Mendip Times

Mendip Times

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VOLUME 8 ISSUE 9

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Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas

FEBRUARY 2013

IN THIS ISSUE: POINT-TO-POINT UNDERWAY WASSAIL CELEBRATIONS SS TITANIC’S LEGACY ARTS & ANTIQUES

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

PENNY

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Our Services Include: Commercial and Residential Property Wills and Probate Litigation and Personal Injury Criminal and Family Law Agricultural, Business and Commercial Employment Shepton Mallet: 57 High Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5AQ. Tel: 01749 343091

Glastonbury: 11 Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 8DL. Tel: 01458 832510

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It’s late for Christmas but this is our Guess the Santa competition. Which partner is this? e smart money is on Dervla Nash.

It is good to let the mind wander wherever it wants. Better than yoga, possibly musing on the fickleness of human nature, buying groceries, woman flu (it does exist, just not well publicised) and “Conveyancing”.

Why do different jobs generate their own jargon? Why do solicitors use that ugly word “conveyancing”? Why not “conveying”? You don’t conveyance an object from one place to another. To a lawyer a conveyance is a deed transferring a property but if a sturdy constable of yesteryear was reporting “ I was proceeding down the High Street in the normal course of my duties when I observed the Defendant driving at high speed in a stolen conveyance”, he would have meant something entirely different.

Conveyancing is quite a large part of the average solicitor firm’s workload, an area where personal contacts and user-friendliness provide a good service and help to smooth the bumps, often created by others, which arise along the way.

If you have a good local supermarket you use regularly and like the staff and service, would it make sense to send for your baked beans from an unknown source 100 miles away? Of course not.

Well, for reasons that can make no sense for them, some people do exactly that with their conveyancing work, possibly the most important financial transaction in a lifetime. Why? Who gains out of it? Read on next month.

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

SNOWDROPS and daffodils had hardly emerged when the snow descended, but they are not the only signs of spring.

Organisers are busy preparing for the first of the year’s big local events, Mendip Point to Point and the West Country Game Fair.

We’ve previews of both and the chance to win tickets to the fair, which is being held at the Royal Bath and West show ground. The Royal Bath and West Society stages its own 150th show later in the year – Mary James looks back at the society’s history.

The history of a Clutton firm goes back even further – Dawson Steeplejacks are in their 176th year and are still clambering up churches and historic buildings all over the West Country – we didn’t join them!

We’ve pictures from some traditional wassailing events around Mendip and go behind the scenes at Frome Memorial Theatre for Frome Amateur Operatic Society’s pantomime Dick Whittington.

Our guide to What’s On in the area grows bigger by the month.

We meet self-confessed “Otterholic” Tony House and share some of his stunning pictures and join Phil Hendy on his journey to The Frozen Deep, the massive new cave found deep under Cheddar Gorge.

With all of our regular contributors and features, we can confidently say that spring is on the way.

March 2013 deadline: Friday, 15th February 2013.

Published: Tuesday, 26th February 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: Sarah Gould and Special Occasion at home in Cranmore.

Photo by Mark Adler (see page 66).

7

Pressing on – apple tree project takes root in Mendip

28

Ship-shape and cider fashion – HMS Somerset goes wassailing

66

They’re off – our guide to the point-to-point season

72

Behind the scenes – panto time in Frome

Plus all our regular features Environment...................................6 Farming Mary James MBE..........10 Valentine’s ....................................12 Food & Drink...............................16 Arts & Antiques ...........................24 Business ........................................30 Internet and Crossword..............35 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE .......37 Walking Sue Gearing....................38 Outdoors Les Davies MBE ..........40

Gardening Mary Payne MBE ......42 Health Dr Phil Hammond.............46 Family Mendip Mum....................46 Community...................................49 Caving Phil Hendy........................51 Charities .......................................52 Property........................................54 History ..........................................56 Riding Celia Gadd ........................64 What’s On ....................................69 MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 3

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MENDIP TIMES

Africa bound

OLLY Griffin, who grew up on a dairy farm at Kingston Seymour, near Clevedon is about to embark on a conservation project in a remote area of Gabon, on the west coast of Africa.

After attending Sidcot School, he studied Natural Sciences at the University of Bath and during his final year was part of a group of students that organised and led an expedition to Madagascar.

He said: “There we carried out a biodiversity survey, looking at lemurs, birds, reptiles and amphibians. After I graduated, I went back to Madagascar to work for 10 months, mostly on the Greater Bamboo Lemur, of which there are only about 300 left, but was also involved with aye-aye and other critically endangered lemurs.”

Whilst there, he applied for a masters course in Conservation Science, which he finished recently. At the end of this month he will be leaving for Gabon, for at least a year and a half, working from a very remote and beautiful forest clearing frequented by gorillas, elephants, swamp-dwelling antelope, leopards, buffalo, crocodiles, and otters.

He said: “I’ll be developing research programs, helping with law enforcement, and monitoring ivory poaching and illegal logging. My girlfriend will also be working in Gabon, at a different national park, where she’ll be working with mandrill, the world’s largest monkey, which has an amazing painted face.”

Olly’s mother, Franky, was a teacher and now runs a small retail business, and his father, Roland, was a dairy farmer and now manages their land. He has twin sisters, Briar, a fashion designer in London, and Esme, a pharmacist who locums all over North Somerset. The family are mostly self-sufficient for food, rearing their own lamb and poultry, with Roland growing most of their vegetables.

We hope to report on Olly’s work in future issues.

Memories of Adge and the Wurzels

NEWS

The original Wurzels line-up

A REPRINT of the new biography of Adge Cutler has just been released, after the first edition sold out in just six weeks.

Adge: King of the Wurzels, by John Hudson, was launched at a packed event in the upstairs room at the Royal Oak at Nailsea where the Wurzels’ first LP was recorded in 1966.

Several people who were in the room that night were at the launch, including the Wurzels’ former manager John Miles, Adge’s brother Dave Cutler, his step-daughter Su Elliott, various cousins – and Tom White, the hapless doorman back in 1966 who was overwhelmed by the crush of gatecrashers wanting to see the new sensations of Scrumpy ‘n’ Western music.

Adge’s boyhood years in Nailsea and his time working on the building site at Portishead B power station form important chapters in the book, as do the infamous World Cider Drinking and Muck Spreading Championships in Portishead and Weston-in-Gordano in 1967 and 1969, which did so much to promote the Wurzels cult.

Finally, the crash in which Adge died in 1974, and the mysteries surrounding it, are examined in unprecedented depth.

John Hudson signing books

Protecting Black Down

THE Mendip Hills AONB Partnership has received a grant of £205,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund for its Discovering Black Down project, which is aimed at safeguarding the future of the Black Down and Burrington Commons.

It will allow the AONB to employ a full-time project officer for three years to work with community groups and partner organisations. Councillor Dawn Hill, chairman of the AONB partnership said: “We’re delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this grant. Black Down is one of the most fascinating sites in the Mendip Hills AONB and with this funding we can bring the special stories of the site to life and encourage people to take an active role in caring for this special place.”

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 5

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Local school buys farmyard in Africa!

CHEWTON Mendip school children, staff and parents were amazed and delighted to discover that they have just raised enough money in their seasonal appeal to buy a small farmyard in Africa.

The project started when Jackie Laws, a Send a Cow ambassador, visited the school and inspired the children by telling them all about the work of SAC, which trains and supports poor rural families in Africa and helps them to become self-sufficient.

The children were also really interested to hear that every person given a gift promises to pass on an equivalent gift to another family in need, the first female calf, goat kid, seeds or skills, for example.

Everyone in the school then decided not to buy and send each other Christmas cards, but to focus on raising funds to change the life of a family in Africa with the help of Send a Cow. All the children made recycled seasonal messages at home in the shape of one of the animals that Send a Cow donates.

As the children brought in their original and creative designs to add to the colourful display in the school entrance hall, they donated £1. Parents and staff also donated money.

Jackie Laws visited the school to receive a cheque for £471.31, thanked everyone, and said: “This is a fantastic result and is enough money to buy two local cows, four sheep, two goats, eight chickens, four rabbits, seeds and tools, three tip taps and two fuel-saving stoves, which will make a huge difference to several families in Africa.”

Seasonal Messages made from recycled materials, on Chewton Mendip’s Send a Cow display

Details: www.sendacow.org.uk or 01225 874222.

School pond project

Send a Cow ambassador, Jackie Laws, receives a cheque for £476 from Chewton Mendip School

A PRIMARY school near Shepton Mallet has received funding towards a new pond which aims to provide an enjoyable yet educational environment for the pupils.

Upton Noble C. of E. Primary School’s new pond was dug out by parents, teachers and children. The children are now working on plans to build a butterfly zone and outdoor study areas.

Mark Solomon, headteacher, said: “We have seen how our children benefit from playing and working outside and our new pond will provide endless opportunities for creative and enjoyable play and education.”

The project was supported by Wessex Water. Representative Jody Knight is pictured with two members of the school council.

PAGE 6 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

Children at Chewton Mendip School admiring their Send a Cow display

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ENVIRONMENT

An apple for teacher?

A PROJECT to teach students about the heritage of their local apple orchards is coming to fruition.

Barbra Lakin, from Shepton Mallet, has been working with five secondary schools for more than two years as part of the Fruit-full Schools Project, which is managed by the national school grounds charity Learning Through Landscapes.

Students have been encouraged to discover more about their local apple heritage, celebrate Apple Days and Wassails and how to bench graft apple trees. Barbra has been working with Crispin School in Street, Ansford School, near Castle Cary, Oakfield Middle School in Frome, Shaftesbury School in Dorset and the Grange School at Warmley, in South Gloucestershire.

Those schools also joined forces with their feeder primary schools which now boast their own mini-orchards including: Norton St Philip, Mells, Trinity, Elmhurst, Coxley, Brookside, Evercreech, North Cadbury, Lovington and Castle Cary.

The first grafting sessions took place in 2010 using local scion wood from trees donated by the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury, Chalice Well and a private orchard in Norton St Philip. The secondary schools were also each given £1,000 for an orchard-related project.

Barbra, an accredited educator for LTL who has worked with local schools on

Students at Crispin School prepare to plant the trees

environmental and heritage projects for a number of years, said: “There have been so many brilliant parts to this project but one that sticks in my mind is of a group of lads at Ansford. In the first year they were apple juicing during Apple Day. A lad brought in a red bucket in which he had made juice in his workshop.

“It worked a bit but he went away to improve it; next year he converted a dustbin into an apple press; better but he was still not completely happy. Last year he and his mates had an enormous wooden press that they had built themselves and used in a very successful community apple pressing outside the Market House in Castle Cary – all done under their own initiative – fantastic!”

G Barbra is offering to donate a number of apple tree saplings to projects which are accessible to the public, such as

community orchards. They are all West Country varieties. For more information, e-mail Barbra at: fruitfullsw@googlemail.com Barbra Lakin

Grafting underway

Teacher David Wrathall, co-ordinator for Crispin School’s sustainable development group, removing side shoots

For more information, visit: www.fruitfullschools.org MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 7

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ENVIRONMENT

What makes Dinder special?

DINDER, near Wells, has been described as “a lovely, traditional village” – now residents are being asked for their views on what makes it so special.

Heritage conservation experts from Mendip District Council have produced a draft appraisal document to highlight and protect the community’s architectural and historical features.

The draft Dinder Conservation Area Appraisal went out to public consultation in January. The consultation period lasts until early February. Dinder has been designated a Conservation Area since 1987 but this is the first time an appraisal has been carried out on the village.

The purpose of the appraisal is to define and record the special architectural and historic interest of the Dinder conservation area and to identify opportunities for enhancement and further work. It will provide a firm basis on which applications for development within the Dinder Conservation Area will be assessed.

Councillor Nigel Hewitt-Cooper, district councillor for the Croscombe and Pilton ward, said: “Dinder is a lovely traditional

M E N D IP

W E AT HE R

S C E N E

The village church is highlighted in the report

The River Sheppey flows through the village

village and this appraisal highlights the features that create its beauty. It’s important that these features are maintained and future planning doesn’t have a detrimental impact on this rural village.”

G The report, which includes colour photographs from some of the key sites in Dinder, is available to view online at www.mendip.gov.uk Hard copies will also be available at St. Michael’s Church within the village, Dinder Village Hall and at the council offices in Shepton Mallet. Members of the public are able to comment on the appraisal by sending letters to Mendip District Council, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5BT or email customerservices@mendip.gov.uk, clearly marking it for the attention of Robert Palmer.

Once all the consultation responses have been considered, a final version of the appraisal is expected to be adopted by the council.

Wet and dry: from low to high pressure

LAST year proved to be a most remarkable one in which we saw the wettest-ever April, June AND December.

Add to that the second-wettest November and a very wet July and September as well and it made a grand with DAVID total of 1619.1mm of rain for the year MAINE as a whole. This was the wettest year on record and TWICE the rainfall we had in 2009!

Then along comes the New Year and what happens?

Pressure rose strongly as soon as the New Year came in and the barometer went from a reading of 999mb on New Year’s Eve to as high as 1039mb by January 3rd.

This, of course, brought about a complete change in the weather pattern. As we all know, high pressure means a lot of dry weather and we have had less rain during the first half of January than during the last three days of December!

The reason for the drier weather is because within a large high pressure area, the air is moving generally outwards at low levels and has to be replaced by air from

PAGE 8 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

Perfect weather on New Year’s Day for a meeting of the Mendip Farmers Hunt

above, the descending air causing the cloud layers to thin and break – just the opposite of what happens within a low pressure area, of course.

As well as drier weather, high pressure often brings colder conditions in winter, which is the case as I write, and next time I might have some interesting cold weather facts to tell you about.

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Tel: 0800 097 8611

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MENDIP TIMES

Here’s to the Royal Bath and West!

SOME farming history this month.

The Royal Bath and West Show celebrates its 150th show this year but the society was formed long With MARY before that.

JAMES MBE It was in 1777 that a gentleman in Bath put an advert in the Bath Chronicle (it is still in operation) and other papers urging public spirited gentlemen from the City of Bath to come forward with a view to encourage Agriculture, Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, in the Counties of Somerset, Wilts, Gloucester, Dorset and in the City and County of Bristol.

As a result 22 distinguished gentlemen came forward and the Bath Society was formed, which later became the Bath Agricultural Society, then the Bath and West and in 1977 the Royal Bath and West of England Show Society.

The 18th century was a time when there were far-reaching changes in British farming, mainly the enclosure of common land and the introduction of new crops and implements. The great innovators of the time were Jethro Tull (1674 – 1741) who perfected the horse- drawn seed drill that sowed seeds in neat rows as well as the horse-drawn hoe and Robert Bakewell (1725 – 1795) who was perhaps the most important figure of the Agricultural Revolution.

He was the first to implement the systematic selective breeding of livestock. Those 22 gentlemen of Bath set about writing discussion papers on many aspects of the new farming techniques which were made available to all who joined their society. It was all about the education and encouragement of farmers

Wanted – oldest Young Farmer!

SOMERSET Federation of Young Farmers is fast approaching its 80th anniversary year. The thriving organisation was established in 1934.

Now they are looking for the oldest surviving YFC member.

If you know of any ex-members vying for this title, please contact the Somerset YFC Office on 01278 691711

PAGE 10 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

to try new ideas which is still the basis of the Royal Bath and West Show today.

For instance the show brought the Robotic milker to the Dairy Show in 2011 and to the main show in 2012. There are sections at the show that explain the newest ideas in farming and countryside matters including bio-diversity, sustainability, organics and selfsufficiency.

The first agricultural show was held at Taunton in 1852. It would appear that this was for members only but in 1853 it was open to the public. The principle of the first show was the showing and comparing of livestock, namely Devon and Shorthorn cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry and pigeons. There was an exhibition of implements both for sale and trial for which prizes were awarded. So we see an embryo of the same formula used for the show today.

For 100 years the show followed a formula for country people only but then a secretary called Thomas Plowman decided that the old concept of a show just for country people would have to go.

He understood that the best way to get the general public interested in agricultural matters was to provide the opportunity for them to see farming operations in action.

So he introduced many things we take for granted today such as ‘jumping competitions’ and working dairies. The show was peripatetic until 1965 when it found a permanent home at Shepton Mallet.

The show did not operate in the two world wars or the year of foot and mouth disease but it recovered each time to be even stronger. Here’s to the next 150 years! Come and see all that it has to offer this year on May 29th – June 1st.

The 1863 show was held in Exeter

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FARMING

Hedge fund grows

Roger Noble

By Mark Adler

PRIZE money has been increased for this year’s hedgelaying competition organised by the Mid-Somerset Show Society.

But a recently-discovered newspaper cutting from 90 years ago shows that winning the ditching and hedging competition then was possibly even more highly prized.

First prize for both amateurs and professionals in this year’s event has been increased to £50. The competition takes place near Cannards Grave, Shepton Mallet, on Sunday, February 24th.

The competition was revived two years ago after trophies and certificates were discovered hidden away.

The old cutting from a 1923 issue of the Shepton Mallet Journal was found by farmer Roy Trott, who lives opposite this year’s venue. It shows that the first prize for the winner in the under-20s competition was £1/5/0; fifth place was awarded 2/6.

The winner of the Champion Open Class – competitors had to “dyke and splash 2 perches of hedge” – would receive £1/10/0.

The competition took place on land next to Stomacher Farm at Downside, Shepton Mallet. Then, as now, entrance into the competition was free.

Other advertisements on the same page included the forthcoming programme at The Cinema in Shepton Mallet (Harold Lloyd was starring in What Do You Think) and the Mid-Somerset Motor Company in the town was promoting Morris Cowleys, Oxfords and Wolseleys. Beneath the advertisement for the competition was an advertisement for the Hilworth High School for Girls in the town, promising “thorough, modern education”.

Roy donated the cutting to Roger Noble, organiser of this year’s A scene from last year’s competition

The cutting from the Shepton Mallet Journal

competition, who said: “It was remarkable to read about the competition. The cutting is another piece of the jigsaw in recording the history of the event.”

G This year’s competition takes place on land at Beard Hill Farm, courtesy of the Snelgrove family. Entries should be submitted to Roger Noble at Meadow Croft, Top Street, Pilton, BA4 4DF (telephone 01749 890614) by Sunday, February 10th. Late entries may be accepted.

Killens are amongst the sponsors. Others include Uphill & Son, Carter Jonas, South West Fencing and Chris Burr Contractors.

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 11

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A special gift

JUST in time for Valentine’s Day, Erica Sharpe’s latest addition to her elegant swan collection are beautiful swan earrings echoing the flowing movement of these graceful birds.

Eric said: “Swans are believed to pair for life, so the collection is particularly meaningful for special gifts between couples.”

The silver earrings retail at £95 and match her swan pendants which were launched during the Swans of Wells public art event last year. Her swan diamond rings are ideal for engagements and she is proud to have the collection registered with the Fairtrade Foundation.

Erica was recently selected a Designer of Excellence 2013 ahead of the Jewellery Design Quarter International exhibition at the NEC this month.

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Along with public retail they work with a number of corporate clients including Harvey Nicholls, the Royal Marriot and Cadbury House hotels.

On Thursday February 14th

BEAH my Valentine!

