Word Gets Around Magazine: West Somerset - Issue 38

We are proud of our fantastic reputation for professionalism and product quality, together with excellent customer care and service.

Parks Lane Furnishers and Interiors, a family-run business since 1979, provide professional made-to-measure blinds, curtains, internal shutters and awnings to both domestic homes and commercial companies throughout Minehead and surrounding areas. We have arguably the best carpet, vinyl, rugs and luxury vinyl tiles in the area. Choose from a wide stock range of furniture, beds, mattresses, sofas and rise and recliners with FREE delivery in West Somerset.

Home Accessories

Carpets and Flooring

Made to Measure Curtains and Blinds

Sofas, Furniture and Beds

Call 07779 653120

clive@wordgetsaround.co.uk

ABOUT US

Established in 2014, Word Gets Around Magazine is an independent community magazine and family business, run by father and son team; Clive and Paul Smith.

West Somerset

We deliver 10,000 magazines per issue across West Somerset direct into homes in TA24 and TA23.

To get in contact please call us on: 01823 7655045 or email: info@wordgetsaround.co.uk

Spring is in the air and there is so much to celebrate and enjoy as the season begins.

Schools, libraries, and bookshops will celebrate World Book Day on the 7th of March. This year’s theme is The Great Big Footy and Booky Quiz. It’s always a fun celebration usually marked with fancy dress competitions and activities based around storytelling. Children can obtain a £1 book token and choose a free book. 2024s-1-books (worldbookday.com)

In the UK, Mother’s Day falls on the 10th of March this year, so be sure to celebrate your Mum and make her feel special. Many local retailers are happy to work with you and create a bespoke gift for the special mother in your life.

The first day of spring is officially the 20th of March 2024, so look out for all the tree blossoms. Easter celebrations occur at the end of this month, with Good Friday on the 29th of March. Then the clocks will go forward in the early hours of Sunday the 31st of March, essentially giving you an hour less to consume all those Easter eggs!

Socials: www.wordgetsaround.co.uk

Booking deadline for the next issue is 20 th April

April usually starts with pranks and jokes on the 1st of the month, known as April Fool’s Day. Although the origins of the day are not entirely known, one of the first references to ‘Fooles Holy Day’ was recorded by John Aubrey in 1698 when people were tricked into visiting the Tower of London to “see the lions washed”. This year the 1st of April is also Easter Monday, so we have a bank holiday to enjoy.

St George’s Day is on the 23rd of April. Although he is considered a figure of great bravery and gallantry, he was not actually English at all. George was born in Turkey, became a Roman soldier, and converted to Christianity. When the pagan Emperor Diocletian tried to make George renounce his faith, he refused and was tortured and beheaded on 23rd April 303AD.

I hope you enjoy all the spring sunshine.

Clive

01643

708876

Clive Smith Editor

Do you suffer with blocked ears?

Exmoor Ear Care provides a microsuction service to remove ear wax.

Regular clinics are held at Alcombe Pharmacy or if required a home visit can be arranged.

To book an appointment or for more information please call Selina on:

07814

638768

exmoorearcare@hotmail.com

REGISTERED NURSE EAR MICROSUCTION SPECIALIST

PRICE LIST

£45 for one ear

£60 for both ears

£20 triage fee

if no wax is found

An additonal £5 fee for home visits to be added to above prices.

by Caroline Knight

This is a month of positivity for just about everyone, not just gardening folk. There might be winds that feel gusty enough to blow off your gardening boots or perhaps there will be sunshine to fix the widest of smiles firmly in place for a month of scurrying and secateurs. Whatever the weather, get outside and enjoy the arrival of spring.

The kitchen garden

Lawns and borders

If you’re lucky enough to have a greenhouse, you can sow seeds such as tomatoes, aubergines, cucumbers, gherkins, sweet peppers and celeriac. Some will need the encouragement of a propagator. Sowing seeds early means that some won’t make it, particularly if there is a cold snap. But it’s worth keeping an eye on weather forecasts and giving them extra protection when required. Your crops will be bountiful this season if you can get a head start.

The soil in the allotment garden can be prepared by removing weeds and covering it with some sort of matting, which will not only stop more weeds from growing but will also warm the soil.

