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Community
From us to you
(l:r) Eric House, Nick Vine, Nicola Phillips and Eric Harding delivered around 40 hampers, prepared for them by George’s Garden at Gurney Slade
Nicola Phillips, chair of Coleford Revival Group, presents a hamper to Peter Matthews
MEMBERS of the Coleford Revival Group have presented seasonal hampers to elderly residents in the village who were unable to attend the community organisation’s Christmas party in person.
A real baby Jesus
Pictured back (l to r) Kathy Dymond, Annie Brimble, John Mander; front (l to r) Virgie Lewis and Charlene Green with grandson Zebedee
MIDSOMER Norton Methodist Church’s Christmas celebrations included nine-week-old, Zebedee, helping to tell the story of Joseph. He was taken along by his grandmother, Charlene Green, and slept through it all!
Funding community schemes
Missing Link volunteers
WELLSSkatepark is one of the organisations winning support through Mendip’s Communities Fund and Climate and Ecological Emergency Fund.
They accepted an offer of £15,000 and plan to invest that money in carrying out a full feasibility study for a new skate park for Wells.
Skatepark trustee, Beverley Smith, said: “The Wells Skatepark project is an ambitious project that will have a positive benefit for anyone enjoying wheeled sports from skateboarding, scooter riding to roller skating and BMX.”
Frome’s Missing Links were also successful. They accepted an offer of £30,000 and will use the money for the construction of a traffic-free multi-user path between Whatcombe Fields in Frome and Great Elm.
Trustee, Ruth Knagg, said: “When completed this will be a safe travel route for cyclists, walkers and riders, enabling them to avoid a dangerous and hilly stretch of busy roads.
“The volunteer group have been making gradual progress from either end of the route and this significant award from Mendip's Communities Fund will be an enormous help to come closer to joining up!”
Mendip District Council allocated approximately £400,000 to aid organisations with project ideas that sought to make a positive impact on communities or contribute to eco-friendly initiatives.
Council leader, Cllr Ros Wyke, said: “It was a challenge for the panels to make their decisions due to the large number, and huge variety of remarkable projects that were put forward by organisations. Some ideas include play area improvements, community workshops and even a compost toilet on an allotment site!”
More details of other successful applicants and their projects will be revealed early this year.
The Shepton Mallet sheep –symbol of the lantern festival –taking pride of place
Photos by Mark Adler
HANDMADE lanterns in all shapes and sizes filled Shepton Mallet at the end of a spectacular procession through the town.
Organisers said they were “overjoyed” by the number of people who took part, creating the lanterns either at home or during a number of community workshops. A member of the team said: “What an amazing night!”
The Little Big Horns playing in the Market Place
Concentration at one of the lantern making workshops Lanterns light up the night sky
Binegar puts on one Del of a race
DEL Boy, Rodney, Uncle Albert, Trigger and Boycie have finally come out on top – if only in the best decorated barrow class in the Binegar “Bonkers Barrow Race”.
The Brimble family took first place in the competition with their Only Fools and Horses- themed entry, complete with wheelbarrow made to look like the Trotters’ Reliant van.
The race took 13 teams on a circuit round the village, starting and ending at the Horse and Jockey – complete with a stop for port and soft drinks half-way round. The fastest team was the Draper Team with a Mad Hatters Tea Party theme.
The Mendip School at Prestleigh, where Jack, the son of pub landlords Mark and Nikki Hutchison, is a pupil, will benefit from the money raised from the race but it was also about having fun. Steve Rawlings, from the Binegar and Gurney Slade community group, which organised the race, said: “It was so lovely to have some light relief from all our Covid troubles for a couple of hours and I think participants and spectators are looking forward to 2022’s race already!”
The Horse and Jockey team
The teams gather for the start
Charley and Dave Kimber The Brimble family ahead of the start of the race
The Sparkes family and their John Deere-themed entry
Foundation seeks new chair
SOMERSET Community Foundation is looking for a new chair to lead the board of trustees, when current chair, Jane Barrie, retires at the end of the year.
Tim Walker, a current trustee at SCF, said: “We’re starting the recruitment process now so that the appointed person can work with Jane during a transition period and learn something of the great work this foundation delivers, before taking over.”
Chief executive, Justin Sargent, said: “We’re looking for someone who shares our passion and enthusiasm for the work of local charities to join and lead our board. Building on the success of the foundation in recent years, they will help us fulfil our goals for the next stage of our growth and development.
“This will be a fascinating and rewarding role; alongside shaping the direction of the foundation, there will be many opportunities to meet and spend time with people and charities who help make stronger and thriving communities across Somerset, and see first-hand the impact our funding makes to local communities every day.”
