Crossing counties, look inside for info on the best events and activities in West Dorset and South Somerset
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THE CLOCKSPIRE
IN MILBORNE PORT HAS SOME SURPRISES FOR YOU TO TRY! Issue 251 February 2022
SEE PAGE 31 FOR MORE INFO
INSIDE THIS MONTH
Cooking with Mark Hix | Snowdrop Walks | The rise of the low/no drink A refreshing car | A licence to thrill – not for much longer!
Serving Bruton, Castle Cary, Crewkerne, Ilminster, Langport, Sherborne, Somerton, Wincanton, Yeovil & Surrounding Villages www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
SPRING EVENTS AT THE BISHOP'S PALACE, WELLS JANUARY
MARCH
January 29th to February 27th Snowdrop Weekends - Artisan Stalls and Snowdrop Walk - Children's Crafting & Trail 27th - 'The Swan Whisperer' (Members Only) 28th - Rose Pruning Workshop 29th Jan - 31st March - Mendip Cemetery Exhibition
20th - Rare Plant Fair 27th - Storytelling 30th - Tour of the Gardens (Members Only)
FEBRUARY 14th - 'Tales of Love Gone Right' 19-27th - Half term family Scavenger Hunt 22nd - Half term family Crafting 23rd - 'Films at The Palace' (Members Only) 24th - Half term family Storytelling and bee hunt 28th - Winter Border Masterclass
APRIL 2nd-tbc - Gail Mason Exhibition 8th-24th - Dragon Trail 12th - Children's Crafting 14th - Storytelling 18th - Falconry 19th - Children's crafting 21st - Storytelling 28th - 29th - Outdoor Cinema 29th April - 31st August - Mark Noble Outside Exhibition
More information, tickets and booking at: WWW.BISHOPSPALACE.ORG.UK @BISHOPSPALACEWELLS
@BISHOPSPALACE
INFO@BISHOPSPALACE.ORG.UK
Crafting quality timber buildings and gates since 1912 Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7LH Tel: (01963) 440414 | Email: info@sparkford.com | @sparkfordtimber | www.sparkford.com
From the Editor It’s the month of romance and you can read a theory on how a day came to be named after the rather unfortunate Valentine by turning to Tracey Warren’s article on p44. Then flick through to our Food and Drink section and be inspired by The Alternative Indian who writes how India really does produce the food of love! Food and romance are often closely linked and if you are looking to take your loved one out for a meal you are spoiled for choice when it comes to restaurants and pubs in the locality. Why not try The Clockspire in Milborne Port - their mouthwatering food features on this month’s front cover and they are now offering their delicious food in set lunch or early supper menus that are very reasonably priced. A stroll through the various snowdrop walks taking place throughout the month at places like Minterne House and Gardens, East Lambrook Manor Gardens and The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, will help to build an appetite and always acts as a reminder that spring is just around the corner!
Contents
EDITOR & ADVERTISING Jane Adkins
ASSISTANT EDITOR Julie Locke
MARCH DEADLINES News and Articles: FRIDAY, 11 FEBRUARY Advertisements: MONDAY, 14 FEBRUARY
WHAT’S ON p4-10 Info on markets, workshops & social activities
SNOWDROPS & GARDENING p12-15
Snowdrop walks and gardening tips
BUSINESS & LEGAL p16-20 Legal and business advice
ARTS p21-28
Exhibitions, Music & Movies
FOOD & DRINK p29-31
Discover the food of love
TRAVEL p36-37
Travel at home or away!
THE CONDUIT INTERVIEW p39 The Rendezvous
WALKING p46 Rachel’s Rambles
Visit our website for more Events, Services and Classifieds www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk Unit 4, Barton View Business Park, Sheeplands Lane, Sherborne DT9 4FW | 01935 424724 | info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk © The publisher is The Conduit Magazine Limited. The layout, format, design and all other aspects of this magazine are an original idea and therefore copyright of the publisher. No part of the contents may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior permission in writing. Whilst every care is taken in compiling the contents of this magazine, the proprietor assumes no responsibility for mistakes and omissions. The views of our contributors is not necessarily the view of the publisher.
3 www.remousonline.com
NO AUDITIONS
YOUR MIXED-VOICE FRIENDLY CHOIR
Friday
Come along any to meet us, . . . . . and bring a friend!
We’re the Community Choir that sings in the Afternoon The
YEOVIL
Good Afternoon Choir
Every FRIDAY 1-3pm
at GATEWAY CENTRE / YEOVIL COMMUNITY CHURCH, BA20 1QN with Chris Grabham
There is NO CHARGE for attending your first rehearsal and membership information is then available. The Conductor is Chris Grabham. There are NO AUDITIONS and everyone is welcome. Many of the people in our 19 Good Afternoon Community Choirs across the West have not sung in a choir before. You will be joining over 1000 people Singing in the Afternoons! The Yeovil Good Afternoon Choir will enjoy all sorts of music – from folk songs to choral favourites. Come and meet us next Friday.
This year the members have chosen
to support with concerts etc
Conductor Chris Grabham
Email gac@grenvillemusic.co.uk Call us 01761 472468
www.goodafternoonchoir.org
4
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change.
What’s On Charity DORSET Inspire a child to read! Local charity Dorset Reading Partners is recruiting volunteers to deliver vital literacy support to children in primary schools across the area. The charity has been supplying primary schools with trained literacy volunteers for fifteen years. Volunteers will be provided with full training, a DBS check, resources and ongoing support from the charity’s friendly team. If interested and can spare two hours a week over a school year, contact Juliet on 01305 458515 or visit dorsetreadingpartners. org.uk. YEOVIL On Saturday 19 February from 6.00pm to 9.00pm at St Margaret’s Hospice, Little Tarrat Lane, it’s the return of the firewalk. The hospice is looking for 100 daredevil supporters to brave the hottest sponsored walk! The participants will receive training from UK Firewalk, a certificate upon completion and help and support through the fundraising journey. Invite friends and family to watch. BBQ and refreshments available. For more information, visit www.st-margarets-hospice. org.uk/firewalk. Yeovil Hospital New Breast Cancer Unit Appeal It is hoped that construction of the new unit in front of the women’s hospital by the dual carriageway will start
We are always keen to buy antique silver and old Sheffield plate at current prices Please telephone or call into the shop
01935 816828 38 CHEAP STREET, SHERBORNE DORSET DT9 3PX enquiries@henrywillis.co.uk www.henrywillis.co.uk
very soon. Due to the difficulties caused by Covid and increased building costs, fundraising must continue. This new building is so badly needed and will make a huge difference to both staff and patients. Therefore, the appeal for unwanted and broken jewellery and watches continues – this has been one of the most successful fundraisers. As the start of building approaches, the charity is giving talks about the appeal and what it does with the jewellery. To donate, please call Maggie (appeal committee volunteer) on 01963 250108.
Coffee Morning COMPTON DUNDON Every first Wednesday from 10.30am to 12.00 noon at Compton Dundon Meadway Hall Meeting Room, there is a coffee morning. Coffee, tea, cakes and chat for everyone! QUEEN CAMEL Every second Tuesday from 10.30am to 12.00 noon at the Memorial Hall is the Village Cafe. Enjoy good coffee, tea and cake. Book and jigsaw exchange. It’s an opportunity to meet friends and make new ones. SHERBORNE Every Thursday from 10.00am to 11.30am at Cheap Street Church Hall is Coffee Time. Everyone welcome. SOUTH PETHERTON Every last Wednesday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at The David Hall, there is a coffee morning. Pop in for a cup of real coffee and a chat. Look around the
TOP PRICES PAID FOR OLD TOYS - any condition
Trains, cars and lorries, soldiers, etc Britains, Dinky, Corgi, Hornby, Meccano, Tri-ang, etc
01935 816072 (07527 074343) Pastimes of Sherborne, 3 Westbury (in front of the Abbey)
WHAT’S ON
Contact: Julie Locke
/theconduitmagazine
E: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk
@conduitmag
book and bric-a-brac stalls and, more often than not, listen to some live music. Free entry. A ‘Support the Hall’ event. WEST CAMEL Every Thursday from 9.15am to 11.30am at The Davis Hall, there is a coffee morning. There will be the usual tea, coffee and cake. Bread and cakes from the village bakery are on sale, also charity cards and sometimes plants and local produce, plus post office facilities. Free entry. WINCANTON On Saturday 12 February from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at St Peter and St Paul Parish Church, there is a coffee morning. Cakes, books, gifts and raffle. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call 01963 824503. YEOVIL Every Thursday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at Yeovil Baptist Church, opposite the library, there is a coffee morning. At ‘Jacob’s Well’, hot and cold drinks are served, along with a delicious array of home-made cakes, scones and other goodies. Covid secure premises plus an outdoor seating area. Entry is free, and a warm welcome guaranteed!
Food CREWKERNE Every Friday at 12.30pm at the Henhayes Centre, it is the Chef’s Special Roast Lunch. Fruit juice on arrival, roast lunch followed by dessert, with tea or coffee to finish. Members £9.50, nonmembers £11. Lunch served at 12.30pm. Booking essential by 10.30am. To book, phone 01460 74340. Every third Saturday from 9.30am to 12.00 noon at the Henhayes Centre, the yummy Henhayes Big Breakfast is served! Last orders at 11.30am. Breakfasts start from £5. Full breakfast menu and vegetarian options are available, with vegan options on request. The big breakfast coincides with the table-top sale.
Every weekday except Thursdays at 12.30pm at the Henhayes Centre, a two-course lunch is served. Members £7.50. Booking essential by 10.30am on the day. Lunch served from 12.30pm. To book, call 01460 74340 or email office@ henhayescentre.org. ILMINSTER Annie’s Cakery Bakery at the Gallery Café offers full breakfasts, light lunches, teas, coffee, wonderful scones and home-made cakes. Open: Tuesday to Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm and Saturday 9.30am to 2.30pm. For further information or to book a table, call 07872 493300. LOPENHEAD The Trading Post Farm Shop is a wholefoods market, a greengrocer’s, a deli and a treasure trove, all rolled into one! With its selection of farm-grown organic vegetables, locally sourced food, drink and unusual locally crafted gifts, the farm shop supports over 150 local suppliers providing the best produce that the West Country has to offer. Open Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 6.00pm and Sunday 10.00am to 4.00pm. For more information, visit www.tradingpostfarmshop. co.uk. SANDFORD ORCAS Every Wednesday to Friday from 12.00 noon at The Mitre Inn, there is a Senior Citizens twocourse lunch for £12.95. Contact Allen or Cheryl on 01963 220271. www.mitreinn.co.uk. Every Sunday from 12.00 noon at The Mitre Inn, Sunday roast is served - there are always three choices of meat along with a vegetarian and fish option. Adult £11.95, OAP £10.75, child £8.25. Contact Allen or Cheryl on 01963 220271. www. mitreinn.co.uk. YEOVIL On Thursday 3 February at 7.00pm at The Emporium, it is a Secret Acoustic Folk Supper with an incredible line-up arranged by Bearcat Collective. Also available is a delicious supper menu (see website for details) and licensed bar. Tickets £8 (bar and food not included in ticket price).
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
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WHAT’S ON
To book, call 01935 411378, email info@theemporiumyeovil. co.uk or book online at www. theemporiumyeovil.co.uk. From Saturday 12 to Saturday 19 February at The Emporium Cafe, Valentine’s Afternoon Tea is being served. There are savoury treats, indulgent cakes and strawberry cream teas, served on traditional threetiered stands or boxed to take away. For a memorably romantic celebration, grab your Valentine (or Galentine!) and book in for this treat. Open: 9.30am to 4.00pm, closed Sundays. To book a table, call 01935 411378, email info@theemporiumyeovil. co.uk or book online at www. theemporiumyeovil.co.uk. On Monday 14 February at 7.00pm at The Emporium, there is a Valentine’s Dinner with live music from Flic Keirle and Marcus Sangiovanni. A beautiful evening of music, romantic love songs, bubbles, and food! Tickets £29.95 (includes live music, food, and a glass of fizz). Details of the menu can be found on the website. Booking essential. To book a table, call 01935 411378, email info@theemporiumyeovil. co.uk or book online at www. theemporiumyeovil.co.uk.
Market BRADFORD ABBAS Every Tuesday from 1.00pm to 2.00pm at the Rose and Crown car park. Local suppliers including meat, veg, bakery, florist and other stalls.
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change. as preserves and honey. For more information, visit www. somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk. DRAYTON Every third Saturday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at Drayton Village Hall is the monthly market. Produce includes bread, vegetables, meats, butter, cheese, cakes, preserves, honey, desserts, savouries and plants. Refreshments available. Free parking. EAST COKER Every Friday from 3.00pm to 4.00pm at the Recreation Ground. Local suppliers including meat, veg and bakery. ILMINSTER Every Thursday from 8.00am to 5.00pm at the Market House is the Ilminster Town Market. There are a variety of stalls, including a barber. Regular traders sell fruit and veg, bread, cakes, fish, preserves, olives and nuts, cheese, decorative items for the home and plants. For more information, contact Ilminster Town Council on 01460 52149. LEIGH Every Wednesday from 1.00pm to 2.00pm at Leigh Village Hall car park. Local suppliers. MARTOCK On Saturday 12 February from 10.00am to 1.00pm at the Moorland’s Shopping Precinct is Martock Farmers’ Market, with stalls selling vegetables, cheese, coffee, chicken, beef, cordials, jams, bread, savouries and
plants. Any enquiries, please call Fergus on 01935 822202. MILBORNE PORT Every Saturday from 10.00am to 1.00pm at The Square. Local suppliers including meat, veg, bakery, florist and other stalls. ODCOMBE Every Friday from 1.00pm to 2.00pm at Odcombe Village Hall car park. Local suppliers including meat, veg and bakery. SHEPTON MALLET Every Friday from 9.00am to 2.00pm at the Market Place is Shepton Mallet market. This historic market offers a wide range of fresh local produce, such as fruit, veg, bread, cheese, seafood, and cider. For more information, visit the market’s Facebook page or call 07912 769731. SHERBORNE Every third Friday from 9.00am to 1.00pm at Cheap Street, there is a Dorset Farmers’ Market. Come and support local Dorset traders with a gorgeous selection of outdoor stalls. For more information, visit www.visitdorset.com/food-and-drink/ farmers-markets. SOMERTON Every Saturday from 9.00am to 12.00 noon at The Unicorn Hotel skittle alley is the Wessex Country Market offering a wide variety of artisan produce. Home-made baked goods using locally sourced ingredients, jams, marmalades, chutney and pickle – all unique to this market. Locally sourced
butter, cheese, meat and fresh vegetables in season. For more information, visit Scrumerton Facebook page or call 01458 273926. WEST COKER Every Thursday from 10.00am to 11.00am behind Saunders Butchers. Local suppliers.
Sale CASTLE CARY On Sunday 30 January at Caryford Community Hall is Castle Cary Potato Day. Times and details are available online at www.pennardplants. com. CREWKERNE Every third Saturday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at the Henhayes Centre, there is a fundraising table-top sale/craft fair. £5 per table. Set up from 9.00am. To book a table, email office@ henhayescentre.org. The sale coincides with the Henhayes Big Breakfast! FROME On Sunday 20 February at The Cheese and Grain Market is Growing Frome Potato Day. Times and details are available online at www. pennardplants.com. PEWSEY On Saturday 29 January at Bouverie Hall is Pewsey Potato Day. Times and details are available online at www.pennardplants.com.
CASTLE CARY Every Tuesday from 8.30am to 2.00pm at the Market House is a weekly openair market. Food stalls: West Country sourced fish, extensive range of cheeses, greengrocery and eggs, artisan bread, homemade preserves, home-made pies and pasties, cakes, freshlycooked Thai food and sauces, and Jack’s Mac and Cheese. Contact 01963 351763. www. castle-cary.co.uk/market. CREWKERNE Every third Saturday from 9.00am to 1.00pm outside Henhayes Centre is Crewkerne Farmers’ Market. It has a comprehensive selection of stalls, offering bread and baked goods, dairy and eggs, drinks, fish, fruit, vegetables, meat, as well 6
34 Market Place, Sturminster Newton, DT10 1AR 59 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3AX
Tel: 01258 472564
Tel: 01935 389665
www.EB Marsh.com
WINTER SALE-GENERIC-LOCAL PRESS ADVERT-LANDSCAPE.indd 1
01/12/2021 11:57
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change. SOUTH PETHERTON On Saturday 19 February from 9.30am to 12.30pm at The David Hall is a Table Top Sale. Hire a table or come and sniff out a bargain. Free entry on the day. A Support the Hall event. For more information, visit www. thedavidhall.org.uk.
Social ASHILL Every Tuesday from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Ashill Village Hall, there is Scottish country dancing with a fully qualified teacher. Only £3.00 per session. It’s a great evening, so come along for fun, fitness and friendship. All welcome. For more information, email Anita Wilson at anitaandjim22@gmail.com. CASTLE CARY Every first Thursday from 10.30am to 12.00 noon at The Shambles, Market House, is Castle Cary Carers Group’s monthly meeting for unpaid carers. Informal chat around large table with chance to ask for private space for peer support. Professional and escapist speakers. Contribution to refreshments. For more information, call Florence Mills on 01963 359081or email fliss1938@ icloud.com. CREWKERNE On Tuesday 1 February from 11.00am to 2.00pm at the Henhayes Centre, there is a two-course set lunch and live entertainment for the over 55s. The lunchtime entertainment is provided by Jan McNeill singing Abba and 70s hits. £12.50 per person. To book, call 01460 74340 or email office@ henhayescentre.org. On Tuesday 8 February from 11.00am to 2.00pm at the Henhayes Centre, there is a two-course set lunch and live entertainment for the over 55s. The lunchtime entertainment is provided by Peter Burns with crisp acoustic versions of 60/70s hits, folk and roots. £12.50 per person. To book, call 01460 74340 or email office@ henhayescentre.org. On Tuesday 22 February from 11.00am to 2.00pm at the Henhayes Centre, there is a two-course set lunch and a bingo session for the over 55s. £12.50 per person. To book, call 01460 74340 or email office@ henhayescentre.org.
Every Monday from 11.00am to 2.00pm at the Henhayes Centre, there is a Monday Memory Group for the over 55s who suffer from dementia or memory problems. The group is a happy, social session for up to fifteen people, providing those attending with company, comfort, and stimulation, while providing their family members and carers some often much needed respite. Sessions start from £6.50 per person with the option to add drinks and a twocourse lunch at an additional cost. To book, email office@ henhayescentre.org. Every Tuesday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at the Henhayes Centre, come along to the Henhayes Computer Group for the over 55s. Get help with computers, tablets, and smart phones in a welcoming and social environment. £3.50 per session, includes tea/coffee and a biscuit. To book, email office@ henhayescentre.org. Every Tuesday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at the Henhayes Centre, there is a Henhayes Knitters session for the over 55s. Enjoy a knit and natter session, while raising funds for the Henhayes Centre. All abilities are welcome. In 2019 the Henhayes Knitters raised an amazing £840 for the Centre! To book, email office@ henhayescentre.org.
WHAT’S ON
on 01935 427825/07774 231996 or email a.birket@btinternet. com.
management. For further information, contact Kate at kate@dorchesterarts.org.uk.
Every second Friday from 2.00pm to 3.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre is the Readers Group Monthly Book Club. An informal and friendly book group that meets to chat and share ideas about the latest ‘read’. All welcome. For more information, email jan.hopwood@tiscali.co.uk.
SOUTH PETHERTON On Monday 7 February at 7.30pm at The David Hall, The Stanchester Quire will resume its weekly meetings. Stanchester is a community quire, led by musical director Eddie Upton. There are no auditions and the ability to read music is not essential as everything is learnt by ear. Everyone is very welcome: the first two weeks are free for newcomers so why not come and give it a try? Singing is good for the soul! For more information, email Bonnie at stanchesterquire1@gmail.com or phone Phil on 07778 119663.
SHERBORNE Every second Tuesday from 11.30am to 1.30pm at Sherborne Library, there are ‘Family and Local History’ sessions with the Somerset and Dorset Family History Society. Share stories and get help with family research – all welcome. For more information, call 01935 812683. Every Thursday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at Sherborne Library, there are free one-to-one sessions ‘Get Online with a Digital Champion’. Book in to get help using a computer or personal device. Booking is essential. To book, call the library directly on 01935 812683. ArtsLink Fizz! Parkinson’s Dance, Art for Memory and Art for Parents are under new
STALBRIDGE Every last Monday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at Stalbridge Village Hall is the Stalbridge Cancer & Recovery Support group (SCARS) monthly meeting. SCARS offers friendship, information and support in a caring and confidential environment to cancer sufferers and survivors, their families and friends. There is always a warm, friendly welcome and a cuppa, plus a chance to chat.
Every Friday from 11.00am at the Henhayes Centre is the new Meet, Greet and Eat group for the over 55s. This consists of many smaller clubs, such as, the chess, bridge, scrabble, craft and book clubs, meeting each week for companionship and camaraderie, followed by a special roast lunch. £11 (members £9.50), includes club of choice and lunch. Tea/coffee and a biscuit on arrival. Twocourse roast lunch, served at 1.00pm, followed by tea/coffee and a chocolate. (Lunch only can also be booked.) To book, email office@henhayescentre.org. ILMINSTER Every third Thursday from 1.00pm to 2.30pm at Monks Yard, Horton Cross, is the Ilminster Carers Group’s monthly meeting for unpaid carers. Chat and offer peer support to each person’s needs. Professional and relaxation speakers. Lift to upstairs room. Refreshments from Monks Yard. For more information, contact Alison Birket
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
7
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change.
