Crossing counties,
look inside for info on the best events and activities in
West Dorset and
Magazine
South Somerset
Issue 235 October 2020
Why Events Crew will keep Sherborne safe this autumn. See p4
INSIDE THIS MONTH
One sold every 41 seconds | Fashion Survival and Revival! | More tales from the vintner Trading through the pandemic | How you can help save Bambi
Serving Bruton, Castle Cary, Crewkerne, Ilminster, Langport, Sherborne, Somerton, Wincanton, Yeovil & Surrounding Villages www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
Established in 1826, Pittards is world-famous for its high quality leather and still makes it locally in Yeovil today. Visit the factory store to buy direct from a huge range that includes gloves, bags, accessories and leather for crafts. Pittards, Sherborne Road, Yeovil, BA21 5BA Coffee shop, free car park. Mon-Fri 9.00am-5.00pm
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From the Editor As the nights draw in and we all take a deep collective breath as we wonder what lies in store over the next few months we thought it would be good to take a look at those people who are there to support us through thick and thin. Our new columnist Tracey Warren from Stoodley & Son reminds us All Souls is approaching, and how important it can be to offer a sympathetic ear to the bereaved. Another contributor, Sherborne’s lovely Antonia Burt, writes about her reasons for training as a celebrant and finally we find out from Claudine what it takes to be a McKenzie Friend. Elsewhere in the magazine we have a great fashion spread full of information from many independent boutiques explaining how they have adapted their businesses and on a similar note, but from a very different sector, the Sherborne manager of Bradfords Building Supplies offers us an insight into how they tackled the biggest challenge of all. Finally I defy anyone not to be moved by the article on p30. Now’s your chance to support their appeal.
EDITOR & ADVERTISING Jane Adkins
ASSISTANT EDITOR Julie Locke
Thanks to André Durand for the excellent photo of Sherborne Abbey on our front cover
Contents
NOVEMBER DEADLINES News and Articles: FRIDAY, 9 OCTOBER Advertisements: MONDAY, 12 OCTOBER
WHAT’S ON p5 Info on markets, online workshops and social activities
ARTS
p23-26 Exhibitions, online activities & Movies
BOOKS
CHARITY p30
p10 Somerset’s Secret Gardens!
FASHION p14-15
Fashion Survival and Revival!
How to help save Bambi!
FOOD & DRINK p32 More tales from the Vintner
BUSINESS p20
Trading through a pandemic
WALKING p38
Come rambling with Rachel
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
WHAT’S ON
A letter from Events Crew Managing Director, Brent Mitchell
To the People of Sherborne... Having been born and grown up in Sherborne, the decision to cancel Pack Monday Fair 2020 was an extremely hard decision to make but ultimately one I believe was for the right reason. I have so many fond memories of the event and didn’t want the people of Sherborne to miss out, but Pack Monday at its heart is a community event and any risk to the community would not be in keeping with its ethos. Since lockdown began in March, Events Crew have been supporting many local authorities with their Covid efforts, whether supplying them with equipment, designing and building venues and testing areas to delivering miles of barriers for queuing systems. Being classified as key workers has allowed our lorries to travel all over the country and support the efforts that were going on and that is something, I have been immensely proud of. As such we were under no illusion about how difficult it would be and the changes we would need to make, to host Pack Monday Fair this year. Having seen different measures all over the country, we were incorporating a lot of those into our planning. Our Covid Support Vehicle was going to be a key part, with its temperature reading cameras able to scan the crowds. This was going to be positioned by Digby Hall and offer those who wished to get tested peace of mind.
4
We decided to make changes to some areas which may have been narrowed. This would also allow more room and freedom for the local Sherborne businesses during these difficult times. Without the support of the many fantastic local businesses this event would not flourish the way it does. Pack Monday was also going to be the debut of our new Events Crew Traffic business which we have been working on over the summer. We have previously supported Sherborne with road closures and have now decided to expand this offering. This would have ensured the safety of those trading and visiting the event.
still on their list. That is a testament to the town, the tradition, and the warm welcome they get from the Sherborne Community. So we now look ahead to 11 October 2021 and hopefully a return to the concerts and the fair in all its glory. One thing that has not changed is the resolve of Events Crew, our partners and my team to making Pack Monday Fair a great event and advert for the wonderful town of Sherborne. So, sadly, Monday the 12 October might look a little different in Sherborne this year but we will be back bigger, better and stronger than ever.
One of the amazing things that I have learnt since taking over the organising of Pack Monday was just how much it meant to the traders as well as the town. Many have been coming for years and even though they have retired from many of the other traditional fairs, Pack Monday is
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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 ONLINE St Margaret’s Hospice Care’s Virtual Bucket Collection Donate spare change from the comfort of home! In this 40th anniversary year, the charity’s buckets have remained empty because volunteers and staff have been unable to collect in the local community. Whether it’s £2 or £20, it will help St Margaret’s to care for and support patients and their families across Somerset. For more information and how to donate to the Virtual Bucket Collection, please visit www.st-margarets-hospice.org. uk/virtualbucketcollection. SHEPTON MALLET On Sunday 27 September from 11.00am to 3.00pm at Collett Park is a ‘Walk in the Park’ Fundraiser for Mendip School Pool Appeal. Join students, staff and friends of Mendip School in a sponsored walk to raise funds for a new school and community swimming pool. Bring family and friends, buggies, wheelchairs, dogs, socially distanced or virtual walking, all welcome. £5 family entry and please raise sponsorship. Please sign up and register to fundraise at www. themendipschool.co.uk. SOMERTON ACEarts Cash for Clothes Charities have been hit hard over the last few months with little or no way to raise funds in order to keep going. Having a clearing out? Why not convert those old clothes to cash! Clothing donations accepted until Wednesday 30 September. Items can be dropped off during opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday 10.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm. For further information, phone 01458 273008 or visit www.acearts.co.uk. YEOVIL New Breast Cancer Unit Appeal at Yeovil Hospital To help raise the remainder required to build this much needed unit, please look in those jewellery boxes for unwanted and/or broken jewellery to donate to the appeal. £1,380,000 raised so far; £2 million needed. Willing to support this appeal? Please contact Maggie Hague (appeal committee member) on 01963 250108.
Coffee Morning 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 book and bric-a-brac stalls and more often than not, listen to some live music. Free entry.
WHAT’S ON
Contact: Julie Locke
/theconduitmagazine
E: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk
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WEST CAMEL Every Thursday from 9.15am to 11.15am at The Davis Hall, there is a coffee morning. Come for coffee and cakes, Post Office, books, cards, a selection from The West Camel Bakery plus eggs and local produce as available. Free entry. Please follow the signs; hand sanitiser on arrival and departure; social distancing.
Food & Drink CREWKERNE On Friday 2 October at 12.30pm at the Henhayes Centre, it’s Fish & Chips Friday! Battered Cod with chips, mushy peas and tartar sauce followed by a fruity dessert. Only £9.50 (members £7.50). Lunch served at 12.30pm. Booking essential by 4.30pm on the previous day. To book or for further information, drop in or call the Centre on 01460 74340. MISTERTON Cedrics Triple Gold & Silver Winners at Taste of the West 2020. ‘No Contact’ Drive Thru. Choose from an exclusive range of award-winning cakes, jams, chutney, marmalade, jellies and cider, as well as the basics: fresh vegetable boxes, fresh fruit boxes, fresh salad boxes, local free-range eggs, Somerset butter, local cheeses, organic yoghurt, Dorset cream, bread, bread flour, tea and coffee, etc. Order in advance or pull into the car park. Pay over the phone, collect with No Contact, then take home and enjoy! Call 01460 72592. www.cedricscakes.co.uk. NORTH PERROTT North Perrott Farm Shop Fresh milk available from a 24hour vending machine. Eastfield Farm in Tintinhull is home of Holy Cow Organic milk, and they are working extremely hard to supply organic milk straight from the farm to the local community in south Somerset via 24-hour vending machines. Holy Cow Organic milk is simply pasteurised, cooled and ready to drink so no heavy processing and no food miles. The milk from their vending machine is never more than 48 hours old. Bring along a bottle, top up, and support local farmers! ODCOMBE Odcombe Village Hall Fresh milk available from a 24-hour vending machine. Eastfield Farm in Tintinhull is home of Holy Cow Organic milk, and they are working extremely hard to supply organic milk straight from the farm to the local community in south Somerset via 24hour vending machines. Holy Cow Organic milk is simply pasteurised, cooled and ready to drink so no heavy processing and no food miles. The milk from their vending machine is never more than 48 hours old. Bring along a bottle, top up, and support local farmers!
SANDFORD ORCAS The Mitre Inn has set out a number of measures so that guests can have a safe and enjoyable dining experience. Booking essential as seating inside the pub is limited. The outside bar is open for drinkers as is the garden and marquee. Opening hours are now: Wednesday to Friday from 12.00 noon to 2.00pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12.00 noon to 3.00pm; Tuesday to Saturday from 7.00pm to 10.00pm; open for drinks only on Sunday and Monday evening from 7.00pm to 9.30pm. For further information, call 01963 220271, email cheryl@mitreinn.co.uk or visit www.mitreinn.co.uk.
Market CASTLE CARY Every Tuesday from 8.30am to 2.00pm at the Market House is a weekly open-air market. Having run for six years, it is heralded as possibly the friendliest market in Somerset! Food stalls: West Country sourced fish, extensive range of cheeses, greengrocery plus Roots Organic, artisan bread, home-made preserves, home-made pies and pasties, Swanky Cakes, freshlycooked Thai food and sauces, and Jack’s Mac and Cheese. General stalls: perennial plants (and advice!), creative household wooden items, as well as general crafts/ giftware on a casual basis. 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 around 16 stalls, offering bread and baked goods, dairy and eggs, drinks, fish, fruit, vegetables,
REMOVALS & CLEARANCES
Contact us for your free, no obligation quote; Phone: 01935 509057 Freephone: 0800 2425012 Mobile: 07853 275379 Email: enquiries@back2market.com
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
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WHAT’S ON
meat, preserves and honey, speciality products, plants and flowers, and much more. For further information, visit www. somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk. DRAYTON Every third Saturday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at the Village Hall is the monthly market. Produce includes bread, vegetables, meats, butter, cheese, cakes, preserves, crafts, honey, plants, desserts and savouries. Refreshments available. Free parking. LANGPORT Every Friday from 9.00am to 12.00 noon under the clock arch in Bow Street is the Langport Country Market. This market offers a wide variety of artisan produce. All baked goods are home-made and ingredients locally sourced. There are jams, marmalades, chutney and pickle unique to this market. Locally sourced butter, cheese, meat and fresh vegetables in season. To order, email julia.jewell@mypostoffice. co.uk or call 01458 253508. MARTOCK On Saturday 10 October from 10.00am to 1.00pm at the Moorland’s Shopping Precinct is Martock Farmers’ Market, with around 16 stands ranging from plants, crafts to cheese and local produce. Card payment preferred. Please observe the advice on distancing. For a table or further information, phone Fergus on 01935 822202. SHEPTON MALLET Every Friday from 9.00am to 2.00pm at the Market Place is Shepton Mallet market. This historic market, which dates back to 1318, offers a wide range of fresh local produce (fruit and veg, bread and cheese, seafood, cider) and crafts. For further information, visit the market’s Facebook page or phone 07912 769731. SHERBORNE On Sunday 11 October from 10.00am to 4.00pm, The Sherborne Market will take place along Cheap Street, Digby Road and Pageant Gardens. This hand-picked and selected artisan market features local producers and suppliers, amazing food, plus arts and crafts. @thesherbornemarket. Every third Friday from 9.00am to 1.00pm at Cheap Street is the Sherborne Farmers’ Market. Average 30 stalls. For more information, visit www.visitdorset.com/food-and-drink/ farmers-markets. 6
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. SOMERTON Every first Friday from 9.00am to 2.00pm at the Market Place is the Somerton Vintage Market. Antiques, vintage, retro, artisan food, bike repairs and more. For further information, email somertonvintagemarket@ gmail.com or visit the market’s Facebook page. Every Saturday from 9.00am to 12.00 noon at The Unicorn Hotel skittle alley is the Wessex Country Market. This market offers a wide variety of artisan produce. All baked goods are home-made and ingredients locally sourced. There are jams, marmalades, chutney and pickle unique to this market. Locally sourced butter, cheese, meat and fresh vegetables in season. To order, email julia.jewell@ mypostoffice.co.uk or call 07767 030251 or 01458 253508. WINCANTON Every first Friday from 9.00am to 11.30am at The Barn (via the Peace Garden) is the Wincanton Country Market. Enjoy locally homegrown produce including cakes, cheese, jams, vegetables, and flowers. www. somersetcountrymarkets.co.uk.
Open Day SHERBORNE On Saturday 10 October from 10.30am to 3.30pm at The Digby Hall, Artisan Route will hold an Open Day event. Check out the Autumn collection in advance at www.artisanroute.co.uk or phone 01896 823765 for a brochure. All of the collection will be available for sale on the day.
Social
ILMINSTER Every second Friday from 12.30pm to 2.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre is the Readers Group Book Club. An informal and friendly book group that meets to chat and share ideas about the latest ‘read’. All books are provided by the local library service. £5 per session (includes refreshments). For further information, contact Sarah at somersetwalker@gmail.com. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk. ONLINE Every Tuesday and Thursday at 11.00am, join in with the Goldies Online Singalong. The fun, free online sessions are led by Rachel and Cheryl. The sessions are recorded and go ‘live’ on YouTube. The words of the songs are on the screen so join in and Sing&Smile from home! For more information, visit www. goldieslive.com. ArtsLink. Art for Memory and Art for Parents groups have received creative packs in the post which provide materials, ideas and instructions, plus a little bit of contact with the outside world. For further information, email office@ sherborneartslink.org.uk or visit www.sherborneartslink.org.uk. ArtsLink. Parkinson’s Dance exercises have been filmed by specialist Parkinson’s Dance tutors. The videos are now available online, so keep moving and dancing! For further
information, email office@ sherborneartslink.org.uk or visit www.sherborneartslink.org.uk. Martock & District U3A The following groups meet regularly, either online or socially distanced: Ukulele, Paper Crafting, Flower Arranging, French, German, Recorder, Philosophy, Gardening and Cycling. For sharing news and offering support to members, there are virtual coffee mornings, as well as a special Facebook group Martock U3A Keeping in Touch. For further information or if interested in joining, visit the Facebook page, www.u3a.org.uk, email martocku3amembership@gmail. com, or phone 07510 178094.
Talk ONLINE On Wednesday 7 October at 5.00pm on Zoom, The Arts Society Sherborne presents a talk ‘Adventures among the Nomadic Tribes of Iran and Afghanistan’ by Brian Macdonald. As a dealer and consultant in antique oriental rugs, Brian has lived and worked
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AR Conduit Mag_October 20.qxp_Layout 1 09/09/2020 13:22 Page 1
A RTISAN R
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by c li ve w e bbe r
ALPAC A - PIM A COT TON - SILK
Caral Flower – Captivating floral intarsia jacket beautifully crafted & finished. Handmade in 100% Peruvian Superfine Alpaca.
