Word Gets Around Magazine (Taunton) May/June

MAY/JUNE 2016

PERSONAL TRAINER KAREN ROBERTS

FA CUP / FOOTBALL THE OFFSIDE RULE EXPLAINED MY YEAR IN OFFICE AS MAYOR OF TAUNTON DEANE 2015/16

BY CLLR MARCIA HILL

YOU MAY BE SURPRISED AT HOW MANY THINGS HYPNOTHERAPY CAN HELP.

Experience Hypnotherapy with Award Winning Harley Street Hypnotherapist Trevor Hoskisson.

All sessions recorded for you - No need to keep coming back Call: 01823 729556 (or see page 13)

SPECIAL OFFER FOR WORD GETS AROUND READERS AT HOWARDS CITROËN TAUNTON. Experience Business Class travel at Economy rates with Citroën’s amazing van range, where every model is noted for its high-flying specification and jumbo carrying capacity. It’s little wonder that the fleet has picked up so many awards. Citroën Vans, welcome on board.

There really is the perfect van for everyone:

CITROËN BERLINGO ENTERPRISE from ‍£139 Contract Hire Monthly Rental.

Business users only. Payload up to 896kg Loadspace up to 3.3m³

Citroën Vans are full of innovations and technologies that raise the bar for comfort, safety, hard working Howards Citroën taunton 01823 efficiency and style. If you would like to experience the impressive range Citroën have to offer, then call PRiORSWOOD ROAD, TAUNTON, SOMERSET, TA2 8D SIMON JONES on 01823 230616.

Howards Citroën weston super

It will be a great opportunity to get behind the wheel and experience ourBRiDGE, award-winning van range for SOMERSET, BS2 HiLDESHEiM WESTON-SUPER-MARE, NORTH yourself.

Yours sincerely, SIMON JONES Howards Citroën Taunton Priorswood Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 8DN 01823 230616 www.howardstaunton.citroen.co.uk

Offers apply to qualifying new Citroën models ordered & delivered 01/10-31/12/14 for business users only, exclu per month on a 2 year agreement of 10,000 miles per annum. Contract Hire rentals shown apply to New Citroën C miles per annum. Contract Hire rental includes delivery to dealership, Citroën Roadside Assistance, Vehicle Excise D exceeded. Contract Hire rental rates have been calculated with the appropriate manufacturer’s support applied to th Finance subject to status. Guarantees may be required. Over 18s only. Written quotations available on request from UK only. Offers & specification correct at time of going to press from participating Dealers. Terms & conditions app

‡

Official Government fuel consumption figures (Range): Urban cycl

Contract Hire rentals shown apply to Citroën Berlingo HDi 75 manual L1 625 Enterprise & require an advance rental of £834 followed by 23 monthly Highest:New Citroën C4 Cactus PureTech 110 S&S manual Feel rentals on a 2 year agreement of 10,000 miles per annum. For business users only excluding National Fleet customers as defined by Citroën & Touch 3.5/80.7, 2.9/97.4, 3.1/91.1, 82. exclude VAT. Howard Garages (Weston) Ltd is acting as a credit broker and is not a lender.manual To finance your purchase/lease we may introduce you to MPG figures ar a limited number of lenders. Terms and conditions apply. For general details please give purposes us a call. only, and may not reflect actual on-the-road driving cond

EDITOR:

Clive Smith clive@wordgetsaround.co.uk

HELLO AND WELCOME TO WORD GETS AROUND MAGAZINE.

MAGAZINE DESIGNED BY:

I love May time, it’s full of optimism, everything is blooming, coming out of hibernation showing new growth and a new fruitful start to the summer months ahead. Of course the best thing is that it starts with a Bank Holiday so there will be plenty of fairs and local events to go to. Lets hope the weather will be kind to us.

Word Gets Around

No.2 The Crescent, Taunton, TA1 4EA 01823 256119 info@wordgetsaround.co.uk

ARTWORK TO:

artwork@wordgetsaround.co.uk

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.

We have been supporting one event this year and that is a monthly quiz at Taunton Rugby Club. Not your usual quiz night as this one is with buzzers.

Each month we try to find a local sponsor to support a local charity. Our first one was sponsored by Howards Citroen for ‘Stand Against Violence’ and our second was for ‘Taunton Association for the Homeless’, which our thanks goes out to Dor2Dor leaflet distributers for their kind donation.

DISTRIBUTION BY:

So if would like to support us with your crack quiz team just look on-line at www.fingersonbuzzers.net for the next one. You can get a flavour of the event and also book in your team. There is one every month.

www.taunton.dor2dor.com

If you have an event you would like us promote please let us have your details and we will endeavour to get it publicised.

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.

Word Gets Around hold no liability for supplied artwork from advertisers and contributors and views or advice contained within. So there!

Meanwhile enjoy the start to the summer.

Clive Article contributions by: Karen Roberts, Personal Trainer Ian Timms, Taunton Deane Borough Council Cllr Marcia Hill, Mayor of Taunton Deane 2015/16 Carol Harrison, Friends of Lisieux Lionel Murphy, Exmoor Search and Rescue Team

.3

MARTIN LEWIS - Energy providers www.moneysavingexpert.com All of the big six energy providers – British Gas, EDF, Eon, Npower, Scottish Power and SSE – have now announced price cuts to their standard tariffs, most to hit over the next month; but these are piddly, paltry, tiny, irrelevant and, ultimately, ignorable. Even after these cuts of roughly £30 a year, without any question you are BEING RIPPED OFF – typically by over £300 a year.

If you’re detecting a sense of frustration in my writing, you are correct. I’ve been banging on about this for over a decade, yet still 70% of the UK population are on these damn awful tariffs. So before I get into the “whats” and “hows”, let me prove why you need to listen.

In recent weeks my Twitter and email inbox have been swamped with people shocked at their savings and wishing they’d done it before.

1) It’s quick and easy to switch Slashing the amount you pay for energy really isn’t difficult. It takes minutes to find your cheapest, then it’s switched over in 17 days. I got four newish members of my team to do a comparison and on average it took 5 minutes 52 seconds. Those who worry about switching, don’t – it’s the same pipes, gas, meter and safety – the only thing that changes is the price and customer service.

2) Use a comparison site but do it the right way As your saving and your cheapest depends on where you live and what you use, there’s no one winner. Plug your details into a comparison site and it’ll show your best deal.

To do this, you need your address, your current tariff and your usage. The best usage to put in is your Kilowatt hours, if not that, then your annual cost, if not then monthly cost.

If you don’t have any info – just guess! While you may not get the perfect result, if you’re on a standard tariff you’ll save substantially.

To do a comparison you can use my www.

