Villagers unite in fundraising bid to save their local pub
PEOPLE can invest in their local thanks to a new scheme being run by Somerset villagers.
In March, last orders were called at The Bell Inn, in Curry Mallet, after 200 years - leaving regulars disappointed.
In response, a group from the village and neighbouring Beercrocombe, near Taunton, came together to bring their local back to life.
A meeting was called and, due to the enthusiasm to take action to keep their local open, villagers united to set up the Curry Mallet and Beercrocombe Community Pub Ltd community benefit society, with a mission to save the pub.
Within a month, nearly half the amount needed to save the Bell was raised.
"Following hard on the heels of the loss of the village shop and the bus route, this was one loss too many for the community and they decided to take action," a spokesperson for the society said.
And in the next step to bringing people back to the bar, on September 1, a share offer was formally launched and over the next two months, the people of Curry Mallet, Beercrocombe and beyond have the opportunity to buy shares in the new society.
Shares are £1 each and the minimum investment is £100.
Community pubs are run democratically, on the basis of
one-member one-vote, regardless of their investment, be it £100 or £10,000.
Committee member Justin Adams, a farmer and long-term Curry Mallet resident, said: "We have been bowled over by the support we’ve received and the love there is for The Bell.
"The pledged money has already started coming in, and we are working hard on a number of grant applications.
"We know we have a really strong case, and our vision for The Bell is that it becomes the social glue for a friendly and inclusive community, for the old, the young and those in-between, as well as a great place for cyclists, walkers and tourists to rest a while."
The group is also planning a series of fundraising events, the first of which is a Promises Auction on November 1, where scores of Somerset businesses and individuals have donated an
Committee members Martin Seaman, Fiona Duck, Chris Andrews, and Will Wilkes-Wood
incredible range of lots which can be bid for online or inperson on the night.
The society's intention is to re-open The Bell Inn "in the first half of 2026".
"That day can’t come soon enough for the people of Curry
Mallet and Beercrocombe," the spokesperson added.
n To find out more about the bid to save The Bell Inn, visit www.cmbcommunitypub.com, or contact Fiona Duck by email to fiona_duck@icloud.com.
SCAN TO BOOK
Curry Mallet and Beercrocombe villagers are rallying to save their local, The Bell Inn
Warrant issued for rape suspect
A WARRANT has been issued for the arrest of Shane Phillips – who was due to appear in court charged with rape.
The 30-year-old, pictured above, is wanted on a warrant after failing to attend a hearing at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on July 24.
He is described as white, about 5ft 10ins, with brown hair and a beard and has links with the Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Devon and Cornwall areas.
If you know where he is, or can help police track him down, call 101 and give the reference number 5223298282, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
'Rave' disrupted
POLICE were called to break up an unlicensed music event in West Somerset on Saturday night (September 20).
Officers were called to the scene, near Triscombe, on Saturday night, and closed roads around the scene.
By Sunday morning, Avon & Somerset Police said officers remained at the scene, “engaging with a small number of people who remain to bring the event to a safe conclusion”.
“Sound equipment was turned off voluntarily at 8.30am after a dispersal notice was served,” they added.
An impression of how the scheme could look taken from the planning application
Pictures: Pad Design/Somerset Council
Plans for 170 new homes near Gravity site at Woolavington
AROUND 170 new homes could be built in a Somerset village if plans are approved.
The scheme, for land east of Woolavington Hill, in Woolavington, have been submitted to Somerset Council be Grassroots Planning on behalf of South West Strategic Developments Ltd.
The scheme would see the homes - including 51 affordable properties - built, as well as public open space including ecological areas, and other works.
Currently two fields of agricultural land, bisected by Combe Lane, the site measures around 8.5 hectares and is near the new Gravity site, which is set to bring thousands of jobs to the area.
"Our aim is to create somewhere that existing and future residents can enjoy for years to come, providing an integrated and complementary extension to Woolavington of up to 170 high-quality dwellings with a mix of types and tenures to meet local needs," the plans said.
"Development will enhance the local community, while also
helping to accommodate demand from the nearby Gravity Business Park, which is set to create up to 7,500 jobs within a mile from the site."
The fields are bordered by residential developments, at Woolavington Hill and School Lane, and would be accessed from Woolavington Hill on the west side of the site.
"A tree-lined primary street with green verge and foot-cycle route is proposed through the development, branching off into secondary roads, which will provide access to all of the
residential units, as well as a foot-cycle route from Combe Lane and the retention of the public right of way along a green street in the northern area of the site," the plans said.
Combe Lane would close to eastbound traffic at a new junction, the plans said, retaining access to a neighbouring employment site.
Areas of "multifunctional, publicly accessible open space", including play areas for children, are
proposed "throughout the site", the application said, with three spaces designed "for existing residents and occupants of the proposed development to enjoy".
The site was submitted as part of Somerset Council's 'call for sites' earlier this yearwhich encouraged land owners and developers to put forward potential development plots. For more details on the scheme, and to comment, log on to somerset.gov.uk and search application reference 54/25/00014.
The homes would be built on two fields on the edge of Woolavington Pictures: Pad Design/Somerset Council
Your chance to have a say over the future of Yeovil
PEOPLE are being urged to have their say over the future of Yeovil.
Somerset Council is calling on residents, businesses and those with an interest in the town to let them know how they would like it to develop in the future.
A Town Centre Masterplan is being developed, with a consultation launched this week to garner views.
Running until November 2, people can have their say in the consultation and help shape Yeovil for years to come online or at Yeovil Library.
The team will also have a stall at Yeovil Super Saturday on September 20 in St John the Baptist Churchyard, in Church Street, where you can see the
Masterplan and share your views.
The council said the first steps in regenerating Yeovil town centre have been taken using money from the government’s Future High Street Fund – with the look and feel of central streets changed to make the area more pedestrianfriendly.
Glovers Walk has also been demolished, leaving the site open to future development.
“The Masterplan pinpoints four potential sites that would kick-start opportunities for Yeovil to become a sustainable, family-friendly town with more town centre housing, a thriving cultural centre and better connected to surrounding towns and villages,” a council
The team is focused on developing Glovers Walk, the Bus Station and Earle Street car park first, and the consultation asks people to rank the three remaining sites in order of preference for development:
North Lane and Court Ash car parks
Glovers Quarter South (former Wilko store)
South Street, Star Lane and Box Factory car park
Views are also being sought on the importance of affordable housing, green spaces, cycling and walking, public transport, the night-time economy – bars and cinemas – as well as feeling safe and secure.
Councillor Mike Rigby, the council’s lead member for
economic development, planning and assets, said: “I would encourage people to have their say by taking part in the consultation.
“This is their chance to help shape the future of Yeovil as a thriving and vibrant town with a strong economy.
“The Masterplan will guide the regeneration of not just the town centre but also the wider urban area.”
Responses to the consultation will be analysed and the Masterplan updated or amended before councillors consider its formal adoption.
n To have your say log on to https://somersetcouncil. citizenspace.com/comms/ yeovil-consultation.
Road closures for Wellington Carnival announced
ROAD closures have been announced ahead of Wellington Carnival.
The event is set to take place on Saturday, September 27, with dozens of carts expected to hit town streets.
Before, during and after the procession, a number of road closures will be in place to ensure the safety of participants and spectators.
issued the following details of roads set to be closed in the town on September 27: n 2pm – 6pm: Exeter Road, from the junction of A38 Perry Elm to the junction of Bagley Road, (one side of the road). A one-way system will operate during this time
n From 6pm: Exeter Road, from the junction of A38 Perry Elm to the junction of Bagley Road will be closed to allow participants to safely board their entries.
n From 6.30pm: Exeter Road, Mantle Street, Fore Street, High Street, Bagley Road (from junction of Exeter Road to Barrington Way), B3137 Taunton Road from junction of High Street to Roundabout of Longforth Estate (not including roundabout, access will remain to residents of Longforth Estate and Cades Farm), will all be closed.
“Although the closures are up until 11pm, the junctions will open as soon as the marshals on that junction feel it is safe to do so,” a spokesperson added.
spokesperson said.
Wellington Carnival organisers have
Somerset repair cafés take centre stage
Rinternational event. Representatives of Community Action Groups (CAG) Somerset joined repair activists, educators, policymakers, and innovators from across the globe at Fixfest
2025 this month, an international festival for community repair, in London. Over the course of the weekend event, urgent issues ranging from the UK’s Right to Repair legislation to digital tools for measuring impact and the wider social value of repair
were explored.
And on the second day of Fixfest 2025, CAG Somerset delivered a workshop highlighting the role of repair cafés – not just as places to mend broken items, but as spaces that build resilience, nurture skills, and foster genuine community connections.
Somerset is home to a thriving network of more than 20 community-run repair groups, many of which are CAG Somerset members.
Jinny Uppington, CAG Somerset lead at Resource Futures, said: "Repair cafés are far more than places to fix broken toasters or sew torn jackets: they are powerful tools for strengthening community bonds, encouraging meaningful interaction, and creating local
resilience.
"In an age of environmental urgency and social fragmentation, these volunteerrun spaces offer hope and hands-on solutions."
The workshop invited attendees to reflect on how repair cafés provide:
• A sense of belonging and opportunities for connection
• Support for local skills and knowledge, providing training and learning opportunities for repairers and visitors to repair cafés
• Catalysts for wider engagement, inspiring sustainable living and community-led initiatives
n Find out more about CAG Somerset - and locate your nearest repair café - online at https://cagsomerset.org.uk.
EPAIR cafés in Somerset took centre stage at an
CAG Somerset attendees at Fixfest 2025
Picture: CAG Somerset
Age is no barrier! Couple set for 7,300mile walk of the British coastline
AN Ilminster couple - on a mission to prove that adventure has no age limit - are taking on a 7,300mile challenge for charity.
On October 4, former teacher Zoe Langley-Wathen and her husband, retired carpenter and publican Mike Langley, will set off from the western edge of Poole Harbour to walk the entire coastline of mainland Great Britain.
Their trek - entitled HeadRightOut: One Coast Any Age - is expected to take around two years, with Zoe and Mike, proud Ambassadors for clothing brand Páramo, walking every step.
The rules are simple: no ferries and only including islands that are connected to the mainland by bridges or causeways.
And they are raising funds for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) charity as they go.
At 73, Mike, the proud owner of two new hips, aims to become the oldest person to complete the walk as a thruhike.
And 54-year-old Zoe, author of the adventure memoir 630 Miles Braver – Midlifing on the South West Coast Path (2025), continues her mission to showcase the transformative power of walking, resilience, and midlife reinvention.
Besides being a Páramo Ambassador, Zoe also promotes the work of AdventureMind, encouraging all ages and abilities to use adventure to
benefit their wellbeing, and is the founder of HeadRightOut, which is geared towards midlife and older women building their resilience in the outdoors.
The couple, who are members of the Ilminster Ukulele Club, will document their progress through social media, writing, speaking, photography, and podcasting, offering a raw, real, and uplifting glimpse into life on the trail, and may even take their instruments with them for a song or two on the road.
They hope to inspire others to step outside of their comfort zones while raising funds for DSAA.
"This isn't just a walk," said Zoe, who lived in Dorset for 30 years before moving back to her home county of Somerset.
"It's a statement that midlife is not the end of the adventurous road, and that gap years can be for anyone.
"We'll be walking to promote AdventureMind's message of the benefits of adventure on mental health and wellbeing, and to support the vital work of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance."
Samantha Theron, head of marketing communications at Páramo Clothing, added: "We're proud to support Zoe and Mike on their epic challenge. Their commitment to adventure and resilience perfectly reflects our values.
"We'll be with them every step of the way, providing kit they can trust whatever the weather."
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Mike and Zoe are taking on a daunting trek
Last chance to help save 'egg man' Wilf Peddle's Glastonbury orchards and well
ACOMMUNITY group hoping to safeguard orchards that formerly belonged to Glastonbury 'egg man', Wilf Peddle, is calling on people to back a fundraising campaign as it enters its final stages.
