy wild bird population.

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Tel: 0117 902 5820 • Fax: 0117 964 4666 Email: info@hudsonplumbing.co.uk Hudson Plumbing & Heating Services is a well-established local business located in the Bristol area. With over 20 years experience, we have built up an enviable reputation for quality workmanship, high levels of customer care, reliability and value for money.

Tel: 0117 940 0074 • Fax: 0117 964 4666 Email: info@bristoldrains.com At Bristol Drains, you can be assured of first-class work carried out by our own experienced and professional engineers.

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PAGE 70 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

MENDIP TIMES •JANUARY 2012 • PAGE 70

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

2013 is here – Happy New Year to you all from everyone at Jacksons! Here’s hoping the new year sees an upturn in the economy and an improvement in the weird weather that has been bringing misery to all parts of the country.

I‘d like to tell you a little bit about Jacksons – We’ve been around since 1947. In fact, last year was our 65th anniversary and throughout the whole of 2012 we had monthly giveaways to reward our customers; prizes included tickets to Hampton Court, High Street vouchers and hampers, with winners being picked at random from the previous months’ orders.

It has been very enjoyable contacting people to tell them they have won, when they aren’t expecting a thing! We also held some special events to celebrate and a timeline was created on the web site, showing how we developed from our inception by Ian Jackson and his father selling fencing stakes to local farmers to a business with fencing centres in Kent, Bath and Chester areas, effectively covering the whole of the country from these key places.

If you log on to your local page jacksonsfencing.co.uk/bathlocal there’s lots more info and links to the timeline too, with great photos of times gone-by.

2012 also saw the launch of a new range of products: Jacksons Equestrian Solutions, a range of premium stables and field shelters. True to Jacksons pedigree our stables are constructed from Jakcure treated timber which comes with the unique 25 year guarantee – no other stable on the market can offer this (there’s a handy link to the new range on your local page).

Any Garden Designers/Landscape professionals out there? We are holding our 4th Annual Garden Design Competition – some of you may already know about this national competition where the prize is to have your design built – full details about the last

Jacksons Equestrian Solutions, new range of premium stables

JACKSONS

three years winners and on how to enter can be found on your local page – and a reminder about the free prize draw that’s still running until the end of Jan. louise@jacksons-fencing.co.uk

D ON ’ T FOR GET FREE PRI ZE D

O U R

R A W

Win one of the products from our Seasonal Savers offer: Wheelie bin store, tool shed, metal trellis, raised bed with trellis kit (shown right), verge protection marker posts, or £150 of Jacksons vouchers.

(Closes 31.1.13). To enter go to: www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/bathlocal

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 71

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MENDIP TIMES (Wells)

Established in 1976, Boyce Millington Ltd specialise in property refurbishment. We handle all types of building work from demolition through to decorating with particular experience of listed buildings. Let us help you to: CONSTRUCT • REFURBISH MAINTAIN • DECORATE

Tel/fax: 01749 675386 • Mobile: 07860 821496 Email: boyce.millington@btconnect.com Website: www.boycemillington.co.uk

Weston Garden Machinery Garden Machinery & Woodburning Specialists

Introducing the new Charnwood ‘C-Series’

C-FIVE

C-SIX

C range of wood burning stoves

C-SEVEN

C-EIGHT

Hutton Garden Centre, Banwell Road, Hutton, Weston-super-Mare BS24 9UB

Tel: 01934 813261 www.westongarden.co.uk PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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Consult the experts

HOMES & INTERIORS

DEXTER Electrical Services are NICEIC Approved Contractors covering both Somerset and North Somerset.

It is important to have electrical installations tested at regular intervals and keep a report on their condition. They are able to carry out this work and issue the appropriate NICEIC Certificate.

With over 40 years experience in electrical contracting they can offer a wide range of services including a prompt breakdown service and free estimates for all works including design and build for larger installations.

Previously they have worked in industrial factories, warehouses and workshops, also undertaking commercial works in offices, shops and schools, as well as agricultural and horticultural works, including milking parlours, cubicle buildings, loose boxes and stables etc, also church wiring including LED floodlighting at competitive prices.

They are able to offer full inspection and testing services together with the design and installation of fire alarm systems.

Their fuel savers can save you up to 20% on petrol or diesel for your car, also oil and gas central heating. These amazing fuel savers also have excellent results on water pipes and beer lines in public houses, restaurants etc.

Take a look at their website for more information on fuel savers and see how easily they can be fitted to your car or central heating and start saving you money.