From mid-March onwards, vegetables such as summer cabbage, Brussels sprouts, leeks, onions, carrots, broad beans, spring onion and beetroot can be sown outdoors under a cloche. Perennial herbs including rosemary, oregano, sage and thyme can also be sown under cover. You might already have chitted (or sprouted) early seed potatoes as this can commence from late January onwards, depending on where you live. Potatoes need up to six weeks of chitting before planting when soil temperatures are around eight degrees, so some might be ready to go into the ground during March. Potatoes probably won’t do well if they are planted in cold or waterlogged soil, so it’s best to wait until temperatures rise. Don’t forget that you can plant them into bags rather than the ground if space is at a premium. This also allows you to move the bags into a warmer and drier space during inclement weather.

March is a great month for the first cut of the lawn, provided the ground is not too wet and the weather is dry and frostfree. Set the mower blades high and give it a gentle trim to even out the length. A lawn always benefits from aeration and this can be as simple as pushing a garden fork down into the turf for as deep as you can manage, across the surface. A hollow tine aerator is a more sophisticated piece of equipment as each tine removes plugs of soil as it is used.

Consider adding your homemade compost to borders to act as a mulch. Remove weeds first, but take care not to trample the soil as this will squeeze away valuable air. Laying a board on the surface helps to distribute your weight evenly. This month is all about preparing the soil to create the best conditions for root health for trees, shrubs, perennials and edible plants. Spring is in the air and our hearts can start to sing.

A crumble for almond aficionados, this can be made in individual dishes for a dinner party and in one large one for a family supper. To get ahead, the crumble mix also freezes well for up to three months.

Ingredients

• 200g plain flour

• 50g ground almonds

• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp fine salt

• 150g unsalted butter, diced

• 100g marzipan, diced into 1cm pieces

• 125g light muscovado sugar

• 50g amaretti biscuits, roughly crumbled

• 50g flaked almonds

• 800g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped (4 medium apples)

• 600g crisp eating apples, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced

• Finely grated zest and juice of a lemon

For the marzipan custard

• 500ml best-quality, bought fresh custard

• 50g marzipan, chopped

• 2 tbsp amaretto

• Vanilla ice cream or Greek yoghurt, to serve

1. Combine the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl. Rub in the diced butter by hand until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Rub in the marzipan, taking less care to break it down –some larger pieces can remain. Stir in 50g of the muscovado sugar with the crumbled amaretti biscuits, flaked almonds and lemon zest.

2. Alternatively, pulse the fl our, ground almonds, cinnamon, salt and butter together in the small bowl of a food processor, adding 50g sugar for a fi nal few pulses onace the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs and stirring in the marzipan, amaretti, fl aked almonds and lemon zest at the end. Either way, cover and chill the crumble mix for 20 minutes or up to 2 days.

3. Preheat the oven to 170°C, fan 150°C, gas mark 3. Combine the apples with the lemon juice to prevent browning. Tumble in the remaining muscovado sugar, distributing the two apple types evenly. Transfer to a medium-sized baking dish about 23cm diameter if round or about 20x25cm if not. Scatter the crumble over the fruit to cover completely.

4. Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour 10 minutes until golden, crisp and bubbling at the edges.

5. To flavour the custard, put it in a blender with the chopped marzipan and the Amaretto. Blend for a couple of minutes (this needs to be thorough), then, if your blender isn’t supercharged, pass through a sieve to remove any small marzipan pieces.

6. Leave the crumble to settle for 10 minutes before serving with the marzipan custard (gently warmed through or cold) and vanilla ice cream, or with chilled Greek yoghurt as a simpler option.

Recipe extracted from Repertoire: The Best Vegetarian Recipes to Build a Modern Cook’s Collection by Alice Hart, published by OH Editions, priced £27, with photography by Emma Lee.

Renault has made changes to its popular Clio and Jack Evans has assessed their impact. What is it?

The well-known Renault Clio has provided reliable, relatively low-cost transport for years. But things aren’t quite as easy for this popular French hatch as they once were, due to the rise of the SUV and crossover, plus price, with Dacia and MG providing cars that undercut most of the market.

What’s new?

This latest Clio uses the same CMF-B platform as the previous car, but the exterior design is far sharper and inside there’s more technology. A range-topping ‘Esprit Alpine’ trim level has also been added for the first time.

What’s under the bonnet?

The Clio will be available with a ‘standard’ petrol engine or – as tested – a hybrid setup, pairing two electric motors with a four-cylinder 1.6-litre petrol engine. With 143bhp and 144Nm of torque, it’s efficient rather than powerful. Renault claims up to 67.4mpg, low emissions of 96g/km CO2, and that you can travel on electric power for up to 80 per cent of the time while city driving. 0-60mph takes 9.1 seconds, with a top speed of 112mph.

