Taunton Local January/February 2018 issue 26

ISSUE 26: JAN- FEB 2018 Keep me for 2 months.

What’s on - local upcoming events Resolving a legal dispute - With Maitland Walker Memories of Taunton with Nick Chipchase Out and about with our Mayor of Taunton Deane Paws for thought - the diaries of Ginger George

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Absolute Beginners to Improvers - Just Like You! The course is designed to be fun for absolute beginners who have never picked up a brush before, through to improvers.

Absolute Beginners to Improvers - Just Like You! The course is designed to be fun for absolute beginners who have never picked up a brush before, through to improvers.

Step-by-Step Guidance We adapt to each student’s needs and give them all the guidance

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and help they need to develop their artistic skills. The curriculum is fun, comprehensive and interesting. Over the course we will explore four different media; pencil drawing & sketching, oil pastel painting and techniques, painting and blending with water colours and acrylics. Step by step tuition in the basic techniques and secrets needed to create beautiful pieces of art.

Still Life To Landscapes By the end of the course, students will have created a minimum of 12 pieces of their very own original art they can enjoy forever, from simple still life and flower studies to beautiful countryside landscape scenes.

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Welcome EDITOR: Clive Smith hello@tauntonlocal.com

Welcome to the first magazine of the year! Hope you all had a nice Christmas and met up with old friends.

MAGAZINE DESIGNED BY: Word Gets Around No.2 The Crescent, Taunton, TA1 4EA 01823 256119 info@wordgetsaround.co.uk ARTWORK TO: hello@tauntonlocal.com DRONE IMAGE ABOVE:

welovetaunton.co.uk/pricing #welovetau Taken from a static position using Dji.com phantom vision 2+ on a non commercial basis at a distance greater than 150m.

Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this magazine are correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause.

Taunton Local Magazine hold no liability for supplied artwork from advertisers and contributors and views or advice contained within. So there!

So, who has made their New Year resolutions and who has abandoned them already? And who hasn’t actually got started on them yet? I never make them now, but it’s a good time to reflect on who you are and what you would like to be. January is like a clean slate and an ideal time to map out the year ahead, set goals and seek new paths.

My son had the honour of speaking at last years University College Somerset’s graduation day and it was amazing to watch the whole thing live on Facebook. Many of those young faces are on the verge of their first steps into their chosen careers – some already have work placements and some will be looking.

There are many paths to take and many decisions to be made – some good and some not so good. You don’t have to be young to make new starts, change direction or try something new, and I always think that January is a good month to start. So, that thing you told all your friends about that you are thinking of doing – just do it.

It seems that 2017 was another year of financial doom and gloom, with many of us feeling that our government-run institutions – from the NHS to our local councils – are underfunded. Maybe this year will see them running efficiently again. Let’s hope so. Meanwhile, we have something to brighten this year up, with a new royal baby due and a royal wedding. Even if you are not a royalist, those events will keep Brexit out of the headline news – for a while at least.

So, whether you’re renewing your gym membership, getting outdoors with the Taunton Ramblers, or joining the Open University, I wish you well for the new year ahead.

Clive

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Mayor of Taunton Deane 2017/18 Cllr Hazel Prior-Sankey

(1)

(2)

This is the time of year when we look back at what’s passed – and ahead to the future at the dawn of another year. It seems hard to believe it’s 2018 already.

This was a chance to celebrate the two civic charities – Hestercombe and Stand Against Violence.

As I said in my New Year message to everyone in Taunton Deane: I invite you to join me in looking forward in hope for a bright future. Let us pray for tolerance and kindness in our society and peace in our world in 2018. Wishing you all health and prosperity.

I have seen much evidence of tolerance and kindness in my role as Mayor of the Borough – the community groups, friendship clubs, groups set up to help those who may be struggling, - and, on behalf of Taunton Deane I would like to thank them for all that they do.

The other notable event was the carols in Vivary Park when we gathered at the Bandstand with lanterns and torches just a week before Christmas.

I also visited Musgrove Park Hospital during the holiday season to meet some of the patients and celebrate the new arrivals in maternity – wonderful! So I would like to wish young, old and those in between a healthy and peaceful 2018.

I have seen at first-hand how much these clubs bring to their community – laughter, fun, friendship and companionship. And I really enjoy getting involved in a knit and natter or craft session!

This gives me the chance to promote the annual Citizenship awards which aim to recognise our unsung heroes in Taunton Deane – please look out for the nomination process when it’s advertised.

I would also like to look back, briefly, at the close of 2017.

As Mayor and Consort, myself and Adrian attended many carol concerts and two stand out: the Mayor’s charity concert in St Mary Magdalene Church when the seasonal address was shared with the Bishop of Taunton, Bishop Ruth Worsley.

4.

(3)

Photos: The Mayor and Consort at the Christmas lights switch-on on Taunton; (1) the Mayor welcomed youngsters from Henlade Beavers at the Old Municipal Buildings in Taunton (2); The Mayor joined celebrations at the Children’s Wood in Taunton (3).

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Running & Fitness Coach When to give your body a break from running

By Verity Wright, www.runverity.com

Running can be uncomfortable, especially when you are just getting started, but it should never hurt. Aches and pains in the feet, ankles and shins are common among runners and, to be honest, most running injuries will go away in time. The best predictors of an injury are previous injuries so sometimes you need to think back, maybe you broke a leg or sprained an ankle as a child, this trauma can rear its head later in life, especially if you have just taken up running and have not exercised for a long time. We tend to lose our flexibility the older we get so it is so important to look after yourself once you start to take up running, especially as you increase your mileage.

