What’s On

THE MENDIP TIMES WHAT’S O

Covid cases are rising very quickly again throughout this area so we advise that you check that these events will take place. We’re happy to list entries for charities and voluntary groups free of charge. Commercial entries £25. Please send entries as a single paragraph of less than 25 words.

Thursday, October 28th

Chew Valley Wildlife Group, “New Methods of Tracking Birds” Mike Bailey, 7.45pm Millennium Hall, Chew Magna. St John’s Glastonbury concert: Avalon Recorder Consort 1pm, entry by donation.

Thursday October 28th to Saturday November 6th

Private Lives by Noël Coward at the Theatre Royal Bath. A new production starring Nigel Havers and Patricia Hodge, directed by Christopher Luscombe. Details: www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Friday October 29th and Saturday October 30th

Frome Memorial Theatre “That'll be the day 30th Anniversary Tour” 7.30pm. Tickets £26 from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk

Friday October 29th to Sunday November 28th Chew Valley Performing Arts Fringe Festival

is back! Over 20 very varied performers and workshops, for all ages, throughout November. See p49. Full programme & tickets: www.valleyartscentre.co.uk

Saturday October 30th

U3a Open Day Cheddar village hall 10.302.30pm, free entry, lots of displays and demonstrations. Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial Hall. Good quality books, jigsaws, dvds. Halloween Family Scare Walk 6-8pm from Hillside Cottage, Holcombe BA3 5DG. Tickets £3 incl a surprise for each child. Details www.ticketsource.co.uk/holcombe-hive

Tuesday November 2nd

Somerset Wildlife Trust talk about Hedgerows 8pm Caryford Hall, Ansford BA7 7JJ. Tea/coffee from 7.30pm. Adults £3 children free. WellsBeing Walkers meet every Tuesday at 11am by the disabled parking bays at Morrisons, Wells. See p80. Mendip Storytelling Circle 7.30-9.30pm Temple Cloud village hall BS39 5BD. Lose yourself in myth, legend and folk tales, £5 donation suggested. Details: mendipstorycircle@gmail.com The Arts Society Mendip talk “Signs, Symbols & Iconography” Leslie Primo will reveal the stories in Italian Renaissance art. 11am Croscombe village hall and simultaneously via Zoom. Guests welcome, on request to tasmendip.comm@gmail.com Guest donation £6 requested.

Thursday, November 4th

Globe Carnival Club AGM 8pm The Tramways, Wells. New members welcome. Details: victoriabeal@hotmail.co.uk Congresbury Gardening Club talk by Nick Wray on Bristol Botanic Gardens 7.30pm Memorial Hall (note new venue). Visitors welcome. Frome Memorial Theatre presents “Paul Zerdin - Hands Free” 7.30pm Tickets £20 from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk

Friday November 5th

Frome Memorial Theatre presents “Barry Steele in the Roy Orbison story” 7.30pm Tickets £23.50 from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk Red Hot Jazz Club Glastonbury presents Annika Skoogh –a fabulous evening of Latin, swing and soul. Tickets £8 in advance /£10 otd 7.30pm. Details: www.redbrickbuilding.co.uk

Saturday, November 6th

Big Drop for Weston Hospicecare 10-12.30pm Wedmore First School car park. Donations of all kinds welcome. Details: Shirley 01934 712089 / 07812 391962. RNLI Winscombe Folk “Granny’s Attic” St James’ Hall BS25 1BA. Two sessions, 7pm to 8 and 9pm to 10. Entry only by e-ticket, £14, from James Barattini: winscombe.folk@gmail.com Kingston Seymour Market 10am-12pm Village Hall. Fairtrade goods, cakes, crafts etc Ffestiniog Railway Group sale of railway books, DVDs & memorabilia 10am-1pm Frome Cricket Club BA11 2AH. Free admission. Details 01373 471103.

Saturday November 6th and Sunday November 7th Bishop’s Palace Wells Christmas Artisan

Market 10am-4pm. See p114.

Sunday November 7th

Mendip Society walk, a moderate 5.5m from Chewton Mendip. Meet 1.30pm in the church car park. ST596530. Contact: Peter Janes 01761 221995. Non-members welcome.

Monday November 8th Nailsea & District Local History Society talk

by Cat Lodge “The Local Authority Archaeologist's role & interesting discoveries in North Somerset", 7.45pm, Green Lecture Room, Nailsea School. Visitors £2 www.ndlhs.org.uk

Wednesday November 10th

Kilmersdon Gardeners talk by Dave Moon, "RHS gardens" 7.30pm Kilmersdon village hall BA3 5TD. Visitors welcome, £3 (incl tea /coffee) www.kilmersdongardeners.org Frome Market Health Hub – NHS health checks for farm workers, second Wednesday every month. See p11.