What’s it like to drive?

The steering is light but accurate, while the powertrain has pleasant immediacy from the electric motors. It feels brisk and the six-speed gearbox is smooth.

However, there’s tyre roar at speed and wind noise too. At slower speeds, the Clio is unsettled by larger bumps.

How does it look?

The look is sharper and there have been plenty of tweaks to distinguish it from the car it replaces.

The new signature lighting setup gives a distinctive ‘face’, while brushed-satin chrome accents create a more premium feel. Techno or Esprit Alpine trim levels include an F1-inspired ‘aerofoil’ style diffuser beneath the front grille.

What’s it like inside?

Up front, the view is nicely unobstructed with good visibility, but rear space is a little tight, though there’s a decent amount of headroom for this size and shape of car.

To help boost its green credentials, the Clio now has no leather inside, with surfaces coated in a fabric made from bio-sourced and polyester fibres. There’s a usable 254 litres of boot space.

What’s the spec like?

The Clio is now available from £17,795 for the entry-level petrol version, making it one of the cheapest cars currently available in the UK. Equipment levels are good, with a full suite of driver assistance systems, alloy wheels and full LED headlights. Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are included.

Top-notch Esprit Alpine models get 17-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, Alpine badges and a larger 9.3-inch infotainment display. This increases the price to £20,595 for the petrol model or £24,095 for the hybrid.

Verdict

This is a hefty revision of a successful original. The ‘new’ Clio feels improved due to its in-car technology, while the hybrid version should prove cheap to run. It’s smooth to drive.

At its new base price, the new Clio feels good value, particularly considering the amount of standard features. But it feels a little too compromised in terms of space at higher spec levels.

By Katherine Sorrell

This year, everyone’s talking about Pantone’s colour of the year, Peach Fuzz. Sitting somewhere between peach and orange, it’s a contemporary colour described as “a warm and cosy shade highlighting our desire for togetherness with others or for enjoying a moment of stillness and the feeling of sanctuary.” According to Pantone, introducing this soft, romantic shade into an interior creates a welcoming ambience.

It can be introduced in many forms, from entire rooms to wall tiles, bed linen or small, decorative accessories. It works well with warm off-whites and beiges, touches of pale teal and soft green, fuchsia pink (in small doses), and dark grey. It’s a great partner to textural naturals such as timber, rattan, sisal, cork and stone.

Another option is to introduce a mix of two or more pastels – ice-cream shades that include mint green, lemon yellow, duck-egg blue, lilac and blush pink – creating a gentle harmony that feels both tranquil and energising. It could be a series of cushions in various delicate shades or an entire bathroom sourced in differing pastel tones. The result is a look that has a touch of retro style, reminding us of the 1950s, yet still very modern.

One way to anchor your scheme in a sophisticated way is to employ some darker and lighter accents. The strong tonal contrast with the pastels can add depth and interest, for example, using white as a base room colour with a series of added coordinating pastels, plus the occasional dash of a stronger colour. To deliver this successfully, create a mood board. This could be a piece of white cardboard or a screen version using a design app, but the result is the same: pulling together all the elements of the room, using a curated selection of fabric and wallpaper samples, paint swatches and images of furnishings and accessories, helping you to visualise how everything will work together. Consider the visual weight of the colours and try to create an overall sense of balance, and the effect of natural light – will your pastels look vibrant or washed out? Paint small pieces of white paper with your chosen colours and pin them up on all the walls, checking how they appear at different times of day and under artificial light.

Decorating with pastels is worth the effort. From peach to lavender, mint to lemon, these gorgeous colours can make an interesting, refreshing and playful addition to any interior, transforming your space into a home that is inviting, distinctive and timelessly appealing.

This pretty mix of pastels includes darker and lighter shades of blue, as well as natural and metallic contrasts. Sam three-seater lounger in linen-look Tranquil Dawn, £849, DFS.

My home is my castle.

The UK builds the smallest homes in Europe. Many modern properties have ill-conceived living spaces, in which you’d be lucky to swing a mouse, let alone a cat!

Lack of space is one of the main reasons why people move house. Now, many are opting to improve what they already have.

Here are some suggestions that will save you valuable time and hard-earned money:

1. Do look at house prices in your area to gauge how much value an extra room will add to your property and what ceiling values might be. Avoid over developing and ask local estate agents what appeals to buyers.