WHAT’S ON
For more information, call 07961 027089, email contact.scars@gmail.com or visit www. scarscancersupport.co.uk. WINCANTON Every second Monday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at the Balsam Centre is Wincanton and Bruton Carers Group’s monthly meeting for unpaid carers. Informal chat and socialise around a large group table. Contribution to refreshments. For more information, call 01963 33397 or email janeupsall@balsamcentre.org.uk. No meeting in January. YEOVIL Every Thursday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at Vicarage Street Methodist Church, there is a meeting of the Yeovil Lip-reading and Managing Hearing Loss group. The classes will encourage selfmanagement, support independence, and encourage a positive approach to hearing loss with others experiencing the same difficulties making much needed social contact. For more information, contact Tina. Hunt@deafplus.org or 01225 446555, email locally to carinya.ecoker@gmail.com or use Facebook private messenger. Every Friday at 1.00pm at The Gateway, Yeovil Community Church, there is a Yeovil Good Afternoon Choir session with conductor Chris Grabham. No auditions. No charge for the first rehearsal. The choir will enjoy all sorts of music – from folk songs to choral favourites. Sing for fun – everyone welcome. For more information, visit www. goodafternoonchoir.org or call 01761 472468.
Sport CREWKERNE Every Monday from 2.30pm to 3.30pm at the Henhayes Centre is Pilates for the over 55s. Suitable for all abilities. To book, email office@henhayescentre.org. Every Monday and Thursday from 9.30am
REMOVALS & CLEARANCES
to 10.30am at the Henhayes Centre is Physio Fit for the over 55s. A chair-based exercise/physio for all abilities. aimed at those suffering with mobility issues or recovering from health problems. £4 (members £3). To book, email office@ henhayescentre.org. Every Tuesday from 2.30pm to 4.00pm at the Henhayes Centre, there are Tai Chi sessions. This is gentle but potent exercise with a calm mind – relax, breathe and move. Open to all ages and abilities, including complete beginners. £7 per session. To book, email blftcsomerset@icloud.com. Every Thursday at the Henhayes Centre, there are two new Yoga classes for the over 55s. From 9.15am to 10.30am is Gentle Yoga, suitable for beginners or those wishing to go at a slower pace. From 10.45am to 12.00 noon is Mixed Ability, a friendly and relaxed class, suitable for all, with or without previous experience. £7.50 (members £5.50). To book, email office@ henhayescentre.org. Every Friday from 9.30am to 10.30am at the Henhayes Centre, there is a Keep Fit class for the over 55s. A weekly, fun workout session to get the blood pumping and body moving! £4.50 (members £3.50). To book, email office@henhayescentre.org.
Talk CASTLE CARY On Tuesday 8 February at 7.00pm at The Market House, Café Scientifique Somerset’s talk is ‘Discovering and Developing New Cancer Treatments’. Matthew Lloyd discusses his research which exploits differences between diseased and normal cells and in particular explores the role of specific enzymes in driving aggressive cancerous developments. Matthew is senior lecturer in the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology at University of Bath. His work has been funded by Prostate Cancer UK, Cancer Research UK and other charities. Doors open 6.30pm. For more information, contact Colleen Bower on 07375 890751 or email tcolleenbower@gmail.com. MARTOCK On Wednesday 9 February at 2.30pm at Martock Parish Hall, the pictures director at Lawrence Auctioneers, Mr Richard Kaye, will talk about ‘Animal Passions’. For more information on the u3a and the many hobby, interests and learning groups, visit www.u3a.org.uk or contact Mary Marshall on martocku3agroupssec1@ gmail.com.
Contact us for your free, no obligation quote; Phone: 01935 509057 Freephone: 0800 2425012 Mobile: 07853 275379 Email: enquiries@back2market.com 8
SHERBORNE On Thursday 10 February at 2.30pm at The Digby Hall, there is a meeting of the Sherborne and District Gardeners’ Association. Jenny Short will give a talk entitled ‘Berried Treasures – Planting for Autumn Interest’. Visitors £2. For more information, call Richard Newcombe on 01935 389375.
On Tuesday 22 February from 2.00pm to 3.00pm at Sherborne Library, there is a talk ‘Anne of Athelhampton’ by Giles Keating and Noah Warnes. They will discuss the history of Athelhampton House and how this led to the creation of a children’s novel. Suitable for adults and children aged 8+. Free event. Booking is essential – visit Eventbrite online or call 01935 812683. Every Thursday during term time from 1.00pm to 3.00pm at Sherborne Library, there is ‘The Scribes Writing Group’. Come along to share personal work, discuss how to improve and receive inspiration and ideas from others. For more information, call 01935 812683. STURMINSTER NEWTON On Wednesday 9 February at 7.30pm at The Exchange, there is a talk ‘New Archaeological Fieldwork at Hinton St Mary: the mosaic in context’ by Dr Richard Hobbs, The Weston Curator of Roman Britain, British Museum. Richard will present results of the recent archaeological evaluation season conducted at the site of the mosaic discovered at Hinton St Mary in 1963. Subsequent excavations suggested that the mosaic belonged to a late Roman ‘villa’. New excavations aim to shed more light on why the famous mosaic was laid. Tickets £10. Book online at www.stur-exchange. co.uk or via the box office (01258 475137). WINCANTON On Friday 4 February at 7.30pm at Wincanton Memorial Hall, Wincanton & District Gardeners Association is hosting a talk entitled ‘Square Metre Gardening’ by Claire Hart. Refreshments available. Everyone is welcome. New members can join this friendly association. For more information, call 01963 33160. YEOVIL On Friday 4 February at 7.30pm at Holy Trinity Church, Yeovil Archaeological and Local History Society has a talk about ‘The Third Season of the Stalbridge Dig at Stalbridge House’. Speaker: Chris Trip, community and field archaeologist. Doors open 7.15pm. Members free, non-members £2 at the door. For more information, call 01935 477174. www.yalhs.org.uk, www. facebook.com/yalhs. On Monday 14 February at 7.30pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, prominent wildlife presenter and filmmaker, Gordon Buchanan, will be taking a look back at his incredible thirty years working both behind and in front of the camera. He has an incredible passion for the animal kingdom and a unique ability for presenting such hidden animal worlds to an audience. Gordon has produced some of the most popular wildlife programmes on the BBC and has a remarkable story to tell. Tickets £26.50, concessions £25. Box office 01935 422884. www.westlandsyeovil.co.uk. On Friday 18 February at 7.30pm at the Octagon Auditorium, Yeovil, take a journey into the curious, unexpected and surreal origins of everyday words with Susie Dent and ‘The Secret Lives of Words’. Find
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change. out what lies behind such words as lasagne (involving a chamber pot), bugbear (a terrorising monster), the silent h in ghost and the mysterious disappearance of kempt, gormful, and ruly (and yes, one really can be gruntled), and hear about some of the funniest moments from her twenty-five years on Countdown and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Tickets £23.50. Box office 01935 422884. www.octagon-theatre. co.uk.
Walk EAST LAMBROOK From Tuesday 1 to Sunday 27 February from 10.00am at East Lambrook Manor Gardens is the fourth fabulous Festival of Snowdrops. Enjoy a stroll through a beautiful winter snowdrop garden and view the extensive collection of unusual snowdrop varieties, snowdrop displays and snowdrop sculptures. Open: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00am to 5.00pm. Garden entry £6.50, over 65s £6.00, under 16s free, RHS members have free entry on Wednesdays. No charge if just visiting the nursery. Walk in or book online at www. eastlambrook.com. MARTOCK On Tuesday 8 February at 10.30am at the Stoke Road Rec, there is a wellbeing walk. These shorter, starter health walks are planned to complement the existing longer health walks (third Friday of the month). To book a place, call 07946 121612 or email caroline.bennett@martock-pc. gov.uk. Every third Friday at 10.30am at Martock Precinct is the start of the Martock Health Walk. This is a friendly walk lasting about 60 mins led by trained volunteers at a pace suitable to the group. The group follows government guidelines regarding social distancing. To book a place, call 07946 121612 or email caroline. bennett@martock-pc.gov.uk. MINTERNE MAGNA From Tuesday 1 February from 10.00am at Minterne Gardens, take a stroll around the impressive display of snowdrops. The arrival of snowdrops heralds spring, and everyone is very happy to see these cheerful
flowers appearing. Open: 10.00am to 6.00pm (last entry at 5.30pm). Entrance: 2-for-theprice-of-1 (£6) while snowdrops last. Season tickets available: family £30, single £20. For more information, call 01300 341370 or email enquiries@minterne. co.uk. WELLS From Saturday 29 January to Sunday 27 February from 10.00am to 4.00pm at The Bishop’s Palace, the popular ‘Snowdrop Celebrations’ return to Wells on each consecutive weekend. Collect a printed Snowdrop Walk as a guide around the various displays. There will be artisan craft stalls and children’s activities. Little ones can also pick up a children’s trail from the Palace Ticket Office with the reward of a small prize upon completion. Entry is included with any standard admission. For more information, visit www.bishopspalace.org.uk or call 01749 988111. From Saturday 19 to Sunday 27 February from 10.00am to 4.00pm at The Bishop’s Palace, there is a Spring Time Scavenger Hunt! The gardens are beginning to wake up following their long winter hibernation. Come and spot the first signs of spring and earn a prize! The Spring Time Scavenger Hunt can be collected from the Ticket Office. Entrance is included with general admission to the Bishop’s Palace and Gardens during this time. For more information, visit www. bishopspalace.org.uk or call 01749 988111.
Workshop ILMINSTER Until Wednesday 9 February from 1.30pm to 3.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a weekly ‘Figure and Face’ drawing class with Heather Ford. This class combines figure drawing as well as learning the skills needed to draw faces. This is a six-week course, bookable individually at £16 per session. To book, email workshopbookingiac@gmail. com or call 01460 54973. www. ilminsterartscentre.com. From Tuesday 1 to Tuesday 15 February from 10.00am to 12.00 noon and from 1.00pm to 3.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there are weekly halfday ‘Watercolours’ workshops
with Nicky Clarke. £15 per session. To book, contact Nicky on 01460 281773 or at randnclarke@hotmail.com. On Friday 4 February from 10.00am to 3.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Felting’ workshop with Geraldine Field. Transform wool into a wearable scarf, or make a 3D model of a bird or animal. Suitable for all levels. Gallery Cafe open for a lunch break. Cost £30. To book, email workshopbookingiac@ gmail.com or call 01460 54973. www.ilminsterartscentre.com. On Friday 11 February from 11.00am to 1.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Rag Rugs’ workshop. Learn both hooking and prodding methods of rag rugging. Cost £12. Materials are provided and included in the cost. To book, email workshopbookingiac@ gmail.com or call 01460 54973. www.ilminsterartscentre.com. On Wednesday 16 February from 10.00pm to 3.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Portrait Artist of the Day’ workshop with Heather Ford. Inspired by the Sky Arts programme, spend a
WHAT’S ON
day creating a portrait from observation in a relaxed atmosphere. The choice of materials is up to the student; acrylic paints on canvas or perhaps pencil on paper. Cost £30. For more information, call Heather on 07368 457984. To book, email workshopbookingiac@gmail. com or call 01460 54973. www. ilminsterartscentre.com. On Friday 18 February from 10.00am to 1.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Sew Along’ workshop with Paula Simpson. This workshop is tailored to individual needs to help develop skills with the sewing machine. Numbers limited to six to ensure personal attention. Part of a four-block series. Open to all. £25 per session. To book, contact Paula directly on 01460 419264 or at hello@paulasimpson.co.uk. On Friday 25 February from 10.00am to 12.30pm or from 1.15pm to 3.45pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a half-day ‘Slow Stitch – Into the Blue’ workshop with Paula Simpson. Explore how the Japanese techniques of Boro and Sashiko can be used to make a small,
Looking for new & experienced Drivers to join our team As we progress through 2022, we are happy to announce that we are increasing our list of cliental, and as a result we have more new roles that we are recruiting for. Thus we are looking for hardworking men and women to join us. As we work to support some of the leading companies in the logistic, haulage and waste collection industry.
We have a variety of new position, that we are looking to fill, including new driver positions, which includes but are not limited to: • Class 1 Drivers • 7.5 Tonne • Class 2 Drivers • 3.5 Tonne • Hiab Drivers • Van Drivers • ADR Drivers • Drivers Mate As well as a variety of warehouse & Logistic roles, along with several office positions. Jobs that we are currently recruiting for include: • Warehouse Operatives • Administration Staff • Picker & Packers • Sales Operatives • Loaders • & many more roles • Cleaners With competitive rates of pay, paid weekly. As well as an extensive knowledge of the industry, we can help you in finding the perfect role for you. Register your interest today by contacting one of our offices below:
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WHAT’S ON
stitched purse or book cover. Suitable for all levels, beginners to the more experienced. Cost £20 per session (book for one or both!). To book, contact Paula directly on 01460 419264 or at hello@paulasimpson. co.uk. On Saturday 26 February from 10.00am to 1.00pm to 3.45pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a half-day ‘Learn to Sew’ workshop for adult and child with Paula Simpson. Enjoy a morning of learning together and getting to know the sewing machine. Learn basic sewing skills to make a simple tote bag to take home. Numbers will be limited to ensure personal attention so all skill levels welcome. Cost £25. To book, contact Paula directly on 01460 419264 or at hello@ paulasimpson.co.uk. Every Monday from 10.30pm to 3.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a friendly ‘untutored’ clay group that enjoy making hand-built pottery and sculpture. Beginners are welcome and helped to start with some clay, the group tool kit, library and masses of helpful advice. £7 per session. For more information, call 01460 54973. www. ilminsterartscentre.com. OBORNE On Sunday 30 January and Sunday 27 February from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at Oborne Village Hall, join a Singing Bowl Soundbath session. Lie down, relax and allow the pure sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath to take the mind into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’. £15 per session. Please book firmly in advance. To book, call 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com. www. centreforpuresound.org. On Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 February from 10.00am to 5.00pm at Oborne Village Hall, there is an Angels of Sound Voice Playshop. Learn the ‘out loud’ meditation practice of toning chakras using the Sacred Sanskrit vowels. Cost £70. To book, call 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com. www. centreforpuresound.org. SHERBORNE On Sunday 20 February from 1.30pm to 4.30pm at the Digby Memorial Church Hall, there is a 10
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change. Sherborne Folk Band workshop led by Julia Catovsky, who will teach tunes and harmonies by ear. Suitable for all levels and all acoustic instruments. Notation and audio supplied. Everyone is welcome! Admission £10 on the door. Tickets are cheaper in advance via the website. For more information, phone Julia on 07527 508277, email info@ sherbornefolkband.org or visit www.sherbornefolkband.org. SOMERTON Every Wednesday from 10.30am to 12.30pm at The Courthouse, Market Place, is a weekly untutored life drawing session. Tea and coffee provided. Please bring along drawing materials. Limited numbers, booking essential. £12 per session. Book online at www.acearts.co.uk/ workshop-and-events. SOUTH PETHERTON On Saturday 12 February from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at The David Hall, there is a guitar workshop with Tim Edey. Learn ‘dropped D’ tuning, as well as some tricks, basic chords and tunes. Tim now plays almost wholly in dropped D tuning which he started after listening to and meeting the legendary Irish guitarist, Steve Cooney. In dropped D tuning, the low E string is tuned down to D while the rest of the strings remain in standard tuning. Cost £15. To book, phone 01460 240340 or visit www.thedavidhall.com. WELLS On Tuesday 22 February from 10.00am to 4.00pm at The Bishop’s Palace, come along and create a fire-breathing dragon! Watch the dragon come to life by crafting big googly eyes, ferocious fiery breath and green scaly skin. Made from simple crafting materials, the DIY dragon is a perfect half-term activity for kids, capturing their imagination and creativity! Staff will be present all day to assist with any needs or dragonrelated enquires. Pre-booking not required: visitors can access the event all day with any valid admission ticket to the Bishop’s Palace and Gardens. For more information, visit www. bishopspalace.org.uk or call 01749 988111. On Monday 28 February from 9.30am to 3.30pm at The Bishop’s Palace, there is a ‘Winter Border’ masterclass. Learn which plants are best
Free initial consultation
A personal and friendly approach to business that will work for you www.chalmersaccountants.co.uk info@chalmersaccountants.co.uk Offices at Yeovil, Crewkerne & Langport 01460 279000 for winter colour and shape, get a practical demonstration of winter pruning and have a tour of the Palace Gardens with expert gardeners, Head Gardener James Cross and Senior Gardener Aron Clay, for an exploration of all things relating to a winter garden. Tea/ coffee and lunch is provided as part of this full-day workshop. Appropriate outdoor clothing for all weathers required. Price £50pp. For more information, visit www.bishopspalace.org.uk or call 01749 988111.
YEOVIL From Tuesday 1 March at Yeovil Community Church, there is a tenweek British Sign Language introductory level workshop. The course will take place every Tuesday morning or Tuesday evening. Cost £75. £30 deposit will be required to secure a place. For more information, email carinya.ecoker@gmail. com or contact by private messenger.
The Friends of the Yeatman Hospital seek to appoint a new Chairman The current Chairman retires in September 2022 following 6 years in post. The Executive Committee invites applications for this position. The successful candidate will: Have executive management experience, understand working with political and healthcare institutions, have time to lead and support an active group of committed executive volunteers, and be willing to shadow the outgoing Chairman before taking over in September 2022. Further information and an application form can be found on the Friends website. References will be requested. www.friendsoftheyeatman.org.uk Applications close 28th February 2022
The Friends of the Yeatman Hospital is registered with the Charity Commission no. 1031326
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BOOKS
POEM CORNER By Andrew Haylock
Inspiration The inspiration for my poem this month is a rose we planted in our own garden to remember my mum, which despite the weather always defies the elements.
THE DEFIANT ROSE Pink and pristine outside my windowsill, Defying all weathers, the rose flowered still. Through hail, snow, frost, gales and rain, I opened the curtains and there it remained. All flowers around had withered and gone, But the solitary bloom steadfastly stayed on. Like the swallow that refuses the African call, The rose continued to stand proud and tall. Through the sullen grey of winter’s morning light, The petals shone like a beacon, pink and bright. As the festive season came and slipped by, Natures clock the rose continued to defy. What was so different that wintertime? And a rose that continued to look so sublime, Planted in memory of mum, her middle name was Rose, Maybe she was saying she would always be close.
BOOK REVIEW
By Wayne, Winstone’s Lordy it’s cold at the moment and drizzle abounds. I have the antidote, two perfect award-winning stay-indoors books to keep you enthralled and entertained.
Fall by John Preston pbck £9.99 Ghislaine Maxwell has achieved notoriety of a different sort but her father blazed a trail of infamy well before her. Winner of the Costa Biography Award 2021. The dramatic, gripping account of the rise and fall of the notorious business tycoon Robert Maxwell by the acclaimed author John Preston is breathtaking. Born an Orthodox Jew, he escaped the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, fought in the Second World War, and was decorated for his heroism with the Military Cross. He went on to become a Labour MP and an astonishingly successful businessman, owning a number of newspapers and publishing companies. But after his dead body was discovered floating in waters around his superyacht, his empire fell apart as long-hidden debts and unscrupulous dealings came to light. Within a few days, Maxwell was being reviled as the embodiment of greed and corruption. What went so wrong? How did a man who had once laid such store on the importance of ethics and good behaviour become reduced to a bloated, amoral wreck? In this gripping book, John Preston delivers the definitive account of Maxwell's extraordinary rise and scandalous fall. 'The best biography yet of the media magnate Robert Maxwell – by turns engrossing, amusing and appalling' Robert Harris
The Manningtree Witches by A.K. Blakemore pbck £8.99 Winner of the Desmond Elliott Prize 2021. 1643. Puritanical fervour has gripped the nation. In Manningtree, depleted of men since the Civil War began, the women are left to their own devices and Rebecca West chafes against the drudgery of her days. But when Matthew Hopkins arrives, asking bladed questions and casting damning accusations, mistrust and unease seep into the lives of the women. Caught between betrayal and persecution, what must Rebecca West do to survive? 'Deft and witty... dazzling and precise' New Statesman
8, Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset. DTP 3PX 01935 816 128 winstonebooks1@gmail.com www.winstonebooks.co.uk 11
SNOWDROP FESTIVAL
EAST LAMBROOK MANOR GARDEN'S
FABULOUS FESTIVAL OF SNOWDROPS Throughout February Somerset’s famous cottage garden at East Lambrook Manor will be celebrating the snowdrop season once again with its fourth Festival of Snowdrops. This is an opportunity to enjoy a stroll through a beautiful winter snowdrop garden and view its extensive collection of unusual snowdrop varieties, many of which will be used to create displays that can be appreciated at close quarters. Galanthus, better known as snowdrops, have long been a feature of the garden, ever since the celebrated plantswoman Margery Fish created the iconic cottage garden in the 1940s, 50s and 60s and started collecting rare snowdrops. She planted them in an area she named The Ditch, which she and husband Walter landscaped from the drainage channel between two orchards. ‘It’s such a welcome sight to see the sides of The Ditch carpeted with snowdrops in February,’ says current owner Mike Werkmeister, ‘and it’s where all the unusual snowdrops named for the garden or previous owners were found, most notably Galanthus ‘Margery Fish’ and G. ‘Walter Fish’. The garden has a collection of around 150 different named varieties and many of these are used to make a special display in a raised bed enabling visitors to appreciate the subtle and often not so subtle difference between them all. ‘Unless you are a collector, better known as a ‘galanthophile’, you are probably not aware of how varied they can be, so visitors are often amazed by the different shapes and colours of the flowers.’ says Mike. ‘We aim to put on one of the best displays of named snowdrops in the South West.’ Snowdrop tours for small groups will offer an interesting introduction to the genus and highlight some of the favourite snowdrops in the garden and around 90 varieties will be on sale in the nursery along with hellebores and other spring plants. Sculptor Chris Kampf will also be exhibiting his popular steel snowdrops. Visitors should check the website for the latest information.