Tomorrow (September 25) marks a deadline for donations to the campaign, being run by the Friends of St Edmunds Well CIC - a community interest company hoping to buy and safeguard the land when it goes up for auction.
They are nearly at their £20,000 target - but are making a last big push for donations.
The CIC now has more than 50 members who share a common goal "to preserve this orchard as a precious link to Glastonbury’s horticultural roots and ecological Heritage", a spokesperson said.
"Wilf’s orchards are some of the last remnants of Glastonbury’s once thriving orchard tradition," they went on.
"They are also a haven for wildlife and are home to deer, foxes, badgers, bats, hedgehogs, toads and a plethora of wildlife.
"The Glastonbury community has rallied valiantly in support of the cause. Through the course of their campaign and from talking to so many local people, they have discovered that the uniting factor is a shared love for Wilf and a respect for the role that he and his family played as caretakers of the orchards and green spaces of Glastonbury."
The CIC hopes to preserve Wilf’s legacy by restoring the orchard, designating it a
memorial orchard and planting heritage varieties of fruit trees to commemorate local events such as births, deaths, weddings etc.
The group said it is dedicated to protecting and restoring the local biodiversity, wildlife habitats and creating a space for multigenerational community participation and wellbeing.
"Also, on the orchard is an old well that has been overgrown with brambles and hawthorn for a long time," the spokesperson added.
"It is known as St Edmund’s well and the CIC wishes to restore it."
The well is named after St Edmund, who was England’s original patron saint by popular acclaim.
He was a Christian king of East Anglia martyred by the invading Viking army and was often invoked as a protection from epidemics and his badge was a wolf.
Two English King Edmunds were also buried at Glastonbury Abbey and St Edmund’s hill (aka Windmill hill) in Glastonbury may have been associated with one of them although neither were the actual original Saint Edmund.
n Supporters can donate directly at https://www. crowdfunder.co.uk/p/friends-ofst-edmunds-well-cic.
Those who donate £500 or more before September 25 can become Founding Members of the Friends of St Edmund's Well CIC, with lifelong membership. For more information, email friendsofstedmundswell@gmail. com.
Members of the CIC who are hoping to secure the future of the orchards and wells in Glastonbury
Pictures: Jason Bryant
The land is set to be sold at auction
Picture: Jason Bryant
Infamous unfinished homes up for sale
FOR years, drivers on a Somerset road have been left stumped as they pass the remnants of two unfinished houses.
The skeleton properties sit behind fencing off the A371, at Bratton Seymour, between Castle Cary and Wincanton.
Passing drivers have long debated whether anything would become of the shell buildings on the site – and now they know - thanks to a property listing.
For the plot, which extends to around 1.25 acres, is up for sale.
It is being marketed by Tim Phillips, with an asking price of £1.45 million.
Planning consent has been approved for a 7,500sq ft country house, with a 2,736sq ft cottage – the shells of which are on the plot.
“There is also the option for the house to be built and finished to a buyers
The properties now and, inset, how they could look
specification – please enquiry regarding the cost of the finished home,” the listing said. However, Bratton Hall, as it is listed as, could be fully constructed as per the images at
a price of £9,500,000, it added.
n For the full listing, log on to rightmove. co.uk/
SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING
Thursday 16 October 2025, from 5pm th
properties/166995683#/?channe l=RES_BUY.
69% A* - C grades*
97% of university places secured*
43% progressed to a Russell Group university*
Expert teaching, career pathways and enrichment programme
Affordable state boarding - 2 to 4 nights and full boarding available
Named ‘Happiest School in Somerset’ – Ofsted 2025
On-demand bus service is expanding
PEOPLE in Taunton, Wellington, Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea and surrounding areas who are struggling to make their journeys using public transport can now book a special, on-demand trip.
The digital element of the flexible Slinky service – run by Somerset Council – has rolled out in the new areas following a successful trial in Somerton in recent months.
Funded by the Government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), along with a raft of other BSIP measures in Somerset, the Slinky allows people to book a journey up to two weeks beforehand – until an hour before they want to set off – online.
Trips can be booked quickly and easily by anybody living in the Taunton, Wellington or the Sedgemoor areas online or by downloading the app.
The new service started on Monday (September 15), also trialling new operating hours – from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.
People can use the Slinky service for any trips – including to get to the shops, work, appointments, or social visits if a bus service is not easily available, or they just want to leave the car at home.
The Slinky app uses existing bus stops and landmarks as pick-up points, to connect people to local places of interest such as the supermarkets, town centres, education and health care services.
For those who can’t get to a designated pick-up point due to mobility issues, a pick-up can be arranged from home. They will need to phone the booking line to validate that request.
You can book up to an hour before your journey time and two weeks in advance – which
is recommended where possible to secure your journey.
Somerset Council’s lead member for transport and waste, Councillor Richard Wilkins, said: “In a rural county like ours digital demand responsive transport has the potential to play a much bigger role going forward. We have seen its popularity grow beyond our expectations with the pilot in Somerton I am pleased that we
are rolling it out to other areas.
“People don’t always have easy access to a bus route or a car, or they may wish to leave their car at home. Digital Slinky is a great alternative, reliable, affordable and easy to book. Anyone can use it.”
n For more details on the Somerset Slinky bus service, visit somerset.gov.uk/roadstravel-and-parking/slinkyservices.
The Somerset Slinky bus services is rolling out in new areas
Picture: Somerset Council
New police enquiry office opens in Frome
ANEW police enquiry office has opened in Frome.
The new venue, in the police station at the Wessex Fields retail park, aims to “better serve local residents and provide a welcoming public access point into the station”.
It will be open between 10am and 1.30pm, and from 2.15pm to 6pm, Monday to Friday, is wheelchair accessible, and an induction loop is installed for use with hearing aids.
Visitor parking is available and there is an outside phone for use when the enquiry office is closed.
Superintendent Lisa Simpson, of Avon & Somerset Police, said: “Public engagement is at the heart of policing, and the new enquiry office will help ensure our local team are reachable and connected to communities.
Commissioner Clare Moody said: “I’m happy to have supported this development. Putting the enquiry office with the police team makes sense and will mean a better service for the people of Frome.”
The enquiry office was previously based at Frome Library and the force said there will be no impact on officer
services and offering advice
n Get face-to-face support with policing enquiries
n Hand in found property (only certain items are applicable)
n Access services relating to handling and returning seized/ evidential property
n Get help with seized vehicles
n Safely and legally surrender firearms and knives
n Hand in suspected counterfeit currency
n Access support with enquiries about Clare’s Law and Sarah’s Law
“Strengthening the relationship between enquiry officers and our neighbourhood policing team, will in turn improve the service we provide for the public.” Police and Crime
numbers in Frome, while patrols will stay the same.
At the Frome police enquiry office, visitors can: n Report crimes in person n Receive signposting to other
n For more on the Frome new office, including up-to-date opening times and more, visit www.avonandsomerset.police. uk/contact/police-stations/ frome-enquiry-office. And for more on the Frome Neighbourhood Policing Team, see www.avonandsomerset. police.uk/your-area/frome-town.
From left; Supt Lisa Simpson, Inspector Rachel Clark, PCSO Lou Perry, PC John Ross-Osborne, Enquiry Officer Nicky Gold and PCSO Will Mortimer outside the new police enquiry office in Frome Picture: Avon & Somerset Police
Well-heeled history of shoemaking is well covered at new Somerset museum
THE new Shoemakers Museum - celebrating the well-heeled history of the footwear industry in Somerset - has officially opened in Street.
The "cultural landmark", in the heart of Clarks Village, Street, opened today (September 18), coinciding with the 200th anniversary of the globallyknown brand.
Bosses say the museum celebrates "the evolution of shoemaking, style and identity - not just as a product, but as a reflection of British life, global influence and local pride".
Set across four immersive galleries, the museum invites visitors to explore the journey of one of the UK’s most iconic brands - from its Quaker beginnings in Somerset to global runways and subcultural icons.
Sheepskin slippers, desert boots, Britpop stagewear and school shoes share space with rarely seen archival materials, promotional films and prototypes - bringing to life 200 years of innovation, nostalgia and design.
Yet the museum tells a story far greater than the sum of its exhibits, according to Rosie Martin, director, who said: "This is a museum about people - their craft, their community and the shoes that became part of life’s biggest milestones.
"Whether you remember your first pair of Clarks or you’re discovering the story for the first time, this is a space for connection, creativity and collective memory."
Shoemakers Museum was built not only in Somerset but by Somerset, she said, with a team of local contractors, designers and engineers coming together to shape its striking new home.
The architectural vision was led by Bristol-based Purcell, who wove together a 16thcentury manor house, a 17th-
century barn and a new brick corbelled extensionconstructed using bricks supplied by Northcot Brick in Gloucester.
Vobster Architectural, based in Radstock, supplied the bespoke stonework that gives the museum its visual identity - from grand cast stone columns to finely detailed copings and surrounds.
These pieces, crafted and engineered locally, form both the aesthetic and structural backbone of the new building, embodying the same pride in precision that defined generations of shoemakers in Street, the museum said.
Inside, the museum’s storytelling comes alive through the work of Nissen Richards Studio, whose award-winning team worked with Shoemakers Museum staff to create the exhibition’s immersive design - including recreated Clarks shopfronts from the 1950s and 1980s.
Structural engineering was delivered by Mann
Williams, while the build was delivered by Melksham-based Rigg Construction, including the fit-out of the on-site café.
Quantity surveying for the base build was provided by Currie & Brown, while Greenway Associates acted as the QS for the museum fit-out.
The museum shop was fitted out by Resolution Interiors, while the gallery spaces were delivered by Realm.
In a surprise twist beneath the galleries, Shoemakers Museum also houses an internationally significant collection of marine reptile fossils, discovered in the layer of rock beneath the Clarks factories.
First collected by Alfred Gillett, a Clarks family member and amateur palaeontologist, the fossils place Somerset’s story in the wider sweep of deep geological time, revealing layers of history both literal and symbolic.
"The museum stands not just as a tribute to the Clark family legacy," said Cato Pedder, chair of the Alfred Gillett Trust. "But as a platform for future generations to explore creativity, community and cultural identity - through the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.
"More than a museum of shoes, this is a living, breathing tribute to the community, powered by the people who built it - from Quaker founders and factory workers to today’s local contractors, historians and volunteers."
n Shoemakers Museum, at The Grange, Clarks Village, Street, is open daily from 10am to 5pm. For more informationand to book tickets - visit www.shoemakersmuseum. org.uk.
Ace rusty rackets club gets funding boost
ASOMERSET tennis club has received a boost to scheme aimed at getting people back on the court.
Somer Valley Tennis Club, in Radstock, has received funding from The Ralph and Irma Sperring Charity to support its popular Rusty Racketeers sessions.
The weekly sessions are designed to encourage those who are either new to tennis or returning to the sport after some time away, giving players the chance to build confidence, develop skills, and enjoy the social and physical benefits of tennis in a welcoming environment.
The Rusty Racketeers sessions have become an important part of the club’s programme, helping players progress and integrate into other activities across Somer Valley Tennis Club, said Jenny Perez, chair of the club.
“We are extremely grateful to
The Ralph and Irma Sperring Charity for their generous support,” she added.
“The funding will ensure we can continue running Rusty Racketeers, which plays such a vital role in encouraging participation and growing our tennis community.”
George Persson, trustee of The Ralph and Irma Sperring Charity, said: “We are proud to support Somer Valley Tennis Club. Rusty Racketeers is a fantastic initiative that helps people of all ages gain
confidence, stay active, and reconnect with the sport they love.”
n For more information about Somer Valley Tennis Club and its programmes, visit https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/ SomerValleyTennis.
Somerset screening events could save lives
"LAST year we potentially saved at least one life, possibly more – so we just had to do it again this year."
That was the message from Freemason Adrian Robson, who is organising prostate cancer screening days for men in Somerset.
It comes after last year's events saw around 150 men tested at centres in Taunton and Keynsham - including Kevin Chard, pictured.
After having a test Kevin, who was in his mid 50s, discovered he had prostate cancer.