2. Don’t extend if you can create more room by bringing ‘dead space’ back to life, or moving internal walls. Building an extension may not be the only way to meet your needs. Perhaps you can create extra space more easily and with less cost.

3. Do consider converting a garage. 80% of us use it for storage! If attached converting this space often improves energy performance, benefitting the whole house. Make the most of what you are paying for!

4. Don’t get too carried away! An extension at the expense of your garden, creating tiny bedrooms or with awkward use and flow may make your property difficult to sell in future.

5. Do be considerate to neighbours. Let them know your intentions early on in the process with informal, open and honest dialogue. Nobody likes surprises, especially when it concerns proposed building works near your home.

6. Don’t forget to tell your insurer. They calculate the potential risk of a home according to the size and number of rooms. Substantial changes may invalidate the property’s insurance cover.

7. Most importantly do get professional advice about how to achieve the optimum home development, the best return on your investment and navigate building and planning regulations. Breach these and you could be fined, be forced to have the work reversed or devalue your property.

If you have any questions Somerset Architectural can help, call 01823 617717 or email hello@somersetarchitectural.com

BOOK REVEALS UNSUNG WOMEN IN SOMERSET, INCLUDING WATCHET AND DUNSTER

A new book, Unsung Women in Somerset, uncovers little-known information about women who lived in Somerset in years gone by, women with courage, kindness, innovation and even some who smashed the rules!

Released on 20th November, the book charters the lives of reallife and legendary women who inhabited Somerset from pre-Roman to modern times.

We meet most women through a short story, followed by historical notes about the woman and a chapter bibliography that shows the meticulous research that has gone

into the book. Most chapters also include a Quick Tribute section that briefly mentions other interesting women from the same century. This book is not a conventional narrative of Somerset’s history in that it focuses on women and celebrates the diversity of Somerset’s past as well. For instance, readers will meet an African princess and a disabled artist, both of whom survived and thrived despite the odds.

Particularly relevant to readers of Word Gets Around include a woman who had two funerals in Watchet, a lady at Dunster Castle and a scientist near Porlock Weir. The handy A–Z index outlines every Somerset place name mentioned in the book. There are over 160 in total!

Unsung Women in Somerset is available as a paperback, hardback and ebook. Most retailers are listed at: www.books2read.com/unsung

A first-generation ‘Somersetonian’, the author, Helen Pugh, grew up in Chilcompton.

She went to secondary school in Bath, then attended the University of Bristol (only just over the border!).

After more than 8 years living abroad, she returned to Somerset in 2018 and lived in Shepton Mallet

with her family for 4 years before moving to Midsomer Norton. Her children all currently attend Oakhill Church School or have in the past.

Helen is currently working on a Junior Edition of this book and has already published books about South America, including Jungletastic Tales and Inca-tastic Tales.

Helen Pugh author of Jungle-tastic Tales & Inca-tastic Tales and Unsung Women in Somerset

www.linktr.ee/intrepiddudettes

Real-life women who lived from pre-Roman to modern times, women with courage, kindness, innovation and even some who smashed the rules!

You’ll get to meet:

- the woman who had two funerals

- the African princess who survived and thrived despite odds

- the woman who voted... before it was legal

- the openly gay artists whose generosity touched their neighbours’ hearts

- the queen and saints and ‘witches’ and workers and much more!

Told through short stories, notes, ‘quick tributes’ and chapter bibliographies, this... the history of Somerset like never before!

Did

Incredible

Homefront Design UK Limited is moving!

Justin Jasper - Director of Homefront Design UK

After eight years in our studio at Higher Ford, Homefront Design is moving down to new premises on Ford Road, Wiveliscombe. In summer 2023 the option arose for us to streamline our working facilities by uniting our warehousing, offices and studio under one roof. This gives us greater visibility for customers and offers us new opportunities to showcase our designs.

Through this venture we are taking Homefront to new heights, presenting exciting ideas from both existing kitchen manufacturers such as Gallery from Symphony, Schüller, AEG, Quooker and Miele while bringing in new suppliers including Ashley Ann, through whom we are excited to provide a comprehensive, customised inframe offering from their Caledonian Kitchens range.

Homefront creates beautiful yet functional furniture that matches you, your lifestyle and your dreams. You’ll enjoy working with us, from the initial chat, through design and production to installation by our own dedicated team, helping you achieve bespoke kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms for your home.

An open day will be announced shortly. Please check our website and our Facebook feeds for updates.

The grid below is divided into four sections. Fill each square with the name or image of each of the four animals. No animal can repeat in any section, row or column.