Thursday November 11th Glastonbury Townswomen’s Guild meeting,

Town Hall 2.30pm. A fun afternoon with a bring-and-buy. Visitors welcome.

Thursday November 11th to Saturday November 13th

The History Hut open days, 11am-4pm Netherham Farm, Low Ham, Langport TA10 9DR. Displays, books, local history. Entry free (donations) Details: Facebook or Tel: 01458 250661.

Friday November 12th

Fosseway Gardening Club talk by Emily Utgren “The Remarkable Trees of Stourhead” 7.30pm Pylle Village Hall. Visitors welcome. Details: Jill 07772 008594.

Friday November 12th to Sunday November 14th

Frome Walking Festival, see p76.

Saturday November 13th

Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial Hall. Good quality books, jigsaws, dvds.

Sunday November 14th

Croscombe village hall 7pm-8.30. Dance show by one of the UKs leading Krump (street dance) groups. Details: www.takeart.org/whats-on

Monday November 15th

“The Ferns of Somerset” talk by Helena Crouch for Timsbury Nats. 7.30pm at the Conygre Hall, BA2 0JQ. Visitors welcome £3, refreshments. Details: Rod Bruce: 01761 433013.

Congresbury Memorial Hall Club

Friendship evening with bingo, 8pm War Memorial Hall. Visitors welcome.

Wednesday November 17th

Mendip Gardening Club, The Hedgehog Predicament with Colin Varndell, 7.30pm Ston Easton village hall.

Saturday November 20th

“The show must go on” popular music from Congresbury Singers 7.30pm St Andrews Church, £10 inc. refreshments, from Congresbury PO or otd. Booking advised. La Vie en Rose, Gypsy-style Jazz, 8pm Cossington Village Hall, TA7 8JN. Tickets £12.50 from 01278 451187 or rogercollett.sounds@talktalk.net Claverham Village Market 10am-12pm Village Hall. Vegetables, butchery, crafts etc. Christmas Gift & Craft Fair 11-3pm Compton Martin village hall BS40 6JN. Free entry, refreshments. Disabled access. In aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. Details Victoriawalker29@yahoo.com

Saturday November 20th and Sunday November 21st

Pilton Christmas Market, Tithe Barn BA4 4EE. 10am-4pm, 35 local traders, refreshments, free parking.

Monday November 22nd

Paulton Library talk by local author Mike Gould (The Amazing Fairywood/Reluctant Travellers) 7pm. All welcome. Sir David Suchet at the Theatre Royal Bath: “Poirot and More, a retrospective” 2.30pm and 7.30pm. www.theatreroyal.org.uk

Wednesday November 24th

Backwell & Nailsea Macular Support hopes to meet at 1.30pm in Backwell WI Hall. Details:

N GUIDEFOR NOVEMBER 2021

Sheila 01275 462107. Harptrees History Society talk by Tony Coverdale ‘Later Avon Valley copper & brass industry’ 7pm for 7.30 start, West Harptree Village Hall BS40 6EG. Visitors welcome, £3. Chairs socially distanced so please book: info@harptreeshistorysociety.org

Thursday November 25th

Avon Wildlife Trust talk by Mary Wood about the wildlife of Arnos Vale cemetery, a site with scarce plants and nationally rare insects 7.45pm Chew Magna Old School Room, £2.50.

Thursday November 25th to 27th

Craft4Crafters Show, Bath & West Showground, 10am-5pm, crafting supplies, learn a new crafting skill or finding Christmas gifts, with leading local and national exhibitors, £10, £9 concessions. Details: www.craft4crafters.co.uk

Friday November 26th Whitchurch Art Club Christmas art & craft

fayre, 3-6 pm Fortfield Rd Community Centre BS14 9NT. Gifts, refreshments, car parking. New members welcome –every Thursday 79pm. Details: avril.csve@gmail.com Frome Memorial Theatre presents “Forbidden Nights” 7.30pm Adults only. Tickets £25 from 01373 462795. www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk Unravelling Wilburys charity concert 7pm St Thomas’ Church, Wells. Tickets £15 from Swan Hotel and Globe Inn. In aid of Wells Food Bank and Lions’ charities: wellslionsevents@gmail.com

Saturday November 27th

Churchill Music Exultate Singers “From Darkness to Light” 7.30pm All Saints Church Wrington BS40 5LG. Details: tickets@churchillmusic.org.uk St Mary’s Church, Timsbury “Christmas Gifts and more” 10-3.30pm. Stalls, refreshments, lunch, raffle. All very welcome. Somerset Choral Society Vivaldi Gloria & Pergolesi Magnificat, 7.30pm Axbridge Church. Tickets £10 from members or tel: 01934 843727. Cash bar. Details: SomersetChoralSociety@hotmail.com Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial Hall. Good quality books, jigsaws, dvds. Chew Valley Choral Society Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Fauré’s Requiem, 7.30pm St. John’s, Keynsham. Tickets £15, students £7.50 from 01275 333014 or otd. Details: www.chewvalleychoral.org.uk Glastonbury Frost Fayre midday to 7pm. See p113, Facebook or www.glastonbury.gov.uk/frost-fayre/

Saturday November 27th –Sunday November 28th

Lantern Making workshops start for www.sheptonlanternfestival.org.uk. See p84.