CheapEnergyClub.com or, alternatively, you can use any www.ofgem.gov.uk approved comparison site, but, if so, do watch for two things.

- Ensure it searches all tariffs Some comparison sites by default will only show you the tariffs that they get paid for. This filters out some

4.

of the cheapest deals. Make sure when you’re doing a comparison you’ve selected the option to see all the results, that way you’ll get to see the best deals.

- Beware personal projections if you’re on a fixed tariff When doing a comparison, most comparison sites follow the regulators’ guidance and show your ‘personal projection’, which is effectively your average energy cost over the next year.

This is normally fine, but is nonsense for anyone on a fixed tariff ending within 12 months – something I’ve campaigned against, to little avail.

For example, if your current fix costs £800 a year and ends in six months, and after you’ll then pay £1,200 a year, as you’ll be on the energy firm’s standard tariff, the personal projection say you’ll pay £1,000 in a year – the cost averaged over 12 months.

So if the market’s cheapest deal is £900 a year, the results will tell you to switch and save £100. Yet do it now and for the first six months you’ll actually be paying more, not less. You need to see both prices to make a decision, which www.cheapenergyclub.co.uk does. Comparethemarket.com and energyhelpline. com have options to see both as well.

- Check customer service feedback too.

It’s not all about pure price, service counts. It may be worth paying a little more for one with a good service record; Ovo is relatively cheap for many people with a good track record. Most comparison sites include some service listings.

3) If you don’t want to change supplier, change tariff.

Many confuse changing tariffs with changing companies, but you don’t necessarily have to. For example, at the time of writing this, if you’re on Npower’s standard tariff, which on typical usage is £1,110/year, you can switch to its cheapest 12 month fix, which is actually one of the market’s cheapest at £781/ year – saving £320.

So at the very least do a comparison and if you really don’t want to switch (not a big deal, but some don’t like it) at least move to your supplier’s cheapest. It’s worth noting some firms also operate under more than one name, for example British Gas is also Scottish Gas and Sainsbury’s Energy.

Can’t make head or tail of the budget?

Welch and Co have put together a brief guide to help you understand some key points.

Under 40 and want to save

If you earn more than £11,000 a year

From April 2017, a new Lifetime ISA will be introduced for savers aged 18 to 40. For every £4 saved before you turn 50, the government will give a £1 bonus. The bonus can be used towards your retirement or first home. Anyone with a Help to Buy ISA will be able to roll it into one of these.

The personal allowance level, the amount you can earn before paying tax, will rise to £11,500 in April 2017.

Sell online or occasionally rent your spare room

If you’re self-employed

People selling online will be able to earn £1,000 before any tax is due from April 2017.

Another £1,000 allowance will be introduced for people who temporarily rent out their home or other property as part of the “sharing economy”.

If you want to start saving A new government-backed savings scheme, Help To Save, will offer Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit recipients a 50% bonus at the end of two years if they save up to £50 a month.

If you have an ISA From April 2017 the ISA limit will rise to £20,000, increasing the amount of money that can be saved tax-free each year.

If you buy new insurance policies Insurance Premium Tax will increase by 0.5% to pay for flood defences. This will make some policies, more expensive.

If you earn more than £43,000 a year Meanwhile the higher rate income tax threshold will rise to £45,000 in April 2017.

Class 2 National Insurance contributions will be axed for self-employed people from 2018.

If you sell something of value Capital Gains Tax is to be cut from 28% to 20% for higher-rate taxpayers, and from 18% to just 10% for basic-rate taxpayers.

If you smoke/ drink Tobacco will go up by 2% above inflation, while rolling tobacco will go up by an additional 5% from 6pm on 16 March.

If you buy sugary drinks A new levy will be introduced in 2018 on sugar content in soft drinks, meaning companies that don’t reduce sugar levels could pass the price on to shoppers.

If you drive Fuel duty will be frozen for the sixth year in a row.

2 Drake House, Cook Way, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 6BJ. Tel: 01823 321954 Fax: 07003 401455 Email: info@welchaccountants.com www.facebook.com/welchaccountants

www.welchaccountants.com

.5

Will Somebody Please Explain ……the Offside Rule Saturday 21st May is FA Cup final day. Footie fans up and down the land will be involved in animated discussions along the lines of...

“It should definitely be banned. It’d open up the field and create more goal-scoring opportunities.

Defenders would have to be more alert.”

“Are you mad? You’d get players hanging around the goal line waiting for a touch. It’d be easier to score but so boring it wouldn’t be worth watching…”

“Like Bayern Munich versus Arsenal?”

“Yeah, exactly. Fancy another pint?”

They are of course referring to the notoriously difficult to understand offside rule. The offside rule has attained mythical status over the years. It states: A player is offside when the ball is kicked by a teammate (that bit is important) if the referee thinks he/she satisfies all four of the following: •

He/She is in his opponents’ half of the field

•

He/She is nearer the opponents’ goal line than the ball, i.e. in front of the ball

•

He/She is nearer the opponents’ goal line than the second last opponent, i.e. in front of him/her (The last opponent is generally the goalkeeper)

At this point I need to make clear that being offside in itself is not an offence.

He/she is only classed as offside if, as well as satisfying the previous three points, he/she is: •

Deemed by the referee to have participated in the area of active play.

And this is the bit of the offside rule which causes all the arguments because it’s open to debate what ‘participated in the area of active play’ actually means.

FIFA tried to clarify the definition back in 2005 with the following: •

Interfering with play by touching the ball

•

Obstructing an opponent trying to get to the ball

•

Gaining an advantage from being in an offside position - including playing a ball which has rebounded from the post or crossbar.

Judging by the debates which still rage up and down the land I’m not entirely sure that FIFA has laid that one to rest.

The Offside Trap This involves the defending team collectively moving away from their goal to catch an opposition striker in an offside position.

Clearly, this carries the danger of the match officials not spotting the infraction and the striker being left facing only the goal keeper, and a great opportunity to score.

By Tom Hancock

6.

Advice, Help & Training Help with Viruses Repairs & Upgrades Broadband & Wi-Fi Windows & Linux Expertise Fully Qualified IT Professional Tel: 01823 366067 Email: ian@summerleaze.biz .7

Garden View - Bring on the biological warfare!

I’m a huge fan of biological warfare. But before you all write in to complain about my radical stance, I’m really not talking about anthrax and Ebola: I’m talking about using nature to tip the balance in favour of us gardeners.

Ladybirds are my favourite biological control. They feast on aphids (greenfly) and during their year long lifespan they can scoff 5000 of them! Ladybird larvae are long and black with orange spots. They look a bit mean but don’t be tempted to squish them as they are also voracious aphid-eaters.