A special menu for the special person in your life . . . reserve your table now Also bookings being taken for: Saturday February 23rd Moroccan evening with Raheesha (belly dancer) Sunday March 10th Mothers Day Lunch Sunday March 31st Easter Sunday Lunch For further details and bookings, call

01749 678111 or email: info@beah.co.uk

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English & Mediterranean Restaurant, Wells 2, Union Street, Wells, Somerset BA5 2PU • www.beah.co.uk PAGE 12 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

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VALENTINE’S

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MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 13

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Help in a crisis

By Mark Adler

Time for tea

NEWS

Organiser Ann Taylor (left) with club joint presidents Mollie Arnold and Linda Tanner

AROUND 90 elderly people enjoyed an afternoon tea party organised by members of Midsomer Norton and Radstock Inner Wheel.

The event, at the Somer Centre in Midsomer Norton, was held to celebrate International Inner Wheel Day and featured games of bingo and a performance by the Jenny Peplow Singers.

Foodbank project manager Joy Fraser with Rev. Stephen Burrow, curate at St John’s church in Chilcompton

THE Somer Valley Foodbank has opened with a promise to help people who are “really down on their luck and need hope”.

Around 100 people attended the official launch of the foodbank, including volunteers and members of the various churches which are backing the venture.

Agencies such as social services, health visitors and GPs will issue vouchers to people who can exchange them for three days’ worth of food at centres in Midsomer Norton, Radstock and Peasedown St John.

The foodbank will help families, couples and single people living within a five-mile radius of Midsomer Norton and joins around 300 similar concerns in the UK. The foodbank has opened with four tonnes of tinned and dried food on its shelves. Jo Fraser, the project manager, said: “We will provide people with enough foodstuffs for three meals a day for three days. We are not trying to create a dependency but to help people in a crisis. It is not about long-term help.”

The Rev. Sue Greatorex, from Radstock Churches Together, said: “This has been in the hearts and minds of people for a very long time. We want to provide help to people who are really down on their luck and need hope.”

G The foodbank is based at a warehouse in the Midsomer Norton area. Food will be distributed through centres at: Midsomer Norton Salvation Army: open Mondays, 12noon-2pm The Church Rooms, next to St Nicholas Church, Radstock: open Wednesdays, 12noon-2pm Peasedown St John Methodist Church: open Fridays, 12noon-2pm For more information, visit: www.stjsgroup/org/somer-valley-foodbank/

PAGE 14 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

Muriel Walters was amongst the winners during the game of bingo

Joyce Plummer, Doris Brown, Vyvyanne Perkins and Evelyn Bull enjoy the party

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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. 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.

Guy Salmon lend a helping hand!

DURING the recent adverse weather which caused major disruptions to travel in and around the area, Guy Salmon Land Rover Bristol were there to lend a helping hand!

On the morning of Friday 18th January, Dealer Principal Amanda Binner Vaughan received a phone call from Carolyn Roper of the Trauma & Orthopaedic Department at North Bristol NHS Trust. Alongside the Trust’s own 4x4 vehicles, Carolyn was trying to secure the rental of an additional 4x4 vehicle to assist them with the delivery of their Trauma Consultant on call cover over the weekend.

Even though Carolyn was only looking for Guy Salmon to either point them in the right direction or loan them a vehicle at a cost, Amanda kindly offered them the complimentary use of a Land Rover Defender straight away! ”The offer of a vehicle was a great help in supporting our existing extreme weather plans and we are grateful for Guy Salmon’s assistance,” said Carolyn.

“We were delighted to be of assistance” said Dealer Principal Amanda Binner-Vaughan, “We have a fantastic product that really comes into its own during adverse driving conditions and the fact we could lend a vehicle to supporthelp such a fantastic local requirement is fantastic, and we won’t

GUY SALMON

Carolyn and Mike Kelly, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon collecting a Land Rover Defender from Guy Salmon.

hesitate to assist in the future whenever we can.”

ALSO – Don’t forget to book your comprehensive winter health check (any make/model welcome) for only £14.95 (Including a free winter gift/accessory)! Please contact a member of our team today on 0117 239 8534.

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 15

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MENDIP TIMES

Love is . . .

… GETTING up a bit early to make a special breakfast on Valentine’s Day. Refraining from saying: “I’ll just have coffee, thanks.” Doing the washing up with a big smile.

All of these recipes are either very quick to prepare or else can be made ahead of With JUNE time and assembled at the last minute. You MACFARLANE can lay a pretty tray the night before and the Today programme will get you through the final preparations. I promise it will be worth the effort!

DUCK EGGS BENEDICT WITH SMOKED SALMON

Eggs Benedict has been described as the Marilyn Monroe of breakfasts, so that makes it a very racy start to the day. It is usually made with a slice of ham but I think this version with smoked salmon makes it extra special.

INGREDIENTS Duck eggs are available (for two) locally but, of course, 2 free range duck eggs you could use hen’s splash white wine vinegar eggs and you can make 1 English muffin, halved the hollandaise the butter for spreading night before, but do 4 slices smoked salmon make your own. some chopped chives METHOD First make the For the hollandaise hollandaise. In a bowl 2 tsp lemon juice whisk the lemon juice 2 tsp white wine vinegar and vinegar with the 3 egg yolks egg yolks until frothy.

125g unsalted butter, cubed Place the bowl over a pan of just simmering water and stir gently. Add the butter cubes a few at a time, stirring continually. When all the butter is used up cook until the sauce coats the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat, but keep stirring until the sauce has cooled a little. If making in advance, refrigerate when completely cool and when needed warm through by standing in a pan of very hot water.

Poach the duck eggs in simmering water with a splash of vinegar for about four minutes. Remove and drain on a clean tea towel.

Toast the muffins. Spread with a little butter and fold the smoked salmon on top. Settle an egg on top of the smoked salmon and veil with the hollandaise.

Sprinkle with chopped chives and serve.

DROPSCONES WITH ORGANIC YOGHURT AND ORANGE SYRUP

In Scotland these small pancakes are called INGREDIENTS dropscones. One of my Pancakes (makes about eight) earliest food memories 125g plain flour is helping to make 1/2 tsp baking powder them on the hotplate pinch of salt of an Aga. This recipe 25g caster sugar would be good for 2 eggs, lightly beaten Pancake Tuesday as about 100 ml milk well – the orange 25g melted butter syrup is fantastic, can butter for greasing be made in advance Orange Syrup and is great with the 1 orange, the rind julienned ewes’ milk yoghurt into long strips from Wootton 1 cup fresh orange juice Organic Dairy 1 cup sugar (www.wootton1 cup water dairy.com), although any plain yoghurt would work.

METHOD

Pancakes: mix together the dry ingredients, add the beaten eggs and then the milk gradually until you have a thick batter. Add the melted butter.

Grease a small frying pan. Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the pan and cook until bubbles surface. Flip carefully and brown the other side. It will take you a couple of goes to get the temperature just right. Keep warm while you make the rest. Serve two or three pancakes per person, with some yoghourt and a couple of spoonfuls of the syrup.

Orange Syrup: simmer the orange rind in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and repeat. Simmer the orange juice, sugar, water and blanched rind until reduced to a syrup. Cool.

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 16 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

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Prize pictures

FOOD & DRINK

DO you enjoy taking scenic photos in the countryside, do you often see sights that others miss, capture the colours and shapes of the changing seasons?

Well now is your chance to take part in Ston Easton Park’s new nature and gardens photographic competition, capturing seasonal moods and changes around the park.

There will be three winners in each season – winter, spring, summer and autumn – and the best photographs will be used in the hotel’s new 2014/15 charity calendar.

The photographs will be shown throughout the year on the hotel’s website, culminating in the winners being announced in November 2013. Prizes include luxury overnights stays, champagne dinners, family Sunday lunches, tickets to events and vintage afternoon cream teas.

Photos should be 300dpi high res colour or black and white, with your name, contact details, phone number, the season and information/background about the shot and sent to: photocomp@stoneaston.co.uk For full details of where and when to visit, entry forms and prize details contact: sales@stoneaston.co.uk or reception@stoneaston.co.uk • 01761 241631 www.stoneaston.co.uk

THE RAILWAY INN CLUTTON

17th century country inn

TEL: 01761 452444

Sunday lunch specials – roast and pudding £9.95 Weekday lunch special – two main courses £9.95 Coffee and cake £3.95 Thursdays 10.30am–12noon

Now booking: Valentine's Dinner and Mothers Day – flowers for every Mum! LIVE MUSIC EVERY MONTH

THE RAILWAY IS JUST THE TICKET! www.railwayinnclutton.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 17

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MENDIP TIMES

More choice at Wrington market

More than just another coffee supplier…

It’s a New Year – time to review!!!

We are your local supplier for the highest quality coffee & coffee making equipment, With professional, helpful, friendly service and advice. We care about our customers.

If you are looking to change how you serve your coffee in 2013, then why not give Rob or Jane a call to discuss your requirements or 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.

Come and join us for delicious country bistro food prepared by our team of top chefs in a great pub setting in the lovely Somerset village of Wrington.

This February, why not come down and try us out. We have the following offers to tempt you!

THERE’S a new look for the new year for the popular farmers’ market held at the Plough Inn in Wrington. It’s relaunching as a monthly event, with new stallholders, live music, and later times, 10am-2pm so that people can browse there over lunchtime.

Purchasers will automatically go in to a free monthly draw for a hamper, made up of products from the various stallholders.

The pub is also featuring food specials on market day – the first market on Friday February 8th will have free range pork from Real Pork of Cleeve. There will also be free coffee or teas before 11am.

Our Famous Fish Stew for two, plus two glasses of house wine for £25 Mon – Thursday Lunchtimes – Soup and Sandwich for only £7 Monday Nights Fish & Chips Night £7.95 Wednesday Nights Steak Night – 2 Aberdeen Angus Rump Steaks, chips and salad, plus a bottle of house wine for only £29.95 Sundays – Our Famous Sunday Roasts Sunday Nights – Gourmet Burger Night

PAGE 18 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

Friday February 8th 10am-2pm Featuring all the best local produce including game, free range and organic meats, fresh fish, artisan breads, cakes, cheeses, pieminister pies, homemade chocolates, delicious veg, local pottery and crafts and many other things

Live Music – Pub Open for Breakfasts Free Coffee & Tea before 11am **Prize Draw for a Hamper of goodies from our stallholders at 1.45pm – free ticket with every purchase!

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New look for the Warwick

FOOD & DRINK

A FAMILY run Bristol company is rapidly expanding in the South West by launching its fourth restaurant within five years, despite the current economic climate. Mezze Restaurants is busy redeveloping The Warwick Arms in Clutton, with a £400,000 makeover in preparation for its official launch in February.

It opened its first restaurant, Mezze at the Royal George in Thornbury in 2008, and also has Mezze at the Ship and Castle in Congresbury.

The Warwick is undergoing an extensive refurbishment with complete renovation of the old open fire into an impressive central feature fireplace with a wood burning stove, a new cocktail bar, an A La Carte restaurant and a new eight-bedroom boutique hotel.

Mezze spokesman, Alex Tryfonos (pictured right), said: “We are thrilled with the rapid expansion of the Mezze chain across the South West, which has regenerated the fortunes of several old and much-loved pubs in the region.

“We believe that pubs are the central hub of our local communities and through our continued self-funded investment we are helping to ensure that they continue to thrive as the focal point of these small towns.”

Mezze at the Warwick Arms opens to the public on February 9th, following a series of pre-launch evenings from February 5th-7th for local residents to see the transformation. An official VIP launch evening takes place on Friday February 8th, conducted by a host of local sports stars and celebrities at 7pm.

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 MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 19

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MENDIP TIMES Country shopping at its best

North Widcombe, West Harptree, Bristol BS40 6HW

SHOP EXTENDED – EVEN MORE CHOICE

New look for village pub

THE historic village pub, The Druids Arms at Stanton Drew, is being completely refurbished, after being taken over by Ian Hudson, the man behind Hudson Plumbing and Heating Services.

The 300-year-old pub, famous for the standing stones in its garden, is due to reopen in time for Easter, with new kitchen, accommodation, cellar, bar and dining area.

Ian said: “We are replacing just about everything, apart from the natural beams and lovely open fire.” It will be run by John Mills, former landlord of the Yew Tree Inn at Chew Stoke.

Thatchers Wassail

NEW FUNCTION ROOM NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE

Enjoy a good Sunday roast

Local apple juice, cider and chutneys

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFTS

Plants and gifts including Emma Bridgwater china

Geoff’s fresh fish every Friday and Saturday

Centred around a traditional farm courtyard near Chew Valley Lake – the very best in local produce and gift ideas

Thatchers Wassail Queen Eleanor Thatcher, with father Martin (2nd right), celebrated the tradition with the Mendip Morris Men.

Mendip Times reduces travel costs

TEA ROOMS

Hot & cold meals Delicious cream teas Sunday roast lunches Full English breakfasts

Opening times: Farm shop: Monday to Friday 9am - 5.30pm Saturday 8.30am - 5.30pm • Sunday 10am - 5pm Tea Room: Monday to Sunday 9.30am - 4.30pm

Wheelchair access, children welcome, free parking, coaches by appointment

Farm Shop: 01761 220067 Tea Rooms: 01761 220172

PAGE 20 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

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

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GARDEN FOOD

Food fit for miners

MINER’S lettuce, or Claytonia perfoliata, is a new favourite salad vegetable of mine. Last autumn I planted a great variety of winter greens in my polytunnel to harvest over the winter and, of all of them, the rapini (about which more next month) and the miner’s lettuce With JAKE have done the best.

WHITSON Miner’s lettuce is native to North America (it gets its name from being a vital source of vitamin C to miners during the California gold rush in the 19th century) but has been naturalised in Europe for hundreds of years. It grows very vigorously in our climate and has crunchy, pretty, bluntly arrow-shaped leaves which look really great in a salad. I’m not sure why it’s not more popular.

It seems that it can be sown at almost any time of the year if you have a polytunnel or greenhouse, apart from the very coldest winter months. Last year’s late autumn sowing has grown very well over our relatively mild winter and soon I plan to sow more for a spring harvest.

It also grows very well in partial shade, although sometimes last year it felt hard to discern the shaded and nonshaded parts of the garden. Apparently Miner’s lettuce is also good cooked and the leaves do resemble baby spinach in texture, but I have not had quite enough to bother with this yet.

At this time of year, when I’m using up the last of my chillies, this is one of my favourite salad dressings. First, blacken some mild chillies or peppers over a gas flame, and a garlic clove or two, put in a bowl and cover.

Once cooled and steamed a little in their own juices, crush the garlic and skin and seed the chillies, then chop the flesh.

However much chopped flesh you have, add roughly equal quantities of crème fraiche and lime (or lemon) juice.

Season generously with salt and pepper and thin down with a little water if needed to make it pourable. This dressing is also great as a dip for tortilla chips.

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

Can foragers be choosers?

I LIKE cabbage, honestly I do. It’s not been easy as I certainly didn’t like it as a child along with Brussel sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower. I can now say I love all of the above even if a part of me still doesn’t trust cauliflower. So the brassica link brings me to a wild plant that, to me at least and maybe a With ADRIAN few others, tastes similar to cabbage: ribwort BOOTS plantain.

Neolithic farming greatly increased the distribution and abundance of this plant. Pollen analysis in Britain and Scandinavia indicates that it exploded onto the scene with the increase in grassland, the herds grazing it, and the decrease in the ‘wild wood’ the ancient post ice-age forests.

I suspect that whilst the accidental spread of ribwort plantain was not intended, it would not have gone unnoticed by hunter farmer gatherers. So it’s here to stay and a good job too as it is edible.

With local Somerset names such as, chimney sweep, cocks and hens, conqueror flowers, lambs tail to name but a few, it’s obvious these all refer to the flower heads of the warmer months – no mention of the leaves in the early spring. But that is what we as winter foragers are after, even if there is a hint of cabbage about it.

Ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) is related to common plantain (Plantago major) but has longer spear-like leaves rather than the larger more rounded leaves of common plantain, thus the Latin name ‘lanceolata’ for lance/spear shaped. When young, it has rosettes of fleshy leaves, fibrous stems and as the name suggests there are long vertical ribs (ribwort) running the length of the leaf.

This very common plant can be found in grassy areas on damp soils, often in gardens, waste areas and verges etc.

I’ve tried both ribwort and common plantain (which in my opinion tastes less bitter but even more ‘cabbagy’ if that’s possible) in the springtime and towards the end of the year and I can thoroughly recommend you to go with picking and eating them in the spring. The young tender leaves are best as the mature ones are tough, bitter and stringy.

Gather a good handful and add to the frying pan along with thick cut bacon for a twist on the classic Irish dish of boiled cabbage and bacon. Alternatively, try it in a tomato rich chorizo and bean casserole which adds a bit of greenery to a very red dish, then see if you can detect ‘that’ flavour?

Maybe add extra paprika just to make sure. Or try sweated down with onions, season well and mixed into mashed potato topped with cheese to make champ. In essence, use both types of plantain as a substitute for greens in a dish. Love or hate the flavour of cabbage, sorry I mean plantain, at this time of year can foragers be choosers?

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 • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 21

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MENDIP TIMES

Music at the Manor

Quiz Night Sunday 10th Feb, 8pm start £1 per player, 6 max per team. All proceeds are to go to Cheshire Home in the hope of building a sensory room.

itÄxÇà|ÇxËá

Valentine’s bookings are now being taken. ursday 14th February: 2 Course £17.00 - 3 Course £ 21.00 (includes coffee & mints). 2 sittings, 6.30 or 8.30 – bookings only – for more information please contact us.

Bed and breakfast now available – two beautiful, double en-suite bedrooms – see our website for details Sunday roast – children under 12 eat free Open: Tuesday till ursday 12pm - 3pm / 6pm – 11pm. Friday & Saturday 12pm – midnight. Sunday 12pm – 10.30pm NEW: Every Friday from 11am till 12noon – Parents and babies coffee morning! Changing facilities now available on site.

North Road, Timsbury BA2 0JJ Telephone: 01761 479398

THE QUEEN ADELAIDE BLAGDON

www.sevenstars-timsbury.co.uk

Phil and Pauline promise you a warm welcome

Sunday roasts £8.95 – senior citizens and children £7.50 (Served from 12 – 5pm)

Food served Tuesday to Saturday 12noon–2.30pm and 6pm–9pm Sunday 12noon–5pm

THE MANOR HOUSE INN EAT • DRINK • SLEEP

Real ales, local cider, fine wines and locally-sourced, home-cooked food Dog friendly Children welcome at limited times Wide range of snacks, lunches and meals, with vegetarian options

Sample menu

Open: Tuesday–Sunday Saturdays 12noon–3pm and 6pm –11pm Sunday 12noon–11pm

AFTER two successful evenings of acoustic music at the Manor in Ditcheat, their next event will be on Thursday February 7th with host Aj Webber. Once again local Irish jockey, Andrias Guerin, hopes to be there.

As everyone knows after his two previous visits to the club, he has become a firm favourite and has enthralled the audience with his excellent songs, brilliant voice and ‘dry’ sense of humour!

