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MINEHEAD&EXMOOR CHRONICLE
a free newspaper for the communities of minehead and exmoor
STORM EMMA HITS EXMOOR Pictures on page’s 16-17
issue 4 march - april 2018
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NEWS
THE MINEHEAD & EXMOOR CHRONICLE
Welcome
to the forth issue of the Minehead & Exmoor chronicle a free newspaper for the local community.
Or should I say welcome back to the Chronicle after a lengthy break. We now publish in a digital only format which can be viewed on smart phones, tablets and desktop computers.
MINEHEAD&EXMOOR CHRONICLE
Cover Picture By Adelle Pitman The Minehead & Emoor Chronicle is a free local newspaper published by and a wholly owned subsidiary of Phototouch UK VAT Reg No. 132 6393 23
The views expressed by contributors to the Minehead & Exmoor Chronicle are not necessarily the views of the editor but we do try to allow free speech. To enquire about placing an advert, submitting an article of local interest or just to say Hi! email us at mineheadandexmoorchronicle@gmail.com
chronicle
noun. a factual written account of important or historical events in the order of their occurrence. synonyms: record, written account, history, annals, archive(s), register; log, diary, journal, calendar, chronology; narrative, description, story verb. record (a series of events) in a factual and detailed way. synonyms: record, put on record, write down, set down, document, register, report, enter; narrate, relate, recount, describe, tell about, retail “the events that followed have been chronicled by many of those who took part”
Our decision to stop printing the paper was taken mainly due to cost. The benefits of publishing digitally are that the Chronicle can be accessed by folk from anywhere in the world so it spreads the word about our beautiful area further and not forgetting its kinder to the environment. There’s been much talk of the Minehead re-branding lately with arguments from both sides about the validity of each design and if anything positive has come out of the dispute its that our community has taken a greater interest in local politics and in what decisions are being made on our behalf by the local authority - which in our view is no bad thing and will we’re sure lead to better communication between local government and the general public. Of course the main event over the last week or so has been the snow that storm Emma brought to our shores with a weather system from the bay of Biscay. There are some pictures of Minehead on pages 16 & 17. If any of you have any images of Exmoor that you’d be happy to have published in the Chronicle please send them to mineheadandexmoorchronicle@gmail. com or via Facebook messenger. To finish we’d like to thank all our contributors for taking the time to write articles and provide images, and to our readers we sincerely hope you enjoy this edition and please share it far and wide The editorial team...
Star letter Once again our most dedicated correspondent takes up his pen to tackle a topical issue.... Our regular correspondent offers his views on the current debate as to have to improve Minehead’s promotion as a tourist destination. Sir, Once again the community has become embroiled in bitter debate as to how best to promote this town and the surrounding area to the more discerning end of the tourism market – a task which, I feel, represents a considerable challenge to all concerned given the depths to which Minehead’s reputation has been allowed to descend. I wholeheartedly commend any effort to attract the class of holidaymaker to whom the suggestion of an aperitif will bring the response of a request for a small, dry sherry rather than six pints of Old Kneetrembler and a bag of kipper, pickle and pizza flavour potato crisps. But the matter must be entrusted to a small, dedicated team with the appropriate levels of expertise. To this end I must voice my regret that my own advertising agency, Artaxerxes Trusspot Plinth, was not invited to tender for the contract. We have wideranging experience in the field of tourism promotion and have worked for a number of significantly large clients. Not all, it has to be admitted, have settled their accounts in full: a result of their failing to appreciate the level of nuance and subtlety which is now required to capture the attention and fire the imagination of the consumer.
Among our recent campaigns which I felt represented something of a pinnacle in the art of tourism marketing was one where we were commissioned to increase the visitor footfall in the far South West and produced the slogan: “This is Cornwall – you’re welcome to it!” I have to report it met with little enthusiasm. Scarcely more - in fact a lot less – was forthcoming for our initial treatment suggested for a similar initiative for Liverpool, the ironic humour contained in the message: “Liverpool – it’ll steal your heart. And your credit cards. And your wheels” failing to hit the intended mark. As to the Minehead initiative our services remain, as I say, at the local authority’s disposal, though I am happy to offer freely one suggestion for the ‘sea front rebranding’ exercised that is being proposed in parallel: rather than erecting a series of stone-filled wire crates on the pavement opposite the railway association may I suggest the commissioning of a series of giant, internally-lit multi-coloured £ signs in weatherproof acrylic and that they be set to flash on and off every two seconds, signifying the vast amounts of money that have been and continue to be squandered on an exercise that is tantamount to putting lipstick on a pig.
J Hogarth Trusspot
Stuart Lowen
Quality Butchers, Farm Shop & Home Brew Centre OUR BUTCHERS HAVE 130 YEARS COMBINED EXPERIENCE ALL OUR MEAT & POULTRY IS SOURCED FROM THE WEST COUNTRY EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BREW YOUR OWN BEER & WINE AT HOME WE CAN CATER FOR ANY OCCASION WITH OUR HOG ROAST & BUFFET SERVICE
Stuart Lowen Quality Butcher, Farm Shop & Home Brew Centre: 4b Hawksworth Road, Minehead Somerset TA24 5BZ Opening Hours: 8am - 5.30pm Mon - Fri / 8.30am - 5pm Sat E-mail: info@stuartlowen.co.uk | www.stuartlowen.co.uk | Tel: 01643 706034
THE M IN EH EAD & E X M O O R CH R O N I CL E
NEWS
Gents, Fed up with queuing for a haircut? Why not give us a call to book a time with us. No extra charge to make an appointment and we don’t get booked up weeks in advance. So why not give us a try!
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Call us now for a brochure or to arrange a visit Westerley, King Edward Road, Minehead, Somerset,TA24 5JB Call 01643 702066 or e-mail at mineheadm@lwpt.org.uk or visit www.lwphomes.org.uk
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A DV E RT S
THE MINEHEAD AND EXMOOR CHRONICLE
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THE MIN EH EAD & E X M O O R CH R O N I CL E
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N E W S & FE AT URE S
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Shore anglers have been targeting spurdog from deep-water rock marks when conditions permit with some success. Cameron Atkinson took advantage of a break in the weather and was rewarded with this potential British shore record spurdog of 18lb.