NEWS
ARTISAN ROUTE IN SHERBORNE
Rare pieces of Alpaca Knitwear – never found on the High Street Artisan Route is a young business, just five years old, but with a wealth of experience gathered over many years by Clive Webber, there is a maturity underpinning this new brand. They specialise in rare pieces of Alpaca Knitwear, exotic hand woven silk scarves, and their ‘Perfect Fit’ Pima cotton tops - an example of real excellence, with an attention to fit and finish which just ‘shout’ quality. Clive has had connections with Sherborne for more than 20 years and is so pleased to be making this further event at Digby Hall - this time in the very spacious Main Hall - in Sherborne after once more building up such a good response last October. On Saturday 10 October Artisan Route will be holding this Open Day Event at Digby Hall – Main Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne from 10.30am – 3.30pm and showing their Autumn collection all of which will be available for sale on the day.
Open Day Event Digby Hall - Spacious Main Hall Saturday 10th October 2020 (10:30am - 3:30pm) Hound Street, Sherborne DT9 3AA Check out our Autumn collection of Alpaca Knitwear, Pima Cotton Tops and Handwoven Silk Scarves in advance at
w w w. a r t i s a n r o u t e . c o . u k or phone for a brochure. T : 01896 823 765 ( Monday - Friday 10.00 - 18.00)
among tribal groups in remote areas of Iran and Afghanistan. Please join the talk by 4.45pm. Members will receive links. Visitors (£5) can contact sherborne@theartssociety.org.
Walk MARTOCK On Friday 16 October at 9.30am at the Precinct, there is a Health Walk. The walk will last about 60 minutes at a pace suitable for the group, and will follow
Abbey Bookshop Cheap Street Sherborne
Wide selection of Magazines, Periodicals. Also now stocking luxury Belgian chocolates
Have your daily paper delivered. Ask in store for details.
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7
the Government guidelines regarding social distancing. There is a telephone booking system to record contact details required for the NHS track and trace to ensure everyone’s safety. To book a place, please contact Maggie Ludbrook on 01935 824252 or Pam Goodey on 01935 826429. SHERBORNE On Wednesday 30 September at 10.15am and 2.00pm at the Tourist Information Centre, join Blue Badge Tour Guide Paul Birbeck for ‘The Sherborne Bombing 80th Anniversary’ walk to visit the sites associated with the event. See the article on page 25. This socially-distanced walk lasts about 2.5 hours. £10 per person. Please pre-book by 6.00pm the day before the tour. To book, visit www. sherbornewalks.co.uk or phone 07989 453966. For further information, email paul@ sherbornewalks.co.uk. On Sunday 11 October at 10.15am at Culverhayes car park, Dorset Ramblers will setoff for a 5-mile walk through Sherborne Castle deer park and down to Oborne, returning via Underdown Lane. Morning only walk. For further information,
Please bring along a face covering – they will have hand sanitisers – and will be encouraging safe distancing made easier with an adjusted layout. Payment areas will be protected with a screen and card readers sanitised after each use. You can be sure to enjoy a relaxing and friendly environment in a safe and spacious location in the fabulous Main Hall. You can check out their collection in advance at www.artisanroute.co.uk
email jenny.newman@zen.co.uk or visit www.dorsetramblers. co.uk. Every Friday until Friday 30 October at 10.30am at the Tourist Information Centre, Blue Badge Guide Cindy will lead her popular ‘Explore Historic Sherborne’ walk. This sociallydistanced walk lasts about two hours. £10 per person. Please pre-book by 6.00pm the day before the tour. To book, visit www.sherbornewalks.co.uk or phone 07989 453966. For further information, email cindy@sherbornewalks.co.uk.
Workshop ILMINSTER On Friday 25 September from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Slow Stitch Fun Flower Collage’ workshop. Use new and recycled fabrics to design a hand-stitched collage of a favourite flower. Cost £15. For more information and to book, please email Paula Simpson at hello@ paulasimpson.co.uk. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.
From Tuesday 29 September to Tuesday 1 December (excluding Tuesday 27 October) from 10.00am to 1.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a nine-week ‘Watercolours’ workshop with tutor Nicky Clarke. Learn the techniques of watercolour in these friendly and relaxed classes. All abilities welcome. If a complete beginner, Nicky can advise on what materials are required to get started. £15 per session. Restricted numbers. To book, Nicky on 01460 281773. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk. On Friday 9 and Friday 23 October from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Slow Stitch - Introduction’ workshop. Through the simple and mindful process of stitching, experiment with basic stitches using natural fabrics and threads. Suitable for beginners and the more experienced who wish to develop a more creative approach to stitching. Please bring along hand-sewing equipment, fabric and threads. Materials can be provided at a small cost. Cost £15 (excluding materials). For more information and to book, please email
To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk
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WHAT’S ON
Paula Simpson at hello@ paulasimpson.co.uk. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk. On Wednesday 21 and Thursday 22 October from 10.00am to 2.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Colour Mixing Acrylics’ workshop. This is a practical course for beginners to advanced painters. No drawing skills necessary. Day 1 is spent colour mixing and Day 2 putting into practice things learnt on Day 1 by working on abstract designs or directly from observed objects. All materials are provided at a cost of £10.00 per person and payable during the course to the tutor, Juliet Farnese. Cost for the two-day workshop £50. To book, phone 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk. ONLINE ArtsLink Art at Home Visit the Arts at Home page on the website to enjoy a series of activities to share with family or to do individually. Each activity uses basic art materials, just use whatever is at hand. New activities will be added regularly; most include image and video links. Share creations on ArtsLink’s social media pages. www.sherborneartslink. org.uk.
ArtsLink Virtual Classrooms are now available weekly with James Budden. Choose from Drawing, Oils and Portraiture classes. If interested in joining in, please contact ArtsLink at takepart@sherborneartslink. org.uk or James at www. jamesbudden.co.uk. Please keep up the art practice at home! Take a photo and share it on social media; see the links at the bottom of the page on www.sherborneartslink.org.uk. SOMERTON On Monday 5, 12, 19 and 26 October from 10.00am to 4.00pm at ACEarts, there is a workshop ‘Still Life Painting in Oils’. These four days are suitable for students of all levels of experience. An emphasis is placed upon developing an individual visual language, whether highly figurative, impressionistic, investigating abstraction or something else. £152 for four days. For further information, contact Pennie Elfick directly on 07970 903128 or at pennie@ pennieelfick.co.uk.
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BOOKS
BOOK REVIEW By Wayne, Winstones
Here is the Beehive by Sarah Crossan £12.99 hbck Ana and Connor have been having an affair for three years. In hotel rooms and coffee shops, swiftly deleted texts and briefly snatched weekends, they have built a world with none but the two of them in it. But then the unimaginable happens, and Ana finds herself alone, trapped inside her secret. How can we lose someone the world never knew was ours? How do we grieve for something no one else can ever find out? In her desperate bid for answers, Ana seeks out the shadowy figure who has always stood just beyond her reach – Connor’s wife Rebecca. Peeling away the layers of two overlapping marriages, Here is the Beehive is a devastating excavation of risk, obsession and loss. A gutsy, modern, deeply entertaining and, at times, faintly subversive-feeling piece of work. It’s also entirely and likably original in its execution, quite unlike anything I’ve read before … the writing is so bright and alive and the novel is a triumph – crackling with psychological and sexual ambiguity.
Pravda Ha Ha by Rory Maclean £9.99 pbck In 1989 the Berlin Wall fell. In that euphoric year Rory MacLean travelled from Berlin to Moscow, exploring lands that were – for most Brits and Americans – part of the forgotten half of Europe. Thirty years on, MacLean traces his original journey backwards, across countries confronting old ghosts and new fears: from revanchist Russia, through Ukraine’s bloodlands, into illiberal Hungary, and then Poland, Germany and the UK. Along the way he shoulders an AK-47 to go hunting with Moscow’s chicken Tsar, plays video games in St Petersburg with a cyberhacker who cracked the US election, drops by the Che Guevara High School of Political Leadership in a non-existent nowhereland and meets the Warsaw doctor who tried to stop a march of 70,000 nationalists. Finally, on the shores of Lake Geneva, he waits patiently to chat with Mikhail Gorbachev. MacLean is a compassionate writer, and he balances his stories of men and women of power, such as a minor oligarch and an American banker, with those of the dispossessed; much of this ambitious book is not an easy read, with stories of forced labour, people trafficking and worse. Heart of darkness doesn’t cover it. And MacLean quotes one devastating statistic: in 1989, the year the wall fell, 11 countries worldwide had border walls or fences. Now more than 70 have them.
Secret Gardens of Somerset: A Private Tour By Abigail Willis Photographs by Clive Boursnell RRP: £22.00 | Hardback One of the four counties that comprise England’s ‘West Country’, Somerset is a richly rewarding destination. Endowed with unspoilt landscapes that range from a Jurassic coastline to picturesque hill ranges and the low lying Levels, Somerset is a horticultural hotspot that’s home to revered historic gardens, trend-setting contemporary designs, pioneering organic gardens as well as being the birthplace of modern cottage gardening. Somerset’s pastoral hills and vales provide the unforgettable backdrop to gardens that flourish in the region’s mild climate and fertile soil and the quirky creativity nourished by the county’s independent spirit. In Secret Gardens of Somerset, Abigail Willis and acclaimed photographer Clive Boursnell take the reader on a tour of the county, offering privileged access to twenty inspirational gardens, revealing their history, design and plant collections, in the company of their devoted owners, custodians and head gardeners. Each garden has a unique story and personality, reflective of a moment in time and of the talented gardeners who created them – from Harold Peto’s sublime Iford Manor on the eastern border of Somerset to Joan Loraine’s organic coastal garden at Greencombe in the far west; from the newly minted American Gardens at Claverton Manor as well as busy productive gardens, idyllic cottage gardens and many more besides. In the pages of Secret Gardens of Somerset the reader will discover a collection of beguiling gardens of different sizes and atmospheres, beautifully captured by Clive Bournsell’s stunning photography, and each of which in their own way express the ideals of the English garden. Gardens featured include: • East Lambrook Manor
8, Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset. DTP 3PX 01935 816 128 winstonebooks1@gmail.com www.winstonebooks.co.uk 10
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• The Newt in Somerset • Yeo Valley Organic Garden • Hauser & Wirth Somerset
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GARDENING
UP THE GARDEN PATH
Sandhurst Garden Design Julie Haylock Garden Designer 20 Sandhurst Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 2LG
By Julie Haylock, Sandhurst Garden Design
Tel: 07899 710168 Email: haylock2lg@btinternet.com www.sandhurstgardendesign.co.uk
October is the month we celebrate Halloween, and it made me think about folklore and superstitions connected to the garden, I did a little research, and this is what I found out. Halloween was a celebration that originated with the Celts in Ireland and was called Samhain, a name that pre-dates All Hallows’ Eve or Halloween as we call it today. Villagers would light bonfires and there would be a big feast. They believed that on this night, the 31 October, the veil between the world of the living and the dead would lift, allowing the spirits to roam freely amongst them. To ward off the evil spirits the villagers would carve scary faces into turnips, and years later when this celebration was taken to America by travellers, a pumpkin was adopted instead of the turnip and the tradition was born. Other folklore I read about included a tale about Alchemilla Mollis or Ladies Mantle. Pre-18th Century folk believed that the drops of rain on the leaves of this plant had magical powers, and when these were added to metal would turn it into gold. This practice is called ‘alchemy’, hence how the plant got its Latin name Alchemilla Mollis meaning small alchemist. Foxgloves have a few stories connected to them. Firstly they are said to be a source of witches’ power. People believed that witches made a balm from the foxglove plant that they mixed with animal fat and rubbed onto themselves and their broomstick to make them fly!
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
Foxgloves are a favourite plant of the fairy world. Fairies are said to play in the trumpets of these plants and if you see one that has speckles inside its flower this marks where a fairy has been. It is said to be bad luck to bring a foxglove into the house because these flowers belong to the fairies and, if you pick one it will annoy them and they will take revenge on you! Another saying that we use regularly, and that is used all over the world is ‘knock on wood’ or ‘touch wood’ and something we say for luck. This superstition is again linked to the fairies and that if you knock on the bark of a tree trunk it will wake up the fairies that live inside so you can let them know you need their help, and they can grant you good luck. It seems that fairies do not mind if you wake them up, but just don’t pick their foxgloves! Finally, as gardeners we are a generous lot, and like to share our plants with others. If you give a plant to someone and you do not get a thank you in return, you should not be offended. Superstition says that if you say thank you for the plant it will not grow for you, but instead you should say thank you for the pot the plant arrived in instead. Perhaps another reason why ‘stealing’ a plant cutting
from a garden you visit makes it grow like crazy and infects your guilty conscience? Autumn is now well and truly with us, and a great time to start thinking about your garden preparations for next year. With ‘staycations’ becoming more and more popular due to the current situation with Covid19, perhaps you have been thinking about how you can improve your own garden ready for next summer, and this is the perfect time to do the ground work pardon the pun! Whether your garden is large or small, established or new build or if you would like help revamping your garden borders or designing that gorgeous garden you have been dreaming about then get in touch and we can get the ball rolling in the right direction! Until next time stay safe Julie
Garden Landscape & Construction Services
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11
Gardening GARDENING
A GREAT TIME TO GET THINGS DONE IN THE GARDEN
By Mike Burks, Managing Director of The Gardens Group There are a number of tasks in the garden that, if carried out now, will pay dividends come the spring. “Jobs” may be a dirty word, but getting outside at this time of year is a fabulous thing to do and makes you feel good, so it’s no hardship once you’ve decided to get out of the chair! Before any effort is put in, take time to have a look around and its amazing what interest there is. It’s different to the gaudy displays of spring and summer, with more nuanced impact, but there are some wonderful colours, more flowers than one might expect and it changes every day. The control of moss in a traditional lawn is best tackled before the winter. For a lawn in good shape, the use of an autumn fertilizer with added mosskiller will strengthen the blades of the grass and the root structure. The mosskiller will reduce the chances of moss invading the lawn, something that usually occurs when weather
conditions for grass are tough, which often coincides with perfect conditions for moss. The modern formulations from Mobacter are excellent and are a more natural control method than the ferrous sulphate found in most lawn treatments. If the lawn is in poor shape, then a more complex campaign may be required. This would include a mosskiller to begin with followed by scarifying. This is frightening to see, as the dead moss and old grass gets ripped out of the lawn making it look a whole lot worse than it did before you started! If drainage is an issue, then spiking at this stage, followed by the spreading of a soil or soiland-peat alternative, will fill the holes from the spiking and also provide an extra depth of topsoil in which the grass can flourish. Over-sowing with grass seed, followed by a feed a few weeks later, will help improve the lawn considerably and will give it a good start in the spring. Less hard work is the planting of
shrubs, trees, fruit and the like, all of which will establish well because the soil is warm and moist and so root growth will take place before the cold of the winter. The plants are then much more able to look after themselves in the spring. It is also the best time for planting traditional bedding plants such as Wallflowers and Sweet Williams. These need planting now, as young plants, so that they flower in the garden next spring. It’s a long way from instant gardening, but by far the best value method of creating that wonderful splash of colour. For an even better display underplant with some tulips. October/November is perfect for this. There is some pruning to be done to shrubs, such as Mallows and Buddleia. These flower on the growth they make each year and so need to be hard pruned before the next spring. However, pruning too hard before a tough winter will leave them exposed to the weather and so a tidy up is the best bet once they
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have finished flowering. This should be followed up by harder pruning in the early spring. Clearing up debris from below plants, such as roses and apples, can also help the health of plants in the following year. Fungal spores from diseases such as Black Spot and Scab overwinter on the debris below the plants and so getting rid of old leaves and prunings from the immediate area will help reduce problems in the spring. But don’t be too eager to tidy up the garden. The seed heads of herbaceous plants and grasses are not only wonderful food sources for insects, birds and small mammals, but are also a great framework for the autumn mist, and then later the winter frosts, to work on.