Here are my top tips for helping you have a comeback plan

An important part of running is learning to recognise the warning signs of an injury early. Mild stiffness or tenderness that does not go away after a day or two’s rest or after the first few minutes of a run is one of the first signals. Ask yourself the following questions to see if you can determine the cause, it may be something very simple. Have you done anything different since you noticed your niggle? Are you doing too much too soon?

Are you overtraining? Are you having enough rest? Are you warming up and cooling down every time you run?

Do you need new trainers?

1. Don’t deny that you are injured, you must deal with it and accept your injury, but you may also experience some anger and depression and refuse to stop running.

However, you will reach a point where the pain forces you to stop. You will be able to return to your training plan if you allow the healing process the time that it needs.

Unfortunately, no one is injury-proof but before you panic, wait to see if the pain resolves itself within 24 to 36 hours. If it does, and you feel OK after your next run, that probably means you are good to go, however if you limp or notice a change in your running style, you need to stop and address the issue as this can lead to long term damage that may mean you should stop running permanently.

3. Keep up running friendships and support others in races, supporting is a great way to experience the race without the stress and it is appreciated by runners so much.

2. Stick to a routine, walk when you would have run, by sticking to your normal training routines you will still gain the psychological benefits of regular exercise.

4. Cross train so that you don’t end up feeling lethargic and fat, go swimming, do yoga or Pilates, strength training to build up muscle strength, go biking, it will really help fill the void.

Running is hard as you don’t see the results over night, it takes time, commitment and consistency but one of the things that running does teach you is to have patience.

5. Most importantly return to running with realistic expectations, start slowly and build gradually, set goals

You have to be extra patient when you are injured and being injured forces this patience upon you. You may have to create a Plan B if you experience setbacks and that can be hard...especially if it seems that everyone else is doing so well. A week can seem like a lifetime...

Verity Wright is an England Athletics Qualified Coach in Running Fitness and runs a successful Athletics Coaching business in the South of England. She competes as an endurance athlete in events from 10k to 42k over country, roads, fells and mountains. If you want to know more, you can visit her website www.runverity.com

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Fly by Falcon across the South West

The South West Falcon from Stagecoach is a coach service that connects Plymouth, Exeter, Taunton, Bristol Airport and Bristol city centre. All coaches feature free Wi-Fi as well as air conditioning, leather seats and charging sockets.

The Falcon runs through the day and night, 7 days a week, making it ideal for a trip to the January sales or a night out in Plymouth, Exeter or Bristol to chase those winter blues away.

A return fare between Taunton and Exeter or Plymouth costs just ÂŁ8 and only ÂŁ7.50 between Taunton and Bristol.

You can buy your return direct from the driver and is valid for up to 28 days. A group return costs just twice the price of the adult return and allows up to 5 people to travel together.

If you are under 25, over 60 or a concessionary pass holder you can buy a return anywhere along the route for only ÂŁ9. You can also pre-book seats for most journeys via megabus.com where prices for a single journey start at just ÂŁ1 (+50p booking fee).

To find out more about the Falcon visit: www.swfalcon.com.

Terms & conditions apply, information correct as of December 2017.

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Aviation in and around Taunton.

With Nick Chipchase Unlike Chard which calls itself “ The Home of Powered Flight “ pioneering aviation has passed Taunton by.

Nevertheless a few episodes of early aviation have touched the town in decades gone by.

The image shows James Beach’s Pioneer Aeroplane Works which was situated in his motor car garage in St. James Steet.The Aeroplane Works were only listed in a directory dating to 1911 so the venture soon ceased.

The aeroplane is powered by a version of the Gnome rotary engine introduced in 1908 which revolutionized the development of powered flight.The initial problem being lack of power to weight ratio. The image came from a collection of Beach family photos I was allowed to copy after the death of Eddie Beach and his wife. Jame’s son Eddie Beach was a well known local figure madly keen on motorbikes and on occasion likely to cycle around Taunton on a penny farthing bicycle.In later years the Beach company had a garage in Greenway Road which was taken over by Edwards and Sons in 1927.

On the 29th May 1912 the French aviator Henri Selmet landed his machine near the Quaker burial ground at Halcon Corner. He was on route from South Wales to Chard during The Daily Mail Air Race.Several photos of the landing were taken by the Taunton photographer Henry Montague Cooper. This caused a huge crowd to assemble to witness the event and Salmet, being rather a showman ,delighted the crowd by taking off again and circling a few times before landing again.Recently I acquired a signed postcard of Salmet in his cockpit which was given out at Taunton. No doubt he carried an ample supply in his aircraft.The Somerset County Gazette covered the event stating that “ shepherds neglected their sheep and stonebreakers sat with their hammers to gaze up into the sky “. In 1914 Selmet returned to Somerset but was forced to ditch in the sea off Minehead 10.

carrying the son of Henry Van Trump the owner of the St Augustine Street works and sometime mayor of Taunton.

Happily neither Salmet or his passenger were injured.

