Valley Life Issue 2

YOUR NEW FREE LOCAL NEWS MAGAZINE

ISSUE 2 JULY 2016 FREE

Valley Life At the heart of the Cheddar Valley

www.valley-life.co.uk

PULLING POWER Monster tractors put on a show – Page 12

News, views, features, events & offers from around Cheddar, Wedmore and Axbridge

Inside this issue Cynicism as Sedgemoor shows off plans for Cheddar Pages 4 & 5

Gorge set for a 30mph speed limit Page 6

Cheddar Youth Trust looking for more donors Page 8

Meet the new boys on the local property scene Page 10

How the Cliff Hotel has fallen from its 19th century grace Page 15

welcome . . .

We hope you enjoyed the first edition of Valley Life and from the emails and letters that we’ve received it appears that we are tapping into a need for the Cheddar Valley.

The issues in such a beautiful part of the country are many and varied, but the one issue that is at the forefront of many people’s minds is that of the development of the area.

Now we know that a balance has to be struck between preserving the countryside for which this part of Somerset is so famed and developing it for a growing population, and it would be wrong to stand in the way of progress.

Sedgemoor District Council is looking to make Cheddar a Tier One settlement – which means that the village will be classed in the same category as Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge.

But to say the VILLAGE of Cheddar must develop along the same lines as these two TOWNS is a completely flawed argument.

And Sedgemoor’s recent consultation meeting in Cheddar threw up more questions than

answers and left many bemused.

Surely, any development must go hand-in-hand with funding infrastructure projects such as bigger schools, more GPs and dentists and most importantly better transport links.

You only have to look at Burnham and Highbrdige to see that their public transport links are so much more advanced than Cheddar’s.

They have multiple bus services that allow residents to commute to work – Cheddar has one infrequent bus service to Wells and Weston which makes it difficult for residents to get to and from work outside normal working hours.

They have good roads capable of taking heavy traffic – Cheddar has one A-road which even Somerset County Council deems inadequate in places coming through the village, while some of Cheddar’s roads which carry 21st century HGVs were built for 19th century horse and carts.

Sedgemoor need to listen to the concerns of residents and not just pay lip service by holding a consultation and then doing exactly what they wanted to do anyone.

Contact us 7 Tower Close, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3XQ Tel: 01934 741099 Mob: 07704 606151

rob@valley-life.co.uk Valley Life is published by Valley Life Publishing and printed by Pixel8Media.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written consent is prohibited. The publishers do not accept responsibility for any errors made in advertisements of for claims made by any advertisers which are incorrect.

The publishers reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason.

All material submitted for publication, including colour transparencies, is done so at the owner’s risk and no responsibility is accepted by the publisher for its return.

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VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 1 / JUNE 2016

NEWS

Polly hoping to realise her Olympic dream

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xbridge sailor Polly Jarman is chasing her Olympic dream despite having to overcome an ongoing knee injury.

The 19-year-old has only been on the water since she was 15, but was quickly identified as a real talent.

Polly’s sailing passion has already seen her take to the waters in Greece, Italy and all over the UK as she drives herself on to become an Olympian.

But over the last 12 months, Polly has had to overcome some of the biggest hurdles in her fledgling sailing career.

A mystery knee injury saw her having to take nearly a year off, but that has only acted as motivation to continue to follow her dream.

She said: “I’m more determined than ever to realise my dream and the injury has only added to my devotion.

“The 2020 Tokyo Olympics is what I’m aiming for and I will work really hard to make my dream come true.”

Initially, Polly was sailing Topper boats and has until recently been sailing the 49FX – a new class of boat which will be making its debut at the Rio Olympics later this summer.

She added: “I started racing straight away in the UK Cherub class, but then one of the GB members was looking for a new partner and I applied, had a few trials and was lucky enough to be accepted.

“The chance to start training with the GB squad came up two years ago and I always knew I wanted to do the Olympics or round the world sailing, so it was a great opportunity to follow those dreams.

“I had been training on the 49FX skiff when the injury to my left knee struck. I have had

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

about six specialists look at the injury and unable to work out what was wrong with it.

“I have only recently returned to the water, but I have lost a lot of fitness during the lay off.

Sailing is a ridiculously fitness intensive sport – you need good upper body strength, good core strength and good leg strength.I have learnt more about what my dreams were when I was injured than ever before.”

Through her mother, Polly is a US citizen and she has been given the chance to train with the American sailing team to follow her Olympic dream.

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NEWS

Sedgemoor fails to win over local support at consultation

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he overwhelming feeling of residents who visited Sedgemoor's consultation meeting into the future development of Cheddar was one of cynicism.

Many of those who attended the five-hour long exercise at the Church Hall in Cheddar came away resigned to the fact that this was little more than a paper exercise.

But Sedgemoor District Council's planning officer Nick Tait tried to allay fears that the council was doing more than just paying lip service by carrying out the consultation.

He said: "If people have worries and concerns then I would urge them to write to Sedgemoor District Council to voice them and we will take them into consideration - that is what this process is all about."