Look out for possible Green Energy Grant scams A government Green Homes Grant for homeowners in England is available from the end of September 2020 and runs until the end of January 2021. It aims to help pay for certain energy efficient home improvements including insulation. All homeowners can apply for funding for at least two thirds of the cost of eligible home improvements, up to a total value of £5,000. Some homeowners will qualify for the total cost of eligible home improvements, costing up to £10,000. You must install either insulation, or low-carbon heating, of certain types to qualify. Funding is by Government voucher and to start with you need to make sure you are eligible for the scheme. Full details of the Green Homes Grant can be found at the Government endorsed web page https://www. simpleenergyadvice.org.uk/ or by phoning 0800 444202. History has shown that unscrupulous traders may try to take advantage of schemes such as this, perhaps contacting people by phone, or on the doorstep, out of the blue, with the offer of discounted insulation or building work. Sometimes the sales talk may refer to previous work completed at the property. Traders may try to push the need for urgency as a selling point, the official scheme being a time limited offer.
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The advice from trading standards is to visit the Simple Energy Advice webpage, or phone them on the number above, before you agree to any work starting so you know whether you are eligible for the grant and what that entitles you to. If you are unsure whether an approach by a trader is genuine perhaps ask for the help of a trusted relation, friend or neighbour. If you believe you have been contacted by, or have had work completed by, a trader who is not what they first seemed, then please report them to Dorset Council Trading Standards by contacting the Citizens Advice Consumer Service at www. citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer or by calling the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on freephone 0808 223 1133.
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GARDENING
GETTING BACK TO SCHOOL SAFELY By Liv Sabat Now that schools are back it is important they stay that way - I am by no means an expert but here are my ideas and I hope they’ll be of interest. These are all my own opinions; I hope they do help to start you thinking. Take lessons outside, where possible. It’s obvious, but I think it could be the key to keeping schools open, if it’s not raining or too cold then this is a real possibility. Whether this means putting benches outside or installing some kind of outdoor room, I think this kind of approach is the way ahead. Ideally this is the kind of measure that should have been introduced more widely before Coronavirus as it can be very beneficial to the students. Obviously, weather can get in the way of this, but that isn’t to say that an outdoor room isn’t a possibility anymore. A lot of them come equipped with sliding doors and retractable roofs. They also have optional slats and roller screens so adequate protection is always supplied. The rooms are also very well ventilated so they can be used all-year-round, in any kind of weather. You can have heaters, lights and even sound systems, what more could you possibly need for this to be the perfect product? Weather sensors can also be installed so there is no danger of any work becoming ruined or anybody falling ill because they are wet.
Installing one of these rooms, or certainly some kind of outdoor ‘shelter’ could benefit everybody; it would reduce the risk of infection AND potentially better everyone’s learning. The room can be turned into more or less anything: an outdoor classroom, a play-area, an extended dining space or even an office. There is always room to improve and there is no better time than now, to make these crucial improvements to keep everyone safe. My knowledge suggests a lot of schools have already invested in using their outdoor space and benefitted greatly. Planning ahead for the uncertain future we face during these times is crucial. If you read this far, thank you so much for your time. Hopefully we can keep moving forward through these uncertain times united and supporting one another. Sometimes things get hard, but you have to remember the classic saying that “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” In this instance, meaning these things take time and effort from everyone involved. Again, stay safe and make sure you’re doing what you can. Liv
ANCE INTEN LOW MA
DITED ACCR E PROFESSIONAL
INSTALLATION
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13
FASHION
Fashion
FASHION SURVIVAL & REVIVAL!
Blue leather bag, £89 at Florence, Sherborne
By Sarah Jane Lewis (former Vogue Magazine Fashion Retail Editor)
Brax at Shirley Allum, Shaftesbury
Wow! What a retail escapade we have all been through during the last six months, but I am delighted to report that most of our favourite independent boutiques have triumphed and survive! Here is an update with some interesting comments from some of the fab fashion retailers in the area. Preview Designer Boutique, Wincanton, has enjoyed greeting a steady flow of customers since re-opening. Owner Anna Cuff says, “This is a really good window of opportunity for the high street. People don’t want to travel far to big cities and the community feel is good”. For A/W Preview are stocking a new label ‘Le Comte’ showing lots of cashmere in baby pink, camel and cream. Meanwhile the much loved label ‘Amazing Woman’ is strong on velvet. Visit www.previewwincanton. co.uk. Owner Wendy of Oxford Mill, Castle Cary, agrees and is enjoying a real sales boost in the shop and on social media. New this season is Saint Tropez separates Huckleberry
& Burwood Rose collections reflecting the trend for deep berry colours. Lots of silver grey too. Check out www. oxfordmillclothing.co.uk. Mike Stephens, co-founder and Director of RocknRomance Vintage – a wonderful online shopping venue and wholesale supplier to some retailers, says: “Being an online retailer we are very thankful to have been kept busy all the way through, in fact the most challenging thing to deal with was keeping our production going at full speed when we obviously and rightfully had to adhere to social distancing which meant a significantly reduced workforce in at any one time … THEN … shops re-opened which was wonderful to hear
Are you a maker/artist/ creative? Interested in selling in our new shop? We are looking for local makers and sellers to become part of the Circle Green community. Fashion, gifts or homeware with an eco or recycled message at heart. If you are interested in selling your product in our new shop please do get in touch with Lucy: @circlegreenuk 01458 273485 4 Brunel Shopping Precinct, Somerton 14
but again brought its own set of problems ... we also wholesale our items to small independents and guess what they all wanted some fresh new items to pop in their newly reopened stores!
tough” Take a look at www. rocknromancevintage.com. Tel: 02392 750404.
“As for A/W styles that can be easily worn whenever and wherever you choose... as pretty much all events are cancelled for the foreseeable future we felt it necessary & relevant to offer something that can be chosen whatever you’re doing so we have shelved the big bold patterns and prints that are great for events and fairs in favour of comfortable classics in wonderful warm & welcoming colours such as mustards, deep greens & burgundy colours. Separates are a big feature for us next season too, focusing on versatility & choice. Blouses, Trousers, Skirts & Knits will take the centre stage allowing customers to create outfits, mixing and matching items together with those they already own, creating looks that are easy to wear everyday with just a “nod towards vintage” rather than the full on look. For us, our lockdown slogan “Look Good Feel Good” will continue as we feel it offers a positive encouragement when sometimes the going is a little
“Having reopened in June I have found that more new local customers are finding us and embracing shopping local, independent and sustainably . This is of course a movement that has been growing in recent years but despite the news stories of Amazon’s bulging billions, some people are shying away from the online giants and looking closer to home.
Jo Greenwood, co-owner of The Real McCoy Vintage Clothing, Exeter, says:
Stock wise we our sourcing more and more American vintage, masses of Levi’s jeans and jackets, college sweatshirts, dungarees and carhartt, with a younger customers base these seem to be the best sellers at the moment. Visit www. therealmccoy.co.uk. Willow, 9 High Street, Shaftesbury, has some lovely products to offer both in Natural Homewares and its existing boutique. They work with reputable companies who have the same ethic and concerns about the environment.
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FASHION
Willow hopes to encourage its customers to think about what they are buying and will be promoting and selling “Slow Living” and selling items which do not further damage the environment with the emphasis on quality. Expect to find items which are natural, organic, sustainable, recycled or made in the UK without a large carbon footprint.
Caprice trainers, £85 at Behind Clouds, Somerton
Vintage at The Real McCoy, Exeter
LeComte at Preview Poncho £89, Jersey trousers £115, top £79
Circle Green, Somerton
Cefinn at Kilver Court
Labels for Less, Axminster
Cefinn at Kilver Court
As a boutique, Willow is moving towards sustainability in the clothing industry. Their philosophy is that small steps can make big changes to how things are produced and they hope to make brands realise they have to change by not buying future collections unless an ethical policy is in place and fibres are natural. See collections by Masai, Mamab, Indi & Cold and Yaya. www.willow-natural.co.uk. New at Kilver Court Designer Village, Shepton Mallet, is the elegant brand, Cefinn. Founded by Samantha Cameron in 2017, Cefinn (pronounced ‘Sefin’) is a London-based label creating chic, grown-up fashion for the multitasking woman. Every piece is designed to be smart, modern and feminine. Easy to wear and elegantly understated, it’s fashion you don’t have to overthink – step into it in the morning and you’re good to go 24/7, from a day in the office to a dinner date with friends. Samantha says, “I wanted to design a collection that had a very modern fashion edge but was easy to wear, style and look after, (the majority of the collection is washable). I want to make it simple for women to feel fashionable, feminine and confident. As a busy working mother, partner and professional creative I was frustrated by not being able to find contemporary priced, high quality, go-to fashion staples to take me through breakfast with the family and a day in the office followed by an evening out with my friends.” www.kilvercourt.com. Somerton has a small but perfectly formed collection of independent shops and businesses, including The Dress Circle which has over 30 years of experience of selling preloved clothing on a commission basis. Recently purchased by local Lucy Green, The Dress Circle has now become Circle Green and is currently under-going a slight evolution brought on largely by a change in customer behaviour and a time to reflect on trading in the “New
Normal”. Lucy says “I feel very lucky to be part of such great independent businesses in Somerton, especially under the current conditions, being independent gives us the opportunity to adapt and evolve. During lockdown we had the unusual gift of time to assess how our business ran and if we could improve upon the concept of selling preloved clothing. By working with local Consultancy Something Yellow, we have decided to evolve the business to become more focused on environmental factors and being able to offer more diverse product ranges to our valued clients and new ones alike. We emerge out of lockdown this autumn as the newly named Circle Green, a retailer that will be both online and in-store, sourcing a more streamlined stock of preloved items and selling alongside a host of local products, makers and small businesses who share a common ethos of working more sustainably.” Circle Green is about understanding the cycle of fast fashion in our world, slowing it down and helping to leave the planet a little more green. We hope that our new concept store will go towards providing a better choice for the future.” You can follow Circle Green as they embark on their journey via Instagram, @circlegreenuk or visit in person at 4 Brunel Shopping Precinct, Somerton. To sell at Circle Green please call Lucy on 01458 273485. Liz Saunders, owner of the wonderful shoe & accessories shop Behind Clouds, Market Place Somerton, says, “Summer has gone better than expected; I’m keeping positive autumn/winter will be the same. It’s been trainers and more trainers that have sold really well and apart from ankle boots which are now worn with pretty much everything - probably be wearing them in bed soon!- trainers are also going to be popular for winter”. Top brands remain Tamaris, Caprice & Reiker – all glamorous and comfortable! Tel: 01458 270114. Labels for Less, Axminster, takes over the whole business as their Ilminster shop closes at the end of September. Axminster (1, Trinity House, Trinity Square) is a much larger premises and owner Louise Wall is diversifying and now stocking boots and trainers as well as gifts and homeware – silk flowers, glass bowls, cushions and incredibly well priced high street fashion & accessories.
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15
PET HEALTH
WHY A CAT IS NOT A SMALL DOG
By Dr Mark Newton Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons As in all walks of life, there are many old sayings in veterinary medicine and one is “a cat is not a small dog”. How true. Vets often specialise in large or small animals, not really logical as cows are very different to horses and cats very different to dogs. There are, of course, dedicated equine and bovine practitioners 142 Preston Road, Yeovil but in the world of small animal medicine, we see cats and dogs Somerset BA20 2EE in varying proportions. So this month, in an attempt to redress Lower Acreman Street Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3EX the balance, I thought I would share some thoughts about that www.newtonclarkevet.com singular animal, the domestic cat. Unlike dogs, who have shared our hearths for 40,000 years, earliest evidence of humans and cats co-habiting comes from a 9500 year old grave in Cyprus. Here, human and feline remains were found together, suggesting domestication. Only in the last two hundred years has selective cat breeding been practised, resulting in the pure breeds we see today. I am often drawn to make comparisons between Siamese cats and pet dogs as they seem to share some similar characteristics, being sociable, vocal and facially expressive. I have no doubt that these have been selected to satisfy our own requirements. Not so your average domestic cat. A relatively recent and shared heritage with wild cats means the feline brain has evolved for a solitary existence, its emotions expressed in a way designed to minimise contact with rivals and so reduce the risk of aggressive meetings. So how do cats communicate with each other? Visual and vocal communication are close-contact skills and if cats get that close, aggression is more likely than not. Instead, cats use long-range strategies such as facial rubbing, urine marking and scratching on objects as ways of signaling their presence. The rubbing of head, face and tail base on 16
something or somebody delivers a scent that signposts ownership, a clear message for any other cat. As humans, we interpret this as affection and it might well be. Being sprayed with urine is not quite so welcome but it carries the same message! So, cats don’t use Facebook or Twitter, they use the traditional social media of physical and chemical marking to interact with others. When feeling stressed, these displays are often exaggerated and that’s when we vets and nurses become involved, especially if symptoms of ill-health accompany the behavioural signs. We see many stress-related conditions in cats, manifesting as urinating around the house and scratching furniture. Some cats develop skin and gastrointestinal disorders either as a direct result of stress or as a contributory factor. For these reasons, management of stress often forms part of feline therapy. So what is the commonest cause of stress for your cat? Usually it’s because another cat has marked its presence in the vicinity of your home. It can also be domestic changes such as new people staying, building work or even changing the furniture or just decorating. They are sensitive creatures! There are several good natural de-stressing
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remedies available and if the cause cannot be eliminated, they provide at least some relief. Do ask us for advice if you find the internet is its usual confusing mixture of fact and fiction. Apart from the effects of stress and aggression, what else brings us feline patients? At this time of year external parasites (harvest mites and fleas, mainly, although ticks are an issue) feature on the consult list so check up on your control measures. Call us for advice on the most appropriate for your cat. Infectious disease is a real problem although cat ‘flu and feline AIDS can be prevented with regular vaccination. Middle age and older cats often present with heart disease, kidney dysfunction, diabetes and over-active thyroid glands. We “like” the last two as they are often successfully managed with medication or surgery for the rest of the cat’s natural life. Unsurprisingly for a population of stressed individuals, high blood pressure and its myriad complications is very common in older cats. Perhaps we all need to learn to relax, kick back, take it easy....and not just give the impression of doing so. Maybe cats and humans are not so different?