Lacewing larvae eat 300 aphids each before turning into adult lacewings and guzzling down even more, and even the much maligned wasp has a taste for greenfly so don’t be too quick to swat it with your gardening glove; it’s actually protecting your roses.

The beautiful song thrush is in decline, but it loves to eat slugs and snails. Thrushes were very susceptible to slug-bait poison based on methiocarb and this was banned by the EU in 2014. The most common ingredient now is metaldehyde which is still very toxic to many garden beasts (as well as domestic animals).

And slug bait is a very inefficient way to dispose of your slug population anyway, reducing it on average by just 10%.

Frogs and toads are great slug-eaters, as are hedgehogs. The former can be encouraged by providing them with a tiny pond: it really doesn’t have to be much bigger than a bucket sunk into the ground.

8.

Hedgehogs prefer a pile of logs to hide under, or you could invest in a hedgehog house. There are many handsome ones about, though if you’re a bit of a handyman you could probably make one yourself.

The big new thing in biological pest control in recent years was the arrival of pre-packed nematodes and mites. Nematodes are tiny parasites which are watered on to a problem area when the soil temperature is 10C or greater. The nematodes enter the pest and reproduce inside it, killing it in the process. When the pest dies they are then released back into the soil, ready to infect new pests. There are nematodes to target slugs, vine weevils and ants.

Predatory mites are also available to target red spider mite and thrips.

All of these methods have the advantage of targeting a particular pest very specifically without causing damage to the environment.

Of course with organic gardening you’re unlikely to get a pristine plot but don’t despair about the odd blemish. See it as a positive sign that you care about the environment and the wildlife in your garden then repeat after me, blemishes are beautiful...

By Rachael Leverton

TAUNTON CARPETS & BEDS www.tauntoncarpets.com

OVER 3000 CARPET SAMPLES - OVER 1000 VINYL SAMPLES - MASSIVE SAVINGS ON ALL ROLL STOCK AND END OF ROLLS - EXPERT FITTING GUARANTEED - SUPERB DEALS 80/20 WOOL TWIST AND 100% WOOL BERBER - RUGS MADE TO ORDER - HUGE RANGE OF DOMESTIC/COMMERCIAL FLOORING AVAILABLE - KARNDEAN AND LVT FLOORING SPECIALISTS

CARPET • VINYL • LAMINATE • WOOD • NATURAL FLOORING

Unit 9, Priory Way Ind. Estate, Toneway, Taunton TA1 2AL. Open: 9-5 Mon-Fri 10-2 Saturdays.

Call: 01823 330880 ** Receive a further 10% off on production of this advert **

.9

ARE YOU READY FOR SUMMER?

By Karen Roberts, Personal Trainer, Taunton.

So summer is not far away. The evenings are staying lighter for longer, the sun is finally warming us all up and those woolly jumpers are getting put away for another year. As you rummage around and pull out those shorts and t-shirts and possibly bikinis and trunks are you panicking!! Have you neglected to keep in shape over the winter and have maybe had a few too many comfort foods? Don’t worry if you have you still have time to get in shape before you head off to the beach.

So what can you do to get your body in top shape for the summer?

Involve a friend, make a commitment with someone else and encourage each other. You can attend fitness classes, go for walks in the evenings and set some goals together.

During the week think about walking more, where you used to get the bus or take the car because it was cold or raining think about walking instead. If it is too far to walk the whole way drive the car half way and walk the rest or get off the bus one stop earlier.

Get outside on the weekends, you have two full days to be active, don’t waste them and make plans, long walks, family bike rides etc.. Gardening and car washing all burn calories!

10.

Download an app. There are literally hundreds of apps you can download that will help you get in shape and you can do them in the privacy of your own home.

Try something different that you haven’t tried before like yoga or HIIT training.

Invest in some new workout clothes, have you heard of “enclothed cognition”? The term describes how what you wear can influence your psychological process. Some studies have shown that if you wear active clothing you become more active? Whether you believe that or not make sure you have the right kit for the right training. Treat yourself to some new exercise clothing it will make you feel like working out.

Think about your diet, are you providing your body with healthy, vitamin and mineral rich food? Think about what foods are in season at the moment; buy lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and experiment with salads. eg. how about roasting some sweet potatoes, onions or garlic and add them to your salads. Or add some grated apples or some nuts and seeds? Add in some protein eg. fish, chicken and there you go you have a meal.

Enjoy the weather and get outside, remember summer in the UK doesn’t last for long so enjoy every minute!!

For more information on healthy living, lifestyle advice and personal training please visit my website at www.karenroberts.co.uk

Nutritious and delicious.

The clue is in the name.

Those clever chefs at Wiltshire Farm Foods know how to make really healthy food, really tasty – like Salmon Provençale and Mediterranean Chicken. All freshly prepared using carefully selected ingredients, then quickfrozen to lock in the goodness, delivered free to your door.

Nutritious & Delicious Menu Pack only £26.95 7 main courses: Roast Pork with Cider & Apple Gravy, Chicken & Spring Vegetable Casserole, Sliced Beef in a Red Wine Sauce, Moroccan Chicken, Diced Beef Chilli, Butternut Squash and Butterbean Stew, Salmon Provençale ORDER CODE: ND2 Call us today for your FREE brochure

01769 573135

wiltshirefarmfoods.com

Diced Beef Chilli £3.65

FOR YOUR PROPERTY VALUATION CALL US TODAY:

01823 332121

Email: taunton@wilkie.co.uk www.wilkie.co.uk Town & Country Residential Sales | Land & New Homes | Commercial & Development Surveyors | Independent Mortgage Advice

.11

The story behind May Day My mum is proud to recall the year she was Maid of Honour to the May Queen. We have a photo of her and several other young girls, surrounding the May Queen who is wearing a flowing white gown and coronet of flowers.

My own memories of May Day celebrations are less regal. I remember clutching a coloured ribbon attached to a maypole and weaving in and out of other children to make pretty patterns for our parents to watch and enjoy.

This traditional image of May Day, which in Pagan times celebrated the completion of seeding and springtime fertility with village fetes and community gathering, has little to do with why May 1st is celebrated in Britain today, and why it is recognised internationally as a public holiday.

May Day is International Workers Day, and its history is a little more colourful than the ribbons of the maypole or the handkerchiefs waved around by Morris Dancers!

The late nineteenth century saw employees working 10-18 hour days in unsafe and difficult conditions.

Capitalist factory owners, keen to maximise their output, kept them running as many hours as possible with a “sun up to sun down” working day. Death and injury were common.

12.