B.C. “ Benny” Hucks ( the first Englishman to loop the loop ) also landed at Minehead in 1914 in his Blackburn “ Mercury “ aircraft powered by a 50hp Gnome rotary engine .Hucks astounded passengers near Dunster station by racing his plane close to the train.The plane easily outpaced the train.Hucks and the plane reached Taunton at the end of his Minehead visit ironically by train as the weather was too bad for flying. During the First World War things quietened down and the next exciting visit to West Somerset were by three Avro 504 biplanes swooping low over the Dunster marshes on their way to the districts first air pageant. Sir Alan Cobham’s flying circus also appeared in the area two years later.

Taunton remained relatively quiet. There were some pleasure flights from a field off the Hamilton Road . The Taunton and West Somerset Gliding Club established itself in Galmington Fields ( now the Parkfield Road area ) giving flights to the public in 1934.Members included Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton Gault MP and local solicitor C.M.B. Kite. The club had one- seater and two- seater machines and they were towed by a car until they became airborne.The club is now at Dunkeswell where your brave correspondent made his one and only passenger gliding flight and accomplished a solo parachute jump from a powered aircraft from 2,000 ft. Neither are likely to be repeated. The site at Musgrove was earmarked for Taunton’s airport but like many things in the town events overtook the the ideas.

The Second World War saw the odd stray German bomb being dropped in rural areas but one direct hit demolishing a house in Eastleigh Road.

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7. Pressure (6) 8. Enthusiastic (4-2) 9. Medley (4) 10. Adventure (8) 11. Bond (7) 13. Poetry Term (5) 15. Insult (5) 17. Swiss Lake (7) 20. Flyers Perks? (3,5) 21. Extra (4)

23. Antique (3-3) 24. Magic Password (6)

1. Soothe (4) 2. Hard Drug(6) 3. Core (7) 4. Mote (5) 5. Item of Male Jewellery (6) 6. Mixed Race Person (8)

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12. Top Universities (8) 14. Live (7) 16. Representation (6) 18. Entangle (6) 19. Chute (5) 22. Incline (4)

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Travel Tehidy Holiday Park, Cornwall

By Tim Saunders – www.travelwriter.biz

Tehidy is a small village in Cornwall, near Portreath, St Ives and the coast. It is a magnificent part of the world and a memorable family holiday awaits you at Tehidy Holiday Park.

“I have ploughed everything I have made back into the holiday park,” explains director Richard Barnes, who purchased the five-acre site 10 years ago and runs it with his family. “It was pretty run down then and I set about updating it, even adding tarmac roads.” We speak during the height of the holiday season when he has 350 guests staying on site: camping, static caravans and in his selection of self-catering holiday cottages. “We keep being asked for larger cottages so we are renovating another one at the moment which will have all the bells and whistles.”

in his travel cot, which fits in between their beds without a problem. Caroline and I take the master bedroom with its double bed and doors onto the patio.

“The county’s finest beaches are just minutes away,” says Richard. He is absolutely right. The first one we visit is at Portreath, 10 minutes away. It’s an overcast day but that doesn’t matter, we enjoy the whole morning on the beach, paddling and making sandcastles and then have a packed lunch. We have to work our day around Henry’s sleep patterns and after lunch he likes a nap so most days we all pile into the car and head on road trips taking in St Ives and Penzance. At St Ives the weather takes a turn for the worse and Harriett and I have left our coats at the ranch but we brave it. We enjoy a walk around the seaside town and even make some pebble sculptures on the beach. We are all thoroughly sodden but it doesn’t matter we are having a great time. It’s such an arty place with so much character from its narrow roads and historic architecture. Penzance is bigger and home to national retailers but still a good place to visit.

We discover the best beach of all on our last day. It’s Porthtowan. A beautiful sandy beach and some great waves. We spend the whole day at Porthtowan, paddling, messing about in the sand and watching the lifeguards manage a huge crowd of surfers. There’s also a play area and some shops so an ideal day out for the young family.

It is a value for money offering and guests even benefit from wi-fi. There’s a play area and the site has been awarded a David Bellamy Gold Conservation Award, which acknowledges the mix of flower beds, Cornish hedges, trees, hedgerows, a small orchard, wildlife areas and wild flowers, scattered with wild strawberries for little fingers to find.

We stay in Lavender Cottage, a two-bed semi-detached stone built bungalow, with a slate roof. It provides comfortable accommodation for four. There are five in the Saunders family but this doesn’t pose a problem because our children quite happily share a room. Harriett (6) and Heidi (4) each have their own bed while Henry (1) sleeps 14.

For those of us not hardy enough to swim in the sea, Kernow Hydro, a wonderful warm saltwater pool can be found at Portreath. Owner, Fiona established it a couple of years ago and has just celebrated paying off her £50,000 loan. The children especially enjoy splashing around in the warm water. After our swim we sit in the café and tuck into some of the best pasties we have eaten. A great experience. As For more information visit: www.tehidy.co.uk Tim Saunders is an author, journalist and businessman. He meets celebrities, goes on holiday and road tests cars.

Maitland Walker Solicitors are a modern and forward thinking mixed practice law firm, serving both the business community and private individuals. The firm provides a full range of legal services specialising in family and matrimonial matters, residential and commercial property, private client, corporate and commercial as well as EU and competition law.

Resolving a legal dispute When a legal dispute arises there are various ways to resolve it: • Direct Negotiation - you can try and talk to the person business you have the dispute with. You could ask a mutual person to assist.

• Negotiations with solicitors - you can start by asking your solicitor to write to the other party. Hopefully, this will resolves issues.