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4
BIG POLLACK ON SOUTH COAST
SOME GREAT POLLACK ACTION TO BE HAD IN BRIXHAM
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FISHING GUIDES DIARY
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SOMERSET FISHING GUIDE
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H E A LT H & W E LLB E I N G
THE MINEHEAD & EXMOOR CHRONICLE
What is Naturopathy? or the Naturopathic Way? By Pippa Canney Maybe it’s easier to explain by starting what Naturopathy is not. The first thing you learn on any Naturopathy course is ‘Do no harm’, and as a system that can delve deeply into the workings of the body – especially with the help of today’s sophisticated testing methods – ‘Do no Harm’ is a reassuring place to start! Naturopathy – or Nature Cure – has a long history stretching back into pre-history. Its fundamental principle is vis medicatrix naturae – the healing power of nature. I can do no better than Hippocrates – the Father of Medicine – when he said 25 centuries ago
“Health is the expression of a harmonious balance between vaious components of Man’s nature, the environment and way of life….. Nature is the physician of disease.” Translated: things that are natural help you to heal: there should be a balance between the mind, emotions, body and spirit. So why doesn’t every hospital have Naturopaths? When it comes to acute medical care – hospitals or the doctors’ surgery is definitely, in general, the place you want to be. Naturopathy is very good at dealing with problems/imbalances before they come clinical; so, we could say its remit is more sub-clinical. Signs and symptoms can give us clues on areas that need to be addressed. Life can be very complex nowadays and there can be a lot of confusion as to the best way to live life. Naturopaths can help with this. With Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy, for example, (something I qualified in last year and which I’m thrilled with as I’m already getting results) a consultation will typically take about one and a half to
two hours. Prior to this, a 7 day diet diary and a Pre Consultation Questionnaire is sent to be filled in and returned with any other relevant information such as test results and prescription drug history that will enable prep for particular health goals. During a consultation, as much information is gathered relevant to the situation to help to determine what is going on. The need for tests - usually at an additional cost if high tech - can be discussed/carried out. These can include allergy testing, genetic testing (used for various conditions and can help to make weight loss programs more effective) vitamin and mineral status, for example. Some tests can be performed and the results found on the spot. Some will need to be sent away for analysis, others will need to be ordered so that they can be carried out at home. A plan that includes
diet and lifestyle is negotiated to take home. Supplements may or may not be included according to preference. A follow up appointment of 45 minutes to an hour is usually scheduled for 4 - 6 weeks later to review progress. It is like detective work. Advice is based on sound scientific research. So much of what is written in the papers for example is not reported in a balanced way. The sensationalised headline is more important to editors than trying to educate the reader thereby enabling them to make an informed choice. This illustrates the role of Naturopath as Teacher which is another important Naturopathic principle (there are 12 of them in all!) so that the person can become empowered to take responsibility for his/her health. It’s good to know exactly why certain things are recommended
as for a lot of people, knowledge can enable focus. It is also nice to know which supplements are really needed, firstly to avoid unnecessary expense and secondly, some supplements can interact and interfere with medication. Many problems can be helped by Naturopathy, a few examples could be, skin conditions, digestive issues, cancer support, low immunity (frequent infections) and poor energy/mood. Pippa Canney is a Complementary Therapist and Naturopathic Nutritional Therapist offering a variety of treatments including reflexology, massage, Bowen therapy and healing. Available for treatments in Minehead and every Monday in Dulverton at Isis Wellbeing and Skincare on Bridge Street.
THE M IN EH EAD & E X M O O R CH R O N I CL E
H E A LT H & W E LLB E I N G
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CONNECTION TO SOMETHING GREATER THAN THE SELF
POSITIVE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS SPIRIT
MIND
EMOTIONS
BODY
PLEASANT ENVIRONMENT
CLEAN ENVIRONMENT
Mind = your mental activity Emotions = feelings are self-evident and rightly or wrongly can often be ignored and repressed. Body = this relates to not only the physical things that you need like food, water and exercise, but how you provide for yourself and earn a living. The material things that you need to survive. Spirit = it is important to feel as if you belong to something greater than yourself whether it’s your family, community, church or nature. Your environment can impact on every aspect of your life, whether it’s the company you keep, something you are allergic to that makes you feel ill or a beautiful sunrise that inspires you for the day. It is important to make the right choices in order to feel good about life. Broadly speaking, naturopathy can incorporate any health discipline that does no harm and treats the body as a whole. Nutrition, physiotherapy, reflexology, herbalism, homeopathy and many more, could all be classed as Naturopathic depending on whether there is this wholistic approach or not.
Pippa Canney
DipCNM MANP ITEC MCThA
Naturopathic Nutritional Therapy Body work and Healing 9 Orchard Road, Minehead TA24 5JY 07779 748325 pippacanney@gmail.com www.pippacanney.co.uk
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T H E RE GA L
THE MINEHEAD & EXMOOR CHRONICLE
WHAT’S ON? AT THE REGAL THEATRE
In the autumn a working party of Regal volunteers helped deliver and install one of the largest film screens in the area, measuring 9m x 4.5m (30ft x 15ft). It was a mighty effort as all our exterior doors are too small to enable entry. A hole was knocked in a side wall at first floor level and the screen was hoisted up by fork lift. It was then carried to the auditorium and installed and the wall reclosed. The Regal Film Society can now offer live streaming of opera and ballet from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and these have been very popular additions to our programme. Our main summer show this year, in which all our member companies participate, is to be Guys and Dolls with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. The show is on stage Wednesday 8 until Saturday 11 August, and Monday 13 until Saturday 18 August.