When do monkeys fall from the sky?

During Ape-ril showers.

BEES BLOOM

BLOSSOM BUDS BUGS BULBS

BUTTERFLY CHICK DAFFODIL EGG

FROG LAMB

NEST PICNIC SEEDS SHOWERS SPRING

What did the tree say when it first saw spring? What a re-leaf!

LAMB

CHICK

BUTTERFLY

RABBIT

We offer ice cream, desserts, savouries and sweets from our shop in Blackbrook. We also deliver same day to the whole of Taunton, Bridgwater, Wellington, Chard and surrounding areas via the delivery platforms:

Joys of outdoor swimming revealed in new guide.

A new book out this month (April 2024) is highlighting some of the best walks with swims in West Somerset, Exmoor and North Devon. Wild Swimming Walks North Devon and Exmoor, by Sophie Pierce and Matt Newbury, contains 28 walks, all with swimming spots en route, along with maps and directions. For Sophie and Matt, it is all about empowering people to explore the wonderful countryside on their own doorstep. Says Sophie : “We are fortunate to live in such a stunning part of the world, it’s something we perhaps take for granted. The coast of West Somerset is unparallelled in its beauty, as of course is Exmoor and the countryside inland. We want people to discover the joy of going on adventures close to home. And by swimming as well as walking, the whole experience of being outdoors in nature is enriched.”

This is something that many people in West Somerset are already realising, with active swimming groups in Minehead, Taunton and Watchet, to name just a few. Sophie and Matt say the local community has been incredibly welcoming, helping with research and sharing ideas and top tips, and many have contributed photos to the book.

The guide contains detailed descriptions as well as maps and directions, of numerous outings in and around West Somerset and Exmoor, in many locations including Taunton, Dunster, Simonsbath, Porlock Weir and Dulverton.

Wild Swimming Walks Exmoor and North Devon is available from Wild Things Publishing and in all good bookshops, priced £14.99.

*SPECIAL READER OFFER*

Receive 25% off and free P&P with coupon code Word24 (offer price £11.25)

www.wildthingspublishing.com/product/ wild-swimming-walks-exmoor-devon/

'....the choir were on fine form.'

'.....what a joyous concert it was.'

'.....beautifully sung by the choir with real feeling for the music.'

'....a very enthusiastic audience who demanded an encore.'

If you would like to hear how the voices of Exmoor prepare for concerts that consistently receive positive reviews or you enjoy singing and would like to join us, then come and meet us at our Open Rehearsal. We are a mixed voice community choir who welcome all regardless of experience or ability. There are no auditions, just a wish to sing with others who want to spread their enthusiasm and love of music to all.

The Voices of Exmoor invite you to join them at an open rehearsal in Dulverton Town Hall on Saturday 20 April 2024. Drop-in between 10am and 1pm.

www.voicesofexmoor.co.uk

voetickets@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/voicesofexmoor

As an organisation I cannot rate them highly enough. In particular our solicitor/contact, Caz. We were kept up to date throughout the whole process and the advice and guidance made a very stressful and complicated experience, a lot more bearable and manageable.

Ginger George

West Somerset’s Top Cat - The word on the street

A little ginger ball of fluff

As my diaries go way back to the times before this fantastic magazine started in West Somerset, I thought it was time for a re-run of my exploits, I mean you don’t want to miss out on anything.

My original cares were a couple of young girls who had just moved into a flat. Like young girls they just must have a pet. A fluffy little blueeyed kitten (that’s me). Move on a year and now I’m a liability. The girls work nights and days, and you never knew when I’d see them. Then one of them thought the other fed me, but didn’t, on top of that were the all-night parties, noise, funny smoke. Time had come to find new carers and a new area to roam.

You humans think you chose a cat when most cats will choose their carers. I had a family in mind. Mommy, Daddy and 2 young girls about 9 and 11. Why are their ages important, there is a reason. These girls want a pony, “Please Dad”. Of course, it’s totally impractical as neither have sat on a horse, let alone the financial cost, which the girls have no understanding of. Second plead, will be for a dog. Dad knows it is a novelty and he’ll end up walking it in all the bad weather.

Time to make my move. The first wet and windy night I curl up on their back step waiting for someone to open it and discover me. An hour passes and nobody’s coming. Start a lot of loud ‘meowing’ and it worked. The mommy carer came out and there I was, wet, bedraggled, oh!, and a bit of a limp for good measure.