Visit the beautiful cottage garden of gardening legend Margery Fish to enjoy the: * Snowdrop Ditch * Snowdrop displays * Snowdrop sculptures * Snowdrops for sale * Snowdrop tours *
The garden is open Tuesday to Sunday throughout the festival from 10am to 5pm. Garden entry £6.50, over 65s £6.00, under 16s free, tours £3.00, RHS members have free entry on Wednesdays. No charge if just visiting the nursery. The annual NGS Snowdrop Open Day is on Thursday 10 February, with all entry money going to charity. East Lambrook Manor Gardens, Silver Street, East Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HH enquiries@eastlambrook.com; www.eastlambrook.com.
T J US TE S U N I HE 4 M OM T 3 R 0 F A3 H T
OU AT S ERTON H PET
Festival of Snowdrops 1st to 27th February
Over 125 varieties of snowdrop with many rare snowdrops for sale. Garden and nursery open Tues- Sun | 10am- 5pm Entry £6.50 | Over 65s £6.00 | Groups £5.75 | U16s free East Lambrook | South Petherton | Somerset | TA13 5HH 01460 240328 | enquiries@eastlambrook.com Walk in or book online at eastlambrook.com
* Tours subject to prevailing Covid-19 restrictions.
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SAVE WATER IN FEBRUARY
GARDENING
By Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group As part of our environmental and sustainability projects, we are installing tanks to collect rainwater for use in watering the plants in the garden centre. This has many benefits, as well as saving money on water bills, the water quality is better for plants and in a small way, it slows the movement of water around the site during periods of heavy rain, thus reducing flood risk. As part of our work with Dorset Wildlife Trust, we get to visit wildlife gardeners as part of the gardening competition that we sponsor. A section of the scoresheet is dedicated to environmentally sound activities and points can be scored for saving water. Wildlife gardeners are, by definition almost, very keen on such things and their water harvesting can be elaborate. I recall discussing this with one of the gardeners who had entered the competition and he was using every available downpipe on his house, shed and garage with a series of water butts connected together. He also then showed me about 50 milk containers that he had filled with water from his water butts in the winter months! These were hidden behind the garage out of site but as a result, he hadn’t used mains water for the past two years. Whereas I don’t expect everyone to be quite so dedicated, it does show what is possible. In your own garden, collecting water from the roof can be straightforward and will have the same benefits. Water butts can be connected into the downpipe and if positioned correctly the water is diverted into the butt when its empty and then flows down the drainpipe when the butt is full. For extra capacity, butts can be joined and, with the right tap fitting, hose pipes can be connected for watering around
the garden, although the pressure is unlikely to be as high as it would be from the mains. Starting in the winter is a good idea so that you have water when we start to need it later in the spring and early summer. Other watering aids include planting everything with a spoonful of Rootgrow. This is a product that is recommended by the RHS and contains mycorrhizal fungi in a powdered form. Such fungi occur naturally and are an important part of a healthy soil environment. The fungi attach themselves to the roots of the plant and extend outward into the soil searching for water and nutrients like an extended root system. The moisture and food is taken back to the plant which gives some sugar to the fungi in return. As a result, the plant will be much better at surviving in periods of drought. Mulches too will help enormously in conserving moisture. A depth of material such as Bloomin’ Amazing or Rocket Gro laid at a depth of 8 or 10cm will keep moisture in the soil and will also protect it from damage during heavy rain. The material breaks down slowly and is incorporated into the soil improving its quality and helping your plants too.
Winter Wellbeing Walks at Minterne Gardens For those of us who have been indoors over the winter months, the arrival of snowdrops heralds spring, and at Minterne Gardens we are very happy to see these cheerful flowers appearing. Nestling amidst the soft sparkle of light snow, which melts to expose a greeny dampness, ‘Minterne’s Miniatures’ are bursting forth. Take the time to walk along paths cut by frosty threads of startling whiteness with new vistas at each turn. After the long winter, Minterne Garden is preparing for new growth. Gone are the autumn leaves the colour of toast. Gone is the autumn sun as yellow as a young chick and in their place is the promise of another season around the corner. Surrounded by nature, a walk in green space can act as a restorative tonic. So, we invite you to wrap up warm and come to explore a rustling wild woodland garden which might still occasionally be stirred up by those north winds!
CASTLE GARDENS New Road, Sherborne DT9 5NR Tel: 01935 814633 BRIMSMORE GARDENS Tintinhull Road, Yeovil BA21 3NU Tel: 01935 411000
POUNDBURY GARDENS Peverell Avenue, Poundbury DT1 3RT Tel: 01305 257250 www.thegardensgroup.co.uk
Minterne Gardens open for the snowdrops from 1 February 2022 Minterne Magna, Dorset DT2 7AU enquiries@minterne.co.uk Entrance: 2-for-the-price-of-1 (£6) while snowdrops last Season tickets available: Family £30, Single £20 The romance of Minterne is perfect for weddings and holding a limited number of civil ceremonies and receptions each year, Minterne House provides the perfect backdrop of your wedding. Contact Sarah at weddings@minterne.co.uk to find out more.
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GARDENING
UP THE GARDEN PATH
By Julie Haylock, Sandhurst Garden Design February is here and the spring bulbs are beginning to emerge from their winter slumber. Now is the perfect time to look forward and start to plan your gardening calendar for the coming year.
Any plants purchased from a garden centre or nursery are used to being pampered with regular watering and deadheading to keep them looking at their best, so when you take them home, this becomes your responsibility.
Maybe you are planning a total garden design project or perhaps adding some interest and that wow factor to your garden borders, then I would be happy to help you, just visit my website www.sandhurstgardendesign.co.uk to book a consultation.
One of the most common mistakes when laying new turf, planting a row of hedging, perennials, or a specimen tree, is not watering enough in the first year when the plant is busy establishing itself which sadly will cause the plant to fail. So if you are planting particularly in spring and summer, remember water, water, water!
Many of you will be thinking about planting perennials, shrubs, and trees in your gardens this year, so it makes good sense to give them the best start and chance of success, so with a little preparation and by following these simple steps, your garden will look a picture. Choose healthy plants. Look at the base of the pot, if you can see fibrous roots poking out from the drainage holes that look fresh and white in colour, then that is a good sign that the plant is eager to go. However, if you can see thick woody looking roots, it might be a sign that the plant has been in its pot for some time and may take longer to establish once planted. When plants have been left in their pots for too long, they become pot bound. This means that their roots have been restricted within the container and forced to grow round and round the pot. If this is the case, they should be avoided. When selecting bulbs, whether spring or summer flowering varieties, examine the bulbs carefully. They should look plump and free from any sign of mould and if they feel squidgy or look like they are shriveling find an alternative supply. Soil preparation is key to success. If your soil is good and full of organic matter, then simply dig a hole and plant. Sadly, most of us are not that lucky so ensuring good drainage is especially important and by using a peat-free mulch around the plant after planting will help to keep the moisture in the soil so less watering is required. We all like to save money, so unless your priority is to create a garden that looks established from day one, choose smaller plants that will cost less to buy, they will soon get established.
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Ensure that you plant your new purchase at the right soil depth. The rule of thumb is to plant bulbs 2-3 times the height of the bulb but check the packaging for clear instructions if you are not sure. When you are ready to plant your perennials, shrubs, and trees, remove the plant from its pot and gently tease the roots with your fingers to encourage them to spread outwards and into the planting hole. Take care not to plant too deep. Make sure your planting hole is the same depth as the container, and with plants that have been grafted, ensure the point where the root emerges from the stem is at soil level. A tree is always a fantastic addition to any garden, but if the location is at all exposed to the prevailing wind, then it will need to be staked to prevent the root ball from rocking and disturbing the roots. Insert a low stake at 45 degrees into the ground, ensuring the wind blows the stem away from the stake so as not to cause any rubbing, and use a tree tie to hold in place allowing the tree to flex whilst ensuring the root ball remains stable. After about 12-18 months the stake and tie can be removed.
Sandhurst Garden Design Julie Haylock Garden Designer 20 Sandhurst Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 2LG
Tel: 07899 710168 Email: juliesandhurst1@gmail.com www.sandhurstgardendesign.co.uk Contact Julie for garden and border design, planting plans, plant selection advice and garden styling
BBC Gardeners’ World Live Gold Medal Award Taunton Flower Show Gold Medal Award and The Western Daily Press Cup for Best Show Garden
GARDENING
IDEAS FOR A WHOLE YEAR OF OUTDOOR LIVING By Liv Sabat
These recent years have been very tough for all of us but let's hope for a better year in 2022. I hope you all made some new year resolutions. I’m moving into my new house in February and my main resolution is to make the house into a home, inside and outside by creating a cosy atmosphere and an outdoor living space. Investing in your garden creates value for your home and for yourself. You can enjoy your outdoor space all year long thanks to our glass rooms. I still think that the most amazing part about glass rooms is that they will protect you against sun, wind, and rain so that you can enjoy being outdoors in every season. Here
are some ideas regarding how to use your glass room. Outdoor Office: surrounded by greenery and peace and quiet, you’ll be coming up with so many ideas. A glass room is a great place to set up a cosy outdoor home office if you don’t have enough space in your house to have a whole room to yourself. I would definitely recommend this as only having a little space in the corner of the room might not be enough. Exercise: is the idea of a stuffy gym full of people stopping you from exercising? You can create an outdoor workout space in your glass room. There are so many positives to this:
you don’t have to worry about people watching you, you can do anything you like and you can do it whenever you like as it’s only in your garden; before work, after work, no matter the time or weather.
Children's Playroom: not enough room in the house for all your children’s toys? You can use our glass room as a playroom, with plenty of space for the kids to play and to store all their toys.
Cooking: no matter what meal you choose, it’ll all taste better in the space and tranquillity of your own garden. You can have a BBQ with family and friends, and even if the weather disappoints, you’ll be just fine in your glass room.
There are plenty of other ways you could use your glass room; the opportunities really are endless. I hope I have inspired you to work on your garden space in 2022. Till next month!
LOW MA
ANCE INTEN
DITED ACCR E PROFESSIONAL
INSTALLATION
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BUSINESS FINANCIAL
BUSINESS
BUILD A PROFITABLE SUBSCRIPTION BUSINESS – HOW THE NUMBERS ADD UP! By Jim Rayner
Every month I pay Apple 79p. It goes out of my bank account automatically and has done for the last 8 years. Several friends I’ve talked to do the same and none of us are entirely sure what we are getting for our money. I could set aside some time to investigate, weigh up the value, and take an informed decision, but I have a dark suspicion that cancelling would involve a lot of hassle and maybe risk the loss of phone data backups, photos of my granddaughter and perhaps some Leonard Cohen songs. Much better to leave well alone: after all, 79p a month is insignificant. It’s not going to alter my holiday plans.
By the way, did you happen to notice that in early January Apple became the first company to hit a stock market valuation of $3tn? Of course iCloud subscriptions only make up a small part of Apple’s income but if, say, 10 million of us in the UK are paying 66p plus VAT, and allowing for transaction fees we’re contributing at least £75M to Apple’s coffers each year.
• Maintenance contracts – British Gas Homecare
Apple is just one example of a company using a subscription business model. You probably have subscriptions for some of these:
• Membership clubs – golf, gym, wine tasting
• Entertainment – Sky, Netflix • Mobile phone – calls and data
STAY ON TOP OF THE NUMBERS PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS SAVE LIVELIHOODS BUSINESS NUMBER EXPERTS WWW.JAMES-RAYNER.CO.UK
• Software – Office 365, QuickBooks, Xero • Magazines – but not, of course, The Conduit which is FREE! • Meal boxes – Gousto, Mindful Chef, Hello Fresh • Consumables – printer ink, razor blades
We can even pay subscriptions to get regular deliveries of gin, chocolate, pornography (so I’ve heard) or socks. In fact almost any business you can think of has scope to create a subscription income stream. Get it right and it can be extremely profitable because it gives you guaranteed repeat customers and regular monthly income which makes planning so much easier. Instead of having to sell each month you can focus on the much easier task of keeping your existing customers delighted so they have no reason to cancel.
Do that really well and you could achieve viral growth – where existing customers recommend and bring in new customers, creating a snowball effect. If you’re thinking about creating a subscription business you will need to look at a completely different set of numbers to those you’re probably used to monitoring. The key ones are: • Churn – the rate at which subscribers cancel • Lifetime value – how much is a customer worth over the period they stay with you • Customer acquisition cost • Margin – how much profit do you make on each subscription If you would like to explore building subscriptions into your business and experiment with the numbers, you’ll find more information including an interactive illustration on my website www.james-rayner.co.uk.
MAKING INFORMED CHOICES By Mark Salter, Fort Financial Planning
In most endeavours, there are things you can control and things you can't. That's true in life. That's true in business. That's true with investing. The good news about investing is that markets have rewarded investors over the long term. But over the short term markets go up and markets go down. Here are some observations about the investment business and what it takes to have a good experience. Things You Can’t Control: Few things have been studied as extensively as the performance of professionally managed funds. While the results indicate that some managers have good track records, there are far fewer of them than you would expect by chance. For investors, even after analysing all the data, you can’t separate skilled money managers from lucky ones. And if you can’t identify superior managers after the fact, how can you identify them in advance? 16
Based on the overwhelming evidence, there is no magic to investing. Throughout their lives, people must continually deal with uncertainty and make choices — what school to attend, what career to pursue, where to live, and so forth. You look at all the possibilities, and then you decide. Much of the financial services industry is geared toward making people think they can eliminate uncertainty in investing. However, the future is unknowable. The best approach to dealing with uncertainty is to make informed choices, adjust as needs and objectives change, and be comfortable with the range of possible outcomes. Things You Can Control: When you’ve got a compass, it doesn’t take drastic directional changes to find your way. Small adjustments are all you need to stay on course.
In 2009, the US stock market was down more than 50%, a lot of people were stressed out by the uncertainty, so they cashed out. That locked in their losses. The market, as it turned out, rebounded and people who got out of the market may have to wait decades to get back to where they were. It’s unfortunate they didn’t stick it out so that they could have better weathered the storm. Trust involves many different parts. To trust markets, you must understand how they work, which means having a source of reliable knowledge. The best source is scientific research, not opinions and hunches. Most people lack the knowledge to manage their own investment portfolio. A trusted financial planner can help you figure out your goals, present different ways of forming portfolios, and ensure you understand the possible distribution of outcomes. Then you can make informed choices about
how to invest. Your planner keeps watch over what’s happening, and together you revise your investment plan if needed. Investing is a dynamic process and a lifelong journey. It’s having a philosophy you can stick with, considering the range of possibilities, and adjusting along the way. These are the keys to a better investment experience. Stay disciplined, control what you can control, and keep a long-term view on your destination so you can focus on what really matters and enjoy your life.
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
BUSINESS
ASK MORE QUESTIONS
Business Support for Care Providers
By Patricia Marks
Available now! - Fully funded,
My resolution for 2022 is to make it the year of asking more and better questions! The only dumb question is the one not asked! It’s time to become childlike – ask more questions consistently – it’s fun and you might learn something! Do you ever think about how do you learn? For me it’s by asking questions alongside observation, research, and study. Be curious enough to ask a question and do it honestly – it shows interest in others and their thinking, supports the clarification of ideas or issues, demonstrates engagement and can set up further meaningful conversations and debate. Pace a question so that it feels okay to answer in either a negative or positive and create understanding, further debate, resolution and ultimately progress. We have all seen people in public forums, TV programmes, meetings, networking events and critical interventions with significant people go wrong because of poorly set out and then poorly conveyed questions, and as a result the ‘frustration barometer’ goes off the scale. The art of asking good questions in any situation should be in the spirit of honest information gathering to gain a positive progressive outcome. It is a skill to be honed and worked on. Going into a pressured situation, pre-planned and well worked out questions can be the difference between a good outcome and frustration. What does asking questions say about you? It shows you as interested and keen to learn from others – both key traits of good leaders and team players.
It is worth taking some time to think about the impact of a poorly asked or delivered question – instantly the receiver of the question may yet fail to understand the point being made, they may assume that if the question is muddled then the thought process behind it is also muddled and fails to give a full answer. Or it simply just annoys them. So, they don’t put any effort into the answer. What does a poor question look like? First and foremost, the one not asked at all. Then there are the questions that are more about ‘show boating’ what you know to the receiver rather than giving them the chance to give you knowledge, insights and maybe a fresh perspective.
tailored one to one business advice, industry specific webinars and business skills development workshops for Somerset-based adult care providers.
Support will include:
Strategy
Management
Finance
This programme will look at business and organisational strategy in line with key goals and
Time will be made to look at management and staffing processes, procedures and structure.
Each organisation will undertake a financial assessment to establish their current position.
objectives.
For more information: care@sbacic.org 01458 253 331 Registered Address : Great Bow Wharf, Langport, Somerset TA10 9PN
Next come the questions that have multiple parts to them. They are actually more than one question and can easily lose/ confuse the receiver. Another is the ‘to catch out question’ – when asking questions, be honest and fair about your intention, if you’re not it shows up instantly and will immediately change the dynamic of the intervention. It’s worth remembering how a child learns – questions, questions, questions, and a child will often repeat them and may even ask them in different ways if they don’t understand. It’s a great and efficient way to learn. Fascinating that as adults we can often lose this style of gaining information! So please make 2022 the year of asking questions with the intention of learning, progressing, and supporting each other.
Learn the art of asking questions and see how it helps faster improved network connections and progress.
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
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WORDSEARCH
COMPUTERS
WORDSEARCH
competition
A PUZZLE TO MARK CHINESE NEW YEAR!
In days gone by trying to understand computers was a bit of a dark art, but now most people can work them. I think it will one day be the same when it comes to speaking a different language. To mark Chinese New Year on 1 February, the Year of the Tiger, and to prepare you for your next visit to China, just find the names of Chinese towns and cities in the grid below, ring each word until you have found all of them and when you have completed the puzzle send it to: The Conduit Magazine, Unit 4, Barton View Business Park, Sheeplands Lane, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4FW. The lucky winner receives a £10 cheque. The closing date is: Monday 21 February. Good luck.
ANSHUN CHANGCHUN DATONG FOSHAN FUZHOU GUIYANG HAIKOU
HANGZHOU HESHAN HSINCHU KUNMING LANZHOU LESHAN LIJIANG LUOYANG
NANCHANG QUANZHOU SHANGHAI SUZHOU TAICHUNG TAIYUAN URUMQI
Name:__________________________________________________________ Tel :_________________________Email:______________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________
HOUSEKEEPING, LOOKING AFTER YOUR PC
By James Flynn, Milborne Port Computers As experts in computer software and hardware, we know how important it is to keep your PC clean and secure – and how frustrating it can be when something goes wrong! That’s why I’ve put together this guide to regular PC maintenance. Of course, we can do this all for you if you’re not comfortable with it, but it’s useful to know just how to clean your PC occasionally. Updates It’s easy to ignore those popups reminding you to update your programs and security, but it’s far more effective, and much safer, to update as soon as possible. These updates are designed to optimise your PC so that it can keep up with changes to other software, and viruses usually target older versions of common programs like Java or 18
your antivirus software. Update your programs and your drivers whenever prompted! However, don’t use any third-party programs like ‘Driver Update Pro’ … it’s just junk! Security Scan Allow your antivirus to do a regular scan of your computer as it is important, even if you find there is no direct threat to your system. Although the antivirus should have stopped anything in the first place, it can never be perfect. A regular scan can pick up dormant viruses before they become active. Defragmenting (‘defragging’) Defragmentation essentially rearranges the data on your hard drive so that it’s better organised. Much like rearranging your desk, this makes it easier for your PC to
find the right information more quickly. I’m not a great fan of defragmentation as most users never have files big enough to be noticeably affected. But if you’re OCD about it then go ahead! DO NOT defrag an SSD as the technology is different! Defragmenting SSDs is therefore not only unnecessary but can reduce their life expectancy! Disk Clean Disk cleaning searches through your hard drive for useless files – things like temporary internet files or items in your bin – and deletes them all at once. This is a great way to clear out some space, but you should just have a quick look at the list before confirming, as you might accidentally delete files you want to keep.
Check Disk This is a little more advanced, but very useful if you start to notice your PC ‘lagging’ or slowing down occasionally. It checks your whole hard drive for bad or damaged files, or any errors that might have occurred during previous system failures. Unwanted Programs If you want to remove a program from your computer, make sure you use the Uninstall option in Programs & Features rather than just deleting the files you can see. If you don’t use the proper procedure, you will leave debris littered all over your disk! The choice as always is yours, but if you think you need advice, you know where to come.
LEGAL
WILL YOU HAVE TO SELL UP TO GO INTO A CARE HOME? By Charlotte Cole, Pardoes Solicitors
Do you require care at home or in a care home? Have you been told to sell your home to fund your care home fees?
