Valley Life - the free monthly magazine at the Heart of the Cheddar Valley

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FEBRUARY 2022, ISSUE 60 FREE

Valley Life At the heart of the Cheddar Valley

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Council admits travellers’ blunder News, views and features from Axbridge Cheddar, Wedmore and Winscombe

Inside this issue

welcome . . .

Joy as work begins on Pump Track – Page 6

VE Day murals go on display in the village – Page 8

Clive’s model passion takes him far and wide – Pages 10-11

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

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Welcome to the sixtieth issue of Valley Life and we hope you are continuing to enjoy the offering of news and views from around the Cheddar Valley.

Sometimes it’s good to see that the ordinary man can win against a faceless bureaucracy.

Cheddar resident Paul Bridgman is an ordinary, law-abiding member of the community, who like many last August was annoyed that life in our community could be disrupted by a gathering of travellers which, in his gut, he believed was being held illegally.

Now four months on and his hunch has been proved right - the council had acted wrongly by putting out a state-

ment which said the gathering did not need any special licence.

Now Sedgemoor District Council has apologised for the confusion.

It would be churlish not to accept their apology in the spirit in which it has been given. But sometimes you have to wonder whether the council really do live in the real world.

They are happy to lay down rules which we all must abide by. But it seems that when it comes to minorities causing havoc in a community, they are unwilling to rock the boat for fear or upsetting that minority, not realising that the majority are paying the price.

Let’s remember this come election time.

Rob Perkins, Editor

NEWS

Council admits: ‘We got our facts wrong’

S

edgemoor District Council has admitted they gave incorrect information to the public in the wake of a gathering of several hundred travellers on land in Cheddar last August.

The village was brought to a near standstill as hundreds of caravans attempted to turn into land opposite Draycott Park estate.

Initially, the council said that the land owner was not required to seek planning permission for temporary use because no licensable activities were taking place.

But Cheddar resident Paul Bridgman, who has no background in local government rules, didn’t believe this and conducted his own research and wrote to the council to look at their initial statement.

He wanted to know if the initial statement was factually correct. He also wanted to know if any action could be taken against the land owner for allowing the gathering without relevant licenses in place.

He also asked the council how they expect others to follow the correct planning/ licensing procedures for similar events now and in the

future, when the council said they don’t need to. Now more than four months, Paul who has been supported by Cheddar Chamber of Commerce has finally been vindicated.

Sedgemoor’s service manager Dawn de Vries apologised for putting out misleading information in the aftermath of the gathering.

She said: “At the time a spokesperson for the council confirmed that we were made aware of the event and had not previously been notified.

The event was undertaken with the consent of the landowner and that we had no reports of licensable activities taking place on the land.

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2022 / ISSUE 60

The statement indicated that planning permission or site licence was not required.

“Unfortunately, that statement was incorrect as whilst large scale events can be exempt through appropriate licence upon further investigation no exemption had been gained ahead of the event and if no exemption is in place planning permission would normally be required.

“The council apologise for any confusion created regarding the earlier statement.”

Ms de Vries added that the land owner had been reminded of the requirement needed in law for future gatherings.

www.valley-life.com

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NEWS

Pump track set to open next month

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ork has begun on a new pump track at Sharpham Road playing fields.

The project is the vision of Ride Mendips who first pitched the idea to Cheddar Parish Council in 2019.

Located close to the skate park the pump track will provide more opportunities for skate boarders, scooters and BMX bikes which have become increasingly popular following British successes at the last Olympics.

The parish council has appointed Bristol-based Architrail Velosolutions as principal contractor for the project which is set to be completed in 8 weeks.

Velosolutions is an acknowledged expert in building pump tracks with more than 20 years’ experience of creating tracks in many parts of the UK and other countries.

Ride Mendips have helped secure funding for the project through several grants including; British Cycling Places to Ride Fund, Thatchers Foundation, National Grid and Rotary Club of Mendip.

They have also raised money 4

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through their own fundraising events and Hanson UK will be donating the aggregate and asphalt.

Derek Bradley-Balmer, Chairman of the parish council said: “Following delays, mainly due to suitability of location, it is fantastic to finally get this project started.

“It will be a great facility for the community, free for all to use, and we would like to congratulate Ride Mendips for all their work in planning and fundraising.”