Monday November 29th

Wessex stationary engine club meeting 8pm Old Down Inn, Emborough BA3 4SA. All welcome. Details: www.wessexsec.org

Congresbury Memorial Hall Club

Friendship evening with Bingo, 8pm War Memorial Hall. Visitors welcome.

Friday December 3rd

Red Hot Jazz Club Glastonbury presents The Jazz Defenders, an amazing original jazz band. Tickets £8 in advance /£10 otd 7.30pm. Details: www.redbrickbuilding.co.uk

Saturday December 4th

Piano Concert by Joss Wort: 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Yatton, Tickets £10, details: www.yms.org.uk Christmas Market 10am-12.30 All Saints Church Publow, will include paintings and artwork by the late Robert Bailey of Pensford.

Tuesday December 7th

The Arts Society Mendip “Glad Tidings: The Story of the Annunciation” Imogen Corrigan discussing 4th to 16th century images, 11am Croscombe village hall and simultaneously via Zoom. Guests welcome, on request to tasmendip.comm@gmail.com Guest donation £6 requested.

Monday December 13th

“Music Hall Memories” talk by Ron Davies for Nailsea & District Local History Society Christmas special 7.45pm, Green Lecture Room, Nailsea School. Visitors £2 www.ndlhs.org.uk

Two good reasons to celebrate with Glastonbury Abbey

NEW Year's Eve is set to be celebrated in style at Glastonbury Town Hall as Glastonbury Abbey hosts its first-ever New Year's Eve fundraiser.

One of Britain's best reggae bands "Captain Accident & The Disasters" will welcome in 2022 in feelgood style, ably supported by Glastonbury's own psychedelic pop heroes "Flipron".

Award-winning comedian Mark Olver will host the evening with prizes offered for fancy dress costumes, door prizes and random prizes throughout the night. There will, of course, be a bar and allnight curry and rice to keep up your energy.

Doors open at 8pm and the event concludes at 1am. Last entry is 11pm and all proceeds go towards maintaining Glastonbury Abbey for future public benefit.

Meanwhile, the "Kids go FREE" promotion that Glastonbury Abbey offered during Summer 2021 has been extended indefinitely. Each paying adult to Glastonbury Abbey can take two children with them absolutely free and enjoy the 36 acres of open-air grounds, accredited museum, costumed tour guides and family activities.

The Glastonbury Abbey gift shop offers a range of locally inspired gifts as well as a great coffee and even an ice cream for those sunny winter days. Anyone who visits the abbey can upgrade to a membership within 30 days of their visit and have the cost of their original visit discounted from the cost of their new membership.

The abbey is offering free entry to visitors during the town’s Frost Fayre on Saturday, November 27th with choirs singing in the Lady Chapel from 2pm

New faces at Bishop’s Palace artisan market

THE Christmas Artisan Market will return to The Bishop’s Palace in Wells for its sixth year in November.

This hugely popular event will take place on Saturday, November 6th and Sunday, November 7th (10am-4pm) and visitors can head along to the medieval site to get their Christmas shopping started with a bang.

There will be a plethora of unique, unusual and inspirational artisans in attendance, curated from throughout the heart of the West Country to get everyone in the mood for a spot of seasonal retail therapy.

The medieval rooms of the palace, upstairs and downstairs, will be filled with a variety of enticing stalls, offering hand-made and unique gifts that are the perfect inspiration for those difficult to buy for friends and family, whilst also supporting local small businesses from the South West of England.

This year, the team has sourced a number of new artisan stalls, alongside a few regular favourites and offerings will include handcrafted goods such as: Stained Glass by Debra, Echo Candles and Jewellery by Small Print. There will be plenty of gift inspiration, decorations, cards and much more!

If all the shopping means you’re in need of refreshment, then head over to the café for seasonal drinks or enjoy some of our live musical performances. l The market is being held in aid of The Bishop’s Palace and tickets are available at £8 adult, children 5-17 £4 (under 5s and Palace Members free), including entry to the whole site (normally £15), and are available from the ticket office, by telephone 01749 988 111 or online www.bishopspalace.org.uk

Artisan stalls in the Undercroft