If this sounds familiar, unfortunately you are not alone. Many people are told to sell their home when it is not necessary. I am a solicitor at Pardoes Solicitors LLP and I specialise in advising clients on all aspects of care costs. This includes obtaining the correct financial support from the local authority and applications for NHS Continuing Healthcare Funding (CHC). CHC is a system that has been established to fund the costs of a person’s care in full if they meet the eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria are based on a person’s health needs and should not consider a person’s financial circumstances. The assessment that is carried out looks at twelve different areas of a person’s care such as their mobility, behaviour, nutrition, and medication needs. If the outcome of the assessment shows you have what is called a ‘primary health care need’, you should be eligible for CHC.
There is no legal definition of a primary health need. In practice, it can be said you have a primary health need, if after assessing all your needs, the main aspects or majority part of the care you receive is focused on addressing and/or preventing health needs. I have successfully obtained CHC for clients with a wide range of health needs, including dementia, diabetes, mental health needs and severe arthritis. So, if you own a property, you may not have to sell it to fund your care costs. I can advise you as to whether you are entitled to CHC and represent you through the process. If you are found eligible, you may be able to keep your property and pass it to your chosen beneficiaries after your death. You would also be free to sell your property and keep the equity from the sale. The system of paying for care is complex. It is important to obtain independent legal advice to ensure you are receiving all the financial help you are
entitled too. Please contact me on 01278 454419 or charlotte. cole@pardoes.co.uk to find out what financial support you could claim.
CAN WE
HELP YOU
Charlotte Cole is a solicitor at Pardoes Solicitors LLP and can act for clients who are based in Somerset and nationwide.
WITH A
LEGAL QUESTION
?
We run a free legal helpline every Monday between 4-6pm so we can connect with, listen and support our local community. To book your slot for the next free legal helpline please enquire on our website pardoes.co.uk
THE PARDOES FREE LEGAL HELPLINE
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LIVING WILLS AND HEALTH & WELFARE LPAS Chris Keenan, Partner and Head of Court of Protection A really interesting case has come out of the Court of Protection concerning Advance Decisions (often known as ‘Living Wills’) which shows us how important it is to continually review and consider legal documents. The case of PW 2021 concerns an 80 year old Jehovah’s Witness (‘PW’) who, in 2001, had executed an Advance Decision stating that she did not wish to receive blood transfusions in the event of requiring life sustaining treatment.
she did not think it was relevant or that it was not in the forefront of her mind • PW had sought a removal of a ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ notice at the hospital • There was evidence to suggest that after the death of her husband, PW had ‘lapsed’ in her faith
The Advance Decision was a pro forma document and not a specifically drafted document for PW.
The Judge in the case felt that this was sufficient to show that the Advance Decision could be disregarded and treatment could continue.
In 2020 PW suffered a gastric tumour and it was felt by the medical team that life could be prolonged with treatment, and crucially the use of clean blood products. PW did not have capacity to make a decision for herself and so the hospital submitted the case to the Court for a judgement.
The case shows that it is crucial to review and document any decision made to refuse life sustaining treatment and consider how an LPA for Health and Welfare may be an alternative option.
It was found that, through her actions in the past, PW had acted in a way that was inconsistent with her Advance Decision. This was because; • PW had executed a Health and Welfare Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in 2020 but not appointed her Attorneys to make decisions about life sustaining treatment. However she had not made any comment about her AD which suggested
We suggest reviewing documents every 3-5 years, or simply make an appointment and come and discuss your requirements with one of our team and we will help steer through the complex water of mental capacity issues and Advance Decisions. Give Chris a call on 01305 252574 to arrange a chat or email us and we will call you back.
UNDERSTANDING LIVING WILLS
YOUR WISHES CARRIED OUT The above recent court case shows how important it is to continually review and consider legal documents. Humphries Kirk solicitors are experts at advising on writing and reviewing Living Wills and LPAs. We like to keep it simple, and we like to keep it personal...
…that’s refreshing | www.hklaw.uk Get in touch with our experts. Bournemouth 01202 421111 Cranborne Chase 01258 840507 Crewkerne 01460 279100 Dorchester 01305 251007
Parkstone 01202 715815 Poole 01202 725400 Swanage 01929 423301 Wareham 01929 552141
www.hklaw.uk
20
ARTS
ARTS
By Julie Locke
VISUAL ART
Until Saturday 29 January from 9.30am at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is an exhibition of the prize winners’ artwork from the 2021 Open Art Competition and Exhibition. The exhibition will include paintings and sculpture. Free entry. All welcome. Open: Tuesday to Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm and Saturday 9.30am to 3.00pm (closes at 1.00pm on the final day of the exhibition). For more information, call 01460 54973 or visit www. ilminsterartscentre.com.
Until Saturday 29 January from 10.00am to 5.00pm at ACEarts, Somerton, there is an exhibition ‘The Red Dress and its Somerset Artisans’. Over 250 artisans, 29 countries, 1 dress – The Red Dress is a global collaborative embroidery project conceived by British artist Kirstie Macleod. Twelve years in the making, it seeks to connect individuals from all walks of life and provide a platform for women’s voices to be heard. This exhibition presents the unique garment alongside images and stories of the artisans who
helped create her, including the stitched work from eight local embroiderers who have contributed to The Red Dress. Open: Tuesday to Saturday. For further information, call 01458 273008 or visit www.acearts. co.uk.
Until Saturday 29 January from 10.00am to 5.00pm at ACEarts, Somerton, there is an exhibition ‘Hope Emerging’ by Tara Kennedy. Textile sculptures and wall art inspired by an emotional response to different cultures and religions suffering in conflict. Important messages of acceptance, empathy and
hope are shown emerging from this pain. Coloured yarns provide a metaphor expressing the transformation from blood spilt and the pain of suffering through graduated tones to ivory conveying hope. Open: Tuesday to Saturday. For further information, call 01458 273008 or visit www.acearts.co.uk. From Tuesday 1 to Saturday 19 February from 9.30am at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is an exhibition of work by the South Somerset Oil Painters. This group of ten artists began life in 2014 at the Arts Centre having attended art classes in
Volunteer at this year’s Somerton Festival! Whilst most of us are still recovering from the excesses of the festive season and sheltering from the wet and cold, the organisers of the Somerton Music & Arts Festival are busy planning for warmer and sunnier weather. With a full schedule of events, the 2022 Festival will extend to cover two weeks during July.
‘We have an action-packed couple of weeks in store, starting with the Art & Photography Exhibition as a precursor event in May.’ says Festival Chairman Cliff Bassett. ‘We are delighted to welcome back so many local artists and provide an opportunity for them to exhibit their work as part of the festival.’
Anybody interested in getting involved should contact hello@somerstock.co.uk. Here are just a few key events and activities to look out for: •
•
The festival includes a full range of events taking place throughout Somerton, with Somerstock, Somerton’s own family-friendly, one-day music festival on 9 July. ‘We are proud to have The Hoosiers headlining Somerstock as part of their latest tour,’ continues Bassett. ‘It really puts us on the map!’ The organisers are also keen to recruit volunteers to help with stewarding at Somerstock as well as new members to join their team to help promote the festival – particularly generating more social media activity. ‘It’s a fantastic opportunity to get involved with a local event, support the community and join a friendly team working with some great acts.’ explains Bassett.
The Explosive Light Orchestra
•
The Somerton Art & Photography Exhibition will open in the Parish Rooms on 28 May and run until 4 June, opening daily from 10am to 4pm (closed Sunday). Alongside the exhibition, the festival will be hosting talks and interactive workshops for all ages in the Pinney Room within the Parish Rooms throughout the week. Somerton Music & Arts Festival (1-14 July). Planning is underway with a number of events already announced, including the Bath Gilbert and Sullivan Society who will be opening the festival. Local band Not Like The Others will also be performing. The popular Festival Quiz will return as will Twisted Vinyl alongside Strictly Jive at the last event on 14 July. Somerstock (Saturday 9 July) – Early Bird Tickets available until the end of February. As well as the headliners The Hoosiers, the outdoor stages will also feature Alex Lipinski who delighted festival goers in 2021, popular artist Bess Atwell, AC/DC’s Chris Slade with a timeline of his music, Ska from the Decatonics and high
energy from Nick Parker and the False Alarms; once described as ‘A British Arcade Fire’. The festival also includes a celebration of ELO music from the Explosive Light Orchestra, reggae from the South West’s Irie Fire, folk rock from local band Kindred, the eclectic and atmospheric Shoun Shoun and the fabulous Young Martyrs, who will open the show. •
The Family Fun Day, now part of the Somerstock weekend, will take place at the Somerton Recreation Ground on Sunday 10 July.
Early Bird tickets for Somerstock will only be available until the end of February. To take advantage of the Early Bird discount or find out more about Somerstock and the volunteering opportunities, go to www. somertsock.co.uk and stock up early on some summer sunshine and music. More Information about the festival overall is at www.somertonartsfestival.co.uk. 21
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change.
ARTS
oils. They have been together ever since, still working in oils. Free entry. All welcome. Open: Tuesday to Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm and Saturday 9.30am to 3.00pm (closes at 1.00pm on the final day of the exhibition). For more information, call 01460 54973 or visit www. ilminsterartscentre.com. From Tuesday 1 to Saturday 19 February from 9.30am at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is an exhibition entitled ‘Inspire’, featuring the work of some of the Arts Centre’s regular inspiring tutors: Nicky Clarke, Juliet Farnese, Heather Ford, Margaret Micklewright, Julia Mckenzie and Paula Simpson. Free entry. All welcome. Open: Tuesday to Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm and Saturday 9.30am to 3.00pm (closes at 1.00pm on the final day of the exhibition). For more information, call 01460 54973 or visit www. ilminsterartscentre.com. From Tuesday 22 February to Saturday 5 March from 9.30am at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is the annual ‘Schools go Visual IX’ exhibition, featuring the amazing creative talents
of the pupils at schools in and around South Somerset. Taking part: Chard School, Greenfylde, Neroche, Swanmead and Stanchester Academy. Free entry. All welcome. Open: Tuesday to Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm and Saturday 9.30am to 3.00pm (closes at 1.00pm on the final day of the exhibition). For more information, call 01460 54973 or visit www. ilminsterartscentre.com.
MUSIC On Friday 28 January at 8.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, vibes player Roger Beaujolais, trumpeter Jamie Brownsfield and tenor sax man Robert Fowler join Craig Milverton and his trio for another of his regular ‘Three of the Best’ gigs. They will be playing a mix of their own choice of mainstream/ modern jazz favourites, mostly standards with probably one or two lesser known surprises as well. Over the years, these gigs have been a great success and are generally a sell-out, so book early! Doors open Concerts Gallery Crafts Gifts Café
M U S IC T O LIF T T H E S P IR IT S
February 4 The Solem Quartet
Brought to you by:
Award winning string music Includes Bartók, Purcell & Beethoven.
February 11 Martin Wheatley & his Arcadians
Vintage jazz from a multi-stringed band.
February 18 Flamenco Collective
Authentic Spanish music & dance.
February 25 The Sound of Blue Note
Evocative modern jazz, plus special guest Mark Nightingale.
Tickets £18. Concerts start 8pm. Doors open 7pm, with bar.
Contact musicbookingsiac@gmail.com or tel 01460 54973.
Also: Craftworkshops*Freeexhibitionsbylocalartists www.ilminsterartscentre.com
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at 7.00pm, bar available. Tickets £20. To book, email musicbookingsIAC@gmail.com or phone 01460 54973. www. ilminsterartscentre.com. On Saturday 29 January at 7.30pm at Caryford Community Hall, Castle Cary, blues guitarist and harmonica player, Joe Strouzer, sings songs from his travels from Newcastle to New Orleans. The support act is a local singer/songwriter, Dani Sharp, performing original material with her acerbic, erudite wit, warmth, charm and humour. Doors open 6.45pm. Tickets £10 via www. caryfordhall.co.uk, £12 on the door. In aid of the Caryford Hall Extension Project. On Saturday 29 January at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, Radio GaGa, The Ultimate Queen Tribute, is back with a brandnew show. Radio GaGa recreates two magical hours live on stage, celebrating the magic, fun and showmanship of Queen’s touring days, playing all the favourite hits including, ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, ‘I Want to Break Free’, ‘Somebody to Love’, ‘Another One Bites the Dust’, ‘We Are the Champions’, ‘We Will Rock You’ and of course ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Tickets £21.50. Book online at www.stur-exchange.co.uk or via the box office (01258 475137). On Saturday 29 January at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, enjoy an evening of entertainment with The Churchfitters. Why ‘Churchfitters’? Nobody knows! One aspect of the name suits them perfectly – its quirkiness. Instruments such as saucepan dulcimer, glass harp, bing-bong machine and magic boots all join more conventional ones (fiddle, banjo, sax and whistle, to name a few) to back Rosie Short’s sublime voice. The three flamboyant characters, that make up Churchfitters, present their uplifting and entertaining show with a unique dynamism. Tickets £15. To book, call 01460 240340 or visit www. thedavidhall.org.uk.
On Sunday 30 January at 7.30pm at Chetnole Village Hall, near Sherborne, awardwinning Welsh folk group, ALAW, performs world-class music from Wales and beyond. Nia Lynn’s exceptional voice and harmonium dance with the dazzling fiddle of Oli Wilson-Dickson, interwoven with Dylan Fowler’s sparkling guitar playing. Combined with powerful songwriting and original tunes, this makes for an unforgettable evening of live music. From stirring songs to driving jigs, they communicate their music with relaxed humour and a genuine affection that is truly infectious. Tickets £12. To book, call 07966 177789 or visit www. artsreach.co.uk. On Friday 4 February at 11.30am at Bridport Arts Centre, Concerts in the West presents The Solem Quartet. William Newell (violin), Amy Tress (violin), Stephen Upshaw (viola) and Stephanie Tress (cello) will play works by Beethoven, Purcell, Gurney, and Miller – for the full programme, visit www. concertsinthewest.org. The Solem Quartet has established itself as one of the most innovative and adventurous quartets of its generation. Tickets £14, students £5, under 12s (accompanied by a paying adult) free. Tickets available online via www.bridport-arts. com. For more information, call Bridport Tourist Information Centre (01308 424901). On Friday 4 February at 7.00pm at Lamyatt Village Hall, take a journey from the backstreets of Buenos Aires to the salons of Paris with Tango Calor, one of the most exciting tango bands performing in the UK. The trio was started by bandoneon player Mirek Salmon in Bristol in 2016 with jazz pianist and film composer Daan Temmink and Cuban vocal sensation Indira Roman. A rare opportunity to see the bandoneon (Argentine concertina) played live – it’s the true sound of tango. Tickets
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change. £20, child £15, family ticket available. Ticket price includes a meal of tacos and tortillas with a tequila or soft drink. To book, call 01749 814934 or visit www.takeart.org.
from Tourist Information Centre (01460 75928 or lic@ crewkerne-tc.gov.uk) or Concerts in the West (01823 252658 or concertsinthewest@ gmail.com).
On Friday 4 February at 7.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, Concerts in the West presents The Solem Quartet. William Newell (violin), Amy Tress (violin), Stephen Upshaw (viola) and Stephanie Tress (cello) will play works by Bartók and Beethoven, plus a selection of pieces by Purcell, Gurney, Miller and Trad – for the full programme, visit www. concertsinthewest.org. The Solem Quartet has established itself as one of the most innovative and adventurous quartets of its generation. Tickets £18, students £5, under 12s (accompanied by a paying adult) free. To book, please email musicbookingsIAC@ gmail.com or call 01460 54973. www.ilminsterartscentre.com.
On Saturday 5 February at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, there is a ‘chance to dance’ event with The Leylines. The band was established in 2013 by a group of musicians in Weston-superMare (via Bristol) wishing to combine their individual musical styles into something not quite folk, sort of punk, with 100% heart-pounding revelry. They have a genredefying, eclectic sound that ranges from traditional folk to full blown festival rock. Support act: Chris Ostler. Tickets £17, concessions £16. To book, phone 01460 240340 or visit www.thedavidhall.com.
On Friday 4 February at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, it’s back to the 70s with Abba Fever. This five-piece live band is a top quality tribute to Abba. Live vocals, stunning musicianship, authentic costumes and exciting choreography all contribute to a spectacular show that will entice audiences to their feet. Tickets £15. Book online at www.stur-exchange. co.uk or via the box office (01258 475137). On Saturday 5 February at 7.30pm at The Dance House, Crewkerne, Concerts in the West presents The Solem Quartet. William Newell (violin), Amy Tress (violin), Stephen Upshaw (viola) and Stephanie Tress (cello) will play works by Bartók, Beethoven, Purcell, Gurney, and Miller – for the full programme, visit www. concertsinthewest.org. The Solem Quartet has established itself as one of the most innovative and adventurous quartets of its generation. Tickets £15, students £5, under 12s (accompanied by a paying adult) free. Tickets available
On Sunday 6 February at 3.00pm at St Laurence Church, Upwey, Concerts in the West presents The Solem Quartet. William Newell (violin), Amy Tress (violin), Stephen Upshaw (viola) and Stephanie Tress (cello) will play works by Bartók, Beethoven, Purcell, Gurney, and Miller – for the full programme, visit Concerts in the West’s website. The Solem Quartet has established itself as one of the most innovative and adventurous quartets of its generation. Tickets £18, students £5, under 12s (accompanied by a paying adult) free. Tickets available from Broadway Stores (01305 812417), Concerts in the West (01823 252658 or concertsinthewest@gmail.com) or on the door (advisable to book in advance). On Friday 11 February at 8.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there’s an evening of vintage jazz from Martin Wheatley and The Arcadians in ‘Strings ain’t what they used to be’! Martin is a London-born master of all string instruments with a specialty in the banjo styles of the ragtime and early jazz era. He leads the Arcadians, a quartet featuring
Tom ‘Spats’ Langham, Mike Piggott and Louis Thomas, plus a haul of stringed instruments from violins to mandolins and everything in between. Tickets £18. To book, please email musicbookingsIAC@gmail. com or call 01460 54973. www. ilminsterartscentre.com. On Saturday 12 February at 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, Go West’s 35th Anniversary celebrations continue! Known for hits such as ‘Call Me’, ‘We Close Our Eyes’ and ‘The King of Wishful Thinking’, this is a must-see for fans. Tickets from £30.50. Box office 01935 422884. www.westlandsyeovil. co.uk. On Saturday 12 February at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, there is a performance by Tim Edey. Tim, an award-winning multiinstrumentalist and singer, has toured the world and recorded with most of the major names in Celtic/contemporary roots music including; The Chieftains, Christy Moore, Sharon Shannon, Natalie MacMaster, Altan, Capercaillie, and Brendan Power, to name but a few. Tim is rated by many as one of the world’s finest guitarists and melodeon players. A truly memorable performance is guaranteed! Tickets £16, concessions £15. To book, phone 01460 240340 or visit www.thedavidhall.com. On Sunday 13 February at 3.00pm at Sandford Orcas Village Hall, near Sherborne, join BSO Resound for a special ‘Winter Warmers’ performance. BSO Resound is a professional disabled-led six-piece ensemble that forms a core part of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. The programme will include music by Mozart, Bizet, Copland, Campkin and more, all introduced by a BSO presenter. Suitable for an audience of all ages. Tickets £10, under 18s £5, family £25. To book, call 01963 220208 or visit www. artsreach.co.uk.