The Radstock native attended a screening organised by Somerset Freemasonry, and his blood test and further scans
revealed he did have prostate cancer, but it was caught early.
He’s since had an operation.
He said: "Like a lot of men I don’t like going to see a doctor, so when I heard about the tests being offered by the Freemasons I decided to go along.
"My PSA blood test came back 48 hours later and showed that my PSA level was three times higher than normal.
"Various scans and biopsies later showed that that cancer was present but thankfully it has been caught early and the prognosis is that I should make a full recovery."
Kevin is now urging other men to get tested at screening days at the Yeovil Masonic Hall on October 4 and at Nailsea
Masonic Hall on November 10, with both running from 10am to 1pm.
The tests, which are available to the general pubic, are being organised in conjunction with the Graham Fulford Charitable
Trust, which organises private screening tests for prostate cancer – in the absence of a national testing programme on the NHS.
Freemason Adrian, who is organising the Somerset screening days, added: "Prostate cancer is the biggest killer of men. More than 13,000 men die from it each year in the UK but if it is caught early it is very treatable. That is why screening like this is so important."
n The cost for the test is £26, with people urged to register in advance through https://www. somersetfreemasons. org/2025/04/03/somersetfreemasonry-psascreening-2025.
George Persson, trustee of The Ralph and Irma Sperring Charity, with Jenny Perez (chair), Jenny Barton (co-ordinator), Martin Carruthers (treasurer), and attendees of the Rusty Racketeers Club
WORK on a £40 million new train station in Somerset is in “the exciting phase”, according to a county MP. Gideon Amos (Lib Dem, Taunton & Wellington) said despite a “litany of unfunded promises” from the previous Conservative government, the project was now back on track.
Initially approved, the station plan was put at risk amid financial problems, with the new Labour administration re-evaluating all proposed projects.
However, following continued efforts by MPs including Mr Amos – and Devon MP Richard Foord –stations in Cullompton and Wellington are among the few still set to be built, a decision confirmed in July.
And Network Rail believes to station could be welcoming commuters in around two-anda-half years’ time, he said.
The update came after the MP welcomed Network Rail officials Bogdan Lupu, industry programme director, and Marcus Jones, route director, western, to Wellington to talk
More details of Wellington station plan revealed - amid row over credit for project...
about the scheme.
“I was pleased to welcome Marcus, a senior director of Network Rail, and Bogdan to Wellington who updated me on their work reassembling the project team and planning out the first phases of the project,” Mr Amos said.
“The Conservative government left a litany of unfunded promises to build entirely new railways all around the country. When chickens came home to roost after the election, a review was inevitable.
“I’m delighted that –working with my colleagues on Somerset and Wellington town councils and with MPs across party – we succeeded in ensuring Wellington station will be one of the few around the country that will now be built.
“It’s disappointing we had to lose so much time while the money was being found, but we’re now in an exciting phase. If you’ll excuse the pun, the wheels are finally in motion.”
Comments on funding shortfalls from the previous government come after former Taunton Deane MP Rebecca
Pow – whose constituency covered the Wellington station area – wrote in a letter to your Leveller of her work to bring the project forward.
She said it was “surprising that the Liberal Democrat MP for Taunton and Wellington (Mr Amos) failed to mention the
many years of dedicated work carried out by my office with the support of the previous government to make the Wellington station a reality”. However, Mr Amos said
work was now under way on “final plans” for the scheme.
“Initial designs completed last year are now being reviewed and updated with work under way on the final plans,” he added.
“Initial designs completed last year are now being reviewed and updated with work under way on the final plans.
“Once they’re completed, hopefully by the spring, we’ll get a full schedule for the construction phase.”
The location of the new station – on the main LondonPenzance line – means work would need to be carried out in phases, the MP said, including at weekends.
“Contractors are still being re-engaged and therefore have not yet provided timings,” he added.
“I’ve also made inquiries regarding access to the proposed spine road from the Lidl car park following recent coverage in the press.
“I have been told that contractors are on site, and the work is due to be completed in the next couple of months.”
Taunton & Wellington MP Gideon Amos at the site with Network Rail chiefs, and inset below, his predecessor, Rebecca Pow
Work starts to bring landmark Glastonbury factory back to life
WORK to transform an iconic former factory in Glastonbury into a "vibrant workspace for startups, ambitious local businesses and local community use" is underway.
Construction firm Beard has started essential work to redevelop the former Baily's Tannery and Glove Factory, at Beckery Old Road.
The building is owned by the Beckery Island Regeneration Trust, whose trustees said the start of the work was the culmination of decades of work.
And when complete, they said the transformed buildings would host a "sustainable hub for local start-ups, small and growing businesses, as well as a range of spaces for community use".
Trust chair, Ian Tucker, said: "This is a positive moment for the Trust and many people who have worked for years to restore the Baily’s Factory.
"We have always said that this project is about so much more than restoring old buildings, as important as that is. It’s about bringing them back into meaningful use for the community and businesses of today.
"We are delighted to see the construction work now fully underway and look forward to working with Beard, Dowlas
and the whole project team to create a space where our local community and businesses can thrive."
Baily's was a major employer in the town until closing in the 1980s. The company initially operated as a tannery, glove and rug manufacturer in the 1800s before specialising in sporting goods - producing items including boxing gloves worn by the likes of Henry Cooper, Muhammad Ali and Floyd Patterson.
Matt Cooper, regional director at Beard, added: "These buildings are such an important part of Glastonbury’s history. It's a privilege for us to be part of their transformation.
"Our initial focus is on ensuring the structures are safe and sound, laying a strong foundation for what will
become a major asset to the community.
"I know how much work has gone into getting the project to this stage. As a business with a track record of supporting similar projects in Somerset, we’re very proud to support the transformation of this iconic space."
Matt Tyler, director at Dowlas Property Group, which is managing the Baily’s Buildings project, said:
"Securing Beard as the main contractor for the Baily’s Buildings restoration marks another major milestone in delivering these long-awaited spaces back to the local community.
"Beard’s expertise in building ambitious spaces, combined with a commitment to environmental responsibility,
sustainability and social value, makes them an ideal partner for this landmark project.
"Residents and visitors can expect to see the buildings restored sensitively to their former glory over the next year or so and will see, first hand, true regeneration of an area that has been neglected for decades," Matt added.
"The work will transform this part of Beckery Island to become a thriving area once again with improved access routes, the creation of sustainable wildlife habitats and, importantly, a revival of the strong sense of community that once existed here."
This phase of work is supported with funding of £6.3 million from the Glastonbury Town Deal and is expected to be completed some time next year.
Scooter rider killed after crash between Glastonbury and Pilton
A SCOOTER rider was killed after a crash near Glastonbury on Wednesday afternoon (September 17).
The incident, which involved four vehicles, occurred on the A361 between the town and Pilton at around 2.25pm.
Police said the crash involved a
Lambretta scooter, a Polestar car, a VW Transporter van and a Range Rover Sport.
“The rider of the scooter was taken to hospital where he sadly died of his injuries the following day,” an Avon & Somerset Police spokesperson said.
“His family have been updated and are
being supported by a specially trained officer. No other injuries were reported.
“The road was closed to allow initial investigation work to be completed but reopened a short while later.”
Anyone with information about the crash should call 101, reference 5225262133.
The former Baily's buildings are being redeveloped to create a workspace for start-ups, business and the community
Picture: Jason Bryant
Join Our Team – Casual Funeral Bearers Wanted
F
orsey and Son Funeral Directors (based in Butleigh, Glastonbury and Somerton) and Trotman Funeral Directors (based in Cranmore, near Shepton Mallet) are looking for compassionate and dependable individuals to join our dedicated team as casual bearers.
Forsey and Son Funeral Directors was founded in 1946 and remains a proud, independent, family-run firm. We offer a personal, professional and sympathetic service with complete flexibility to meet the needs of the families we serve.
Trotman Funeral Directors joined the Forsey and Son family in 2014 and has been rooted in the village of Cranmore and its surrounding community for over four generations.
Both firms are proud members of the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors and
the National Association of Funeral Directors. These professional bodies uphold strict codes of practice, helping us ensure the highest possible standards of care and transparency at every stage.
The Role
We are currently looking for casual bearers to assist with funerals and support our work in caring for the deceased and their families. This flexible and rewarding role involves being part of a close-knit team, helping people at a time when it matters most.
You don’t need prior experience –just a respectful, calm presence and the ability to support others with care and professionalism.
Please contact Sam Forsey on samuel@forseyandson.co.uk for more information.
Selworthy
Picture: Liz Elmont
A new bench in Victoria Park, Frome
Picture: Debbie Hawkes Taxi!
Picture: Kai Curwen
Picture: Sam Osborne
Picture: Chloe's Forever Captures
West Pier in Watchet
Picture: Peter Mather
A goldfinch Picture: David Kenwright
Greyface Dartmoor and Devon and Cornwall Longwools waiting for breakfast near Burnham-on-Sea
Picture: Sadie Champion
Picture: Stacey Victoria Chaplin
Picture: Beth Bartlett
Picture: Sue Freeborough-Cadence
School wall collapse killed new grandad
ASOMERSET building company has been fined after the “horrific” death of an employee – who was crushed by a falling wall while working at a county school.
Gary Anstey died after a 1.8 metre-high retaining wall collapsed onto him during work at Swainswick School, being carried out by H Mealing & Sons Limited.
The 57-year-old, from Bristol, who was father to sons Shaun and Scott, was crushed to death.
Now, an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), has found the company failed to properly plan and supervise the construction of the retaining wall.
This led to it becoming unstable when a large load of aggregate was placed against the incomplete wall which was not supported, the HSE said, in breach of safety guidance for
such work.
In a victim personal statement Gary’s wife, Anne, said: “Gary’s workplace should have been a safe place to work – he should have come home as he always did – and now he hasn’t been here to celebrate all the family milestones and that is something that we as a family
have to live with.”
She added: “Gary was 57 years old when he died. He was always full of life and he had recently become a grandad for the first time.
“He has missed Scarlett grow up into a funny loving girl and missed out on the celebration of
Scott and his wife buying their first house, all the children starting school and many other milestones in our lives.”
Mealing & Sons Limited of Northend, Batheaston, Bath, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
The company was fined £56,775 and ordered to pay £44,000 in costs at Taunton Magistrates’ Court on September 11.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Ian Whittles, said: “This was a horrific incident which had heartbreaking consequences.
“It happened because of a lack of planning and coordination, which is all too common in construction activity.
“With simple clear procedures and appropriate training this incident would not have happened.”
Gary Anstey was killed by the falling wall at a school in Bath Pictures: HSE
Homes plan at rear of property
PLANS for six homes on land behind a Bridgwater property have been submitted.
James Venton Planning & Building Design has applied to Somerset Council for permission to build the houses on land to the rear of 139 St John Street.
The outline application – which does not include detailed plans – said the site was currently “redundant”.
“The site falls within the recognised development boundary of the town of Bridgwater,” it said.
“The principle of development in this location therefore is acceptable, subject to the detail.
“An indicative site layout plan accompanies the proposal, although the application is submitted in outline form.”
The property, 139 St John Street, is a former funeral
directors which has been the subject of plans for conversion into a six-bed house of multiple occupancy (HMO).
Behind number 139 is a patch of scrubland which is no longer in use.
n For more details on the scheme, and to comment, log on to the Somerset council website - somerset.gov.uk - and search application reference 08/25/00171.
Quick news
E-scooter injury
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy was left in hospital after crashing on an e-scooter in Chard.
The incident unfolded near B&Q, on the A358 Furnham Road, at around 5.30pm on Tuesday, September 16.
“The boy came off a stand-on e-scooter and was airlifted to hospital where he remains for treatment,” an Avon & Somerset Police spokesperson said. “His family are aware. Thankfully his injuries are described as neither life-threatening nor life-changing. Officers would like to thank members of the public who stopped to help at the scene.”
The road was closed between Furnham Close and Victoria Avenue, and reopened at around 11pm. Call 101, reference number 5225261287, if you saw the incident.