An early British Socialist reformer, Robert Owen, campaigned for the work day to be divided into thirds, coining in 1817 the phrase; “Eight hours labour, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest.” By the late 1800s, Socialist movements in both Britain and the USA were working towards the same end: an eight hour working day.

In 1884, the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions in the US proclaimed that “eight hours shall constitute a legal day’s labor from and after May 1st 1886.” Without the backing of the government or businesses, this ideal was not realised, so when the day arrived 300,000 workers walked off their jobs in protest.

Strikes, picket lines, beatings, shootings, rock throwing and bombings followed, and finally major progress was made in 1914 when the Ford Motor Company cut its standard work day to eight hours, whilst also doubling their workers’ pay. Amazingly, productivity increased significantly and profit margins doubled within two years. This encouraged other companies to follow suit.

In the UK the Labour government declared May 1st a bank holiday in 1978 and it has been used regularly by protest groups to fight for their cause, especially for workers and their rights. In 2011 the Tories made attempts to scrap May Day and move the bank holiday to October, but for now it remains in place and an opportunity to remember the sacrifices of all those who fought to secure better working hours and conditions for us all!

By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT HYPNOSIS With Trevor Hoskisson of the Harley Street Hypnotherapy Clinic.

Use Hypnosis and NLP to reduce your weight and easily maintain your ideal weight for the rest of your life.

“Thank you, Trevor. I am very happy to be able to report that I have not touched Diet Coke, biscuits or chocolate since our session, and have no desire to do so! Many thanks”. Emma

Hypnosis also helps... Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Pain Management, Confidence, Self Esteem, Phobias & much more.

Phone Trevor to find out how hypnosis can help you.

Tel: 01823 729556

Email: Trevor.Hoskisson@HarleyStreetHypnotherapyClinic.com No.2 The Crescent, Taunton, TA1 4EA www.HarleyStreetHypnotherapyClinic.com

Trevor Hoskisson BSc MPNLP CHt MAPHP MAC

FREE Metabolism Booster CD with first session (Value £37) All sessions recorded for you – No need to keep coming back.

We supply and fit all types of flooring and offer excellent carpentry services from kitchen installations to full timber framed buildings.

For a free measure and quote call us today: 01823 254555

10% OFF with this advert (T&Cs apply)

Email: creationflooringandcarpentry@gmail.com Mobile: 07909 954849 .13

Crossword Across 1 4 8 9 10 11 12 14

persecute (6) leader (5) afterward (5) clap (7) remove hair (7) glade (4) allow (3) monster (4)

15 18 21 23 25 26 27 28

bee house (4) blob (3) mature (4) flight personnel (7) degree (7) world-class (5) claw (5) nap (6)

Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 13 16

protective head gear (6) decomposing (7) shrieked (8) immitate (4) angry (5) 17 deferred payment (6) violin (6) 19 trivial (5) bread ring (5) 20 pluck (6) baker's dozen (8) 22 student (5) dizziness (7) 24 robe (4)

Sudoku

How to play Sudoku It’s simple!

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

You don’t need to be a genius. These puzzles are logic alone.

Watch out! Sudoku is highly addictive.

14.

Exmoor Search and Rescue Team (ESRT) “We don’t have any mountains on Exmoor”, a comment we often hear when out on street collections and it’s true we don’t – so why do we have a Mountain Rescue Team covering Devon and Somerset?

The ESRT was affiliated to Mountain Rescue (England and Wales) in 1992, just over 23 years ago. Affiliation to the MR(E&W) allowed the team to become a recognised police resource that could be tasked for searches within our boundaries. We are tasked by both Devon & Cornwall Police and Avon & Somerset Constabulary to search for people who are missing.

This could be an elderly person from a Care Home, a despondent, hiding children and even the occasional walker who gets into difficulties. It may not be on the moors but could be in an urban environment.

There are approximately 30 full team members and up to 6 or 7 trainees undergoing training which can take up to a year to complete. We are all volunteers and come from many different backgrounds. All full members are willing, work commitments allowing, to attend callouts whatever the time, terrain or weather to help in locating the missing person.

Training is an on-going commitment to maintain proficiency in first aid, navigation, search techniques, rope work and radio communication. This takes place within the team’s area, at least three times a month.

We mainly train out on the moors with an indoor event every month. The last Sunday in a month is an all day training exercise, designed by members of the team, to hone our skills.

We carry out joint exercises with other Agencies, allowing us to form a good working relationship for ‘live’ situations. We have also had members of the

cadets, Young Farmers Clubs, local community and ESRT supporters, volunteering to act as casualties, to whom we are grateful.

Of course all the searches we are called out on happen on a sunny weekend on a nice flat piece of land where it is easy to find the person! I am sure you will be surprised to know that is not always the case – in fact it is normally a wet, windy, cold day or early hours of the morning or night. The search area covers marshy, wooded, slippery hillsides and the search could extend all day or longer. At times like this, working in teams of three or four, you are glad of the companionship of your colleagues. We all have confidence in the skills and abilities of the person next to us as we all train together and support each other.

It is reassuring to know that when carrying out a search of a dark and inhospitable area your colleague is exactly where they should be and ready to support you.

Changing demands on Search and Rescue Teams require more specialised skills and so technical teams within the team have been formed for high crag rescue and water searches. Members from our team were involved in the rescue efforts in the recent York floods. However, there is an increased cost for equipment and we are eternally grateful to those organisations who donate to us. We have a small team of support members who attend events and conduct street collections.

We are funded entirely by donations and as our annual running costs are about £20,000 we are very grateful for the time they give to raising this.

If you are interested in finding out more about our team visit our website: www.exmoor-srt.org.uk. .15

A Good Read The Winter Ghosts

By Kate Mosse This is an unusually short novel

by Kate Mosse at just 250 pages.

However readers won’t be disappointed as Mosse once again takes us back to the South of France and the area in the Pyrenees which provided the haunting backdrop to her weightier Labyrinth novels.

It is 1933, and an Englishman visits a book antiquarian in France with a strange manuscript written in the now extinct Occitan language of the region. The antiquarian is curious and wants to know how an Englishman would have it in his possession. Slowly, the foreigner tells his story.

In 1928, with Europe still recovering from the aftermath of World War 1, Freddie is recovering from an illness. Still struggling to come to terms with the death of his older brother George, his doctor suggests a trip to France where the mountain air in the south may help his recovery. He is consumed by grief and guilt over George’s death and welcomes the opportunity to visit the country where his beloved brother died.

A car crash during a storm in the mountains sees him stranded in the oddly deserted-looking village of Nulle. He finds lodgings and the next day is invited to attend the Fete de Sainte-Etienne, a celebration of the village’s past. It is here that he meets Fabrissa, a beautiful mysterious woman.