I’m taken in, wrapped in a towel, dried off and in return I’m nudging into them just craving for attention. “Can we keep him, can we keep him”, scream the girls, jumping up and down. Now so far my plan is working, but all depends on

Dad. He’s thinking cat, a lot cheaper that a pony and cats don’t need walking huge vet bills. Cats look after themselves basically. “Well, he might belong to someone, but we can’t have a dog and a cat if we do”, he replies. He does the deal with kids. I keep the ‘limp’ act up and I hospitalised overnight and taken to the vet the next day.

On inspection my limp got better and with some clever tech they traced me to my original carers. I was taken back and explained to them I was found on his doorstep. The girls explained their situation and how they don’t have the time to look after me properly and they were looking for someone to take me on. He was in the right place at the right time.

He returns to the house with me, my stinking bed, collar and fluffy toys and to the delight of his girls, myself. I now have a new home. The old bed went straight in the bin and after a trip to the shops they all return with a new bed, food and fluffy toys. By the way my name was Gismo but I was re-named Ginger George, on account I’m Ginger I guess. Never like Gizmo, sounds like a robot.

Fancy carving out yourself a new hobby?

Unveil your creativity and join us at the Wood Carving Club hosted right in the heart of our village hall in Carhampton! We wish to broaden the awareness of their club and hope to attract new members.

No matter if you are a novice or an expert or just keen to have a go why not drop in any Monday morning between 10am and 12.30pm. It’s an informal club and we like to think we are very friendly.

You don’t have to be an expert and all are welcome to come and try some carving without commitment.

Escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and immerse yourself in the therapeutic art of wood carving.

Embrace the spirit of our village community and support local artisans. If you feel it’s something you would like to have a go at get in touch with Bob Craig 07781959436 or email Linda lindacraigonline@outlook.com

To mark International Haiku Poetry Day on 17 April, we round up a selection of reads, from classic to contemporary, for poetry lovers of all ages. A Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Haiku, compiled by William Scott Wilson Haiku is a Japanese verse form most often composed, in English versions, of three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables, and often featuring an image, or a pair of images, meant to depict the essence of a specific moment in time. Compiled and with commentary by renowned author and translator William Scott Wilson, this comprehensive introduction to Japan’s best-loved haiku poets is the perfect book for anyone wanting to learn about haiku, featuring 26 poets and 550 haiku.

The Waste Land and Other Poems by T.S.Eliot

Born in Missouri in 1888, Thomas Stearns Eliot settled in England in 1915, published his first book of poems in 1917, and received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948. This publication is arguably the most influential and important book of poetry produced in the 20th century, with The Waste Land (published in 1922) the most revolutionary poem of its time. In addition to the title poem, this selection includes The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and Ash Wednesday.

Poems on the Underground, selected by Judith Chernaik, George Szirtes & Imtiaz Dharker

Started in 1986, Poems on the Underground brings poetry to a wider audience by displaying various contemporary and classic poets on the London Underground three times a year. In this beautiful paperback edition, poems old and new, familiar and unfamiliar explore such diverse topics as love, London, exile, family, dreams, war, music and nature, and feature hundreds of poets including Sylvia Plath, William Blake, D.H. Lawrence and Wilfred Owen, among many others.

365 Poems for Life: An Uplifting Collection for Every Day of the Year, by Allie Esiri

Whether you’re searching for wisdom or looking to boost your well-being, this nourishing poem-a-day collection, by award-winning poetry curator Allie Esiri, offers readers a brief moment of escape from daily life through some unforgettable words of wisdom and warmth, guaranteed to lift your spirits. The perfect read for poetry lovers and newbies alike, explore a wide range of poets, including Maya Angelou, Dylan Thomas, Kae Tempest and many more.

The Best Ever Book of Funny Poems, by Brian Moses

Perfect for gifting and reading aloud, this hilarious anthology of the most giggleworthy children’s poems is by father-of-two and one of the nation’s most celebrated poets, Brain Moses. Here’s the chance to discover rib-tickling poems about pets, funny creatures, school, family, fantasy and fairy tales, dinosaurs and dragons, space – and just plain silly poems! Featuring a fab line-up of poets, this is the ultimate collection of poems to make you laugh out loud.

The Forward Book of Poetry 2024, various poets

This is poetry for our times, bringing together the best new works published in the UK and Ireland over the last year, including the winners of the 2024 Forward Prizes. In showcasing the range and ambition of today’s fresh voices alongside new work by familiar names, this anthology offers a vital overview of the literary landscape to seasoned poetry lovers and new readers alike and is a perfect introduction to contemporary poetry. The Forward Prizes are the most coveted awards in British poetry.