Dozens of residents took the chance to see the proposed development plans drawn up

by Sedgemoor and question planning officers about the need for up to 415 new homes in the village.

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minds about what they would like to do in Cheddar and no matter what comes out of this consultation they will press on regardless."

the residents will be the ones who will have to suffer."

A lot of the anger felt by residents involves Sedgemoor making Cheddar a Tier One settlement – the same as Highbridge and Burnham-onSea.

Bill Noble, from Axbridge, admitted that more homes would need to be built in the area to accommodate a growing population.

Many felt that the classification was unrealistic pointing to the fact that those bigger communities have better road and rail links, more schools and more GP surgeries to cater for their communities.

He said: "But hand in hand with more homes comes the need for improvements to infrastructure."

Another resident, Jenny Hill, added: "This is another total waste of time. Sedgemoor will not listen to the views of people in Cheddar.

But Roberta Hunt, from Cheddar, summed up the feelings of many after spending time talking to the officers.

“Where are the new classrooms to educate children coming into the village, where's the new GP surgery or dental practice and what about road improvements?

She said: "I have worked in local authorities and I know how they operate, I fear they have already made up their

"Sedgemoor is just hoping that these things will come to fruition, but there's no guarantee and in the meantime

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Cheddar Parish councillors have pointed out that more than 100 affordable homes have been built in the village over the last four years which must have met the most urgent need for the village and its near neighbours.

Cheddar’s planning committee chairman, Paul Fineran, said: “Sedgemoor has not clarified the number of people needing affordable homes, nor how many are truly local and in

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

NEWS

Potential sites for development

Sedgemoor urges residents to have their say Sedgemoor District Council planning policy officer Nick Tait led the consultation at Church House and was keen to stress that no firm decisions had been taken.

He urged residents to make their views known about how they would like to see the village develop over the forthcoming years.

urgent need as compared to those who just wish to live in Cheddar.

“For Cheddar to now be considered as a Tier 1 location is unrealistic. A simple desktop study will reveal its geographical limits – reservoir on one side, Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the other and the area beyond Draycott Park being categorised as floodplain (although apparently this may be re-classified despite being an acknowledged floodplain).

from recent experience totally unrealistic. There is a total lack of understanding and ability to produce transport infrastructure and a readiness to alter any benefits proposed if the developer wishes to renege on any conditions.”

Cheddar Parish councillors turned out in force to hand out a questionnaire to gather information about how best to represent the views of the community.

The questions were:

“We do not consider that Cheddar will escape development, or remain ‘set in aspic’ for eternity, but we have looked in detail at the housing requirements locally through the neighbourhood planning process, and have already consulted the community regarding locations for houses – along with the potential numbers.

1 Do you think that Cheddar should be a Tier 1 settlement YES/NO

“Infrastructure improvements are chronically overdue within Cheddar, to expect future development to fund them is

4 Do you think our current infrastructure can support more development YES/NO

2 Do you think that Cheddar should take more than 300 homes up to 2032 YES/NO 3 Do you think there should be as much development as suggested outside the village boundary YES/NO

Have your say at www.sedgemoor.gov.uk/LocalPlan VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

He said: “The consultation is really an important part of reviewing and making plans for the future.

“We had a consultation in the autumn and at that stage it was still very general and we’ve tried to reflect some of the concerns and so there is now more detail.

“We have to deliver quite substantial levels of housing and it is always a tricky one with infrastructure. In an ideal world it would be great to get infrastructure in before, some cases where it is absolutely essential it has to happen such as road improvements might be in some cases an example.

“We have always said that Tier 1 settlements are different and not a one-size fits all. I think it is an advantage for Cheddar whereby things are treated comprehensively rather than on a piece-meal basis.

“At the end of the day my concern is to get as many comments back as possible and I would urge people to take the opportunity to make their views known either in email or letter form.”

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NEWS

Gorge set to benefit from a change in speed limit

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omerset County Council are set to impose a 30 mph speed limit through Cheddar Gorge as part of plans to curb the nuisance of anti-social driving.

It is hoped the limit will be in force before the end of the year as long as there are no objections to the plans.

Signs will go up at Black Rock Gate on the B3135 to signify the start of the scheme that will then go down into the village.

Cheddar Parish Council leader Peter Colton said: “This is an important part of the raft of measures we are looking to bring in to ensure that anti-social drivers are deterred from using the Gorge.

“Somerset County Highways new traffic engineer Gary Warren has listened to the

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concerns of the community and carried out a survey in the Gorge and are proposing a 30 mph speed limit.

“The proposal will now go out to public consultation and if there are no objections we could see the scheme in place by the end of the year.”

number of calls due to what police have been doing – that is a massive drop off. I have noticed it and we are getting nowhere near as many calls whereas before April we were getting them every day.

“I think the multi-agency approach is working and I think it can only get better.”

Further measures are being planning to deter car owners from driving in an antisocial manner in the Gorge following consultations with Avon and Somerset Police, Somerset County Council and Longleat Estates.