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FINANCE
COMPUTING
WAITING LONGER FOR OUR PENSIONS By Mark Salter, Financial Planner We’re all living and working longer so I’m sure it isn’t going to come as a great surprise to most readers that the government have confirmed their plans to increase the age for accessing private pensions from 55 to 57 with effect from April 2028. This could mean that if you’re born before 5 April 1973, you’ll get access at age 55 but if you were born just a day later from 6 April 1973, you are now likely to have to wait two more years to access these funds. They have already taken steps to address this in recent years with increases to the state pension age from 65 to 68 and the move to a flat rate state pension from April 2016. Unfortunately, and without doubt, women born after 6 November 1953 have been impacted the most by seeing their state pension age pushed back by a full five years or more. But what does all this mean? With us all living longer the government are encouraging us to remain at work and help to ensure pension savings provide for later life. Although most people will be working longer, a change to the pension rules doesn’t have to mean a change to your plans. For example, if you’re 46 years old and working towards an early
retirement then it still may be possible to retire at 55 rather than 57 by building up more savings outside of your pension to access earlier. If you begin planning early and frequently revisit your plan, then adjustments can be made to ensure you keep on track and help stop changes to pension rules or taxation from derailing your plans for retirement. As well as planning early and keeping up to date with changes to pension rules, here are some helpful tips on planning for retirement: • Gather information on your existing savings, investments, private pension and company pension schemes. Are there any missing or old pensions which you might be entitled to from a previous employer? • Work out how much income you might need to ensure you can meet all your monthly outgoings and live the lifestyle you would like in retirement. Will you downsize? How frequently would you like to go on holiday and what does retirement look like for you? • Compare your projected pension income with your required level of income. A useful pension calculator can be found by visiting www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/tools/ pension-calculator.
BYOD AND THE CONSUMERISATION OF IT
By Jimmy Flynn, Milborne Port Computers
What! Another acronym to upset my cornflakes in the morning; what are you talking about? Well BYOD stands for “Bring Your Own Device” and it tries to address the issue where an employee or regular contractor uses a personal device (laptop, phone, tablet) to connect to company systems. In English it usually means getting your company emails on your personal phone or tablet. The consumerisation of IT is the blending of personal and business use of technology devices and applications. In today’s enterprise this is being pushed by a younger, more mobile workforce, who grew up with the Internet and are less inclined to draw a line between corporate and personal technology. More and more, it is unofficially expected that employees (especially managers) remain contactable outside office hours and often take work home with them to do during evenings and weekends. But BYOD brings significant challenges to the company as it must secure data on devices the company
may not own. The IT department may need to support a larger selection of devices and operating systems and need to develop new policies and procedures for data ownership. It’s a real headache for most organisations who don’t necessarily have the skills or expertise to manage this. How you would deal with an employee leaving who used to get company email on his phone and did work at home using his own laptop? Here are some of the things you need to consider … • Who will pay for the devices and data coverage required? • What regulations must be adhered to when using an employee device?
• Are you saving enough for retirement and taking full advantage of the valuable tax benefits? • If you aren’t sure of when you might start receiving your state pension then visit www. gov.uk/state-pension-age to check your current state pension age. • Are you on track to receive the full state pension? This can be checked by visiting www. gov.uk/check-state-pension. It may be possible to enhance your state pension by topping up your National Insurance record. Whether your plans are to retire early, build an exit strategy from your business or slowly transition into retirement then we would be more than happy to discuss this with you.
• What privacy will be granted to employees using their own devices? • What support will the organisation provide for BYOD users? • What safeguards are in place if a device is compromised? • What methods will be used for securing devices before they are retired, sold, or disposed of? and here are some top tips for helping to secure devices and reducing your risk … • Use password protected access controls • Control wireless network and service connectivity • Control application access and permissions
• Keep software and applications up-to-date and back up data regularly • Never store personal financial data on a device • Beware of free apps and software (they’re only free for a reason!) • Run mobile antivirus software or scanning tools • Use Mobile Device Management (MDM) BYOD is a broad subject that will keep the digital business engaged for quite some years to come. The lists of pros and cons are long and there is no universal best BYOD strategy as each business lives and works in a different way. Furthermore, employees play an essential role in all this and need to be consulted and involved throughout the process.
• What measures will be taken for securing devices prior to use? • Where will data from BYOD devices be stored? • Will there be an agreement for employees that wish to bring their own devices? • What happens if an employee violates your BYOD policy?
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LEGAL
SHALL I WAIT?
By Lisa Holden, new Head of the Pardoes Solicitors Family Team Now lock down restrictions are easing, there is an increase in people making enquiries about getting a divorce. What many people do not realise is that the law is changing next autumn to a ‘no fault’ system making the process less confrontational. At present, people can only divorce if one of five facts are proved: 1/2) one party has behaved unreasonably or committed adultery, 3) the parties have separated for two years or more and both consent to the divorce, 4) one party has deserted the other for two years or 5) the parties have been separated for five years or more.
Therefore for proceedings to get underway immediately, the ground has to be behaviour or adultery. Many people dislike having to find five or six reasons why they can no longer live with their spouse, a requirement for the behaviour petition while others baulk at admitting adultery. The new law brings in a system of the no-fault divorce which will take away the blame element and encourage divorcing couples to look forward not back. So is it worth waiting until next year to start the divorce process? The simple answer is that it all depends on the individual circumstances. For example, if you have recently separated but there has been no adultery and the other party will not consent to a two year separation, you currently either have to wait five years or put together a behaviour petition. However, now you could also wait until next Autumn for the no fault option. If there are no pressing financial issues to resolve, this may be an attractive option. Another example to consider would be if your ex spouse is very opposed to divorce and would defend any behaviour petition, thereby making the process drawn out and expensive. You could consider waiting until next year for the no fault divorce. However, be aware that while waiting, things can change. What if you meet someone else or the other party changes their mind and issues a petition against you? If you cannot wait until next year and want to get things underway now, there are many ways to minimise the impact of a ‘fault’ based petition. One way to explain to the ex that the petition is a means to an end, offer to show them the petition before it is issued so they can suggest changes to the allegations. This offers some control and shows respect for the ex spouse. No one is perfect! There is also no need to go through every lurid detail of your marriage for the benefit of the court staff. Keep the allegations to a legal minimum, making sure the petition will satisfy the court but not become the next best seller. There are some situations where waiting may be beneficial but it is a judgment call that needs to be thought through with the benefit of legal advice. At Pardoes we offer sensible, cost effective and practical advice. For more information contact Lisa Holden on 01935 385984 or email at lisa.holden@pardoes.co.uk.
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Business
BUSINESS
KEEP ON TOP OF THE NUMBERS! By Jim Rayner
The year 2020 is brought to you by the letters CV and the number 19. Or maybe that should be the number R? We’ve been bombarded this year with a baffling array of numbers as politicians, scientists and communicators have struggled to understand how the virus pandemic works and how best to defend against it. And there’s a lot of numbers to choose from. Some, such as infections, hospitalisations and fatalities, describe the results of the virus. Others describe how the pandemic spreads, including numbers of interactions between individuals, average distances droplets travel and, of course, the mystical and elusive R number. Numbers have been at the heart of the fight against the virus and they should be at the heart of our business decision making too. And again it helps to distinguish between numbers that tell us results and numbers that represent the factors that drive the results. I’ve spent much of my career preparing annual accounts for business owners. They’re important (and of course they are compulsory) but they suffer from big problems.
For a start they are usually out of date. Some of the transactions may have taken place more than a year earlier. Using them to make timely business decisions would be like trying to drive along the A303 using only the rear view mirror. But there’s a much bigger problem. Annual accounts that are primarily prepared to satisfy HMRC don’t reflect the relationship between the different numbers and how the business actually works. They are looking at the results of what the business has done and don’t tell us much about how we can improve them. No wonder business owners talk about knowing their business but not understanding their accounts. Many of the numbers behind how your business really works – the drivers - probably don’t appear in your accounts at all. Here are a few: • Discounts – this can be a very big number and a real profit killer but it rarely shows up in accounts. My article last month highlighted the effect of discounting on killing margins.
STAY ON TOP OF THE NUMBERS PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS SAVE LIVELIHOODS
• Customer numbers – if you’re running a restaurant you probably keep a track of covers but the same principle applies to other businesses. • Average spend per customer or per transaction. • Frequency – a hairdresser who sees her customers every five weeks will earn 20% more than if they visited every six weeks. • Lifetime customer value – how long someone remains a customer will have a big effect on profitability and it’s much easier to manage a business with loyal customers. • Average prices. • Product margins and customer margins. Once you’ve identified the important drivers in your business you can look for trends, set goals and monitor progress. You cannot manage profit because profit is simply the result of everything your business does. You can manage the drivers behind profit. If you want to know more about profit drivers and how they build together to create profit, you can download a free copy of my ebook “Profitable Pricing – A Guide for Ambitious Business owners” from our website www. james-rayner.co.uk.
BUSINESS NUMBER EXPERTS WWW.JAMES-RAYNER.CO.UK
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BUSINESS
TRADING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC
By Paul Harvey, Branch Director Bradfords took the decision to remain open at the announcement of lockdown on 23 March. Barring a couple of hours on the 24 March where we took stock of the situation and made the necessary additional changes to ensure that we were as safe as we could be and operating within government guidelines, we’ve been open since, despite the huge challenges the situation threw up. Working within the government’s guidelines, we knew how important it was to maintain a supply chain for the many trades that we support who relied on us to be able to keep working themselves. Of course it was also a privilege to support essential public services and vulnerable people through various projects we supplied to. We had already put in many of the PHE recommendations for preventing the spread of Covid-19 before lockdown was announced, but despite this, to stay open the whole operational structure of the business changed overnight. The traditional routine of our regular customers was turned upside down. No longer could they just turn up, pick out what they wanted, and catch up with us over a cup of coffee. A requirement to pre-order, and if wanting to collect themselves, then turn up at an allocated time gave us total control of the branch, but of course put my team under huge pressure as we were now picking all the goods for every customer. Fundamentally we were trading from behind closed gates. I think we were all surprised at how much we’d taken the contact with people for granted: no handshakes, little eye contact, and the usual time for banter and a catch up removed. On many occasions customers didn’t leave their vehicles, and a contactless proof of delivery system meant we didn’t even get a signature. It was a strange dynamic. The pace of change was relentless: our initial model worked well, but as restrictions were loosened and the initial fear around the situation began to subside, it was important 20
to be able to offer as full a service as we could at any one time. From the initial model of collect and deliveries only, we’ve worked through numerous iterations: re-opening to our non-account customers (a relief to many, who furloughed at home were only too keen to get those DIY tasks done that normally they’d not have had time for), and then slowly and in a really controlled fashion, reopening our shops and yards to all. Handwash stations, one-way signage, a fully escorted service were all added to the rigorous daily cleaning and social distancing routines that we’d had in place before 23 March. At Sherborne we were fortunate to be the trial branch for many of the changes we made, and I’m grateful to my team for so wholeheartedly understanding the situation and taking the incessant change on. We’ve learned so much so far. Our ability to adapt quickly was proved. We’ve taken some of the successful aspects of the various operating models that we’ve been through in the past seven months and incorporated them into how we will run the branch in the longer term too. I like to think Bradford’s were at the forefront of staff and customer safety with the measures that are in place and I am extremely pleased to have received so much positive feedback regarding how safe people feel when entering the premises. In fact, when the Builders’ Merchants Federation was looking at how to help those merchants who had shut at lockdown to reopen, much of their advice was based on what we’d successfully executed. Those who have recently visited us will already be aware of Brad 1 and Brad 2, our golf buggies, another introduction prompted by the pandemic and how we were having to operate at Sherborne. Escorting people on each and every occasion through the yard on a three-acre site was understandably demanding on our staff. The two buggies were acquired to resolve this and have now become firm additions to an already extensive fleet. We believe we are currently the only Builders
Merchant branch in the country to operate buggies on site to improve the customer journey. We’ve heard rumours of requests for buggies from other Bradfords branches, but as of now they’re unique to Sherborne! When I think back to September 2019, I thought that I’d overcome the biggest challenge of my time at the helm of Bradfords Sherborne branch. The move from Digby Road to Barton View was huge, and my team worked miracles to get us open on time. Covid however reset the bar. The team once again are carrying us through, despite the additional pressure that the very real threat of the virus poses to us all and the additional mental stress that all the extra precautions we have had to and continue to take, create. The numerous words of thanks from our trade customers which continue today very much told me this was the right decision.
I’m humbled by many of the comments, and am so pleased that our customers have worked with us and supported us to make this very challenging time rewarding.
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Motoring ONE SOLD EVERY 41 SECONDS! By Tim Saunders, Motoring Correspondent
A well established, steady and reliable vehicle: That’ll be the Volkswagen Golf, now in its eighth generation. It sounds like a long established family when you put it that way. Actually 35m have been sold since it was introduced in 1974, one every 41 seconds or 780,000 a year! Now that’s a successful car. It has always struck me as an aspirational car for many. My old boss drove a black Golf GTi and liked it a lot. Externally this stylish new model looks a little more modern and crisp than its ancestors. The simple alloys show that this isn’t a fussy car either. It’s all about practicality and reliability. Looking at the boot I notice how it shares similarities with my 18 year old Ford Fiesta because the glass window on both goes right to the edge; there’s no metal frame down the sides. I’ve always liked that and it shows that this is quite a timeless piece of design. Just opening the boot is enjoyable. Push the top of the large circular VW logo in and pull. This reveals a good size space and a steel space saving spare wheel. It is only on lifting the boot lid that you realise this model isn’t the top of the range because there’s no switch to push the boot lid down automatically, only an obvious space for where it would be.
MOTORING
Tim Saunders is an advanced motorist and journalist. He has always been passionate about motoring and regularly reviews cars from the leading manufacturers. His first report on a BMW 520i was published in the Dorset Echo when he was 17 (just after passing his driving test) in 1995. He went on to become business and motoring editor at the Bournemouth Echo. Inside the rear seats provide enough room for our three children. Harriett (9) is now tall enough not to require a car seat and so she sits in the middle of Henry (4) and Heidi (7) in theirs. They’re all comfy. There’s enough leg room for all of us and the driving position is as I expect; very good indeed. The Soul Maze cloth upholstery is comfortable. This model, finished in dolphin grey metallic, is called a mild hybrid thanks to the use of clever technology which makes it more efficient than standard petrol models. It comes with a seven speed automatic DSG box, which is futuristic by design and there are paddleshifts either side of the steering wheel should more engaging driving be required. The whole dashboard is modern and digital. There’s a push button start in the centre by the gearbox and an electric handbrake. My children discover that there’s a neat drink bottle holder in the front centre console that moves into place by the push of a button. There are lights beside the external door handles; helpful for lighting the way at night. There’s all round electric windows, heated steering wheel, air conditioning and the children once again discover that if you pull the rear centre armrest down it is possible to open the plastic to reveal a hole, ideal for oars, skis or anything long and awkward. That air conditioning isn’t strong enough on a very hot day, though and the windows need to be down, too. There’s no sat nav so I use mine.