Whether it’s a slow computer, a laptop that needs upgrading, or maybe you just need some friendly IT advise. With over 40 years experience you can be assured you’re in safe hands.

Feel free to give us a call, email us or drop into our shop on Friday Street where you will always be greeted with a friendly face. AR

Have your ears checked and cleared by an established, local earcare provider.

I use Microsuction to remove earwax safely and painlessly. This is considered to be far safer than irrigation or the old-fashioned ‘syringing’ method.

£45

BRAIN TRAIN

C

T H I S I E T Y L E R S

A G T J A C K S O N E U

E

T S R S P E M N N N S

Across

ADAMS ARTHUR BUSH CARTER CLEVELAND

CLINTON EISENHOWER FORD GARFIELD

GRANT HARRISON HAYES JACKSON

JEFFERSON KENNEDY LINCOLN

MADISON MONROE NIXON

OBAMA PIERCE POLK

REAGAN TRUMAN TYLER

Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through to 9 with no repetition.

7. Unscrupulous person who knows how to circumvent difficulties (7,6)

8. Selecting what seems best of various styles or ideas (8)

9. River which flows through Bristol (4)

10. Russian artificial satellite, the first to orbit the Earth (7)

12. Text of a song (5)

14. Capital of Bolivia (2,3)

16. Sidney ___, star of the 1967 film To Sir, with Love (7)

19. Basic rhythmic unit in a piece of music (4)

20. Water ice on a wooden stick (8)

22. Window screen made of horizontal strips that overlap when closed (8,5)

Down

1. Elegant and stylish (4)

2. One who rules during the absence of a monarch (6)

3. Positive (7)

4. Bring out or develop from latent or rudimentary existence (5)

5. Yellow songbird (6)

6. Racial extermination (8)

11. Component of blood, essential for clotting (8)

13. The Netherlands (7)

15. Deer’s horn (6)

17. Dessert of sponge, jelly, fruit and custard (6)

18. Tony ___, former prime minister (5)

Sloths can hold their breath longer than dolphins. Australia is wider than the moon. Wombats do cube poos. There are 13 Disney princesses. While you sleep you can’t smell anything. If you could travel at the speed of light, you’d never get any older.

by Caroline Knight

It’s a great month for gardeners, but before you make haste towards the greenhouse, the kitchen garden or the garden shed, don’t forget to stop and admire the stirring of spring life.

Bulbs

The UK is home to more than half of the world’s bluebells. They favour ancient woods, but give them a slightly shady spot in moist but well-draining soil in your garden, and they’ll thrive there too. Do choose the native Hyacinthoides non-scripta variety rather than the rather invasive Spanish bluebell, Hyacinthoides hispanica. Anemone nemorosa enjoys growing in the shade and shelter of deciduous trees. Its pure white, low-blooming flowers with golden anthers are as beautiful as any bloom. Cultivated bulbs, including tulips, provide magnificent colours, from the purest of whites to the darkest purple. Then there’s the spring favourite: the daffodil. They all belong to the Narcissus genus, but we generally refer to those with larger trumpets as daffodils and the slightly smaller flowers as narcissi.

Cherry blossom

Look up towards the treetops to enjoy this month’s delights of flowering cherries. Prunus ‘Kanzan’ displays pink fluffy clouds of double blossom, while P. ‘Pink Perfection’ is slightly smaller, and its delectable candyfloss flowers last somewhat longer than most.

Gardening is all about thinking ahead whilst enjoying the moment. Remember that any trees or shrubs you plant now need watering throughout the drier months ahead.

100 YEARS

The first successful flight around the world began. A team of aviators from the US Army Air Service set off from Seattle, Washington on a 175-day trip around the world. They returned on 28 September 1924.

90 YEARS

British inventor Percy Shaw patented the Cat’s Eye reflective road stud. He set up a company to manufacture them in 1935, and in 1937 he was awarded a government contract to mass-produce them for national use.

60 YEARS

The Beatles occupied all top five positions on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in the USA. They are the only band in history to achieve this.

Twelve men convicted of carrying out the Great Train Robbery in England in August 1963 were jailed for a total of 307 years. They were given some of the longest sentences in British criminal history.

50 YEARS

The Swedish pop group ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with the song Waterloo. It was the first time that Sweden won the contest. ABBA went on to be one of the most successful groups in music history.