The latest figures show: 17 road side advice or driver education notices issued to owners 5 section 59 notices issued to drivers for anti-social driving

PCSO Mike Shaw, from Cheddar police, said that there had already been a “massive” reduction in the number of calls officers were taking from residents complaining about the issue.

3 cars have been taken off the road

He said: “We have seen a 50 per cent reduction in the

1 car searched driver arrested for a drug-related offence

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3 cars have been reported for traffic offences 1 car seized for anti-social driving

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

NEWS

Youngsters join the cause to make speeding drivers more responsible

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oungsters from Fairlands School in Cheddar have been educating motorists about road safety and speed.

The pupils have been out and about with members of the Cheddar Beat Team and the local Community Speed Watch on Upper New Road to assist in educating drivers and highlighting the dangers of speeding to motorists.

children who were asking them to account for their actions before giving them an educational poster.

In May, the children took part in a competition to design the speed awareness posters, which was judged by BBC Somerset presenter Claire Carter. The winning entry designed by Laura Fiddles, from Class 5P, was turned

A total of 22 children have been involved in the event alongside local Beat Manager PC Jim Murray and assisted by the Community Speed Watch group.

They were operating a speed detection device and offending motorists caught exceeding the 30mph limit were then given the option of a Fixed Penalty Notice (fine) or to face a grilling by the local VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

into posters and given to the motorists during the exercise.

PCSO Mike Shaw said: “Today has been a real success. We were out for a few hours, ran the Speed Detection Device and ended up speaking to 12 motorists who were exceeding the limit.

“Having to account for their actions to the children has had a big impact on the driver’s attitude regarding speeding.

Without exception, they all said they would be devastated if their driving resulted in the injury of a child due to speeding. I think it really made people stop and think about their actions when confronted by a child.”

Fairland’s School had a busy week ahead with other activities planned involving Fire and Ambulance Services.

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NEWS

Youth Trust looking to add to its coffers with new donors

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heddar Youth Trust is to launch a major initiative to encourage more people to make donations to help the charity reach its next milestone.

The trust started out with the aim of raising £100,000 in 2000 and that milestone was reached last year.

Now the charity is looking to increase the sum to £300,000 which will enable them to hand out grants of £5,000 a year.

Chairman Keith Herring said: “The trust can only spend the interest it earns from the capital and the rates of interest have fallen to such a low level that we need to raise even more funds.

“We are launching a major drive to try to encourage more people to think about leaving money to the trust either as an on-going financial monthly commitment or through a legacy to ensure that this very important charity continues.

“We want all Cheddar youngsters to consider applying to the trust for grant support, those with exciting ambitious plans and everyone who would value a ‘leg up’ in their education or training.

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Clive Panchaud of the Cheddar Youth Trust

“It is Cheddar’s trust and it’s for Cheddar’s children.

Typically the Cheddar Youth Trust makes grants of over £4,000 per annum to around 30 applicants, helping them across a wide range of areas.

“We’ve helped more than 180 youngsters over the years the trust has been in existence and intend to support many more in future.

“In sport, in education and training in vocational and in academic subjects, in encouraging their service to communities here and abroad, to help where they are acting as representatives and to help those with courage in their disabilities.”

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In the two years up to the end of 2014 the Trust’s capital has grown by around £18,000 hence the Chairman’s aim to reach a target of £100,000 in his lifetime has been achieved as there is £115,000 in the base capital fund as of May 1, 2015.

The plan is eventually over the next 50 years to establish a capital fund of £300,000 and thus be able to provide grants to Cheddar Young People of at least £5,000 each year.

You can apply for a grant if you are between 5-25, have been a resident in the parish of Cheddar for at least 12 months. Further information on the trust can be found at www.cyt.org.uk

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

Riverside Inn & Restaurant Cheddar

29-30-31

July 2016

beer festival

fourteen real ales fun for all the family

live music Friday 9pm-Total Madness Saturday 2pm-Les Martin Saturday 9pm-Kick the Cat Sunday 3pm-Steve James

BBQ

Sunday 7pm-Mayhem

from 6:00pm

on Friday 29th

July until 11:00pm

on Sunday 31st July The Riverside Inn | Cliff Street | Cheddar | Somerset | BS27 3PX 01934 742 452 | info@riversidecheddar.co.uk | riversidecheddar.co.uk9 www.valley-life.co.uk

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

Laurel & Wylde are new boys on the property scene, but their novel approach looks to be bearing fruit. Director Nick Puddy tells Valley Life why he wants to be different.

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o, where to start?

Well, how about when I was 14 years old, growing up on a family farm, begging my Nan to wake me up when staying at weekends, so I could be out helping my Grandad before breakfast.

Then whenever I could in the evenings, while I might add, working every hour I could at the local Pub (The White

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Horse Inn, which funnily enough, now has the new, old owners that were there all those 19 years ago!) washing up and learning to prepare and cook food, plus sticking up for two skittles teams on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and having a paper round, all at the same time!

I have always been a busy person, to say the least, I have worked most weekends for as long as I can remember, and have always been interested

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in people, and I suppose more directly, interested in providing a service to people.