Details: 01278 641537 or 07768 458805 or www.dexterservices.co.uk

DEXTER ELECTRICAL SERVICES for all your electrical needs, large and small • Schools • Commercial • Industrial • Rewires • Inspection and Testing • Smoke and Heat Detectors • Agricultural and Horticultural

• Fire Alarm Systems (Commercial and Industrial) • Emergency Lighting • LED Lighting (Internal and External) • Design and Build Electrical Installations

Visit our Website and see how our Fuel Conditioners can save you up to 20% on your heating costs.

Dexter Services SW Limited Ashdean Kingsway, Mark, Somerset TA9 4NT Tel 01278 641537 • Mob 07768 458805 www.dexterservices.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 73

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JOINERY Established 1968 Softwood and Hardwood Windows and Doors Bespoke Joinery For . . .

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Call Jamie Crawford Heating Services Qualified gas safe 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

Thomsons Hardware 5 Fortescue Road, Radstock www.thomsonshardware.co.uk

WOODBURNING SHOWROOM NOW OPEN IN BRAYSDOWN, NR RADSTOCK Eleven Manufacturers Stoves Over 250 to choose from Cheapest price within 50 miles We supply and fit as well as supply

Give us a call on 01761 437440 or visit website: www.naturesflame.co.uk

PAGE 74 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

01761 434613

Everything for the home and garden!

Now open Sundays, including 23rd December Open ’til 7pm Thursdays and Fridays Friendly advice is part of the service!

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HOMES & INTERIORS

New for 2013 – from The Home & Kitchen Store THE Home and Kitchen Store are celebrating a fantastic year at their showroom in Wrington, having moved to the much larger premises in November 2011.

They can now showcase a fantastic range of Neptune Kitchens,plus their extensive interior range of furniture.

Looking forward to 2013 - The Home and Kitchen Store are excited to announce their own range of bespoke kitchens, utility rooms, fitted wardrobes and beautiful one-off pieces of furniture.

Nick, Jackie and the team say they look forward to welcoming you in 2013.

One of their satisfied customers writes: Fitting a new kitchen is a notable expense of course but we

were pleasantly surprised to find that a Neptune kitchen wasn’t more expensive than other far less chic kitchens.

Jackie’s design work was proficient and the proof of the pudding was that everything fitted in pretty much as drawn.

Her rendered images helped us visualise the final product and tweak it to meet our requirements.

Nick fitted our kitchen and we appreciated his craftsmanship and attention to detail. The final finish was superb.

We had no hesitation in recommending The Home and Kitchen Store to those friends that enquired. We wish you and your business well.

Mrs A B (Portishead)

MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013 • PAGE 75

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Setting goals for success in 2013

IT is that time of year again when we all start with a clean slate and make great plans for losing weight, giving up smoking or alcohol, getting fit and doing great things with our horses.

So why is it then that by the end of February all our best laid plans have gone by With CELIA the by?

GADD Goal setting is actually a skill that can be learnt and there are a few things that you need to do to really make sure you are going to stick to it and make it happen. Any goal in life is achievable if you believe in it, commit to it and work backwards into manageable sized chunks of action.

First of all, you must really, really want whatever it is to happen.

So, if you want to lose weight you must picture yourself, thinner and fitter and really envisage how that would make you feel. With horses it is fairly easy to decide on a goal and then work backwards over time to make sure you do everything possible to achieve that goal.

But you must believe you can do it. If your aim is to compete at the dressage regional championships, for example, first of all you must know exactly what the qualification criteria is and when you need to achieve it by. If you simply want to be jumping confidently around a 1m course of jumps by the end of the summer, you can start smaller and make sure that you jump around a course at least once a week until you feel confident and the fences can be a bit bigger.

Decide on your goals and write them down; this can be with your horses or maybe in life in general. If, for example, you need a lorry to achieve your competitive goals with your horse, then you need to write that on your list and you then need to work out how much money you need to buy the lorry and make a plan of getting that money together. If you dream of competing at BE events and you and your horse are capable but you can’t afford it, you need to start to think of ways to earn an extra few hundred pounds a month.

Having a “dream board” up on your wall is very powerful. If pictures of Charlotte Dujardin and Carl Hester would inspire you to go out and school your horse even on the wettest and darkest days then put one up! The difference between successful people, and riders, and unsuccessful people is very often dedication, commitment and drive, even above actual talent.