• Mediation - an independent mediator is neutral, gathers together information and tries to help you find a way forward. There are different types of mediation for different areas of law. You are not legally bound by this method.

•

Arbitration - this is another type of alternative dispute resolution. An arbitrator asks as a private judge and the final decision is binding on the parties. The ‘judge’ will be an expert in that field of law.

• Collaborative law - this is a non court based approach to resolving family law matters. All negotiations take place in four-way meetings.

• Court/tribunal - you can make an application to the court to resolve your issues. Sometimes a tribunal may be the correct forum (such as in certain employment or land issues).

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you wish to find out more about any of these options if you have a legal dispute.

The firm is keen to continue to promote a more modern approach to legal services, using latest technologies and working practices to enable it to be more efficient, provide better communication, continue to progress its excellent service and offer competitive fees.

We are friendly and approachable. If you would like to speak with Lauren Preedy or make an appointment then please contact Maitland Walker on 01823 745777 / 01643 707777.

E: lauren.preedy@maitlandwalker.com If you mention this article then we will be pleased to offer you a free initial hour consultation. www.maitlandwalker.com

LEGAL SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS & BUSINESSES Residential property ● Commercial property ● Family and matrimonial Litigation and dispute resolution ● Wills, probate and estate planning Employment ● Corporate & commercial ● EU and competition law

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22 The Parks, Minehead, Somerset, TA24 8BT | 01643 707777 17 The Crescent, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 4EB | 01823 745777 www.maitlandwalker.com

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JANUARY & FEBRUARY 14th January 7pm.

McMillan Theatre Live screening of: The National Theatre live: Follies

17th January 7.30pm The McMillan Theatre 3Fall Dance Company

Featuring works by James Wilton, Abi Mortimer and Joe Garbett and emerging choreographers

Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical is staged for the first time at the National Theatre and broadcast live to cinemas.

New York, 1971. There’s a party on the stage of the Weismann Theatre.

Tomorrow the iconic building will be demolished. Thirty years after their final performance, the Follies girls gather to have a few drinks, sing a few songs and lie about themselves.

Tracie Bennett, Janie Dee and Imelda Staunton play the magnificent Follies in this dazzling new production.

Featuring a cast of 37 and an orchestra of 21, it’s directed by Dominic Cooke (The Comedy of Errors).

Please note this performance is an encore screening broadcast from the National Theatre.

Please note Follies will contain some strobe lighting.

16.

3Fall Dance Company present three professional works alongside emerging choreographers from the University of Chichester. James Wilton premieres his new work ‘Phase I’, Abi Mortimer presents ‘Zoots, Dash and Panache’ and Joe Garbett’s Codex inspired work ‘This The Better’. This performance contains an eclectic selection of Contemporary Dance, taking you from a party to an impossible task.

Age 12+ 20th January 11.00 an & 2.00pm The Brewhouse The Frozen Sing-along BRING A GROWN UP FOR FREE OFFER. When their kingdom becomes trapped in perpetual winter, fearless Anna joins forces with mountaineer Kristoff and his reindeer sidekick to find Anna’s sister, Snow Queen Elsa, and break her icy spell.

Suitable for ages ALL AGES and above.

23rd - 25th January Tacchi-Morris Heathfield Year 11 Drama Festival They Chrysalids

In the Province of Waknuk, in a Post Tribulation world Purity is enforced by law. Babies are inspected at birth by Government Inspectors, any deviating from the norm are regarded as dangerous and cast out as Mutants to live in The Fringes. But what if your difference is hidden and no one can see it because it is in your mind?

A group of telepathic children hide their deadly secret and want to see if life still exists as it did in the old world. Based on the award-winning novel by John Wyndham this modern adaptation challenges how we treat those that society has labelled as different.

25th January 7.30pm The Brewhouse Arrival

A fantastic Live band containing some of the UK’s finest musicians, stunning vocals, beautiful ABBA harmonies, and choreographed dance routines all come together to create a truly authentic ABBA experience.

27th January 5.55pm McMillan Theatre Cinema showing THE MET OPERA:TOSCA

Puccini’s thrilling Tosca is a story of love, terror, the abuse of power, and the unquenchable longing for freedom.

When an escaped political prisoner takes refuge in a church, an opera singer and a painter are drawn into a twisting plot that puts them at the mercy of the secret police and its network of torturers and spies.

Rivalling the splendour of Franco Zeffirelli’s Napoleonic-era sets and costumes, Sir David McVicar’s ravishing new production offers a splendid backdrop for extraordinary singing. Sonya Yoncheva stars as the titular prima donna, alongside Vittorio Grigolo as her artist lover and Bryn Terfel as the villainous police chief— one of his signature roles. Andris Nelsons conducts.

31st January - 2nd February The Brewhouse How to succeed in business without really trying

It took Broadway by storm – now Taunton! There are no shortcuts to success in the business world… or are there?! We see young and ambitious J. Pierrepont Finch rise from window washer to chairman of the board in this Pulitzer Prize and Tony award winning show!

2nd February Tacchi-Morris Rule the world - Take That tribute

earning his 2017 show ‘Forgives’ a spot in the British Comedy Guide’s ‘Best Reviewed Shows of the Fringe’ list. His own Radio 4 series, ‘Rhys James is…’ will debut later this year. He is also known for his prolific Twitter feed which has been recommended in The Telegraph, The Sun, Huffington Post, The Poke and The Gentleman’s Journal among others.