As weird as it sounds, I have never really been fond of ‘Estate Agents’, the way they are trained to talk to, and deal with people, the way they only ever tell people what they want to hear, even the way they typically dress and I think this is one of the reasons why I have done well over the 15 years of doing this job.

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

ADVERTISING FEATURE I am not only interested in the property, but also the ‘How, What, Where, When and Why’ for the vendors, too. I really enjoy helping people get where they want to be, and for me, I get great pleasure providing a service to people, helping them through every step of the selling and buying process, until they end up happy where they are going, for me it’s about the whole package!

At Laurel & Wylde we are so passionate about what we do, across the board, not only are we extremely helpful, hungry, proactive and passionate about everything we do, we believe we offer a selling package that is second to none.

With 98% of buyers starting their property search online, and with 67% of those people starting their searches on mobile devices, gone are the days where selling, or buying properties come from a newspaper, which is why we have put so much effort into making sure that our online marketing package is blisteringly appealing!

We believe that ‘property sales, and the prices that properties actually sell for, are solely dependent on, not where you advertise, but how you do it!’

If you want to sell your property with Laurel and Wylde, you don’t just get a basic advertisement on Rightmove and a basic set of particulars.

Every property has an 8+ page brochure with a fantastic selection of photographs, with a 3D floorplan. We offer blue sky images, for free, we have our own production company that do our internal property videos. We offer VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

1 Ivy Farm, Cheddar was sold by Laurel & Wylde after just eight weeks and having had 11 viewings. It had been on the market with two other estate agents on two separate occasions over the previous seven years without selling.

drone videos and photography, as a standard package, every listing on Rightmove, Zoopla and Prime Location has a ‘Premium Listing’, every property has a ‘Featured Property’ listing on Rightmove, for the first six weeks of marketing, at least, and Rightmove suggests a 50% uplift on your property hits, with this benefit.

Added to this, we have 24-hour agent response, we are open six days a week including all Bank Holidays, with seven days a week appointments and valuations, we have state of the art computer software, plus an extremely prominent office location, you will find our properties on websites such as The Daily Telegraph, The Times Online, The Mail Online, Channel 4, MSN, Yahoo, Orange and many, many more!

We have a very warm and vibrant office, so why don’t you pop in and see us, have a chat,

maybe a tea or coffee?

And if you are thinking of selling, why don’t you give us a call, we will be most happy to help, at the drop of a hat, and if for some reason you may be having a little trouble selling with your current estate agent, I’m sure we can help out there too, eight of the first 10 houses we have agreed sales on, have been on the market with other local estate agents in the last few years, and haven’t sold . . .

And by the way, my name is Nick Puddy, I am 33 years old and I grew up in the village of Mark. I have a beautiful partner, and child, with another on the way.

I went to Mark First School, Hugh Sexeys, and then on to Kings of Wessex. Shortly after I fell into estate agency and have never looked back since.

I love my job almost as much as my family, long may it continue!

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NEWS

Heavy brigade make their debut

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ome monster tractors were on show at the first South West Tractor Pulling Association event to take place in the Cheddar Valley.

Despite the weather, hundreds turned up to watch tractors try to pull up a sledge weighing up to 90 tons along a field at Greendale Farm, Draycott.

One of the big attractions was Major Madness – the tractor hand-built by Ed Bateman, from Banwell, who is looking to regain his place as the top UK performer in his class.

His tractor is based on a Fordson diesel major backend and a cargo 380 engine with a 13” 3 plate centrifugal clutch.

Roll cage is from the late Chris 12

Georges “John Bull”. Many of the parts and materials were supplied by Kent Plant Group of Banwelland Redhill Engineering, where Ed works.

Another attraction was Torment, the tractor built

by Steve McConnell, from Langport, which has at its heart a World War Two Sherman tank engine.

He said: “Originally, it was 30 litres creating 720 bhp, but added twin turbos and we can now get up to 2000 bhp.

“The tractor had been parked up for many years, but three years ago we rebuilt it and despite one or two problems it is really going well.”

Stuart Moore, SWTPA organiser who puts on shows

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all over the country.

He said: “The weather has played its part, but a lot of work has been put in by volunteers and it has been a great success.

“There was a massive turn out and people have really enjoyed seeing these machines in action.”

The two-day event also featured the Ken Fox Wall of Death – which features vintage Indian Scout bikes defying gravity on a 20ft high vertical wall The noise, the speed, the smell, the proximity of the bikes ridden to the top of the wall, barely six inches from the audience is an experience never to be forgotten.

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 1 / JUNE 2016

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Tasty meals direct to your door Cheddar-based Doorstep Dinners is the new way to enjoy wholesome, homemade food without having to make it yourself.

Doorstep Dinners owner Beccy Thomas moved to Cheddar with her family in November and now spends her days making and delivering meals, all featuring locally-sourced ingredients, around the Cheddar Valley.

Beccy can deliver hot, chilled or frozen meals to your home, work or holiday accommodation.

The 5* meals are for those times when you’re really busy at work, recovering from illness, bringing home a new baby, going away and leaving the family to fend for themselves, or when self-catering holidays seem like a better idea when you booked than when you arrive!