Christmas in the stable

Your goals and willingness to succeed must be very strong, otherwise you will easily be knocked off your perch with the slightest set-back and everybody has bad days. All Olympic and successful athletes will have days when they don’t perform their best and with horses this can be even more frustrating as injuries, and illnesses, can often get in the way of vital performances. But if your desire to succeed is strong enough, you will rise above the disappointments and keep going.

If finances are the thing that is holding you back from achieving your goals with your horse then you may need to “think outside the box” about ways of making a bit more money. Even the busiest people these days are leading “portfolio” careers with many people becoming very entrepreneurial with ways of making some extra money.

Selling on e-bay, joining a reputable network marketing business, or looking around for a better paid job than the one you are in, are all ways of increasing your annual income, which may then allow you to pay for a few more lessons, buy your dream lorry, or even invest in a new horse to fulfil your equestrian dreams.

Wherever you are now, and wherever you want to be in 12 months time, remember anything is possible with clearly defined goals, a big “reason why” you want to achieve it and consistent activity over time.

Also, it is very often the little, seemingly inconsequential actions, taken consistently over time that will make a huge difference over 12 months. Too many people start with big goals, take massive action that is unsustainable for a few weeks and then when nothing seems to have changed they stop.

For example, if you join a gym in January, go for an hour twice a week and work really hard, it is unlikely any huge changes in shape or fitness would occur within three months. And so people get disillusioned and give up. However, if you do just 30 minutes of activity every day, by the end of 12 months you would start to see a huge difference.

With horses, regular, consistent work will pay off. Horses, like people, take some time to get fit, and improvements can seem small, but keep going. Stick to your plan, stick to your goals and they WILL happen.

Happy New Year – I really wish you all the best for 2013 and look forward to letting our readers know what you have all been up to in the New Year.

WELLOW riding for the disabled group held their nativity carol service at Wellow Trekking Centre with children, volunteers and ponies all dressed appropriately. The service was led by the Rev Martin Lloyd Williams from Bath.

At the end of the service presentations were made; a cup for the rider who has shown the most progress was awarded to Georgia Godfrey; children from the Sunday school at Union Chapel Combe Down, Bath gave a cheque for £300 which was received by chairman, Pat Caudle, with thanks. Anne Allen was also presented with a picture of her pony.

The group urgently needs more volunteers. Details: contact anne 07713639125 or anneallen@dsl.pipex.com

PAGE 76 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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Think twice before breeding

THE equestrian sales market has been affected quite badly by the recession and although on the face of it the industry still seems to be active and booming, horse sales are generally very slow.

Horse owners seem to keep finding the money to shoe, feed and compete their horses, but there are definitely less people looking to buy, and therefore there is an excess of unwanted foals and youngsters on the market.

A decade ago it was possible to cover your breeding costs by producing and then selling a nice young horse, but in the last three or four years this has become increasingly difficult.

If you compare the costs of the stud fees, vets bills, and feeding it simply does not now add up compared with what you can expect to sell the young horse for and so I sincerely hope that in 2013 horse owners do think twice before breeding.

The temptation to breed from a much-loved family pet, who has served you well and is now retired, is of course strong, but realistically unless you are willing to give the young horse a home for life then please be sensible.

Of course there is always a market for very highly-bred, talented and exceptional competition horses and with the recent success in the Olympics, top dressage horses, event horses and show jumpers can still be sold for a premium.

But of course the type of people looking to pay a six figure sum for a horse is always going to be very limited.

Pony breeders should also be particularly careful as unwanted native pony foals are often bought for the meat market.

Feel free to keep your old mare in retirement, as a friend and a companion, but only use her as a brood mare if you know that the offspring has a guaranteed home.

Appeal for help

RIDING

COURSE leaders at Westbased charity, Horseworld are looking for a bighearted business to sponsor waterproof clothing for local young people taking part in a ground-breaking educational programme.

The extremely wet weather of recent weeks has meant students attending Discovery courses getting thoroughly soaked as they go about their horse-handling duties.

Discovery courses bring students from Bristol, B&NES and South Gloucestershire together with horses, often with staggering results for young people with emotional, behavioural and learning difficulties. They lead to an increase in concentration, communication and confidence.

Now Sharon Howell, Discovery Leader, is appealing for a company that would be prepared to sponsor, sports team-style, sets of waterproofs for student participants in the courses, which mostly take place outdoors in all weathers.

January 2013 show dates

Wednesday 2nd Unaffiliated higher evening show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Sunday 6th Mid Somerset mini show jumping at Camel Hill Farm, Sparkford Unaffiliated show jumping at King Sedgemoor Equestrian Centre, Greinton.