Rule The World have been recognised as the Number 1 Take That tribute act in the world. After appearing on BBC1’s ‘The Graham Norton Show’. After hearing Dan Maines speak, a stunned Gary Barlow said in amazement “He sounds like me!”.

Gary then also praised the band saying “These guys are good!”.

Comedy Live at The McMillan welcomes Rhys James alongside MC Cerys Nelmes and various support acts to be confirmed. Age 16+.

The band have performed at many prestigious events around the world.

They’ve performed at a private party for ‘Coldplay’ and their management team featuring many celeb guests.

They have also performed with the cast of ITV1’s ‘Emmerdale’ and have been very fortunate to travel the world playing large outdoor festivals in Barcelona, Germany, Austria, Ireland and more.

2nd February 7.30pm McMillan Theatre Comedy with Rhys James

Rhys James is an accomplished comedian, writer and actor. At 26 he has already made numerous TV appearances, on shows such as Mock The Week (BBC2), Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central (Comedy Central), Virtually Famous (E4), Sweat the Small Stuff (BBC3), @ elevenish (ITV2) and many more.

He has performed three solo shows at the Edinburgh fringe to sell-out audiences and critical acclaim,

4th February 2.00pm Tacchi-Morris The sagas of noggin the nog

The wonderful tales of Noggin the Nog, originally created for television

by Oliver Postgate & Peter Firmin, are brought to the stage in a show which delights children, families and fans.

Accompanied by the brave and mighty Thor Nogson and the great green bird Graculus, we go North on a journey of adventure & discovery to battle the fearsome Ice Dragon and the dastardly deeds of Noggin’s wicked uncle, Nogbad the Bad! Silly Vikings, puppets, projection and live music abound.

17th February Random Acts of Kindness Day The 17th of February in 2018 is a date to be kind because it’s Random Acts of Kindness Day. It aims to encourage people for acts of goodness and kindness.

Please email your MARCH/APRIL charity events to: hello@tauntonlocal.com .17

Successful dating New Year, New You?

By Sophie Personne, www.sophiepersonne.com.

So, Christmas is now out of the way and a new year has just begun... A time to start afresh and many will have made New Year’s resolutions. We often all start off with the best intentions but then fall off the wagon in a jiffy and end up giving up on the whole thing.

I personally decided not to have any New Year’s resolutions a few years ago, as I found the pressure I was putting myself to achieve whatever I had set myself to do too much, and I was therefore doomed to fail. The truth is that I am not alone to fall in that category. In fact, 63% of UK adults failed to keep a New Year’s resolution and the majority (66%) admitted to doing so within a month (according to The Guardian newspaper), whilst in the States, less than 10% of people felt they were successful in achieving their resolutions (www.statisticbrain.com).

The reality is that most New Year’s resolutions don’t last.

It’s a bit like one of those ‘to do’ lists with so many things to tick that we are never going to cross half of it off. We set ourselves unrealistic goals and then get annoyed or disappointed when we don’t achieve them. In a sense, we have basically failed before we’ve even started.

The truth is that resolutions have a negative connotation and we try to change one of the symptoms of deeper rooted issues as opposed to the real problem. We hardly scratch the surface at all and only try to tackle what we perceive it to be, instead of have facing up to the actual source of the concern.

The first thing to do is to ask yourself the right questions to find the cause. So, whether you want to give up wine or eat more healthily for instance, why do you currently rely on drink and food as a crutch? What makes you reach for the glass or the chocolate? If you are unhappy in your relationship, or want to meet a partner, why are you really in this situation? Look at yourself and think of what would you like to have happen by the end of this year, as well as what may have prevented you to achieve it in the past.

Look at what you can do differently and what realistic steps you can put in place.

People who explicitly set themselves a goal are 10 times more likely to achieve it but to me, it shouldn’t be in the form of a New Year’s resolution. It should be a genuine will to change an aspect of your life and understand why it currently is the way it is. Then reframe the way you look at it, the words that you use when you talk about it - to yourself or others - and attack it from a different perspective.

So if you have made any resolutions, review where you are at, make a constructive plan and find new ways of how you can achieve the outcome that

First of all, why do we need the feel to change just because it’s a new year? Yes, a new year is like a blank piece of paper and it gives us the impression of starting afresh but why do you need a new you? What is so wrong with who you are at the moment that you want something else? Self-improvement should be encouraged but all too often, we think that by changing one or more elements of our lives, it will make us a happier or better person. And in a way, we couldn’t be more wrong.

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Sophie Personne is a Relationships Expert and Author.

Her first book ‘Your Other Half – The Guide to Better Relationships with Others & Yourself’ is available now. If you want to find out more, visit www.sophiepersonne.com.

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Plans in action So here we are in the New Year and 2018 will see us making progress on a number of the schemes that I have mentioned before in these articles.

the work needed to complete the next and final stage of the planning process. All being well, we will be building in the latter part of the year.

As you will know I have been working in partnership with Somerset County Council colleagues on a scheme to bring Variable Message Signs (VMS) to Taunton, which will guide you to key car parks. We signed the contracts for these signs in December and are now working with the signage provider SWARCO to install them. This will mean groundworks in the early part of the year and I expect these all to be operating by the early part of the summer.

The plans continue to evolve with the Brewhouse as we seek to create a scheme that delivers what we all need and want. The trick here will be to build on the successful work of the Taunton Theatre Association over the past three years as they have built a really strong programme of activity over the last few years.