The menu includes some old favourites that are great to eat all year round alongside a range of dishes and side dishes specially designed to show off the best of local seasonal produce.

For summer 2016, Beccy is also introducing the ‘BBQ in a Box’: a menu of ready-prepared BBQ meats, fish and vegetarian options and salad bar selection.

To order: Call - 01934 221 438 Visit - doorstepdinners.co.uk beccy@doorstepdinners.co.uk

Beccy Thomas brings you her dish of the month

Personalise your Pesto

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ummer is here!

I love summer food shopping for all the colourful produce on offer.

If you haven’t already, visit a local market (Cheddar on Tuesday mornings, Winscombe on Thursdays or Axbridge on the first Saturday of every month) and see what is being locally grown.

Stallholders will be able to tell you where everything is grown.

Expect beans (broad, French, runner), cabbage, carrots, new potatoes, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach and herbs to be coming from not too far away at this time of year.

Making your own pesto is a great way to add summer flavour to many dishes. We know it goes

well with pasta, but have you tried it with new potatoes?

Drizzled over a salad (mmm, with a warm goats cheese in the middle), on roasted vegetables (which could make kebabs for your BBQ), or on top of a lovely grilled piece of fish?

Like last month, you can take this basic recipe and make it all yours. Instead of pine nuts why not add walnut halves, pistachios, or any other nut for that matter!

Using a flavoured oil or extra ingredient such as chili or sundried tomato will change your pesto to suit your taste.

Use any herb you like too, and try other citrus fruits or vinegars instead of lemon juice if you prefer.

You will need

Method

• 30g pine nuts • Large bunch of basil • 1 clove garlic (crushed) • 2 tablespoons lemon juice • 4 tablespoons olive oil • 2 teaspoons of grated parmesan

Simply whizz all your ingredients together in a small food processor and serve! If you don’t have a food processor you could use a pestle and mortar to smash the pine nuts and garlic together. Chop your basil before crushing that into the pine nuts and garlic and stirring into your liquid ingredients.

INTRODUCTORY OFFER: Quote ‘ValleyLife’ when placing your first order and receive 10% off (orders over £10 only).

Follow facebook.com/doorstepdinnersuk for reviews, dishes of the fortnight and more.

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Makes about 200g (roughly the same size as a jar bought from the supermarket) VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

NOSTALGIA

Cheddar resident Brenda Anderson looks at how the Cliff Hotel was a major draw for holidaymakers from across the region at the end of the 19th century.

So at the time of Queen Elizabeth 90th birthday celebrations, this once popular and excellent hotel is boarded up and in a sorry state.

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ox’s Mill formerly known as The Cliff Hotel lies in a sorry state, boarded up and with broken windows in its top storey.

But it wasn’t always the case and as local newspaper reports from the 19th century show, it was a very select destination and always busy with patrons arriving by horse and carriage from far and wide.

The exact date of the hotel’s establishment is uncertain but it is likely to have been during the 1850s.

George Cox leased the land and the mill from the Marquis of Bath. On George Cox’s death in 1868 his wife Sarah Cox took over the hotel license and his son, George, became the owner of the hotel and “Stalactite Cavern”.

In 1883 the hotel owner, according to Kelly’s Directory, was Alfred Eaton Bragg (who was declared bankrupt in 1895).

The 1897 edition of Kelly’s Directory lists Walter Franklin as the proprietor.

The gardens were popular too, being the destination for many group outings. On 4 August 1880 the newspaper Western Mail, Cardiff, District News reported on the annual holiday of the trades people of the town in the form of an excursion to Weston by the steamer Lady Mary and thence by train to Cheddar.

It read: “The party, numbering in all upwards of 70 persons left Cardiff by the Lady Mary for Weston at 9.30 a.m. The passage across Channel was completed within the hour. Outside the pier breaks were waiting to convey the excursionists to Cheddar, a distance of twelve miles; and the drive, which was through magnificent country, was most enjoyable. The destination was reached at one o’clock p.m. and luncheon was then partaken of in the pleasure

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

grounds attached to the Cliff Hotel........ Soon after three o’clock p.m. the return was commenced and on arrival in Weston at half-past five o’clock p.m. the party proceeded to the Royal Pier Hotel where a very excellent dinner was provided.”

Latterly, the hotel was bought

by Longleat Estates, the name changed to Cox’s Mill Hotel and the lessees were Mr and Mrs Presley. So at the time of the Queen’s 90th birthday celebration, this once popular and excellent hotel is boarded up and in a sorry state.

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GARDENING Green fingered tips from garden designer Robin Pargeter

EVERYONE’S A WINNER WITH A WILD GARDEN

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n immaculate, green lawn is part of our image of the quintessential English garden, but its beauty comes at some price for the person performing the manicure.

An excellent way to highlight a favourite tree is to leave a neat square of long grass and wild flowers sitting beneath its branches.