Grant Garge from Ride Mendip said: “It has been a long-running story but thankfully we were able to secure the £35,000 funding

from British Cycling.

“But we’ve also had Hanson Aggregates giving us stone and asphalt and which would have cost us £50,000 if we “The National Grid community fund contributed £20,000, with other donations from Thatchers Community Fund, Mendip Rotary Club as well as our own fund-raising events.

“They are due to finish in mid March but we are planning an opening event in mid-April.

“Hinkley Point C has given us money for bikes, helmets and storage and we will be setting up a club for youngsters and will be looking for volunteers to help to run it.”

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2022 / ISSUE 60

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NEWS

Christmas windows put on a real show

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hat a way to brighten up all the villages in the Cheddar Valley.

More than 430 businesses and homes made the 2021 Window Wanderland the most successful yet.

There were cats, scenes from the movies and advent calendars as villagers in Axbridge, Shipham and Draycott together with Cheddar, joined in the fun this year.

The event was organised by The Arts Quarter Cheddar in conjunction with SEED to put on a real festive spectacle.

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VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2022 / ISSUE 60

NEWS

VE Day artwork is unveiled in village

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wo Cheddar artists have collaborated in a commission to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe.

The work by Katrina Atkinson and Sara Parsons should have been one of the features of the VE Day celebrations in 2020 – until the pandemic hit.

But now the two pieces of art are on display in two separate locations in the village – next to Coco Hairdressers on Tweentown and on the side of the building next to the Bath Arms.

Artist Katrina said: “It was the first time that I’ve collaborated with another artist on a piece of work but it worked out well.

celebrated the end of the war as well as the imagery of Winston Churchill, the RAF planes and the British Bulldog.

“We were both instrumental in putting the two pieces together and drew on inspiration from a range of influences.

“But we also wanted to reference Picasso which we’ve done in the image of the dove – this image has become a universal symbol of peace and we both believed that this was fitting for both pieces of artwork.”

“The artwork had to celebrate not only the victory in Europe but also look at the sense of a new beginning immediately after the war had finished.

“We looked at old photographs taken in the village of the street parties which

installed.

Once finished the two pieces were sent off to be enlarged before being put on an aluminium substrate – similar to that used in advertising hoardings – before being

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2022 / ISSUE 60

Bridget Hemmings, chair of CHAFF – the Cheddar Arts and Fringe Festival – commissioned the work as part of the VE Day celebrations.

She said: “Both Katrina and Sara have produced something which the village can be rightly proud and we hope it will bring joy to everyone who sees it.

“It’s great to showcase some of the artistic talent we have in our midst and CHAFF are delighted to have funded two new pieces of art for the community.”

www.valley-life.com

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NEWS

Caves set to reopen

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fter nearly two years of closure Cheddar Gorge and Caves will re-open in April.

A spokesman for owners, Longleat Enterprises, said: “We’re delighted to announce that we are going to be opening our doors (and caves) back to visitors from Friday 1st April.

“Ticket pre-booking will be available very soon on our website.”

The news has been greeted with excitement by hundreds of people looking forward to returning to the attraction.

The caves and other attractions run under the name of Cheddar Gorge and Caves, have been closed since the beginning of the pandemic but the actual Cheddar Gorge site, which is owned by the National Trust, has remained

open to visitors.

The site shut down in March 2020, with the loss of 40 jobs, when the first national lockdown and strict social distancing rules forced the closure of leisure and tourism businesses across the country.

NEWS

Company shows off its green credentials

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Wedmore-based business is donating funds to three local charities as part of its plans to make to company more environmentally friendly.

The Somerset Stove Company has been fitting woodburners in and around the Cheddar Valley for the past three years and wanted to make sure that they were doing their “bit’ for the environment.

Owner Kaine Ingrouille-Kidd, has been fitting

“We are aiming to educate customers about the best way of making sure that their stoves are the most environmentally-friendly they can be.

stoves for more than six years, added: “For every stove that we sell we will be donating part of the sale to Green Wedmore, Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Woodland Trust.

“This means that they all the latest eco-designed stoves and that they comply with the latest 2022 regulations.

“And so long as the stoves are burning kiln-dried wood and are swept regularly they will continue to be the most efficient stoves on the market.”