Brewers Garage.qxp_Layout 1 16/03/2020 14:23 Page 1
BRISTOL ROAD GARAGE Western Ways Yard, Bristol Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4HR
• DIAGNOSTICS • MOT • SERVICING
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812720
FACTS AT A GLANCE VW Golf Life 1.5 TSi 110PS
Price: £29,410 OTR Engine:1.5-litre petrol CO2 emissions: 130g/km Economy: 48mpg 0-60mph: 8.5secs Power: 110bhp Top speed: 139mph Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz
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INSPIRATIONS FOR THE CURIOUS SHOPPER By Dawn Woodward, The Emporium, Yeovil
There’s such a lot going on at The Emporium, as usual! I sometimes ask myself how we fit it all in. We held our first live music event since reopening, at The Emporium Cafe in late August. Whoop! It was all very different to our usual, packed out evenings, a civilized dinner with live music for just 30 guests. Everyone was seated at small, socially distanced tables with table side ordering, service and payment. The Black River Sinners played and were once again fantastic, the audience loved them and a guest appearance from Sam Flounders on fiddle was an added bonus. It’s given us the confidence to continue and we’re holding a similar evening on Saturday 17 October with Texan guitarist, Rodney Brannigan - tickets available @ £10 each. Dinner and drinks from the bar available to order throughout the evening. If you love the guitar, this is sure to be an exceptional evening for you. Contact us on tel 01935 411378 to book.
Featured Traders:
Our busy traders at The Emporium are working hard to ensure their shops are
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filled up and looking great- after all, we are approaching our peak selling season! Our ladies fashion shop Wild Violet is ever popular and offering a really great range of clothes for the new season. Lots of cosy knits and exciting accessories which are perfect for the more autumnal days! G&A Dolls House Bits has been trading at The Emporium for around six years and it’s owners Angie and Gary have built up an incredible following! In addition to their strong locals following, some customers travel long distances to visit and stock up on their doll’s house accessories. We’re so proud of this shop, G&A’s is a real credit to us! If it’s antiques you love, how about some lovely glass? We have specialists in many areas of the antiques world, none more so than C&J Glass! Chris and Sandy are our longest serving traders; they were at The Emporium on its first day, almost ten years ago and still going strong! Their antique glass shop can be found on our first floor.
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And staying with glass, look at these antique French Apothecary Jars, so beautiful as a collection. Available from Chalk & Chisel. At this time of year, we naturally start to think about gift buying and giving... but where to find beautiful gift wrap? Yes, we have that as well! And a stunning display it is. We look forward to seeing you at The Emporium soon, if you’re interested in joining us as a trader, please get in touch as we have a few opportunities for dedicated business owners! If you’d like to reserve a table for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea in our cafe, please call us on 01935 411378 or drop us an email to info@theemporiumyeovil.co.uk.or visit our website for full details: www. theemporiumyeovil.co.uk Until next time
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ARTS VISUAL ART
Until Tuesday 29 September at David Simon Contemporary, Castle Cary, there is an exhibition ‘Fragment’ by Julia Cooper. A remarkable series of compositions inspired by the south coast of Cornwall. Whilst drawing on common shapes of harbours, headlands and coves, these paintings are abstracted and semi-figurative, reducing the landscape to the simplest forms. Gallery opening times: Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.30pm (closed Wednesday and Sunday). For further information, phone 01963 359102 or visit www.davidsimoncontemporary. com. Until Tuesday 29 September at David Simon Contemporary, Castle Cary, there is an exhibition of ceramics by Emily-Kriste Wilcox. EmilyKriste creates vessels of a very individual and distinctive form. Using a cool colour palette of blues, whites and greens, her ceramics reflect the colours of the Cornish coast and exude a freshness with broad bold layers of overlapping glazes. Gallery opening times: Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.30pm (closed Wednesday and Sunday). For further information, phone 01963 359102 or visit www.davidsimoncontemporary. com.
Ceramics Exhibition - Short Oval 27 Until Friday 2 October from 9.30am at The Jerram Gallery, Sherborne, there is an exhibition of new work ‘Chasing Cloud Shadows’ by Richard Pikesley. Richard back for his sixth solo exhibition. This exhibition coincides with the launch of his beautifully written and illustrated book ‘Landscape Painting’,
signed copies of which will be available. Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5.00pm. All Gallery stock can be viewed online. For further information, contact 01935 815261 or visit www. jerramgallery.com.
Life in the Undergrowth Exhibition - Fiona Campbell Until Sunday 4 October at Cranmore, there is an exhibition ‘Life in the Undergrowth’ by Fiona Campbell. This project will be shown alongside some of her other mixed media artworks during Somerset Open Studio event. Visits are welcome by appointment. This sunny start to autumn is perfect for a wander in the fresh air of her spacious sculpture garden, and safe measures will be in place in the studio. To book, contact Fiona on 07515 537224 or at fionacampbell-art@sky.com. www.fionacampbellart.co.uk. Until Sunday 4 October, Somerset Art Works will hold its annual Somerset Open Studios event. Most of the venues are taking part online, however, some venues will be open by appointment only. It will be a digital extravaganza, including a special 16-day programme of online workshops, talks, studio tours and events! Through an interactive brochure, visitors will be able to curate their own tours of artists’ works, see into studios and hear how they develop their work through films. Somerset Art Works does not operate as a commercial sales platform, it
ARTS
By Julie Locke
is there to support artists. For further information, visit www. somersetartworks.org.uk. Until Saturday 10 October from 10.00am to 2.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is an exhibition ‘Creative Caboodle’. This is a mixed exhibition by six artists, including painting, sculpture and the ancient art of kirigami (a variation of origami that involves cutting paper, rather than folding). Gallery is open daily, Tuesday to Saturday (exhibition closes at 1.00pm on final day). Box Office 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse. org.uk. Until Saturday 10 October from 10.00am to 2.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is an exhibition ‘Same Skies’. Vanessa Worrall and Vicki Gillow, two painters from Cornwall and Devon, exhibit works influenced by the landscape of the west country, its wild seas and skies. Gallery is open daily, Tuesday to Saturday. Box Office 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse. org.uk. Until Sunday 18 October from 11.00am at Shakspeare Gallery, Langport, there is an exhibition of contemporary art by two nationally-acclaimed artists, David Lawrence and Ashar. David has worked as a commercial artist, as well as a sculptor, and much of his work is surrealist in style, although later works include some images loosely based on circus iconography. Ashar works in oils and derives her inspiration from the wide open spaces and big skies of the levels and moors. Gallery opening times: Monday to Saturday 11.00am to 3.00pm. For further information, phone 01458 252477 or visit www. shakspeareglass.co.uk. Until Sunday 24 October from 10.00am at ACEarts, Somerton, there is an exhibition entitled ‘Towards the Tipping Point’ by Rebecca Bruton and Lydia Needle. Environmental textile artists present an exploration of consumption versus the earth’s finite resources. Exhibition opening times: Wednesday to
Saturday 10.00am to 1.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm. For further information, phone 01458 273008 or visit www. acearts.co.uk.
St Ives Modernists Exhibition From Thursday 8 to Saturday 31 October from 10.00am at David Simon Contemporary, Castle Cary, there is an exhibition ‘St Ives Modernists’ by leading exponents of postwar Modernism with other 20th Century painters, demonstrating the progression and influences of this movement. Featured artists include Denis Mitchell, George Dannatt, Patrick Heron, Romi Behrens, Terry Frost and William Scott. Gallery opening times: Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.30pm (closed Wednesday and Sunday). For further information, phone 01963 359102 or visit www. davidsimoncontemporary.com. From Tuesday 13 to Saturday 31 October from 10.00am to 2.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a mixed textile exhibition by the Brunel Broderers. The theme is ‘Bloom’, with the six members of this group each with their own interpretation, using a variety of fabrics, hand and machine stitched, dyed and painted fabrics. A colourful and intricate exhibition of textile skills. Gallery is open daily, Tuesday to Saturday (exhibition closes at 1.00pm on final day). Box Office 01460 54973. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk. From Tuesday 13 to Saturday 31 October from 10.00am to 2.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre’s Café Gallery, there is an exhibition of textile art by Alex Schellenberg. Gallery is open daily, Tuesday to Saturday (exhibition closes at 1.00pm
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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
on final day). Box Office 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse. org.uk. From Friday 16 October to Friday 6 November from 9.30am at The Jerram Gallery, Sherborne, there is an exhibition of new work by Carry Ackroyd. Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday, 9.30am to 5.00pm. All Gallery stock can be viewed online. For further information, contact 01935 815261 or visit www.jerramgallery.com. ACEarts Virtual Exhibitions ‘In Search of Northern Soul’ by abstract artist Leonard Green explores the energetic movement in the dances related to Northern Soul music. Powerful dynamic compositions overlaid with gestural drawing. Jenni Dutton’s ‘The Dementia Darnings’ explores the effects of ageing and dementia using wool and thread. These current virtual exhibitions can be viewed at www.theabsentgallery.co.uk/ acearts. ACE stands for Art Care Education. As a charity they aim to provide art and creative activity to inspire, empower and enable people to develop and grow.
MUSIC
Concerts in the West will continue streaming its online series of concerts through October. These concerts give the audience a taster of future live concerts to be held in its local venues, and they can be watched for up to a month after initial transmission date. Please refer to the website (select the Concerts tab) for full programme details. Donations to support performers and Concerts in the West would be very welcome. For wonderful music and dazzling performances, visit www.concertsinthewest.org. On Thursday 24 September at 6.15pm on Facebook or YouTube, Concerts in the West presents Emma Halnan and the Eblana String Trio. Emma plays flute and the trio members are Jonathan Martindale (violin), Lucy Nolan (viola) and Peggy Nolan (cello). They will perform works by Mozart, Sibelius and Andrew Norman. To watch the performance, click on the Facebook or YouTube link at www.concertsinthewest.org/ events.
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On Monday 28 September at 6.15pm on Facebook or YouTube, Concerts in the West presents the Pelléas Ensemble. Henry Roberts (flute), Luba Tunnicliffe (viola) and Oliver Wass (harp) will perform works by Rameau, Bissill and Ravel. To watch the performance, click on the Facebook or YouTube link at www.concertsinthewest.org/ events. On Thursday 1 October at 6.15pm on Facebook or YouTube, Concerts in the West presents the Jubilee Quartet. Tereza Privratska (violin), Julia Loucks (violin), Lorena Cantó Woltèche (viola) and Toby White (cello) will perform works by Haydn, Schubert and Beethoven. To watch the performance, click on the Facebook or YouTube link at www.concertsinthewest.org/ events.
www.concertsinthewest.org/ events. On Thursday 8 October at 6.15pm on Facebook or YouTube, Concerts in the West presents a performance by Stephen Upshaw on viola. Stephen will perform a contemporary programme by Benjamin Graves, Georgina Bowden, Heather Stephenson, Mark Yeats, Jonathan Harvey. To watch the performance, click on the Facebook or YouTube link at www.concertsinthewest.org/ events.
presents a performance by Naomi Burrell (violin), Gavin Kibble (cello) and David Gerrard (harpsichord). The programme is all Bach. To watch the performance, click on the Facebook or YouTube link at www.concertsinthewest.org/ events. On Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 October at 2.30pm and 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there Is a screening of ‘Michael Ball and Alfie Boe: Back Together’. This ultimate musical duo is set to delight audiences throughout the country with the final show of their UK tour at the O2 Arena. Hot on the heels of their star turns in the West End’s phenomenally successful staged concert of Les Misérables, Ball and Boe’s sensational voices and irresistible chemistry will undoubtedly light up the big screen. Age 12+. Tickets £8.50 to £14.00. Box Office 01935 422884.
Julian Dawson On Saturday 3 October at 8.00pm at The David Hall in South Petherton or on Zoom, see singer/songwriter Julian Dawson in concert. Julian has been a regular performer at The Hall for nearly 20 years and this will be his last appearance. His music is a melodic and highly individual blend of the best of folk, country and soul, with a hint of Pop, as well as great lyrics! He has recorded 25 albums, written hundreds of songs and collaborated with some of contemporary music’s finest players and writers. Tickets: £15 at The David Hall (numbers restricted, pre-booked tickets only) or £7.50 to view from home on Zoom. To book, visit www.thedavidhall.org.uk. Box office 01460 240340. On Monday 5 October at 6.15pm on Facebook or YouTube, Concerts in the West presents Trio Klein and Yuki Negishi on piano. The trio, Kamila Bydlowska (violin), Shiry Rashkovsky (viola) and Riccardo Pes (cello), and Yuki will perform works by Gideon Klein, J Turina and Morricone. To watch the performance, click on the Facebook or YouTube link at
Stephen Upshaw On Saturday 10 October at 8.00pm on YouTube, enjoy Track Dogs in concert from the comfort of home. The band, comprising two Irishmen, one Englishman and one American, has a unique brand of acoustic music; a dynamic fusion of styles including folk, Latin, Americana and even some bluegrass. They will give two 45-minute performances, with an interval. After the gig, there will be a Q&A session on Zoom. Tickets £15 (price per household). To book, visit www.thedavidhall. org.uk. Box office 01460 240340. On Monday 12 October at 6.15pm on Facebook or YouTube, Concerts in the West presents a performance by Alasdair Beatson on piano. Alasdair will perform works by Ravel, Shoenberg and Schumann. To watch the performance, click on the Facebook or YouTube link at www.concertsinthewest.org/ events. On Thursday 15 October at 6.15pm on Facebook or YouTube, Concerts in the West
Ezio On Saturday 17 October at 8.00pm on Zoom, there is an amazing not-to-be-missed performance by Ezio. In its 30-year career, this band has made a habit of dabbling in any style of music that takes its fancy. From crunching bluesrock guitars to the jazz rhythms, there is plenty of genre-hopping on show here. The connection between front man Lunedei and guitarist Booga sets Ezio apart, with Lunedei’s rich tenor and complex acoustic guitar work complimented by Booga’s incessant lead guitar. Please refer to website for details and ticket prices. Box office closes at 12.00 noon on the day of the concert. www.thedavidhall.org. uk. Box office 01460 240340.
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ARTS
On Saturday 17 October at The Emporium Café, Yeovil, there is an evening with Texanborn guitarist, Rodney Branigan. His adventurous boundarybreaking guitar-playing (sometimes playing two at the same time!) has earned him the title ‘The Two Guitar Man’. In 2018, he headlined the Glasto Extravaganza at Glastonbury Abbey, when Paloma Faith was forced to pull out, which led to a spot on the Acoustic stage at last year’s Glastonbury Festival. Dinner and drinks from the bar available to order throughout the evening. Tickets £10. To book, phone 01935 411378. On Monday 19 October at 6.15pm on Facebook or YouTube, Concerts in the West presents a performance by Fenella Humphreys (violin), Cara Berridge (cello) and Daniel Grimwood (piano). They will perform Beethoven’s ‘Archduke’ piano trio. To watch the performance, click on the Facebook or YouTube link at www.concertsinthewest.org/ events.
Yeovil, there Is a screening of ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’. James McAvoy returns to the stage in an inventive new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac, broadcast live from London’s West End. Fierce with a pen and notorious in combat, Cyrano almost has it all - if only he could win the heart of his true love Roxane. He has just one big problem: a nose as huge as his heart. Will a society engulfed by narcissism get the better of Cyrano or can his mastery of language set Roxane’s world alight? This classic play will be brought to life with linguistic ingenuity to celebrate Cyrano’s powerful and resonant resistance against overwhelming odds. Writer: Simon Woods. Director: Jamie Lloyd. Cast: James McAvoy. Tickets £11.50 to £17.00. Box Office 01935 422884.