This works particularly well with apple and pear trees, although they do need to be well established before they can compete with the grass. If you have the space, mowing a winding strip through a patch of long grass makes for a much more interesting garden path than just strolling across an open lawn. And if you really want to be creative, how about mowing a labyrinth into an area of long grass?

Weekly mowing, seemingly endless edge cutting combined with seasonal aeration, scarification, weed killing and fertilising make up a fair proportion of our garden maintenance time.

This workload becomes particularly acute over the next couple of months when our warm and increasingly damp summers make the grass appear to grow in front of our eyes.

As a garden designer, clients often ask me to produce low maintenance gardens and with this in mind, I increasingly incorporate wild areas in the plans. Although generally speaking bigger is better, even in a small garden it can really benefit the garden as well as reducing the workload.

The simplest way to achieve this is to leave a chosen area of lawn un-mowed for most of the year, and see what plants nature will bring to your garden. In your normal lawn you would consider many of the plants that then thrive in a wild area to be weeds, but common wildflowers 16

such as buttercups, daises, clover and even dandelions flowering among the tall grass are a wonderful sight.

With the flourishing of wildflowers, the arrival of more wildlife should follow. In my own garden, evening visits by bats feeding on insects seem to have increased since leaving an area of wild grass.

It need not be a shabby, neglected area: if planned correctly it can add a very attractive feature to the garden.

Keeping the edges of the wild area neatly mowed and clearly defined provides an interesting contrast with an area of mowed lawn, and will give a contemporary, even showgarden, style to the garden.

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For much of the year no maintenance is required although a plan of some sort will produce the best results.

For spring wildflowers to prosper, leave the area unmowed from February to July.

If, instead, you want a summer meadow style, mow until midspring and then leave it to its own devices. In either instance, the area should be strimmed to the ground and cleared in early autumn, once flower seeds have set. This can be an arduous task so when it comes time for this in my own garden, I remind myself that it takes only a fraction of the time that I would have spent mowing the area and I only have to do it once a year.

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

NEWS

Youngsters show off their skills

M

embers of four groups based at Kings Fitness were the stars of the show at the launch of Fitkids can Move.

The initiative, a joint venture between Kings Fitness and Cheddar Patient Group, was held to encourage more youngsters to take part in physical activity The evening at the Kings Theatre began with an introduction from Dr Murdoch Campbell, Public

Shane Fear, Kings Fitness manager, introduced four groups who have been regularly using the centre for many years with youngsters ranging in ages from 4-13 years old.

Health England clinical champion for physical activity, who told the audience about the importance of keeping active.

Dr Campbell, a GP in Wells, said: “If we treat ourselves as human we have a

much better chance of living longer. One hour is the amount of exercise a child should do each day and on top of that they should be moving. They aren’t designed to sit around.

And everyone was to do that we would function better.”

The packed audience watched as dance group, The Street Cheer Group, went through their routine, followed by demonstrations by Tanya Majewicz’s Cheddar Taekwondo, Cheddar’s Judo group and the centre’s gymnastics group.

Cornwell rewarded for 28 years service

T

he director of Cheddar Gorge and Showcaves, Hugh Cornwell, has been given the Cheddar Service to the Community Award for his work in village.

Hugh, who will be retiring from his role later this year, was presented with his award by the former chairman of Cheddar Parish Council Christina Brown at the Annual Parish Council meeting at Hannah More Cottage.

She thanked Hugh for his 28 years of service and in particular the help that he has given the village throughout those years.

She said: “He has done a lot for the village and we are all thankful for his input.”

Hugh thanked the parish council and said: “It is humbling to receive Cheddar’s equivalent of the Oscar. Although I maybe retiring I still hope to be around the village and look forward to Cheddar continuing to thrive.”

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

www.valley-life.co.uk

17

Events • Clubs • Groups • Music • Fitness

What’s On

Lost for something to do in the Cheddar Valley, here's a look at what's on offer for all ages Friday, July 15 St Andrew’s Mother and Toddlers, Cheddar Village Hall 10-11.30am.

Age UK, EXTEND Movement to Music, Cheddar Village Hall, 2-3pm, £3.50, 0845 643 4702 for details.

Craft and Sewing Group, Cheddar Library, 2.30-4pm, all welcome.

Church Family Celebration, Kings of Wessex main hall ,10.30am-12noon.

Kings of Wessex school hall, 8-10.15pm. Contact 01934 741523 or 01934 741593.

Cheddar car boot sale, Winchester Farm, Cheddar, entry £1 per car.

Moor Voices 7-8.30pm, call 01934 741551 for details.

Quiz night at the Kings Head, 8pm free entry.

The Blend a meeting place for young people 12+, The Café, Church Street, 7.30-10.30pm.

Monday, July 18 Cheddar Valley Adult Voices, Kings of Wessex, 7-8pm.

Contact Kate 07595745884 or email: voices@ cheddarvalleymusic.co.uk

Music with Mummy and Jolly Babies, Axbridge Town Hall 10am-12pm.

Yoga flex and stretch for the over-50s, Axbridge Town Hall 11am-12pm.

Tots and Tinies, Wedmore First School, 9.15-10.15am. Contact Sarah 01934 713578.