Mosse cleverly allows us to see the psychological effects of grief. As in the Labyrinth trilogy she embeds the story in the medieval history of the Cathars (an ancient sect of Christianity, long since destroyed) in the region. Are there such things as ghosts or do we create them in our mind to deal with the events that appear doomed to reoccur throughout history? Or are ghosts merely the reminder of mistakes that we are condemned to repeat?

16.

Cloudberry Castle: Ballet School Secrets

By Janey Louise Jones This is the second book in the Cloudberry Castle series. The first introduced ballet-mad Katie and her family. Following the death of their elderly neighbour the Mackenzie family find themselves the owners of Cloudberry Castle.

The crumbling building could be beautiful and the book follows Katie and her family as they raise enough money to turn it into a new ballet boarding school. At the start of this second book the school is about to open.

Katie’s mother was a dancer with the New York City Ballet and has spent the last few months planning classes, ordering costumes, and holding auditions, whilst her dad has been hard at work transforming the rooms into ballet studios, classrooms, and dormitories.

When September arrives Katie is in heaven. She gets to dance all day and soon makes friends with some of the other girls. Her mum is planning to stage Sleeping Beauty at the end of the year and Katie would love to play Princess Aurora. However, one of the new students, Leo, seems to be about to put a dampener on things. She arrives with a private chauffeur and pony and clearly thinks she is better than everyone else. Katie begins to worry that she is not as good at ballet as she thought she was. Can she win the role of Princess Aurora?

Combined with a discovery in the grounds of Cloudberry Castle which may well reveal some longhidden secrets, this novel is perfect for a young ballet fan. Katie is a very likeable narrator and Jones is an engaging writer. This is aimed at readers aged 8+ and its 141 pages are split into 28 manageable chapters for young readers looking to gain more confidence.

By Willow Coby

• WILLS  LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY • • FREE BEREAVEMENT & PROBATE ADVICE • • HOME PROTECTION & DISABLED TRUSTS • • PREPAID FUNERAL PLANS • Home and Office appointments available

FREE SEMINARS PROTECTING YOUR ASSETS TAUNTON LIBRARY

Wednesday 25th May 10.00am prompt

LASTS ABOUT 90 MINUTES. BOOKING ESSENTIAL AS THERE ARE LIMITED PLACES REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE 30 MIN BEFORE START PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY This seminar will show you how you can protect your home and your cash assets to be passed on at a later date to your Attorney and a variety of Trusts can be used to not only protect your assets but remove the need for Probate in the future

FREE HOME PROTECTION INFORMATION PACK

Most Home Calls FREE for over 60’s TEL: 0800 014 8031 Falcon House, Eagle Road, Langage, Plymouth PL7 5JY www.rls-uk.com • Covering Devon & Cornwall

David Richardson

.17

Friends of Lisieux Members of the Friends of Lisieux had their AGM on Thursday 10th March at The Deane House, Taunton. The Honorary President, Her Worship the Mayor of Taunton Deane, Councillor Marcia Hill was there together with her Consort, Mr Hill.

The Mayor said it was nice to be president and that she was keen to know events and happy to support. She was very interested in the Society and pleased that it has continued.

The secretary, Carol Harrison, told of the events of the last year 2015-16 which included a French Film Night, a walk and tea in a member’s garden, a celebration lunch for Bastille Day, a Chefs’ Night where three members cooked dinner for members and visitors, a Christmas meal, lunches and also regular walks in the countryside.

The French twinning Society, Les Amis de Taunton from Lisieux, visited for a long weekend in August and stayed in people’s houses. The members, both English and French, went on a trip to Bristol to Clifton Suspension Bridge and Museum and to SS Great Britain. The French were also entertained to a dinner locally.

Carol told of similar events planned for this year 201617. The Friends of Lisieux will be going to Lisieux for a long weekend in August, 26-30th. Members will stay in French homes and it is a very interesting experience.

The French will have planned events around Lisieux which will include a dinner and also a day trip.

Other events in 2016-17 include a Walk and Cream Tea, a celebration lunch for Bastille Day, lunches in different venues, a French Film Evening and also regular walks led by one of the members. There will also be a Christmas meal.

The outgoing Chair, Rosemary Sheppy and longstanding committee member Neil Parker and a past chairman, stood down from their positions. They had been in FOL for 25 and 38 years respectively. The new Chairman Chris Harrison said that they were an important part of FOL and gave them each a present on retiring.

If you would like to find out more about the Friends of Lisieux, please contact the Secretary, Friends of Lisieux, Carol Harrison on 07795344229.

Taunton Sinfonietta Orchestra Chamber Concert, 7th May 2016 - Taunton / Saturday 7th May 2016 St James’ Church, Taunton - 7.30pm Programme to follow - will feature two oboe quartets with soloist Lynn Carter Songs and Strings, 25th June 2016 - Taunton / Saturday 25th June 2016 St James’ Church, Taunton - 7.30pm. Britten - “Simple Symphony”, Clive Jenkins “Majesty”. Vivaldi - Double Concerto in A Minor. Telemann - Concerto for 3 Violins in F Major. Clive Jenkins - “White Bird” with soloist Suzanne Manuell 2 songs by Thomas Arne, 1 by Purcell - all arranged by Clive Jenkins, sung by Suzanne Manuell, with strings.

Tel: 01823 340470 www.tauntonsinfonietta.org.uk 18.

PLASTERING SERVICES Tony Henden

• • • •

Home improvements and repairs Trade works Rendering and skimming Dry lining and plastering over Artex

TEL: 07967 378309

EMAIL: TONY.HENDEN@AOL.CO.UK

DOMESTIC CLEANER Services in Somerset

Contact John Compton taunton@timeforyou.co.uk

Let Time For You take the strain of your house keeping. We pride ourselves on providing a personal quality cleaner service.

All makes of Boiler servicing:

Gas or Oil Power Flushing & Breakdowns Gas Safe & Oftec Registered All your plumbing needs...

Everything right down to a leaking tap!

27 Years Experience.

For a Fast & Friendly Service Call John on 07584 432108 or 01823 326018. .19

Recipe Five Greens Lasagne Serves 2-4 depending on appetite.

Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 20-30 minutes.

Ingredients: A bunch of spring onions Few anchovies in oil (optional) 3 cloves of garlic 175g asparagus 175g broccoli 250g frozen peas 150g frozen broad beans Handful fresh mint 150ml single cream 1/2 lemon (zested) 150-200ml vegetable stock 250g cottage cheese 1 packet lasagne sheets (dried or fresh) Parmesan cheese Fresh thyme (or a pinch of dried thyme) Method Half fill and boil the kettle.