LISTINGS The Regal Film Society presents PADDINGTON 2 (Cert PG) Dir Paul King UK/France/USA 2017 103 mins Hugh Grant stars in this family comedy sequelbased on the popular children’s books, written by Michael Bond. The film also stars Hugh Bonneville, Jim Broadbent, Julie Walters, Michael Gambon, Sally Hawkins and the voices of Ben Wishaw and Imelda Staunton. Monday 12 March at 7.00pm OPEN TO THE PUBLIC TICKETS: £5 (Under 14s and Regal Film Society members £3) The Regal Film Society presents Encore Screening from the Royal Opera House CARMEN Music: GEORGES BIZET Director: BARRIE KOSKY Conductor: JAKUB HRUŠA Carmen: ANNA GORYACHOVA Don José: FRANCESCO MELI
Micaëla: ANETT FRITSCH Escamillo: KOSTAS SMORIGINAS French composer Georges Bizet’s opera, Tuesday 13 March at 7.15pm TICKETS: Adults £15.00 (Regal Film Society members and Friends of the Regal £12.50), Students £10.00 Somerset Opera RUDDIGORE A comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Ruddigore is a parody of melodrama at the time of Gilbert and Sullivan; with a villain who carries off the maiden; a good-mannered poor-butvirtuous-heroine; a hero in disguise and his faithful old retainer who dreams of their former glory days; a snake in the grass who claims to be following his heart; a wild, mad girl; a swaggerer and ghosts who come to life to enforce a curse. Gilbert turns the melodrama upside down - good becomes bad, bad becomes good, and heroes take the easy way out. Wednesday 14 March at 7.30pm TICKETS: Adults £8.00, Friends of the Regal £7.50, ES40’s/Children/Students £4.00 The Regal Film Society presents Live from the Royal Opera House THE AGE OF ANXIETY Music: LEONARD BERNSTEIN Choreography: WAYNE MCGREGOR, LIAM SCARLETT, CHRISTOPHER WHEELDON Leonard Bernstein was one of the first classical composers in America to achieve popular acclaim. His music drew on jazz, modernism, the traditions of Jewish music and the Broadway musical, and his scores are remarkably well suited to dance. APPROXIMATE RUNNING TIME: 3 HOURS, INCLUDING TWO INTERVALS Tuesday 27 March at 7.15pm TICKETS: Adults, £15.00 (Regal Film Society members and Friends of the Regal £12.50), Students £10. Fusion Young Performers CATS Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber based on “Old Possum’s Book of Practical
Cats” by T. S. Eliot. An amateur production by arrangement with The Really Useful Group. Following the sell-outs of Oliver and The Magic of The Musicals, the award winning local group “Fusion Young Performers” have now taken on the challenge of Cats. Packed full of memorable song and dance. Mackintosh Ltd. and The Really Useful Group Ltd. Photography by Paul Davies. Monday 2 – Saturday 7 April at 7.30pm OPENING NIGHT OFFER – All adult tickets £8.00 TICKETS: Adults £12.00, Friends of the Regal £11.00, Students £6.00, Family ticket (2 +2) £32.00. Regal Film Society THE MIDWIFE Dir Martin Provost France 2017 117 mins Midwife Claire (Catherine Frot) approaches life sensibly and calmly and with more than a hint of self-denial until she reconnects with her father’s glamorous and hedonistic former mistress, played with great gusto by Catherine Deneuve. Subtitled. Tuesday 10 April at 7.30pm Open To Members and their Guests TICKETS: Members £3.00, Guests £5.00 The Pantaloons THE WAR OF THE WORLDS The critically-acclaimed Pantaloons invade the stage in their most ambitious literary adaptation yet as they use musical instruments, puppetry and, um, enthusiasm to recreate deadly heatrays, giant fightingmachines, squidgy tentacled Martians and interplanetary warfare on an epic scale. “No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s...” And fewer would have believed in the first years of the twenty-first century that H. G. Wells’ science fiction classic would be performed live by just four actors with intelligences lesser than average. The chances of success? A million to one... “Part alternative rock band,
part thespian... wholly charming.” THE TIMES Wednesday 11 April at 7.30pm TICKETS: Adults £12.00, Friends of the Regal £11.50, Students/ES40’s £6.00 Waterfront Theatre Company present DR. WATSON & THE ENIGMA OF MARY KELLY By Fred Owen The year is 1901 and Whitechapel is gradually recovering from Jack the Ripper’s 1888 Reign of Terror. The new Whitechapel Art Gallery has opened on the High Street and the great and the good are in attendance to toast its success, including Dr John Watson who runs a clinic nearby. Watson bumps into his old friend retired Inspector George Lestrade, who is attending the launch with William Wiggins, a reporter. Wiggins claims to have sensational information obtained from the stolen memoirs of Melville Macnaghten – the identity of Jack the Ripper. Watson, Lestrade and Wiggins set out to prove him right or wrong before publishing the scoop of the new century. However, the search for one answer throws up a variety of new questions, some of which threaten to unleash a wave of despicable new horrors on the ever-brooding East End. Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 April at 7.30pm TICKETS: Adults £8.00, Friends of the Regal £7.50, Students/ES40’s £4.50 The Regal Film Society presents A PUBLIC FILM SCREENING Title to be announced. For up-to-date information about all film screenings at the Regal visit the website www.regalfilmsociety.org or sign up for the Film News mailing list by contacting Victoria Thomas on 01643 831343 or email admin@ filmsociety.org Tuesday 24 April at 7.30pm TICKETS: £5.00, Film Society Members £3.00 For further listings: www.regaltheatre.co.uk/whatson/
T H E FI S H I N G FO RE C A ST
THE M IN EH EAD & E X M O O R CH R O N I CL E
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and now the
FISHING FORECAST issued by James Wigglesworth at 04:00 on the 9th March 2018
James Thomas with a big blonde ray
George with a big shore caught conger
Craig Butler with a nice cod
Charlie Tudball with a bull huss
It’s been a funny old winter season here in the Bristol Channel. The lure of a nice plump codling has seen anglers from all over the country visit the local beaches to Minehead and reports have been encouraging with plenty of 3-4lb fish falling to crab and worm baits. On the right tides anglers have reported catching numerous “in size” fish. It seems to have been an improvement on the past few seasons with larger numbers of fish present. Now that the seasons are changing we can look forward to a good run of spring codling putting in an appearance as they start munching their way through the abundance of crabs and shellfish that inhabit our coastline. The number of larger specimens seems to be down on previous years especially boat caught fish but that could have something to do with the fact that the charter fleets have struggled to get out as much as previous seasons due to prolonged spells of bad weather. Several double figure conger eels have graced the beaches with fish as big as 25lb being taken on large fish and squid baits. The ray fishing generally slows down a