ARTS
On Friday 18 February at 7.30pm at Norton-subHamdon Village Hall, take a journey from the backstreets of Buenos Aires to the salons of Paris with Tango Calor, one of the most exciting tango bands performing in the UK. The trio was started by bandoneon player Mirek Salmon in Bristol in 2016 with jazz pianist and film composer Daan Temmink and Cuban vocal sensation Indira Roman. A rare opportunity to see the bandoneon (Argentine concertina) played live – it’s the true sound of tango. Tickets £10, under 15s £5. Tickets available from the village shop, www.takeart.org or John Bailey (01935 881227). On Friday 18 February at 8.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, enjoy authentic Spanish music and dance with Jaime Cantera and Flamenco Collective. Jaime is a Bristolbased songwriter who sings in Spanish and English and makes a crossover between different styles in a lively and colourful mix of music, all with driving rhythms and percussion. Flamenco Collective, a Bristolbased group formed nearly twenty years ago, plays traditional, mainly Andalusian, gypsy-style Spanish music, comprising song, dance, amazing guitar skills and scintillating percussion. Tickets £18. To book, please email musicbookingsIAC@gmail. com or call 01460 54973. www. ilminsterartscentre.com. On Saturday 19 February at 7.30pm at Caryford Community Hall, Castle Cary, WÖR brings new life to forgotten music! WÖR (pronounced ‘were’) is a band of five musicians whose curiosity, passion and talent has led to a niche goldmine of melodies in stunning contemporary arrangements. With their finely textured arrangements WÖR injects new energy into eighteenth century melodies from the Flanders region of Belgium. Their music shines an inventive spotlight, with a modern twist, on the 23
ARTS
melodies in these manuscripts. Doors open 6.45pm. Tickets £12, available from Bailey Hill Bookshop or via www. caryfordhall.co.uk. For more information, call 01963 350980. www.takeart.org. On Saturday 19 February at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, there is a ‘chance to dance’ event with Mr Tea and the Minions. United by a love of tea, energetic dancing, cheeky riffs, silly hats, and cake, Mr Tea and the Minions have been unleashing their colourful explosion of musical mayhem on unsuspecting audiences since 2013. Their raucous ska folk blended with full-fat Balkan beats has made them festival favourites, and has inspired frenzied dancing all over the UK (and on a number of forays into continental Europe)! Support act: Craig and Alex Priddice. Tickets £16, concessions £15. To book, phone 01460 240340 or visit www.thedavidhall.com. On Friday 25 February at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, is Toyah’s Posh Pop Tour. This is a unique chance to experience Toyah up close and personal with a show that has a lively cinematic sound using Toyah’s vocals, keyboards, stand-up bass and storytelling. It will include Toyah performing her hit singles and classic songs, alongside recalling stories from her colourful, forty-year career. Tickets £22. Book online at www.stur-exchange.co.uk or via the box office (01258 475137). On Friday 25 February at 8.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, it’s The Sound of BlueNote. The band features some of the most prominent jazz musicians in the South West, recreating songs and arrangements that define the BlueNote Records sound of the 1950s and 60s. The Sound of BlueNote comprises leader Terry Quinney (saxophone), Andy Urquhart (trumpet), Phil Doyle (piano), Ben Taylor (bass), Andy Chapman (drums) 24
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change. and guest Mark Nightingale on trombone. Tickets £18. To book, please email musicbookingsIAC@gmail. com or call 01460 54973. www. ilminsterartscentre.com. On Saturday 26 February at 7.30pm at Charlton Horethorne Village Hall, there’s a chance to see Flats and Sharps, one of the UK’s most prestigious Bluegrass outfits. Their shows include a wide variety of influences, from a fresh and modern outlook on footstomping Bluegrass material through to their powerful and well-crafted original songs; their music perfectly blends strong harmonies and solos. The group’s incredible stage presence and energy create an evening that’ll have the audience dancing, laughing and singing along in no time. Bar with card facilities available. Limited numbers. Tickets £10. To book, call 01935 814199, email jb@classicmedia.co.uk or visit www.takeart.org. On Saturday 26 February at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, experience the music of The Moody Blues live in ‘Go Now!’. Gordy Marshall (toured and recorded with The Moody Blues for twenty-five years) and Mick Wilson (lead singer of 10CC for twenty years) recreate the elegance of a Moody Blues concert. In this show, all the classic hits are celebrated, including ‘Nights in White Satin’, ‘Go Now’, ‘Tuesday Afternoon’, ‘Isn’t Life Strange’ plus ‘Forever Autumn’ and a show-stealing rendition of ‘Eve of the War’ from Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds. Joining Gordy and Mick on stage are Tim Maple, Malcolm Moore and Patrick Duffin. Tickets £22. Book online at www.sturexchange.co.uk or via the box office (01258 475137). On Sunday 27 February at 7.30pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, there’s an evening of fantastic music performed by Peter Knight and John Spiers. In 2016, the organisers of FolkEast
Festival masterminded one of the most intriguing and exciting collaborations on today’s folk scene – legendary fiddle player Peter Knight, part of Steeleye Span’s classic 1970s line-up, was paired with leading melodeon player and Bellowhead co-founder, John Spiers, for a special oneoff performance which left audiences in awe. Book early! Tickets £19, concessions £18. To book, phone 01460 240340 or visit www.thedavidhall.com. On Monday 28 February at 7.30pm at the Octagon Auditorium, Yeovil, Armonico Consort’s Baroque players with international violinist Rachel Podger perform The Four Seasons (Vivaldi) and Stabat Mater (Pergolesi). The Four Seasons comprises four separate violin concertos each of which is based around a poem depicting each season, the vibrant melodies and virtuosity have made it one of the most exciting pieces of music to see and hear live. Stabat Mater is a beautiful musical meditation on suffering and redemption, written by the 26-year-old composer in the final weeks of life. Tickets £23.50, concessions £22, student/child £15. Box office 01935 422884. www.octagontheatre.co.uk.
PERFORMANCE Until Saturday 29 January at the Octagon Auditorium, Yeovil, Yeovil Amateur Pantomime Society returns with a brand-new magical family pantomime, ‘Cinderella’. By chance, Cinderella meets handsome Prince Charming in the forest, but slips away without leaving her name. In an effort to find the girl, the Prince holds a royal ball – but she enters in disguise and escapes, leaving behind only a crystal slipper. The Prince declares, whoever the slipper fits, he shall marry! Only Fairy Godmother and Buttons can help Cinderella on her magical journey! Featuring sensational
scenery and costumes, toetapping songs and incredible special effects, this year’s show is sure to be a hit with all the family. See the website for performance start times. Tickets £16. Box office 01935 422884. www.octagon-theatre. co.uk. On Thursday 27 January at 2.30pm and 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there is a NT Live screening of Tom Stoppard’s award-winning new play Leopoldstadt - a passionate drama of love, family and endurance. Early twentieth-century Leopoldstadt was the old, crowded Jewish quarter of Vienna. But Hermann Merz, factory owner and baptised Jew married to Catholic Gretl, has moved up in the world. Leopoldstadt follows his family’s story through war, revolution, impoverishment, annexation by Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. Ticket £11.50 to £17. Box office 01935 422884. www. westlandsyeovil.co.uk. On Thursday 27 January at 7.00pm at The Swan Theatre, Yeovil, there is a NT Live screening of Tom Stoppard’s award-winning new play Leopoldstadt - a passionate drama of love, family and endurance. Early twentiethcentury Leopoldstadt was the old, crowded Jewish quarter of Vienna. But Hermann Merz, factory owner and baptised Jew married to Catholic Gretl, has moved up in the world. Leopoldstadt follows his family’s story through war, revolution, impoverishment, annexation by Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. Ticket £15. Advance online booking preferred via www.swantheatre.co.uk. For more information, call 07500 376031. On Sunday 30 January and Sunday 20 February from 7.30pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, it’s Acoustic Night. Petherton Arts Trust encourages budding artists of all genres to come to The David Hall and perform on a
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change. professional stage. Everyone has the opportunity to deliver for 10 to 15 minutes with full PA and lighting. Please pre-book a performance slot or seat – don’t walk up on the night. To attend as a performer or audience member, email Chris Watts at folk@chriswatts.org or call 07715 501157. Suggested donations: performer £1, audience member £2. Please pay on the door. On Friday 4 and Saturday 5 February at 7.30pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there is a double bill of comedy with Stewart Lee. The first half ‘Snowflake’ looks at how the Covid-Brexit era has impacted on the culture war between lovely snowflakes and horrible people. The second half ‘Tornado’ questions Stew’s position in the comedy marketplace! ‘The world’s greatest living stand-up’ The Times. Suitable 14+. Tickets £26, concessions £24.50. Box office 01935 422884. www. westlandsyeovil.co.uk.
On Monday 14 February at 7.00pm at The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, join storyteller Beth Webb and singersongwriter Dora Darling in the atmospheric medieval Undercroft as they celebrate ‘Tales of Love Gone Right’. Enjoy a magical Valentine’s evening of tales and songs about love that truly works, where trust and faithfulness are rewarded. These may be wellknown tales and ballads, but watch out for a twist or a tease! Doors open at 6.30pm. Tickets £15, includes a glass of pink fizz and light snacks. Book online at www.bishopspalace.org.uk and via the ticket office on 01749 988111. On Wednesday 16 February at 6.00pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, there is a relaxed performance of ‘The Little Mermaid’. A young mermaid enters into a deal with a wicked sea octopus and swaps her voice for a pair of legs in order to find her handsome Prince. A
CHAMBER MUSIC MINI-TOURS IN DORSET AND SOMERSET
BRIDPORT - CREWKERNE - ILMINSTER - MINEHEAD PENDOMER NR YEOVIL - UPWEY NR WEYMOUTH
4 FEBRUARY TO 6 NOVEMBER 2022
• 4, 5, 6 FEBRUARY
SOLEM QUARTET
• 4, 5 MARCH
ALASDAIR BEATSON & EUSEBIUS QUARTET
• 31 MCH, 1-3 APRIL
PELLÉAS ENSEMBLE
• 6, 7 MAY
ELOISA-FLEUR THOM, STEPHEN UPSHAW & SAM ARMSTRONG
• 17, 18 JUNE
TIM HORTON PIANO
• 15, 16 JULY
CALLUM SMART & RICHARD UTTLEY
• 2, 3 SEPTEMBER
FENELLA HUMPHREYS, CARA BERRIDGE & DANIEL GRIMWOOD
• 6, 7, 8, 9 OCTOBER
JUBILEE QUARTET
• 3, 4, 5, 6 NOVEMBER NAOMI BURRELL, GAVIN KIBBLE & DAVID GERRARD concertsinthewest@gmail.com - CATHERINE MADDOCKS DIRECTOR
www.concertsinthewest.org
pantomime with lots of laughs and fantastic costumes. With low level auditorium lights, no loud bangs or flashing lights, this performance is specifically designed to welcome people who will benefit from a more relaxed theatre environment, including those with an Autism Spectrum Condition, special needs, or a learning difficulty. Tickets £5. Book online at www. stur-exchange.co.uk or via the box office (01258 475137). On Thursday 17 February at 7.00pm at The Swan Theatre, Yeovil, there is a NT Live screening of Philip Pullman’s The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage. Set twelve years before the epic His Dark Materials trilogy, this gripping adaptation revisits Philip’s fantastical world in which waters are rising and storms are brewing. Two young people and their demons, with everything at stake, find themselves at the centre of a terrifying manhunt. In their care is a tiny child, and in that child lies the fate of the future. Broadcast live from London’s Bridge Theatre. Ticket £15. Advance online booking preferred via www. swan-theatre.co.uk. For more information, call 07500 376031. On Thursday 17 February at 7.30pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, Suggs is treading the boards again with his show ‘Suggs: What a King Cnut’. Fame is a tightrope and Suggs has fallen off many times. With help from Deano his trusty pianist, he tells his story in words and music with the help of some Madness classics and a couple more he wrote himself. Suitable 16+. Tickets £30. Box office 01935 422884. www.westlandsyeovil. co.uk. From Thursday 17 to Saturday 19 February at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, the classic tale of ‘The Little Mermaid’ is Sturminster Newton Amateur Dramatic Society’s Pantomime for 2022. A young mermaid enters into a deal with a wicked sea
octopus and swaps her voice for a pair of legs in order to find her handsome Prince. This pantomime is brought to life in an action packed, animated show. filled with lots of laughs, fantastic costumes and larger than life characters. On Saturday 19 February there’s an afternoon performance at 2.30pm. Tickets £12, under 18s £8, family tickets available. Book online at www.sturexchange.co.uk or via the box office (01258 475137). On Sunday 20 February at 7.30pm at the Octagon Auditorium, Yeovil, multiaward-winning New Old Friends are back with their latest comedy thriller ‘Crimes, Camera, Action’. Set in goldenera Hollywood, world-weary, hard-boiled private-eye Stan Shakespeare has a case to solve. A screen starlet is stabbed as a result of a prop mix-up. It sets in motion a typically fast-paced and hilarious chain of events that sees a cast of four exceptional comic actors take on multiple roles, sometimes within the same scene. Enjoy the quickest of quick changes, lightning-fast word play and a thrilling plot! Tickets £16.50, concessions £15. Box office 01935 422884. www.octagon-theatre.co.uk. On Tuesday 22 February at 7.30pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there’s an evening of comedy with Milton Jones in ‘Milton: Impossible’. One man. One Mission. Is it possible? No, not really. Milton reveals the truth about being an international spy, before being given a disappointing new identity which forced him to appear on Mock the Week and Live at the Apollo. Is this just gloriously daft nonsense or is there a deeper meaning? Tickets £27. Box office 01935 422884. www. westlandsyeovil.co.uk. On Thursday 24 February at 7.30pm at North Cadbury Village Hall, John Hegley performs ‘Peace, Love & Potatoes’. This show is about his family friends, working life 25
ARTS
and everyday goings on which resonates with audiences; the poems are poignant and funny. John began his performing career at London’s Comedy Store in 1980 and has since written a number of collections of poetry, ranging from the surreal through the humorous to the personal and emotional. There are a number of recurring themes, notably glasses, dogs and reminiscences of his childhood in Luton. Suitable 12+. Tickets £10. To book, call 01963 440338 or visit www. takeart.org. On Thursday 24 February at 8.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, multi-award-winning comedian and actor Omid Djalili is on stage and bringing back ‘The Good Times’. Intelligent, always provocative, entertaining, Omid’s legendary stand-up performances are a captivating comedy masterclass. His credits range from Hollywood films to television and the West End stage. Suitable 16+. Tickets £26.50. Box office 01935 422884. www.westlandsyeovil. co.uk. On Saturday 26 February at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, John Hegley performs ‘Peace, Love & Potatoes’. This show is about his family friends, working life and everyday goings on which resonates with audiences; the poems are poignant and funny. John began his performing career at London’s Comedy Store in 1980 and has since written a number of collections of poetry, ranging from the surreal through the humorous to the personal and emotional. There are a number of recurring themes, notably glasses, dogs and reminiscences of his childhood in Luton. Suitable 12+. Tickets £12, concessions £11. To book, phone 01460 240340 or visit www. thedavidhall.com. Every first and third Monday from 7.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, come along for a Jazz Jam. These informal sessions generally involve a group of 26
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change. a dozen or so jazz-minded individuals of varying levels of ability. All instruments are welcome, as are vocalists. Give it a go, or just come and listen. £3 per session. For more information, call 01460 54973 or visit www.ilminsterartscentre. com.
CHILDREN On Sunday 6 February at 1.00pm and 4.00pm at the Octagon Auditorium, Yeovil, there is a performance of ‘Pinocchio’ by the Stuff and Nonsense theatre company. Using the classic elements of this story – a poor woodcarver, the tell-tale growing nose, the dream of becoming a real boy – Stuff and Nonsense add their hallmark hilarity, cleverness, puppetry, music, fantastic staging, outstanding performers and extraordinary physical tricks in their most ambitious production to date. Suitable 3+ and for all the family. Tickets £10.50, concessions/child £8.50. Box office 01935 422884. www. octagon-theatre.co.uk. On Saturday 19 February at 2.00pm at the Octagon Auditorium, Yeovil, it’s Louis Pearl ‘The Amazing Bubble Man’. Louis explores the breathtaking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding bubble tricks to keep everyone mesmerized. From square bubbles, bubbles inside bubbles, fog-filled bubbles, giant bubbles, bubble volcanoes, tornados and trampolines to people inside bubbles, the Amazing Bubble Man conjures shrieks of laughter and gasps of amazement from all ages. He has been thrilling audiences around the world for over thirty years with the art, magic, science and fun of bubbles. Tickets £13, child £11.50. Box office 01935 422884. www.octagon-theatre. co.uk. On Monday 21 February from 10.30am to 11.30am at
Sherborne Library, there is a themed crafts session ‘Under the Sea’ for children aged 4+. Booking is essential – visit Eventbrite online or call 01935 812683. On Tuesday 22 February at 10.00am at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, Theatre Fideri Fidera presents ‘Oskar’s Amazing Adventure’. Fun-loving puppy Oskar leaves home to find a friendly animal to play with. But where are all the animals? This heart-warming and entertaining play uses a rich mix of storytelling, physical theatre, clowning, puppetry and music to tell the tale of a puppy’s search for friendship. Suitable 2-8 years. Tickets £6, under 18s £5, family £20. At 11.00am is a fun-filled drama, arts and craft workshop for accompanied children, packed with creative activities and games inspired by the play, cost £3. Book online at www. artsreach.co.uk or call The Exchange (01258 475137). On Thursday 24 February at 11.30am and 1.30pm at The Bishop’s Palace, Wells, join Michael Loader for a hum and a buzz, buzz, buzz on a Bee Hunt, as he tells the story of a tireless worker bee looking for late autumn nectar. And he’ll need some help searching the grounds for signs of pollen and early buzzing bees! Michael tells an uplifting story of the abundance and generosity of nature – the moon, apple orchards and blossom – en route to the honeypot ending. Suitable for 4-8 year olds. Pre-booking not required: entrance is included with any valid entrance ticket. For
Oskar’s Amazing Adventure
more information, visit www. bishopspalace.org.uk or call 01749 988111. Every Tuesday from 10.00am to 10.30am at Sherborne Library, there’s a fun ‘Story Time’ session for children under 5. Booking is essential, so please call 01935 812683. Every Friday from 10.00am to 10.30am at Sherborne Library, it’s ‘Rhyme Time’ – songs and rhymes for children under 5. Booking is essential, so please call 01935 812683. Every Saturday from 9.30am to 12.00 noon at Sherborne Library, come along for some ‘Lego Fun’. The library supplies the Lego; the children supply the imagination! 2022 Children’s Short Story Writing Competition Organised by Yeovil Community Arts Association (YCAA) and Yeovil Town Community Sports Trust (YTCST), this competition is open to year 5 and 6 pupils attending a South Somerset primary school or living in the South Somerset area. Write a short story of up to 500 words on the theme of ‘Discovery’ – an object, a truth, a secret, a new land, a species, a friend, a technology, a way of living – the possibilities are endless! Free to enter. The winning youngsters will receive either £30 or £15 in book tokens, and their school will receive £250 in book tokens and an additional prize donated by YTCST. Entries must be received by Friday 4 March 2022. Forms and further details are available from the www. yeovilarts.co.uk or by emailing childrenscomp@yeovilarts.co.uk.
Events listed are correct as we go to press but we advise checking with organisers before attending any event as the Covid-19 situation may change.
MOVIES
MOVIES
AROUND THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES CRUELLA (12A)
A live-action prequel feature film following a young Cruella de Vil. Set in 1970s London amidst the punk rock revolution, a young clever and creative girl, named Estella (Emma Stone), is determined to make a name for herself with her fashion designs. She befriends a pair of young thieves who appreciate her appetite for mischief, and together they build a life for themselves on the London streets. SHOWING AT South Petherton on Friday 28 January, The David Hall, 8.00pm. Tickets £5. To book, call 01460 240340.
DREAM HORSE (PG)
Dream Alliance is an unlikely racehorse bred by small-town Welsh bartender Jan Vokes. With no money and no experience, Jan persuades her neighbours to chip in their meagre earnings to help raise Dream, in the hopes he can compete with the racing elites. A heart-warming true story of the triumph of the underdog. Starring: Toni Collette, Owen Teale and Alan David. SHOWING AT Milborne Port on Friday 18 February, Village Hall, 7.30pm. Advance tickets £5 available from 1 February from Wayne Pullen, Butcher, or £6 on the door. Contact: 01963 251217.
KING RICHARD (12A)
This film follows the journey of Richard Williams, a determined father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time. Driven by a clear vision of their future and using unconventional methods, Richard (Will Smith) has a plan that will take Venus and Serena Williams to the global stage as legendary icons. The profoundly moving film shows the power of family, perseverance and unwavering belief as a means to achieve the impossible. SHOWING AT Hardington Mandeville on Thursday 24 February, Village Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5 in advance from Springfield Stores (01935 862363) or £6 on the door.
LIMBO (PG)
Set on a remote Scottish island, a group of Syrian refugees await the results of their asylum claims. Among them is Omar (Amir ElMasry), a talented young musician who has his grandfather’s oud but is unable to play it because of a broken arm. He is conflicted about his decision to leave his home country and is puzzled by the local culture. A wry and poignant comedy drama which offers a fresh perspective on the refugee experience. SHOWING AT Batcombe on Friday 4 February, Jubilee Hall, 7.45pm. For information about Batcombe Film Society and for guest tickets, call 01749 850307.
MINARI (12A)
Set in the 1980s, a Korean-American family moves to an Arkansas farm in search of its own American dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home. Starring Steven Yeun, Yeri Han and Academy award-winner YuhJung Youn. SHOWING AT Crewkerne on Friday 25 February, Wadham School, 7.30pm. Membership £20. Visitors £5 per film. Contact: 07749 614048.
NO TIME TO DIE (12A)
Bond is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica after leaving active service. However, his peace is short-lived. His old CIA friend Felix Leiter shows up asking for help. The mission to rescue a kidnapped scientist turns out to be far more treacherous than expected, leading Bond onto the trail of a mysterious villain armed with dangerous new technology. Starring Daniel Craig, Ana de Armas, Ralph Fiennes, and Rami Malek. SHOWING AT Sturminster Newton on Thursday 24 February, The Exchange, 7.00pm. Tickets £5. To book, call 01258 475137.
PAIN AND GLORY (15)
A film director reflects on the choices he’s made in life as past and present come crashing down around him. Pain and Glory talks about creation and the difficulty of separating it from one’s own life and the passions that give it meaning and hope. Starring Antonio Banderas, Asier Etxeandia and Leonardo Sbaraglia. Spanish with English Subtitles. SHOWING AT Yeovil on Wednesday 8 February, The Swan Theatre, 7.30pm. Members £1, Swan Theatre members £4, guests £5. www. cinematheque.org.uk or 01935 421905.
PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE (15)
In eighteenth-century France, young painter Marianne is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Héloïse without her knowing. Therefore, Marianne must observe her model by day to paint her portrait at night. Day by day, the two women become closer as they share Héloïse’s last moments of freedom before the impending wedding. Starring Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel. SHOWING AT Yeovil on Wednesday 23 February, The Swan Theatre, 7.30pm. Members £1, Swan Theatre members £4, guests £5. www.cinematheque.org.uk or 01935 421905.