The foundation is looking forward to its 20th anniversary in late 2022. Since it was founded in 2002 it has awarded more than £17 million to thousands of great local causes, changing thousands of lives across Somerset.
The foundation has received national recognition for its annual Surviving Winter campaign, built the £1.5m Somerset Flood Relief Fund in 2015, created the £1.5m Somerset Coronavirus Fund in 2020 and is building an endowment fund to meet the changing needs of Somerset for generations to come.
Details: www.somersetcf.org.uk/vacancies
Norton’s window wanderland
A WINDOW Wanderland is coming to Midsomer Norton for the first time for ten days in February.
The organisers, Midsomer Norton Community Trust, are encouraging residents and businesses to open their curtains and create illuminated window displays on the theme of “Midsomer Memories”, to amuse, entertain and inspire. Together, the windows will form a winter walking trail which people of all ages can enjoy. The wanderland runs from Thursday, February 10th until Sunday, February 20th.
For details, visit: www.windowwanderland.com/event/midsomer-norton2022/ or find Midsomer Norton Window Wanderland 2022 on Facebook Details: www.gofundme.com search for Wells Vineyard Foodbank Van Appeal. Alternatively financial donations can be made to Wells Vineyard Christian Fellowship’s HSBC account: Sort Code: 40-46-06, Acc No: 31387170. Please use “Van Appeal” as the reference.
Foodbank needs a new van
Living garden WELLS Vineyard Foodbank is raising funds for a new van before its old one breaks down. Sue Marland, senior pastor at Wells Vineyard Church and manager of the foodbank said they need to raise around £7,000. She said: “The van is vital to help deliver essential items of furniture such as beds and cookers to our clients in Wells and the surrounding villages. People can also make donations directly to us via our GoFundMe appeal.”
Local florist, Jen Owen of Goldfinch Floral Studios is hoping to help raise funds by offering stunning “living garden” kits for Mother’s Day. The kits can be ordered via goldfinchfloralstudio.co.uk and cost £15. Jen is donating £5 for every kit to the foodbank.
Jen said: “I’ve seen how the staff and volunteers of Wells Vineyard Foodbank have worked tirelessly through the pandemic to help local people and have been inspired by how truly extraordinary they all are.
“I wanted to do something to help support them and hope that these living garden kits will help raise money for them, while offering people something beautiful for their homes.”
Christmas hampers
THEPeasedown Community Trust, set up just after the first lockdown in June 2020, saw over 50 villagers fed during the Christmas holidays, many of whom would have gone without otherwise. Chairman, Gavin Heathcote, said: “So many residents are in need this year due to recently being made unemployed, experiencing a loss of income, or having to self-isolate due to the coronavirus pandemic.”
The photo shows some of the charity’s trustees getting ready to deliver hampers.
Details: write to 33a St John’s Close, Peasedown St John, Bath BA2 8JG, email peasedowncommunitytrust@gmail.com or call 07557 683834
Rotary is very active
Ric Canham with one of the insect boxes
AXBRIDGEand District Rotary has been busy, while also attracting new members. They have donated 30 wooden insect hotels to Banwell Primary School. The children can decorate them then put them around the grounds to learn about insect life and how important it is.
They collected “Chocs for Champs” for young carers, aiming for 400 selection boxes but ending up with 600. The project was run by Jo Arnold of Banwell School and Wrington Rotary.
They have also made donations, including £100 towards a weekend for young carers.
Cheque presentation
Presentation evening
CHESTERHouse Social Club in Frome held their turkey shoot and presentation evening for the first time in two years and were able to present a cheque for £2,000 to Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance.
Ken Hutton from the air ambulance received a cheque from long-standing members Les Price and Derek Scane, chairman. Those pictured are winners of the 2019 skittles season.
Going forward, Chester House will begin their fundraising with a quiz night on Saturday, January 29th.
Details: Chester House 01373 466865, after 7pm
Glasses for South Africa
THETrefoil Guild Somerset North, which is the senior section of Girl Guiding, has collected 470 used spectacles to send to South Africa. The glasses will be re-configured by an optician in Germiston near Johannesburg, for people there in need. The guild has more than 200 members in Somerset North, from the Chew Valley to River Severn areas.
The collection was organised by Rotary and sent via a link with local resident, Theresa Watson and county international advisor, Mary Gray, a member of Chew Valley Trefoil Guild.
Membership of the guild is open to all interested in enjoying the company of like-minded people, former Guiding members or not, aged over 18.
School leaders
THIS year’s school leavers at Cameley Primary School have been given new hoodies showing their role as leaders.