In tandem with these signs we are converting seven key car parks that let drivers pay when they leave, rather than on arrival. The contracts should be signed in January and we hope to get those conversions done on a similar timescale.

I am also working a new parking strategy through the democratic process. This may not sound the most exciting of tasks but it will set the way forwards for the council over the coming years and suggests a range of measures that should deliver what is needed.

As you will be aware I am also working on developing the Coal Orchard. This comes in two parts: the redevelopment of the St James Street pool site and the existing car park plus the work to create a new Brewhouse.

On the first we will have carried out investigatory works in the early part of January and are moving ahead with 20.

On another note we are pleased to be one of the main sponsors for the Taunton Deane Business awards.

These are going to come under the wing of the Taunton Chamber of Commerce this year.

This will continue to be strongly supported by the team that brought you the awards last year led by White Knight Marketing and PKF Francis Clark. I was at the awards ceremony last year - a genuinely exciting night and a real celebration of the business community in Taunton.

There was a really good positive vibe during the evening which did give a positive feel for the future. I would urge all businesses out there to think about entering this year as there are a range of categories to suit you all.

Good luck to all those that go for it!

Ian Timms Assistant Director of Business Development, Taunton Deane Borough and West Somerset Councils itimms@westsomerset.gov.uk 01823 217555

www.btc.ac.uk

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.21

The Diaries Of

Ginger

George What a month we’ve just had – the house went crazy!

It all starts when – for some apparent reason – my carers think it’s a good idea to bring a tree into the house. Why? I’ll never know. They cover it with flashing lights and balls but I’m not allowed to play with it or climb up it, as I found to my dismay in years past. As soon as I so much as tap a ball or even look at it, I’m shooed away. The idea is to leave it there until all the needles fall off it and then – and only then – do they take it away. Can’t understand why – but, then again, humans do tend to do the strangest things.

On top of that, they lay boxes underneath with things in them. They stay there for weeks, all wrapped up. Why wrap them up? They must know what’s inside them. To add to this, they start to hoard loads of chocolates and stack them on a table in the lounge. Nobody touches them for a couple of weeks. And every available shelf is loaded with pictures of snow, or some geezer with a beard – or little red birds. To be honest, I do like the red birdy ones.

Then, for no apparent reason, very early one particular morning, they all go mad. The girls come down early from their bedrooms – weird in itself – quickly followed by my carers. They sit around, all excited, in their dressing gowns and hand each other the parcels from under the half-bald tree. This is the painful bit, when the girls scream loudly and dance around the room. Meanwhile, my Daddy carer places clothing on the arm of the settee – shirts, pants and socks – and Mummy carer opens up boxes that stink of something. I haven’t a clue what’s going on. I think it’s some sort of game just to see if they can cover the carpet in paper.

A few hours later, my Mummy carer spends ages in the kitchen and she has got one of the biggest birds I’ve ever seen. We are not talking sparrows here – I mean, this thing is bigger than me! Now, I’m very partial to the odd bird, but this thing is sitting in the oven – not a feather on it – and, I must admit, it smells lovely.

This is the time when the competition starts. They put loads and loads of food on the table, then they all put bits of paper around their heads – don’t laugh! – and next

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it’s who can eat the most without exploding. When one plate is cleared, they bring out more – where does it all go? I have no idea who wins or even why. Then it’s all cleared away and it’s into the lounge to start eating all the chocolates and, when they just can’t eat any more, they fall asleep on the settee.

An hour later, they wake up and start playing with some of the things that were in the parcels. Daddy carer has this thing, and – to start with – I thought it was brilliant.

I have no idea what it is or what it does, but it takes off from the floor and flies around the room. So, I reckon it will be fun to chase whatever it is – and from the back of the settee I lunge at it and take it right out the air. Not my best move, it turns out, as it has spinning things on it which nearly take my paw off. Not only that, someone picks me up and throws me out the back door into the garden. Well if that’s how you want to play it…

It was wet and cold out there, so I trundle down to Mrs Higgins’ house – she’s the old lady who lives on her own a few doors down. I jump on her windowsill and she lets me in – she looks very pleased to see me. No balding tree in her house, just a little dusty one on a coffee table – about a foot high – but no parcels under it. She has pictures on her mantlepiece, too, but just a few. She sits back down in her chair and carries on watching the TV in the corner of the room. It’s only a little one, compared to the one in our house.

Then there is a knock on the door and a woman in a uniform gives her something. It turns out to be food in a metal dish, but the food is only enough to cover a small plate – seems like Mrs Higgins doesn’t go in for this competition lark. She has a small pudding, too, but none of those chocolate things. Afterwards, she clears it away and I sit on her lap – as the room isn’t that warm – while she strokes me gently. I’m asleep in no time, but I’m sure she says something to me. Was it “Merry Christmas, George”…? Anyway, I just purr happily and go back to sleep.

KEV’S CLEANING SERVICES A family run business EST since 1986, with a friendly team of reliable and trustworthy window cleaners.

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Burns night At Burns Night events, many men and women wear kilts or other clothes made from their family tartan. At the centre of the supper is the haggis, which brought to the table to the tune of bagpipes. For the uninitiated haggis is a savoury pudding containing ‘sheep’s pluck’ (the heart, liver, and lungs of the animal) which are minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, stock and salt, then encased in the animal’s stomach - though artificial casings are more commonly used now.