STILLWATER (15)
Bill Baker (Matt Damon), an American oil-rig roughneck from Oklahoma, travels to Marseilles to visit his estranged daughter (Abigail Breslin), in prison for a murder she claims she did not commit. Confronted with language barriers, cultural differences, and a complicated legal system, Bill builds a new life for himself in France as he makes it his personal mission to exonerate his daughter. SHOWING AT West Camel on Friday 25 February, The Davis Hall, 7.30pm. Admission £5 on the door. Contact: 01935 851214. 27
MOVIES
MUSIC
THE COURIER (12A)
TOUCHING THE VOID (15)
Unassuming British businessman Greville Wynne (Benedict Cumberbatch) becomes entangled in one of the greatest international conflicts in history. Recruited by MI6 and a CIA operative, Wynne forms a covert partnership with Soviet officer Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze). Both men risk everything in a dangerous race against time to provide the intelligence needed to prevent nuclear confrontation and to end the Cuban Missile Crisis. SHOWING AT West Camel on Friday 28 January, The Davis Hall, 7.30pm. Admission £5 on the door. Contact: 01935 851214. Yetminster on Tuesday 1 February, Jubilee Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £6. Advance tickets: Spar Shop. Contact: 07770 806990.
The true story of two climbers and their perilous journey up the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985. Mountaineer Simon Yates found himself in a desperately unenviable position. He was being slowly pulled off the mountain face by his injured partner, Joe Simpson, dangling 50 metres below. His decision to cut the rope saved their lives. This is an epic account of their survival. SHOWING AT Sturminster Newton on Thursday 27 January, The Exchange, 7.00pm. £5, under 18s £4. To book, call 01258 475137.
THE FATHER (12A)
Anthony is in his 80s and suffering from dementia. He is desperate to continue living independently in his London flat and refuses all assistance from his daughter. As he tries to make sense of his changing circumstances, he begins to doubt his loved ones, his own mind and even the fabric of his reality. A powerful and moving portrayal of dementia from the sufferer’s point of view. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Coleman, and Mark Gatiss. SHOWING AT Batcombe on Friday 18 February, Jubilee Hall, 7.45pm. For information about Batcombe Film Society and for guest tickets, call 01749 850307.
THE KING’S MAN (15)
As a collection of history’s worst tyrants and criminal masterminds gather to plot a war to wipe out millions, one man must race against time to stop them. Discover the origins of the very first independent intelligence agency in The King’s Man. Starring Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton and Rhys Ifans. SHOWING AT Yeovil on Tuesday 1 February, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5 to £10. Box office 01935 422884.
THE LAST BUS (12A)
An elderly man, Tom, whose wife had just passed away, uses only local buses and his free bus pass on a nostalgic trip to carry her ashes all the way from John O’Groats to Land’s End, where they originally met. Unbeknownst to Tom, his journey captures the imagination of the local people that he comes across and ultimately becomes a nationwide story. Starring Phyllis Logan, Timothy Spall, and Grace Calder. SHOWING AT Norton-sub-Hamdon on Tuesday 8 February, The Lord Nelson, 7.30pm Tickets from 01935 881227.
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THE LAST DUEL (18)
Based on the true story of France’s last trial by combat in the Middle Ages. Knight Jean de Carrouges challenges his former friend Jacques Le Gris to a duel after Jean’s wife Marguerite accuses Le Gris of rape. A gripping tale of betrayal and vengeance set against the brutality and female oppression of the fourteenth century France. Starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Jodie Comer. Director Ridley Scott. SHOWING AT South Petherton on Friday 11 February, The David Hall, 8.00pm. Tickets £5. To book, call 01460 240340.
THE PEBBLE AND THE BOY (15)
The story follows a 19-year-old from Manchester who embarks on a journey to Brighton, the spiritual home of the Mods, on an old Lambretta scooter left to him by his father. The film is a celebration of Mod culture and fashion, and features music by Paul Weller and The Jam. Starring Jesse Birdsall, Max Boast and Rick S Carr. SHOWING AT South Petherton on Friday 25 February, The David Hall, 8.00pm. Tickets £5. To book, call 01460 240340.
THE WOMEN
A study of the lives and romantic entanglements of various interconnected women. Starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell. 1939 SHOWING AT Ilminster on Saturday 12 February, Warehouse Theatre, 7.45pm. Annual membership £24. Donation requested from members’ guests. Contact: 01460 52285.
Music Gigs All Music Gigs are FREE entry unless mentioned.
JANUARY
28 Ian Valentine, 60s to Present Covers, The Old Pound Inn, Langport, 8.30pm 29 The Dockneys, Rock/Pop Covers, The Thatched Cottage, Shepton Mallet, 9.00pm
FEBRUARY 5
Caught On The Back Foot, Classic Rock, The Globe Inn, Somerton, 9.30pm Wrecking Ball, Country Rock, White Hart Inn, Crewkerne, 9.00pm
12 Chill, 60s to 90s Covers, The Lord Nelson, Norton-sub-Hamdon, 9.00pm 19 Chill, 60s to 90s Covers, The Old Barn Club, Yeovil, 8.30pm Lewis & The Sound of the Suburbs, Ska/2-Tone, White Hart Inn, Crewkerne, 9.00pm 25 Ross Kirk, Rock Covers, The Old Pound Inn, Langport, 8.30pm 26 AC/ZZuk, AC/DC & ZZ Top Tribute Band, The 94 Club, Yeovil, 9.30pm
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
MOTORING MOVIES
A REFRESHING CAR!
By Tim Saunders, Motoring Correspondent Increasingly cars are being fitted with lazy automatic gearboxes no matter what the model. And so it is really pleasing to see a six-speed manual in the Fiat 500X Sport. This makes for a far more engaging driving experience. When I first sit in the driving seat it feels like a giant was in it before me as I am sat very low down and struggle to see out of the windscreen. It doesn’t take long to adjust the manually operated seat to my liking. The Fiat is refreshing and has a character of its own. Externally it is finished in a bright blue and the designers have had a bit of fun with its styling, setting it apart from the bland competition. So often these days cars look and feel clinical but I like to see a personality shine through and the 500X has it in spades.
Founder and editor of ‘Travel & motoring magazine’, Tim Saunders is an advanced motorist and journalist. He has always been passionate about motoring and regularly reviews cars from the leading manufacturers.
Italian feels perhaps a little less sophisticated, in terms of ergonomics the Fiat wins hands down. Looking at the engine, I feel that Italy has trounced Germany. This fairly sizeable Fiat is a mere 1.3 litre petrol. Yet it is 150bhp, travels from 0 to 60mph in 9.1secs and has a top speed of 124mph. It generates 156g/km of CO2. It costs £28,785. This compares to the VW Tiguan R-Line which is a 1.5-litre with the same bhp. It is 0.1 of a second slower on the 0 to 60, has a 2mph faster top speed and travels 2 miles further on a gallon. It generates 9g/km of CO2 more than the Fiat and costs over £4,000 more but then it does have a large glass panoramic sunroof and a power boot lid that the Fiat does not. I take it for a spin to Bedfordshire. Over the course of the 115-mile journey the ride is comfortable. It does feel smaller than the Tiguan.
Previously I have been driving a VW Tiguan that overall was immensely irritating due to The TomTom satnav is reliable its oversensitive touchscreen, but try as we might we cannot the fact that the heating get it to talk to us. The cruise and fan were operated by control is not as sophisticated scrolling and the cruise either. The digital speed control having a mind of its reading vanishes on occasions, own. I like the design of the which is a bit unsettling and dashboard in the Fiat, which fuel gauge drops far too is easy to operate and has a quickly for my liking. I then good number of buttons and realise it only has a 48-litre fuel switches, scoring well with me. tank, meaning that it will travel The Tiguan is a competitor Brewers Garage.qxp_Layout 1 16/03/2020 14:23miles Page about 300 on1 a tank. to the 500X and although the
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Fiat 500X SPORT FIREFLY TURBO 1.3 150HP OTR price including options: £28,785 0 to 60mph: 9.1secs Top speed: 124mph Economy: 40mpg Power: 150bhp CO2: 156g/km Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz
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LIFESTYLE
INSPIRATIONS FOR THE CURIOUS SHOPPER
By Dawn Woodward, The Emporium, Yeovil
Welcome to our February column! We’re busy welcoming many new traders to our store and celebrating the successes of our longer standing traders at The Emporium. Featured traders: A beautiful new shop filled with exquisite painted animal portraits has recently launched. Artist Christine Sayer has stunned us with her artwork. Come and take a look. And just like that, eight years has passed since G&A Dolls House Bitz moved into The Emporium with their amazing collection of dolls’ houses, miniature figures, furnishings and accessories. This business, run by Angie and Gary, has been a great success and their following is going from strength to strength. Congratulations to this lovely couple and long may their business flourish!
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Valentine’s Afternoon Tea is being served in our cafe between 12-19 February; the menu sounds divine and it’s sure to be a memorably romantic celebration. So grab your Valentine or Galentines and book in for this treat. Book via our website or call us on 01935 411378 to book your table.
We look forward to seeing you in store soon for some wonderful shopping and to view our 70+ different independent businesses trading within The Emporium. Your support is appreciated so much!
Our Valentines Dinner, with live ‘Love’ music from Flic Keirle and Marcus Sangiovanni, will be the perfect way to spend the evening of Monday 14 February. Booking essential and details of the menu can be found on our website.
Trading with us: Are you considering opening a shop? The Emporium is the ideal place with a town-centre location, friendly environment and a really energized team! Give us a call on 01935 411378 to discuss options.
Other events this month include our Sshh… Secret Acoustic Folk Supper featuring an incredible line-up, arranged by Bearcat Collective, and served with a delicious supper menu and bar on 3 February.
Events: it wouldn’t be February without some gorgeous Valentine’s events! We have two…
To book a table at any of our events or hot brunch, lunch or afternoon tea call us on 01935 411378 or contact us by email info@theemporiumyeovil.co.uk.
Contact us as always in the following ways: Phone: 01935 411378 Email: info@theemporiumyeovil.co.uk Website: www.theemporiumyeovil.co.uk Visit: The Emporium, 39 Princes Street, Yeovil, BA20 1EG
FOOD & DRINK
THE CLOCKSPIRE HAS SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL FOR YOU! The Clockspire, situated in the pretty Somerset town of Milborne Port, is offering something very exciting for 2022. The restaurant has launched a great value for money early supper set menu which is just £24 for two courses and £29 for three courses. It will run through the whole of the year from Wednesday to Friday from 6pm to 6.45pm. These early suppers or The Clockspire’s set lunch menu are both served in the beautiful restaurant and are a perfect way to celebrate with your family, friends, or colleagues. For those who have yet to visit this amazing restaurant, it is a fabulous opportunity to do so and to experience the wonderful welcome and delicious dishes which the restaurant is known for. The Clockspire experience sees Head Chef Luke Sutton and his team showcase modern English dishes inspired by seasonal ingredients, using market-led British produce
and winter vegetables from its plots at nearby Ven House. From the moment you enter The Clockspire, stepping under the carefully-restored stone arches and through the huge double door of what was once a nineteenthcentury former schoolhouse, you know it’s going to be a memorable experience. Natural decorations complement the beautiful stone but, most importantly, you know you are going to eat good food and experience warm hospitality. The room itself is spectacular, with large windows casting dappled light across the original features of the building. The service is also first class, but the feel is definitely unfussy. At its heart it is a beautiful space to relax and enjoy wonderfully made food and great hospitality. For those who prefer not to sit at a table straight away
but would like to savour a tasty aperitif, there is a welcoming mezzanine cocktail bar which is the perfect place to embrace the start of your evening. There is an extensive cocktail menu as well as a huge selection of different gins and of course other drinks to enjoy.
please make sure you keep some space for one of our unmissable desserts!
Set menus are not just for weekdays; we also offer an exceptional Sunday lunch. It's a real feast of a menu, perfect for a get-together with family and friends and it includes our utterly delicious tender roasts. We make sure that a Sunday roast at The Clockspire always has that something extra, so our roast rump of beef also comes with oxtail and our roast pork loin comes with pork belly. The trimmings are pretty marvellous too, including glorious duck fat roast potatoes, light and fluffy Yorkshires, slow cooked onion, cauliflower cheese and roasted cabbage. And as Sunday is a day to throw caution out the window,
The team is excited and ready to welcome you to The Clockspire with great menus, exciting cocktails and big smiles, although these will be behind masks because we are doing everything possible to keep our staff and customers safe when they visit us.
As February is traditionally the month of romance, The Clockspire has planned a great menu to celebrate a memorable St Valentine’s Day with your loved one.
We also recommend you subscribe to our newsletter via our website to keep you informed about our future plans and all future menu release dates. Thank you for your great support as ever. The Fabulous Clockspire Team
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FOOD & DRINK
INDIA HAS THE FOOD OF LOVE!
By Khrishma Preston, The Alternative Indian In the lead up to Valentine’s Day here are some of ways that might help you warm up through food. India has had its own long tradition of what are deemed sensual foods. Milk According to the Kamasutra, good oldfashioned milk and sugar are the champions of all aphrodisiacs. Milk was thought of as being able to increase strength and sexual vigour dramatically, and almost all of the aphrodisiac recipes in the Kamasutra are based on milk, sugar and honey. Even today, in parts of India, brides give bridegrooms a mixture of milk and almonds on the night of the wedding as it’s thought to help with performance!
According to the vajikarana, anything made from milk, honey, sugar and sesame is an effective aphrodisiac, and panchamritam, a mixture made of milk, yoghurt, sugar, honey and ghee, was supposed to increase fertility and stamina.
as an anti-anxiety agent and can help with stress relief. It has also been reported that it can help balance sex hormones, which can contribute to increased sex drive. Why not take a rose petal bath with your partner or add it to your Valentine’s day dessert?
All milk-based ‘potions’ are sweet and simple, except when they are not: like one tip in the Kamasutra which says: ‘Drink milk with sugar. Or better still, testicles of a goat or ram boiled in it.’
Saffron Crocus sativus, the most expensive spice on the planet, was believed to have aphrodisiac properties as well as health and beauty benefits, not only in the Kamasutra, but also by Cleopatra who bathed in milk and saffron baths. An Iranian study showed that saffron can increase sperm mobility, which promotes male fertility. In addition to its lovely aroma, saffron taken in hot milk is supposed to have deeply calming and soothing effects on both men and women.
Roses Roses are one of the most adored flowers of all time: a symbol of love and of beauty, prized for their good looks and intoxicating fragrance. But the precious rose is more than just a pretty face. Consumed in various forms: edible rose oil, rosewater and rose petals - it is said to boost your libido. It acts
Then there are branches of Ayurveda (an alternative medicine system) which had a very relaxed attitude to aphrodisiacs.
Nutty Saffron Love Cookies and Milkshake INGREDIENTS
Cookies •
5 tsp warm milk
•
110g plain flour
•
2 pinches saffron
•
•
½ cup mixed nuts – almonds, pistachios and a few cashews
A few whole almonds, finely chopped and sliced for topping
•
1 tsp dried rose petals
•
110g unsalted butter, softened
•
115g caster sugar
Milkshake
•
¼ tsp salt
•
1 glass of ice
•
1 large pinch nutmeg
•
•
¼ tsp cardamom powder
2 scoops vanilla ice cream ½ tsp honey
METHOD
Warm milk, mix in saffron, and set aside. In a food processor or pestle and mortar, grind down the mixed nuts to a fine/ medium powder and set aside. Cookies In mixing bowl beat softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add salt, nutmeg and cardamon powder and mix well. Sieve in a quarter of the flour at a time and combine gently. Sieve out the larger nuts from our ground nut mix and add a ¼ cup of the finer nut mix powder to the bowl and bring together. Add a couple of teaspoons of the saffron milk to the flour and bring it all together to form a soft dough. If the dough is sticky, add a tablespoon or more of flour and if it is dry, add a few teaspoons of milk to make
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a soft dough that does not stick to your hands. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and make small 1-inch balls (approx. 12), and place them evenly apart on the baking sheet. Press them flat between your palm, and hand shape into hearts or use a cookie cutter to shape as desired. Add some of your larger ground mixed nuts, finely sliced almonds, and dried rose petals to the top of each cookie. Use another piece of parchment to cover, place a smaller baking tray to top of the cookies and press lightly to even out the thickness of the cookie, whilst pressing in the nuts. Leave covered and place back in the fridge for another 15 minutes, this helps in preventing the cookie from spreading too much and keeping its
given shape. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C or 160C fan. Once the dough is chilled and the oven up to temperature, bake the cookie for 20-25 minutes until the edges slightly brown but are still soft, then remove from the oven. Leave to cool slightly on the pan for a couple of minutes, gently remove and cool on a wire rack. Once cool, store in airtight box. These are great accompanied with my nutty saffron milkshake. To a blender, add ice, the remaining saffron milk, ¼ cup of ground mix nuts, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream and the honey. Blend until fully incorporated. Garnish with a few sliced nuts, saffron strands and rose petals.
FOOD & DRINK
Garlic Within Indian culture garlic is deemed a ‘hot’ herb that can make you sexually aggressive (it contains diallyl disulphide, which increases testosterone). It’s believed to enhance sexual performance for years and some religious communities, like certain Buddhist sects, avoid it. Methi (Fenugreek) Popular in Ayurvedic medicine as an antiinflammatory and libido-boosting plant, fenugreek is also reputed to help in the synthesis of various sex hormones that are responsible for breast enlargement in women. This herb appears to contain compounds that the body can use to make sex hormones, such as oestrogen and testosterone. Fenugreek is generally well
tolerated, but it can interact with bloodthinning medication (please avoid if you take these) and may cause minor stomach upset. Pistachio nuts They have high nutritional value and are rich in protein, fibre and healthy fats. Pistachios may have a variety of health benefits, including helping lower blood pressure, manage weight and reduce the risk of heart disease. They may also help reduce symptoms of erectile dysfunction, as researchers found it helped increase blood flow and resulted in firmer erections. Almonds Almonds are considered to be one of the oldest known aphrodisiacs and fertility symbols. High in vitamin E, omega-3 and
zinc, they help boost brain power and hormone synthesis – leading to a higher sex drive! Within Indian culture almonds are considered a fertility food, but it was also considered a ‘fertility symbol’ by the Romans. Almonds contain quite high levels of oxalates, so if you have or think you have kidney/gallstone issues, they may be wise to avoid. Nutmeg (Jaiphal) Nutmeg, Myristica fragrans, is an international aphrodisiac, feted across the ancient world from the Middle East to Malaysia. Nutmeg can also help improve sleep quality. Too much nutmeg can lead to side effects such as nausea and dizziness, so be careful.
LOW IS THE NEW BUZZ WORD!
By Georgina Loder, Co-Founder of Percival & Co
Low/no is the new buzz phrase in the alcoholic beverage world. It categorises the new wave of drinks being created for those wanting to give up or reduce their alcohol intake. You might be one of the eight million adults who are just completing Dry January – this is 22% more than 2021 and is now one of several campaigns throughout the year that promote abstinence from alcohol. These dry spells have led to consumer-driven demand for better alternatives – sparkling apple juice doesn’t cut it anymore – we are wanting delicious, sophisticated and grown-up tipples to keep us off the grog.
The Trading Post Farm Shop in Lopenhead has an extensive range of low/no drinks. Many of these come from the West Country including the excellent Dorset-produced Conker that has released Bowser, a 0% herbaceous spirit. Owner Kate says that increasingly customers come in specially to seek out low/no drinks and are becoming more discerning too. She has positioned the drinks centre stage and includes no alcohol beers and spirits in various sizes and formats. Likewise, Somerset Wines in Castle Cary stock four different non-alcoholic wines, with customers returning frequently for Noughty’s Sparkling
P E RC I VA L A N D C O.
L i g ht ly a l c ohol i c b o t a n i ca l i n f u s i on s ma d e w i t h f o r t i f i e d a p pl e w i n e , s p a r k l i n g s p r i n g wa t e r a n d f l avo u r s f r o m t h e B r i t i s h h e d g e r o w. 4% ABV
LOW CALORIE/ LOW SUGAR
VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE 100% NATURAL INGREDIENTS MADE IN THE WEST COUNTRY Av a i l a b l e a t w w w. p e r c i v a l a n d c o . c o m a n d f r o m s e l ected i n d e p endent s to re s i n S o mer set
Fo r s t o c k i s t s e n q u i r i e s : h e l l o @ p e r c i v a l a n d c o . c o m
Chardonnay described as ‘hands down, the best alcoholfree sparkling wine I have ever tasted’ by an industry insider. Pubs and restaurants are also increasing their offer of low/no alcohol drinks. The must-visit and recently reopened Queens Arms in Corton Denham reports increased demand for nonalcoholic options throughout the year. ‘This market has been quietly growing for some time, as people aim for healthier lifestyles and also to be safe as a driver’ says owner Doune Mackenzie-Francis. As well as offering Lucky Saint 0% beer on tap, they also offer a great range of non-alcoholic cordials and cocktails expertly concocted by Danny, their food and beverage manager. Doune is committed to growing the low/no category, especially for women who are often left unprovided for. Interestingly the low/no category is calling to a wide and varied range of drinkers. There are those who have indulged over Christmas and need to cut back but also people who have reassessed their habits during the pandemic and now pay more attention to their health
and wellbeing all year round. However, it is the young who are most noticeably sobering up and around 25% of under 25s don’t drink at all. Times have changed and it is now much more socially acceptable not to drink at a social occasion. Pubs and restaurants like The Queens Arms recognise this and with their innovative low/no offers are able to provide customers with a similar experience to one that they used to have, just without the alcohol. They can drink low/ no beer and cocktails and take full part in the event, without feeling like they are missing out. Alongside reducing alcohol, brands have sought to cut back on sugar to create an all-round ‘better for you’ drink. This is what we have done with Percival & Co, and our hedgerowinspired Hard Tonics are not only low in alcohol but low in calories too; delicious and sophisticated but with a healthier edge. So if you want to enjoy drinking but without the consequences then fear not, the West Country retailers and restaurants have got it covered. 33
FOOD & DRINK
TALES FROM THE TRADING POST By Kate Forbes I cannot lie, if you have read my previous musings it is apparent that the Christmas season is obviously my most favourite season at the shop. From midSeptember we are inundated with amazing deliveries of chocolates, chutneys, toiletries and giftware – the shop overflowing with amazing products and excited customers. However, the new year always brings fresh new challenges and opportunities – which as a food and drink retailer I love love love! Suddenly the overflowing shelves from December have been emptied and I am pouring over catalogues and emails from potential new suppliers, filled with everyday food and drink that we never knew we needed. One thing we are very proud of is our ability to find the most obscure ingredients for our customers within our overflowing shelves. Indeed, back in the early days of lockdown a customer came in saying his daughter had an online home economics lesson and she needed ingredients to make sushi! He didn’t want to visit a supermarket and hoped we might have something that would do. I think it was safe to say he went away extremely happy and possibly somewhat shocked that a farm shop in rural Somerset fulfilled that request perfectly – I mean we even sell sushi rolling mats!