139 St John Street, above, and right, how the homes could be built
Last-minute lottery pledge saves multi million-pound pier restoration project
THE multi million-pound project to restore Birnbeck Pier in Westonsuper-Mare has been handed a £5.5 million lifeline – ahead of a vote to halt the scheme.
North Somerset Council (NSC) had been poised to stop work on the redevelopment of the landmark after the RNLI withdrew a £5.5m pledge to the scheme, amid fears over guarantees of its future.
However, ahead of a crisis vote over the project last night (September 16), a gathering of the authority was told The National Lottery Heritage Fund has stepped in to replace the money – meaning the scheme can continue.
Councillors, rather than vote on postponing the scheme, voted in favour of awarding the contract to restore the structure of the Grade II*-Listed pier.
The contract award was previously due to be determined at the July full council meeting – but was thrown into disarray after the RNLI withdrawing days before.
Just last week, the councillor with responsibility for the project said the withdrawal of RNLI funding risked the “effective closure of the project to restore Birnbeck Pier for now”.
Yet, the contract has now been awarded to Mackley, a specialist civil engineering contractor with extensive experience and expertise of working in a marine environment and with heritage structures.
Birnbeck Pier is the only pier in the country to link to an island, consisting of 15 sets of cast iron trestles, topped with a wooden deck with bench seating and lighting.
This phase of the project has been made possible thanks to £15,544,799 in total from The National Lottery Heritage Fund
(made up of this most recent grant of £5,544,799 in full added to the £10m previously awarded in October 2024), as well as funding from the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the UK Government and Historic England.
Total funding for the restoration has now topped £20m, with NSC also committing capital funding to cover risk contingency.
Councillor Mike Bell, leader of NSC, said: “We had a setback earlier in the summer, but we promised to work right up until the eleventh hour to try to find a solution, and I am delighted our efforts have paid off.
“We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Put simply, this lifeline has saved the day. Without it, the future of Birnbeck Pier would have been in real danger.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, whose support makes this possible, we can now press on with plans to restore this extraordinary part of our coastal heritage for generations to come.”
Cllr Mark Canniford, cabinet
member responsible for the Birnbeck Pier project, added: “Just a week ago we faced the prospect of closing the pier restoration project down. Today, it’s full steam ahead.
“This new funding proves national confidence in our plans. It safeguards a Victorian treasure, unlocks over £20m of investment and means we can crack on with restoring public access to the pier and island.
“Together with the approved work for the landside buildings, which is now underway, we have made great strides forward.”
Eilish McGuinness, chief executive of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Birnbeck Pier is a unique part of our coastal heritage that has been at risk of loss for over 25 years. The additional grant reflects our commitment to saving heritage at risk and investing in the communities it belongs to.
“The restoration of the pier is a transformational project, enhancing and regenerating the cultural and economic landscape of Weston-super-Mare and
providing enjoyment for generations to come.
“Birnbeck Pier holds a special place in people’s hearts and memories. The energy and commitment of local people and organisations working hard to secure its future and place the pier back at the forefront of Weston-super-Mare has been integral to getting to where we are today.
“We know that any major project and investment of this scale will have risks, but we are committed to working collaboratively with North Somerset Council, Historic England and UK Government to make this project happen.
“Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future and this project will do that.”
Work on the pier structure is due to start by the end of this year, being completed by the end of 2026.
n For more information on the Birnbeck Pier restoration project, visit www.n-somerset. gov.uk/BirnbeckPierProject.
Councillors were given the shock good news from Eilish McGuinness at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, inset Picture: NSC
Poll reveals Somerset's 'best places to live'
FROME has been crowned the ‘best place to live’ in Somerset and Bristol.
The 2025 rankings from independent business website, Muddy Stilettos, has revealed its top-10 of towns, villages and areas in Somerset and Bristol.
And the east Somerset town of Frome comes out on top, with North Somerset’s Clevedon coming second, and the county’s only city – Wells – in third.
The rankings were put together using an online poll and recommendations.
“From fabulous shops and places to eat, to great schools and community spirit, these are the places worth moving to,” a Muddy Stilettos spokesperson said.
On Frome, they added: “This community-minded town is packed with arty, artisan shops, eateries and other businesses, with an indie cinema and a
music venue where the likes of Paul McCartney ‘just pop in’. And it hosts the best designermaker-producer street market in the west.”
Hero Brown, founder and editor-in-chief of Muddy Stilettos, added: "When people move home, they’re searching for more than just a house, they want to find a new lifestyle that works for them.
"Our exclusive Reader Vote gives them a fresh perspective that can make their search easier.
"It’s hard to be confident on whether a location is the right place for you, but we’ve built our reputation on having first-hand knowledge on the in-the-know places to live and places to go.
"This Reader Vote gives a truly independent view on the towns and villages with the most popular postcodes, schools, restaurants and amenities."
The top-10 best places to live in the Muddy Stilettos Reader PollSomerset and Bristol category - for 2025 are:
1. Frome
2. Clevedon, below left
3. Wells, below right
4. Castle Cary
5. Larkhall, Bath
6. Dulverton
7. Glastonbury
8. Bruton
9. Southville, Bristol
10. Chew Magna
SEND system is failing children, families and councils, Somerset MP tells Commons
SEND education in Somerset and beyond is "on the brink of bankruptcy" and failing children, families, and councils, according to a county MP.
Sarah Dyke (Lib Dem, Glastonbury & Somerton) called for urgent reform of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system during a Westminster Hall debate last week, warning the current approach is "adversarial".
The MP, who serves as vice-chair of the f40 group representing the 43 worstfunded education authorities in England, thanked petitioners who had brought the debate to Parliament, including 221 from her constituency.
In the Commons, she highlighted the human impact of a system "on the brink of
bankruptcy", including the case of Caroline, from North Cadbury, whose daughter Lucy - described as an “intelligent and capable girl” - has been left “falling through the cracks” despite being on track to do well in her GCSEs.
Lucy, who has autism and mental health challenges, has faced a long wait for diagnosis and is now fighting for an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
Ms Dyke shared Lucy’s mother’s words, saying: "The very systems that are supposed to support her are, in fact, ignoring her."
The MP also warned that the increasing number of EHCP applications - up 26% in Somerset alone - was putting significant strain on council budgets.
EHCPs, which cost £6,000 to create, are not suitable for every child, she said, yet are often
presented as the only route to support.
"Changing an EHCP is arduous, expensive and timeconsuming," she said. "It often does not matter whether a child has an EHCP if the school they attend is not equipped to provide the support outlined in the plan.
"This is a structural barrier that is impeding common sense."
Calling on Ministers to take action, Ms Dyke urged the Government to use an upcoming schools White Paper to deliver a more flexible, properly funded and child-centred system.
"If these priorities are not central to the system, we will continue to fail a generation of children," she added. "We need to recognise diversity and provide the education of the future now."
Weston park makeover gets underway
WORK is underway on to makeover a popular North Somerset green spacemeaning some areas will be closed to the public.
Grove Park, in Weston-Super-Mare, is being updated as part of a North Somerset Council (NSC) plan.
John West Contractors are carrying out the work, set to be completed by the end of the year, which includes: redesigning the park’s main entrance to include additional planting, new seating, installation of a sustainable draining system, re-surfacing and signage removing the existing public toilet block constructing a new public toilet block, to include an accessible toilet and baby changing facilities, back into the park near the café.
As a result, some pay and display parking bays in the Grove Park car park, in Grove Road, will also be suspended at times, though the car park will be open. Signs and barriers will be installed when these closures are necessary.
Councillor Mark Canniford, NSC cabinet member for sustainable places and
service transformation, said: “It’s great to see the next stage of physical work starting on this project, which will help to draw more people from the town centre to enjoy this beautiful green space. In turn, we hope this will boost footfall and support increased trade in the town.
“It’s a key priority for the council to involve the local community in shaping
plans. I was delighted that over 120 people attended the Grove Park Gathering event last summer and to see that those people’s comments fed the plans now being delivered.
“We apologise for any inconvenience caused while the work is being carried out but we’re sure people will be very pleased with the improvements once complete.”
Jon Bass, director at John West Contractors, said: “We at John West Contractors are immensely proud of securing projects of this stature for North Somerset Council.
"We have a long and established affiliation with both local councils and seeing projects like this being awarded to Weston-super-Mare based contractors not only champions the local supply chain but benefits our directly-employed staff who live in and around the Weston area, and ensures continued enjoyment of the park for many years to come.”
People can find out more about the plans, including detailed drawings, by visiting n-somerset.gov.uk and searching planning reference 24/P/2162/R3.
Grove Park is getting a new look
Picture: Paul Blakemore
Find out why the Mendips rock at festival!
PEOPLE are being offered the chance to find out more about the secrets beneath their feet at an upcoming event.
The Mendip Rocks! Festival of Geology runs from October 1 to 25, featuring everything from guided geo walks to behind-thescenes quarry tours.
Organised by Radstock's Somerset Earth Science Centre, in partnership with the Mendip Hills National Landscape team and The Mendip Society, the festival also overlaps Earth Sceince Week.
And the Somerset Earth Science Centre will be celebrating the achievements of women in geoscience on Saturday, October 18, with an afternoon of lectures delivered by leading female geologists, each showcasing their expertise and highlighting the vital role of women in advancing our understanding of geology.
A Family Museum Open Day on October 25 will act as the finale to the festival, giving visitors the chance to explore the centre’s extensive collection of fossils, rocks and minerals.
People are also invited to bring their own finds for identification by expert geologists.
The event will also celebrate the extraordinary life and legacy of pioneering fossil hunter Mary
Anning, with a rare chance to view a detailed replica of the renowned Lyme Regis statue currently on loan from the Geologists’ Association.
Lou Sumbler, festival co-ordinator at the Somerset Earth Science Centre, said: "The Mendip Hills are truly unique. The festival offers a fantastic chance to explore how geology has shaped our landscape over millions of years and provides
Ansford Academy
rare opportunities to discover some of the area’s best kept geological secrets.
"There’s something for everyone, including family fun days, geo walks, tours of working quarries, specialist lectures, and much more."
Jim Hardcastle, manager of the Mendip Hills National Landscape Team, said: "We are delighted to be able to deliver Mendip Rocks! again this year.
"It is an opportunity to share the special qualities of the Mendip Hills National Landscape with local people and to reach new audiences.
"Many visitors are not aware of the fascinating geological history and formation of these incredible hills, so we are excited to have such a range of events taking place this year."
n For more information and to book, visit https://www. eventbrite.com/cc/mendiprocks-2025-4600963.
Open Evening and Open Morning
Year 6 and Year 5 families are warmly invited to attend our open events
OPEN EVENING
Thursday 2nd October: 5.00pm until 7.30pm
Please join us to hear from our Head of School and take a tour around our school Presentations will take place in PA2 at: 5.15pm and 6.00pm no need to book in advance
OPEN MORNING
Wednesday 8th October: 9.30am until 11.00am
You are invited to come and see our students in action School Tours will take place during the morning no need to book in advance
“At Ansford we are aiming high and dreaming big” Year 11 Head Students
We are celebrating our best GCSE results in recent years, marking a significant milestone in our school’s academic journey. We are committed to creating a great place to learn, work and grow; learning together to lead our lives
Fresh warning over cosmetic procedures
ARISE in beauty treatment providers in North Somerset –including one handed 22 health and safety notices – has prompted a warning to those on the lookout for Botox, dermal fillers and more.
North Somerset Council has urged people to be cautious when considering non-surgical cosmetic procedures, following a rise in complaints about unsafe practices.
The council said treatments such as dermal fillers and Botox are growing rapidly – but there is no legal requirement in the UK for practitioners to meet minimum standards for training or infection control.
Now, NSC says it is “taking proactive steps to improve safety in the local aesthetics sector”, with the Food and Commercial Safety Team now including inspections of premises offering cosmetic treatments into their workplan,
targeting one a month, as well as responding to all complaints. They cited a recent case which saw the council issue 22 health and safety prohibition notices to a single practitioner, stopping them from performing certain procedures until they can prove they are doing so safely.