Wednesday 9th Lower unaffiliated evening show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Sunday 13th Sedgemoor Events unaffiliated dressage at King Sedgemoor Equestrian Centre, Greinton Wednesday 16th Higher unaffiliated show jumping at Badgworth arena, Axbridge Saturday 19th Mid Somerset Riding Club unaffiliated dressage at Camel Hill Farm, Sparkford Sunday 20th Cannington Unaffiliated dressage at Cannington Equestrian Centre Saturday 26th British Dressage at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Wednesday 30th Junior BS at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge

WINCANTON RACES COMPETITION WINNERS We had a bumper number of entries for our competition last month for tickets for Wincanton's Boxing Day Races.

The winners were: 1. Mr N. Hammond, Shepton Mallet 2. Mr. M. Brook, Wells 3. Cherry Tucker, Frome

MENDIP TIMES â&#x20AC;˘ JANUARY 2013 â&#x20AC;˘ PAGE 77

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MENDIP TIMES

Chew Valley hold on to top spot

Chew Valley 12 Midsomer Norton 6 It must be a while since two of our local teams contested the top spot in the Somerset Premier league. Chew Valley stayed ahead of Midsomer Norton after this win.

Although shading possession in the early exchanges Norton conceded a try to Chew Valley’s outside half Dan Gatton who was on the end of a fine break from first phase by centre Andy McCormack, converted by scrum half Alex Cameron to edge him closer to 200 points for the season so far.

A charged-down clearance kick led to a series of drives from the lineout and a penalty for Norton when a driving maul was collapsed and scrum half Ben Moon put his side on the board.

Using the pick and drive to good effect the Norton pack forced a further series of penalties and eventually referee Ian Hillier lost patience and binned Chew Valley second row Darren Jefferies ten minutes before half time. Moon converted the penalty.

Jefferies redeemed himself in the second half with a try leaving Chew Valley nine points clear at the top of the table half-way through the season. Entry into the National Cup competition sees a first round fixture on December 22nd, venue and opposition to be confirmed.

PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Superstars in the making!

Amy Williams with her winning team

BATH Rugby’s Academy Director and Bath Foundation trustee Danny Grewcock showed why he was one of the most feared and respected locks in the international game when he took part in a Superstars competition just before Christmas.

Danny, who lives near Wells, joined other sporting celebrities including Winter Olympic gold medallist Amy Williams and fellow Bath legends David Flatman and David Trick at the event at Bath Sports Centre which was greatly enjoyed by many members of our enthusiastic and competitive local community.

Danny, whose team was the Rygor Group, said: “It was a brilliant day – there was a great atmosphere with all the kids shouting and cheering. The competitiveness of all the teams was very impressive and I’m sure that with all this enthusiasm, everyone will be back next year for a fitter, even better competition.”

Sidcot take the cup

SIDCOT School won the annual Marter Community Challenge Cup in a tightly contested match against Winscombe under-17s in grim weather conditions.

Sidcot’s 1st XV won by 15 points to 5 with the school’s captain, Alfie Cunningham, 17 of Blackford, scoring the decisive try at Winscombe Recreation Ground.

Alfie said: “I felt privileged to be part of such a historic victory. To beat a side of the quality of Wiscombe RFC shows how much Sidcot rugby has developed.”

It’s the first time Sidcot School has taken the Marter Community Challenge Cup which was inaugurated four years ago to celebrate the installation of floodlights on the Winscombe pitch.

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SPORT

Put your shirts on them!

TWO young generations of aspiring rugby players at Castle Cary RFC have been boosted by support from local businesses as the club continues to invest in its youth policy.

Three sponsors have been found for the match shirts for the under-9s and under16s, which were presented to the players ahead of their regular Sunday matches and training sessions.

The club is confident that many of the Colts side will progress to the First XV, whilst the Sunday morning training sessions attract dozens of rugby-mad youngsters from across the area.

Fun on the run as Castle Cary under-9s celebrate their new shirts

Martin and Niki Atkins, from Ace Acoustics in Castle Cary, sponsors of the under-9s shirts Castle Cary under-16s squad in their new shirts

Antonin Pelatan, aged two, looks on as his father Jean-Lin, MD of Crown Pet Foods in Castle Cary and Marcus Bargery, of All Style Fencing and Gates, of North Cadbury, present match shirts to CCRF officials. Crown Pet Foods is the main shirt sponsor; All Style Fencing and Gates are one of the sleeve sponsors.