Our ‘World Foods’ section is an area of the shop that makes me very happy and is an area that I will be improving upon in 2022. I always am happy to listen to customer requests and suggestions, and can almost always find a supplier who can help. So with Dry January a long distant memory, we can now hit the month of love, February, starting the year as we really mean to go on. And what better gift for your loved one this Valentine’s Day than a much loved tipple that is probably the most popular spirit in the UK… we have over 50 different gins in stock made by independent producers throughout Somerset, Cornwall, Dorset and Devon. Our best-selling gins have always been Wicked Wolf and Conker, two of our favourites! This year, with more distilleries popping up, it’s really lovely to see people venturing from their well-known bottles and trying something a bit different as well – although often in addition to their ‘normal choice’!
recent release Strawberry and Tarragon – that’s two of your five-a-day right there. Another favourite in this household is Thunderflower created by the fabulous Anicca – distilled in small batches, the gin is made in the London Dry method with botanical flavours extracted by vapour infusion – of course only Dartmoor spring water is added to the final spirit – proper local! Fordington Gin is one of my personal favourites. Ros has the perfect delicate touch and with each sip you discover a flavour that you can’t quite put your finger on – I’m obviously not going to tell you here … you’ll have to try it to find out! Of course if you are a hardened gin drinker we recommend you try Fordington Gurt Lush – the only ‘Pirate Strength’ gin!
And after all that, if you can’t make up your mind we also run a gin club – sign up for a year’s membership at just £80, receive a membership card alongside a miniature of Dr Squid Gin and then you can pop in to the shop each month and collect a miniature of our gin of the month. This gives you the perfect opportunity to try 12 of our favourite throughout the year so that by next Christmas you know which bottles you need on your Christmas List.
One of our favourites from the last couple of years is the lovely Darren from Haselbury Gin – his grapefruit gin is the most refreshing gin you will ever try – perfect with a cold crisp tonic but also just over a few ice cubes. We also stock Haselbury Watermelon Gin and the most
www.viperspirit.co.uk @VIPERGIN
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@VIPERLONDONDRYGIN
@viper_gin
FOOD & DRINK
CARROT AND CUMIN RECIPE By Mark Hix
Many years ago I was invited to an Algerian friend’s garden party where we ate Mechoui - a fantastic slow-roasted lamb dish with a simple carrot salad which I have used ever since. I don’t just serve it on its own – it goes well with cured fish, as well as being a great accompaniment to other fish and meat dishes. Of course, it contains my favourite spice – cumin. I often panic if I run out, but I now keep a little back-up packet just in case. It’s one of those addictive spices which features in lots of curries and I’m convinced it is that addictive ingredient in all curry houses. This is a great way to serve the humble carrot and it’s an allyear-round salad of my choice. This can be served as a small mini-dish or starter, and the carrot salad alone makes a great vegan salad without the fish. I often like to serve this at my Kitchen Table events at my home where I cook around eight dishes around my kitchen table. If you’d like to book one, head to the website for information and availability: www.thefoxinncorscombe.co.uk/ marks-kitchen-table.
Carrot and cumin salad Serves 8
4 large shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced 100ml olive oil 2 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp ground cumin 4-6 medium sized carrots, trimmed, peeled (if necessary) and thinly sliced on the angle 300ml vegetable stock Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander, stalks and all
Mark Hix opens Hix Art Pop-Up Mark Hix’s name is synonymous with food and art so it’s perhaps no surprise to see Mark opening his own ‘Hix Art Pop-Up’ on the site of The Oyster & Fish House this year. While the restaurant is closed on a Monday and Tuesday until the half term, Mark has decided to bring collections of art, vintage lighting, furniture and ‘kitchenalia’ to the restaurant for customers to purchase. Hix is known for his love of art and collecting vintage cooking items, but the time has come to put some of them up for sale. From meat skewers and silver cocktail shakers, retro glassware to copper fish kettles, there is something available for everyone’s budget. Pre-pandemic Hix would support up-coming British artists with shows at his HIX ART Gallery in Shoreditch. Two years later he has decided to rehang in Lyme Regis at The Oyster & Fish House before taking the collections on the road – with shows later in the year at The Malthouse, Lyme Regis and Kudu, in London, which will be announced this spring. ‘I’ve always been a keen art collector and as such felt it important to support new British artists. As the restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays in the winter, I felt it was a great opportunity to open a pop-up to showcase and sell some of this fantastic artwork. I am also looking forward to opening shows around Dorset and London later this year, which I will be announcing soon.’ says Mark. HIX ART Pop-Up will be open Mondays and Tuesdays in January and February. 10.30am-2.30pm from 24 January 2022. See it at: The Oyster & Fish House, Cobb Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3JP.
The Mitre Inn
Sandford Orcas
Nr Sherborne, DT9 4RU
01963 220271 FREEHOUSE
Gently cook the shallots in the olive oil with the cumin on a low heat for 2-3 minutes, without colouring, stirring every so often. Add the carrots and stock, season, bring to the boil, and cook on a medium heat until just tender, stirring every so often. The liquid should be just coating the carrots like a dressing, if not turn the heat up and cook on a medium heat until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool. Stir in the coriander and serve the carrots at room temperature.
Allen and Cheryl welcome you with a cosy bar and great food. Wed to Fri - Senior Citizens 2 course lunch £12.95 Sunday Roast - £11.95 Adult, £10.75 OAP and £8.25 children 2 En-suite letting rooms and Shepherds Hut Tuesday 7.00 - 10.00 Wednesday - Saturday 11.30 - 2.30, 7.00 - 11.00 Sunday 12.00 - 3.00
www.mitreinn.co.uk
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TRAVEL
LOOKING FOR SOME HOLIDAY INSPIRATION? By Heather Muir, Manager – Miles Morgan Travel, Yeovil If you are looking for some holiday inspiration, then we have some good news for you! As we have entered 2022 it finally has been a game changer for travel. As restrictions were eased during January, here at Miles Morgan Travel we experienced an immediate upturn in customers booking their much-needed travel for 2022 and into 2023. 2022 is already a very busy time to travel with airlines, cruise lines and holiday companies reporting that bookings are at an all-time high. You may find that odd but remember that many people have moved their holiday from 2020 and many have also moved their 2021 holiday to 2022. When you add the new bookings for 2022, you can easily see why this is
the case. What this will mean is that as we get towards the summer, prices will increase, so we strongly recommend booking as soon as you can. If you need some holiday inspiration, then we are delighted to announce that we have three brand new brochures packed full of holiday inspiration and amazing offers, many exclusive to us. Our main edition of Travel Talk includes worldwide and European holidays as well as escorted tours, many of which come with the added benefit of a home pick-up service and low deposits from just £21pp. The Ocean and River Cruise edition is 68 pages packed full of exciting itineraries and cruise news, along with some huge savings and added benefits such as free drinks
packages and free cabin upgrades. Our Holidays from Bristol supplement includes more than 100 holidays departing between now and September, which all include return flights from Bristol, and prices from just over £300pp! So please do contact our travel specialists or pop by for your copies. Book with confidence and let our team take care of you from start to finish including expert advice on any travel testing requirements. Remember when you book with us, our phone lines are available seven days a week until 10pm and your money is 100% protected. My team and I look forward to seeing you at 14-16 Middle Street, Yeovil or call us on 01935 428488.
Book with your local Award Winning Travel Agent
Call in to pick up one of our inspirational new holiday brochures Phone lines open until 10pm
01935 428488
www.milesmorgantravel.co.uk
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14-16 Middle Street Yeovil BA20 1LY
TRAVEL
FUN ON THE SOUTH DOWNS
By Tim Saunders, Travel Correspondent
Holidays allow us to unwind and do things that we wouldn’t normally do. This is exactly what we do during our stay at Medmerry Park Holiday Village in the heart of the glorious South Downs, only 30 or so miles from our Hampshire home. As we make our way through the electric gates we wonder what our chalet, number 10A, will be like. En route the park is full of lots of beautiful flowers. There is plenty of onsite parking and we are able to unload our luggage with ease. The chalet accommodates six people. There are two bedrooms, a kitchen and lounge with double doors out onto the veranda. As soon as we arrive we feel the weight of the world lifting from our overburdened shoulders. As instructed we’ve brought our own bed linen and towels. We soon find our way around the site. The tennis courts are our first port of call and the children really get into the swing of things, Henry (5) quickly understanding how to play. But as is often the case there are disagreements which need to be worked through. However, the second time we visit the courts Henry is more agreeable, not requiring a posse of ball girls and realising that he can actually pick up his own ball.
What we love about the site is that everything is within easy walking distance and it’s a joy not to have to drive the car anywhere for the duration of our stay. So after our gruelling tennis matches we’re able to saunter back to the chalet for a relaxing lunch. Recently I’ve been making my own bread every day because it tastes nicer. I’ve decided to bring all my baking paraphernalia with me on our holiday and continued making a loaf in the morning. Lunch consists of some yummy sandwiches on homemade bread. In early afternoon we then go swimming in the heated outdoor pool. It’s bliss no matter what the summer weather does. We swim in the baking heat and the pouring rain. We discover there’s a hot outside shower, which is very welcoming on occasions. The park is a great hit with the children although Henry insists on Daddy pushing him on the swing. The crazy golf is good fun too, and it is a nice touch that the clubs and balls are available in the shop at no extra cost. That doesn’t often happen these days. After dinner, strolls to the beach are always a perfect end to a perfect day. Hours of fun can be spent on the beach, just a few minutes away from the chalet. We take
our kite and the children enjoy flying it for quite a time. For more information, visit www. windrushholidays.co.uk. Watch the videos at www. travelwriter.biz
Tim has had two new books published: Poems for Today and A Book of Short Stories both by TA Saunders and available as ebooks and paperbacks on amazon.
DAY TRIPS AND SHORT BREAKS Visit our website www.bakerscoaches-somerset.co.uk for more trip information or ring 01935 428401 Salisbury for the day Royal Mint with deluxe afternoon tea*
5 April £19.50 12 April £65.00
Lynton & Lynmouth for the day 3 May £22.00 RHS Malvern Spring Show* 7 May £69.00 Lyme Regis for the day 12 May £15.00 Paignton & Dartmouth Railway with river cruise* 17 May £55.00 Exbury Gardens* 21 May £46.00 Rosemoor Garden* 26 May £39.00 Monkey World* 31 May £31.00 adult £27.50 child, children under 3 go free Bicton Park* 9 June £45.00 Slimbridge Wetland Centre* 14 June £55.00 Singin In The Rain with afternoon tea* 16 June £97.00 Bishops Palace including the Garden Festival* 18 June £35.00 Bowood House & Gardens* 30 June £45.00 RHS Hampton Court Flower Show* 9 July £74.00 Hestercombe House & Gardens* 12 July £35.00 Compton Acres & Harbour Cruise with fish & chips* 16 July £58.00 Crack The Code Short Break* 21 – 25 July £435.00 All trips marked * include attraction, theatre and afternoon tea, hotels and all meals. We are the proud sponsers of “The Pride of Yeovil” Awards organised by CalisMedia
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
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HEALTH & WELLBEING
LOOK AFTER YOU! Hands up if you’d love to have someone in your life who always has your best interests at heart, accepts you for who you are and supports you to reach your full potential? Well, you don’t need a fairy godmother to conjure up that magic person – it’s you! Nobody talks to you more than you talk to yourself – so what you say matters. But sadly, on top of criticising ourselves for mistakes, many of us also attack ourselves for who we are, calling ourselves names or saying that we’re ‘hopeless’. As well as undermining our mood and self-esteem, this self-criticism can undermine our motivation to lose weight and make us more likely to seek comfort in food. So, if there is one gift truly worth giving yourself right now, it’s to treat yourself with kindness and compassion. It’s a gift that keeps giving – boosting happiness,
reducing stress levels and supercharging your weight loss in the process. And it’s a gift you’ll find in my group. Self-compassion has been at the heart of Slimming World’s unique approach to weight loss right from the very beginning, over fifty years ago! In my group you’ll also discover that planning and preparing your favourite Food Optimising meals for yourself, then taking the time to really taste and enjoy them, isn’t an indulgence – it’s a wonderful way to practise self-compassion in your life and a really good way to treat yourself with kindness. If you’re ready to start your journey towards self-kindness, drop me a message – and together, we can do this. For information about any of our groups, please call one of the team or look on the Slimming World website for a group to suit you.
Local groups running throughout the week in Yeovil, Ilchester and Martock Visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk for your 2022 fresh start.
ANNOUNCEMENT! NOW OPENED
South Petherton Skincare Clinic Dr Sada Goodchild Treatment of wrinkles and facial lines with muscle relaxant injections (Botox) & Dermal Fillers. Treatment of acne, peels. Tel: 07878814565 southpethertonskincareclinic.co.uk Church House, The Parade, South Petherton, TA13 5FD (Crown Lane entrance) 38
HEALTH & WELLBEING
The Conduit interview Faye Dimdore, Learning Associate at
Rendezvous’ Learning Project for Young People in Yeovil tells us how things are going since
The Rendezvous started last April - it’s been so successful they are recruiting more volunteer maths and English Tutors. At The Rendezvous youth services charity, we are celebrating a great start to the year, thanks to Somerset Community Foundation who have confirmed they will support our Yeovil learning project by part funding it for the year.
West Hendford (the home of Yeovil Samaritans). Since starting last April the project has built to 12 learners and 10 tutors. The sessions are proving so popular that Rendezvous is recruiting more volunteers for Yeovil in order to increase capacity.
The project matches young people aged 16-25 who haven’t got any maths or English qualifications with a volunteer tutor to work oneto-one to achieve a level 2 qualification in maths or English.
You don’t have to be a teacher. Our volunteers are all ages and backgrounds – and are tutoring students for a Pearson’s Functional Skills qualification which is practical, applied maths and English.
Our CEO Helen Da Silva Wood is very happy! ‘Somerset Community Foundation helped us launch our Yeovil learning hub during the pandemic. We are delighted they have chosen to continue their support. It means we can keep helping more young people get the qualifications they need to get to college, start apprenticeships and apply for jobs, knowing they can achieve what they want.’ Our Yeovil learning sessions take place on a Tuesday morning at Morley House,
Jackie started tutoring with us in April. She tells us a bit about herself and what it’s been like for her: ‘Having qualified as a doctor when I was younger, I stopped working in medicine to look after my children and instead turned to my creative side and became an artist. Although, I love painting, it didn’t fulfil my need to work with other people and give back to society, so over the years I have done a fair bit of volunteering. ‘I heard about the Rendezvous youth services charity years
Photo by Len Copland ago. I always thought it sounded like a brilliant and worthwhile organisation. I was telling a friend about it recently and it dawned on me that maybe now was the time to get involved. ‘I get a lot of satisfaction from tutoring. Seeing my tutees progress from not understanding something to ‘getting it’ gives me a buzz. I enjoy getting to know them and seeing their personalities emerge as their confidence grows. I see my role as not only facilitating their progress in maths, so that they might be able to access more life opportunities with a qualification, but also helping them to value education and how important it can be to moving forwards. I hope that with kindness and positive feedback, they will grow in confidence and have a good experience of working with a trusted adult. ‘I hope that I have helped them improve their functional maths abilities, showing how maths can be useful in everyday life situations. I like to think that I might have made a difference raising their aspirations and building their confidence.
experience, so far. I get deep satisfaction from the tutoring, but also really enjoy being part of the Rendezvous team. Faye and Julie, Rendezvous’ learning manager, have made me feel really welcome and valued at Yeovil. The learning setting is a lovely space and the other tutors have all been extremely friendly. ‘I have had a sense of fulfilment, which I was lacking before, knowing that I have helped improve someone’s education. And I have a sense of pride in being part of an organisation which operates with integrity and worthwhile ambitions.’ If you’d like to find out more about tutoring a young person one-to-one in maths or English, we would love to hear from you. You can email me, Faye Dimdore, on Learning@therendezvous.org. uk for an application pack and to arrange an informal chat before applying. All successful applicants are interviewed and undergo a DBS check, safeguarding training and attend an induction. Visit www.therendezvous. org.uk/be-a-tutor for more information.
‘It has been a wonderful
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HEALTH & WELLBEING
MAKING A COMMITMENT FOR THE YEAR AHEAD By Amanda Whitlock, Total Wellbeing Matters The beginning of the year is when we all decide to do things differently in the year ahead. Whether it is to lose weight, get fitter or quit smoking we all vow to become a better version of ourselves in the coming year. This year may I ask that your resolution is to become kinder? ‘Be kind’ is a common hashtag nowadays but kindness is an attitude and one that we all need to adopt. Being kind is a choice but it doesn’t mean that you have to agree with everyone. The pandemic has led to an increase in anxiety, depression and stress. However, researchers from UCLA, Stanford, and the University of North Carolina recently published ‘Anxiety, Stress and Coping’ which indicated that kindness and compassion fostered a sense of connectedness and reduced stress, anxiety and depression whilst also improving resilience. Being kind doesn’t mean that you need to accept bad behaviour or that you cannot make tough decisions. Being kind means that you always try to act in a fair and equal manner. You treat people with respect and you offer support where you can. We also need to be kind to ourselves. The way that we talk to ourselves can have a massive impact on our wellbeing. Most of us are much harsher on ourselves than we would ever be on other people, telling ourselves such
things as: ‘You’re not good enough,’ ‘No one likes you,’ or ‘You messed up again.’ Even though we may believe a lot of our unhelpful thoughts when we are feeling low, anxious or stressed, it is important to remember that they should be questioned as they are often based on wrong assumptions. Self-criticism gets in the way of us going for a new job, trying new things, meeting new people and even enjoying time with family and friends. Talk to yourself as you would your best friend – be kind about what you perceive to be your flaws or failings. No one is perfect and it is important that we recognise that in ourselves and others. Being kind involves trying to be non-judgemental. This is one of the most difficult things we can face when interacting with others. We all come with our own unique view of the world which is shaped by our upbringing, our environment, our relationships and our beliefs. All these things influence how we behave with the people around us. It is important that we try and accept that other people may have different views to us. It is OK to disagree. What is not OK is for us to use our judgements to hurt or destroy others. Act in a way that you are proud of. Act in a way that means you work with people rather than against them. Make your resolution this year to always try to be kind.
LICENCE TO THRILL – FOR HOW LONG?
By Steve Haigh, Station Manager, Radio Ninesprings 104.5 FM
There are two rivers of funding that flow into British broadcasting; the BBC licence fee and advertising revenues to commercial TV and radio. The arrangement has worked well for more than 50 years, but the government has announced that in 2027 the BBC TV licence will cease. The BBC introduced the licence fee in 1923. It cost ten shillings and covered radio sets. When TV resumed after the Second World War a combined radio and TV licence was introduced costing £2. When the BBC started colour TV in 1967 a £5 supplement was added to the black-and-white licence. The radio-only licence was abolished in 1971. Today, anyone who watches, records programmes on a TV, computer or other devices or downloads shows on BBC iPlayer must own a TV licence costing £159.00. People aged over 75 and in receipt of pension credit do not have to pay the annual sum. The government says it wants a wide-ranging public debate to find new ways to fund the production of British TV programmes for selling around the world. So what are the options for funding the BBC (public service broadcasting) once the TV licence has been scrapped?
Allow the BBC to carry advertising: the BBC already runs advertising on services outside the UK. However, advertising revenues alone would not be enough to sustain all BBC services and could curtail bits of output that are highly valued by smaller audiences. Charge a special tax on income to fund public service media: Sweden abolished the TV licence in 2019 replacing it with a tax on working adults, charged at 1% of income. The money is paid into a funding pot for public service media, which helps reduce the risk of government interference. Turn the BBC into a subscription service: supporters see the popularity of Netflix and wonder why the BBC could not adopt the same model. The challenge is technical. While Netflix offers a single product – an app and website that are easily passwordprotected – the vast majority of BBC content is consumed freeto-air that would be impossible to put behind a pay wall. A subscription model would kill universal free-to-access BBC. Abolish the BBC altogether: with news increasingly distributed through social media and the growing popularity of commercial and local community radio stations, do we need the BBC? The government could simply follow the American model and let the free market take control.