NT Live: Cyrano de Bergerac
Fenella Humphreys On Thursday 22 October at 6.15pm on Facebook or YouTube, Concerts in the West presents the Ferio Saxophone Quartet. Huw Wiggin (soprano), Ellie McMurray (alto), Anthony Brown (tenor) and Shevaughan Beere (baritone) will perform a selection from their highly successful recordings ‘Flux’ and ‘Revive’. To watch the performance, click on the Facebook or YouTube link at www.concertsinthewest.org/ events.
On Thursday 8 October at 2.30pm and 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, there Is a screening of Shakespeare’s ‘Coriolanus’, filmed live on stage at the Donmar Warehouse in 2014 by National Theatre Live. When an old adversary threatens Rome, the city calls once more on hero and defender, Coriolanus (Tom Hiddleston). Famine threatens the city, and the citizens’ hunger swells to an appetite for change. On his return, Coriolanus must confront the march of realpolitik and the voice of an angry people. Age 12+. Tickets £11.50 to £17.00. Box Office 01935 422884.
Heather Ford. Create exciting artworks inspired by famous paintings. This session will teach how to look at works of art and what is required to create a masterpiece of one’s own. Different techniques and materials for each workshop: charcoal and chalk, pastels, painting, collage, scrafitti and mixed media. £12 per session (materials included). Age 9+. Restricted numbers. For more information and to book, email heatheraford@gmail.com. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk. On Saturday 3 October from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Children’s Art Chest’ session with Margaret Micklewright. Make a book! Using a selection of papers and string, put a simple book together and start a few sketches. £6 per session (materials included). Age 8+. To book, phone 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.
Paul Zerdin On Thursday 22, Friday 23 and Saturday 24 October at 6.00pm and 8.30pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, Paul Zerdin and his dysfunctional puppet family return to Yeovil with this show especially created for the venue, including everyone’s favourites Sam, Albert and Baby! Enjoy a mixture of master puppeteering, state of the art animatronic wizardry and a unique blend of comedy. Family friendly performance at 6.00pm and a more edgy performance for those aged 14+ at 8.30pm. Tickets £15.00. Box Office 01935 422884. Every week Artsreach will share some of the brilliant cultural events that its artists are releasing digitally. The page is constantly changing so keep checking back and keep sharing it. For more information, check What’s On and Digital Diary at www.artsreach.co.uk.
Children’s Art Chest On Saturday 10 and Saturday 17 October from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Step into Art’ session with Heather Ford. Create exciting artworks inspired by famous paintings. Each session will teach how to look at works of art and what is required to create a masterpiece of one’s own. Different techniques and materials for each session: charcoal and chalk, pastels, painting, collage, scrafitti and mixed media. £12 per session (materials included). Age 9+. Restricted numbers. For more information and to book, email heatheraford@gmail.com. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.
CHILDREN
PERFORMANCE
On Thursday 24 September at 2.30pm and 7.00pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue,
On Friday 16 October at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, The Wessex Tale Tellers present ‘Alfred, King of Wessex’, a tale about the man who tamed the Vikings. Like the bards of old who wove tapestries in the mind from words riding on the sound of harp strings, Taprisha (founder member of the Wessex Tale Tellers) and Wendy (a harpist form Hampshire) will take the audience back to a time of drama, intrigue and great upheaval right here in the green hills of Wessex. Sit back and enjoy a tale well told. Tickets £12. To book, phone Box office on 01258 475137. www.sturexchange.co.uk.
MOVIES
NT Live: Coriolanus
On Saturday 26 September from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a ‘Step into Art’ session with
Step into Art
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MOVIES
MOVIES AROUND THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES BILLY ELLIOT (15)
The life of 11-year-old Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell), a coal miner’s son in County Durham, is forever changed one day when he stumbles upon a ballet class during his weekly boxing lesson. Before long, he finds himself demonstrating the kind of raw talent seldom seen by his exacting instructor, Mrs Wilkinson (Julie Walters). With a tart tongue and a never-ending stream of cigarettes in her hand, Mrs Wilkinson’s zest for teaching is revived when she sees Billy’s potential. SHOWING AT Yeovil on Tuesday 29 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884. Yeovil on Thursday 1 October, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am. Tickets £6.50 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884. Yeovil on Friday 2 October, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884.
EMMA (PG)
A sparkling new version of Jane Austen’s beloved comedy. Handsome, clever and rich, Emma Woodhouse (Anya Taylor-Joy) meddles in the love lives of her friends. Convinced of her own perspicacity and determined to arrange a suitable match for her friend Harriet (Mia Goth), Emma consistently misreads the people around her and makes a series of mistakes before finding the love that has been there all along. SHOWING AT Halstock on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October, Village Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £6.50 from Halstock Shop or on the door. For information: Tony Hill 01935 892485. South Petherton on Friday 30 October, The David Hall, 8.00pm. Tickets £5. To book, phone 01460 240340. West Camel on Friday 25 September, The Davis Hall, 7.30pm. Admission £5 on the door.
MAMMA MIA! (PG)
Set in the Greek islands, Donna (Meryl Streep) is preparing for her daughter’s wedding with the help of two old friends. Meanwhile, Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the spirited bride-to-be, secretly invites three men from her mother’s past in the hope of meeting her real father and having him escort her down the aisle on her big day. A fun musical featuring hit songs by ABBA. SHOWING AT Yeovil on Friday 25 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884. Yeovil on Saturday 26 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884.
MILITARY WIVES (12A)
With partners away serving in Afghanistan, wives left at home need to find a way to deal with the stress until the tour of duty is completed. They form a choir and quickly find themselves at the centre of a media sensation and global movement. As unexpected bonds of friendship flourish, music and laughter transform their lives, helping each other to deal with their fears for loved ones in combat. Starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Sharon Horgan. SHOWING AT Halstock on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 September, Village Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £6.50 from Halstock Shop or on the door. For information: Tony Hill 01935 892485. 26
1917 (15)
At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (George MacKay) and Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers - Blake’s own brother among them. Starring Andrew Scott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong. SHOWING AT South Petherton on Friday 25 September, The David Hall, 8.00pm. Tickets £5. To book, phone 01460 240340. West Camel on Friday 30 October, The Davis Hall, 7.30pm. Admission £5 on the door. Yeovil on Wednesday 30 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884.
ROMAN HOLIDAY (U)
Overwhelmed by her suffocating touring schedule, European princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) escapes her guardians for a night while in Rome. She falls asleep on a park bench and is found by an American reporter, Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), who takes her back to his apartment for safety. The next day, Joe finds out Ann’s regal identity and bets his editor he can get exclusive interview with her, but romance soon gets in the way. (1953) SHOWING AT Yeovil on Thursday 24 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am. Tickets £6.50 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884.
SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (U)
It’s 1927 in Hollywood and matinee-idol star, Don (Gene Kelly), is caught in the bumpy transition from silent films to talkies. When the studio’s attempts to make a talkie turn disastrous, it’s down to Don, his songwriter best friend Cosmo (Donald O’Connor) and young aspiring actress Kathy (Debbie Reynolds) to save the day. With great songs and fantastic dancing, this film is a joy to watch. (1952) SHOWING AT Yeovil on Sunday 27 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884.
THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (15)
This film recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune - all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing continent. SHOWING AT Yeovil on Monday 28 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am, 2.30pm, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.00 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884. Yeovil on Tuesday 29 September, Westlands Entertainment Venue, 11.00am. Tickets £6.50 to £10.00. Box Office 01935 422884.
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MUSIC
DRIVING FORWARD By Ross Owen Williams,
Presenter on Radio Ninesprings, 104.5fm As we head into autumn, we’ve had a changing of the proverbial season at Radio Ninesprings as well, saying goodbye to Jake Hunter, our teenage prodigy and recent Drivetime host. Jake put in two fantastic years with the station, maturing both personally and professionally in that time, and stepped up tremendously during the lockdown period, dedicating much of his time to daily duties on Drivetime. A young chap with a bright future, we know it’s time for him to embark on his radio journey outside the community broadcasting spectrum, but his enthusiasm, sense of humour, and cheery demeanour will certainly be missed. With Jake heading for pastures new, the Drivetime chair needed filling and, if you’ve tuned in over the past couple of weeks, no doubt you’ll have heard our solution – and that solution is wielding the pen and scribbling this very article as we speak. Moving from the Lunchtime spot I’ve held since March, I’ve shifted gears - pun intended - to Drivetime to see South Somerset home in style each weekday and we’ve also extended the show to bring it more in line with the Drivetime offerings of other stations, now running from 4pm to 7pm, so whether you’re leaving work early or late, I’ll be waiting on 104.5FM to keep the tunes and chat flowing for your end of day commute (or to offer some afternoon company if you’re already at home!). I certainly wouldn’t have been able to do this earlier in the year – with schools and nurseries shut, childcare for my two kids had to be my primary focus, particularly for my toddler. However, now that they’re both more scholastically occupied for much of the day, the schedule has eased enough for me to be able to step into the breach, so to speak. As much as the next few months may be uncertain on so many fronts, it’s a reminder that we are at least ahead of where we all were in March this year. That goes for Radio Ninesprings as a whole – with several great recent additions to our Saturday lineup, including Steve Bulley from 7am to 9am, Neil Quigley from 2pm to 4pm, and Brad Butterworth with the Saturday Scoreboard from 4pm to 6pm, we’ve got some serious depth to our weekend offering and, overall, we now have more than 50% more hosted programming on the station than we did at the turn of the year. As much as there’s talk about the pandemic slowing or even stopping so many things, I believe that the continued development of our local radio station shows that, even when the chips are down, communities will dig deep, support each other, and still make progress wherever possible.
New Local Radio Station for Yeovil and South Somerset
Ross Owen Williams hosts Drivetime each weekday from 4pm to 7pm, as well as the Lucky 13 each Friday at 7pm, and The Sunday Spotlight from 4pm to 6pm on Sundays.
RADIO 104.5 FM
HISTORY
A CARTWHEEL FOR SNUFF - THE BLACK HORSE, CASTLETON By Barry Brock
By the late 1780s the country was suffering from a shortage of small change, and in the absence of government supplies, local banks resorted to producing their own - you may know about the ‘Sherborne halfpenny’, minted for Pretor, Pew and Whitty, whose bank was in Long Street. Finally, government acted, and Matthew Boulton was given a contract to strike copper pennies and twopennies at his Birmingham mint. These were big and heavy, the heaviest ever produced, and quickly became known as ‘cartwheels’. After that, the copper coinage slimmed down, but the cartwheels remained a curiosity and were sometimes later put to a different use. One of these was at the Black Horse inn in Castleton, at the junction of Newland and Oborne Road, where at the end of the nineteenth century, landlord, John Stacey, had a number of these old cartwheels, now smooth from use, counterpunched with his initials and the word ‘Sherborne’. John’s grandson, Brian Stacey, remembers being told these were given in exchange for snuff and tobacco: ‘I think men purchased them on payday, for use during the week, after the rest of the pay packet had been handed over to their wives’. The origins of the Black Horse as an inn sign are uncertain, but are probably heraldic, given the significant part played by the horse, both militarily and in agriculture. Sherborne Museum has a splendid example, saved when the Black Horse closed. The Castleton Black Horse had a long history - the first known landlord was Spicer Hart in 1756, when he had to give a £10 surety and undertake to keep ‘good order and rule’ to gain his licence. The inn was originally owned by the Digby family of Sherborne Castle, and leased by them to a series of tenants, who sometimes ran it themselves, or else rented it to others. When John Stacey took over the Black Horse in 1897, the leaseholder was the Dorsetshire Brewery in Long Street, but in June 1932 Sherborne Castle Estates sold the freehold to another brewer, Eldridge, Pope of Dorchester, who substantially remodelled the building to provide suitable accommodation for residents. One of those who stayed there for several years was Littleton Powys, a distinguished schoolmaster and brother of John Cowper Powys; another was Lucy Heath Pearson, who was thrown into Holloway early in World War II because of her association with Oswald Moseley’s fascist blackshirts. The old Black Horse closed over twenty years ago, and has since been used to provide sheltered accommodation for young people. If you look carefully, you can still see the shadow of the inn’s name, bleached by the sun and left when the lettering was removed. I am indebted to Brian Stacey for enabling me to photograph his grandfather’s token. If anyone would like to tell me about a similar token, they can contact me via the Editor.
SPRINGS
You can’t get more Local!
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27
Memories of policing Teddy Rowe’s (or R
By Paul Birbeck, Sherborne Walks & Blue Badge To
HISTORY
Assisted by ’dorsetpeasant’ (Sherborne policeman in 1950’s w
In the morning of Old Michaelmas Day (10 October) in Sh MEMORIES OF POLICING TEDDY Monday Fair was heralded in by a midnight procession th Rowe’s Band”. The Band was composed of young peop ROWE’S (OR ROE’S) BAND discordant noise as possible on horns, bugles, rattles, wh
By Paul Birbeck, Sherborne Walks & Blue Badge TourThe Guide name Teddy Rowe is a recent origin, but wild music made to frighten away devils on the eve of th Assisted by ’dorsetpeasant’ (Sherborne policeman in 1950s whonoises wisheswere to remain amonymous) origin of Pack Monday and Teddy Rowe’s Band which yo Whatever its origins, PackMonday Monday is still a notab In the morning of Old Michaelmas Day (10 October) inbelieve. Sherborne, the coming of Pack ancient horse and sheep sales have long gone. Fair was heralded in by a midnight procession through the streets by “Teddy Rowe’s Band”. The
Bystreets the 1900’s this as ancient consisted of three Band was composed of young people who paraded the making muchFair discordant noise as elemen and livestock fairs and the Fun Fair. possible on horns, bugles, rattles, whistles, tin trays, saucepans, and so on. The name Teddy Rowe is a recent origin, but wild music may well go back to pagan times when such noises were made to frighten away devils on the eve of the festival. There are many stories about the origin of Pack Monday and Teddy Rowe’s Band which you can find so you can choose which version to believe. Whatever its origins, Pack Monday is still a notable day, full of life and colour, though the ancient horse and sheep sales have long gone. By the 1900s this ancient Fair consisted of three elements: Teddy Rowes Band procession, the street and livestock fairs and the Fun Fair. In the 1920s a policeman described the procession as an excuse for ‘primitive tribalism.’ The noise emitted until dawn was hideous and frightening, eventually developing into noxious behaviour and feuds as sections of the crowd sought vengeance on people who were borne a grudge against; windows of shops and houses were smashed and gardens trampled. By the 1950s behaviour seems to have moderated. The whole event was led by a Marshall carrying a large triangular banner which was illuminated on the side facing the possession route. People along the route would give advance notice of where people were ill or had recently died. At this point the banner was reversed to show the unlit side and the musicians would go silent, and they really did! 28
In the as an emitt even feuds peop of sh tramp
The route around the town would end on the Parade where dancing would take place to music other than Teddy Roes Band! Along the route light hearted things happened. Dustbin lids borrowed, cars moved, a few door bells rung but no real damage or harm was done. Yes, the odd person under the influence would be arrested and held in cells to cool off. One local who persisted in playing a bugle long after the whole thing had finished was arrested and held until sober. A few days later he had to return, shame faced, to the police station to collect his bugle. Summary justice that worked.