Hilary Pavey will be the main guest of the evening and is one of the most talented singer songwriters to emerge from the West Country in recent years. Tickets are only £3 and available from the Manor House Inn and also on the door and food will be available from 6pm for those who wish to grab a bite before the entertainment begins.

Singer Aj Webber will be launching her latest album on the same night.

Called Me, the album is Aj’s fourth and is a compilation of some of her previous recordings.

They feature several of the world’s most respected musicians such as guitarist Albert Lee, pianist Jean Roussel, singer Madeline Bell and Mike d’Abo (Manfred Mann) on piano and vocals. Bristol guitarist Kit Morgan is also featured on one of the tracks.

Duck apricot and brandy pate Warm salads Jackets and salad Local sausages, mash and vegetables Home-made pies and trimmings Sweet chilli chicken Pork tenderloin Lamb shank Steaks

All meat and vegetables locally sourced

Now Booking for Valentine's and Mothers Day

RESERVATIONS TAKEN ON 01761 463926

PAGE 22 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

VALENTINE’S MENU TO START Scallops in Shells with Asian Spices and Micro Salad Crab Salad with Wasabi & Cucumber Sauce Lobster and Crab Soup with Chilli Crouton Quenelles of Brie Mousse on Crostinis & Red Current Dressing Fresh Mussels cooked in White Wine, Cream, Garlic & Parsley Pan-fried Pigeon Salad, topped with crispy Parmasan & Bacon Crisp & Port Syrup TO FOLLOW Salmon Wellington with Dill crushed New Potatoes and Saffron Fish Cream Venison Rump on a Parsnip Rosti with Cherry & Port Reduction Chicken Roulade stuffed with Sun Blushed Tomatoes on a bed of wilted Spinach with a Yellow Pepper Sauce Pork Fillet stuffed with Black Pudding & wrapped in smoked Bacon, Dauphinoise Potato, Apple Sauce & Brandy Jus Pan-fried Duck Breast on a bed of wilted Greens with a rich Red Wine Sauce Open Filo Tart filled with Wild Mushrooms, Lentils & Spinach, topped with a Nutty Crumble & served with a smooth Cheese Sauce PUDDINGS Chocolate Popping Candy Mousse served with fresh Fruit Compote Black Cherry Clafoutis Passion Fruit Crème Brûlée Manor Cheese Board with Biscuits, Celery & Grapes Tea/Coffee with Home-made Chocolate £25.00 per person

Traditional Sunday lunches served 12–5pm from £9.25 per person Michelin Guide 2012 Eating Out in Pubs Sunday Times 50 best pubs for the weekend

Pie & Pint Night Every Tuesday/Wednesday throughout January and February from 8th January, choice of 3 delicious home-made pies and your choice of a pint, small glass of wine of soft drink £10 per person, booking advised.

e Manor House Inn Ditcheat, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6RB Telephone 01749 860276 email landlord@manorhouseinn.co.uk www.manorhouseinn.co.uk

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FOOD & DRINK

A country inn with style WHETHER it’s for a drink, a bar meal, a quality dining experience or to stay, the Holcombe Inn can be summed up in one word: style.

That style is very much down to owner Jules Perry’s self-taught talents in interior design. Each of the eight luxury rooms has its own distinctive character and bear witness to Jules’s attention to detail.

“Rococo”, for example, is decorated in a Baroque/Rococo style; “Pemberley” is named after Jane Austin/Darcy’s home and is in a truly traditional decadent style, whilst “Hunters” is a country-style room with antler lamps and rich wool tartans. All bathrooms have feature baths for two, big fluffy white towels and luxury toiletries.

The AA 5* rooms make the 17th Century inn an ideal place for Valentine’s Night or a romantic country weekend, but are also proving very popular for people visiting the area on business or on holiday. The inn is close to businesses on the Westfield Estate near Midsomer Norton and is just a short drive from the attractions of Wells, Bath, Longleat and Stourhead. It is also used by guests of local shooting parties.

Downstairs, the traditional bar offers a wide range of real ales and local ciders, more than 20 wines by the glass, including champagne and prosecco.

Head chef David Beazer and his team are winning many accolades for their cooking; the Holcombe is in the Michelin pub good food guide for 2013, the Good Food Guide and Sawdays Special Places.

The menu is varied, offering mains such as whole grilled lemon sole, homemade pie of the day, braised belly of pork and braised daube of beef as well as the Holcombe Ploughman’s (with

Montgomery Cheddar) and Cornish fishcakes. There is also a choice of Marshalls Elm Farm steaks Now David, who worked with acclaimed chef Stephen Terry (who was taught by Marco Pierre White), is about to launch his Spring Garden Menu to celebrate the coming season.

Jules said: “Now that all the rooms are fully refurbished, I feel that it is mission accomplished.

“And with David in the kitchen I think we are going to achieve even greater things in 2013.”

The Holcombe Inn

Stratton Road, Holcombe, Bath BA3 5EB. Tel: 01761 232478

Valentine’s Night at the Holcombe Inn

Our 17th Century inn is perfect for a romantic evening with log fires, squashy sofas and a beautiful candelit restaurant.

Award-winning food; we’re now also in the Michelin Eating Out in Pubs guide 2013.

Wide choice of restaurant dishes and bar snacks, delicious desserts. Children’s menu available.

Why not book one of our beautiful rooms for the night?

We have eight AA 5* individually-designed rooms – all very different in style – with luxury bathrooms, most with feature baths with room for two!

Close to the historical city of Wells, Bath, Wookey, Cheddar Gorge, Longleat, Stourhead and more.

Website: www.holcombeinn.co.uk • E-mail: bookings@holcombeinn.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 23

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MENDIP TIMES

Decorative and valuable

THIS attractive silver fruit stand is to be sold in Tamlyns’ first catalogued sale of the year – Antiques and Fine Art on February 26th.

Dating from the Edwardian era and beautifully cast and pierced, it is a charming piece. The value of scrap silver is such that many items like this are being ruthlessly smelted as people just send them off to huge companies that pay a basic scrap price for them and they become part of a silver ingot, a lovely thing lost forever.

Fortunately for this little stand it will sell for above scrap price as a decorative item. There are still collectors of decorative silver items and a burgeoning number of private buyers at auction keen to put their money into something useful and attractive, investing in something that will give pleasure and more than likely be more valuable if sold in the future.

Entries for this sale are being accepted now; there will be sections of

PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

jewellery, ceramics, glass, paintings, furniture and decorative items.

Tamlyns hold a valuation morning every Thursday morning in their Bridgwater auction rooms and also hold regular mornings in Westonsuper-Mare, Burnham-on-Sea and

Minehead. You do not need an appointment, so if you are thinking of selling and would like to know more about their sales or valuation mornings contact the office on 01278 445251 or visit www.tamlyns.co.uk for further details.

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ARTS AND ANTIQUES

‘Applause’ for Clevedon Salesrooms

THE internet can be a useful source of information and the Cheshire-based owner of this Beryl Cook oil on board painting certainly did her research before deciding on the best place to sell her picture.

Clevedon Salerooms have an enviable record with the sale of Beryl Cook works and also have the benefit of Fine Art Consultant Sheena Stoddard, former Curator of Art at Bristol City Gallery who curated the Beryl Cook exhibition ‘Larger than Life’ at Bristol in 2011.

Titled ‘Applause’ the picture depicts Sir James Galway receiving enthusiastic applause as he plays his flute. Measuring 46cm x 56cm the picture will be offered at Clevedon Salerooms Specialist Sale on February 28th with an estimate of £12,000 – £18,000.

If you would like your art and antiques exposed to the widest possible audience and sold for the highest price contact them and ask to speak to one of their valuers, or alternatively take items to one of their Free Valuation Days.

To be included in the Sale:

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

Quarterly Specialist Sale of Antiques, Fine Art, Collectors’ Items, Oriental, Watches, Jewellery & Silver Thursday 28th February at 10.30am

Mid 19th Century Smith’s Terrestrial Globe Edo period Buddhist Zushi Shrine

Estimate £400 – £600

Estimate £600 – £900

Viewing: Tues 26th Feb 2pm – 5.30pm Wed 27th Feb 10am – 7.30pm

Online catalogue available 16th February

Tel: 01934 830111 or 0117 325 6789 The Auction Centre, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon, Bristol BS21 6TT www.clevedon-salerooms.com

Beryl Cook oil – ‘Applause’

Clarice Cliff ‘Red Trees & House’ pattern

Estimate £12,000 – £18,000

Estimate £600 – £900 MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 25

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MENDIP TIMES

Discover Market Street Antiques

Steve and sister Shiralee in the antiques centre

IT’S a quirk of England’s smallest city that many people get their first view of the Market Street Antiques Centre when they arrive at the bus station in Wells.

The centre is just a short stroll from the heart of the city and it is more than worth taking a detour to discover what lies inside the garage-style building. Look up to the sign above the green doors to see that the owners of the centre have a definite sense of humour!

Steve Pledger and his family decided to open the centre at the end of last year. The family already runs Household Comforts, a second-hand furniture shop, in South Street. Steve worked for 18

years for T. Wicks, who ran the city’s auction house in Southover, and says he relished the chance to work with antiques and collectables once more.

Market Street Antiques Centre offers a wide range of antiques, collectables, vintage and retro items as well as modern interiors. A feature of the centre is the wide range of cabinets which dealers can rent to display their collections.

It’s very much a family-run business; Steve’s sister, Shiralee Francis, is usually there to welcome visitors even if they just want to browse. Steve’s son, Ryan, also helps out.

Steve said: “People are pleasantly surprised to find us in Market Street because they think it is only residential. But we thought the building would be an ideal place for an antiques centre and it is certainly something that the city needs.”

MARKET STREET

Antiques & Interiors Antiques, Collectables and Vintage Items plus Gold and Silverware Dealers wanted for our glass display cases (rent £30 per week).

We also buy items of interest

A hidden gem in Wells just waiting to be discovered Market Street Antiques (find us by the bus station), 9a Market Street, Wells, BA5 2DS. Tel: 01749 679956 (mob: 07761 655226). Website coming soon

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ARTS AND ANTIQUES

More auctions planned at Mendip Auction Rooms JANUARY’S sale of antiques and collectables staged by Killens at the Mendip Auction Rooms was a great success.

There was some great furniture included with one of the highlights being a Robert “Mouseman” Thompson apprentice settle which saw competitive bidding from around the country, selling above its estimate at £400.

This example was carved with a frog and slightly more unusual. A slightly better example is included in their next sale of antiques due to be held on February 9th. Other highlights within the sale included various items of jewellery and silver.

Items entered for the next sale include a large collection of items belonging to the late Alan Sievewright who was a prominent opera producer. These include costume designs, theatre production notes and many signed items. Other items to be offered include a good collection of hand-painted Chinese snuff boxes, other oriental items, a good collection of records and many other items. Commission bids will be accepted and it is possible to bid live online through thesaleroom.com.

The team at the Mendip Auction Rooms will also be holding a new series of sales from February with the introduction of more general sales of Victorian and later effects including good quality modern china and glass, furniture, pictures, decorative items and collectables.

Their quality antiques sales have grown and the introduction of this type of sale will allow the sale of the huge

number of lots that do not quite make the grade of the more specialist sales.

Valuer, Gareth Wasp, said: “We turn away items which would sell but which are not of sufficient value to go into the Antiques sales. We often turn away items that are too good to throw away and by staging these sales we will be addressing a ready demand”. The first general sale will be on February 19th and entries are invited.

A valuation day will be staged at The Pelican, Chew Magna on February 27th. Alternatively, the auction rooms are open between 10am and 5pm Monday to Friday or free home visits can be arranged.

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 27

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Blagdon Wassail

Stewley Wassail

Blagdon Wassail Queen Jenny Nicholls from Clevedon

Wassail queen Lucy Carter prepares to bless one of the trees at Stewley Orchard

Somerset Morris performed at the wassail in Blagdon, before organiser Olga Shotton lead the ceremony itself in the village’s community orchard.

Martin Horler fires into the tree PAGE 28 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

Taunton Deane Morris enjoy the celebrations

MEMBERS of the crew of HMS Somerset and Wells MP Tessa Munt were amongst the guests at the Shepton Mallet Cider Mill annual wassail ceremony at Stewley Orchard, near Taunton.

Lucy Carter, who works in the mill’s financial department at Shepton Mallet, was crowned wassail queen.

It was a first wassail experience for HMS Somerset Lieutenant Alexandra Karavla, originally from London, who was invited to use a poker to heat up the cider for the traditional wassail ceremony.

Shotguns were fired into the apple trees to ward of “evil” spirits

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Kilmersdon Wassail

WASSAIL Cam Valley Morris dance at the community orchard

CARA Johnson-Pompey found herself a winter wassail queen when the annual celebrations in Kilmersdon went ahead despite the weather.

Organiser Martin Horler said he was determined that the lunch, procession and wassail ceremonies would go ahead regardless adding: “even if was just me and Cara taking part.”

Cara, 16, who lives in Kilmersdon, led musicians from the Village Band, Cam Valley Morris and guests from the village hall to the community orchard where the first of two ceremonies took place.

Everyone then went to The School House, home to Martin and wife Frances, where a second ceremony was held in the garden.

Celebration continued at The School House

Celebrations outside the village hall

The procession led by Cara and Martin makes its way to the orchard

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 29

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Top award for Higos WELLS-based Higos Insurance Services Ltd has been named Independent Regional Broker of the Year at the Insurance Times Awards, ending a successful 12 months for the company.

Managing Director Ian Gosden

(pictured) said: “It is testament to our ongoing dedication and passion in bringing insurance to the high street. Our experience has shown customers place much value on a personal face-to-face and phone-based service.

“Our recent growth illustrates an increasing desire to deal with a highly qualified and skilled high street broker.”

He said Higos plans to open four new branches this year and intends to grow to 50 branches by the close of 2018. It received the same award in 2008.

PAGE 30 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

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View from the High Street

BUSINESS

THIS month we have already seen the demise of Comet and Jessops and the decline into administration of the famous centuryold record company ‘His Master’s Voice’. Interviewers on business programmes across the channels are wondering if we are witnessing the end of our High Streets as viable places to run a retail business.

Why is it then that some High Streets are positively flourishing? One notable exception to the trend is the Devon town of Totnes where the vast majority of shops are owned and run by independent retailers. When questioned, it appeared that much of the town’s retailing success comes from a loyal local following.

The people of Totnes value and support their local butcher, baker and candlestick maker.

Furthermore, there is a local currency. The Totnes Pound has gained in popularity to such an extent that the committee behind it is thinking of issuing notes in larger denominations. Shop keepers in the town have embraced the idea by putting on special offers and discounts for those customers who use it. Local currencies are gaining in impetus and it was recently reported that the new Mayor of Bristol will be taking some of his salary in Bristol pounds.

Many people are very happy with their selection of High Street shops and have no intention of deserting them for out of town shopping malls or internet buying. Why is that? Well, they like the personal service and the quality of goods. No horsemeat in the burgers of these burghers!

Jane Bowe

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www.cameleylodgelaundry.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 31

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NEWS

College celebrates

Village champion

WESTON College has seen a phenomenal leap in applications for its Higher Education courses, bucking a national downwards trend.

Recent statistics reveal that degree applications have fallen eight per cent nationally compared with the same period last year. But Weston College’s applications for its HE courses beginning 2013 have increased by 23 per cent.

Weston College Principal and Chief Executive Dr Paul Phillips said: “Every year, more and more students choose to study degree level courses at Weston College.

“We have invested millions of pounds in our campuses, and our students have reaped the rewards, achieving outstanding exam results, better graduate job prospects and we are recognised for the quality of our degree courses across the UK.” Earlier this year Weston College was given the highest rating possible by education inspectors for top standards in its degree provision. The college was recognised as the top-performing college in the South West and ranked in the top five UK-wide.

NICK Smallwood from Lamyatt, near Bruton, has just picked up a top award – for being “truly decent”! Nominated by his daughter, Nick was one of ten finalists from across the country “whose selfless acts of decency have had a positive impact on the lives of others”. True to form, he’s donated his £1,000 prize to village funds.

At 65, Nick works enthusiastically to foster a real community sprit in Lamyatt. Since moving to the village, he’s established Lamyatt’s own cider business, helped run a themed film night, set up a “give-and-take” table where people can swap home-grown produce and, last year, he masterminded Lamyatt’s impressive Jubilee celebrations.

He’s now lending his support to an important initiative by Lamyatt’s Village Hall Trust to improve its outdated community hall. He said: “We’re just won a £30,000 grant from Mendip District Council – but that’s just the start, there’s a lot of work ahead to raise the rest of the money we need!” Just one more thing to keep Nick busy!

The award was presented by the Metro newspaper.

Weston College graduates celebrate in St John's Church

A picture of health

Nick outside Lamyatt Village Hall

Cheque these out!

Deputy headteacher June Welch with members of the school forum and Paul Scott

MEMBERS of Farrington Gurney Primary School’s pupil forum celebrate after being presented with a certificate recognising their achievements towards a major health award.

Paul Scott, Acting Director of Public Health for Bath and North East Somerset, presented Billy, Millie, Terri, Aidan, Ruby, Ellie and Emily with a Healthy Schools Certificate for achieving the top “green grading” in all of its categories.

The accolade is a major step towards the school’s goal of achieving the prestigious Director of Public Health Award.

Farrington carried out a review of its health-related work and set new targets. Pupils have been fully involved and work on new allotments at nearby Farrington Farm, where they grow their own vegetables.

PAGE 32 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

Nick Pearce (kneeling, left) from the air ambulance and Pam Coward (seated, second right, from the Cat Protection League) receive their cheques from club officials

MEMBERS of Orchardleigh Golf Club ended 2012 on a high after raising almost £10,000 for charity.

Outgoing club captain Mike O’Shea joined ladies captain Liz South to present cheques to their chosen charities for their year: Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance received £9,170.00. Frome and District Cats Protection League received £737.90.

The cheque to the air ambulance was the biggest single donation in 2012, said Nick Pearce, its fundraiser.

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Dear Mendip Times, I am very aware and, indeed concerned, to see that in various fields around Frome there are numbers of horses that appear to be abandoned to their fate. No sign of a rudimentary shelter; certainly not a nice weatherproof horse blanket and no evidence of any fodder being provided, bearing in mind that the grazing at this time of the year is sparse, to say the least.

I have been informed by one of the horse welfare charities that until these animals show obvious signs of distress – lameness or visible ribs, nothing can or will be done.

Apparently this situation pertains up and down the UK and seemingly no action is being taken to provide these animals with a half decent quality of life. While we condemn third world countries for their treatment of animals and beasts of burden, in this respect, we are not much better ourselves.

I understand that the various animal sanctuaries are overwhelmed by abandoned or neglected horses and ponies and the situation is dire. As a member of the public all I can do is to feed two local horses with carrots and apples from time to time and to lobby my MP, write letters and generally make a nuisance of myself.

In an ideal world, local and central government should take this problem on board and get it sorted!

Janet Turner Frome Dear Mendip Times, Many people in Holcombe will have noticed the dozen or so enthusiasts who have been scouring the village over the last three years uncovering its history.