Dog training, Blackford Village Hall, 10-11am. Contact Sarah Cooke 01934 733716.

Karate, Blackford Village Hall 5.30-6.30pm.

Modern Dance, Hugh Sexey’s Blackford Crew, Blackford Village Hall, 4-5pm. Copntact Kaye Morgan Ansett 07799 814204.

Wedmore Arts Group, Masonic Hall 2-3.30pm.

Music with mommy and jolly babies, Axbridge Town Hall 10am-12pm.

Saturday, July 16 Circuit Musical, Saints Alive, Cheddar Methodist Church, 7.30pm all welcome.

Wedmore WI coffee morning, Masonic Hall, 10.30am-12pm.

Club 50 meeting, Masonic Hall, 2-3pm

Tuesday, July 19 Cheddar Country Market Cheddar Village Hill, 10.3011.30am.

Cheddar Valley Voices, Fairlands School, 4.15-5pm and 5.15-5.45pm. Contact Kate 07595745884 or email: voices@cheddarvalleymusic. co.uk

Sweets car boot sale, Blakeway 2-4pm.

Danzatak Cheddar Valley Young Dancers, modern dance and jazz for 11-18s at school gym, Kings of Wessex, 7-8.30pm. Call 01934 713376 for details or just turn up.

Sunday, July 17 Cheddar Valley Community

Cheddar Old Time and Modern sequence dance club,

Tai Chi, friendly relaxed class £ per session at Axbridge Town Hall from 7-8.30pm. Contact Bob 07791 291886.

Tuesday Club 10.30am1.30pm, Wedmore Masonic Hall. Contact Sue Freeman 01934 741861.

Ballet Classes, Blackford Village Hall, 3.00-4.30pm.

Contact Bristol Ballet Centre 0117 960 5844.

Acting Up Drama Club, Wedmore Village Hall, 3.34-4.45pm. Contact Lou Merryfield 07933 429947.

Cardiodance, Wedmore First School, 7.30-9pm. Contact Kaye 01934 743326.

Circuit training, Blackford Village Hall, 7.30-9pm. Contact Nigel 07775 682231.

Wednesday, July 20 Riverside Quiz Night, 8.30pm, entry free.

Cheddar short mat bowls club, Draycott Memorial Hall at 2pm.

Active Living for the over 55s to meet up with friends and make new ones. Axbridge Town Hall 2-4pm.

Pilates with Jane, Axbridge Town Hall, 4.30-5.30pm.

Contact Jane Roberts 01934 743624.

Pilates with Jane, Axbridge

Town Hall, 7-8.30pm. Contact Jane Roberts 01934 743624.

Camelot Quilters, Wedmore Village Hall 10-11am.

Probus, Wedmore Golf Club, 10-11am Rock n Roll Bingo, Kings Head 8pm.

Thursday, July 21 Toddler Group Cheddar Valley Community Church Centre, Gadd’s Lane off Tweentown, 9.30-11am.

Moor Harmony 7-8.30pm. Call 01934 741551 for details.

Draycott Art Club, Draycott Memorial Hall, 10am 1pm, 2-4pm, Non members drop-in welcome, contact Robin Gray, 07968 287961.

Draycott Whist Drive, Draycott Memorial Hall, 7.30pm call 01934 782711.

Baby Ballet musical theatre, Axbridge Town Hall, 3.306.30pm.

Wedmore & Blackford Toddler Group, Blackford Village Hall, 9.30-11.30am. Contact Gareth 01934 710471.

Yoga at Wedmore, Masonic Hall 9.30-11am. Contact Shane 01275 790175.

Life Drawing classes with Lily Sawtell at The Swan 10-11am.

Over 50s Dance Group, Wedmore Village Hall 10.3011.30am. Contact Pat 01934 713430.

Yoga at Wedmore, Masonic Hall 11.30am-1pm. Contact

If you have an event you would like to see on our monthly diary send the details to rob@valley-life.co.uk 18

www.valley-life.co.uk

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

Shane 01275 790175.

Ballet Classes, Blackford Village Hall, 4-5pm. Contact Bristol Ballet Centre 0117 960 5844.

Kings of Wessex main hall ,10.30am-12noon.

Cheddar car boot sale, Winchester Farm, Cheddar, entry £1 per car.

Mendip Rotary, Isle of Wedmore Golf Club 7.158.45pm.

Quiz night at the Kings Head, 8pm free entry.

Friday, July22 St Andrew’s Mother and Toddlers, Cheddar Village Hall 10-11.30am.

Monday, July 25 Cheddar Valley Adult Voices, Kings of Wessex, 7-8pm.

Contact Kate 07595745884 or email: voices@ cheddarvalleymusic.co.uk

Age UK, EXTEND Movement to Music, Cheddar Village Hall, 2-3pm, £3.50, 0845 643 4702 for details.

Yoga flex and stretch for the over-50s, Axbridge Town Hall 11am-12pm.

Bob 07791 291886.

01275 790175.

Tuesday Club 10.30am1.30pm, Wedmore Masonic Hall. Contact Sue Freeman 01934 741861.