By th
The w large side route were was r musi
The r wher Tedd
In 1954 the police received information that a certain group of Teddy Boys from Yeovil intended to come to Sherborne to create trouble. Time for unorthodox methods …..… “We had our own characters who could at times be troublesome but with whom we had a certain understanding. We told them of the proposed visit from Yeovil and that we didn’t want them here. The Yeovil gang arrived on the bus at Greenhill – that’s how it was in those days as people didn’t have cars and motorbikes. On arrival they got off the bus only to be quickly bundled back on again by the local welcoming committee.” Problem solved. The spirit of high jinx associated with the Fair is illustrated by this account about a police Sergeant who, at this time, had a tendency to be rude to his colleagues and the
The Fa Approp
Along the route hearted things happened. Dustbin lid The Fair as shown on the light Mural by the car park behind Waitrose. Appropriately, one of the sites of the old livestock market. but no real damage or harm was done. Yes, the odd pers
held in cells to cool off. One local who persisted in playin Unfortunately, owing to the general public. Remember, this finished was arrested and held until sober. A few days la Covid pandemic the 2020 Fair was in the days when the police has Summary been cancelled. “Pack that worked. hadstation to rely upon public phone to collect his bugle. justice Monday has long been a boxes. Early in the evening on part of the community and a theIn lead up to the procession 1954 the police received information that a certain gro celebration of Sherborne, its he went into the phone box in to Sherborne to create trouble. Time for unorthodox meth history, and its people and Victoria Park, Newlands. The anything that jeopardises that local lads promptly ran a rope is not worth risk.”at(Brent “Wethe had our of own characters who the could times be troub around outside the box Mitchell, Managing visit from Y trapping him inside. HeWe phoned understanding. told them ofEvent the proposed Director) The Fair plans to theYeovil station for help.arrived Evidentlyon the gang bus at Greenhill – that’s how i return stronger in 2021 with the his colleagues moved very fast, and motorbikes. On arrival they gotand offstreet the fair bus music nights to only to be after having another cup of tea welcoming committee.” Problem solved. make it a four day celebration. or two! Roll on 2021! Teddy Rowe’s Band was suppressed in the 1960s because of the potential for rowdyism it offered.
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TRAVEL
KAYAKING – WITH KIDS! by Tim Saunders, Travel Correspondent
In our attempt to embrace this new Covid way of life Caroline and I have revisited the days when we used to kayak before the children. During those home schooling days we had chance to plan what we would do with the little kiddiwinkles during their holidays and so we purchased a second tandem kayak, roof rack and j-bars that allow us to strap these two enormous lumps of plastic to the roof of my tiny 18-year-old Ford Fiesta but as you can see from the photos, it works. It’s not as easy as it looks though, be warned. Firstly fitting the roof rack yourself is difficult and a small fortune can be spent on this apparatus if you’re not careful. Then fitting the actual kayaks can be an absolute nightmare. But teamwork, a little chair and a mini stepladder achieves success. Caroline and I have learnt masses about correctly fitting the roof bars and lifting the kayaks and fitting them in the correct way. It’s frightening to think that if they are not fitted correctly they could simply slide off the roof. There are stories of this happening.
After much care we all drive to Alverstoke in Hampshire with the children holding the oars in the middle of the car. And we arrive safely. The first time, it’s a worry and it gradually gets easier. Unloading such a tall load is a bit of a challenge for us but we soon realise that if we roll them over the j-bars that is the easiest way of getting them off. Prior to this we were trying to lift them off, which was ridiculous. It takes about half an hour to load and another half to unload and prepare ourselves for our adventure. We fit fabric seats front and back in each for that extra comfort and then carry them to the shore. I fit my Akaso Brave 7 LE waterproof camera to the carrying handle on the front of the kayak, which acts as a steady tripod for me to take photo and video, easily pressing the photo or video buttons on the remote wrist strap. The children clamber in.
Caroline sits at the back of the new one with Heidi in the front while I sit in the back of our 15 year old one. Henry sits in front of me and holds a strap for added safety. Harriett sits in front of him. The children all have life jackets. I push the girls off in theirs and then push my own one into the water and push off with the oars. Being on the water on a lovely day takes some beating. The children quickly take to it and Heidi and Harriett are doing their fair share of rowing. We must go up and down that lake 14 times. There is a current because the water comes in from the ocean so it’s challenging and a little choppy. For more information: www.akasotech.com Watch the video at: www.travelwriter.biz
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29
CHARITY
SAVING BAMBI – HOW YOU CAN HELP As Somerset’s Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre launches an urgent appeal for a new treatment centre in Highbridge, we hear how it saved the life of one small fawn, a moving illustration of the fantastic work done by this charity. One very wet day last spring a small fawn was brought in to wildlife rescue centre Secret World. She was given the name Bonnie. Bonnie had lost her mother. She was cold and hungry and might not have survived long but for the rescue centre, and for Charlotte, one of the typically dedicated animal staff and volunteers who work at what is one of Britain’s finest wildlife rescue centres. Hour after patient hour, Charlotte cared for the orphaned animal: initially tempting her with small dribbles of milk (different from her mother’s milk), then getting her to suckle from a syringe, then listening out for her peeping when it was time for another feed. After several months of such loving and timedemanding care, Bonnie is now fit and healthy and has just been moved from Secret World’s fawn unit to a specialist release site - and from there she’ll soon be back in her natural habitat. That is just one of the many, many success stories of this remarkable wildlife rescue centre, that counts among its patrons, broadcasters Chris Packham and Michaela Strachan, and author Jilly Cooper. All of whom are firmly behind an appeal launched today to raise the money to build a new Wildlife Treatment Centre at Secret World at Highbridge in Somerset. Plans for the new build were already in place at the start of 2020, but, like everyone else, SWWR has been greatly affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The charity’s staff were fortunately classed as essential 30
workers, and all through lockdown cared for hundreds of wild animals from the small to the not-so-small, like Bonnie. But, fundraising events that it was hoped would raise over £100,000 had to be cancelled, leaving a shortfall in the money desperately needed not just for the new build, but also to run the Centre. Work needs to start in just a few weeks’ time, so that the Treatment Centre will be ready next summer for SWWR’s ongoing work of rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing wildlife. “Our staff have been amazing,” said Pauline Kidner, the charity Founder. “We have realized that we have rescued over 100,000 wildlife casualties since we started in 1992. We have been working in porta cabins for the last four years, for which we only have planning permission until the end of the year. It is therefore paramount that the building begins in November, and we need urgently to raise the funds to allow that to happen.” Everyone who donates to this appeal will have their name on a special collage. “Whether you gave £2 or £10 or £1,000 it will go on there, because we know that the £2 is just as important as the larger amounts of money”, said Pauline. If you would like to know more about the appeal, you can visit www.secretworld.org or ring 01278 768707. You can also email pauline.kidner@secretworld.org. Pauline is Founder of the charity.
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TRAVEL
BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY WITH TOTAL CONFIDENCE By Heather Muir, Manager – Miles Morgan Travel, Yeovil
It’s been a tough few months for everybody but we are excited to start to see an increase in demand for people booking their holidays and securing something to look forward to for 2021 and 2022. We are delighted to be working closely with, and being a main agent for, Saga Holidays - a holiday company with great credibility and one that, throughout the last few months, has looked after our customers extremely well and therefore we are happy to recommend. They have recently launched a plethora of new brochures packed full of amazing holidays and must-see destinations which all include their Reassurance Promise, a real reason to book now with total confidence. This is what they promise: • Included travel insurance on all overseas holidays with up to £5m emergency medical and repatriation cover for coronavirus. • Flexible cancellation cover should you need to cancel due to coronavirus medical conditions prior to departure. • Amend your holiday for free -Saga understand you may want to change your holiday plans. So they’re waiving their normal amendment fee, giving you the flexibility to travel when you’re ready. • Commitment to cleanliness - Providing a clean environment for our customers is paramount. Saga VIP drivers, and all other coach drivers will make sure their vehicles are sanitised and spotless for your journey.
Contact my team at Miles Morgan for full detail on the above promise. Cruising is proving popular and Saga are so well sold for 2021, and with customers transferring their cancelled 2020 cruises to 2021, they have recently put their 2022 programme on sale. All their ocean cruises come with the added benefit of a door -to-door chauffeur service within 250 miles of the port. They offer a huge range of stunning all-inclusive cruises sailing from Southampton and Dover and every cabin has the benefit of its own private balcony. If it’s River cruising or a Worldwide holiday that you fancy, then Saga are offering their popular VIP door- to door travel service on these holidays so your holiday really does start from your front door. Their Europe and UK brochure offers a huge selection of holidays of all durations and destinations from Spain, Greece and Croatia to Jersey, Aberdeenshire, and the Peak District.
NEW Holidays from
SAGA
Book now from just £99pp deposit
New Brochure Collection Out Now
Book with your Saga main agent 01935 577294
www.milesmorgantravel.co.uk
2 Borough Arcade, High Street Yeovil BA20 1RX yeovil@milesmorgantravel.co.uk
But the best news is that you can book many of these Saga holidays with just a £99 per person deposit! So why not contact your team in Yeovil on 01935 428488 or pop in and see them in our newly adapted Covid safe shop at 2, Borough Arcade. Myself and my team would be delighted to assist you with any of your holiday requirements.
• Peace of Mind - all the ground staff are Covid 19 trained on local guidelines.
31
FOOD & DRINK
A VINTNER’S TALE (ACT 1, SCENE VI) Peter Law, Chairman and MD at Wine Wizzard in Castle Cary, continues with his fascinating tales of life in the wine trade…. … to be in such a vital management role of one of the major London wine importers at such a young age was truly exciting, but the salary was barely enough to live on, and my input wasn’t really appreciated. I decided to change this and phoned my old friend and colleague Ahmed Pochee whose Oddbins empire was growing lickety-split. I invited him to the office at about 7.30 one evening and over two magnums (yes!) of Roederer Cristal, I achieved the largest single order the company had ever had. It was many thousand cases (of 12 bottles) of wine. We took a cab to Soho for an excellent meal and on to a night club. It was quite an evening! I arrived at work about 2pm the following afternoon (somewhat the worse for wear) and was promptly sacked (again!). I said “David, before doing that, I think you should look at these…” whereupon I took the written orders from my pocket. Surprise, surprise – I was reinstated. By the end of the year I had sold more to Oddbins than the other directors and the six salesmen combined! My Christmas bonus was a turkey which I accepted and a bottle of gin which I dropped and resigned. A minute percentage commission would have meant that I would have been mortgage-free, aged 28. I was exhausted and dispirited. It was Christmas Eve and I arrived home about 8pm and told my wife that I had resigned and it was over to her to pay the mortgage etc. She left on New Year’s Day! As it turned out, the parent company withdrew the finances and the firm collapsed a couple of years later.
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I had by now done a self-imposed decadelong apprenticeship and apart from growing grapes and making wine, I had covered all other aspects of the wine trade. I had long wanted my own business but I didn’t have the capital. HELP! Once again, I phoned my sister who put me in touch with an ex-boyfriend who was wealthy, bored with his executive job at Rank Hovis McDougal, knew nothing about the wine trade but wanted to start a wine business. I spent a few weeks with a portable typewriter in the garden contacting wine growers all over Europe whilst looking for suitable premises, which turned out to be the splendid kitchens of a nearby large country house with offices and plenty of parking. Nicolas, my new business partner, his girlfriend and I fitted it out. The penultimate business meeting was to be held at his one- shilling-a-year, peppercorn-rented cottage. (I didn’t know that he had lost his Georgian London house and Queen Anne country house in his divorce). Wagner blaring, he came to the door stark naked – he was expecting his boyfriend: HELP! In the late 60s and early 70s there was much written in the Press about drug trafficking, so I decided that WINE TRAFFIC would be a trendy name… now back in the present day, WINE WIZZARD has been very busy the past few months having sent two extra emergency lorries to France. Linda (and guard dog) have been working extremely hard and they hope to have had a short break before this edition is published as we will soon be making preparations for Christmas. We would like to thank our many existing customers for
their loyal support and welcome to the huge number of new customers. Our Somerset-based gin maker (and they are fabulous) is now making 40% hand sanitizers, also for sale (not for drinking!). There is always one of these open in the shop, to try. For the past 25 years we have been importing from Chateau de Lisennes in Bordeaux and they have consistently made excellent wines which we sell at very sensible prices. In white, there is their Sauvignon and Semillion blend from Entre-deux-Mers at £10.50. In red, Chateau de Lisennes Bordeaux 2018, a Cabernet and Merlot blend at £10.15. Also, Chateau de Lisennes Bordeaux Superior 2015, oakaged at £12.25 and Chateau de Lisennes Cuvee Prestige 2012 – predominantly Merlot aged in new French oak barrels at £14.50. Also available in magnums. Their vineyards extend to about 56 hectares and are completely chemicalfree whilst they slowly change to organic cultivation and so far they have planted seven hectares, producing a red at £10.95 called ‘7ha’. These are just a few of the quality wines we are proud to offer. Keep keeping safe. We must win this one!
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CARE
REMEMBERING OUR LOVED ONES By Tracey Warren, Stoodley and Son Covid 19 has raised many challenges within the community and this has been particularly challenging for those that have suffered a bereavement. In these times of lockdown and “new normal”, grief has been magnified in many differing ways. At the start of lockdown, funerals were held under strict guidelines. At Yeovil Crematorium, services were held under the car canopy at the back of the hearse, with just a handful of mourners attending a service to say goodbye. As the restrictions started to be slowly lifted, funerals became an intimate celebration of a life. Families are however now focusing on the character of the person and all that they meant, meaningful music and reflective poetry, readings and prayers. The current recommendation is that a maximum number of 23 mourners can be seated in the Chapel and seven seated in the foyer, but all have to wear face coverings, and the chairs are placed at socially distanced intervals. There is increased pressure on families to choose who can attend without offending other family members or close friends and this has caused additional stress. The use of technology has come to the fore with live streaming of funerals on the internet via Obitus, Wesley or Zoom. We have been embracing technology and even live streaming funerals across the world, to those unable to fly back. But what about the ritual of the funeral? It is traditionally a time to say goodbye surrounded by loved ones, neighbours and friends. A time to share stories and memories and to
pay tribute to the life that is gone. A wake afterwards is the norm, raising a glass sharing photos and reminiscing. Sadly these have been replaced with a socially distanced wave and a ‘I’ll ring you during the week’ or ‘we must catch up when all this is over’. There is no procession of mourners supporting the bereaved as they leave the chapel, just families saying goodbye in the car park.
are bereaved – a telephone call to check in, a note to say you are thinking of them, or a meal left on the doorstep. Even if the loss was weeks or even months ago, with this new ‘isolation’ it is important that the bereaved are remembered and supported. Ask them, what support do they need, what help can you give? Pass on telephone numbers of the village agents,
good neighbours, Cruse or other support organisation you think may help them. It is imperative in this time of loss those who are bereaved should no longer feel alone. Access to bereavement support can be found via www. stoodleyandson.co.uk. Tracey also offers bereavement support and training for care home staff.