NEWS

Clive’s model passion ta

By Gary Balkham

W

hen an eight-yearold Clive Hall was evacuated from his native Liverpool to North Wales at the start of the Second World War, he and school-friends would scramble to the top of coastal sand dunes to watch Hurricanes, Spitfires and Blenheims from nearby RAF Hawarden, flying past.

“We were so close we could see and wave to the pilots great fun at that age.” said a beaming Clive.

When called up for National Service he wanted serve in the RAF, but poor health thwarted this ambition, and so he opted for university but that proved to be disappointing, he enrolled at the London School of Printing and Graphic Arts at Camberwell in London, studying Commercial Photography.

After his studies, Clive worked as a laboratory technician but was made redundant in the1970s .

At this time, he had been designing, building and flying radio-controlled model aircraft for a number of years, initially from wood, then fibreglass.

When he was introduced to a retired Boeing 747 captain, looking for someone to make model aircraft, Clive knew

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Clive Hall shows off his latest model aircraft and top right, on location on The Falklands Islands and bottom right, his model aircra

just the person - himself.

The ex-commercial pilot wanted a working model of every aeroplane the he had personally flown, some forty in total, a commission that kept Clive gainfully employed for several years.

In the early 1980s, after regular visits to Somerset, Clive and his family moved to Cheddar where he continued to make model aircraft from the workshop at his new home.

His self-taught knowledge combined with his expertise

in model aircraft, saw the Imperial War Museum came knocking and asking if he could travel to Jordan to take aerial photographs taken from a camera mounted on one of his model planes.

These exploits came to the notice of a producer on BBC’s Wildlife On One who, contacted Clive in1986 to ask whether he could make a model plane to be fitted with a camera to film storks in mid-flight, during their annual migration across the Straits of Bosphurus, Turkey.

After the TV producer had

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2022 / ISSUE 60

NEWS

takes him far and wide just two days’ notice to get his model and associated gear together before jetting out to Morocco to film the massive hatching and swarming of locusts.

He laughed: “They are like little bullets when they hit you - quite painful.”

He later travelled south to film the albatross on the Falkland Islands. Each time with a Clive Hall-designed model plane.

But the trips to Kenya was challenging in different ways; the existing engine on his plane could not cope with the thin air, at altitude unable to create sufficient power to get the aircraft off the ground and so it was back to the UK to source a larger, more powerful engine.

del aircraft in Turkey both for BBC’s wildlife department

visited Clive at his workshop to finalise requirements, he designed and made the model plane with a wing-span of eight-feet, painted in similar colouring to the birds,.

The major difference was that the engine and propeller, mounted behind the ‘cockpit’ area pushed, rather than pulled the model through the air.

Test flights at Draycott sports field went as well as he could have hoped, so off to Turkey, where it flew with the storks, the filming of the migration successfully achieved.

Clive explained: “In flight, as it was about the same size as the birds, I knew that when viewed from the ground, if it looked smaller than them it was higher and lower than them when it appeared larger.”

The resulting footage appeared in an episode in March 1987 and Clive featured in the corresponding issue of the Radio Times.

Turkey was the first of a number of trips Clive went on for the BBC’s Wildlife Department: two trips to Kenya to film wildlife; then given

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2022 / ISSUE 60

As the work for the BBC slowly ceased, he continued building his models as beforehand.

For his 60th birthday, he was treated to a day at Syton aerodrome in Northamptonshire by his family, where he went up in various aircraft including the Tiger Moth and Mustang, given the opportunity to take the controls on occasions. “Quite magical” recalls Clive.

He is hopeful that his latest creation will take to the skies - we certainly wish him the best of luck! www.valley-life.com

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Back Issues Doctor of Chiropractic Matt Sutton helps to keep you on the move

Colic is treatable if you follow our guide

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utton Chiropractic specializes in keeping the whole family healthy, thriving and getting the most out of life.

ing air. Wind them after feeds and gently rock them over your shoulder • Rocking in their Moses basket/crib, or pushing them in their pram • Changes to mum’s diet if she’s breastfeeding – try having less dairy.

This means your child’s health is at the very core of our practice. Making sure they are developing naturally and getting the best start in life is something that drives us every day.

If you’ve tried our guide but are still having no luck, chiropractic care is a safe and natural method of relief from the symptoms of colic.

With colic being a very common problem in the first few months, we’ve put together a guide for you and your family to help.