Headteacher, Hannah Maggs, said: “Year 6 pupils had to apply for the specific roles of inclusion lead, aspiration, innovation and reflection leaders.
“These are our school's core drivers and run through all of our curriculum and also school links. The pupils had to write a short speech and deliver this, across the five different bubbles, to all pupils. The pupils and staff were allowed to vote for one leader out of the 85% of children who took part.
“We are pleased to report that we were able to recruit the leaders shown in the photographs, who made great speeches and were really persuasive in their arguments about why they should be leading our school.
“Other roles will be forthcoming for the other students who are hoping to lead the school.” VILLAGERSenjoying delicious homemade food at Congresbury Community Cafe meant about £4,000 being donated to local efforts and national charities in the last year.
Volunteers run the cafe in Broad Street, at the rear of Debbie Fortune estate agent, who sponsors the project, and all profits are donated to good causes.
Those receiving donations were: Congresbury Youth Partnership £400 for activities for young people; £423 to St. Andrew's School paid for new playground equipment; £900 to the Community Preschool for their Forest project.
Village senior citizens had their Christmas lunch paid for and that will continue each Christmas. Other donations went to Children in Need, Macmillan Cancer Support and Children's Hospice South West.
All profit from the cafe for two weeks since January 17th will be donated to Weston Hospicecare.
The cafe was due to open on Saturday, January 22nd, as well as the normal Wednesday and Friday sessions, and will continue opening on alternate Saturdays, 9-3pm.
Repair fund boosted by old money
AN appeal by the Friends of Axbridge Church for people to donate pre-decimal and pre-Euro coins and notes has raised £1,200 towards repair funds. They say it was a magnificent response and they thank everyone who donated.
Market is back
ALLSaints Church in Publow will be opening its doors to its first monthly morning market of the year on Saturday, February 5th, 1011.30am. One of the organisers, Judith Hillman, said: “Besides our popular home baking stall we will be running a pre-loved gifts/bring and buy stall as a low-key start to the year. "New seasons marmalade will also be on offer."
Café supports good causes
New year starts
MEMBERSof Bishop Sutton & Stowey WI enjoyed a varied and busy year, culminating with a Christmas craft class, led by Janet Brook.
President, Jenny Harris, said: “We now look forward to the new year with some interesting talks, beginning with Duncan Bird, our celebrated local literary expert, who is giving us a talk on Silent Spring the environment book.”
Other events planned include a WI walk and a talk on February 8th from the police on cyber and fraud crime.
Another link in the Somerset Circle?
TWO spectacular viaducts and an historic tunnel hold the keys to ambitious plans to create a multi-user path on a former railway line above Shepton Mallet.
Volunteers have been working to clear the 1.5 mile stretch of the old Somerset and Dorset line of vegetation and have been negotiating with landowners before announcing the plan. The Friends of Windsor Hill Tunnels have the support of Shepton Mallet Town Council and Mendip District Council has helped with the funding of various surveys.
If successful, the project would complete another key section of the vision of the proposed 76-mile Somerset Circle route connecting Bristol, Bath, the Mendips and the Somerset Levels. It would also connect to the East Mendip Way.
The friends group has been clearing a section from Ham Wood above Croscombe towards Downside at Shepton Mallet. The Ham Wood viaduct is already open to pedestrians but the friends now want to reopen the Bath Road viaduct to the north of the town. A planning application before Mendip District Council by the friends, Greenways & Cycleroutes Ltd. and Shepton Mallet Town Council, says the Charlton Viaduct – above Kilver Court –could also be opened in the future. The route would be surfaced to make it safe for everyone from dog walkers to horseriders and people with disabilities.
Windsor Hill Tunnels were sealed by the owner and a campaign started to have them reopened. The gates to both tunnels have since been broken down. Campaigners want to use the shorter, straighter tunnel for the path and want the second sealed closed again to protect bats and other wildlife.
Gavin Mayall, a Shepton Malley town councillor who lives near the line and has led the negotiations, said: “Everyone locally has heard of the Strawberry Line which itself seems to be gathering some real pace of late, this particular project forms part of the Somerset Circle which will ultimately connect our beloved Shepton and the Strawberry line via Chilcompton and on to Radstock and the wider national cycle network.”
Friends of Windsor Hill Tunnels were joined by members of the Mendip Hills Hash House Harriers on one of their work mornings. Gavin Mayall is on the far left
The Ham Hill Viaduct is already open to walkers
Climbers clear ivy from Ham Wood Viaduct Clearing ash – and leaving a smile Gavin Mayall prepares to fell another tree beneath the viaduct. The area below is part of a community woodland