Councillor James Clayton, cabinet member for safety in the community, said: “Invasive
STREET
146 High Street Street, BA16 OER 01458 448355
YEOVIL 41 Forest Hill Yeovil, BA20 2PH 01935 713676
TROWBRIDGE
2B Paxcroft Way, Trowbridge, BA14 7DG 01225 764800
BRIDGWATER
Unit 1, Jessie Lee Cl, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 4ZP 01278 551494
thinking about having any kind of cosmetic procedure, it’s important to take sensible precautions and ask the right questions first.”
For anyone considering an aesthetics procedure, NSC has produced a checklist of questions, available online at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/ cosmetic.
treatments such as injections and thread lifts can pose serious health risks if not carried out safely. We’ve seen first-hand the risks involved when cosmetic procedures are carried out without the right training or hygiene standards.
“While many practitioners are responsible and well-trained, the current lack of regulation is putting people at risk. If you’re
“Until new UK-wide licensing rules are introduced, we will continue to use existing health and safety laws to intervene and take action where there is an immediate risk to the health of North Somerset’s communities,” Cllr Clayton added.
n Anyone worried about the safety or hygiene of a local clinic, salon or individual offering cosmetic procedures should report their concerns to foodandsafety@n-somerset.gov. uk or the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Yeovil maternity part of national probe
ANATIONAL investigation into maternity services in the UK will include Yeovil District Hospital, the Government has announced.
In May, facilities at Yeovil closed amid “concerns about the safety of the care for babies and children” following inspections which resulted in a Section 29A warning – that care required “significant improvement”.
Now, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting (Lab, Ilford North) has named 14 hospital trusts that will be looked at as part of an independent investigation into maternity and neonatal services across England – including Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust/Somerset NHS Foundation Trust.
The probe will be led by Baroness Valerie Amos and the government said it would “put families at the heart of the work
and affected families were asked to provide input to the draft terms of reference".
Those Terms of Reference, the government said, have been developed to “focus on understanding the experiences of affected women and families, identifying lessons learned and driving the improvements needed to ensure high quality and safe maternity and neonatal care across England”.
The investigation comes in response to what the Labour administration said were “systemic problems in maternity and neonatal care dating back over 15 years”.
Mr Streeting said: “Bereaved families have shown extraordinary courage in coming forward to help inform this rapid national investigation alongside Baroness Amos.
“What they have experienced is devastating, and their strength will help protect other families
Live-in Care
from enduring what they have been through.
“I know NHS maternity and neonatal workers want the best for these mothers and babies, and the vast majority of births are safe and without incident, but I cannot turn a blind eye to failures in the system. Every single preventable tragedy is one too many. Harmed and bereaved families will be right at the heart of this investigation to ensure no one has to suffer like this again.”
He said the investigation will urgently look at a range of services across the entire maternity system, following independent reviews across multiple trusts that have revealed a pattern of similar failings: women’s voices ignored, safety concerns overlooked, and poor leadership creating toxic cultures.
Baroness Amos will then deliver a set of national recommendations to improve care, with interim recommendations delivered in December this year.
Yeovil MP Adam Dance at a recent demonstration against the closure of maternity services at the town hospital
Yeovil MP Adam Dance at a
demonstration against the closure of maternity services at the town hospital
MP Adam Dance (Lib Dem, Yeovil) said: “Families in Somerset will understandably be concerned to see Yeovil District Hospital included in this national review of maternity care. It is vital that the voices of parents and staff are heard, and lessons are finally acted upon.
“I am pleased the Health Secretary has listened to the concerns I and others have raised, and that Yeovil has been included in this review. This shows just how serious the challenges are, but it also underlines the need for trust management to be open and transparent with the community.
“I welcome the recent commitment to re-open Yeovil’s maternity unit, but families still need clear timelines and stronger communication to rebuild confidence."
“Expectant parents deserve to know that services will be safe, compassionate and reliable when they return.
"My priority is making sure that happens, and I will continue to hold the Trust and Government to account until it does.”
Maternity services in the town remain closed, with a recent update showing around 200 babies had been born away from Yeovil, instead being delivered in Taunton, Bath, or Dorchester.
'We must take wildlife crime seriously'
WILDLIFE crime across England and Wales is being systematically overlooked, under-recorded, and inadequately addressed, leaving thousands of wild animals unprotected.
This is the stark warning contained in our new report, titled Policing Wildlife Crime: Make Wildlife Count.
Drawing on Freedom of Information (FoI) responses from 33 police forces and a detailed survey of 128 frontline officers and call handlers, the report exposes serious gaps in how wildlife crime is recorded, investigated, and prosecuted.
The report’s findings are accompanied by an open letter to DEFRA, the Minister for Policing, and all Chief Constables and PCCs across England and Wales, calling for urgent reform.
The report highlights a disturbing pattern: wildlife crime is consistently treated as a low priority, despite the significant impact it has on biodiversity, public safety, and the rule of law.
Ultimately, the findings in this report highlight an urgent
need for reform.
Making wildlife crime notifiable would allow for consistent national data collection, better trend monitoring, and stronger enforcement, improving outcomes for both wildlife and communities.
JIM CLARK Naturewatch Foundation
Housing problems
IN your recent issue of the Somerset Leveller, there were several articles on new housing developments. It is intended that all of these developments take place on existing agricultural land. This is a great error for which we will suffer in the future.
In 1945, our population was about 53 million and by the end of that year food rationing dropped to its lowest level since the start of the war.
As I well recall, many good people went hungry. Currently, our population is about 70 million and is continuously being increased by illegal migrants who can afford to pay about £1,000 to cross from France.
FACT OF THE WEEK
HAVE you ever exclaimed, in a moment of shock or outrage, 'Gordon Bennett!'?
And have you ever wondered who Mr Bennett is, if he existed at all?
Well, we can clear that up for you.
The phrase is believed to have originated due to the reputation of James Gordon Bennett Jr, the son of Scottishborn James Gordon Bennett Snr - founder and publisher of the New York Herald paper in 1835.
Junior - who went by Gordon Bennett to distinguish himself from his father - was a well-known socialite (modern tabloids might label him a 'playboy') who spent
I cannot understand why France is considered to be an undesirable country. I worked there very successfully for nearly 20 years and my brother lived and worked from there for 40 years.
France is about twice the size of the UK and the population is about the same.
In the past, some poorlyconsidered legislation, such as the premature retirement age and the shortened working week, led to the collapse of many small, once-thriving businesses.
In some areas there is a serious shortage of labour. So why are these illegal immigrants allowed to come here when there is work available in France?
It is only to live, with every convenience, at our expense.
Any new house that may be built will be unaffordable for Somerset people.
They will be purchased as second homes or for rental purposes by outsiders.
We have seen how this works from watching our televisions.
Since Mrs Thatcher destroyed our long-established social housing system, any
much of his time (and his father's money) enjoying the good life and launching motor and air racing events in Europe.
He is even listed in the Guinness Book of World Records under 'greatest engagement faux pas' after his engagement to Caroline May was broken off after a drunken incident involving his potential in-laws' fireplace at their New York mansion, but the less said of that the better, apparently.
Suffice to say, his antics became well known, and his name forever associated with shocking or unexpected events.
James Gordon Bennett Jr passed away in 1918, but his name truly does live on.
affordable homes will be purchased by government agencies to house illegal immigrants and others. It is complete madness to allow houses to be built on agricultural land, essential for our future survival, when there are plenty of opportunities to around existing towns to build on neglected or derelict sites.
MICHAEL TARRANT Wincanton
A lack of bonhomie!
THE opening page of the Castle Cary and Ansford magazine flags up the friction that exists between the town and parish councils.
How ironic it is therefore that Castle Cary Town Council is embarking on a £1 million Pither Pavilion fundraising scheme to build the ninth ‘rentable’ public hall within the two administrations with the clearly stated intention that ‘our community’ can get together socially.
It is a great shame that this ‘bonhomie’ is so resolutely absent at council level.
DORIAN
WOOD Castle Cary
Gordon Bennett, it's only James Gordon Bennett Jr and his admirable moustache!
Planning | Highways | Licensing |
SOMERSET
COUNCIL
TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1990, TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING (DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE) ORDER 2015, PLANNING (LISTED BUILDINGS & CONSERVATION AREAS) ACT 1990
Notice is hereby given that the following applications have been received by Somerset Council & any person who wishes to make representations should do so in writing within 21 days of the date of this notice quoting the application number. Representations should be made online or posted to Planning - East Team, Somerset Council Cannards Grave Rd, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5BT. Responses received will be made available for public inspection. Applications can be viewed on https://publicaccess.mendip.gov.uk/online-applications/.
App No:2025/1616/FUL & 2025/1617/LBC Address: Orchardleigh House Village Pump To Lullington Lane Lullington Frome by: S Hill for: Conversion of Orchardleigh House Basement from storage area to Champagne Bar and Spa associated with Wedding Venue. App No:2025/1596/LBC Address: Flat 2 2 Bath Street Frome BA11 1DG by: L Berrett for: Replace 3 sash windows in 3rd floor flat with like-for-like replacements in timber. The applications below do not accord with the provisions of the Development Plan in force in the area in which the land to which the application relates is situated: App No:2025/1374/FUL Address: Land At 368913 147215 Park Hayes Leigh On Mendip by: S James for: Erection of an attached 3 bedroom dwellinghouse. App No:2025/1565/OUT Address: Tanglewood Top Street Pilton by: A Dix for: Application for Outline Planning Permission with all matters reserved for demolition of existing dwelling & erection of 2 detached dwellinghouses.
Planning East Team Dated:24/09/25
Somerset Council - Planning North Team Town & Country Planning Act 1990
Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2015
Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990
Notice is hereby given that the following applications have been received: Application No. 54/25/00014: Land to the North of Combe Lane & Land to the East of Woolavington Hill, Woolavington, Bridgwater, TA7. Outline application with some matters reserved, except access, for residential development to provide up to 170No. dwellings including affordable housing, public open space including dedicated ecological areas, & associated access, drainage, landscaping & ancillary works. This proposal is a major development & may affect a public right of way. Application No. 51/25/00024: Land At Cokerhurst Farm South Of Wembdon Hill & North Of, Quantock Road, Bridgwater. Variation of Condition 3 of Planning Permission 51/19/00003 (Hybrid (full & outline) application. Full application for the erection of 238 dwellings, formation of two new means of access onto A39, pedestrian/cycle link onto Wembdon Hill, public open space, parking & landscaping. Outline application with all matters reserved, for up to 437 dwellings, 500sqm (A1-A5) and/or community uses (D1)), 2.2ha site for up to 2 Form Entry Primary School & bus gate/emergency access via Inwood Road with associated infrastructure, landscaping & works.) to amend the approved plans in schedule A to allow for a change to the height of a retaining wall within Phase 1 of the development. This proposal is a major development, is of public interest & may affect a public right of way. Application No. 51/25/00025: The Cider Barn, Moores Lane, Wembdon, Bridgwater, TA5 2BB. Erection of a swimming pool & ancillary recreational building. This development may affect the setting of a public right of way. (Householder application). Application No. 37/25/00048: Land To The East Of Taunton Road, Adjacent To Portman Drive, Taunton Road, North Petherton, Bridgwater, TA6. Application for modification of Planning Obligation (Section 106 Agreement) dated 18th June 2020 relating to Planning Permission 37/18/00097 to amend the s106 Mortgagee Exclusion Clause within the Affordable Housing Schedule to match the standard NHF wording to enable charging the plots at Market Value Subject to Tenancy (MV-T). This proposal is a major development. Application No. 17/25/00066: Brecon, The Hayes, Cheddar, BS27 3HP. Erection of a two story side extension North elevation & erection of a single storey rear extension West elevation. This development may affect the setting of a public right of way. (Householder application). Application No. 37/25/00068: Old Playing Field Site, Stockmoor Drive, North Petherton, Bridgwater, TA6 6LG. Application for Permission in Principle for the erection of 9No. dwellings. This development may affect the setting of a public right of way. For applications identified as householder, if an appeal against a refusal of planning permission is submitted, there will be no further opportunity to comment at the appeal stage. Comments welcome by 15/10/2025. Applications can be viewed online https://sdc.somerset.gov.uk/planning_online, or at Council Offices & libraries. Any comments must be submitted in writing either online, by email PlanningCommentsNorth@Somerset.gov.uk or posted to Planning - North Team, Somerset Council, Bridgwater House, King Square, Bridgwater, TA6 3AR (quote the application no). Please include your name & postal address so your comments can be recorded. Responses will be made available for public inspection. We aim to comply with current Data Protection legislation; please refer to our Privacy Notice at https://www.somerset.gov.uk/planning-privacy-notice. Dawn de Vries, Service Manager - Planning North Team. Dated: 24/09/2025
Somerset Council Town & Country Planning Act 1990
Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2015 Planning (Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas) Act 1990 Notice is hereby given that the following applications have been received: Affects the Character of a Conservation Area - Application:18/25/0015 Variation of Condition No. 02 (approved plans) of application 18/25/0008 for revisions to elevations for increase of extension flat roof height at Little Paddocks, Halse Road, Halse. Affects the Setting of Listed BuildingApplication:38/25/0147 Removal of BT payphone and installation of 1 No. BT Street Hub on pavement outside 151-152 East Reach, Taunton The applications can be viewed online www.somerset.gov.uk/planning-west or at Council Offices & libraries. Comments must be submitted in writing either online, by email planningwest@somerset.gov.uk or posted to Somerset Planning West, County Hall, Taunton TA1 4DY within 21 days (quote the application number). Please include your name, postal & email address for your comments to be recorded. Responses will be made available for public inspection. We aim to comply with current Data Protection legislation; please refer to our Privacy Notice at https://www.somerset.gov.uk/planning-privacy-notice. Date Published : 24/09/2025
Somerset Council
Town and Country Planning Act 1990, Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) Order 2015, Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
The following applications have been submitted to the Council.