The main sign of a child experiencing colic are intense crying episodes. Now of course all babies cry, but if your little one is healthy and well-fed but cries more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for at least 1 week, then this is most likely colic.

Other signs include: bringing their knees up to their tummy or arching their back, writhing and squirming when lying flat on their back, clench their fists, going red in the face and

experiencing lots of wind.

What’s causes colic? There is no consensus on the exact cause of Colic, however, common explanations are; gas, infant acid reflux, food allergies or sensitivity such as a cow’s milk allergy.

Tips for dealing with colic at home: • Lots of cuddles when they’re unsettled • Sit them upright during feeding to stop them swallow-

Supported by 26 years of research analysed in the British Medical Journal and listed on the NHS website as a treatment option, this gentle and natural treatment has become more popular due to its effectiveness.

If you’d like to know more about how we can help your children get the best start in life through natural means, we’d love to help.

We want to help provide your family with the best of health so you can enjoy your time with each other for many years to come.

Contact Matt on 01934 235535 or email reception@suttonchiro.co.uk

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Cheddar Chat Follow all the news from Cheddar AFC with football writer Alan Cooper

Frustrating period

F

ootball pitches are notorious for postponements at this time of year and sadly this has been the Cheesemen’s fate during the Christmas/New Year period.

The club’s Boxing Day home game with Bishop’s Lydeard fell victim of the weather as did their New Year’s Day trip to Dorset-based Gillingham Town.

Dorset hasn’t been the best ‘away day’ of travel destinations for Craig Mawford’s team towards the turn of the year however with two subsequent defeats at Wincanton (2-3) and Sherborne (1-4).

Then following an enforced three-week break, the team were faced with another away trip to South Gloucestershire in early January that saw them regain credibility with a 3-3 draw at league new boys Lebeq United, Ricky Bennett notably scoring two goals both from stunning free-kicks.

Occasional defensive frailties have caused the Bowden’s Park club to concede more goals than they would wish,

having scored just five goals more than they have conceded.

Although it might be argued that failure to make the most of their opportunities in the final third can be an equally governing factor for not adding to their points tally.

The club are currently well placed in seventh position in the Toolstation Western League (Division One) after 24 games.

The Cheddar manager will hope to add more points on the board to make a late run for the potential play-off positions, and with sixteen games remaining the club have every chance of fulfilling its lofty ambition of Premier Division football.

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2022 / ISSUE 60

February looks to be a busy month, third-bottom Bishops Lydeard the visitors on February 1 (ko 7:45pm), the club’s first home match since their 2-0 win against Bath based side Odd Down in late November.

Further matches at Portishead on February 5 follow, then successive home matches to AEK Boko, February 12 and Lebeq United on February 19.

Sandwiched in between is a League Cup away trip on February 8 and a mouth-watering Somerset Premier Cup match quarter final against National League side Yeovil Town on February 15.

The club are hopeful of drawing its biggest attendance for some years.

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15

NO AUDITIONS

Come along any

YOUR MIXED-VOICE FRIENDLY CHOIR

Tuesday to meet us, . . . . . and bring a friend!

We’re the Community Choir that sings in the Afternoon The

CHEDDAR VALLEY Good Afternoon Choir

This year the members have chosen

Every TUESDAY 1-3pm

at

SHIPHAM HALL with Kate Lynch

Charity No 1188929

to support with concerts etc

There is NO CHARGE for attending your first rehearsal and membership information is then available. The Conductor is Kate Lynch. There are NO AUDITIONS and everyone is welcome. Many of the people in our 19 Good Afternoon Community Choirs across the West have not sung in a choir before. You will be joining over 1000 people Singing in the Afternoons!

The Cheddar Valley Good Afternoon Choir will enjoy all sorts of music – from folk songs to choral favourites. Come and meet us next Tuesday.

Email gac@grenvillemusic.co.uk Call us 01761 472468

www.goodafternoonchoir.org

Conductor Kate Lynch

Tiggi’s Travels Seeing life differently with visually-impaired Tiggi Trethowan

Jackie’s first flight

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ack in the summer we set of for the wilds of Scotland together with the assistance of my best friend and sighted guide Louise.

necessary, to persuade her onto the plane. By the way my companion Louise was at this point flying around the airport trying to find a lost document. Chaos.