bit in the colder months but they are still there to be had if you put the time in on the right marks. Large numbers of whiting have kept fisherman busy by getting to their beautifully presented worm baits before the intended codling get a chance. Many people will class these as a pest but with the chance of a 2lb fish showing itself it’s not something to be sniffed at.. As mentioned before the boat fishing has been hindered by the weather but when trips have gone ahead they have been successful. The colder months see large numbers of spurdogs enter the channel and this year didn’t disappoint along with good numbers of bullhuss, rays and eels. So..... What have we got to look forward to I hear you ask. Well with spring starting to make an appearance, hopefully quite a lot. The ray fishing will improve from the shore as the water temperature rises which in turn should bring the first of the smoothounds up the channel. The smoothound for those of you who don’t know are a very hard fighting member of the shark family but
Junior anglers with a shore caught codling
fear not.... they’re not here for your blood as they lack teeth. These can be targeted from both the shore and the boat and will find it hard to turn their nose up at a nicely presented crab or squid bait. For many anglers this is their favourite time of year as nothing beats the sound of your ratchet screaming out as a healthy hound rips off with your bait. I’m going to touch on the subject of fishing for beginners as we love to welcome new people into our fantastic sport. Anybody can pick up a relatively decent setup now that’s not going to break the bank but do you really know what it is exactly that you need? You then have the dilemma of where to go and what to target. Well luckily enough we have some fantastic guides here in the Bristol Channel. These guys really know their stuff and will cover every aspect of fishing from the shore in the Bristol channel from safety (which in my opinion is the most important thing) right through to targeting specific species, marks, rigs, tackle choices and whole multitude of other topics that is
guaranteed to make you a better angler. So if it’s something you’ve been interested in giving ago then get in contact with one of the following. Craig Butler 07528208758 Charlie Tudball 07825048093 If a day afloat targeting the many different species that inhabit the channel is something that you might be interested in then the charter fleets of Minehead and Watchet can accommodate your every need. All boats are fully insured and licensed and the skippers will provide tackle hire, bait and tuition for those who have little or no experience at boat fishing. Contact Craig Butler at Westcoast Tackle on 01643 705745 for prices and sailing times. I’ll leave it there for this issue but if you want to follow what’s happening in our local area then log onto the Minehead Sea Angling Facebook page for up to date reports. If you are heading out in the coming weeks then good luck and be safe
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FE AT URE
THE MINEHEAD & EXMOOR CHRONICLE
Periwinkle Cottage on Selworthy Green by Paul Gibbs Periwinkle Cottage is a picture postcard cottage situated on Selworthy Green. Set on a hillside on the edge of the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate, the views from Selworthy offer a breathtaking panorama of the adjacent villages, fields and Exmoor towards Dunkery Beacon. But you know that. Did you know that Periwinkle Cottage sits at the heart of the green and has its origins in the 17th Century, one a of a small group of cottages built or extended in 1828 when Selworthy Green was formed from several small farms as Almshouses for the loyal, retired staff of the Acland family. Having been Tea Rooms & Garden since the 70s it now has a new lease of life with its current owners. Now thawing out after the heavy snow, David Pollard and Paul Gibbs are embarking on their second season as the new tenants. Following a thorough refurbishment prior to the Tea Rooms being re-opened on 1st April 2017, Periwinkle Cottage has been open seven days a week throughout the year and only closed for January. During which the Tea Rooms have been once again redecorated and made
ready for the 2018 season. All the elements of a quintessential Tea Room still exist, but with a fresh and contemporary feel. David says “Creating the right atmosphere is so important. It is a huge compliment when people feel comfortable enough to sit and chat over lunch, a coffee or a Cream Tea, long after they have finished eating”. The owners live in the pretty cottage and bake every day to provide the wide range of cakes available, in addition to the light lunches and Cream Teas. Having hit the ground running and quickly re-establishing this special place as one of the ‘go to’ places during a visit to Exmoor, the baking continues apace. Over 7,600 Cream Teas served last season for a start! David and Paul both have a background in the hospitality industry as well as teaching. David taught Food & Beverage Services at the former Skills & Enterprise Centre at West Somerset College and Paul taught GCSE Hospitality & Catering, among other things. Redundancy brought an end to their teaching and with several businesses under their belts the pair decided to submit an application to the National Trust to
take on the tenancy of not just Periwinkle Cottage, but also Clematis Cottage, the former National Trust Information Centre & Shop. Paul’s Great Great Grandparents lived in Selworthy and worked for the Acland family for many years, his Great Grandmother and her brothers and sisters all remained either on the Holnicote Estate, or the wider area of Exmoor. “It feels like coming home. I have known Selworthy all my life and would listen to my Great Grandmother’s tales of life her.” David and Paul’s application for the tenancies was successful and they were handed the keys on 13th March 2017. Only then did the hard work begin. David recalls “Everything you see in the Tea Rooms came in by hand down the narrow path, including our own furniture. It was incredibly hard work, but it certainly put us under pressure to be open by April 1st.” Clematis Cottage is now a Gift Shop & Gallery, showcasing the amazing talented artists and crafts people of Exmoor and the surrounding villages. Once again a major facelift and some innovative display
furniture have created a surprising and welcoming venue to display the best Exmoor has to offer. After a successful 2017 with Periwinkle Cottage Tea Rooms being finalists in the Somerset Food & Drink Awards, Tea Shop of the Year category and several nominations in the Countryside Alliance Rural Oscars, the future looks full of baking. Whilst word of mouth is the best form of advertising, David and Paul make great use of social media and have built up a strong following, both locally, nationally and globally. Both David and Paul love talking to customers about their businesses as well as the history of the buildings and of Selworthy Green. There is more information on their website www.periwinkletearooms. co.uk and they can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Open seven days a week from the beginning of February to the end of December 10am – 5pm (11am – 4pm October to March, linked to the change of the clocks). Only one thing left to ask is who could leave Selworthy Green without a traditional Cream Tea? The only question is Cream on Jam, or Jam on Cream?