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More opportunities for disabled sport

DISABLED people in North Somerset will have more opportunities to get involved in sport after North Somerset Council’s new Sportarray project received £34,000 of National Lottery funding from Sport England’s Inclusive Sport fund.

Sportarray will use its funding to provide disability awareness training for sport clubs and promote clubs that welcome disabled young people and adults. Existing local sports clubs will be supported through the project to provide inclusive and dedicated coaching sessions for disabled young people and adults. The idea for the project followed consultation with the disability sector and disabled people in the area.

North Somerset was one of only three local authorities in the South West to successfully bid for funding and over the next three years the Sportarray project will help to encourage 570 disabled young people and adults to play sport regularly.

Across the country 44 projects will benefit from £10.2 million of National Lottery investment from the fund.

North Somerset Council would like to hear from local sport clubs who want to expand or develop inclusive and dedicated sport opportunities at their club, as well as organisations which support disabled people to help the focus of inclusive sport in the area. Any local volunteers with an interest in developing sports opportunities for people with disabilities are also welcome to get involved.

For more information, contact Rebecca Stathers, Sport and Active Lifestyles Manager at North Somerset Council on 01275 882 733 or email go4life@n-somerset.gov.uk

Top dogs

DEBBIE and Martin Owen from Priddy have won the national title for the third year running with their husky racing team and now qualify for the world championships in Italy next November – and they are looking for potential sponsors to support them.

PAGE 80 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

Follow Paulton’s lead

Edwina and Daffyd

PAULTON Rovers football club is emulating many professional clubs by forging a partnership with its local college to develop new opportunities for young people.

The club is working alongside Norton Radstock College to offer four internship opportunities for students. Paulton, which hosted Norwich in the FA Cup in 2009, is keen to work with the community as it builds its own profile.

Daffyd Evans, commercial partner at the football club which plays in the Southern and South West Division One, said the move was a huge step forward for the club in working with the community: “We are emulating a lot of what professional clubs do which is to have a partnership with their local college.

“The college is outstanding in its own right and we will now be sharing resources. We are going to be taking on interns with young, fresh ideas and we are also helping young people, which is what I am passionate about.”

Daffyd added: “I am a firm believer in giving youngsters a chance and you will be amazed at what they can come up with.”

The college’s Training Tomorrow’s Workforce scheme gives young people valuable workplace experience in a 12-week internship with full support from the college. It is open to any employer without Flashback to 2009 obligation to offer when Paulton employment. hosted Norwich Edwina Thomas, Employment Relations Officer for the college, said: “It is a fabulous opportunity for some young people to gain inside knowledge of the business sector, commercial projects and sport.

“It will be something to put on their CV and a way into the workplace.”

More information is available from Radstock Skills Centre or the college itself. E-mail: employers@nortcoll.ac.uk or call 01761 420786.

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Mendip celebrates

Wedmore’s award

THE husband and wife team of Nick and Carole Pope from the Isle of Wedmore Golf Club are celebrating their success after the annual Pro Shop Europe Awards, which were presented at the prestigious Wentworth Golf Club.

This year the centre was not only nominated in three categories but was shortlisted in them too. At the end of the evening, Nick and Carole were celebrating with a second successive showing in the Pro Shop of the Year where they picked up third spot.

Nick was thrilled with a third spot in the Junior Coach of the Year after a great year for the juniors at the club with six junior members being selected for the Somerset Junior Coaching Academy.

The icing on the cake came when Carole, who has just completed the three-year PGA training programme, scooped the runner up spot in the PGA Assistant Golf Professional of the Year.

Junior development

WELLS Golf Club has received the GOLFMARK award, an initiative of Golf England, in recognition of the club`s development work with junior golfers and their introduction to the game. Club Captain Andy Williams said this was another step forward in the club`s constant development for the future.

Pictured (l to r) Bob Lench, Wells Golf Club director, Chris Smith, director Young Masters Golf, Paul Barrington, county development director, Andy Williams, Jack Heginbotham, club professional, and Raymond Smith, club president.

IT’S been celebration time at Mendip Golf Club. At the beginning of December they celebrated the success of those golfers (pictured) who won competitions and knockouts during 2012.

The trophies and prizes were presented by the Club Captain, Terry Russell and the Ladies Captain, Elaine Kitchenham.The presentation was followed by a buffet supper and live music.

The previous month the Seniors Section held their annual dinner and prize-giving. In his speech after dinner, Colin Davies, this year’s Seniors Captain, highlighted that by common consent amongst team members of visiting teams, the catering at Mendip was second to none.