Anyone wishing to make representations about an application should do so within 21 days of the date of this notice via our website www.somerset.gov.uk/planning-buildings-and-land/ where the applications can also be viewed. If you are unable to use our online services, please contact our Customer Services Team on 0300 123 2224 who will be able to support you in accessing these services. Any representations received will be made available for public view.
Bruton 25/02202/HOU & 25/02203/LBC 14 High Street BA10 0AA Removal of the cement render and replacement with lime render, replacement of the existing front door with a new timber hardwood door and adding rear pedestrian access by opening infilled gateway and creating doorway with timber door.
Chard Town 25/01932/LBC Lloyds Pharmacy 59 - 61 Fore Street TA20 1QA Alterations to the layout of the ground floor by adding stud walls to create appropriate work space for our business.
Chard Town 25/02239/LBC 129 High Street TA20 1QT Change roof material on rear leanto roof. Add new rooflights in rear lean-to roof. Add WC to first floor.
Crewkerne 25/02240/HOU & 25/02241/LBC 89 Hermitage Street TA18 8EX Conversion and extension to existing garage and addition of a rooflight to utility.
East Chinnock 25/02296/LBC The Stables Dawes Farm Fordhay BA22 9EE Proposed Removal of Internal Wall.
Horsington 25/02224/S73 Building At Coldhills Lane S73 Application to vary Condition 02 (approved plans) to reduce the overall building cost without effecting the overall appearance relating to planning consent 25/00885/FUL; Demolition of existing agricultural building and erection of single self build dwelling including associated works and landscaping
Ilminster 25/02120/HOU Latitude Coldharbour Barns Park Lane Donyatt TA19 0RN Erection of a single storey extension.
Lovington 25/01874/FUL & 25/01875/LBC Brue Farm Hornblotton Green Road BA7 7PP Addition of orangery on the western elevation, and removal of external stone walling to access the orangery.
Mudford 25/02159/LBC Castle Cottage Main Street BA21 5TE Removal of a 3.2m section of a 4.85m brick wall (front garden - boundary wall) and the creation of a block paving parking space with an EV charging point.
Mudford 25/02160/LBC Castle Cottage Main Street BA21 5TE Relocation of kitchen and associated works, installation of wet under floor heating system and remedial work to internal cement rendering and gypsum plaster.
West Camel 25/02235/HOU Willows Howell Hill BA22 7QX Demolition of existing utility room and erection of a single storey extension to side of dwelling.
Wincanton 25/02259/LBC Studio At 7 High Street BA9 9JN Replacement of shop windows; closing up of 3 windows and a door and installation of WC.
Yeovil 25/02177/FUL & 25/02178/LBC Pardoes Solicitors Glenthorne House 38 Princes Street BA20 1EQ Erection of a frontage wall and railings, including piers, formation of hardstanding between the wall and Glenthorne House’s facade and removal of Magnolia Tree subject to a Tree Preservation Order.
Public Notices
TRAFFIC NOTICES
Somerset Council
Parish of Queen Camel
Temporary Closure of Sutton Montis Road
Somerset Council in exercise of its powers under Section 14 (1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 as amended, propose to make an Order prohibiting all traffic from proceeding along: Sutton Montis Road - from the junction with Marston Road, southeastwards for a total distance of 1314 metres. This Order will enable Openreach to carry out cabling works.
The Order becomes effective on 8th October 2025 and will remain in force for eighteen months. The works are expected to commence on 17th October 2025 and last until 17th October 2025 between the hours of 09:30 - 15:30 for a total of 6 hours. Please visit https://one.network/?tm=144599891 for further information on the alternative route.
For information about the works being carried out please contact Sunbelt Rentals on telephone number 0370 050 0792 quoting reference number ttro589505S.
Duncan Sharkey, Chief Executive Dated: 24th September 2025
Statement of Reasons for making the Order a) because works are being or are proposed to be executed on or near the road; or b) because of the likelihood of danger to the public, or of serious damage to the road, which is not attributable to such works.
Somerset Council
Various Roads, Taunton in the Parish of Taunton (Temporary Traffic Restrictions) Order 2025
Somerset Council in exercise of its powers under Section 14 (1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 as amended, intends to make an Order, the effect of which will be to introduce temporary traffic restrictions as specified in the Schedules below. This Order will come into operation on the 8th day of October 2025 and will remain in force for eighteen months.
The works are to be phased, as signed on site, and expected to commence on the 15th day of October 2025 until the 7th day of January 2026 (24 hours) to enable Wales & West Utilities to carryout gas main replacement works. The restrictions will only apply when indicated by traffic signs.
A copy of the draft Traffic Regulation Order and the associated plans can be examined at www.somerset.gov.uk/TRO. Please visit www.one.network for further information on the alternative route
For information about the works being carried out please contact Wales & West Utilities, by telephone on 08009122999.
Duncan Sharkey, Chief Executive. Dated: 24th September 2025
Schedule 1
Temporary One-Way (Northbound Only) Lyngford Road, Taunton - From the junction with Priorswood Road to the junction with Grange Drive
Schedule 2
Temporary Prohibition of Vehicles Barlinch Close, Taunton - For its entire length Eastwick Road, Taunton - From the junction with Buckland Road in a southerly direction for a distance of 376 metres Lyngford Road, Taunton - From the junction with Eastwick Road to the junction with Winslade Close
Schedule 3
Temporary Footpath Closure Footway between Victory Road and Lyngford Road, Taunton - From the junction with Lyngford Road for a distance of 69 metres
Statement of reasons for making the Order a) because works are being or are proposed to be executed on or near the road b) because of the likelihood of danger to the public, or of serious damage to the road, which is not attributable to such works.
Nature lovers to gather in Glastonbury
NATURE lovers will gather in Glastonbury for a special event to celebrate all things environmental.
The Somerset Wildlife Trust (SWT) will host Wilder Together 2025, an annual celebration event for nature and wildlife lovers, at the Red Brick Building on October 18.
Running from 11am to 3.30pm, the celebration invites communities, volunteers, and nature lovers from across Somerset to "celebrate local action for nature and climate".
"It is open to anyone who has been taking meaningful action for nature or climate at home, at work, or in their local community — bringing like-minded people together to share ideas and inspiration," a spokesperson said.
"Attendees will enjoy inspiring short talks from
community-led projects for the first part of the day, which this year will include Draycott Wildlife Group, the Recorders of the Avalon Marshes (RoAM), and Enmore Wildlife Group.
such as climate adaptation, nature connection, and naturebased solutions.
"There will also be plenty of networking opportunities throughout the day, and lunch will be provided."
fully subsidised places available to make the event accessible to all.
"In the afternoon, there will be a choice of workshops available that explore themes
n For more details, and to reserve a place at Wilder Together 2025, visit the Somerset Wildlife Trust website at somersetwildlife.org/ wilder-2025. A range of activities and talks will be on offer at Wilder Together 2025
Tickets are available on a pay-what-you-can basis, with
Festival of WELLS
Picture: SWT
60 years of rail innovation set to steam into Somerset at special gala show
SIX decades of express steam locomotive development will be showcased at an upcoming rail event.
The West Somerset Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala is on the line between October 17 and 19 - as the year of Railway200 draws towards its close.
Locomotives from the 19th and 20th century will feature, with the older of the pair being London and South Western Railway T3 Class number 563.
Dating from tbe 1880s, the T3s were designed by William Adams and worked the premier express trains of the LSWR on the routes from to London Waterloo to Southampton or Exeter.
En route to the latter they would have been a familiar sight passing through Gillingham, Yeovil Junction, Crewkerne and Honiton.
As the 19th Century approached its end the improving standards of railway carriage comfort meant the weight of the elite express services became too great for the T3s but they continued to find useful employment on
secondary passenger trains.
Number 563 was eventually saved for preservation and spent time at the now closed Clapham Transport Museum and the National Railway Museum in York before entering the care of Swanage Railway.
Now restored to working life, it will make its first visit to Somerset in nearly a century.
The LSWR’s rival for passenger custom between South West England and London was the Great Western, which at the time when number 563 was built, still ran broad gauge expresses to Plymouth and Cornwall.
The last trains to travel on Brunel’s 7 feet and a quarter inch track gauge ran in 1892 and the 1900s saw new generations of ever larger express steam engines constructed.
The first 'Castle' class emerged from Swindon in 1923 and 11 years later. Nunney Castle emerged. Numbered 5029, Nunney Castle will also feature in the October event, taking a more leisurely break from its usual work on mainline excursions as part of the fleet of Locomotive Services Limited.
Viewing the pair at the same event will show how far steam locomotive design progressed in six decades.
n Details of other steam engines set to take part in the West Somerset Railway Autumn Steam Gala - and advance tickets - are available via www. west-somerset-railway.co.uk or on 01643 704996.
Spirit of the Blues will be on show at concert Events
SPIRIT of the Blues will be performing at the Music on the Levels free concert on Sunday, October 26, at St Mary’s Church, Westonzoyland.
The concert starts at 3pm and refreshments are available at modest charge from 2.15pm.
Julia Titus, actress, poet, singer and songwriter, recreates the songs of the great vaudeville singer of the 1920s, Bessie Smith, accompanied by Mike Denham on keyboard and Steve Graham on the cornet.
Expect to hear classics including Careless Love, Nobody Knows When You're Down and Out, Gimme a Pig Foot (And A Bottle of Beer), and of course Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight.
In order to help with the artists’ and other costs a raffle is held and donations are encouraged.
The Nunney Castle pictured in the 1980s Picture: Les Chatfield
Arrow words Crossword
Sudoku 3D puzzle
Cryptic crossword
1 French novelist recalled hint in enclosure for play? (7)
Place 1 to 9 once into every black-bordered 3x3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines. Rows don’t cross the thick black lines.