We have been chatting to villagers, sleuthing through archives locally and at Taunton, deciphering leases and property deeds, walking the fields looking for Roman remains, staring down holes, wading through streams, scrabbling up banks, sliding into ditches, being rescued off stiles, crawling through attics, lunching in the pub, measuring humps and bumps, helping out the archaeologists at the old church, collecting photographs and memories, taking photographs, squeezing on to sofas, cramming into chairs, sharing welcoming cups of Joyce Jefferson with the group’s first book, about Stoke St Michael tea, munching on gypsy

Members of the history group on a field trip for their previous book, about Leigh-on-Mendip PAGE 34 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

LETTERS

creams, jotting down comments, writing up notes, looking at stones, looking under stones, peering at artefacts, discussing finds and getting in experts.

Well, we are now writing it all up into a book. If you have anything photos or stories which you think others would love to hear, please still contact us as we would like to hear from you.

Please phone Joyce Jefferson on 01373 832845.

The Holcombe History Group

Dear Mendip Times, Splash of Purple is an annual fundraising campaign in aid of Positive Action on Cancer. PAC provides free, professional counselling to anyone affected or bereaved by cancer and other life threatening illnesses. Adult counselling services are offered in Frome, Bath, Warminster and Trowbridge and support for young people and children is provided in local schools.

This year’s Splash of Purple takes place on Friday, March 1st and Saturday, March 2nd. We encourage local businesses, schools, community groups and individuals to join us in raising money to support those living locally affected by cancer.

PAC receives no government or NHS funding but is committed to offering all counselling free of charge. Therefore we rely upon voluntary support from individuals, local businesses, community groups and grant making trusts. It costs PAC £45 to deliver each counselling session and currently the charity offers 56 sessions every week.

On Friday, March 1st we are holding a fundraising quiz night in Frome to support the Splash of Purple appeal. On Saturday, March 2nd our pop-up book shop will be open in the Westway Precinct in Frome. Stop by and pick up a bargain – both new and second hand books available. Also on Saturday, March 2nd a team of PAC volunteers will be in the Westway Precinct selling cakes to raise money for the Splash of Purple appeal.

Details of all other activities being organised in the local community will be published on our website and Facebook page.

The Fundraising Team, Positive Action on Cancer, 2A Market Place, Frome, BA11 1AG. 01373 455255 www.positiveactiononcancer.co.uk

Staff at Mendip District Council raised almost £1,500 for PAC, their 2012 charity of the year. Pictured (l:r): Maddie Hillman, the council’s Modern Apprentice who helps with fundraising, Kelly Hall, PAC Fundraiser and Stuart Brown, the council’s Chief Executive.

For 2013 the council has chosen to support two charities, Happy Landings Animal Shelter based in Pylle, near Shepton Mallet, and Children’s Hospice South West (photo courtesy of GP Munns)

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INTERNET

New kid on the block

WINDOWS 8 is the “new kid on the block” and most new computers come as Windows 8. But the look and setup of W8 is completely different and works in different ways. If this is your first computer, then it’s no disadvantage whether it’s different or not, but if you have used a computer before, it does take a little getting used to – especially the mouse gestures, but it’s worth persevering. If you have an older computer and want to update, it is relatively inexpensive, but it’s a good idea to check whether your computer can cope. Otherwise, might be best to let the system settle down first.

The Start screen consists of Tiles which you can just tap on a touchscreen, or click with a TouchPad or mouse. This article assumes you are using a mouse or touchpad, but the principle is the same for all – just tap instead of click.

One of the main differences is that you have to have a Microsoft Account in order to use Windows8. It’s a very quick and simple process – you just need to give a name and password.

When you first open your computer, you go to the Start screen, which has Tiles of the most commonly used Apps (programmes). Click on one, and it opens a new Window and will remember what you last viewed. You can move or change the Tiles and can have the Photos Tile displaying a slide show of your photos if you wish. You can personalise this view – move, resize, change the look etc.

If you want to get back to the Start screen there are a number of ways, but one of the simplest is to simply press the Windows key on the keyboard, which will display your Charms (yes, I know, a new bit of jargon!) on the right side of the screen. When you hover over any of these charms, you get a box displaying the time and date and your wireless access and the amount of battery available.

W8 comes with Internet Explorer 10, which is also different! However, if you open it from the Desktop view (use one of the tiles), it has the familiar look, but no Start button, so click on the Internet Explorer icon on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

To Shut Down the computer, go to your Start screen; move your mouse to display the Charms and click on Power and click on Shut Down. And Sleep or Restart is in the same place.

If this all sounds a bit tricky, why not book a 1:1 session and let us help you with your first steps/clicks/taps on W8?

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.

CROSSWORD

The Mendip Mindbender

ACROSS 1 Territory has young women to make history on it (4,5) 6 Sombre admission of loadsa money (5) 9 Mother has doctor with nothing but dance (5) 10/26/25 Said to draw a veil over the hunt in Somerset & Dorset? (9,3,9) 11 Ocean got very hot – battered fish? (4-5) 12 Was found attractive – but failed in the end (3,2) 14 Boys in blue reported in rural area (5) 16 Tongue has transformed a position of authority (9) 18 I say straw provides means of going up in the world (9) 21 Make demand for precise amount (5) 22 Sports are naturally played somewhere suitable (5) 23 You could fall for my ideal agricultural set up (5,4) 25 See 10 27 A cereal . . . produces oak trees? (5) 28 Helped . . . and abetted? (5) 29 Being a nuisance having lost your wicket – just testing! (6,3) DOWN 1 Stop Donald’s pals walking

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 13 15 17 19 20 22 24 26

– not effective anyway! (4,5) Count dish on vehicle (6-5) Become inedible – bangers, for example! (2,3) Painter with soft pencil has pieces of furry animals (7) Wretched person said to keep putting needle in (2-32) Use oven to make space for 6ac? (9) I, for example, have nothing about me (3) Find ourselves in with exRadio 1 DJ, and lived to tell the tale (5) Gave Ada a dose, odd how she became extinct (4,2,1,4) Chose me a darker version (9) Little cafe is neatest I’m persuaded (9) Toff ran all over the place – what an insult (7) Do silly movements substantially (7) Living like sailors – and in a muddle! (2,3) Possibly earn what you long to include (5) See 10 Across

Answers on Page 74 MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 35

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Tales from the river bank

Young female about nine months old, with rounder nose

THESE are some of the photos taken by Tony House from Frome, who freely admits to being a “Confirmed Otterholic”. He organises local volunteers who survey monthly for otters on behalf of Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Otter Group.

WATCHING young otters play in water is ‘magical’. Did you know that females can give birth to six or more kits but invariably only two or three survive to teenage status growing on to become 1.25m (4 feet) long if a male and slightly smaller for females?

Almost made extinct in the 1970s through pesticides and other factors the otter’s return is still very tentative.

Volunteers check for signs of spraint (poo Both kits at about eight months old, the male kit on the right with a larger head

which actually smells quite pleasant) pad marks, fish scales, inedible parts of crayfish or sometimes the 10cm high sand castles they build to mark their territory or made by “holidaying” otters.

Recordings are sent to the Somerset Records Office and give a good indication of their numbers, which also gives a very good indicator of the cleanliness of our rivers. But sadly they are also keen to hear about “road kill”

otters.

These are sent to Cardiff University who study the causes of death in otters and other wildlife, one being a “Bile Fluke” prevalent now in some of our freshwater fish weakening otters’ health.

Water is cold and fish are hard to catch; fit otters work hard already to live in conditions like our recent floods so it’s very hard for unfit ones. New surveyors are always welcome.

Female with eightmonth-old kit

Tony is always available to give illustrated talks on his beloved otters and other wildlife observed while river-walking in Somerset. You can contact him through the Somerset Wildlife Trust 01823 652400.

PAGE 36 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

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WILDLIFE

AS I write this, in mid-January, a blizzard is in full swing outside.

February, of course, is likely to be cold too, but hopefully by the end we will have some warmer temperatures to accompany the lengthening days. Amphibians will be on the move and we should be hearing some early

By CHRIS bird song.

SPERRING Some birds, such as the faithful robin, have MBE probably been singing all winter, but now the song begins to change slightly. Known to have a song for each season, the robin’s song now starts to transform and is delivered with more power and enthusiasm as it anticipates the coming spring.

Robins are not alone; as early as January the song thrush will sing in the early morning. This once very common bird has declined in number by such an extent that it is now a Red Listed species, indicating a national population decline of more than 50% in recent years. When I was growing up this was a common garden bird, popular with gardeners, mainly because of its appetite for slugs and snails, but also for its uplifting song.

I used to enjoy watching with wonder as song thrushes smashed their way through snail after snail on their favourite anvil stone in our garden. Scattered around this stone were the multi-coloured fragments of probably hundreds of snail shells. The song of the song thrush is easy to recognise because it is similar to its melodious cousin, the blackbird, except that it has a distinctive way of repeating each note.

Tawny owls, which have been quite vocal for the last few months, should start to become quiet this month, especially if the weather is mild. I am often contacted by people concerned that their local tawny owls have disappeared because they have stopped hearing them at night. In fact this can be a good sign, indicating that they have now begun nesting.

Birds such as the sparrowhawk and buzzard, which we would

Photography by Chris Sperring

Looking forward to spring

normally associate with breeding as late as May, will in fact be on the build-up to breeding even now, displaying to each other and even nest building. Often the males of both species will begin to build several nests during late winter, leaving the female to choose much later which one to finally lay her eggs in.

Lots of other birds will soon be thinking about nest site selection, so now is a great time to get your your nestboxes up.

February half term is National Nestbox Week, so there are lots of nestbox-building events going on for you to take the children or grandchildren along to. If you are looking for plans of how to build your own box, go to the National Nestbox Week website: http://www.bto.org/nnbw/make.htm If you already have boxes up in your garden this is your last chance to get them cleaned out ready for the coming spring.

Continue to feed the birds this month too as it’s probably one of the leanest times of the year for them, and also the time they need to start building up their body condition ready for the strenuous nesting season to come. Some, such as the dunnock, may even start nesting during February, possibly even laying eggs before the end of the month if it’s mild enough.

By the end of February winter visitors like fieldfares start to congregate on farmland ready to move back north for the spring, and we can start to anticipate the arrival of the summer visitors.

So, there’s lots to look and listen out for on Mendip this month from early bird song and gatherings of migrant birds, to early spring flowers and displaying sparrowhawks!

G The Hawk and Owl Trust is running an event on Saturday, February 16th from 10am to 4pm entitled ‘Wildlife on your Doorstep’. There will be nest box building, guided walks, owl pellet dissection, displays and bookstalls and there will be locally produced food and drink available. The Venue is Jacklands Fishing Lakes, Jacklands Bridge, Tickenham BS21 6SG. I will be there with some live owls for people to meet and photograph as well. For more information please contact Keith Lapham on 01934 824008.

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

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 37

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A dry walk in brewing country

THIS is a dream of a dry walk from the former brewing village of Oakhill in East Mendip in beautiful country using tracks and quiet lanes and some paths which are largely mud-free. Enjoy a walk with few stiles, good views and pass some of the historic remains that are woven into the fascinating past of this part of Somerset two miles north of Shepton Mallet. Pass the site of the former home of one of the ‘architects’ of the Mendip landscape we see today – John Billingsley. There are ups and downs on the way but nothing too strenuous. Find a very popular pub in Oakhill for the start or finish. It is a good circle for dogs too.

PARK: In the village hall and recreation

With Sue Gearing PAGE 38 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

ground car park, on the northern edge of the village. From the main A367 in Oakhill, turn into the High Street and then right up Zion Hill. It levels out and shortly find parking on the right.

START: Turn left from the car park back towards the village. Pass the entrance to Oakhill Manor. Many people will remember the miniature railway opened here in the 1980s by the owner of the Manor, Walter Harper. Among the engines, which towed thousands of people during their time there, was a ‘Pacific’ replica locomotive called Robin Hood. Oakhill Manor closed its doors to the public in 1985. The miniature railway harked back to the village’s own railway built in 1904 to serve the Oakhill Brewery, taking beer barrels to the Somerset & Dorset Railway at nearby Binegar. The railway had a 2’6” gauge and operated two 0-4-0T locomotives, the ‘Mendip’ and the ‘Oakhill’, which were painted in an olive green livery.

Oakhill Brewery was founded in 1767

by Jordan and Perkins and grew in fame because of its natural spring water which was used to produce Oakhill Stout. A disastrous fire in 1925 though saw its demise. Soon go left down Dean Lane walkway to reach Zion Hill. Turn left downhill to the High Street in Oakhill.

1. OAKHILL Here cross into Fosse Road opposite passing the Oakhill Inn. Among the cottages you pass on the left were once a bakehouse, a butchers with a slaughter

house opposite (now Cobblestone Cottage) and a small iron foundry. The park-like countryside on your left was created as a setting for a Georgian mansion, Ashwick Grove. Come to Fosse Cottage, the former lodge to Ashwick Grove and beneath which lies the Roman Fosse Way. Turn left along what was once a tree-lined drive to the Grove.

However, as you will see, only those oaks on the left of the avenue are still there. Go through a gate and straight on along the left side of fields, with the line of oaks on your left, going through another gate en-route. In the far corner, cross left over a stile and along to another stile. Drop downhill on a grassy track. At the foot, turn right on a drive towards the site of Ashwick Grove, now a collection of homes where once stood a grand 18th century mansion.

2. ASHWICK GROVE It had fashionable gardens, two lodges, stables, coach house, cottage, walled gardens and a grotto. It is famous as the home of agricultural pioneer, John Billingsley (1747-1811). He encouraged the enclosure of rough upland Mendip and the drainage and enclosure of much of the Somerset Levels. His General View of the Agriculture of the County of Somerset, 1797, gives an understanding of the farming landscape of the area during a very dynamic period. “The familiar landscape of the main Mendip plateau with its wide straight roads, grass-bound and grey-walled, its scattered farmhouses each with a

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WALKING

sheltering windbreak of trees is a landscape that Billingsley did much to create” wrote local historian Robin Atthill in his book, Old Mendip.

John Billingsley was a founder member of the Bath and West Agricultural Society, but also a vigorous entrepreneur and engineer on other fronts. He owned the Oakhill Brewery and the development of his business created the village of Oakhill as we see it today. He was an active force in the local Turnpike Trusts, the development of the Kennet and Avon canal, the Somerset Coal Canal, and the Dorset and Somerset Canal. He was also associated with the important local textile industry.

Go through a wooden gate near the main house, past a wooden stable and then the most sensible way, and one which is increasingly used, is to go left up the drive. The official right of way is straight on, through another wooden gate, close by a low modern extension, then on to garaging and left winding up the drive to join the other one near the top. Follow the drive out to the main road.

3. MAIN ROAD Turn right for a couple of minutes and then cross the road to a choice of public footpaths on the other side. Take the path that forks right across the field and find a stone and pipe stile tucked between a metal gate and a water trough. This brings you onto a lane. Go straight on (left). At a junction keep straight on avoiding left and then right turns. Pass cottages and continue on, soon bending left downhill and then right, still on the lane.

4. CROSSROADS Keep straight on at a crossroads towards Gurney Slade. At the next T junction, turn right towards Nettlebridge and then almost immediately turn left towards Gurney Slade again. In the area on the right was Moorwood, once one of two collieries in the Nettlebridge Valley, part of the Somerset Coalfield. It closed in 1932 due to faults and water. It had a rope incline and a narrow gauge railway to take coal to the Somerset and Dorset railway sidings at Moorwood. Drop down to an area known as Moon’s Bottom and then climb gently out.

5. T-JUNCTION Reach another T-junction and turn right towards Stratton-on-the-Fosse. Climb and turn left at the next junction towards Chilcompton, and shortly, left again on

OS Explorer Map, 142, Shepton Mallet and Mendip Hills East, ref: 633 474 – 5.6 miles, about 2.5 hours walking

Coalpit Lane. At this junction there are good views across the countryside.

6. COALPIT LANE Continue to the entrance drive to Blacker’s Hill Farm and turn left along this. Once over a cattle grid, pass part of the outer bank to the Iron Age Fort of Blacker’s Hill.

7. HILLFORT This promontory hill fort is designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Roughly rectangular, it covers 15 acres and originally had two ramparts and two ditches, but on the west and south sides it was defended by the steep drop. Further on, is a chance to go left into the hill fort over a stile if you wish. But our walk continues on and at the entrance to the farm, take the grassy track on the left side. Go through a gate and immediately take the path left in woods along the edge of a valley.

8. WOODS Continue on down and reach a tarmac drive. Turn left for a few yards with a millstream flowing on the left to a Tjunction with a lane. Go right and climb

uphill and then level out walking in Gurneyslade Bottom.

9. QUARRY Pass a very active, large limestone quarry.

Shortly, turn left on the public footpath up Grunters Lane. It bends right and then becomes a rough path. It is mainly good underfoot with some parts a little soft after a lot of rain. Continue on this all the way to another lane by the entrance to Rookery Farm.

10. LANE Turn left. Follow the lane on, over a crossroads (Badger’s Cross) still towards Oakhill. You now have just over three quarters of a mile back to the start. Reach another junction.

11. POUND Opposite this is Ashwick Pound, which predates 1632. You can either turn right on the lane back to the car park or go into the recreation ground behind the pound and turn right along the edge of the rec all the way to the car park.

The Oakhill Inn, Tel: 01749 840442 MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 39

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MENDIP TIMES

OUTDOORS

West Countryman’s Diary

I AM writing this halfway through January and I cannot believe how fast this month is going. The orchard work for this winter is well under way and began before Christmas with my annual visit to Trenderway Farm in Cornwall.

Trenderway Farm is located between With LES the fishing villages of Looe and Polperro.

DAVIES MBE As well as running a high quality bed and breakfast business, self catering holiday accommodation, wedding venue and various other events, there is the farm.

Beef cattle in the form of South Devons are the passion of both Yaron and Jaquie who own and run this expanding enterprise. Mix in a few free-range hens, ducks and other traditional farmyard animals and you have the recipe for Cornish heaven.

As well as these other enterprises, they have close on 2000 young apple trees, the fruit of which will produce their own branded apple juice. Over the past few years I have been helping them with the pruning and development of the trees.

This project was started by another ‘Mendiper’, Keith Goverd, an ex-Long Ashton Research Station man and now a ‘guru’ of all things “appley”.

As well as doing the pruning, I run a two-day course on fruit tree care and practical pruning at the farm, which seems to be going down rather well west of the Tamar. The farm website is well worth a look at, so tap “Trenderway Farm, Cornwall” into your search engine and take a look. An account of the two-day course can be found by looking at Hedgecombers.com, a site run by Jane Sarchet who participated in the course (enter orchard course in the site search).

I’ve just completed the second year of an orchard restoration project near Collumpton in Devon. No secateurs work here though, as some of these trees are mighty veterans. Achieving the balance between fruit production from a long-standing traditional cider orchard and enhancing its wildlife and landscape value gives me a huge amount of satisfaction. It is however extremely hard work, with 12-hour days and a lot of physical exertion required on the pruning saw.

Wild birds there are in plenty in these old orchards, from the small insect eaters such as the blue tit frantically searching the cracks of the tree bark, to the greater spotted woodpecker with its distinctive “machine gun burst” hammering, as it excavates the dead wood in search of a meal. Very few fieldfares in the orchard this year, perhaps it’s due to the weather. Wet it has been, but cold it has not; perhaps there is plenty of other food available for them.