Pour a little oil from the anchovies (if using) into a thick-bottomed saucepan and place on a medium heat. If not using anchovies use a tablespoon of olive oil. Finely slice the spring onions and half of the anchovies and then add them to the saucepan.

Crush the cloves of garlic into the pan and fry until soft but not too coloured (burnt garlic is bitter).

Snap the woody ends from the asparagus and discard.

Finely slice the remaining stems asparagus into 1.5cm pieces. Break the broccoli into small florets of a similar size and add both broccoli and asparagus to the pan with a splash of boiling water from the kettle.

20.

After five minutes, add the peas and broad beans along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well.

Roughly chop the mint leaves then add them to the saucepan along with the cream. Grate in the zest of the lemon to taste.

When the vegetables are soft, use a potato masher to mash some of the filling to create texture. Add the vegetable stock; bring to the boil before lowering to a simmer and adding half the cottage cheese.

Give everything a good stir and cook for a few more minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200째C. Take the vegetables off the heat and spoon around one third to a half of the mixture into a deep lasagne dish (approx dimensions 20cm x 15cm). Top with a lasagne sheet and a generous grating of parmesan cheese.

Repeat the layers of vegetable and lasagne sheets until you have used all of the filling and then top with a final sheet. I prefer less pasta to filling so use fewer layers but it works as well with three layers.

Mix the remaining 250g of cottage cheese with a splash of boiled water and then spread over the lasagne.

Sprinkle over the thyme along with another good grating of parmesan and a final drizzle of olive oil.

Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes until the topping has browned. Serve immediately with a green salad.

For all your decorating needs

20 %

OFF* your purchnext ase

Visit your local Johnstone’s Decorating Centre in Taunton today!

• Premium quality Johnstone’s paints in over 16,000 colours • Stacks of decorating tools & accessories • Decorative wood finishes • Free delivery

HOW TO FIND US

Get 20% off* your next purchase!

Simply present this advert to a member Johnstone’s Decorating Centre of staff at the time of purchase to get Unit 11, Priory Way Industrial Estate, Taunton TA1 2AL your discount. *Terms & conditions apply. Offer valid until 31st December 2016.

Cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion. Ask in store for details.

Tel: 01823 271498

visit us online at www.paint247.co.uk PPG TAUNTON 135x195mm.indd 1

15/10/2015 17:00 .21

Connecting Taunton Deane.

Over the last year we have been talking to our business partners about “connectivity.” In practice this means moving ahead with a range of schemes around transport to help our residents, visitors and business - and improving digital access.

On the digital theme we have committed to invest £380,000 to support the second phase of superfast broadband rollout which is currently being planned and procured through Connecting Devon and Somerset. We hope this will see further improvements in broadband coverage for residents over the next couple of years.

Another way to provide improved digital access is introducing Wi-fi systems in key areas. So over the summer months Taunton, Wellington and Wiveliscombe will become better connected as the council introduces free town centre Wi-fi in the central areas.

This will be built with an experienced partner who provides Wi-fi in other towns. The free Wi-fi will be available to you, as resident of the Borough, or for tourists visiting these towns. The aim is to let you know what`s going on in the area keeping you up to date with events, offers in the shops and enabling you to keep connected while you are in these places.

In Taunton we are also working on installing more traditional wayfinding map boards in key spots

22.

which will add to the visitor experience. These should appear over the latter part of the summer and again we are working with a partner who has provided these maps all over the country.

On the wider transport front no doubt you will have seen in the local press that the council has committed money to the aspiration to re-open Wellington Station. This is clearly a long term project and pretty complicated but will would mean that people could travel between two of our major towns - and beyond - by rail.

Finally on the subject of rail the project to improve Taunton station should start to accelerate soon and this will of course see a much improved access to rail services. This will be aligned to improvements in the GWR service over the next few years with more fast trains to London during the day.

I hope you will agree that we are working hard to make Taunton Deane more accessible and up to date – this is a great way for us to help get the message out!

Ian Timms Assistant Director of Business Development, Taunton Deane Borough and West Somerset Councils 01823 356577 itimms@westsomerset.gov.uk

QUALITY bespoke furniture handcrafted for you Call now to arrange a visit to our Somerset workshop Tel: 01823 256369 gary@harrisonsofsomerset.co.uk

www.harrisonsofsomerset.co.uk

.23

My year in office as Mayor of Taunton Deane 2015/16

By Cllr Marcia Hill My year in office as Mayor of Taunton Deane has been amazing. I could leave it at that but there has been so many things that I would like to sing the praises of. The fantastic people we have met, hundreds of them. People who care, raise funds and do so with a good heart.

The events we have attended have been so varied, from Cathedral services to 100 th birthdays. One we went to was 101!! How amazing is that! They have so many memories and I was fascinated with all of them.

All of the fetes, festivals, concerts, shows, church services, fund raisers, openings, exhibitions, launches, presentations and fun days that we attended were all different too. Events where just a handful of people organised and ran it are just as much fun as the big ones. Because they all want to make a difference. We lost count of the number of church services we attended or events held in churches, but we do know the ones with no comfy seats and you end up with ‘pew bum’.

It has been great to have been able to promote and support all the charities, communities, groups and new businesses that have invited us along and we hope that it has made a difference to them too.

We’ve had lots of buffets, loads of cream teas, hundreds of mince pies and a few dinners. All of which gave me a good excuse for new dresses, hats and shoes. It wasn’t all one sided though, Julian has new suits, jackets, shirts, ties and shoes too. Our family reckon we will be the best dressed pensioners they know.

One of the privileges of being Mayor is that you can choose a charity or charities that you can raise funds for. Mine are the Taunton Food Bank and the Neonatal Special Care Baby Unit at Musgrove Hospital. I chose these for two reasons. They are local charities and you can do alternative giving. The Food Bank is becoming increasingly 24.

more important every week with an increase in people being referred to them and I think most of us know someone who has had the services of the Neonatal Unit if not themselves, from the dedicated team of staff who do a wonderful job.

Although there was a slight drop in numbers of people who needed this service last year they still need to keep stocks up.

Alternative giving is nice as some people are unable to donate money, but when shopping they can pick up an extra item of food and pop it in the collection basket or donate some wool or knit a baby item for the unit which can be dropped into the Deane House.

Both charities have asked me to pass on their thanks but it doesn’t end when my term of office finishes. I will still be encouraging people to donate in any way they can as the need doesn’t end there and will continue for a long time.

I have have presented lots of medals, certificates, prizes and awards too. It always gives me so much pleasure to be able to be involved in their achievements and it make me feel proud too.