New Local Radio Station for Yeovil and South Somerset
Charge a levy on every broadband connection: this could be relatively easy to enforce, with the money collected through existing broadband providers. The government to fund the BBC directly: the model is used to fund Australia’s ABC. There would be questions about how to enshrine the BBC’s editorial independence if
R ADIO 40
funding was decided alongside other government spending commitments.
104.5 FM
The writing has been on the wall for the BBC TV licence for some time, even if the format to replace it remains unclear. If you want the BBC and public service broadcasting protected, please write to your local MP.
SPRINGS
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Inner Sparkle
LOVING FEBRUARY
Aroma Touch Holistic Life Coach
By Tracy Frost
Essential Oils
February has long been known as the month of love as we celebrate St Valentine’s Day when we share our love with someone we care deeply about. However, the person we really need to love, cherish and have a caring relationship with is ourselves.
Do you feel too busy, too tired or think funds do not allow you to take part? All it takes is gentle self-care and understanding. There is absolutely nothing wrong with massages, creams, green smoothies, but do they help you feel how you want to feel deep within?
The relationship we have with ourselves, how we treat ourselves, how we speak, what we do for ourselves, also shows others, on a subconscious level, that it’s okay to do the same.
Real self-care is about the little things we do to nourish our mind, body and spirit on a daily basis so that we can show up as the best version of ourselves (and to be okay when we are not feeling our best). When we have healthy habits, practices and activities, it helps us to feel good at our centre and brings us into a more balanced way of life.
The concept of self-care is about achieving a gentler relationship with ourselves – the practice of treating ourselves well. Nowadays it seems to have a label, one of privilege and exclusivity, out of reach for most people; this is not the kind of care I will be talking to you about.
Self-care means plenty of water to keep our body hydrated, eating the food rainbow and getting all our nutrients from our food, achieving good
Reiki
Tracy Frost 07401 520794 tj.frost@live.com @tjInnerSparkle www.inner-sparkle.com
Then we can add simple things to help us take better care of ourselves.
Self-talk: catching ourselves when we are saying things that are negative or berating to ourselves. Once we have realised what we have said, we can change the narrative to something kinder and supportive.
Breathe: remembering to stop and breathe deeply when we find our minds and bodies going into overdrive, bringing us back to the present moment and giving our body and mind a chance to balance.
Essential Oils: these work on our physical, emotional and spiritual levels. For example, lavender is the oil of self-communication, helping our nervous system to relax and encouraging quality sleep.
Move: moving our body, be it walking, dancing, shaking off or just getting up from our chair and stretching allows our body to release any stored emotions, anxiousness, conversations and tension.
So, I now hope you will look at yourself in a more loving, caring and nurturing way.
quality sleep and having good connections with people around us who understand who we are and give us their full support.
Use February as the month of learning about yourself, using some self-care tools and finding some Inner Sparkle.
A LOST GENERATION OF SWIMMERS? By James Cattigan, Sherborne Sports Centre Manager More than one million children will not be able to swim by the time they leave primary school, according to Swim England and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Swimming. These shocking predictions were made in May 2021 and as we now enter 2022 with the effects of Covid variants still wreaking havoc in homes, workplaces and schools, this number could be much higher. Here at the Sports Centre, we want to help change this. Alongside the many fun, physical and confidence-boosting benefits of learning to swim, there is no doubt that essentially it is a life skill which can reduce the risk of drowning which is sadly listed as one of the most common causes of accidental death in the UK. Many families will hope to enjoy a holiday or take a short break
this year, whether home or abroad, and swimming is usually high on the list of activities. For children to remain safe and be able to enjoy the experience, they will need to understand basic water safety, have water confidence, be able to swim and be able to get themselves out of difficult situations. I think we all can agree that learning to swim should be a top priority! Your child’s school must provide swimming and water safety lessons as part of the national curriculum. This can be in either Key Stage 1 or 2 and every pupil is required to be able to leave primary school being able to do the following: • Perform safe self-rescue in different water-based situations
• Swim competently, confidently, and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres • Use a range of strokes effectively, for example, front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke. We have local schools use our pool and having talked to several teachers, I understand the difficulties they face trying to meet the above requirements. Large class sizes, timetable issues, number of year groups in need of lessons, budgets and staff with swim teaching knowledge make meeting the requirements difficult. Many schools provide half a term to a term of lessons per pupil, so roughly 6-12 weeks. Although progress is made, this is not enough time to take a nonswimmer to the point at which
they can swim 25 metres or selfrescue from deep water. Out of school swimming lessons are therefore very important too. With specialist swim teachers, fun atmosphere and weekly lessons, your child will learn the confidence, water safety and swimming skills needed to be safe and enjoy swimming. Call 01935 810548 or email swimlessons@sherborne.org to enquire about our Learn to Swim Program. Pre-school Lessons: Monday 11.30am, Tuesday 10.30am, Friday 1pm. L1 to L4 Lessons: Saturday and Sunday 9-11am. Advanced Lessons L5 to L8: Wednesday 5.30-6.30pm.
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HEALTH & WELLBEING
Oxley Swim School – Why choose us? By Heather Crewe, Swim School and Aquatics Manager At Oxley, we firmly believe that swimming is a life skill that will stay with you throughout your lifetime. And you are never too young to start. In fact, the younger your child is when they learn to swim the better, the more confident they will be come in the water and the easier it will be to pick up the art of swimming. Oxley Sports Centre’s swim school has been running for over 13 years and during that time we have taught thousands of children to swim and how to be safe in the water. We currently have over 500 pupils within the swim school who are taught by our qualified teachers, who between them have over 30 years' experience. We follow the Swim England National Governing Body for our swim standards and levels, and we teach children aged 2-16 years. They can start in our popular Parent & Toddler group on Saturdays then, aged 4 years, children move into our swim school. The main group starts with Ducklings and then they can follow their swim school journey through to our top group, Squad. We find that many of our swimmers stay with us for several years. Some of the older ones may go onto swim clubs to become competitive swimmers or take up water polo and some of them go onto become swim assistants or teachers themselves. At least five of our current teachers started their journey as swimmers with us. 42
We offer a free 15-minute swim assessment for children who can swim confidently without any floating aids. Those swimmers who cannot swim or have no confidence in the water would go directly into our Duckling groups. Once assessed, pupils are offered the various slots which are available for their swimming ability. They are then booked into the class and an email is subsequently sent with all the relevant details. As a swim school member, you enjoy the following benefits: • Free swimming for all swim school members outside of their weekly 30-minute lesson in public sessions • Access to the swim school home portal where parents can see their children’s progress • Annual social events for all swim school members • Challenges for the older swimmers to increase their fitness
Our Swim School is expanding, spaces now available Contact reception to book your free swim assessment now. 01935 818270 osc_info@sherborne.com
www.oxleysc.com
To book your free assessment or for more information, please contact reception on 01935 818270 or osc_info@sherborne. com.
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
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PET HEALTH
GIVE YOUR PETS A HEALTHY SMILE! - PART 2
142 Preston Road, Yeovil Somerset BA20 2EE Lower Acreman Street Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3EX www.newtonclarkevet.com
By Peter Luscombe BVSc, PgC SAD, MRCVS
Last month I wrote about some of the causes and effects of dental disease in our pets. I will now discuss what can be done to help. What steps should pet owners take to care for their pets’ teeth? It is helpful at an early age to get your pets used to having their mouth opened and examined. This allows you to inspect the health of the teeth and gums. The gold standard of dental healthcare is to brush our pet’s teeth regularly once a day if possible. I appreciate that not all individuals will let you do this, but with perseverance and starting at an early age, success can be achieved. Initially a small thimble-sized finger brush can be used. With time, a small-headed toothbrush can be introduced. Please note
that pet-specific toothpaste is required which contains neither fluoride nor frothing agents. The type of diet you feed your pet plays a role in dental care. In general, dried foods tend to be more suitable for teeth. Special dental diets have been formulated and have been shown to have a significant cleaning effect. Dental chews, tough cooked meat and fresh vegetables can all help. Remember the teeth are designed to work hard, and this should be encouraged. A water additive can be added in low concentrations to the drinking water. This compound binds calcium and also reduces the build-up of plaque. Even if rigorous dental home care is performed, a descale and polish may still be required to revert your pet’s teeth back to good health.
What does a dental procedure involve? Initially, your pet should have a full health examination by a vet, who may advise routine blood prior to any anaesthetic. Under a general anaesthetic, the teeth will all be individually examined and inspected for any signs of abnormalities, eg. ‘pockets’ under gums or signs of periodontal disease, cavities, abnormal wear and fractures. All findings are then recorded on a dental chart. Your pet’s teeth cannot be fully evaluated until a full inspection under general anaesthetic has been carried out. The decision to remove a tooth is based on a number of factors including whether it is mobile, diseased, fractured or whether the tissues surrounding the tooth are diseased, eg. abscess at the root of the tooth. Cats
can suffer small cavities in the ‘neck’ of the tooth on the gum line. These are extremely painful and in the majority of cases, extraction is required. In some cases, an X-ray needs to be taken to make this decision. All teeth are then descaled with an ultrasonic scaler especially under the gum line and finally polished to remove the microscopic scratches which encourage the re-formation of the plaque. If extensive dental work is carried out, then your pet would normally go home with further antibiotics and painkillers. It is important to note that plaque will start to develop within days after the descale and polish, if a home dental care programme is not initiated.
NATURE SPOT BARN OWLS Barn owls are one of Britain's most reclusive, yet treasured birds. The best time to spot a barn owl is at dusk, when you may catch sight of one hunting for prey. Colin Lawrence, local wildlife photographer, recently caught these amazing photographs around Yeovil. Barn owl numbers have fallen dramatically in the last thirty years, but appear to have stabilised recently. They are faced with a number of threats including the cutting down of trees, the destruction of natural grasslands and barn conversions, so they need all the help they can get. They hunt by flying slowly, then hovering over a patch of ground that they believe may conceal
prey. The owl may also find a tree or post to use as a lookout point so that it can scan for food. When it spots its prey, the barn owl can swoop down to grab the creature using its talons. Barn owls hunt over open fields, generally within a range of about a mile from their roosting or nesting site. As well as its good eyesight, the barn owl has extremely sensitive hearing, to help it hunt.
roosting site to be eaten at times when food is scarce.
The preferred diet of a barn owl in the UK is small mammals such as voles and shrews. However, in other parts of the world they may well eat a range of insects, amphibians and lizards. They will also eat smaller birds and bats.
1.
Watch the birds around you for one hour
2.
Count how many of each species of bird lands on your patch
3.
Go online and tell us what you saw
Studies show that a barn owl will eat at least one vole a night, roughly 23% of its own bodyweight. Extra prey is sometimes stashed away at the
Barn owls consume huge numbers of the rodents that are often considered a pest by humans, making them one of the most economically valuable wild animals for farmers. Also don’t forget the RSPB’s Big Garden Bird Watch - taking part is as easy as 1, 2, 3:
Visit www.rspb.org.uk/getinvolved/activities/birdwatch/ birdwatch-take-part.
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
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CARE
THE LEGEND OF ST VALENTINE’S DAY By Tracey Warren, Stoodley and Son
Valentine’s Day on 14 February sees the shops once again filled with gifts of romance and love. Some of us sit patiently by the letterbox awaiting a card or if they have a particularly thoughtful partner then possibly a bouquet of flowers, a fancy box of chocolates or even a weekend trip to Rome with your loved one! Visiting Rome in the twenty-first century is almost certainly a better option than living there when St Valentine was alive. This is because St Valentine was purported to be a third-century Roman saint who was thought to minister to persecuted Christians. Valentine’s Day has only been celebrated by Christian society since the Middle Ages, with western Christianity commemorating the day on 14 February and eastern Orthodoxy on 6 July. The legend of St Valentine is a story shrouded in mystery and here is one possibility. Sadly, the saint we know as St Valentine was just plain old Valentine when on 14 February (around 270 AD) he was executed under the orders of the Roman Emperor Claudius II (whose nickname was Claudius the Cruel). The reasoning behind Claudius’s sentence, was a simple one. Claudius, as emperor, was involved in many bloody and unpopular crusades and wars. He was determined to be seen as one of the strongest emperors with an undefeatable army. However, 44
because of his tendency to wage many fruitless campaigns here there and everywhere, he struggled to employ soldiers to join his army. Claudius decided that the actual reason for young men not wanting to enlist was not that most of them didn’t want to go to war because they would probably be killed in a futile and pointless endeavour, but that men did not want to leave because of their wives and families. Consequently Claudius decided that the best thing to do was to ban marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine was incensed by this ridiculous notion and the injustice of this new law, and therefore conducted marriages in secret. When Claudius found this out, Valentine was dragged into a tribunal and condemned to be beaten to death and then beheaded to serve as a warning to others. But ultimately no one knows the exact identity of St Valentine and there are at least three different Saint Valentines, all of them martyrs and all associated with 14 February.
Is this legend true or just a myth handed down during the centuries? Something to think about though is that St Valentine
is also a patron saint of beekeepers; perhaps a jar of honey for your loved one would be more appropriate.
HISTORY
CARE
TREASURED ITEMS By Barbara Elsmore
Do you have things tucked away in the back of a cupboard somewhere that you absolutely cannot bear to part with? In my case it is four items from Royal Doulton's Bunnykins range. When my mother died I discovered she had held on to my plate and beaker (not called a mug in those days) and my brother's dish and beaker — all dating from the 1940/50s. How well I remember clearing my plate of little pieces of bread, butter and Marmite to reveal a pair of pillow-fighting bunnies in striped pyjamas, with mother bunny holding up her hands in alarm as the clock behind her shows it is nearly midnight. Barbara Vernon was the artist who produced the many charming designs beginning in the 1930s up to the 1950s. She was the daughter of the general manager of Royal Doulton and was actually Sister Mary Barbara, an Augustinian nun. Growing out of my Bunnykins plate I moved on to using the family Cornishware blue and white striped cups, saucers, plates and bowls. My mother also had a set of ten kitchen storage jars ranging from the largest, for soda, down through loaf sugar and currants to the four smallest for spices and the like. I hasten to add that these
are not tucked away at the back of a cupboard but have pride of place on a high shelf in the kitchen put there especially to display them. Thomas Goodwin Green founded the first Cornishware factory in the late nineteenth century and you can still buy their striped ware today. My storage jars probably date from my parents’ marriage in 1942 and I guess that they might have been wedding presents. Around five years ago Judith Miller and Mark Hill, from The Antiques Roadshow, visited Macintosh Antiques in Sherborne at the launch of their Collectables Handbook and Price Guide 2016-2017. We were invited to take a 'collectable' item along for valuation and I chose to take the angelica jar. I well remember how iced cakes of long ago were adorned with small green triangles of candied angelica either side of a rock-hard sugared mimosa ball. Mark Hill was quite taken with my little jar, telling me that when it comes to value size matters and in this case because it is small and is for an unusual commodity it has a higher value. He put a figure of £100 on this treasured little item. Very satisfactory!
CARERS’ GROUPS
Do you look after the other half, family or friend who is ill, elderly, disabled, suffers with addiction or poor mental health or just needs a bit of help? Perhaps you are new to caring and don't know what help is out there. Come along and chat with others, who are also recognised as unpaid carers, to share laughs, ideas and experiences in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere. Yeovil and Keinton Mandeville groups run a social group for the ‘cared for’ to attend at the same time, so you both can participate in a good day out. Carers’ groups in The Conduit catchment area are located in Yeovil, Ilminster, Wincanton, Bruton, Castle Cary, Crewkerne and Martock. See the advertisement for more information.
Join your local carers support group
Do you look after the other half, family or friend who is ill, elderly, disabled or needs a bit of help? Perhaps you are new to For personal, 1:1 support as a Carer, contact Somerset Carers Service caring and don't know 0800 31 68 600 what help is out there. www.somersetcarers.org Come along and chat with Use the Carers Hub section to find others who are also your local group and ask your local recognised as unpaid Village Agent to help you with finding carers to share laughs, ways to look after the person you care ideas and experiences in a for when you join a group. relaxed, supportive at, atmosphere. ame bo t in the s Regular professional speakers and signposting.
tha e all talk to We ar one to e m e o n s e Marl there is nds. – a t s r e und
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WALKING
LOSE YOURSELF IN NATURE, WITHOUT GETTING LOST… By Rachel Woods
One of the best things I ever did was learn to
navigate. To learn to use a compass properly, plot routes and find my way, should I get a bit turned
I’m a keen walker, but I had to accept I have an uncanny ability to get myself, well, lost. This made me fearful of trying new routes on my own. Now, since my job involves walking with my clients, I wanted to make sure this didn’t happen while I was engrossed in my work with them. All fair and well me turning a 3-mile wander into a 7-mile adventure with nothing more than a spaniel for company. As a service provider, that might not be so good for business. A small downside to remote areas is your phone reception may well disappear. I needed a way to feel safer and actually be safer while out and about. This is where the National Navigation Award Service came in; I’ll stick with the shorter ‘NNAS’ to save the repetitive
strain injury. The NNAS educate complete beginners through to proper mountain walk leaders. I stumbled upon this while mindlessly scrolling through Facebook. I saw an advert from a lady who called herself ‘The Walking Woman’. Bingo – my problem was solved. A wise mentor to take me from curious and hapless bumbler to competent hiker. I got so much more. A weekend course just for ladies. We had lots to chat about, sharing stories from our walks – funny tales of getting lost, all the things that led us to this cosy kitchen in South Somerset. From understanding some of the more obscure symbols on an Ordnance Survey map through to plotting a route and then getting out to put our plans into action. Safely exploring footpaths
and byways in North Dorset. Things to carry in a small back pack and ways to find help if needed. A real boost to confidence. I learned about contour lines and how to tell a ridge from a chasm; they look remarkably similar on a map unless you take note of the little numbers. Practicalities for crossing fences that block a public footpath, getting around boggy ground, safer and easier ways to get up and down steep inclines. It wasn’t about going off-piste as such, but did make exploring new paths less scary. Two ladies that joined us were keen to explore more routes together; they shared my fear of getting lost. Others wanted to find more competence and confidence at getting out and about more, walking for health and being able to go beyond managed estates and local parks. Choosing the summer to learn was a good choice, warmer weather and the right mix of support and challenge.
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Our final ‘test’ were a couple of walks where we planned routes and led each other, with help at hand of course. The instructions had us ending (as all good walks should) at a very specific grid reference which happened to be a pub for a very welcome cool drink. How confident are you to try new routes? I spent a long time only walking well-signposted, and well-trodden routes and staying away from lesser known footpaths. I was missing out on some wonderful experiences and vistas. If it’s confidence to know how to find the right route and find your way back again, why not think about doing a course? For information on the National Navigation Award Scheme, visit www.nnas.org.uk. For South-Somersetbased services, visit www. thewalkingwoman.co.uk.
@conduitmag
Bargain Hunters Corner
IAN CROSSLAND
PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Tel: 01935 411813 Mob: 07811 070 498
• Interior and exterior decorating
• Carpentry and small cabinet work • Restoration of timber windows
• Making/restoring leaded windows
If an item/items are valued at more than £200 there will be a £6 charge. Wanted adverts are also charged at £6.
• Hanging doors
• Fitting fences and gates • Exterior lime mortaring
01935 808052
With over 20 years’ experience for a friendly reliable service please give me a call
WANTED
Dry Stone Walling and Paving
Dave buys all types of tools.
All types of stone walling undertaken www.yenstonewalling.co.uk
Tel: 01935 428975
Patrick Houchen - DSWA member
01963 371123 Professional & reliable service
GUNS WANTED FOR CASH Any Condition. SOS to all air rifles and pistols any maker or model. We collect in any area. Top prices paid in cash
Jones sewing machine, electric foot-operated control, old but in good condition £20 Tel: 01963 33160 (Wincanton) Tire Mobility Kit by Dunlop, supplied by Kia, new (unused and unwanted) £10 Tel: 01963 33160 (Wincanton) Brother Innov-15 computerised sewing machine, as new £110 Tel: 01935 710381 (Sherborne) BioChef juicer/smoothy maker, £100 new, used twice £55 Tel: 01935 710381 (Sherborne) Quality 19th century mahogany provincial made waterfall bookcase, adjustable shelves to the top, lockable base drawer. 52”H, 25.5”W, 10”D (max). Photo available £375 Tel: 01935 426197/07967 140478 (Yeovil)
07970 742471
Draper garden wheeled seat/storage trolley, £52.48 new, unused £20 Black swivel upholstered office chair £5 Single divan bed sprung mattress, 3ft x 6ft, excellent condition £50 Buyer collects Tel: 01935 700108 (Yeovil)
Feeling anxious? Simple breathing exercises could help
Nespresso Vertuo pod coffee machine, unwanted Christmas present, £120 new (receipt available), it has been used to check it was working £25 Tel: 01935 414677/07974 516218 (Yeovil)
Domestic and contract flooring specialists 34 Princes Street, Yeovil BA20 1EQ
Get a free, personalised Mind Plan and discover simple steps to look after your mental wellbeing.
Tel: 01935 478100
Search Every Mind Matters
walterwallyeovil@hotmail.co.uk
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
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Providing Dental Care for the Yeovil area since 1864
NEW PATIENTS WELCOME Princes Street Dental Practice is an independent private practice where you will see the same dentist at each visit. We keep up to date with, and like to invest in, new technology. We have invested in a CEREC technology which allows us to fit crowns and bridges in just one visit – no impressions!
We are proud to be members of the Denplan Excel scheme. Please feel free to ring and ask any questions, or come in and meet our lovely staff.
45 Princes St, Yeovil BA20 1EG
01935 475962 www.princesstreetdental.co.uk