As with woodland habitat, it’s standing dead timber that will provide some of the best feeding and habitat, so wherever I can I will leave a dead tree ‘headed’ back looking like a hallway hat stand.

I was so, so lucky with the weather again this year in Devon. When you look at the amount of rain that we had, I felt sure that it would be a wet and cold job this year. My luck held last year as well and, as with this year, it wasn’t until the job was completed did the weather change for the

Wayne in the Worth Farm trailer

worst. Food intake was as high as ever on this year’s pruning work. Lots of energy food in the lunch box and as much liquid as you could carry was the order of the day.

If you are thinking of getting to grips with your apple trees this winter, here are a few tips to help you: G As a general rule don’t remove any more than 25% of living wood from the tree in any one year. You can shock the tree if you take out too much G First remove any dead wood, you don’t need to include this in your 25% calculation G Next remove any split/damaged branches, or anything that has become diseased G Then take out branches that are crossing and rubbing.

By now you should be reaching your 25% target, but if you have low branches that are causing you problems with the mower etc. it may be worth seeing if you have some capacity left to include them. I prefer complete branch removal where possible, as it lets more light and air into the tree. I tell everyone that the heart of the tree is not in the branches, but the roots.

Sometimes like us they need a hair cut, but unlike us, they can look the younger for it. Don’t forget the cups of tea and bacon sandwiches, which are an essential part of the whole process.

For the next couple of months my focus will be on the orchards and specimen apple trees in the country houses.

Come spring, I hope that the sight of apple blossom will fill the landscape and its heavy perfume will drench the early morning air of the orchard. Once more, I hope the air will be filled with the sound of bird song from the branches and the lazy buzz of pollinating insects amongst the blossom clusters. Somerset is after all “The land of the summer people” and not all the orchards are in Devon and Cornwall.

Don’t forget to put Good Friday into your walking calendar as we start to plan for this year’s Arthritis Research UK sponsored walk ‘somewhere’ on the Butcombe Brewery Pub Trail in the Mendip Hills. Details to follow later.

Finally I have to confess that I have lied! I promised Wayne Cullen of Oakhill Tree Surgeons that I would not show anyone the picture of him sitting in the small trailer that is towed behind the pruning air compressor. Wayne travelled back to the farm across the fields every night sat in this trailer with all our equipment. My picture shows him tucked up “as snug as a bug in a rug” against the elements at the end of another hard day’s work in Devon.

I’m always happy to hear from you, so drop me a line at Les.Davies@westcountryman.org.uk

PAGE 40 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

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Yeo Valley springs in to life!

IT’S been a wintery few weeks here in the valley with the cold weather finally chasing away the soggy autumn showers.

By TOM DE Despite the weather PASS our organic farm is full of activity. Calving began in July and will continue through until March. Across our Holt and Yoxter herds 269 cows have already calved so our farms are brimming with new life. With 124 cows still to give birth our herdsmen are being kept busy!

At this time of year we also prepare our fields by returning vital nutrients to the soil. We spread liquid slurry which is collected from our organic farms. A machine separates the solid and liquid elements and the solids will be stored and tipped on the fields later in the year when the weather is warmer. The remaining nutrient rich liquid makes the ideal fertiliser.

Once the slurry is spread we will sow

winter oats, the first crop of the year. The oats will be fully grown in July and will be harvested and stored to feed our pedigree British Friesian herd through next winter.

Whilst the first signs of spring may still be a little while off on the farm, in our dairy we have come up with something that we hope will put a bit of a spring in your step.

Our new limited edition 0% Fat Lemon & Poppy Seed yeogurt is perfect when you fancy a bit of extra flavour without

Ingredients: • 120g Yeo Valley 0% Fat Lemon & Poppy Seed Yeogurt • 120g sunflower oil • 120g caster sugar • 200g self-raising flour • 3 medium free range eggs • 2 tsp baking powder • 1 lemon, juice and zest • 1 tbsp poppy seeds

For the icing: • 250g Yeo Valley Unsalted Butter • 250g icing sugar • 2 tbsp of Yeo Valley 0% Fat Lemon & Poppy Seed Yeogurt Method: 1. Mix cupcake ingredients and spoon into a muffin tray lined with cases.

2. Bake at 165°C for 15-20 mins.

3. For the icing, blend the icing sugar in

YEO VALLEY

the guilt. With a squeeze of zesty lemon juice and a scattering of poppy seeds, it’s a delicious, yet virtuous treat that won’t break your healthy new year resolutions!

And if you do want to treat yourself to something a little extra why not make it one of our Lemon and Poppy Seed Cupcakes. We’ve used our 0% Fat Lemon & Poppy Seed yeogurt in place of butter so these deliciously moist yet light cupcakes are guilt free.

But don’t take our word for it; why not give them ago yourself . . .

a food processor and then add the butter in cubes.

4. Blend on high into a thick paste, then add the Yeogurt and whizz until smooth.

5. Spoon into a piping bag with a star nozzle attachment and chill for about 30 mins.

6. Pipe the icing onto the cooled cupcakes, finish with poppy seeds and a thin wedge of lemon.

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 MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 41

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MENDIP TIMES

Less effort for more effect

MANY gardens are not designed as a whole, they tend to evolve and in that process develop layout and planting faults that make them difficult to manage. A little thought may reveal the mistakes and minor corrections can make a garden much more labour-saving.

With MARY You may recognise some of the common PAYNE MBE problems from the following questions and brief solutions.

Do you have narrow grass paths? These too easily become a single track route that becomes compacted and discourages good grass growth. Over the years the path tends to get narrower as the edges are tidied up. Replace the grass with a hard surface, or add stepping stones into the grass to take the wear.

Do you have young trees growing in a grass area? Planting trees in grass is a recipe for poor tree establishment and difficult mowing. It is well known that young trees compete with the grass and this hinders growth. The grass also tends to grow longer against the trunk and if the mower does not hit the tree, out comes the strimmer which stands a good chance of damaging, if not killing, the tree by cutting the bark. A one-metre diameter circle that is kept grass-free gives the tree the best chance and this can simply be achieved by spraying the grass with a contact herbicide.

Alternatively incorporate the trees into a border.

Do you have to clip the edges of your lawn where it meets the flower? The edges of beds where they meet the lawn gives the greatest scope for garden improvement and reduced labour input. Plants in the border often flop onto the lawn and annoy the person with the mower; alternatively the grass is killed or damaged and repairs are needed. Add to this, the summer-long chore of manning the edging shears and neatening up the edges with a half-moon.

This is an area of the garden that needs serious consideration. The answer is to install a mowing strip, this is an edging of paving, bricks or sets laid such that the mower can run over the surface when mowing the grass (see picture above). The size of the units used depends on the scale of the garden and border but once installed it saves hours of input.

Do you grow vegetables or have an allotment? We are all encouraged to grow our own vegetables these days and in my opinion the magazines and television programmes have made it look far too easy. The appalling weather this year must surely have tested many new gardeners’ resolve to start an allotment. Turning a vegetable plot into a bed system will reduce the labour input considerably.

Each bed should be approximately 1.2m (4 feet wide) by a maximum of roughly 4m (12’) long. This enables the average person to reach across the bed from each side and discourages one from walking across the bed. Once initially prepared there is less need to dig the beds and there is little or no compaction. Organic matter can be spread on the surface in the autumn and allow the worms to drag it in.

Do you grow lots of plants in pots? Container plants are very labour intensive particularly if you prefer terracotta pots. These are porous and lose water through the sides, therefore needing more frequent watering. Lining the interior sides of the pots with a bottomless carrier bag will help PAGE 42 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

A mowing strip

considerably, as will using a water retaining gel for summer pots and applying slow release fertiliser granules to avoid the need for regular liquid feeds.

Do you have weeds? We all have weeds, but perhaps we could manage them more effectively. Annual weeds, such as groundsel and chickweed, must never be allowed to seed and a 5cm (2”) layer of mulch will effectively prevent weed seeds germinating because they are kept in the dark.

Perennial weeds, such as ground elder, couch grass and bindweed, need more drastic action and should be treated with a glyphosate based herbicide once there is plenty of leaf area to absorb the chemical. It sounds drastic, but it is sometimes worthwhile spending one season killing perennial weeds prior to planting a new area or renovating an old bed.

Do you need to stake your herbaceous perennials? Many perennials can be encouraged to need no staking, by giving them the “Chelsea Chop”. This involves waiting until about mid to late May and then cutting the growth they have made back to say 150mm (4”). The new growth will be shorter, but may flower a week or so later than normal.

Do you grow plants that regularly get pests and diseases?

Hostas and delphiniums get eaten by slugs and snails, Michaelmas daisies go down with mildew, Solomon’s Seal is attacked by a sawfly and lilies are routinely attacked by the disgusting lily beetle. There are plenty of other plants that do not get regular “nasties” so try to avoid the problem plants and use the “goodies” instead.

Do you have areas of grass that are difficult to mow? If you cannot mow your lawn without stopping to deal with awkward corners and tight curves then do away with the grass in these areas and plant them up as part of a border.

Areas of dense shade, where the grass refuses to grow well, can simply be planted with shade tolerant plants or covered with a layer of bark mulch.

If you have answered “yes” to any of the above questions then take measures to rectify the situation and give yourself more time to do the bits of gardening that you enjoy, and look forward to a glorious show this year.

Sherborne Garden in Litton will be open for their display of snowdrops and hellebores on Sunday 17th and Monday 18th February (11am-4pm).

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FEBRUARY GARDEN TIPS

G Harden off forced Hyacinth bulbs (acclimatise them) after they have finished flowering. Then plant them out in the garden where they will thrive and flower for many years to come.

G When snowdrops finish flowering lift crowded clumps, carefully divide them and replant immediately. Snowdrops hate to have their roots broken so be careful!

G Dahlia roots can be started into growth under protection now. This will produce new shoots that can be rooted to increase your stock.

G Trees that have lost their leaves can be pruned now. Cut out dead, diseased and damaged wood. Thin out overcrowded areas but avoid removing too much in one year.

G Check that climbers are securely tied to their supports and check that old ties are not constricting older thicker stems G Prune Clematis this month. Those that flower after midsummer should be cut back hard (they only flower on newly-grown shoots) but those that flower before midsummer should be more lightly pruned to about 75cm.

G Put plenty of well rotted manure around your roses. Give them a liberal dressing of Toprose fertiliser as well.

G Sow early lettuce seed under protection. Plant out later for really early crops. Vaila-Winter Gem or Tom Thumb are good tasty varieties to grow now.

Courtesy Cleeve Nursery

GARDENING

Pots full of homegrown colour for your Spring garden!

Seed Potatoes, Onion Sets and Dahlia Tubers

Gardeners’ achievement

PAM and John Southwell, who have regularly opened their Sherborne Gardens at Litton for the NGS over the past 30 years, will do the same this year, holding their Snowdrop Days on Sunday February 17th and Monday February 18th.

They were presented with a tree and plaque from the NGS in recognition of this achievement and are pictured with Graham Guest, assistant county organiser, who said : “Over the 30 years we reckon they have raised in excess of £30,000.”

Pam and John moved to Sherborne Gardens in 1962 and started opening their gardens in 1982. They have been opening them regularly ever since and were awarded a gold edged silver trowel after 20 years.

The gardens will be open from 11am-4pm on the two days, with £4 entrance for the NGS, and teas and coffees available.

They will also open on other days, if requested. Details: 01761 241220.

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

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MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 43

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MENDIP TIMES

Pennard’s busy year

Pennard Plants display at Chelsea Flower Show in 2011

ANOTHER busy year is in prospect for Pennard Plants, based in the village of East Pennard, near Shepton Mallet.

Acceptance at all the major flower shows – including Chelsea, which is celebrating its centenary – brings with it the problems of designing and subsequently building different displays for each.

The nursery’s theme running through all the shows this year will be “Grow it, Pick it, Eat it” and they will be attempting to show gardeners that growing to eat does not just mean planting rows of carrots and

EXPERIENCE • VISION • EXCELLENCE

CONSULTATION • DESIGN CONSTRUCTION • PLANTING WATER FEATURES • TURFING & SEEDING RENOVATIONS • GROUND PREPARATIONS WILD FLOWER MEADOWS • LAWN CARE

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8th Annual

potatoes, but that there is a diverse range of plants that cannot be ignored, from skirret, an old English root vegetable, to sea kale, a most delicious treat during the winter.

And from edible flowers such as nasturtium and marigold to brighten up your salads to yacon, an Andean root vegetable which has the taste of pear. Many of these are ornamental too so grow in the flower border but give valuable food too.

Meanwhile Pennard Plants is making final plans for its eighth Somerset Potato Day and Seed Fair on Saturday, February 10th. This year it is being held at The Constitutional Club in Station Road, Castle Cary in conjunction with The Moat Gardens, who will be providing refreshments.

There will be 80-plus varieties of seed potatoes for sale by the tuber, heritage and heirloom seeds, onion sets, rhubarb crowns, fruit trees and bushes and lots of free advice on Growing your Own. Admission is free.

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

10th February – (10.30am–2.30pm) 80 plus varieties of potatoes for sale by the single tuber, onion sets, shallots, garlic, Heritage Seeds, fruit trees, rhubarb crowns and much more.

ADMISSION FREE

Refreshments by Friends of the Moat Garden

The Constitutional Club, Station Road, Castle Cary, BA7 7PF Refreshments and Bar http://www.pennardplants.com

PAGE 44 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

< Beautiful, practical gardens < Inspiring planting < High quality hard landscaping < Treehouses and other structures < We aim to exceed your expectations Please contact us to arrange a free consultation Alistair Barlow Mobile: 07971 264261 Tel: 01373 812031 Website: www.lowarth.com

NGS GARDEN OF THE MONTH

Snowdrops at East Lambrook Manor Gardens

EAST Lambrook Manor is renowned for its display of many varieties of snowdrops. This was initiated by the legendary plantswoman and gardening writer the late Margery Fish.

She was a voracious plant collector, no less so with Galanthus, or snowdrops as they are better known, of which she amassed over 80 varieties in her iconic cottage garden at East Lambrook Manor which she and her husband Walter started to create 75 years ago in 1938.

Successive owners of the garden have nurtured her collection, so that now the garden opens on February 1st each year for everyone to enjoy the display, which is mainly to be found in the ‘Ditch’ and Woodland Garden. A special raised bed in the nursery also allows some of the choicer varieties to be seen close-up.

The wood-burning stove will be blazing away in the Malthouse to welcome visitors who pop in for tea and cake and the nursery will be selling Galanthus, other spring bulbs, Hellebores and herbaceous plants, all grown in peat-free compost.

The most recent owners, Mike and Gail Werkmeister, took over in late 2008 and reserve several days each year towards raising money for NGS charities including a ‘snowdrop day’ in February (Sunday, February 3rd this year) when, weather permitting, they should be in full swing.

NGS opening details: Sunday, February 3rd, Saturday, May 18th, Sunday, July 14th between 10am and 5pm. Admission: £5.50, concessions £5.00, child free.

Contact Information: Mike & Gail Werkmeister.

Telephone: 01460 240328 Email: enquiries@eastlambrook.com • Website: www.eastlambrook.com. Postcode: TA13 5HH Other Gardens Open for the NGS To see more gardens open for the NGS, see The Yellow Book, or Local County Leaflet available from local Garden Centres. Or go to: http://www.ngs.org.uk

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MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 45

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MENDIP TIMES

Memories of dad

MY dad – an athletic, non-smoking Australian – died of a heart attack at the age of 39. Or so I thought for a quarter of a century. In 1994, I discovered the truth. He took his life with cyanide. I was only seven when he died, and had no idea that he suffered from depression.

I’ve got a memory box of his achievements (a scholarship as one of Australia’s outstanding physical chemists, captain of the

By Dr PHIL Australian Universities’ basketball team, Cambridge Blue, PhD, HAMMOND brilliant teacher, loving husband and father), but nowhere amongst the photos and newspaper cuttings is any hint of his periodic despair.

My memories of him are only fond ones and he certainly wasn’t depressed all the time. His attacks seemed to be precipitated by illness, over-work and an inability to say ‘no’. When it overwhelmed him, he locked himself in his laboratory in Perth and wrote a two-word note: “Forgive me”.

My mum found him and thought he’d suffered a heart attack. It was only after the post-mortem that she found out the truth, by which time my brother and I had been told he’d had a heart attack and the perceived wisdom was to leave it that way until we were “old enough to take it”.

We moved to England and my mum later remarried one of the happiest men I have ever met. She always expected me to ask difficult questions about my father, but I’d rationalised the version of events I’d been given and just got on with life. Dad had wanted to be a doctor and that was one of the reasons I chose medicine. I had my heart checked out, but lived with the nagging fear that it might pack up in mid-life. Instead of reverting to abstinence and vegetables, it turned me into someone in a hurry to get things done and reckless as a result.

As well as holding down the day job, I became a fierce campaigner for a reduction in junior doctors’ hours and started writing comedy. There was something gloriously, inappropriately funny about roaming the wards like a Zombie, doing all sorts of dangerous things to patients you hadn’t been properly trained to do.

Much less funny if you happened to be a patient. In 1990, Tony Gardner and I formed a double-act called Struck Off and Die and blew the whistle at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Junior doctors were knackered, dangerous and hungry: “The reason we draw the curtains around a patient’s bed when they’ve died, is so the doctor can raid the fruit bowl without anyone noticing.”

Radio 4 gave us three series and we attracted record numbers of complaints to the Broadcasting Standards Council. I decided to go all out for career ruin by writing a column for Private Eye to wash all of the NHS’s dirty linen in public. In 1992, I broke the story of the Bristol heart scandal which later became the subject of a huge public inquiry that I was summoned to give evidence to. All very stressful but I reasoned that my heart was going to pack up at 39 so I may as well cause as much trouble as I can while I’m here.

When I found out about dad’s depression, I was puzzled that I’d piled a lot of pressure on myself as a doctor, comedian and journalist but never gone under. The children of those who’ve committed suicide struggle to understand why those who loved them have left them, feel guilty that it was somehow their fault and are fearful the same thing may happen to them.

The perceived wisdom now is to tell children the truth from the outset, in small steps they can understand. But in a high profile death such as that of footballer Gary Speed, the media dictates the pace of events. My mother never meant to take so long to tell me the truth, but she may well have done me a favour.

Depression is a horrible illness and any man who threatens to harm himself often will.

For those left behind, there are excellent charities like Winston’s Wish to help children come to terms with it.

Real men get depressed but with help they also come out the other side. Depression and failure are part of life, particularly when we’re stuck in recession, and we must protect ourselves and fine-tune those antennae to pick it up in others.

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

PAGE 46 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

A little imagination goes a long way . . .

FROM time-to-time the children think they see ghosts. Often this coincides with insomnia and a little voice will cry out: “I can’t sleep . . . I think there is a ghost in my room.”

I am then able to reassure them that this is unlikely as our house was built just over ten years ago. Before then the only living creatures seen in the vicinity were cows.

No-one has claimed to see ghostly cattle, as far as I know.