I even managed a couple of firsts. The first Mayor to wear the ‘Day Chains’, sit in a bath and pretend to have a shower and ride around the town on the back of a Harley trike holding on to my hat with Faster Than the Speed of Night blasting out of the speakers.

Whilst writing this I still have 4 weeks left of my term of office and we have a very full calendar right up until the end and I know we have some very exciting events booked in that will no doubt generate more news to pass on in the future.

There is so much we have done and enjoyed but I couldn’t have done it without the full support of my Consort, my husband Julian, and I thank him so much for being by my side.

19 AGEDVER? O R O Y NOW, STUD LATER! PAY ced van an Ad With rner Loan Lea

Coming soon...

Adult Training & Skills Guide Getting you where you want to be.

Open Evening, Wed 8 June, 6pm - 8pm.

01278 441234 | www.bridgwater.ac.uk Bridgwater Centre, Bath Road, TA6 4PZ

FA Cup FACTOIDS

• • • • • •

The FA Cup kicked off in 1871, making it the world’s oldest football cup competition.

The only club still in existence to win three FA Cup finals in a row is Blackburn Rovers (1884 to 1886). They had 24 consecutive match wins in that time.

In 1888, a match was held on Christmas Day, between Linfield Athletic and Cliftonville.

• • • •

Ashley Cole holds the record for the most wins – he’s won seven times! Three wins were with Arsenal and four with Chelsea.

•

The current cup itself is a replica of one created in 1911, by Fattorini & Sons in Bradford.

•

Jimmy Speirs scored the winning goal for Bradford in 1911. He went on to be awarded the Military Medal for bravery in the First World War.

Arsenal hold the current record for most FA Cup wins (12).

Arsenal also holds the record for the most wins in the FA Women’s Cup (13).

Manchester United was the first team to win the Cup after only playing top-division teams (1948).

In 1985, Kevin Moran became the first player to be sent off in an FA Cup final.

The FA Women’s Cup began in 1970, although it was then called the Mitre Challenge Trophy.

The first FA Women’s Cup winner (in 1972) was Southampton.

Taunton Rugby Club Presents

Tribute Nights 2016 Friday 5th February

Take That

£13.00

Bee Gee (Stayin’ Alive)

£13.00

Friday 1st April

Bon Jovi

£13.00

Friday 6th May

Freddie Mercury (Pure Magic)

£13.00

Friday 3rd June

Shomaddymaddy

£13.00

Friday 1st July

Michael Jackson

£13.00

Friday 5th August

Robbie Williams

£13.00

Olly Murs

£13.00

Motown (Arrindell Sisters)

£13.00

Friday 4th November

Beatles (Fab 4)

£13.00

Friday 2nd December

Elvis (Barry Paul)

£13.00

Friday 4th March

Friday 2nd September Friday 7th October

*All Nights Include A Hot Buffet

To Book

01823 336363 26.

National Walk to School Week National Walk to School Week takes place from 16th -20 th May. The week is promoted by Living Streets who provide classroom packs and ideas for activities to encourage more children to safely walk to school.

It’s estimated that only half of 7-10 year olds do the recommended one hour exercise per day and studies suggest that many children are obese or overweight when they leave primary school. Encouraging children to walk to school not only helps them to stay trim, but also reduces the risk of heart conditions and other diseases in later life, and means that they are more alert in the classroom on a day-today basis.

Walking is also better for the environment as it reduces congestion and pollution. Fewer cars and parking outside schools also means there is a reduced chance of accidents and injuries.

Many children find it fun to walk to school with their parents or friends and look out for particular things along their route. Observation sheets are available which provide an opportunity to tick off things seen along the way, such as a church, shop, or petrol station.

For those who can’t walk to school with a relative, being part of a walking-bus may offer a solution. Children walk with volunteers in a group along a designated route, dropping off passengers at schools along the way.

By Susan Brookes-Morris

Midsummer’s Day The longest day of the year comes all too soon in my opinion. Just three weeks after the arrival of summer on 1st June, the summer solstice (21st June) has passed and we have winter to look forward to again. It’s all to do with which calendar we follow. The astronomical calendar has summer starting in March when we put our clocks forward an hour, whereas the meteorological summer runs from June to August. This mixture of calendars is indicative of the mixed-up celebration Midsummer’s Day has become. Like many other ancient traditions, it has its roots in pagan Britain but has been adopted and adapted to fit in with Christian beliefs.

Our ancestors - in awe of the power of the sun - celebrated the summer solstice by lighting bonfires to protect against evil spirits. They also built stone circles, set in alignment with the rising of the sun, such as those at Stonehenge. Midsummer’s Eve was a time for fairies (hence Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream) and flowers, which were placed under the pillow to induce important dreams about future loves. Christians celebrate the birth of St. John the Baptist on Midsummer’s Day (24th June).

Mystery plays, based on biblical events, are performed at this time of year, particularly in cathedral cities such as Chester, Lincoln and York.

By Debbie Singh-Bhatti

.27

TV- Interview with Jonathan Watson, Two Doors Down How would you describe your character, Colin?

Colin is a well-meaning fool. He just finds it very difficult to resist the temptation to indulge in a bit of one-upmanship, and it could be about anything - a job, a car, a kettle. And he doesn’t even know he’s doing it now. It’s part of his make-up.

I think he’d be horrified if he thought people didn’t like him. He just wouldn’t be able to understand why.

What’s his marriage to Cathy like?

He’s devoted to Cathy and would do anything to keep her sweet - a bit like my marriage actually!

They share the same values, they are very much like two peas in a pod because she equally likes to brag.

How does he feel about his Latimer Crescent neighbours?

He really likes them and would probably do anything he could to help them in a crisis, although he’d moan about it later.

He thinks he’s a wee bit better than Beth and Eric. He’s not being nasty - as far as he’s concerned, that’s just a fact of life. He has a better pension than them and that’s not his fault, it’s just the way it goes. He does like Christine, but sees her relationship with Sophie as a little warped.

Would you describe Colin and Cathy as the neighbours from hell or heaven?

I would say hell. Can you imagine living next door to those two and they’re in and out of your house all the time? It’d do your nut in!

Any memorable moments from filming?

I don’t usually ‘corpse’ or anything like that, and it doesn’t happen a great deal because of tight filming

28.

schedules. But there was one day when Alex, Elaine and I absolutely got the most painful giggles on set.

Elaine had to deliver this line to me, and Alex was to come in quietly carrying a tray with crockery on it.

Now, that’s not easy, and we’d hear him come in with a clink and that would set us all off. We were crying with laughter.

Colin and Cathy seem to make themselves at home with the Bairds a lot - why?

It’s just this thing they do, they feel quite comfortable to just walk in unannounced. I’d absolutely hate that. I don’t think it bothers the Bairds - it’s just the relationship they all have within their little community.