The lockdown has magnified the grieving process, support networks have been reduced to phone calls and cards, neighbours and friends unable to visit to offer a sympathetic ear, even a reassuring hug or hand on the shoulder has now been replaced with social distancing. People being unable to get out of the house whether they are shielding or are worried about the pandemic may feel cut off and isolated. Locally our Good Neighbours Schemes and Village Agents have been working tirelessly to ensure the vulnerable are supported, however there may be those who are unable to access the services as they are either unaware or do not have access to the internet. But what can we do to help? As the nights draw in and summer turns to autumn, the time of All Souls is nearing – a time to pause and remember the dead. We should therefore think about supporting those that
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CARE
BEING A SAMARITAN
MY ROLE AS A FAMILY COURT MENTOR
by Elaine Ashbee, Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District I’ve been a Sam (as we call ourselves) for about 11 years. It feels good to be able to support callers who are experiencing dark moments in their lives, but I also gain a lot personally in the process from the support and friendship of my fellow Samaritans. I suppose I became personally aware of the value of listening without judging and with empathy at an earlier stage in my own life when I was going through a particularly dark time and felt I had no one I could talk to. Troubled and confused, I walked into a Samaritans branch and talked face to face with a listening volunteer. He didn’t advise or judge or attempt to ‘fix’ me, but he listened, showed empathy and gently encouraged me to explore my feelings. I felt heard and emerged sometime later feeling stronger, more empowered and less confused. It didn’t solve my problems but made me feel more able to deal with them. Later, I remember thinking that at some future point in my life I would like to be able to support people in this way. It seemed to me that being able to talk to someone is important and I recognised that people can’t always talk to their families and friends. Years later I got in touch with my local branch and went to an open evening to find out more. There was a selection day which was welcoming and informative. Once accepted, the training consisted of about 10 sessions spread over as many weeks. It was superb and prepared me to support callers. As Samaritans, we need to be able to really listen, to show empathy, to be non-judgemental
and to maintain confidentiality. The training we receive is from other experienced Samaritans who prepare new volunteers to a high standard to enable us to deal with a huge range of issues in calls from people of all backgrounds and ages. We are sometimes asked how on earth can we cope with other people’s pain and deal with situations where people are suicidal. Yes, there are sometimes calls where we hear and talk about very difficult and upsetting situations. We have high levels of support for each other within each branch. We do shifts in pairs and always look out for each other. We are there to listen and reassure when there has been a difficult call. We also have a leader on call at all times, someone who we can call and to whom we off-load at the end of a shift. In addition, we have a Volunteer Support team whose role is to look after our emotional well-being. The level of support is extremely high, far higher than any job I’ve ever worked in. For me, it has come to feel like a privilege that so many people entrust us with their troubles. We don’t aim to fix problems for people, we try to help them to find their own way forward, and that is an important difference. Could you volunteer with the Yeovil Branch of Samaritans? Please note that our monthly open evenings are currently suspended but we would still welcome your enquiry by email at recruitment@ yeovilsamaritans.org.uk or you can visit our website at https:// www.samaritans.org/branches/ samaritans-yeovil-sherborne-anddistrict.
Volunteer with us We will train, mentor and support you all the way. To find out more and apply, visit
samaritans.org/volunteer Email yeovil@samaritans.org
Yeovil Sherborne & District
Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District is a registered charity.
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Did you know, you DON’T need a solicitor for Family Court Proceedings, nor the expense of one. I understand how heart wrenching and challenging a time it is for you. I’m a Trained McKenzie Friend. I help families through the Family Court by helping to reduce conflict and acrimony with the focus remaining on the child’s secure, safe and happy future. As long as two parents are in conflict the child is suffering emotional harm. I’ll guide you through the process smoothly without unnecessary delay whilst being there for you
morally and emotionally. I’m able to help with: Signposting to professional agencies Paperwork; C100 and C1A (and replies to allegations) and more, Help with preparing for Cafcass and Local Authority meetings/ phonecalls Writing statements Court Appearances (and Remote) including Fact Finding Hearings. I look at your situation in a non-judgemental manner as I have no emotional connection to you, your child or your ex. We like to get the job done
McKenzie Friend
Family Court Mentor Offering Advice & Support
01935 349359 / 07970 469724
smoothly with the children’s best interest at heart, not your hard earned money. In the court room I can’t speak for you, but I’m able to: Prepare questions for you to ask and those that may be asked to you. Be there to clarify a question or how to answer a question. You will be able to ask permission from the Judge to have a few minutes support from your McKenzie Friend, we can leave the room and talk, even if it’s to have a minute to breathe and calm down. I abide by a strict code of practice regarding confidentiality and demonstrate high levels of integrity. To discuss your situation call: 01935 349359 / 07970 469724 or Search FaceBook for Family Court Mentor.
BECOMING A CELEBRANT
Life is a series of milestone moments. From the moment you’re born, to your first day at school; passing your exams, your first kiss, the moment you marry and ultimately the moment that you die. Yet a life isn’t defined merely by these occasions, but by the time in between - and it’s how people spend that time in between that both determines who they are as a person; and makes the work of a celebrant so interesting and rewarding. When the coronavirus lockdown hit in March this year I suddenly found my entire work schedule cancelled. As a constantly productive and busy person, to find that I had no work for the forseeable future, hence no income - and more time than I knew what to do with, was at first terrifying, then ultimately completely liberating. There had been something in the recesses of my mind for some time - nearly five years, in fact since my father died. It had been suggested to me by three different celebrants over the past few years that I would be a natural as a civil celebrant. I had considered it – I am a natural empath and people have always sought me out for advice and comfort - but until lockdown I had no time and no energy to spare, so had dismissed the idea of training.
HEALTH & WELLBEING
Suddenly, in March this year I had more time than I knew what to do with, and at last an opportunity to begin learning something I’d frequently thought about in the past four years. Celebrancy is a relatively new line of work in the UK. Many people need me to explain that it means I can create and conduct completely unique weddings, funerals, naming ceremonies and so on. Yet there are many of us about - especially in this area. However that couldn’t deter me from making the leap. Each celebrant is unique, as each person they work with is unique. For me it’s a given that people will choose to work with someone with whom they feel a connection. It’s more than a job for me – it’s a vocation. I’m simply interested in sharing my empathic ability: helping people through the confusion of grief, the joy and excitement of their wedding, and everything in between. You can find out more about what I do by going to www.beauhemiacelebrant.co.uk
OUT OF CONTROL TO FOOD AND ALCOHOL? By Niki Cassar News reports suggest that COVID has resulted in a dramatic rise in food and alcohol consumption. Not surprising really, as when we’re bored or anxious or generally fed up, we often look for a distraction to make us feel better. Food is very emotive, and when we were very young, it was often used as either a threat or a reward. ‘Eat everything on your plate or you won’t leave the table.’ ‘If you’re very good, I’ll treat you to an ice cream’. The beliefs we create and store around food at an early age are played out over and over, even as adults. Alcohol is usually something that comes later, often when we’re inwardly unconfident teenagers. A few drinks and suddenly we have all the confidence and bravado we need to impress our peers!
Problem is, your subconscious mind has picked up that alcohol made you feel better, and proceeds to remind you to ‘have a drink’ whenever you’re feeling down. Ever wondered why, when you’re feeling lonely, bored or just plain fed up, you find yourself looking in the fridge or the food cupboard? Or why, when watching TV, you have an uncontrollable urge to eat something junky like sweets, crisps or popcorn? Or to have a glass or several of wine? Let me tell you a secret. It’s not the conscious part of you that’s encouraging you, but your all-powerful subconscious that remembers how food, especially ‘naughty’ food, made you feel when you were a small child, or how much more confident you felt when you
first started drinking alcohol. Wanting you to experience similar ‘good’ feelings, it urges you to eat or drink something for instant gratification. Hypnotherapy can help to eliminate the need for either too much food or alcohol, without the need for dieting or attending daily AA meetings. And definitely no side effects! That sounds like a bold statement, but it really is true. In the first session, I can prove it by giving you a hypnotic appetite or alcohol suppressant to show you how well it works! In order to make it a more permanent situation, you’d need further sessions
of course, to remove all those out-dated beliefs stored in your subconscious mind that have caused your need to rely on unhealthy distractions. With my help, you will feel calmer, much more confident and find yourself actually enjoying making healthy choices in what you eat or drink! If this has whetted your appetite, please do give me a call for a completely confidential chat on 07973 346 747, or email me at mail@ nikicassar.com And please remember: Online sessions are my speciality!
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HEALTH & WELLBEING
OXLEY SPORTS CENTRE RE OPENING By Steve Hurley, Deputy Manager When the Government gave leisure facilities the green light to re open, Oxley Sports Centre was poised ready to spring back into action. We had undertaken extensive preparation during the period of closure and were raring to go when the time came. We reopened on Monday 27 July 2020 and have received so many positive comments since doing so. We have always been a forward thinking centre and have undertaken various projects over the past few years which gave us a strong starting position to react to the changing landscape in the leisure industry. For example… we have been taking bookings for our activities online for some time now and have also installed an access control system across the sports centre. These have both streamlined processes and enhanced our customer experience. With a relatively small amount of re configuring, we have been able to tweak our operation and adapt to the new normal. With safety being our absolute priority we have taken advice from the Government, CIMSPA, Swim England and UK Active, to name but a few. So rest 36
assured we have in place all the infrastructure and procedures to keep you as safe as possible. Take a look at the welcome video on the home page of our website www.oxleysc.com for a brief run down on the control measures we have in place.
day. However we do need to have your basic details on our database for you to do this. Why not book in for an activity and restore a bit of normality to your health and fitness regime.
Online classes or exercising alone are not as motivational or rewarding as the camaraderie and buzz of attending with real people. At a safe distance of course!
If you are not familiar with Oxley Sports Centre, our main facilities are: • Swimming Pool which is disinfected by Ultraviolet, so no strong smelling chlorine here! • Fitness Suite • Exercise Classes (Extensive and varied timetable) • Coffee Shop Our facilities are accessible to all. As you would expect, we have a large number of members who use the centre regularly, but we also cater for people who may wish to use the centre a little less frequently. Those customers can purchase an Access Card, which is the “pay as you go” option for the fitness suite, with the added bonus of a five day booking privilege for other activities. People who wish to use the pool and classes on a casual basis (with no subscription at all) can even just book and pay on the
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FOR ALL YOUR BLIND NEEDS Roller • Vertical • Venetian Roman • Conservatory
Outside Awnings and Blind Repairs FREE Measuring and Fitting
Call THE BLINDMAKER any time on 01460 281527 / 07779 010939 www.theblindmaker4u.co.uk
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
07970 742471
Bargain Hunters Corner If an item/items are valued at more than £200 there will be a £6 charge. Wanted adverts are also charged at £6.
Household Clearance, Many items and collectables Tel: 01935 429641 Long reach hedge trimmer, mains powered - £30 Aluminium collapsible platform/folding ladder - £35 Tel 01460 52645 (Barrington) 1 John Player Cricketer Cigarette Album 1938 - £10 Tom Thumb History of Motor Racing - £25 Tel: 01963 350840 Bodhran – 18” diameter, dark wood with 2 sets of beaters and padded carry case. In excellent condition. £60 ono Basix marching drum – 12.5 ins Diameter x 11 ins High, with strap, sticks and brushes. Hardly used in very good condition. £35 ono Tel 01460 65498 4 man tent – small, never used. Lightweight. £25 BQ retro style with hinged lid. Never used £8 ono Chest freezer – 60 cm wide, good condition. £30 ono Tel: 01460 65498 (Chard)
ACCIDENTAL ARTISANS ANNOUNCE COMPETITION TIME!
We have added an exciting new line of extremely stylish and original wood & resin, “River Style” cheese boards to our exclusive range of handmade products. These are available from Castle Cary market on a Tuesday alongside the rest of our range, including beautiful hand turned pens and pencils, as well as gin glasses (these proved a very popular seller during lockdown!) - all ideal Christmas gifts! Come and have a chat to Charlie about any requirements or questions you may have. These are also available at our lovely new stockists: Hillside Farm Deli, 41 Cheap St. Sherborne next to Parsons butchers. Hillside Farm Deli stocks a vast range of 80 cheeses, artisan breads, olives, preserves and other delicacies. Also find our pyrography boards at the brilliant & super friendly Andrew Barclay Butchers, Wincanton. Alternatively, look at our lovely new, streamlined website: www.accidentalartisans.co.uk or follow us on Instagram. You can email any enquiries from the website contact link.
Competition prize: Win a resin
cheese board worth £60 (colour and wood as available) OR a matching pen and pencil set – worth £60, collect at Castle Cary market by answering the following question: What is the name of our new wood and resin cheese boards? Send answers by Monday 26 October with your name and contact details and the subject heading “Accidental Artisans Competition” to info@theconduitmagazine. co.uk or post it to the Conduit’s address on p3. Good luck!
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WALKING
RACHEL’S RAMBLES By Rachel Mead
The more you know, the more you realise how much you don’t know. The more I walk, the more I realise how much more I have to explore. What I do know is that there are thousands of footpaths weaving their way across the varied landscape within the Conduit’s catchment area, what I don’t know is the history behind those footpaths. For today’s ramble we’re heading to the home of the Dovecote which is also a stop along the Leland Trail, and we’re parking up in Bruton. At the time of writing it is mid-September, the weather is being incredibly fortuitous and even though the autumnal blackberry pickers are out in force, it’s a day for shorts and t-shirt. The sky is vividly blue and the cows are leisurely chewing their cud despite being pestered by flies. It’s balmy, the warm air has that familiar farmyard tang, and as we happily ascend Lusty Hill taking in the Grade ll* listed structure, it feels good to kickstart the walk with a view. The Dovecote sits above the town of Bruton and even though its origins are uncertain, the archeologists suggest that it may have once been part of the local Augustinian Abbey. A guideline build-date hazards a guess that it was erected somewhere between the 15th and 17th centuries, so we are left wondering whether it was built under the reign of King Henry VI or perhaps Charles I. One thing is for sure though, the doves may have flown the nest, but they have been replaced with their close relations, the pigeons. For those who find feathers to be a symbol of peace or love, you can be sure to fulfil your beliefs here, just pluck one up from the earthy floor. After a full 360 circumnavigation of the limestone dovecote and the extensive views, we head back down the tufty-grassed pillow mound and pick up a footpath. It’s worth noting that there are many footpaths feeding into the town and so you can extend or shorten your walk depending on your time limits. For the energetic amongst you, John Leland established a 28 mile footpath starting in Penselwood and finishing in Ham Hill near Yeovil. As a keen poet and the royal librarian to King Henry V111, Leland traversed through South Somerset in the 16th century listing all the antiquities and books of the local churches and priories. Unfortunately we don’t have the time to follow in those footsteps today, so we choose an alternative route which loops us out towards Redlynch and back. I wonder if Leland based his poem ‘The day is past and gone’ whilst here, the words certainly ring true because the more I walk, the more I know that in the not so distant future I will be heading to Penselwood to follow his trail from start to finish, “ And when we early rise, and view the unwearied sun, may we set out to win the prize, and after glory run.”
To find some more inspiring walks in the countryside: www.visitsouthsomerset.com /menu/inspire-me/ brochures.aspx?parentNodeName=Brochures# If you would like to recommend a ramble for Rachel then please email rachel@zestbureau.co.uk You can also see more photos from each walk on instagram: rachelsrambles 38
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Providing Dental Care for the Yeovil area since 1864
NEW PATIENTS WELCOME Princes Street Dental Practice are 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