Robert Burns was a Scottish bard, born in 1759 who wrote many poems and lyrics during his life. His most famous work is probably Auld Lang Syne, sang at New Year and which translates as ‘times long past’. Burns is one of Scotland’s most important cultural icons as many of his works addressed the political and civil issues of the time.

Robert Burns’ friends and acquaintances held the first Burns supper on July 21, the anniversary of his death, in the late 1700s. This date was later changed to January 25th, which marks his birthday. Burns suppers gradually became a tradition and are now held by people and organizations with Scottish origins worldwide.

It can be baked or boiled and although it sounds quite revolting is surprisingly delicious, at least to this author!

It’s served with a whisky sauce and some neeps and tatties - a mixture of swede and potato which works beautifully with the rough, oaty haggis. Cranachan is the traditional desert of cream, raspberries and oatmeal. It should all be washed down with a good whisky.

Have a great Burns night. Gun cuireadh do chupa thairis le slainte agus sonas. (Translation: May your cup overflow with health and happiness)

By Tracey Anderson

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The Rotary club of Taunton Vale would be pleased to welcome new members in 2018. We are a dynamic club that supports the local community, raises money for charity, volunteers time, supports international projects and has a varied social events calendar. We meet on Monday night at Taunton Cricket Club at 7pm but the amount of meetings you attend in a month is up to you. You can also choose which committees and events you get involved with.

Rotary has a reputation as being an older man’s club but this is not the case. Rotary is open to everyone of whatever age but we are trying to raise awareness of what Rotary does and try to encourage younger members.

Event update We are delighted to report that following our Moonraker event in October that the current amount raised for charity is over £12,000.00.

We are pleased to support the Conquest Centre, Exmoor Search and Rescue and the Free Wheelers (and other Rotary charities).

The winners were: Short Course winner - ‘Happy Feet’; Long Course Winners (three teams tied) - ‘First Thursday Club’, ‘ We thought it was a Disco’, and ‘Trull Beaver Wannabees’ Well done to everyone that took part and we look forward to this year’s event.

Upcoming events If you are a prospective member then you may be interested to join us at our annual Quiz night on 8 January 2017. Please contact Lauren (or another member of the team) for more information (any places must be pre booked for catering purposes).

Please visit our website for more information at: http://rotary-ribi.org/clubs/homepage.php?ClubID=1224 Alternatively, please feel free to contact Lauren Preedy (of Maitland Walker Solicitors) on 01823 745 777 for more information and the membership fees.

Lucy’s recipe corner Bobble Biscuits

Yummy little treats perfect for after school!

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INGREDIENTS

125g softened butter 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 2 cups plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 2 cup of desiccated coconut Sugar bobble sprinkles

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Preheat the oven to 190 degrees.

Line two baking trays with paper.

Add the softened butter, vanilla essence and brown sugar to a bowl and mix until creamy. Add the eggs in one at a time.

Sift in the flour and baking powder, add the coconut and stir to mix up.

Scoop up balls of the mixture in a tablespoon and flatten them slightly with your hand.

Push your thumb in the top a little, just enough to add the sugar bobbles.

Bake for 12 minutes or until the biscuits have turned a light brown. Cool and enjoy!

GRAPHIC DESIGN & MARKETING LOGO & BRAND DIRECTION, COMMUNICATION & STRATEGY

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Our business has grown through happy customers championing what we do.

CALL US ON: 01823 256119

EMAIL: INFO@WORDGETSAROUND.CO.UK WWW.WORDGETSAROUND.CO.UK .25

Consumer champion JAMES WALKER “FIGHTING FOR YOUR RIGHTS” Consumer Champion – the man who helps you resolve your consumer complaints!

Fear of fraud

Q: What’s worse than having your life savings stolen from you?

A: People finding out you’ve been defrauded.

It’s hard to believe, but for many people it seems that the shame of being defrauded is harder to admit to than dealing with being tricked in the first place.

According to a report by the Financial Conduct Authority, over a third of over-55s – the people most likely to be targeted by fraudsters - said they would not admit to being scammed. More worryingly, over a fifth of those who had been the victim of scammers said that they had not reported it.

What’s most surprising is we’re not talking small sums of money here. Over the past few years I’ve spoken to people who’ve been conned in to handing over their life savings. The ‘vishing’ or ‘courier fraud’ scams have seen vulnerable people tricked in to transferring or handing over sums averaging around £25,000 plus. I spoke to one woman who had transferred over £100,000. Sadly, the money was not recovered.

Boiler room (investment) scams can net even higher sums, while fraudsters who have targeted people selling their houses by pretending to be lawyers can walk away with the entire profits of the sale. Even small businesses are not immune. I spoke to one company that had lost £300,000 in a similar scam.

Usually I take a light-hearted look at money matters or consumer rights in this column. But when it comes to scams, it’s no joke. And the best way we can avoid them is to learn how they work – and speak to older or vulnerable people who are most likely to be targeted.

Here are the two main money scams doing the rounds.

Vishing/smishing/courier fraud. Ignore the names, this is a typical confidence trick rebooted for the modern age. The fraudster calls, texts or emails pretending to be from a bank or an authorative organisation. They tell you your account has been compromised and you need to transfer the money out urgently. They may tell you to 26.

call the number on your card, make an online transfer, hand the card to a courier or even go in to the bank. The techniques vary but at heart, just remember this one thing. Your bank will never ask you to transfer money out of your account. Ever. Nor will it ask for your passwords.

Be suspicious.