THE M IN EH EAD & E X M O O R CH R O N I CL E
NEWS
Minehead & District U3A: From Patchwork to Politics! Minehead U3A has a vibrant membership: so, what is this ‘U3A’? ‘U3A’ stands for University of the Third Age. It’s a nationwide organisation of local U3A groups that provide opportunities for people to explore a variety of learning, creative and leisure activities in a relaxed, friendly way. By ‘Third Age’, we mean that time of life when you’ve finished working or raising a family, so most of our members are retired or no longer working full time. We are certainly not a university in the traditional sense. At U3A members pursue their interests simply because they want to do so: there are no qualifications or awards – and certainly no exams! Instead, we join in an activity just for the fun of taking part, or for the satisfaction of finding out more about a subject with the help of likeminded people. Knowledge is shared - we are all teachers and learners. There are over 1,000 U3A groups across the UK, with 400,000 members, all aware that it’s never too late to learn, laugh and live. Between them these U3As offer over 300 different subjects in fields as diverse as art, languages, bridge, music, history, life sciences, philosophy, computing, crafts, photography and walking. Started in 1998, Minehead & District U3A currently (March 2018) has 378 members, and nearly 40 individual interest groups. Members explore and enjoy subjects as diverse as creative writing and chess, science and scrabble, jazz, German and geology. Two particularly popular groups are local history and archaeology - clearly there’s considerable interest in finding out about our past. By contrast a Ukulele Group started in early 2017 - several of those who signed up for this had never before played a musical instrument, but
in a matter of weeks they were playing recognisable tunes and in the summer took part in the ‘Watchet Summertime Busking Day’, with some members performed at the Watchet Music Festival ‘Uke Jam’. The local group situation is wonderfully fluid, as members suggest ideas for new groups. Last year a new Economic Issues Group proved a resounding success, with the noises passer-bys hearing when this group meets not being those of overworked brains, but of hilarious laughter, as members clearly share a wicked sense of humour! Minehead U3A also undertakes Shared Learning Projects (SLP), whereby a small number of members research collaboratively with volunteers from the local Museum. The first SLP was on the history of the town’s iconic old hospital, whilst other SLPs have explored ‘Entertainment and leisure in Minehead’s past’ and Minehead’s Maritime Past. The current theme is ‘Minehead on the Move’, researching the various means of transport in and out of Minehead over the years - from stage coaches to space travel! The results are now in Minehead’s newly expanded Museum, on display throughout 2018. To find out more, visit h p://u3asites.org. uk/minehead/home or come along to one of our monthly coffee mornings (open to non-members as well as members). We hold these on the third Thursday of every month, except August and December, at the Baptist Church, The Parks, Minehead. There’s tea/coffee and chat from 10.15 to 10.45 am, after which we all settle down and listen for about an hour to one of our interesting invited speakers. You are assured of a warm welcome!
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West Somerset Radio
A truly local radio station returns to West Somerset in early June. The station will broadcast from The Old Hospital in Minehead on 104.4FM. West Somerset, having lost its only truly local station some years ago, currently receives programs from Southampton and Bristol; however, the new community station will offer a different option to residents and visitors. Two experienced radio professionals, Dave Englefield and Bryan Leaker, applied to OFCOM for the community licence and due to the strength of the bid the licence was awarded. So what will it mean for listeners to the station? Local news will ensure that residents are up to date with local news, local events, and local weather. Monday to Friday a daily magazine program will feature What’s On and great music which will reflect the ages of local people. Charity events, The Regal, Rugby, Football, all sports clubs, and local events will be promoted free of charge reaching out to all
listeners, both residents and visitors alike, to raise awareness of what’s happening in our local area. Local schools are also engaged allowing children the opportunity to present “On Air’ each week (excluding holidays). West Somerset College and all schools will feature, so if your child or grandchild has exceeded in a school play, poem or sporting event, this could be featured on the radio. In addition, school events such as open days, fetes etc. will be highlighted on air at no cost, all to ensure we promote what’s happening for our children. Folk Music from The Blazing Stump will feature, as will Jazz, Country, Blues, in fact all types of music. For people who have a passion and knowledge of a particular music genre, there could be an opportunity to receive training to present a show. So how does the station pay its way? All of the team will be volunteers, whether “On Air” or behind the scenes, so the station will be run with the support of the community, and by the community, with the sole objective of promoting our area. Advertising will be professional, but an advert will only cost approximately £1.00 and 50 adverts per week could be featured for circa £40.00 (plus production costs), meaning even small businesses could advertise to over 22,000 people each week. So when will we be on air? Test transmissions should start in May, and the station will be on air from early June, 24 hours per day. So tune in on 104.4fm and listen to West Somerset Radio. If you wish to talk about advertising or wish to be involved, email me at bryan.leaker@ westsomersetradio.co.uk.