However, as we pulled into our drive the other evening, eldest child was heard to say: “Ooh I just saw a ghost walking down the neighbour’s drive. It was a man with a hat and a stick.” I gently suggest this was someone walking their dog.

It is too late.

Middle child insists that ghosts are rife in the local area and that she’s seen several apparitions inside and outside the house. Youngest child is adamant that he’s seen a ghost at the after-school club (this isn’t the first time he’s told this tale – my personal belief is that it’s the caretaker). I don’t want them to be frightened so I stand firm in my scepticism.

“It’s all right Mum,” says eldest child wisely. “You don’t need to be scared. I think most ghosts are friendly. In fact I hope to be a ghost one day. It would be cool.” What ambition!

Maybe I should not be so quick to dismiss the wanderings of their imaginations. For instance, this morning while youngest child was eating his breakfast, he insisted I come and look at the wolf reflected in his mug!

“Not now,” I ranted. “We’ve got ten minutes until we leave the house and you have to brush your teeth, pack your bag, put your shoes and coat on and finish your toast.”

“But I can’t finish my toast because you haven’t seen the wolf yet.” He wasn’t giving up easily.

And sure enough, the reflection of his toast in his mug looked exactly like a wolf, complete with pointy snout. It really did!

MENDIP MUM

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Banish sluggishness

THERE is no better way to banish sluggishness than with colonic hydrotherapy and a healthy eating plan, according to Alison Finn of Caring Colon Cleansing. It can help you kickstart your new year’s resolutions for a healthier, more energetic you.

Colonic hydrotherapy has long been used very successfully to help treat IBS, diverticulitis, IBS and constipation. But you do not have to have a bowel condition to benefit from the treatment. Alison says cleansing and nourishing the body enables a healthier, happier you to emerge from winter!

Colonic Hydrotherapy Special Offer for February 1st treatment half price £37.50 instead of £75 Tel Alison 07552 178268 Email: alisonfinn@hotmail.co.uk www.caringcoloncleansing.co.uk

HEALTH & FAMILY

IS THE WINTER MAKING YOUR BACK, NECK OR JOINTS ACHE? Hip or Knee Pain, Shoulder Pain, Back Pain, Neck Pain, Pain Between the Shoulders, Headaches, Stiffness . . .

If you are suffering from any of these you may have ARTHRITIS or Wear & Tear in your spine or joints. Here at Wells Chiropractic & Osteopathy Centre, we use treatment methods that research proves help reduce the symptoms of arthritis.

To find out whether we might be able to help you we offer a full consultation, spine and joint examination, Myovision Scan and verbal report of findings, all for only £19 (with no obligation to start treatment).

BEAT THE WINTER BLUES AND CALL US TODAY

01749 674 716 Call now for more information:

Email: enquiries@wellschiropractic-osteo.co.uk www.wellschiropractic-osteo.co.uk

Offer price: £19

* In cases of accident or injury it is advisable to seek advice from a GP. These treatments are an adjunct to core osteoarthritis treatments.

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 47

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HEALTH & FAMILY

Zumba and more

LYNNE Joyner, a fully qualified Pilates instructor, personal trainer, Zumba teacher and life coach, with over 12 years experience, is adding a range of new classes to her very popular Zumba and Pilates classes. Ballroom Fit will get you dancing to great chart sounds, while Post Natal Pilates will help new mums get back in to shape.

Lynne offers 1:1 personal training, Pilates and life coaching and is now qualified as an Intrinsic Biomechanics Trainer, specialising in screening individuals suffering from low back pain, shoulder and knee problems etc, creating exercises to help.

Also keep an eye open for Metabolic Effect classes/sessions in future months for a brilliant, rest-based half-hour workout.

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COMMUNITY

Your chance to meet police commissioner

SUE Mountstevens, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Avon and Somerset, will be visiting Wells in February to discuss local issues and concerns as well as her policing priorities.

Ms Mountstevens will be the guest of the force’s Somerset East district and will visit Wells police station before attending the open session at Wells Town Hall, on Monday, February 11th, from 10am12noon.

The commissioner will later visit South Somerset as part of her ongoing tour of the force area. People are being encouraged to share their local policing priorities by taking part in the Police & Crime Plan consultation at www.consultation.avonandsomerset.polic e.uk or by visiting the commissioner when she is on the road in February.

Ms Mountstevens wants to hear from as many voices as possible including residents, community groups, businesses, young people and particularly victims of crime to ensure the plan addresses people’s policing and community safety needs. She said: “It is really important that residents tell me what is important to them so it becomes our Police and Crime Plan. Everybody who makes up Avon and Somerset whether they live or work in the area will all have a view and I want to hear from them.”

Meanwhile, Ms Mountstevens has welcomed the appointment of the force’s new chief constable, Nick Gargan. The appointment was approved by the Police and Crime Panel after Mr Grogan, 46, the

Chief Constable of the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA), was put forward as the preferred candidate following a rigorous and open interview process by the commissioner.

Ms Mountstevens said: “I am delighted the Police and Crime Panel has agreed that Nick is the best person for the job.

He was an outstanding candidate in a very strong field and I am proud that we had such great interest. I am looking forward to working with him to provide the best possible police service for the communities of Avon and Somerset.”

The panel heard that Mr Gargan is an experienced chief officer who has been working on a national level and has been involved in Ministerial High Level Working Group on Value for Money. He was the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Lead on intelligence as well as holding roles with Thames Valley and Leicestershire Constabulary.

Mr Gargan said: “I am very proud to be the next Chief Constable of Avon and

When the going gets tough . . .

… YOU can rely on some good old community spirit to help motorists stranded in the snow on the A37 at Gurney Slade.

Vehicles ground to a halt in the blizzard conditions and drivers were facing the decision about whether to abandon them when villagers stepped in to save the day.

Gary Ford and Nigel Matthews rounded up their friends Jo Cowling and Mark Kerton and used their 4x4 vehicles to drag between 20 and 30 cars up the hill to safety.

Nicky Robertson, one of the drivers who was rescued, said: “People were out of their cars and standing around not knowing what to do. Everyone was amazed when these guys turned up out of the blue and organised everything.

“Without them we would probably have been stuck in the village all night.”

Nick Gargan and Sue Mountstevens

Somerset it is a super force that has made superb improvements. I’m delighted to step in and continue that improvement.

We now face the challenge of building on that success in a tough financial climate.

“It is a big job but there is an excellent team at Avon and Somerset Constabulary and I look forward to working with them and the Police and Crime Commissioner, Sue Mountstevens. I am confident that together we will continue to reduce crime and provide an excellent policing service.”

Mr Gargan is due to take up his role on March 1.

G Ms Mountstevens is also asking for people to tweet their policing priorities at #ourplan.To take part in the online consultation for the plan visit: http://www.consultation.avonandsomerset .police.uk/aspola/plan-consultation-1314/consult_view You can also pick up printed surveys from local libraries or call 01275 816377. The consultation closes on Friday, February 22nd.

The rescue begins

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 49

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MENDIP TIMES

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ENGINEERS will compete against the clock to “strip” tractors to pieces at the 2013 Agricultural Machinery and Equipment Show on Wednesday, February 6th at the Royal Bath and West Showground.

The tractor stripping competition – organised by Lackham College – is one of the highlights of the free, one-day show.

Old Mill accountants will be hosting an informative talk called: “Can I or should I buy some agricultural equipment to reduce my year end tax bill?”

Technical Manager Dr Peter Shipton, from Kingshay, will be giving a talk on soil management with particular reference to action following the wet conditions.

Tradestands already booked include JCB Agriculture, Knight Farm Machinery, Vaughan Agri, Redlynch Agricultural Engineering and John Shepherd Feeders.

G The entire show is held undercover. It runs from 8.30am until 4pm.

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Exploring the Frozen Deep

THE Frozen Deep in Reservoir Hole, found last August in Cheddar Gorge, is the largest known chamber in any UK cave. I was fortunate to be able to see it for myself recently and, despite what I had heard, I was completely unprepared for what I saw.

Our trip took three and a half hours and With PHILIP was one of the most arduous I have been on HENDY in a long time. The entrance crawl is a low creep infested with cave spiders. This leads to Moonmilk Chamber, with white tufa on the walls and a chance to stand upright.

Beyond this is a 40m descent through cemented boulders, aided in places by handlines. A scramble down leads to Grand Gallery, a bedding passage strewn with boulders and with a small stream. A short climb up past some fine stalagmites leads to Great Expectations, where the diggers worked their way along the side of a slip fault.

Before long, Hard Times is reached, and the going gets tough.

Starting out pleasantly enough as a low crawl, we came to a shallow puddle with a gravel floor which was hard on the knees.

Some contortions took us up and down through constrictions, and then a long flat-out section.

Parts of this were held up with some iffy-looking scaffolding and it was with great relief that we clambered up past some white formations to enter Resurrection. This is a lofty chamber with sparse but beautiful stalactites on the ceiling and flowstone on the walls. Crossing the boulder floor we climbed up the boulder slope at the far end to an awkward climb over a large boulder jammed in the rift.

This rock was originally attached to the wall, but it was thought to be unsafe, so it was moved. Unfortunately, instead of falling down, it fell across, and so became an obstacle to progress. Having hauled ourselves up over this, we came to the head of a ladder pitch, WISh You Were Here. This is an easy 10 metre climb, split into two by a platform, placed to keep cavers

Photography by Phil Hendy

Chris, Nicky and Phil

CAVING away from some loose boulders in the wall. Then clambering over boulders leads directly into The Frozen Deep itself.

The first thing that grabbed our attention was a group of tall white formations in the distance. The second thing was that the background could not be seen. The combined power of all our lights failed to illuminate the far wall of this vast underground space.

Most of the floor consists of angular rocks, which makes progress slow and difficult. Paths have been taped through the chamber so that all the features can be seen without causing any damage to them, although constant care must be taken. There are two short metal ladders to negotiate as well.

Our first objective was to view the largest free-standing formations. There are two columns, each about four metres high.

One is only about three centimetres thick at the point where the stalactite joined up with the stalagmite and it has a fine white curtain attached to it at the top.

The east wall of the chamber is a fault plane, more than 30 metres high. At one end, a flowstone cascade descends to join with a group of stalagmites at its foot. There are stalactites and stalagmites, rocks covered in splash stal, and curtains hanging from the walls and ceiling. Most are pure white, although some are tinted in pale shades of brown and yellow.

There were several bats in the chamber and they must have an alternative entrance to that engineered by the diggers, as judging by the amount of guano, they have been there a long time.

Martin Grass, our guide, pointed out a bat skeleton preserved under a layer of flowstone.

The route into the chamber has a counterpart at high level along the same wall at the far end. This has been pushed back above Hard Times, so it is possible that had the diggers started at a higher level, they might have made their discovery a lot sooner.

At the far end of the chamber, 75 metres away, there are also passages running off at each corner. These are parallel to those opposite and are probably aligned along a parallel fault.

Subsequently the area between these passages has been altered by sub-water table erosion and collapse, to form The Frozen Deep.

One passage at a high level, High Country, is heading back towards the Gorge, but the other, Dingley Dell, descends steeply to a sump which has not yet, in view of the recent wet weather, been dived to a conclusion. The water level here fluctuates, so hopes are high that a connection can be made with the underground river which flows underneath Gough’s Cave to emerge at various places in the lower Gorge.

Our tour of The Frozen Deep took us a good hour and then we began the climb out. This took us another hour, by which time we were pleased to be able to change by the roadside, in light drizzle, before making our way to the Hunters’ Lodge Inn for some rehydration therapy.

Three days later my legs were still aching from the unaccustomed exercise, but it was an unforgettable evening and well worth the effort. Cavers will be able to visit this discovery in the spring, but unfortunately it is unlikely that it will ever be accessible to non-cavers.

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 • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 51

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MENDIP TIMES

Nice weather for ducks!

Scarlett (left) with other winners in the race

Mountain adventure for charity Head for heights: Hannah Pittman is heading to Everest

MILD weather attracted a good crowd to support the annual Croscombe Village Duck Race.

More than 100 plastic ducks – many decorated by their owners – were released into the River Sheppey from Skew Bridge.

Scarlett Fowler won prizes for the best-decorated duck as well as the first decorated duck to reach the finish line.

The event, organised by villagers Robin and Barbara Cade, raised more than £100 for Croscombe primary school.

Barbara Cade gathers up the ducks at finish line

UNIVERSITY student Hannah Pittman, from Burrington, is aiming high in aid of a children’s charity.

Hannah, who went to Backwell School, is taking part in an expedition in May to the base camp on Everest. She will be joined by fellow students from Glasgow University, where she is in her final year studying anatomy, on the 15-day hike to 5,520 metres.

Hannah said: “I have been skiing since I was a child and have been on several summer walking holidays in the French Alps. I have always had a love for mountains and I have always fancied the idea of climbing one of the world’s bigger mountains so when I read about the expedition to Everest Base Camp I jumped at the chance to get involved.”

She is raising money for Childreach International, an awardwinning charity that works with local communities in developing countries such as Nepal, Cambodia and India to help children gain access to healthcare, education and child rights and protection.

But first she and the other students must each raise £2,500 in sponsorship. To donate, visit: https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/hannahhikeseverest or £3 can be donated by simply texting ‘UNLOCK 110483’ to 70007.

Help for elderly

Rosie, Cheyenne and Harvey Ganes with their entries in the duck race PAGE 52 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

IF you are an older person living in the Glastonbury area, you might be interested in attending a Lunch Club on a regular or occasional basis or having a regular visit from a Befriender.

The Lunch Club is held every Monday at Monmouth Close in Glastonbury and runs from 10am – 3pm with a hot lunch served at 12.15. Members enjoy games, craft, sing-a-longs and the company of others.

They also enjoy regular visits from entertainers and speakers.

The weekly cost is only £6. Befriending benefits both the person being befriended and the volunteer who acts as the befriender.

Glastonbury Live at Home, set up by Methodist Homes in 2012, runs both these services with the assistance of six dedicated volunteers, managed by Peter Baker, the Community Services Manager, based at Willcox Close in Glastonbury.

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

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CHARITIES

Catching the bus

Cots for tots

THE Community Bus, a converted double-decker based in Radstock, which allows parents and children to meet up and play in the villages and estates around the area, is in desperate need of more management committee members.

Teresa Simpson the Chair of the Community Bus said: “We are extremely relieved that in this financial climate we have secured the project for another three years. The bus provides a vital service to many isolated families and is greatly valued by local people.

“We have a great staff team of three and a wonderful familyfriendly vehicle. Our current issue is attracting some new members to our management committee to help with the stewardship of the charity. We have four trustees and this is simply not enough.”

LOCAL musician, Heather Hill, conducts The Somer Valley Singers ladies’ choir and also runs a youth singing group called St John’s Musical Youth.

In November 2011 her niece Rachael gave birth to triplet boys at just 25 weeks into her pregnancy. The boys, Max, Harvey and Lucas were tiny and as a result spent many weeks in St Michael’s Hospital, Bristol before being allowed home.

Consequently, both of Heather’s groups decided that their next events would be fundraisers for the hospital’s charity, Cots for Tots, as well as St John’s church, Midsomer Norton.

Between them, the two groups donated £700 to Cots for Tots and £750 to St John’s Church.

St John’s Musical Youth is for children from age six upwards and they meet at St. John’s Church Hall on a Wednesday night from 5.30pm until 7pm. The Somer Valley Singers welcome ladies from the age of 16 and practice at the Radstock Methodist Church on a Thursday from 7.30pm to 9pm.

Details: www.thecommunitybus.org.uk or contact Melanie Clarke on 01761 419557.

Painters’ gift

bibic CEO Geoff Cummins being presented with the vouchers

by Station Director Mike Harrison and his team of Balfour Beatty Painters at Hinkley Point B.

HINKLEY Point power station’s painters have donated £715 of Sainsbury vouchers to the Bridgwater-based children’s charity bibic, which supports disabled children and their families.

The charity is happy to accept any donations of vouchers, new or used toys and games.

Details: Simone Joyce 01278 684060 or email fundraising@bibic.org.uk

New members to both groups are very welcome.

Details: Heather 01761

Charity quiz

LOCAL quiz teams raised £963 for two charities, in events organised by Derek Clarke, landlord of the Waldegrave Arms in Chewton Mendip, which attracted 18 teams on each of two nights.

He’s pictured (centre) with Dave Broadway, one of the team captains, the managing director of Radstock company CFH, who pledged to match the total money raised.

One of the charities supported, the Optic Nerve Hypoplasia charity, was nominated by Waldegrave Arms regular Donna Norris, whose grand-daughter suffers from optic nerve hypoplasia.

The other was The National Blind Children’s Society.

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 53

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PROPERTY

Affordable homes in Chew Magna

HAB Housing and English Rural Housing Association have joined forces with Chew Magna Parish Council and a local landowner to bring forward the largest and most innovative housing development seen in the parish for many years.

The development, next to Cleeve House on the Winford Road, will deliver nine affordable homes for local households. Hab Housing was formed in 2007 by the television presenter Kevin McCloud and this is its first rural development.

Chew Magna Parish Council Chairman, Jon Wheatley, said: “To finally see nine affordable homes being delivered for the village is fantastic. To see them as part of the housing development being proposed by HAB is beyond anything we could have hoped for.”

Kevin McCloud said: “We are delighted to be working in such a beautiful village and with such a vibrant community.

We are determined to deliver a truly outstanding project and are particularly excited at the prospect of providing homes for people who have a long association with Chew Magna but can no longer afford to live there.”

Anyone in need of an affordable home who is either living, working or has close family connections to Chew Magna, is encouraged to fill in the English Rural Registration of Interest form.

This can be downloaded from the parish council website www.chewmagna.org.uk, picked up from the Village Green Space at the Old Mill, or requested from English Rural on 01934 811713 info@englishrural.org.uk.

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BUILDING DESIGN & DRAWINGS • PLANNING APPLICATIONS • BUILDING REGULATIONS • STRUCTURAL CALCULATIONS Contact: Neil or Stuart Email: Email: neil.dando@purpleplan-it.co.uk stuart.cload@purpleplan-it.co.uk Mobile: 07966 398076 M: 07792 632492

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House prices rise

HOUSE sales across the South West look set to continue to increase as chartered surveyors’ expectations for the coming three months remained positive, says the latest RICS housing market survey.

Some 37 per cent more surveyors predicted transactions to rise rather than fall over the next quarter. This positive outlook comes at a time when confidence has been growing that the market in some parts of the country may now be over the very worst.

In tandem with this, prices held steady during December. With prices forecast by RICS to rise by two percent during 2013 it seems that the market in some areas of the country may have started to bottom out.

However, surveyors in the South West continue to have a negative view of the price outlook between now and March, with eight per cent more predicting further drops over the following three months.

With transactions expected to increase, the number of homes coming up for sale significantly increased with demand from would-be buyers also increasing. During December, a net balance of 50 per cent more surveyors reported an increase in new buyer enquiries.

Across the UK, London once again bucked the overall trend and saw significant increases in prices, while the North East and Wales saw the biggest drops. Notably, prices in the West Midlands stabilised last month; this represents the first time in over two and a half years that prices have stopped falling in the region.