5 Some group reprimanded for homework (4)
(7)
Test a soprano maybe (5) 3 Insincere person adorning type of bus (6-6)
Very intelligent person gets support at
10 Upset bird fluttering around boss, mostly (7)
11 Very intelligent person gets support at home (5)
12 Difficulty about extremes of day in pastoral poem (5)
4 Independent writer carrying athletic vest drink (6)
(5)
Difficulty about extremes of day in pastoral poem (5)
13 Show vocal disapproval of soldier with energy in dance (6)
Killer Sudoku Pro
15 Regular day set for swimming (6)
6 Feel strongly about India amid terrible zeal
7 Long for portion of soup in eatery (4)
8 Get side panicky and most nervous (7)
9 Unlimited zone bringing up valuable stuff minimum temperature (8,4)
14 Delight titled English actress first off with worker (7)
17 Large dish for all to see among wooden articles (6)
19 Sound resounding again in three choirs (2-4)
20 Hide in hole electrical connection (5)
23 Origin, we’re told, in course (5)
24 Provide too many staff in rickety Rome van (7)
25 Competitive former Irish footballer by the sound of it (4)
26 Fall into ruin – as a snooker player by table might do? (2,2,3)
Place numbers 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3x3 box. No digit may be repeated in any dash-lined cage, and all the digits in any cage must add up to the value shown in that cage.
16 Carry out economy in middle of week in of former partner (7)
(7)
Florid rubbish largely supported by two counties (6)
Amorous man more excited when holding Oscar (5)
(4)
and most nervous (7)
9 Unlimited zone bringing up valuable stuff and minimum temperature (8,4)
14 Delight titled English actress first off with worker (7)
16 Carry out economy in middle of week in wake of former partner (7)
18 Florid rubbish largely supported by two counties (6)
21 Amorous man more excited when holding Oscar (5)
22 Flag I removed close to park in long journey (4)
Home & Garden
As spring garden catalogues land - meet your foolproof bulb for post-Christmas colour
by Sally Gregson
AS the spring bulb catalogues drop through the letterbox, it’s a very pleasant summer task to look through and choose bulbs for planting in the autumn.
Checking out the details online often throws up new ‘must-haves’.
It’s easy to get carried away.
Pots of spring bulbs make very acceptable Christmas presents for gardening friends and relatives.
Or perhaps a more exotic plant.
Potted hippeastrum, that we used to call amaryllis, have been developed over the years and some of the new forms are especially lovely.
These will flower in glorious Technicolor after Christmas, long before the spring bulbs are
up and about.
A good-sized hippeastrum bulb should produce more than one flower spike, and are so easy to grow, they are foolproof.
The old favourites, H. Red Lion and H. Apple Blossom deserve their reputation, but there are many new varieties to choose from.
For example, try H. Apricot Parfait with large soft apricotpink flowers with amber flares from a central green throat. It would certainly make a very welcome present at Christmas-time.
Plant the bulb in a pot just slightly larger than the bulb itself, that is adequately drained. Position the bulb so its top third remains exposed above the compost.
Then water it in well initially, but be sparing thereafter while
the bulbs start to grow. Put it somewhere warm to start it off – a sunny, spare bedroom windowsill, for example.
But once the flower-buds start to arrive you can prolong the flowering by keeping it a bit cooler – about 18 centigrade is ideal, if possible.
Once the flower is over, cut back the head, leaving the green stalk, and feed it every 10 days
with a liquid fertiliser.
If the plant is still in leaf by next September, stop the watering and feeding and allow it to die down and go dormant for a time.
Once the top starts to show a little green again, repot it, water and feed it again, and it will soon produce another dramatic flowerhead or three to cheer the coldest months of next year. Or the year after.
Hippeastrum Red Lion ‘deserves its reputation’
Chase away dark days
by Sally Gregson
IT seems such an exaggeration to call what we do to persuade hyacinths and other early bulbs, ‘forcing’. They hardly need any encouragement to grow and flower. It’s the flowering time that we try and control.
In early December, supermarkets and garden centres like to sell pots of blue, pink and white hyacinth that are at just the right stage to open their flowers at around Christmas, but for any other coloured hyacinths, or any other bulbs, it’s up to the gardener to prepare them.
There are lesser-known colour-ways of hyacinth which could be ‘forced’ into flower at the darkest time of year. Prepare the pots by midOctober using ordinary potting compost. Place the bulbs close together without touching, with their pointy tops showing by about 1-2cm above the soil line.
Water thoroughly, drain them and place them in a cold, dark place – about 35˚ c – for at least 12 weeks.
If the bulbs start to pull themselves out of the soil in the meantime, gently push them back and put on a layer of grit to weight them down without covering them entirely. Grow the bulbs on until the shoots have reached about 2.5cm, then move them to a light, cool but frost-free spot.
Other bulbs can be treated similarly. Little pots of diminutive Iris danfordiae start flowering early in the year. And the flowers of I histrioides will fill a windowsill like bright butterflies. Spring cannot be far away.
Hyacinths come in a wide variety of colours
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Gold chain sparkles at Somerset auction
GOLD, silver, jewellery and watches achieved top prices at a Somerset sale.
There was plenty of sparkle at GTH's recent Somerset Auction Rooms sale, where prices continue to please, organisers said.
And strong demand from buyers online and in person at the Sedgemoor Auction Centre, at Junction 24 in North Petherton, saw the prices soar.
The top entry was an antique 9ct gold fob chain, hallmarked Birmingham, which went for £1,150.
An attractive Victorian sapphire and old cut diamond ring also hallmarked Birmingham - despite lacking three of its original diamonds - sold for £800.
A Victorian silver cup and cover, hallmarked Sheffield 1838, went for £750, and an antique 15ct rose gold curb bracelet, also hallmarked Birmingham, this time 1901, sold for £620.
Just behind this was a 1920s sterling silver tea service,
comprising a teapot, sugar bowl and cream jug on ball feet, decorated with oblique gadrooned edges. Hallmarked London 1920. It went for £600.
An assortment of 18ct gold items, including a single oval cufflink, a pair of dress studs and a ring, sold for £560.
A ladies Cartier wristwatch, which was not working and did not have its original strap, also charmed bidders. The Les Must De Cartier model in a silver gilt rectangular case, with associated paperwork and guarantee card, went for £550.
A 9ct gold figaro link chain necklace with a parrot clasp and a Birmingham hallmark sold for £520, while a good quality 18ct white gold and diamond dress ring, hallmarked London 1990, went for £500, while a collection of monogrammed sterling silver flatware by CR Boas of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, featuring five table forks, six side forks, 12 cake forks and 1916 fork with a Sheffield hallmark sold for £480.
Meanwhile, an appealing
Victorian coromandel wooden vanity box complete with original engraved silver topped glass cosmetic pots, trinket dishes and scent bottles sold for £450, although one of the scent bottles was chipped and the original key was missing. It was hallmarked London 1865 with the insignia of Thomas Whitehouse, a well-regarded silversmith.
An 18ct gold open face pocket watch with a finely engraved back and with original
fitted case and key went for £440. And two silver fruit bowls also performed well. An American one went for £325 and a George V hallmarked in Dublin sold for £300.
n The next jewellery, silverware and watches sale takes place at the Somerset Auction Rooms on October 2, from 10am. For more information or to consign entries contact the GTH team on 01278 410250.
Push the boat out to land a baby transporter favoured by the royals!
SILVER Cross prams have been a favourite of families through generations - including the Royals.
Now, a collection of the baby transporters a lifetime in the making will go under the hammer this week.
On Sunday (September 28), Hansons Auctioneers in Staffordshire will be selling prams gathered over 50 years by Brian and Shirley Bromwich, from Coventry.
One ornate model dates back to 1878, while another is a 1930s art deco pram from France. But the jewel in the crown is a Millson Prince, a near-identical model to that used by generations of royal children – including King Charles III and more recently, Princess Charlotte.
In total, the collection could notch up £10,000.
Great grandmother Shirley, 87, said she fell in love with prams as a child adding: “I don’t know what it was about them but if a relative or anyone in the village had one I was just fascinated.”
The pair's collection, many of which date from the heyday of the British pram in the 50s
and 60s, includes models by the finest makers including Marmet, Manton, Osnath and the Rolls Royce of luxury prams – the Silver Cross.
Shirley bought her first pram, a navy-blue Silver Cross, for her son, Martin, in 1960.
“It cost £36, and I remember my mother telling me it would be bad luck to buy it too early, but I just couldn’t wait to push it up and down the hall,” she said. It was the start of a huge collection – with each pram lovingly and meticulously restored to its original grandeur.
Husband Brian, 87, who worked for tractor manufacturer Massey Ferguson, was a car restorer in his spare time with a
passion for Austin 7s.
He said: “I had my cars, and Shirley wanted her own thing, which soon became my thing. I was happy to help."
Now with six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, the couple have made the difficult choice to downsize the collection, which they keep in a large garden shed.
Hansons Auctioneers’ toy and doll expert Janet Rawnsley author of the book, The British Pram, said: “Many of these prams are museum-quality pieces that reflect the evolution of early childhood transport."
The prams are part of the Super Sunday auction, at Bishton Hall, Staffordshire, from 10.30am on Sunday (September 28). For more details, visit hansonslive.co.uk.
Somerset top of the table for doggy diners!
SOMERSET is the doggy dining capital of the UK, according to new research from restaurant chain, Bill’s.
The firm, which has a café outlet at Clarks Village in Street, has named the branch the busiest for four-legged customers out of all its UK outlets.
New data released by ManyPets pet insurance and Bill’s Restaurants reveals the top five UK destinations where dog-diners are most at home – and Somerset takes the lead, closely followed by Cardiff Bay, Lewes, Greenwich and Braintree.
Bill’s said the findings shine a light on a growing trend for dog-friendly high streets and dining spaces as more pet owners choose to share everyday moments – from shopping trips to brunch – with their canine companions.
“At the heart of Somerset’s win is Clarks Village shopping
outlet in Street, a venue fast becoming famous for its dog-friendly credentials,” said a Bill’s spokesperson.
“From dedicated dog events and its own Canine Executive Officer to winning DogFriendly’s Award for the UK’s most dog-friendly shopping centre, it’s a hotspot for pet lovers and their pooches.”
Chris Davis, centre director at Clarks Village, said: “At Clarks Village, we know dogs are part of the family – which is why we’ve made sure the outlet is as welcoming for them as it is for their humans.
“This includes being an outdoor shopping outlet with wide paved walkways, landscaped gardens, water bowls, and dogs are welcome in many of our brands."
Now, to celebrate the continued partnership between ManyPets and Bill’s, dogs dining at Bill’s can enjoy a free
Scoop’s Ice Cream for Dogs –available across all 45 Bill’s restaurants nationwide.
Sheri Williamson, marketing director at Bill’s, said: “We encourage our guests to bring their dogs because we know eating out can be a wonderful experience shared with our four-legged family members.
“In 2024 alone, more than 9,000 dogs tucked into our delicious dog menu – and Somerset is clearly leading the pack when it comes to doggy dining.”
And Aimee Gardiner, head of propositions and partnerships at ManyPets, added: “Here at ManyPets, we’re passionate about helping owners make the most of life with their dogs.
The doggy dining leaderboard – top five regions for dog visitors at Bill’s (2025 YTD): n Somerset (Clarks Village) n Cardiff Bay n Lewes n Greenwich n Braintree
Food & Drink
Win a year's supply of meals!
WELLS Food Festival takes place next month - and people could win a year's supply of meals from one brand.
Somerset-based Charlie Bigham’s is offering visitors a chance to win a year’s supply of their delicious meals at the October 12 event.
Charlie Bigham, a headline sponsor of the annual festival, will feature alongside attractions including a historical photography exhibition on the site of the Quarry Kitchen and an upcycling competition featuring the brand’s iconic wooden trays.
Founder, Charlie himself, said: "We’re thrilled to be back at the Wells Food Festival for the sixth year. It’s a stone’s throw from our Quarry Kitchen and, as always, it’s great to be a part of this brilliant celebration of the Southwest food scene.
"There is amazing talent to see across the region and this festival celebrates everything it does so well, from passionate small producers to wonderful street food.
"With over 300 employees in the Somerset area, we’re proud to be a local business and are looking forward to meeting many of the people who enjoy our food."
The brand is also offering Wells Food Festival visitors the chance to win a year's supply of Charlie Bigham’s meals through an upcycling competition, with participants challenged to repurpose the brand’s iconic wooden trays and give them a new lease of life.