Porlock bay oysters are going from strength to strength Little seed oysters the size of your little finger nail take three years to grow to restaurant size. We have been waiting, and waiting and waiting….. and finally we have enough oysters of all sizes to be able to supply our customers with top quality good sized oysters and commit to a consistent supplies. Well subject to the usual farming vagaries due to small flurries of snow! Wasn’t storm Emma memorable!! When I say we have lots of oysters we actually have 800,000 in the pipeline. This pipeline includes our nursery site on the River Avon in South Devon near to Bantham. There, the waters are more sheltered and full of nutrients so there is a longer and faster growing period each year. When they are about restaurant size we bring them up to Porlock Bay where we keep them for
a minimum of two months before we sell them. As each oyster filters 4 – 5 litres of water per day (astonishing), they soon acquire the unique and much appreciated flavour of Porlock Bay waters. So we started selling in earnest last November and sales are building up nicely. Apart from wholesalers covering SW England up into the Midlands and West Wales, we are selling them in an increasing number of local restaurants. For people wanting to eat them at home they can buy them in the Spar in Porlock, Budgens at Wheddon Cross and the Exmoor Food and Crafts shop in the Parade in Minehead. ENJOY! Roger Hall http://www.porlockbayoysters.co.uk The oyster beds at Porlock Weir
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RE C I P E S
THE MINEHEAD & EXMOOR CHRONICLE
ALL RECIPES KINDLY SUPPLIED BY JOHN BARDLEY CHEF PATRON OF DUNKERY BEACON COUNTRY HOUSE AND COLERIDGE RESTAURANT Brixham Scallops with Bury Black Pudding, Smoked Butternut and Hibiscus Pickled Apple 4 servings
This is a real comfort dish during the darkening Autumn months & combines my love of seafood and memories of the great food I was brought up on in the North West. The delicate flavours of these scallops are only highlighted by the spice of the Bury Black Pudding and the softly pickled apple in Hibiscus vinegar brings a lovely bite both in texture and flavour to the dish. The smokiness of the butternut really brings home the Autumnal characteristics of garden bonfires and lighting the log fire in the hearth on the cooling evenings. The Hibiscus Vinegar was discovered on a trip to South Africa earlier this year during a stay in the wine region of Stellenbosch and has beautiful delicate flavours of Hibiscus flower. 1Doz Devon Scallops out of shell, cleaned & dried 1 Small Butternut, peeled, seeded and chopped (plus smoking chips) 250ml Vegetable stock 1 Green Eating Apple Hibiscus vinegar or Fruit infused vinegar 1 stick of gluten free Bury Black Pudding (available by post or in superstores) Olive oil for frying Pickle the apples a day ahead to give them time to infuse. Wash the apple,
Loin of Exmoor Venison with Whortleberry Sauce and Parsnip Cream 2 servings
Living on the slopes of our namesake summit of Dunkery Beacon, the Red Deer have a profuse and lush vegetation on which to graze and the lichen, gorse and heather all impart their flavours to their beautiful meat. 2 x 5oz portions loin of Holnicote Venison Loin (trimmed of sinew ) & seasoned Fresh Whortleberries when in season (July/August) or Whortleberry jam if not available fresh. Blackberries are also a good substitute 1 shallot finely chopped 500ml Chicken Stock 100ml Good quality red wine (I’m using a Berry Bros. & Rudd Good Ordinary Claret) To accompany half small savoy cabbage finely shredded 25gms Pancetta Lardons Knob butter 1 Parsnip Double cream 2 portions of Fondant Potato (medium size potato, peeled and shaped into a rectangle, cooked in butter) Method Prepare Fondant potatoes and place in oven, as they will take 30-40mins to cook through and colour. Peel and chop parsnip into even sizes and cook in half of the chicken stock until soft. Remove from the fluid and using a food processor, make into a smooth puree like consistency. A little stock and double cream can be added to adjust the texture if too thick. Check for seasoning. In a hot frying pan with a little oil, seal off all sides of the venison loin until nicely browned. Place in a small roasting tray
quarter and de core. Using a kitchen slicer (Mandolin) or sharp knife, slice the quarters in to 1mm wafers and place in the vinegar. As not everyone has a home smoker, the butternut can be made into a puree on its own, but otherwise place the chopped butternut in to your smoker (I use maple chips, which give a soft honey smokiness) for about 1 hr. Remove from the smoker and finish cooking in the vegetable stock until soft. Place in a blender and puree until smooth. Season to taste. This should have a thick saucy consistency. Slice the black pudding and lightly fry in the olive oil. Keep warm whilst cooking the scallops. Using fresh hot oil gently place the scallops in to your pan and fry quickly until golden, turn over and repeat. Scallops are very tender and can turn rubbery if overcooked. Swipe your butternut on to four plates and arrange the black pudding, scallops and pickled apple. Enjoy!
and place in a hot oven (200 deg c) for 12 minutes. Aiming to cook them medium rare. In the meantime, we need to make the sauce. Using the frying pan used to seal of the meat, place the pan back on the heat and sweat off the chopped shallots until soft, deglaze with the red wine and reduce the volume by half. Add a good desert spoon of Whortleberry jam and allow this to melt in to the wine reduction. A gravy thickener can be added at this point to give a better consistency or the liquid can be reduced a little more and used as a jus. Adjust for seasoning. If using fresh berries, a little sugar may be required to balance the acidity. Pour the sauce through a fine sieve to remove the berry pulp and pips. Once the venison has had its time (may vary from oven to oven) the meat should feel soft to touch, but not overly squidgy. Allow to rest for several minutes, possibly in your top oven as this will have some residual heat from below, but not enough to continue the cooking. Place the pancetta in a sauce pan with a little butter and cook through until crispy, add the shredded cabbage to the sauce pan with a little chicken stock. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the cabbage is tender but not turning grey. Arrange the fondant potato and cabbage on a dinner plate and swipe a spoonful of the parsnip puree around one edge. Cut the venison loin in to medallions and arrange with the vegetables. Add jus. h p://www.everythingexmoor.org.uk/ encyclopedia_detail.php?ENCid=1078
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Bramble & Brioche Pudding with Somerset Cider Brandy Sorbet and Apple Crisps 4 servings
RE C I P E S This recipe combines my love of blackberries and apples which are in such profusion at this time of year and bread and butter pudding, but with that added decadence of buttery brioche! The cider brandy sorbet made from Somerset Cider Brandy gives the apple flavours in the crisps that extra punch together with texture. Apple Crisps 2 eating apples red or green washed, cored and thinly sliced (doughnut style) 180ml water 2 tbsp granulated sugar Heat your oven to 100deg C. Combine water and sugar and heat to make syrup. Cool and dip each slice of apple, then place on to baking parchment. Place in the oven for a couple of hours and then turn the oven off, but leave the apple slices in to further dry out. When crisp, peel off the paper and place into an airtight container. These will keep for several days. For the sorbet An ice cream maker is preferable, so it may be more worthwhile to look at what is available in stores. 125ml cup water 125ml castor sugar 300ml Somerset cider 1 measure of Somerset Cider Brandy Juice of 1 lemon Place the water and sugar in to a sauce pan and warm until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to simmer for a further 5mins until the liquid is syrupy. Cool this mixture, before adding the lemon juice, cider and brandy.