The maximum speed limit on roads in the UK was restored to 70 mph. It had been temporarily lowered to 50 mph in December 1973 because of the oil crisis.

40 YEARS AGO

A group of women protesters were evicted from their peace camp at Greenham Common airbase in Berkshire, where they were protesting against the USA’s cruise missiles sited there. They returned to their camp by nightfall.

30 YEARS

The Channel Tunnel linking England and France was officially opened.

Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president after more than three hundred years of white rule.

On 6 Jun 1994, Brian Lara scored 501 not out while playing for Warwickshire against Durham. It is the only score of 500 or more in first-class cricket history.

25 YEARS

The average house price was £75,995 (£139K in today’s value).

The best-selling single of the year was ‘Baby One More Time’, by Britney Spears.

Star Wars: Episode I

- The Phantom Menace was the biggest film of the year.

The minimum wage (introduced this year) was £3.60/hour for adults.

20 YEARS

Google launched its free email service, Gmail. Arsenal FC became the second team in English football history to go an entire season unbeaten, earning the title ‘The Invincibles’. Preston North End were the first to achieve this, in 1889.

15YEARS

Death of Michael Jackson, aged 50, from an anaesthetic overdose administered by his personal physician.

Clubs, Groups and Charities Directory

Welcome to our directory, giving a spotlight to clubs, groups, organisations, societies and charities across Somerset. This helps promote what they do, raise awareness and allow them to be found easily. You will find various categories below to find useful information.

To publicise your group go to www.wordgetsaround.co.uk/directories and fill in your details.

Health & Well Being: Age Uk Taunton. 01823 345626 www.ageuk.org/Somerset

Literature: Friends of R.N.L.I Bookshop. Anne & Dick Holland 01643 704996

Education: Guilhall Young Artists Richard Huish Taunton. Rachael Parvin 07754217993. www.gyataunton.org.uk

Health & Fitness: K.T’s Zumba Classes katie0704@live.co.uk 07738676832

Charities:

• Minehead Community Defib Club. Richard Newton. 07968 026033

• Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society. Emma Turk www.sanhs.org

Gardening: Minehead Gardening Club. Keith Payne mineheadgardeningclub@chessck.co.uk

Fitness: Taunton Town Walking Football Club. John Baker Taunton Vale Sports Club.

Hobbies: The Exmoor Coast Railway Modellers. David Nelhams 01643 706736

Dance: The West Somerset Morris. www.westsomersetmorris.co.uk

Social Group: Minehead Townswomen’s Guild. Ann Grieve. 01643 706389.

forthcoming events for FREE as well. Check out our growing What’s On section of our digital magazine at: www.wordgetsaround.co.uk/whats-on

We’ve created a great resource for anyone looking to explore their community and find out about events and activities happening in your area. Here you will find upcoming concerts, festivals, exhibitions, theatre productions, and listings for local markets, fairs, sports fixtures, and community initiatives.

We hope they will help you to discover new interests, meet likeminded people, and make the most of what the area has to offer.

To add YOUR events go to: www.wordgetsaround.co.uk/submit-an-event

Did you hear about the short fortune teller who escaped from prison?

He’s a small medium at large.

How many DIYers does it take to change a light bulb?

One, but it takes two weeks and four trips to the hardware store.

I was born in a bungalow and I’ve lived there ever since. Storey of my life.

My teachers told me I’d never amount to much since I procrastinate so much. I told them, “Just you wait!”

Albert Einstein was a really nice guy. But his brother Frank was a monster.

I’ve often wondered if baby deer are left or righthanded. Turns out they are bambidextrous.

Italy is organising a big historical race at the Coliseum for a good cause. It’ll be a huge charioty event.

CROSSWORD: Across: 7 Wheeler dealer, 8 Eclectic, 9 Avon, 10 Sputnik, 12 Lyric, 14 La Paz, 16 Poitier, 19 Beat, 20 Lollipop, 22 Venetian blind. Down: 1 Chic, 2 Regent, 3 Certain, 4 Educe, 5 Canary, 6 Genocide, 11 Platelet, 13 Holland, 15 Antler, 17 Trifle, 18 Blair, 21 Oink.

WORDWHEEL ANSWER: INSTRUCT

Hi! I’m Petee.

My friend Charlie the Chameleon is great at hiding. He’s hidden somewhere within this magazine. See if you can spot him and then visit...

www.wordgetsaround.co.uk/charlie

Tis a vact, chickens be the only animal youzz cun eat bevore they are born, and after they be dead.

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