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Wrington North Somerset BS40 5SA Tel: 01934 864300 www.davidjames.org.uk MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 55

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MENDIP TIMES

A head for heights

By Steve Egginton

AFTER 176 years in business, Dawson Steeplejacks, based at Clutton, has recorded a first – although it’s made or restored countless weathercocks, adorning churches and cathedrals all over the country, it has just made its first weatherstork!

The order came from a customer, who saw them while on holiday in Estonia, where having storks nesting on your roof is considered good luck.

The current head of the family firm, David Dawson, aged 78, said: “She thought it would keep the seagulls off her roofs in Cornwall.”

He’s the fourth generation of his family involved in the company, which started in Yorkshire during the reign of King William IV, but moved to Clutton to build chimney stacks across David Dawson with one of the company's original lorries, a 1929 Chevrolet

David and grandchildren Gemma and Dan with a traditional weathercock and the weatherstork!

the North Somerset coalfield, before demolishing them again when the mines closed.

At the same time the company became more involved in ecclesiastical work and now looks after towers and spires on cathedrals, abbeys, palaces and grand houses all over the country.

David said: “I started when I was 14 taking down the spires of churches in Bath damaged during the war. I remember at St. Andrew’s the spire had acted as a chimney and the heat was so great the bells had melted.”

Three generations of the Dawson family are still involved in the historic business, which continues to thrive, with clients including the National Trust and Trinity House!

David said: “It’s fair to say you need a good head for heights, but you do get used to it.”

Weathercocks were first fitted in the fifth century as a watchful eye of the Almighty, being the first to rise in the mornings and the last to roost at night. One of the oldest in our area is at Keynsham Church and dates from 1655.

David's son Ian high above Bath Abbey

David's daughter Tina working on St. Mary's Bridgwater PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

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HISTORY

Memories of the Titanic

Former Sidcot School pupil Nancy Woodhead, whose father drowned on the Titanic, has celebrated her 100th birthday.

NANCY was born eight months after her father, Frank Maybery, died on April 15th 1912 when the Titanic sank after being torn apart by an iceberg. Of the 2,223 passengers, 1,517 died.

Nancy, who lives at Quaker-run Sewell House in Winscombe had two parties to celebrate her 100th birthday and said: “I was overwhelmed to see so many people including my 95-year-old cousin Douglas and one-year-old great grand-daughter, Kitty Nancy Baxter. It was wonderful.”

Her daughter, Alison Clayton, of Weston-super-Mare, said: “I was delighted when I visited Sidcot and found two school year photographs, one with my mother as a pupil and the other of me when I was there in the 1960s.”

Nancy said: “My mother rarely talked about the Titanic, and its aftermath, when families had to fight for compensation. She told my daughter Ruth and I that she had had a premonition on the night of the sinking.

She dreamt she was drowning and was holding the two girls up to be saved.

L to r: Ella Maybury (Nancy's mother and wife of Frank who died on the Titanic), Nancy Maybery and her sister and brother-in-law Ruth and Japhet Fox

When she woke she thought she saw Frank at the foot of her bed.”

During World War Two Nancy worked in London hospitals, and met Stanley Pimley, when he was home on leave from the army. They married in 1947 and Alison was born in 1949. The family moved to Crewkerne, to take on the Red Lion Hotel and son Roger was born in 1950.

Stan died suddenly in 1956 when the children were just six and seven. Nancy moved back to Winscombe to live with daughter Ella, and returned to work as a physiotherapist in Weston.

Nancy and daughter Alison Clayton

Nancy (left) and her sisters Joyce and Ruth Maybery at Sidcot School

Nancy re-married Irwin Woodhead when she was 63. They were both longstanding members of Sidcot Friends Meeting. Irwin died in 2003.

To celebrate the milestone Sidcot School headmaster, Iain Kilpatrick, is to offer a £50 book voucher to the Sidcot action group Environment for a Greener Environment (SAGE).

He said: “So many of Nancy’s family have attended Sidcot School, we wanted to mark her birthday with a prize that will benefit the school’s environment action group.”

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 57

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MENDIP TIMES

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MENDIP TIMES •JANUARY 2012 • PAGE 60

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

JACKSONS

The Christmas festivities are just a distant memory as we spring forward in anticipation of lighter evenings – yes I know it’s only February, but it does you good to start dreaming about your garden and planning for spring right now!

LAST month one of my new year wishes was for the weird weather we’d had in different areas of the country to stop – hopefully that’s now a distant memory too, but as a result of how awful it had been we decided to run a special offer through January and February, offering free delivery on our core products, like garden fencing panels and gates, to try to help those of you who’ve found you are facing an unexpected fence replacement at, what is probably one of the worst times of the

W

I N

B

A

C

I R D

H I L S T O N E

B

A T H

To be in with a chance to win this delightful, handmade stone Chilstone Bird Bath, simply log on to your local page, address below and follow the easy instructions on how to enter. The draw closes 31.3.13. Previous Prize Draw winners are posted on the web page.

To enter go to: www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/bathlocal

!

Natural Reflections, by Alison Coxhead, one of the winning 2012 Jacksons Show Gardens

year for unexpected expenditure, just after Christmas! You can find full details on the offer, on your local page on our web site jacksons-fencing.co.uk/bathlocal I would like to remind any of you out there that have an interest in garden design that there is still time to register your interest in our Show Gardens competition – this is our 4th Annual Garden Design Competition – where the prize is to have your design built – the lovely garden shown at the top right of this page is one of the winning 2012 designs; Natural Reflection by Alison Coxhead. The design features our popular new Woven panels – full details about the last three years winners, the products used and on how to enter can be found on your local page.

One of the best things about running the competition is finding other companies to partner up with us, by allowing their wonderful products to be included in the garden designs. One such is Chilstone of Tunbridge Wells, (www.chilstone.com) they’ve been involved since the beginning of the competition, so their handmade architectural stonework and garden ornaments including: urns, fountains and sundials, have featured in the show gardens. Chilstone have very kindly offered a prize for our Free Prize Draw, you can win one of their Bird Baths – see below for details. louise@jacksons-fencing.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 61

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MENDIP TIMES

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MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 63

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MENDIP TIMES

Snowy start to 2013

KEEPING a horse through the winter is often hard, but the recent snowy and icy conditions have made it very difficult for many local horse owners. For the snow to have arrived on the ground so soon after the weeks of heavy rain, this winter seems like a long one already.

With CELIA Obviously the main priority for horses is GADD water, shelter and food, and if they are out and the weather turns bad it is essential to make sure the ice on the water is broken regularly so that they have access at all times.

Getting to the fields is often not easy as the lanes can become treacherous and which is why so many horse owners are reliant on their four-wheel drive vehicles when the weather becomes bad.

Horses can withstand a fair amount of cold, especially if they are rugged up and have enough food, and many would still prefer to be out than in.

In fact, horses that are kept in, and then restricted to their stables for 24 hours a day due to icy yards and frozen fields and arenas, are probably as much in danger of ill-health as those living out.

Horses guts are quite sensitive to change and so if you know that your horse’s exercise is going to be severely restricted it is essential that you cut down their intake of cereal foods or else there are a couple of worrying conditions that may occur.

Azoturia is a very painful condition which affects a horse’s muscles and normally occurs when a fairly fit horse is restricted to its stable for a day or more, but without decreasing the levels of protein in the diet. When the horse then starts to move, there is too much glycogen in the system which causes a huge build up of lactic acid in the muscles.

This makes the muscles (particularly across the hind quarters) become very stiff and sore and if this occurs the veterinary surgeon will need to be called. Once a horse has suffered this condition once it does tend to reoccur and correct management is essential.

Also, the lack of movement and change of diet can cause colic in a horse which is another condition that can be very serious.

Symptoms of colic can vary from stamping the ground, kicking at the belly, pacing the stable or trying to get down and roll. If colic

February 2013 show dates

Sunday 3rd Junior BS at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Unaffiliated show jumping at King Sedgemoor Equestrian Centre, Greinton Wednesday 6th Lower evening show jumping at Badgworth arena, Axbridge Saturday 9th Mid Somerset Riding Club unaffiliated dressage at Camel Hill Farm, Sparkford

Sunday 10th Senior BS at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Mid Somerset Unaffiliated show jumping at Camel Hill Farm, Sparkford Wednesday 13th Higher unaffiliated show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Saturday 16th Quantock Riding unaffiliated dressage at King Sedgemoor EC, Greinton

PAGE 64 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

The snow must go on: Scarlett and Joseph, who live at Bodden, near Shepton Mallet, helping their mum at a nearby stables

is suspected it is again better to ring the vet and get their advice or book a visit as this can quickly become quite serious and in some cases fatal.

Another cause for concern will be just the general behaviour of horses that have been shut in and not had much exercise due to snow and ice. Take care when going out again for the first time that your horse is not ‘over fresh’ and may start to misbehave. If possible once the going is suitable, then try and turn your horse out for a bit, or put him on the lunge for half an hour before venturing out on the roads for the first time.

The lack of work at this time of year does not matter for the average horse owner, but for those who are aiming at eventing or racing then lack of fitness can put back the start to the competitive season as well. There are many all-weather gallops and indoor arenas around the area and so if you have transport for your horses it is possible to keep going most of the year round.

For me, although I am very lucky where my horse is kept to have a horse walker and an arena, I am definitely looking forward to the spring this year, and feeling some sunshine on my back while out riding! It seems a long way away at the moment.

Sunday 17th Unaffiliated dressage by Sedgemoor Events at King Sedgemoor EC, Greinton Blackdown Mendip Riding Club Dressage Day at RDA Centre Bristol BS10 7QT schedules on www.blackdownmendiprc.co.uk Wednesday 20th Lower unaffiliated show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Saturday 23rd British Dressage at Badgworth

Arena, Axbridge Unaffiliated dressage at Cannington College EC Unaffiliated dressage at Pontispool Farm, Norton Fitzwarren Unaffiliated dressage at King Sedgemoor Sunday 24th Junior BS at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge Wednesday 27th Higher show jumping at Badgworth Arena, Axbridge

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RIDING

Chartreux leaves the rest feeling green

By Mark Adler

A STRONG ride by Paddy Brennan took the elegant grey Chartreux to victory in the Higos Insurance Services Somerset National Handicap Chase at Wincanton.

The race is widely seen as an indicator of potential Grand National contenders and Brennan told Racing UK that in Chartreux – who won by a neck – owner Roger Brookhouse might have one of his own in the future.

In the previous race, the Higos Insurance Services Platinum Handicap Chase, Brennan and trainer Tom George enjoyed victory with Ballyallia Man. Higos sponsored the entire card at Wincanton, which featured six races.

G School pupils enjoyed an educational day at Wincanton which has joined forces with Racing to School, run by the British Horseracing Education and Standards Trust (BHEST).

Neck and neck – the Somerset Chase turned into a close encounter

The programme supports 10,000 children each year, including many who are disadvantaged, to practice their National Curriculum subjects in the unique environment of their local racecourse, trainer’s yard or stud.

The pupils, from Abbeyfield School in

Chippenham, took part in a range of numeracy, science and literacy challenges using the racecourse facilities. They also met Racing to School’s Jockey Ambassador Sam Twiston-Davies, who won the first race on Master of the Sea.

Higos chief Ian Gosden congratulates Chartreux jockey Paddy Brennan

Abbeyfield pupils with Sam Twiston-Davies

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 65

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MENDIP TIMES

Special occasion is on the cards

by Mark Adler

TRAINEE accountant Sarah Gould could be causing some turf accountants to reconsider the odds they offer in the 2103 Point to Point season.

When Sarah isn’t hard at work at Old Mill in Shepton Mallet, she spends all her time with her horses in the yard at the family farm at Cranmore.

Sarah, 20, has lined up four contenders to challenge for honours in the coming months and hopes to be a regular fixture in the winners’ enclosures up and down the country.

Horses have been her passion since she was a youngster and joined Wylye Valley Pony Club, racing ponies before progressing to hunters. Sarah and her family, who run a beef and sheep farm, have always been big supporters of Mendip Farmers Hunt and will be making a special effort to be represented at the Ston Easton point to point meeting in March.

Sarah says her relatively young age does not seem to bother other trainers, such as Chloe Roddick, from Wellow, or national hunt trainer Caroline Keevil, who freely offer advice and encouragement.

HORSE RACING Come to the Mendip Farmers

POINT TO POINT RACES SUNDAY 24th MARCH Ston Easton, BA3 4DH • Children’s entertainment • Tote • Bar • Trade Stands First Race 12.30pm

Tel: 01761 241339 PAGE 66 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

Sarah (left) and Lucy with the four pointers for 2013

Sarah said: “Training is still more of a hobby for me at the moment because I want to concentrate on my work at Old Mill.

“But there is a real buzz and adrenalin about training a winner, even though it is all about teamwork in the end.”

That team includes her younger sister, Lucy, 17, who will be riding for Sarah once more. Lucy said: “I do get more nervous riding for Sarah but it’s not that different from riding for anyone else.”

This season has seen the formation of a racing syndicate called Withy Wood Racing Club which will help towards the costs of entering meetings. The club has two of Sarah’s horses: No Excuses and Camp Kerala. Sarah’s other two contenders are Special Occasion and Own Line.

Sarah with Special Occasion

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Horses for courses

RIDING

Action from last year’s Ston Easton fixture

Some of the local contenders in the 2013 Wessex Area Point-toPoint Season compiled by Brian Armstrong and Bob Bracher THE Wessex Area Point-to-Point season kicked off at the beginning of January with the Larkhill Racing Club fixture.

A total of 23 meetings are scheduled in Wessex, culminating in the Weston & Banwell’s evening fixture on Wednesday, May 15th at Cothelstone. The Mendip Farmers meeting will be held on Sunday, March 23rd at Ston Easton.

Chloe Roddick has a strong team at Wellow, near Bath, including Wadebridge winners Mahonia (a likely candidate for the Aintree Foxhunter), Combehay and Mike Sheppard’s prolific Sericina, a runner-up at Wadebridge and likely to benefit from a recent wind operation. Bonvilston winner Dear Villez, who will be suited to long distance hunter chases, also returns.

Charles Whittaker has eight pointers to run from his yard at Gare Hill, near Frome. Dual 2012 winner Pertinent, Starburst Diamond, Now Listen to Me, who was third in his single 2012 hunter chase outing, and Towcester hunter chase winner Pistolet Noir return. Newcomers to the stable include Ruapehu, the winner of two Irish points last season and in contention when the tack slipped at Barbury Castle, and the top-class Cheltenham Festival winner Taranis, who may be aimed at Larkhill’s Coronation Gold Cup. Sarah Hawker, from Rode, will campaign three or four horses this season. Lidjo De Rouge is joined by Solaise Express, who has been placed in two hurdle races for Sarah’s husband Richard, and the interesting ex-Willie Mullins-trained Jayo, the winner of seven races in Ireland.

Bruton owner-trainers Rose and Sam Loxton will race again Oslot, who landed a Bratton Down ladies’ open before a superb success in a Stratford hunter chase in June.

For a free colour leaflet detailing all the meetings in the Wessex area, send an SAE to Gill Armstrong, Pantiles, Penselwood, Wincanton, Somerset BA9 8NF

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 67

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SPORT

Fancy a challenge or two?

THIS might not be for the faint-hearted, but fundraisers are being sought to join four Bath Rugby legends on a sponsored cycle ride from John O’Groats to Lands End in June.

Danny Grewcock, Lewis Moody, David Flatman and Andy Beattie will tackling the

By PAM journey in aid of the Bath Rugby BURKE Foundation.

The foundation enhances the lives of young people through sport, with a particular focus on those with social and other disadvantages. It aims to impart the values of camaraderie, loyalty, discipline and respect found in rugby.

The foundation motivates, raises self esteem and confidence, and improves life skills in young people by impacting positively on educational achievement and social interaction.

Funded through donations, sponsorship and fundraising, the foundation provides opportunities for organisations and individuals to fulfil their community, charity and volunteering objectives.

The lads will be setting off on Saturday, June 8th and aim to reach Lands End on June 16th. People can join them for the full journey or there are some shorter options: Ludlow–Bath

Community work expands

YOUNG soccer players are being given the chance to learn coaching skills thanks to a partnership between Blackthorn Cider and Bristol City Football Club.

Blackthorn, City’s Principle Partner, has extended its sponsorship to include the club’s charity, Bristol City Community Trust. It is sponsoring the trust’s Coaches Education Programme, providing bursaries for participants who might otherwise be unable to take part. The trust recently set up a partnership with its local job centre and is now extending the scheme into Weston-super-Mare.

Cup final beckons

THREE local football sides have edged closer to a possible place in the Somerset FA Premier Cup final.

In the quarter finals to be played in February, Bishop Sutton have a home tie against Bridgwater Town (Tuesday, February 26th, k/o 7.30pm). Paulton Rovers host Larkhall Athletic (Tuesday, February 26th, 7.45pm) whilst Frome Town must travel to Taunton Town FC on the 27th for a 7.45pm start.

In the other quarter final, Bath City host neighbours Odd Down (February 26th, 7.45pm).

Lewis Moody, Danny Grewcock, David Flatman and Andy Beattie, who will be cycling from John O’ Groats to Lands End on behalf of the Bath Rugby Foundation

(93 miles), on June 14th; a four-day challenge (John O’Groats–Carlisle 423 miles) on June 8th–11th and the five day challenge (Carlisle–Land’s End 539 miles, June 12th– 16th.

Closer to home, there are some more cycling challenges: you may like to join the Foundation on June 22nd and June 23rd for road rides of 20, 30, 60 and 100 miles around the Bath area. Volunteers to help on the days are also being sought.

G For further information about any of the above fundraising events please contact Halena.coury@bathrugby.com or visit: www.bathrugbyfoundation.com Pam Burke is Community Public Relations Office for Bath Rugby

Scrum for mill tour

MEMBERS of Bristol Rugby’s 1st XV squad enjoyed a tour around the Shepton Mallet Cider Mill, home to Blackthorn, one of the team’s sponsors.

Players and officials – including chief executive Steve Gorvett – were shown around the production lines at the mill, the biggest of its kind in the region and one of the biggest in the UK. The squad had returned from a trip to Northern Ireland where they had beaten Ulster Ravens 814 in the B&I Cup.

PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

Bob Chaplin (centre), the mill’s orchard and fruit manager, welcomes the visitors from Bristol Rugby

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Pirates on parade

PREPARE yourself for more side-splitting jokes and merriment this half-term when The Pirates arrive at the Fleet Air Arm Museum. Every day from Monday 11th to Friday February 15th there will be some fearsome family activities.

Children are encouraged to wear fancy dress. They’ll be shown how to draw a pirate map in ‘blood’ using a quill pen and make a variety of pirate accessories including cutlasses, telescopes, hats and eye patches.

Then from Wednesday February 20th –Sunday February 24th the museum will be displaying the Bloodhound SSC jet and rocket-powered car. The car will be displayed in Hall Four, where the Fairey Delta Two, the first aircraft to travel at more than 1000mph, is also on display.

WHAT’S ON

All aboard for a new season!

THE West Somerset Railway resumes running its train services for the halfterm holiday on February 9th and then begins its build-up of services towards the Easter holiday period.