page 13 Place in to your ice cream maker and churn until icy and smooth. Place in your freezer until you are ready to serve. Bramble and Brioche Pudding 4 Ramekins Buttered 1 cup of Blackberries 1Tbsp Granulated sugar 1 loaf Brioche sliced med thickness (approx 1cm) 1 Egg 200ml Milk 75ml Double cream 50gms Castor sugar Icing sugar for decoration To make; Place the granulated sugar and blackberries in a pan and warm until the sugar has dissolved and the blackberries soft but not mushy. Beat the eggs and castor sugar together and until light and fluffy, then add the milk and cream. Cut the brioche slices in half to make 1” wide strips, approx. 3” long. Dip these strips into the egg batter and layer in to the ramekins, making sure the tips of the bread are on the base of the dish, overlapping each other and allowing enough sticking out to fold back over to cover the centre. Divide the blackberry compote in to each lined ramekin, placing in the centre of each and then folding over the extending brioche strips to cover tis filling. Any excess egg batter can be carefully poured over the brioche, so it is all well soaked. Place in a pre - heated oven at 195 deg C for 15minutes. The pudding will rise like a soufflé and turn golden brown. Serve immediately together with the apple crisps and sorbet.
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E XMO O R P O N Y N E W S
THE MINEHEAD & EXMOOR CHRONICLE
Moorland Exmoor Ponies in Crisis By Dawn Westcott In recent weeks, Exmoor ponies have featured on regional and national TV and press as local farmers managing important semiferal herds speak out to highlight the problems they are having in registering their endangered breed ponies. They are experiencing months and even years of delays in obtaining pedigree passports, which is obstructing the sale of foals and putting some at risk of being culled. ‘The Exmoor Pony Society (EPS) insists on confirming the parents of moorbred foals through DNA testing and it should be a simple process when a DNA hair sample is taken from a foal. However, this relies on the society having the correct DNA profiles in its database for all ponies in each moorland herd and it has become clear that there are problems with this source data,’ said Dawn Westcott, author and co-founder of the Moorland Exmoor Pony Breeders Group (MEPBG) and Exmoor Pony Project. ‘Some ponies have been missed out, some have incorrect DNA profile information, some can’t be identified through unreadable brands or failed microchips, DNA samples have been lost, mixed up or corrupted and information is recorded incorrectly at inspections, year after year. When DNA samples need further investigation, this is unfortunately only carried out as a
‘favour’ by Weatherbys, with the EPS telling herd owners that it will ‘take the time it takes’, ‘as and when time allows’ - and this can mean months, even years or remain inconclusive. All this has led to difficulties in confirming the parentage of some otherwise perfectly good, pedigree-registerable Exmoor foals.’ Nigel and Maria Floyd own the Tippbarlake Herd which runs on Brendon Common and Rex Milton owns Withypoole Herd 23 which runs on both Anstey and Withypool Commons. Both herd owners are experiencing problems in registering foals from pedigree parents - and they are not alone. Ponies remain unregistered and unrecognised in herds across the moor, the UK and worldwide. This should not be confused with the separate issue on Exmoor, where farmers are trying to safeguard the future of a significant population of purebred, non-pedigree Exmoor ponies, who are not currently able to be registered within the EPS stud book it has no supplement or upgrading system, like other breeds. Various Exmoor ponies have been missed out or excluded through mistakes and ‘anomalies’ in the registration process, or other circumstances, but they are still true to type, authentic Exmoor po-
nies. The Exmoor National Park Authority, MEPBG, Rare Breeds Survival Trust, EPS and other stakeholders are currently working with Nottingham University on the Exmoor Pony DNA Whole Genome Project, which will eventually provide a structure for confirming the purity of these ponies so they can be recognised and embraced within the Exmoor pony breed. With a dangerously small gene pool, maximum genetic diversity is vital.
ID’ passport that gives it no status or recognition as an Exmoor pony, but allows it to travel - in the hope of having it upgraded to a pedigree passport as and when DNA results are confirmed. But most people want to know what they’re buying. Last November, there were buyers for Tippbarlake foals after inspection, but the EPS failed to issue even basic ‘Equine ID’ passports until this February. The buyers went elsewhere, causing the herd owner to despair.
With regard to registering pedigree foals, the Tippbarlake herd owners are frustrated, not just at the delays in receiving pedigree passports for 2017 foals, but also for foals that both passed inspection and had DNA confirmed, from 2014! And they’ve had no DNA results back from the EPS for 2015 foals, who remain uninspected and unregistered. This has resulted in pedigree colts being culled. Rex Milton is also experiencing ongoing problems registering foals with pedigree parents. He cannot understand why there is any problem when pedigree parents should already be in the EPS database and have DNA profiles. He has regretfully culled ten foals this year.
It is not easy to find buyers for wild-born, unhandled Exmoor foals, who are able and willing to patiently tame and train them to accept life off the moor. If not sold as ‘cute’ newly weaned foals, they become wilder and stronger as yearlings and it is more difficult to home them. If farms are on wet ground, ponies have to be kept shut in barns for all those months, which is awful for them and unviable for the farmers. So foals must ideally be sold in the autumn - with passports. The upland farms cannot spare the time and resource keeping ponies in ground for months, particularly over the winter. As we’ve all seen over the past weeks, severe weather can make it extremely challenging to keep livestock alive and every square inch is needed. These farmers maintain their Exmoor pony herds, not for agricultural income, but at
So why cull foals? The foals need passports so they can be sold. Some buyers will ‘take a risk’ and buy a foal with a basic ‘Equine-
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considerable cost for reasons of heritage, tradition and a passion to keep them on the moor. Faced with unreasonable registration delays and escalating costs, ponies can get culled and the younger generation of farmers is not so keen on keeping them at all. ‘The EPS has been quoted in the media as saying the blame ‘lies with the herd owners’, that it intends to ‘go on as we are’, and registration in its stud book is ‘voluntary’. However, if herd owners want their ponies to have status and recognition as ‘Exmoor ponies’ the only place to currently register them is with the EPS,’ says Dawn Westcott. ‘Further, they have to pay £50 per pony in advance for DNA testing, along with other registration costs - however long it takes. If the society can’t confirm DNA, it also gets to keep the money… sometimes causing farmers to question whether to put foals forward for inspection at all. ‘Alarmingly, we’ve found EPS officials to be encouraging herd owners not to put perfectly good, pedigree-registerable foals forward for inspection, telling them that it will be ‘too difficult to identify your ponies’ and that ‘there is no market for them’. ‘This happened with James Bryant’s Herd 423 youngstock at Countisbury,’ said Dawn, who has documented the story in
E XMO O R P O N Y N E W S
her book, Wild Herd Whispering. ‘ As a result, he had already culled his 2 year old colts who were still waiting for an inspection, when we stepped in to help. Working with James we went through his herd, made a list of all mares, matched them with their foals, had the vet microchip foals, then had all this information to hand at the EPS inspection. All foals passed inspection and we insisted that they were issued with Equine-ID passports so they could be sold off the farm. We promoted the foals and secured buyers for all of them. Eventually, parentage was confirmed and pedigree passports were issued for all of them. They had not been difficult to identify and there was a market for them, despite what the herd owner was told. Putting farmers under pressure to cull foals like that is wrong. There is an alarming decline in the number of pedigree filly foal registrations, with under sixty registered worldwide so far last year. That is barely enough to replace older mares and maintain overall breed numbers - and it is half the number routinely registered a few years ago. Questions now need to be asked how and why the society may be benefitting from registering less ponies.’