• £728 – 15 months for 12 from 1 Jan 2013 to 31 Mar. 2014 • £332 – Special rate for aged 23-35 years based on 15 months for the price of 12 • Children of full member (In full time education) play free • Children of full member (under 16) play free • Group discount for 4 golfers joining together • All prices exclude Golf Union Levies

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WHAT’S ON

The Mendip Times What’s On Guide for January Thursday December 20th Churchill Post Office and Stores “Christmas Carol Service”, 5.50pm.

Christmas display, mulled wine and mince pies. Proceeds to charity.

Monday December 31st Posh Frock Party at Redhill Village Club. Tickets £15. Three-course buffet, entertainment by Johnny Lee Sage.

Wednesday January 2nd A “Whimsical Look at Life” with Joan Wilkins at Backwell Bowls Club, 10.30am. Yeo Valley Probus Club. Details: David Pye, 01275 857769 Thursday January 3rd Wells Evening Society, Dr Adrian Tinniswood, Pirates of Barbary, Wells Town Hall, 7.30pm.

Tuesday January 8th “Plutocrats on Vacation – Holiday homes of the American rich 1870-1940”.

Talk for Mendip Decorative & Fine Arts Society by Mr Roger Mitchell. 10.30 for 11am at the Westex Suite, Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet. Contact Tony Lane, 01749 670652 if you wish to attend.

Wednesday January 9th Wells Civic Society agm followed by Development and Design in the historic context of Wells with Kevin Hunt, Wells and Mendip Museum, 7.30pm.

Saturday January 12th Jumble Sale: Avon Wildlife Trust. Old School Room, Chew Magna 2pm.

Donations of books, toys, clothes gratefully accepted from 5pm evening before. More details 01275332482.

Frome Society for Local Study, Megan Seymour: The Importance of Bees in the Ecosystem, Assembly Rooms, Frome, 2.30pm.

Wednesday January 16th “Policing the Community”, a talk for Yeo Valley Probus Club by Justin Robbie, PCSO. Backwell Bowls Club at 10.30am. Details, David Pye 01275 857769.

Thursday January 17th Riders Rest Tea Room, Wellow Trekking Centre, faggots, peas and apple pie, proceeds to Wellow School's trip to Germany, 12-1.30pm, tickets £10. Details: 01225 837437.

Saturday January 19th Elvis Themed Quiz Night – on the 40th anniversary of “the King’s” concert in Hawaii so please dress accordingly! 8pm, Redhill Village Hall.

Thursday January 24th Chew Valley Wildlife Trust: “Animal Magic”. Talk by poet/author Liz Brownlee about extraordinary endangered animals. Chew Magna Millennium Hall, 7.45pm. £2.50 incl refreshments.

Saturday January 26th Somerset Crafts and RSPB “Big Garden Birdwatch” Activity Day, inspired by the starlings that roost on the Levels each winter. Includes making a starling mobile and a competition for the best starling picture. 10am – 5pm, Avalon Marshes Centre, Westhay, BA6 9TT. Details 01458 860426.

Monday January 28th Churchill Young Musician of the Year – St John the Baptist Church, Churchill, 6pm – 8.30pm. Adults £7.50, Under 18’s £3.50 –includes interval refreshments.

Details: 01934 852919.

Wednesday January 30th “Mud, mud, glorious mud” – a tribute to Flanders and Swan by musicians Tim Lewis and Sheila Furneux. The Friends of Weston-super-Mare Museum, 2.30pm.

COMING UP:

ACROSS: 1/21 The Strawberry Line, 9 Airport, 10 Oildrum, 11 Eggwhisk, 12 Ibis, 14 Unarmed, 18 Marconi, 19 Version, 20 Dilemma, 22 MendipTV, 27 Armfuls, 28 Aquaria, 29 Country skills.

DOWN: 1 Thankful Village, 2 Eyrie, 3 Thong, 4 Aitch, 5 Blossomed, 6 Role, 7 Yard broom, 8 Domestic animals, 13 Oral, 15 Agronomic, 16 Maid, 17 Dinner-set, 23 Diary, 24 Pluck, 25 Virol, 26 Kudu.

ANSWERS TO THE DECEMBER MENDIP MINDBENDER:

Now in our 21st year

Quartet (12a) Starts Tuesday, 1st January Les Miserables (12a) Starts Friday, 11th January The Impossible (12a) Starts Friday, 18th January Playing for Keeps 12a) Starts Friday, 18th January Lincoln (12a) Starts Friday, 25th January

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

PAGE 82 • MENDIP TIMES • JANUARY 2013

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