The stand will be set up with all the tools visitors need to embrace their artistic side and demonstrate their creative flair to take home the top prize, with runners up also rewarded with Charlie Bigham’s vouchers.
Open from 12 - late everyday! Sundays 12-5pm
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Business, legal & finance
Somerset Business Awards officially open
ENTRIES are now open for the Somerset Business Awards.
Judges, sponsors and businesses gathered to launch the 21st running of the event during a reception at Hestercombe House and Gardens, near Taunton.
Organised annually by the Somerset Chamber of Commerce, the awards have honoured scores of businesses, charities and individuals since they started – and leading accountancy firm, Albert Goodman, is returning as the headline sponsor for the 16th consecutive year.
Albert Goodman patner, Mike Cahill, said: "The Somerset Business Awards are a fantastic way to celebrate the drive, innovation and success of businesses across the county.
"As main sponsors, we’ve seen first-hand the real benefits of taking part — from raising a company’s profile and building credibility, to motivating teams and creating exciting new opportunities.
"Somerset has such a vibrant business community, and these awards are a wonderful chance to showcase that and be recognised for all the hard work that goes into running a successful business."
The awards are the county’s largest annual business awards, are free to enter, and businesses do not need to be a member of the Chamber to take part.
David Crew, managing director of the chamber, said: "Taking part is a great way to raise your profile, engage your staff and celebrate your achievements.
"There are 14 categories which cover all sectors and sizes of businesses and charities and we know past winners have gained new business as a direct result of the publicity they received as an award-winner.
"The awards are a great way
to share success stories and I am grateful for the sponsorship and support of so many of Somerset’s leading businesses."
Organisations have until November 21 to submit their entries via the Somerset Business Awards website - at www.somersetbusinessawards. org.uk.
Tickets for the grand final, which will be held at the Bath & West Showground on Thursday, March 26, next year
are already on sale via website and the chamber’s website, at www.somerset-chamber.co.uk.
Categories open for entries at the Somerset Business Awards are:
n Small Business of the Year sponsored Gather Technology Ltd
n Medium Business of the Year sponsored by Brown & Brown
n Large Business of the Year sponsored by UCS College Group
n Albert Goodman Family Business of the Year Award
n Best Use of Digital Technology Award sponsored by Westcotts
n Charity of the Year Award sponsored by Clarke Willmott
n Employer of the Year sponsored by Stephens Scown
n Investing in Somerset Award sponsored by Hinkley Point C
n Start-up of the Year Award sponsored by Battens Solicitors
n Apprentice of the Year Award sponsored by University Centre
Weston
n Environmental and Sustainability Award sponsored by Agratas
n Service Excellence Award sponsored by Porter Dodson
n Manufacturing and Engineering Award sponsored by CNC Recruitment
n Business Resilience and Growth Award sponsored by Barclays
£170,000 of support on offer to Somerset businesses for eco efforts
BUSINESSES in Somerset can apply for a new grant to help them cut emissions and cut energy bills.
Somerset Council is rolling out the next phase of the Somerset Green Business Grant, which offers small and medium size businesses (SMEs) practical help and financial support to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions.
The schemes are funded from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Local Growth Fund.
Around £170,000 is being allocated to the scheme, with grants of between £2,000 and £15,000 available, with equal match-
funding needed from applicants.
Councillor Mike Rigby, the council’s lead member for economic development, planning and assets, said: “We want to support our local businesses to reduce the amount of energy they use. This is a ‘win-win’ situation which will lead to a lower carbon footprint while reducing outgoings through reduced energy costs.
“I would urge businesses who want to make energy savings and reduce greenhouse emissions to apply. There’s also support on offer via the Go Green scheme.”
The council is working with Net Zero specialist consultancy, Balanced Energy, to offer practical advice and support under the Go Green scheme, including:
n A fully funded, in-person energy audit
n A tailored sustainability plan
n New coverage of fleet and business travel emissions
n A clear, professional report they can use to show they’re on the journey to Net Zero
n For details on the scheme email greenbusinesssupport@somerset.gov.uk.
Sponsors and judges at the launch of the awards at Hestercombe House & Gardens, near Taunton
'Tranquil' Somerset touring park is up for sale
A‘TRANQUIL’ touring park at the foot of the Mendip Hills in Somerset has been put up for sale for the first time in 20 years.
Sanderson Weatherall are marketing Cheddar Bridge Touring Park, on the outskirts of the village, not far from Cheddar Gorge.
Describing the site as “idyllic”, the listing said the three-acre park has permission for seven static caravans and 48 touring caravans with 12-month holiday use.
“The park is currently developed with three static pitches, 38 touring pitches, 20 grass camping pitches and five glamping pods,” it added.
“Additional accommodation includes three onebedroom holiday apartments, one two-bedroom apartment, as well as a four-bedroom owner’s accommodation, all of which are presented to a high standard.
“Cheddar Bridge Touring Park has been thoughtfully developed throughout, taking full advantage of its superb location and the extensive facilities afforded by its proximity to the Somerset area.”
Lee Southan, associate partner in the specialist Caravan and Holiday Parks team, said: “Due to retirement Cheddar Bridge offers a desirable location, attractive accommodation, long established and profitable businesses with scope for further enhancement.”
n For more details on the park, or to arrange a viewing, call 01884 256 741, or email edwards.devon@ sw.co.uk.
Cheddar Bridge Touring Park is up for sale
Picture: Sanderson Weatherall
Pets
Meet the 10 Clarks Village Pawsome Pooch finalists - and cast your vote!
MEET the 10 finalists in the contest to be named CEO - canine executive officer - of Clarks Village in Street.
The Somerset outlet centre has unveiled the shortlist in its Pawsome Pooch initiative, with the public now urged to vote for their favourite for the ceremonial crown.
It comes after dogs and their humans went walkies at Clarks Village last weekend for a dog-friendly event, where they enjoyed free photo shoots, pooch pampering, dog trick and agility sessions, illustrated pet pawtraits and a dog treat pick ‘n’ mix.
At the heart of the Pawsome Pooch weekend, however, was the hunt for Clarks Village’s
new CEO, with nearly 400 adorable dogs hoping to sniff out the top spot.
Judges have now revealed their fur-midable shortlist of 10 finalists, who will go forward for a public vote on Clarks Village’s social media channels to pick the winner.
The pup with the most combined likes on Instagram and Facebook will be awarded the CEO title and receive a tail-wagging prize package worth more than £500, including shopping vouchers and a dog-friendly afternoon tea at Montigo Resorts’ Charlton House.
The Pawsome Pooch shortlist for Clarks Village CEO is: Dalmatian Ace, Miniature Dachshund Archie, Labrador
Leia, Australian Shepherd Maple, Maltipoo Nelly, Welsh Terrier Nessa, Long-Haired Jack Russell Terrier Otis, Saint Bernard Percy, Cocker Spaniel River and Rhodesian Ridgeback Rolo.
The winner will take the lead in the role from 2024 Pawsome Pooch winner Dudley, a three-legged Hungarian Vizsla rescue dog who has become a fur-miliar face at Clarks Village during his reign.
Dudley’s family was also asked to be part of the judging panel to help sniff out the top contenders.
Chris Davis, Clarks Village centre director, said: "Our Pawsome Pooch event was the best yet, with a record-breaking turnout.
"It was wonderful to see so many dog families enjoying the outlet and the puptastic free activities on offer, showcasing just how dog-friendly Clarks Village is. Choosing just 10 dogs for the shortlist was a ruff job, but picking the winner is now in the hands – or paws – of the public and we can’t wait to see who takes the lead."
Meanwhile, Clarks Village is in the running to once again win the UK’s Most Dog-Friendly Shopping Centre title at the DogFriendly Awards.
Guests can vote for the Street venue to retain the title - and be in with the chance to win £500 towards a dog-friendly holiday - atdogfriendly.co.uk/shops/ listing/clarks-village-shoppingoutlet-92386 before October 12.
The finalists of the 2025 Pawsome Pooch competition run by Clarks Village, in Street
Dudley, left, was the 2024 Clarks Village CEO
Tesco leads the way for EV chargers
ELECTRIC vehicle (EV) drivers looking for a place to top-up their battery have more options at supermarkets, according to new data.
The number of EV charging points at stores across the country has increased by more than a third (34%) in the last 18 months, according to data analysed by Zapmap and the RAC.
Between January 2024 and June 2025, UK supermarkets added 1,001 EV charge points at 260 locations, with the total number of supermarket charge points now standing at 3,917 –meaning five per cent of the UK’s 83,851 charge points are now located at shopping venues.
Of the total number of EV charge points installed in the last 18 months, 596 were rapid or ultra-rapid units.
In the EV supermarket charging league, Aldi tops the table for the biggest growth in chargers over the last 18 months, thanks to its new partnership with Shell Recharge.
From 199 units in 2023, the supermarket chain has almost tripled the number of units at its stores to 592, adding 393 chargers by June 2025.
Tesco remains the largest overall charging network, with 1,409 charge points across 633 locations, however, both Aldi and Lidl overtook Morrisons in the last 18 months, with Aldi in
second position and Lidl third with 411 units at 349 locations.
Morrisons still has the largest proportion of stores in its estate providing charging facilities but has seen little growth in charger provision over the period.
A total of 332 Morrisons stores out of 497 offer EV charging.
Next in line, with 35% of stores with charging points, is Lidl, followed by Waitrose at 24% and Aldi at 19%.
Sainsbury’s has also shown significant growth over the period, having invested in its own Smart Charge network of ultra-rapid chargers (150kW+).
It now boasts more than 375 charge points across 105 locations, more than double the 157 units in place at 56 locations in 2023.
Meanwhile, Asda’s EV charging rollout has stalled, with fewer than 2% of supermarket locations providing charging for its customers.
Differing approaches to charging provision are evident across the sector; Morrisons (99%), Sainsbury’s (91%) and M&S (89%) are almost exclusively focused on providing rapid-charge points, while others are taking a more mixed approach providing both rapid and low-powered options.
Supermarkets to watch, according to the data, with a
small but growing provision, are Co-op and M&S.
Iceland has also introduced EV charging at a small number of stores for the first time, installing five devices at two supermarkets across its 900-location estate.
RAC head of policy, Simon Williams, said: “A perceived lack of public charge points is one of the main reasons drivers give for not planning to get an EV next time they change their car.
“It’s therefore extremely encouraging to see so many supermarkets doing what they can to bust this myth by installing hundreds more charging units at locations across the UK.
“We now need to see every retail chain doing what it can to maintain momentum by increasing the number of stores that offer EV charging."
EV chargers in the car park at Tesco in Castle Street, Taunton
Picture: Google
Eight new homes - and hectare of open space - planned near Frome
PLANS for eight new homes and the creation of more than a hectare of public open space near Frome have been submitted – despite the same plan being refused earlier this year.
Lochailort has handed in a planning application to Somerset Council to develop a 1.54-hectare site at Fortescue Fields, at Norton St Philip.
The northern boundary of the site abuts Church Mead, home of the village cricket club, while the southern side neighbours the Ponds Country Park area.
It comes after a plan for up to 49 homes on the site was refused in June 2014, and later dismissed on appeal, and a 2019 application for 38 dwellings and multi-use community building was withdrawn. Then, in 2022, a bid to build 20 homes was also refused.
Now, after the same application was refused and dismissed on appeal in January, the developer has returned with amendments to the maintenance of the Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) – the reason for the plan’s dismissal.
“This factor was the only reason for dismissal,” the
application said.
It added: “The scheme has not been altered in terms of design following the appeal.
“The appeal was dismissed on ecological grounds and not those relating to landscape, design or heritage matters, or the location of the development.
“The council raised no objection in respect of highways and flooding/drainage grounds.” If finally approved, the plan would see one two-bed house, two three-bed houses, and five four-bed houses built on the site. Two affordable dwellings are also proposed in the development, the plan said.
n For more details, and to comment, see somerset.gov.uk, reference 2025/1515/FUL.