Before I was partnered with my assistance dog, I have dragged Louise with me across the world. Antarctica, Chile, Patagonia and Iceland to name a few of our adventures.

However, the is the nearest I have ever come to feeling like a rock star. We were greeted warmly by the passenger assist team who flanked me and Jackie dog in a vale of high vis yellow as we were whisked past the packed airport and ushered straight to security.

We eventually all reunited on the aircraft and welcomed by the cabin crew that Jackie dutifully licked from head to toe as they had emerged from the food area of the aircraft.

Jackie is a Labrador first, guide dog second. We (me and the dog) were literally tied together with many yards of lanyard. When on the following safety briefing the steward announced “in the event of an emergency, leave your belongings” it became clearly apparent Jackie and I would be going down together.

They could not have been kinder. Only one issue occurred as Jackie dog mistook the x-ray paddle as a toy and did a 360-degree turn (many times) around the security guard.

And if I’m truthful, that brought me great comfort.

Jackie settled at my feet and my good friend Louise at my side, still sweaty but reunited with her lost document. We all lifted into the sky.

She would be a hopeless drug mule. Security was also surprised by my pockets full of dog treats. To be used, if

Jackie dog took one last look out of the window, made a huge happy sigh and fell into a deep sleep.

We have always travelled on a tight budget which resulted in us crossing the Magellan Straits in a 30-foot fishing boat.

Louise spent eight hours being sick while I tucked into a full English below decks. She has never forgiven me.

Back to Scotland and Jackie’s first flight. To take a dog on board an aircraft and to be allowed in the cabin takes a substantial amount of paperwork.

And only registered assistance dogs are allowed this privilege. Boarding passes in hand and dog kibble in my back pack we arrived at Bristol airport -at 5 am.

Listen to the latest Draycott Diairies Podcast available at www.draycottdiaries.com

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Mendip walks Jennifer Hunt and her dogs Daisy and Dora take to the hills

Black Rock beauty

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tart your walk from the top of Cheddar Gorge at Black Rock Gate, where there is plenty of parking each side of the road.

found in this area, even pink woodlice, although I haven’t seen one yet!

Then start walking up the slope ahead. At the top turn left and follow the path along next to the boundary fence.

Go straight on through the next two gates – you are now above Black Rock.

Go through the gate next to an information board and walk up the track. At the next gate pass through and continue walking straight on.

Eventually you will arrive at an old lime kiln, which was used to heat the quarried limestone rock along with coal or charcoal to produce lime. Behind the lime kiln is Black Rock Quarry, which was last worked in 1935.

Apparently, the name Black Rock originates from the black rock limestone that was quarried here.

Once, when I was walking past this quarry, I was very concerned to see a large animal laid out flat on one of the high rock ledges and thought it might have fallen and hurt itself.

Then suddenly it popped up its head and I could see that it was a large goat sunbathing, along with a few more goats who peered over the top of

Just after the ruins of a small stone building on your right the rough path drops downhill. Before it starts to rise up again turn left and walk down over the grassy hillside. the cliff to look at me below!

As you continue up the wide path you will see on the left a beautiful old beech tree, which is a lovely shape and covered in moss.

A bit further on you will pass a stone stile and then a kissing gate to Velvet Bottom on the right.

Carry on walking straight ahead until you reach the end of the stony track and go through a kissing gate.

Here there is an information board that describes the rare flora and fauna that can be

VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2022 / ISSUE 60

When you reach the bottom you will be pleased to know that you do not have to trudge up the very steep hill on the right, but instead turn left and follow the winding (and extremely muddy!) track through the trees.

Continue on until you reach the main path once again.

Turn right through the gate you came through earlier and return to where you started.

Walk: Above Black Rock Start & End: Cheddar Gorge Distance: Less than two miles Postcode: BS27 3QF www.valley-life.com

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Spring in to your new home today

For a free valuation, please give us a call or visit us to discuss how we can help you to sell your property faster than anybody else 01934 742966 2c Bath Street Cheddar Somerset BS27 3AA

01934 710222 The Old Bakery The Borough Wedmore BS28 4EB

enquiries@laurelandwylde.co.uk www.laurelandwylde.co.uk

01278 785900 5 High Street Burham-on-Sea Somerset TA8 1NX