At the end of March the railway stages its very popular Spring Steam Gala with “guest” steam engines specially hired in including one built in the USA and a Great Western Steam Railmotor dating from the Edwardian era which once ran between Yatton and Clevedon.

For those looking for a “package” day out the popular “Dunster Castle Expresses” which combine a steam journey from Bishops Lydeard to Dunster station, coach link and visit to the 1,000-year-old castle runs as a one-off on March 9th and then every Saturday and Wednesday from March 30th to November 2nd.

The railway runs for 20 miles through the Quantock Hills and along the Bristol Channel between Bishops Lydeard (four miles from Taunton and Minehead). Other possible destinations to explore include the ancient harbour town of Watchet and Cleeve Abbey at Washford, while Crowcombe Heathfield and Stogumber stations are ideal start points for walking in the Quantocks.

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 69

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MENDIP TIMES

Game, set and hatch!

THIS year’s Westcountry Game Fair will offer the ultimate countryside experience for visitors, whatever their interests: from fishing and shooting to keeping poultry and growing vegetables!

The fair is amongst the first of the great regional game fairs in the calendar and will return to the Bath and West Showground at Shepton Mallet on Saturday, March 9th and Sunday, March 10th. The event will celebrate 18 years of entertaining the public and creating a platform for countryside traditions and issues to be promoted and supported.

The fair is supported by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and experts from the organisation will be on hand to offer advice on everything from gundog training to claypigeon shooting. BASC has joined forces with Bristol and West Working Gundog Club, who will be running a training clinic, plus there will be a mobile vet on hand to offer advice on

WIN

A D AY AT T H E

G A M E FA I R

THE Westcountry Game Fair promises to be a fantastic day out for all the family and Mendip Times is offering three lucky readers the chance to enjoy a visit for free.

We have teamed up with Contour Exhibitions, the organisers of the event, to offer prizes of three family tickets (two adults and two children) – each worth £29 – in our easyto-enter competition.

The tickets are valid for either day of the game fair, Saturday, March 9th or Sunday, March 10th at the Royal Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet.

To enter, please answer the following question: who is organising the section of the fair where will you be able to meet some farmyard animals such as pigs and sheep?

Please send you answers on a postcard to: Westcountry Game Fair Competition, Mendip Times, Coombe Lodge, BS40 7RG. Entries must be received no later than Friday, February 15th. Prizes will be awarded to the first three correct answers chosen. The editor’s decision is final.

Join the gun girls

ANYONE who thinks shooting is a hobby just for men should reconsider: Somerset Lady Guns is a thriving club for novices through to experienced guns.

Somerset Lady Guns are part of the Devon and Somerset Lady Guns, a BASC affiliated club supported by Country Sports SW. The club has 32 members who enjoy shooting. Practice takes place once a month at various shooting grounds across the region including at Mendip Clays, near Wells.

Members have also achieved the BASC safe shot award which is an assessment to ensure they demonstrate a confident and safe use of shotguns in a field-based situation.

Country Sports South West is one of six regional projects in the Sustainable Rural Tourism programme and part financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

As a group, Somerset Lady Guns meet up for other shooting-

GAME FAIR

gundogs and their welfare.

Terrier and Lurcher shows will be back on both days of the event. Full schedules and details on classes are available to download from the organiser’s website: www.contour.uk.net.

The Family Dog Show will also return.

Meanwhile, Terry Large, chairman for the Campaign for Falconry, who began flying falcons at a young age and became a master falconer by the time he was a teenager, will be putting his skills on display with a series of flying demonstrations.

There will also be a chance for visitors to get up close and personal with the birds at the indoor display area.

The Somerset Smallholders Association will have a major role at the show providing a friendly, practical and educational insight into rural activities. They will provide displays and offer advice on a variety of activities including goat and poultry keeping to growing vegetables. There will be a selection of stalls and demonstrations including hurdle making, poultry, blacksmith artist, alpaca products and more. Another feature will be a “community farm” with rabbits, donkeys, ponies, sheep, pigs, chickens and many other animals.

The show also hosts a countryside shopping village with more than 250 traders offering guns, shooting accessories, fishing equipment, gifts, clothing, paintings and prints, food and much more.

G You can keep up to date with everything happening at the show by visiting the website www.contour.uk.net or joining their Facebook group and following them on Twitter. For exhibitor enquiries, please call 01392 421500.

Somerset Lady Guns

related events throughout the year and have a thriving social calendar. The monthly practice sessions take the format of shooting 50 clays followed by lunch, for £40.

For more information, meet some of the members on the BASC stand or contact Debbie Ironside-Smith via www.countrysportssouthwest.co.uk

PAGE 70 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

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Literary lunches

STON Easton Park has announced the line-up for its literary lunches this spring.

Times columnist Ben Macintyre (left), author of the bestseller Operation Mincemeat, will be talking about his new book Double Cross on March 22nd.

On April 26th the guest author is Catherine Bailey, author of the Sunday Times bestseller, Black Diamonds. Tickets at £39 include two-course luncheon and wine on arrival.

Details: 01761 241631

COMING UP:

Now in our 21st year

Hyde Park On Hudson (12a) Starts Friday, 1st February Beautiful Creatures (cert tbc) Starts Wednesday, 6th February Wreck-It-Ralph in 2D and 3D (PG) Starts Friday, 8th February Cirque Du Soleil Worlds Away in 2D and 3D (PG) Starts Friday, 15th February 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

WHAT’S ON Wednesday 20th March 2013 6:30pm – 10pm Pop along and join us for an evening of pampering and retail therapy Enjoy taster sessions from local therapists and shop from a variety of stalls. Licensed bar, tea and coffee.

Free admission.

Fundraising for NRAS (National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society)

The Wellsway Harptree Hill, West Harptree, BS40 6EJ 01761 221382 • enquiries@thewellsway.co.uk

WONDERFUL WILDFOOD WALKS with Adrian Boots Put a spring in your step and join Adrian on a fantastic wild food foray. Enjoy the vibrant colours of spring whilst finding some of the season’s best offerings from Wild Garlic to Jelly Ear mushrooms!

Meet on 24th March, 9.30am at Barleywood Walled Garden for tea and coffee, finish approximately 1.30pm. £35 per person including tea or coffee on arrival at the garden.

To book your place, please call: 01761 462162 www.walkthemendips.com

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 71

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MENDIP TIMES

A real community theatre

Eight performances of the pantomime Dick Whittington and his Cat played to sell-out audiences at Frome’s Memorial Theatre, attracting audiences from across Mendip and further afield. Mark Adler reports.

Humphrey Barnes (centre) with some of the theatre volunteers King Rat (Andrew Carpenter) with the Ratlings

The FAOS cast

PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

THE production by Frome Amateur Operatic Society capped a hugelysuccessful 2012 for the theatre and set the tone for the coming months ahead.

But, 30 years ago, the theatre’s very existence was under threat – there were plans to demolish the building and build homes on the site.

However, a group of people in Frome were determined that the theatre should not become a memory in its own right and launched a campaign to keep it open, using it as a theatre and assembly rooms for community purposes, staffed by volunteers.

Today, the Memorial Theatre and

adjoining Assembly Rooms attract household names from the worlds of theatre and music as well as hosting productions by groups such as FAOS, which is their home for rehearsals and performances.

The theatre was built in the 1920s as a memorial hall to those who fell in the First World War. It was used for dances and other events and seating was installed in the 1930s as cinema became ever more popular and when the hall became known as The Grand Cinema.

However, audiences began to decline in the 1970s and 1980s and the complex began to deteriorate. Mendip District Tom, Dick Whittington's cat, was played by Lottie Ball

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THEATRE Andy Tawse as the Sultan of Morocco

Council offered to buy the site from the trustees and it was then that the battle to save the complex began.

Among the original campaigners was Humphrey Barnes who became chairman of the organising committee at that time and is now still chairman of the trustees. He is an enthusiastic amateur actor and has just played Alderman Fitzwarren in the annual FAOS pantomime “Dick Whittington”.

He said: “It took us ten years to get the complex back up and running.

“Its strength today lies in the 120 volunteers who bring with them a wide range of skills and experience, whether that’s backstage, maintenance, stewarding or in the box office.”

Today the theatre still hosts the town’s annual Remembrance Day Service. The foyer has a permanent display commemorating the town’s fallen of two World Wars and other conflicts.

Dick Whittington (Dora Bishop) and King Rat (Andrew Carpenter) with Fairy Bowbells (Tabitha Cox)

Steve Huggins played Dolly Dumpling

The trust is seeking sponsors to help replace its 50-yearold seating. At £100 per seat, each will have the sponsor’s personal or family name, club or business title permanently acknowledged. For more information, visit: www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk

MEMORIAL THEATRE FROME

Saturday 23rd February at 7.30pm FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY

(Frome Rotary Club’s Variety Concert in aid of Critchill School and Harry's Hydro) • Tickets £10

Friday 1st March at 7.30pm COLIN FRY Tickets £17/Conc £16

Saturday 16th March at 7.30pm HM BAND OF THE ROYAL MARINES Tickets £16

Saturday 23rd March at 8.00pm RUSSELL KANE

Tickets £17.50

For information on future presentations Visit fromememorialtheatre.org.uk Or find us on Facebook

Pre-show meals available – check website or Box Office 01373 462795 (24hr) for details

Christchurch Street West, Frome, BA11 1EB

MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013 • PAGE 73

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MENDIP TIMES

WHAT’S ON

The Mendip Times What’s On Guide for February 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 at the museum, Burlington Street, Weston, BS23 1PR. Friday February 1st Open Mic Night at Redhill Village Hall, 8pm, all welcome. Hosted by Jerry Blythe, admission free.

Saturday February 2nd – Sunday February 3rd Somerset Vintage & Classic Tractor Show at the Royal Bath & West Showground, Shepton Mallet. Around 250 tractors on display. All proceeds to charity. www.somersettractorshow.co.uk Saturday February 2nd Charity concert, Richie Hall, Wells, featuring Somerset counter tenor Iestyn Davies in conversation with James Jolly, in aid of Wells Cathedral School Foundation’s appeal to build Cedars Hall performing arts centre. Tickets £10, from 01749 834483 or boxoffice@wells-cathedral-school.co.uk Philip Rahtz –Archeologist – a day conference to celebrate his life and work in Somerset. The Kings of Wessex Academy, Cheddar, BS27 3AQ. Contributions from several local archaeologists. Tickets £15 (£10), in advance please. Details: heritagecentre@somerset.gov.uk or 01823 278805.

Tuesday February 5th Weston-super-Mare Film Society, “The Apartment” (PG), to be screened at the Winter Gardens, 7.45pm, £3/£4.50 non-members.

Wednesday February 6th Yeo Valley Probus Club meeting – a speaker from The Samaritans, talking about their work, 10.30am at Backwell Bowls Club.

Thursday February 7th Wells Evening Society – Henry Purcell – England’s greatest composer, with Colin Booth, 7.30pm, Wells Town Hall.

Prickles Hedgehog Rescue Quiz Night at The Riverside Inn, Cheddar. Arrive 7pm for 7.30pm start. £6.50 includes supper. Max team size 6 – prizes for the winners! Booking advisable: 07806 744772.

Friday February 8th “Southern Ocean Challenge and the RNLI” – a talk by Graham Wills with previously unseen film of the Southern Ocean. Chew Valley Sailing Club, BS40 8XN, 7pm for 7.30 includes light supper. Tickets £7.50 from 01275 472639, in aid of the RNLI. “Holyest Erth” opening evening of an exhibition of handmade books and prints of Glastonbury Abbey, with light refreshments, 6 – 8pm. RSVP by February 5th: info@glastonburyabbey.com or 01458 832267. Exhibition open February 9th – May 12th.

Saturday February 9th Frome Society for Local Study – Sam Moorhead: The Ashworth Memorial Lecture on The Frome Hoard – the largest pot of Roman Coins found in Britain, Assembly Rooms, Frome, 2.30pm.

“The Archaeology of the Severn Estuary and Beyond”. A day conference presenting the most exciting recent discoveries, 9am – 4.30pm at the Strode Theatre, Strode College, Street, BA16 0AB. Tickets £15, include buffet lunch and refreshments. Book at: www.tickets.strodetheatre.co.uk Clapton Village Hall, 10.30am to 1pm, jewellery making class, £8 per person, includes jewellery making kit, tuition and refreshments. Details: Ainslie 01761 411234.

Sunday February 10th Frome Potato Day and Seed Swap, 10am – 3pm at the Cheese and Grain, Market Yard, Frome, BA11 1BE. For details of speakers and other information: www.fromepotatoday.org.uk Tuesday February 12th “The Great Crane Project” a talk for The Mendip Society by Amy King about this unique bird. 2.30pm at The Wells Museum, Cathedral Green, Wells, BA5 2UE. “Persepolis and the empires of ancient Persia”, a talk by John Osborne for the Mendip Branch of NADFAS at the Bath & West Showground. Details 01749 76-0652 or tony@fountainhouse.info St James Church, Winscombe Pancake Races at the Community Centre Playing Field, Sandford Road, 3pm, followed by tea in the church hall. Please bring a frying pan.

Wednesday February 13th Nailsea & District Horticultural Society: talk on Scree and Gravel Gardening, by Don Everitt. United Reformed Church, Stockway North, Nailsea at 7.30pm.

Wells Civic Society, Chris Goodchild and Gayle Pennington on the development of Wookey Hole Caves, 7.30pm, Wells and Mendip Museum.

ANSWERS TO THE MENDIP MINDBENDER ACROSS: 1 Land Girls, 6 Bread, 9 Mambo, 10/26/25 Blackmore and Sparkford, 11 Deep-fried, 12 Had it, 14 Copse, 16 Shogunate, 18 Stairways, 21 Exact, 22 Arena, 23 Folly Farm, 27 Acorn, 28 Aided, 29 Trying out.

DOWN: 1 Lame ducks, 2 Number-plate, 3 Go off, 4 Rabbits, 5 Soand-so, 6 Bakehouse, 7 Ego, 8 Dwelt, 13 Dead as a dodo, 15 Earmarked, 17 Estaminet, 19 Affront, 20 Solidly, 22 At sea, 24 Yearn.

PAGE 74 • MENDIP TIMES • FEBRUARY 2013

Friday February 15th “Spinning & Weaving – keeping the tradition alive”. A talk for The Mendip Society

by Janet Maher. 7.30pm at The Church Hall, Tweentown, Cheddar.

Saturday February 16th “Wildlife on your doorstep” with Chris Sperring and his owls, nest-box building, owl pellet dissection, wildlife walks etc. 10am -4pm at Jacklands Fishing Lakes, Jacklands Bridge, Tickenham, BS21 6SG. Admission free but you may need wellies! Organised by the Hawk and Owl Trust.

Valentines Supper Night with live music from Robb Dee. 8pm at Redhill Village Hall, free admission, all welcome.

Sunday February 17th Feltmaking Workshop, 10am -4pm, St Edmunds Community Hall, Glastonbury. Cost £45 including materials. Bookings: Jennie Loader, 01458 834071.

Sunday February 17th and Monday February 18th Snowdrop Days at Sherborne Garden, Litton, 11am-4pm, £4 for the NGS, tea and coffee available. Other times by appointment, tel 01761 241220.

Tuesday February 19th Mid-Somerset Decorative & Fine Arts Society talk by Peter Webb on “Twentieth century artists I have known” 11am at Caryford Hall, Castle Cary. £6 at door. Details 01963 350527.

Wednesday February 20th Yeo Valley Probus Club meeting; a talk by Graham Hackett about the RAF Operations against the Mau Mau in Kenya in the 1950s, 10.30am, Backwell Bowls Club.

Thursday February 21st Old Station Millennium Green, Winscombe agm with illustrated talk and pictures from the village from the 1960s to 2000 by Bunty Tracy and Don Overton, 7.30pm Winscombe Community Centre, all welcome.

“Household appliances of a bygone age”. A talk for The Mendip Society by Peter Lamb. 7.30pm at St James’ Hall, Woodborough Road, Winscombe.

Friday February 22nd BragaTanga, a Cornish band playing an esoteric mix of instruments and world folk music, 7pm at Hornblotton Village Hall. Tickets £10 from 01963 240282 or bowencolin@hotmail.com Food and soft drinks available, bring your own booze.

Trad Jazz / Mainstream with Dave Martin’s Jabbo Five, 8pm -11pm at Timsbury Conygre Hall. Tickets £8 on the door, donation to Bath Stroke Group. Bar and food available. Details: Kate, 01761 471245 or www.mendipmusic.com Saturday February 23rd The Badke Quartet performing three glorious string quartets for Churchill Music! 7.30 -9.45pm, St John the Baptist, Church, Church Lane, Churchill. Tickets £13.50 (U-25’s free) from 01934 852919.

Somerset Wildlife Trust, East Mendip Group winter walk to King Alfred’s Tower, with Eve Tigwell, 10am.

Wednesday February 27th “Somerset Women”, a talk by Jane de Gruchy, archivist at Somerset Heritage and Libraries service, for the Friends of Weston-super-Mare Museum, 7.30pm at the museum, Burlington St, Weston. BS23 1PR. Somerset Wildlife Trust, East Mendip Group, badgers with Adrian Coward, Rugby Club, Gipsy Lane, Frome, 7.30pm.

Thursday February 28th “Bees and Bee-keeping”, a talk by David Maslen for Chew Valley Wildlife Group at 7.45pm, Chew Magna Millenium Hall, £2.50 includes refreshments “Turbulent times, dynamic business – a banker’s perspective” – talk for the North Somerset Rural Business Forum by Humphrey Richards, Head of Agriculture South & West, Lloyds Bank, 7.30pm at The Winford Manor Hotel, BS40 8DW. Non-members welcome, cost £5. Details: Sue Pritchard, 07767 008662.

Friday March 1st “Exciting new Perennials and Hellebores”, an illustrated talk at Cleeve Nursery, 7.30 – 9.30pm. RHS recommended event hosted by Alan Down. Tickets £6 members, £8 non-members, includes glass of wine.

Tuesday March 5th Weston-super-Mare Film Society, “Late Bloomers” (PG). To be screened at the Winter Gardens, 7.45pm, £3/£4.50 non-members. Contact: 01934 834866.

“Klimt and the Viennese secession – “A kiss for all the world”, a talk by Douglas Skeggs for the Mendip Branch of NADFAS at the Bath & West Showground. Details: 01749 760652 or tony@fountainhouse.info Wednesday March 6th Cheddar Valley Railway Walk Society agm and talk Mendip Hills Through the Ages with Les Davies, The Oak House, Axbridge, 7.30 pm, admission free all welcome.

Saturday March 9th Gala Concert at Wells Cathedral starring soprano Dame Felicity Lott with Wells Cathedral Choir. Organised by Wells Rotary and Cathedral Chorister Trust in aid of the Trust and Help for Heroes. 7pm. Tickets from £10 to £25: 01749 672773.

Wednesday March 20th Ladies Pamper Evening at The Wellsway, Harptree Hill, BS40 6EJ. Taster sessions, stalls, refreshments and licensed bar. 18.30 to 22.00. Free admission. Details: 01761 221382 or enquiries@thewellsway.co.uk

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