Life Drawing classes with Lily Sawtell at The Swan 10-11am.

Ballet Classes, Blackford Village Hall, 3.00-4.30pm.

Contact Bristol Ballet Centre 0117 960 5844.

Acting Up Drama Club, Wedmore Village Hall, 3.34-4.45pm. Contact Lou Merryfield 07933 429947.

Cardiodance, Wedmore First School, 7.30-9pm. Contact Kaye 01934 743326.

Circuit training, Blackford Village Hall, 7.30-9pm. Contact Nigel 07775 682231.

Craft and Sewing Group, Cheddar Library, 2.30-4pm, all welcome.

Dog training, Blackford Village Hall, 10-11am. Contact Sarah Cooke 01934 733716.

The Blend a meeting place for young people 12+, The Café, Church Street, 7.30-10.30pm.

Modern Dance, Hugh Sexey’s Blackford Crew, Blackford Village Hall, 4-5pm. Copntact Kaye Morgan Ansett 07799 814204.

Wednesday, July 27 Knit and natter, Cheddar Library 2.30pm.

Tuesday, July 26 Cheddar Country Market Cheddar Village Hill, 10.3011.30am.

Active Living for the over 55s to meet up with friends and make new ones. Axbridge Town Hall 2-4pm.

Cheddar Valley Voices, Fairlands School, 4.15-5pm and 5.15-5.45pm. Contact Kate 07595745884 or email: voices@cheddarvalleymusic. co.uk

Pilates with Jane, Axbridge Town Hall, 4.30-5.30pm.

Contact Jane Roberts 01934 743624.

Music with Mummy and Jolly Babies, Axbridge Town Hall 10am-12pm.

Tots and Tinies, Wedmore First School, 9.15-10.15am. Contact Sarah 01934 713578.

Karate, Blackford Village Hall 5.30-6.30pm.

Wedmore Arts Group, Masonic Hall 2-3.30pm.

Mr Punch’s Folk Club open mic, New Inn, Wedmore 8-9pm.

Saturday, July23 Circuit Musical, Saints Alive, Cheddar Methodist Church, 7.30pm all welcome.

Wedmore in Bloom work party, meet at St Mary’s Church gate. 9.30-11.30am.

Sweets car boot sale, Blakeway 2-4pm.

Sunday, July 24 Cheddar Valley Community Church Family Celebration,

Danzatak Cheddar Valley Young Dancers, modern dance and jazz for 11-18s at school gym, Kings of Wessex, 7-8.30pm. Call 01934 713376 for details or just turn up.

Cheddar Old Time and modern sequence dance club, Kings of Wessex school hall, 8-10.15pm. Contact 01934 741523 or 01934 741593.

Moor Voices 7-8.30pm, call 01934 741551 for details.

Tai Chi, friendly relaxed class £ per session at Axbridge Town Hall from 7-8.30pm. Contact

Cheddar short mat bowls club, Draycott Memorial Hall at 2pm.

Pilates with Jane, Axbridge Town Hall, 7-8.30pm. Contact Jane Roberts 01934 743624.

Probus, Wedmore Golf Club, 10-15am - 12.15pm Rock n Roll Bingo, Kings Head 8pm.

Riverside Quiz Night, 8pm

Thursday, July 28 Wedmore & Blackford Toddler Group, Blackford Village Hall, 9.30-11.30am. Contact Gareth 01934 710471.

Yoga at Wedmore, Masonic Hall 9.30-11am. Contact Shane

Over 50s Dance Group, Wedmore Village Hall 10.3011.30am. Contact Pat 01934 713430.

Yoga at Wedmore, Masonic Hall 11.30am-1pm. Contact Shane 01275 790175.

Ballet Classes, Blackford Village Hall, 4-5pm. Contact Bristol Ballet Centre 0117 960 5844.

Friday, July 29 Peg doll people, pop-up cards, paper birds and beautiful boxes - you can make these at a family craft at 2.30 pm at Cheddar Library. The Sewing and Craft Group, who meet at the library, invite children, accompanied by a parent, grandparent or carer, to their Summer Holiday Family Session. Please telephone Cheddar Library on 0300 123 2224 to book a place, or e-mail chelib@somerset.gov. uk. There will be a 50p charge for materials.

Saturday, July 30 Circuit Musical, Saints Alive, Cheddar Methodist Church, 7.30pm all welcome.

Wedmore in Bloom work party, meet at St Mary’s Church gate. 9.30-11.30am.

Sweets car boot sale, Blakeway 2-4pm.

Sunday, July 31 Cheddar Valley Community Church Family Celebration, Kings of Wessex main hall ,10.30am-12noon.

Cheddar car boot sale, Winchester Farm, Cheddar, entry £1 per car.

Kings Head Quiz Night, 8pm.

If you have an event you would like to see on our monthly diary send the details to rob@valley-life.co.uk VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 / JULY 2016

www.valley-life.co.uk

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– Simple, honest and relaxed

ONLINE G BOOKIN

Just a 15 minute walk from Cheddar Gorge

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