trations, or provide alternative registration, for Exmoor ponies,’ said Dawn Westcott. ‘DNA parentage testing needs to be suspended as a registration requirement, while the EPS gets its database and service up to standard. And the much-needed supplement and upgrading system for excluded purebreds must be established. The low market value of Exmoor ponies requires fast, low-cost, straightforward registration and passporting to give semi-feral foals the best chance to find opportunities off the moor - and safeguard the future of the moorland breed.’ said Dawn Westcott.
So what’s the solution? ‘Perhaps DEFRA needs to take over regis-
More information at www.mepbg.co.uk and www.exmoorponyproject.co.uk.
‘With the younger generation of moorland farmers saying that if things don’t vastly improve, they’ll replace ponies with cattle and sheep, there is no doubt that some important free-livivng herds are in serious jeopardy - and some are gone already. The EPS needs to pull its socks up fast, or alternative registration for Exmoor ponies is needed. Because once the moorland ponies are gone, they will be gone. They’ve survived as Britain’s oldest native hill pony breed for thousands of years - let’s hope it’s not red tape and intransigence that eradicates the ponies of Exmoor.’
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To find out more check out Dawn’s book ‘Wild Herd Whispering’ ISBN 978 0 85704 318 4. Available to purchase from her website: www. wildponywhispering. co.uk or from Amazon.
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THE MINEHEAD & EXMOOR CHRONICLE
THE M IN EH EAD & E X M O O R CH R O N I CL E
Storm Emma dropped a debilitating amount of snow all over the South West last week leaving Minehead almost cut off for a short time. But this did not deter some talented local photographers from braving the elements and capturing
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some magical images of the town. The high winds the accompanied the snow caused some quite dramatic snow drifts which were still in evidence on Exmoor until late this week. Although this type of weather isn’t everyone’s cup of tea it
certainly brings out no small amount of community spirit and it was great to hear of acts of kindness towards the more vulnerable members of our community. A huge thank you must go to all the council workers and farmers who helped
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tirelessly to clear the roads and to the four-wheel drive owners who assisted in ferrying folks to work in hospitals and care homes Etc. Photo kindly supplied by Pauly Allen & Matthew Saunders.
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A RT I C LE
THE MINEHEAD & EXMOOR CHRONICLE
As we get older we are at a higher risk of having a fall, regular exercise will help to prevent falls and injuries in the future. The more we exercise, the easier everyday life becomes, from walking up and down stairs to sitting down and getting up again. A lot of women ask me if they can exercise whilst pregnant. Well, the answer is yes! Of course there are certain exercises you should stay away from but the most important thing is to get blood flowing around the body and stay active. Exercising during pregnancy can actually improve your ability to cope with labour and make it easier to get back in shape after giving birth. Not only that, regular exercise during pregnancy will improve your overall mood, increase your energy levels, reduce back pain, bloating and swelling, improve your posture and build strength, muscle tone and endurance. We all know that exercise will help us lose weight, tone up and improve our overall fitness level, but what about our mental health? Exercise has been shown to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety, relieve stress, help us sleep better and improve our overall mood. Not to mention, increase our confidence and self-esteem! My aim is to help other women feel strong, feel important, find their escape, build self-confidence about themselves and their body, feel happy, healthy and positive every day and of course, achieve the body that they desire, because every women deserves to feel confident and happy in their own skin. On signing up to one of my programs, together we will identify your fitness and nutrition goals and design an exercise and nutrition program that fits your lifestyle. With your knowledge about yourself and your lifestyle and my knowledge and expertise in health and fitness, I believe that together we can create the best possible program for YOU.
EMILIE J.
FITNESS & NUTRITION
I will guide you through every exercise, every workout and be with you every step of the way! My name is Emilie Jeffery. I am level 3 certified personal trainer, nutrition and lifestyle coach in Minehead, on a mission to help women feel empowered, confident, strong, fit, healthy and happy! Exercise, including weight training, has been a huge part of my life for many years. It has helped me to grow stronger, both physically and mentally improved my overall well-being. Exercise is the most powerful drug on earth that can improve both your physical and mental health. Regular exercise has been shown to lower the risk of illnesses, diseases and diabetes. It will strengthen your bones and helps to build muscle, which is especially important as we get older.
I offer 1:1 personal training sessions. Or split the cost and bring up to 3 friends! The best thing about it is, you don’t need a gym membership! The gym can be an intimidating place when you first start training, that’s why I offer training sessions outdoors or in your own living room! If you prefer to train in a gym, I offer training sessions at Fitness Station gym, Minehead, Near Butlin’s. If you want to improve your health and overall well-being whilst achieving the body that you’ve always desired, don’t hesitate to contact me today at emiliejfitness@hotmail.com and visit my website www.emiliejfitness.com What could you achieve?
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E XMO O R P O DC A ST
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THE MINEHEAD & EXMOOR CHRONICLE