MIDSOMER NORTON ALLOTMENTS

GOOd FOR ThE Mind and BOdY – MIDSOMER NORTON aLLOTMENTS

oing to your allotment is classed as a form of exercise by the government during G lockdown, and many people have found tending their plot and growing produce to be a huge benefit.

allotment holders have been able to connect with nature and wildlife and maintain physical health and mental well-being. a sense of pride, achievement and satisfaction comes from producing tasty, home grown, fresh and seasonal produce. allotments can also help to beat loneliness and allow you to develop friendships with other allotment holders, although this has

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proved challenging with social distancing rules to follow. rules about using allotments have varied across the country, and those people self-isolating have been unable to visit their plots at all. people have experienced shortages of compost and seed, and, in england, there has been a long, hot summer through which to keep watering. many plot holders have been sowing seeds without knowing if they’ll be allowed to harvest them. there are approximately 70 plots of varying sizes at the midsomer norton allotments. Until 2012, the allotments were under the direct control of the midsomer norton Council, but now the allotment holders' committee manage their day to day running. this opens up the opportunity for the midsomer norton allotment association to apply for funding from other bodies to bulkbuy seed and plants etc. and to facilitate social events. the association manages the waiting list and allocates plots when they become available. the association undertakes management of the allotment gardens and paths between them, to maintain the code of conduct for allotment holders and decide on any necessary transfer to new tenants. the association invoices all tenants and collects all rents into its own bank account. in return for the reduction in officer time spent managing the allotments, an annual sum is then paid to the Council for the following services: • General maintenance of the access road, boundary fences, car-parking areas • Public Liability Insurance • Provision and maintenance of the current water supply • Payment of all rates and taxes as may be charged upon the allotment garden • Provision of any necessary pest control measures if you wish to contact the midsomer norton Community allotment association, or wish to enquire about a plot vacancy please call 01761 415473 or send an e mail to the secretary: bsnellgrove@fastmal.fm

the current allotment association Web site is: www.msnallotments.net

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FiRsT BUs ROLL OUT PaULTOn TO BaTh bOOk My buS RIDE

ustomers on the 171/172 services, a somer Valley route between paulton and Bath, C can now book a space on the bus ahead of their journey.

this route, services paulton, midsomer norton, radstock and peasedown st John, before terminating at Bath Bus station.

Bookings can be made up to seven days in advance of the journey, with the flexibility of being able to reserve a space, subject to availability, right up to 15 minutes before departure. Customers will have the option of buying a ticket with their reservation or booking at no extra cost if they already have a pre-paid first Bus ticket or are a concessionary card holder travelling after 9.00 am.

With capacity onboard currently reduced due to social distancing, the reservation will secure a space on the chosen bus rather than a specific seat. Bookings are made on a new, challenges in 2020 but has returned better than our website, leaflets, banners and verge signs and since we re-opened the market after the 1st lockdown the market has continued to be the 'go to 'place for the best in local produce from award winning local farmers, growers, bakers and other artsian food producers. With support from both dedicated website, www.bookmybusride.com, with customers receiving an email booking confirmation that needs to be shown to the driver with an existing ticket/concessionary card if payment has not been made at the time of booking. Bookings are possible for all monday to friday journeys , with just under 50% of the socially distanced capacity being bookable and the remaining seats left available for customers to board and pay as normal without a booking.

for customers who are not able to make an online booking, a dedicated phone line is available on 07866 977586, monday to friday from 9am-5pm (excluding public holidays). Confirmation of all phone bookings will be sent in the post and first recommends making phone bookings seven days in advance of your journey to allow time for this

ChRisTMas FaRMER'S MaRkET

idsomer norton farmers' market has certainly risen to to some immense M ever! funding was awarded for new branding of delivery.

thatcher & hallam and the town Council and the huge numbers of local customers, the market is certainly a regular event the town should be very proud of! Come and join us on the 5th december for our Christmas event and then we'll be taking a break in January and resuming the 1st saturday in february. more information can be found on www.somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk plus our social media.

MidsOMER nORTOn yOuTH cLub

idsomer norton Youth Club was back up and running just before the new lockdown. M it is a safe space for local young people to come together alongside youth work staff to play games, have fun, meet peers, and access support, if they wanted to. Young people plan and lead on the content of the sessions and what they do at norton Youth Club. so far they have played Xbox, made milkshakes and created spooky decorations. and further funding in the region of £20,000, West Clewes has, over the last couple of years, seen the installation of a new play park and outdoor equipment last year, the CCtV at West Clewes was upgraded to cover a wider area, including the park. this year, continuing with the maintenance and improvements to the area, will see the installation wooden fence at West Clewes is now in a poor condition with rotting fence posts, of which, previously been fixed in various locations three times costing a total of nearly £4,000 over the replaced with bow top metal railings with a green polyester powder coating. the club look forward to welcoming new and existing members after the Winter lockdown. Currently a maximum of 15 attendees is able to attend, so please get in touch to sign up to avoid disappointment, by email - harrietrose@ offtherecord-banes.co.uk or text 07487642761

follow us on social media, @otrbanes on facebook and instagram or norton Youth Club on facebook

nEW shELTER and FEnCinG FOR

WEST cLEWES

ollowing on from a successful £10,000 lottery grant obtained by the town Council F gym equipment. after a spate of vandalism to the

of new fencing and a teen shelter. the existing at least four need replacing. the fence has years. the fence around the play park will now be to keep up to date with the current situation. for the under twelves only. the local police have advised that in this case, the youth shelter should not, therefore, be inside the park. the police asked whether it would be possible to move the shelter out of the park and locate it closer to the wall/pedestrian entrance from north road. thus, enabling them to evict any over twelves from the play park without argument. they struggle to do this whilst the youth shelter remains inside the park. Councillors decided that as the shelter in the play park is for the under twelves and their parents, that we would not relocate the existing shelter but look at purchasing another shelter for outside the area. this has been done and a new youth shelter outside of the play park will be installed in november.

if you have any concerns with vandalism or notice anything you think we should be aware of at West Clewes, or indeed, anywhere else in the town, please get in touch. all our contact details can be found at www.midsomernortontowncouncil.co.uk.