Boiler room fraud. Named after their aggressive ‘sales’ techniques and environment, these fake businesses browbeat you on the phone in to investing in ‘sure things’, like land in developing countries or high-yield foreign shares. They wear customers down on the phone to get them to sign up. Fraudsters exchange victims’ names with each other too to retarget them. Four words to remember: hang up the phone.

Horribly, fraudsters often go back for a ‘second hit’ as people often hand over more cash if they think it will help them get their original loss back. And here’s the really important thing to bear in mind. The people who are being scammed aren’t stupid. I’ve heard tapes of fraudsters in action. Sometimes they’ve targeted people repeatedly over days, pretending to be different people, using incredibly convincing arguments. Fraud works because good fraudsters are extraordinarily skilled at what they do. And anyone can be a victim.

But we can beat them by talking about these subjects – and not suffering in silence.

I’m adding a detailed guide to the Resolver website about scams. But if you’ve been affected, speak up and don’t be ashamed.

If you’ve been affected by a scam, get in touch press@ resolver.co.uk. Find out more about your rights and make a complaint atwww.resolver.co.uk.

You can find out more about your rights or make a complaint using Resolver for free at www.resolver.co.uk. Or view our Twitter page @WalkerResolver @resolvercouk or go to facebook.com/resolvercouk

West Somerset Railway STEAMING TO THE SEASIDE

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Town & Country Residential Sales | Land & New Homes | Commercial & Development Surveyors | Independent Mortgage Advice

.27

A good read: book reviews

The Earth Hums in B Flat – Mari Strachan

Clown – Quentin Blake

Gwenni Morgan is twelve, and every night she flies in her sleep – over the town and the countryside around, looking down on familiar and not so familiar scenes.

She thinks she remembers flying while awake as a small child, but somehow she has lost the ability to do so, no matter how hard she tries. And she daren’t try too hard, because Mam doesn’t like any reminders that Gwenni might not be the same as everyone else. Set in rural Wales in the 1950s, Strachan’s debut novel follows Gwenni as the disappearance of a local man begins a chain of events, which reveal some of the secrets that lie under the surface of everyday life.

Can you tell a story without words? Well, Quentin Blake can, and in Clown he does.

The book consists entirely of illustrations, in Blake’s well loved and instantly recognisable style. Our hero, Clown, finds himself thrown into the dustbin, along with a number of other toys. He escapes, dusts himself off, and sets out to find someone who can help him to rescue his friends. Along the way he finds himself in a fancy dress competition, entertaining a rather fierce looking dog, and possibly finding himself a home – all without words.

The novel works in a number of ways. On the one hand, it is at times a darkly comic portrayal of small town Wales. On the other, it is a story about families, their secrets and the after effects of war. What holds these strands together is Gwenni herself as narrator, who sees more than she understands, and whose innocence is captured perfectly in Strachan’s often understated prose style.

The supporting characters are equally well drawn – from highly strung Mam, to kind, patient Tada, from the mysterious Aunty Lol, to Alwenna, Gwenni’s best friend, old beyond her years and ‘with no shame!’ Although the solution to the main mystery of the story is clear to the reader from the outset, Strachan holds back just enough to keep us guessing at the other strands which she brings together for the conclusion – I guarantee she will keep you reading until the end.

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The beauty of the story is that while Blake’s illustrations carry the narrative forward, the reader can choose their own way of telling it. No two versions are ever the same, as each child brings to the book their own language and rhythms. Clown himself is wonderfully expressive, and the pictures are enough to have you laughing out loud in several places.

An absolutely marvellous book, which every child should read – and which every adult will enjoy too.

PUZZLE ANSWERS

Thursday 18th Jan Thursday 15th Feb Thursday 15th March Thursday 19th April Thursday 17th May We meet at the Corner House Hotel, Park Street, Taunton.

Please see our website for more details and to book your place. www.wordgetsaroundnetworking.com

TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN OUR MAR/APR EDITION AND REACH 14,000 HOMES & BUSINESSES CALL...

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EMERGENCY & USEFUL NUMBERS Emergency Services

Useful Contacts

Smell Gas you should immediately call Transco on: .................................................. 0800 111 999 Police Emergency: ....................................................... 999 Police Non Emergency: ................................................ 101 Police Station: ........................................... 0845 456 7000 Crimestoppers: ............................................ 0800 555 111 Musgrove Intensive Care: ........................... 01823 342006 Musgrove Hospital: .................................... 01823 333444 Floodline: ................................................... 0345 988 1188 Environment Agency: ................................ 08708 506 506 Musgrove Hospital: .................................... 01823 333444 NHS Helpline: ............................................................... 111 Wessex Water Emergency: ......................... 0345 6004600

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Whilst every effort is made to print accurate information the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors, emissions or changes that might appear. Please contact us should you see any.

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Newton King would like to invite you to accept our offer of a FREE sales or lettings valuation of your home.

To arrange an appointment call us on 01823 259753

Opening hours: Monday - Friday 9.00 - 7.00, Saturday 9.00-5.00

YOUR PROPERTY DESERVES AN AGENT WHO THINKS DIFFERENTLY If you have instructed another agent on a sole agency and/or sole selling rights basis, the terms of those instructions must be considered to avoid a possible liability to pay two commissions.

53 East Street, Taunton, Somerset,TA1 3NA. 01823 259753 taunton@newtonking.co.uk www.newtonking.co.uk