That being said, I’m not sure they’d just drop in on Christine like that. I mean you don’t know what she could be doing in there. She could be changingsomething. Colin couldn’t begin to imagine what he’d find if he just walked in on Christine.

The bottom line is the neighbours are all polite enough to like each other. Over the course of events, they slag off each other but they’d be there for each other if needs be.

Elaine C Smith is a new addition to the Two Doors Down cast - what was it like filming with her?

I’ve known Elaine for a long long time and we were at drama college together. Over the years, we’ve worked together a lot in shows like Naked Radio, Naked Video and various theatre productions, including a panto which Alex Norton directed. For the first 10 years of my acting career, we worked together quite a bit, but it’s been 17 years since the last time we worked together.

She’s just perfect as Christine.

Image credit: BBC / Mark Mainz This article was downloaded from www.freefeatures.com.

The Diaries Of

Ginger

George I have to say that I’m glad to see the warmer weather arrive. A chance to do a bit of outdoor snoozing at last.

This seems to have arrived in time as the girls are off school and I can keep out the way.

Yesterday I noticed that they were in their bedroom having a bit of a tidy up, a rare occasion indeed.

When they had finished I also noticed that they had all their dolls lined up on the bed and were spending time to change the dolls clothes and brush their hair.

An opportunity for some TLC I reckon. So I made my appearance and laid down next to the dolls whilst the dolls were getting pampered. “Me next, come on brush me” I hinted with various nods and gestures.

That’s it, no more. I then shoot out the room and down the stairs and immediately make my way to Blackie’s house.

He’s in the garden. “Hi Blackie, you haven’t seen any pictures of me at today? He’s grinning from ear to ear, “What, the ones in the blue bonnet with the hair slides, no I haven’t”, he replies. “I did see the one with your big mouth and the extra long ears though”. Oh! joy, we make a pact that no more should be said, to anyone.

No more was mentioned until a few days later whilst up the park and I bump into Tilly, a rather sexy kitty that I fancy. “Hello George, bit colder today, I thought you’d have your hat on”. She’s purrs. Brilliant, that’s all I need.

They are not getting the message, a bit of hand nudging and roll over and sure eggs is eggs I’m getting brushed all over. Half an hour of this should suffice but it didn’t stop there, the next thing I’m wearing baby bonnets, bow ties, glasses. I’m prepared to go along with this as I’m getting all the attention.

Then the girls start to take pictures on their phones and laughing their heads off and apparently they can take a picture and distort it. Yes very funny. Then they are screaming with delight and suddenly there is a picture on their phone of Blackie, the cat who lives a few doors down wearing a pink hat and has the biggest eyes you have ever seen.

I then realise that they are sending pictures to their friends who are doing likewise. Oh my God! Who else has seen these? This will do my reputation no good.

Specialist in Bio-Sculpture Gel Nails Call Julia on 01823 333988 *Quote ‘Word Gets Around’ for this offer.

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

Window cleaning inside and out We also empty, unblock and clean guttering, fascias, soffits, downpipes, conservatories and roofs. We can fix leaking guttering.

Regular and one off cleans!

(01823) 272260 | 07885 451628 www.kevscleaningservices.co.uk GUARANTEED a quality & professional service

.29

USEFUL NUMBERS

INFORMATION

Smell Gas you should: Call Transco immediately on 0800 111 999 Police Emergency 999 Non Emergency 101 Police station 0845 456 7000 Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 Musgrove Intensive car 01823 342006 Musgrove Hospital: 01823 333444 Floodline 0345 988 1188 Environment Agency 08708 506 506 Musgrove Hospital: 01823 333444 NHS Helpline 111 Crown Medical Centre 01823 282151 St James Medi Centre 01823 285400 Warwick Hse Med Ctre 01823 282147 Orchard Medical Centre 01823 285428 Blackbrook Surgery 01823 259444 Creech Medical Centre 01823 442357 Adfam Helpline Drug use0845 3000911 Somerset Care 01823 448150 Sheltered housing 01823 356304

VILLAGE HALLS

Report anti-social behaviour 01823 356332 Recycling centre Priorswood, 01823 338615 Housing Benefit /Council Tax 01823 356321 Housing rents 01823 356318 Government Ombudsman 0845 602 1983 Samaritans 01823 288998 Somerset CC 0300123224 Victim Support Somerset 01460 55535

PHARMACY

Rebecca Pow MP Constituency Office 01823 443062 Deane Helpline 01823 257185 Dog warden 01823 356550 Environment Agency 08708 506 506 Environmental Protection Team Noise nuisance, etc 01823 356339 Garages - rental 01823 356334 Halcon Link Centre 01823 350788 Pest control 01823 356337

V i

COUNCIL INFORMATION

MEDICAL

EMERGENCY

EMERGENCY & USEFUL NUMBERS Taunton Information Centr 01823 340470 Bishops Lydeard Library 03001232224 Taunton Library 03001232224 Albermerle Centre 01823 252945 Traveline 0871 200 2233 CAB Consumer Helpline - 0345 404 0506 Fire safety officer on 01823 273039 Neighbourhood Watch 01278 644799 National Debtline 0808 189 8300 BBC Somerset Sound 01823 251641 Apple FM 01823 342591 Taunton County Court 01823 281110 Wessex Water Emergency 0345 6004600 Bristol Airport arr/dep 0871 334 4344 Heathrow Info Desk 0844 335 1801 Gatwick Flight Info 0344 892 0322 Exeter Airport Flights 01392 367 433 Berry’s Coaches 01823 331356 National Express Enq 0871 781 8181 Pharmacy Coop Eastwick Rd 01823 331564 Boots Crown Indl Est 01823 337888 Boots High St 01823 276061 Co-op 2 The Comeytrowe 01823 256056 Lloyds Lisieux Way 01823 324280 Boots Coal Orchard 01823 251683 Morrisons Deller's Wharf 01823 351914 Staplegrove Pharmacy 01823 274049 Boots French Weir Ave 01823 284009 Bishops Lydeard Pharmacy01823 430201 Boots Norton Fitzwarren 01823 354861 Lloyds N.Petherton 01278 662288 West Monkton Ruishton Village Norton Fitzwarren Cheddon Fitzpaine Trull Memorial Hall Creech St Michael Stoke St Mary Kingston Saint Mary Oake

01823 412068 01823 443506 01823 252268 01823 413925 01823 350840 01823 444599 07526 673554 01823 451584 01823 461144

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.

30.

PUZZLE ANSWERS

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

CLIVE ON: 07779 653 120

EMAIL: CLIVE@WORDGETSAROUND.CO.UK

.31

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