What’s On

Palace lawn is “grease lightning”

Fans of Grease dressed to impress when the Bishop’s Palace in Wells and Wells Film Centre staged an open-air screening of the classic film.

Pink Ladies and T-Birds – including the team from the cinema – joined in the sing-a-long version of the 1978 original. The screening had been postponed from earlier in the year due to the pandemic.

Film fans gather on the croquet lawn Pink Ladies and T-Birds

Some of the Wells Film Centre team

You’re the One that I Want

Keynsham festival

KeynshamKindness Festival runs over five days starting on Tuesday, september 28th, with 16 scheduled events.

Organiser, stefan edwards, who used to run the Temple street Canteen, said: This festival brings together some of the many groups within the community who share their skills and thoughtfulness with others.

“From the generous exchange of seeds, workshops sharing communication or painting skills, to opportunities to walk and observe the beautiful place we live in, the festival has many opportunities to celebrate acts of kindness.”

From Folly to Temple

mendiPstorytelling Circle started this autumn's programme with 20 people in the fresh air at Folly Farm near stowey. They met under cover in the site’s outdoor classroom with the consent of avon Wildlife Trust who have recently restored this interesting structure.

They next ventured into Temple Cloud village hall, with all the doors and windows open. They say it was good to trial a larger venue and they now feel ready to invite more members of the public to join them for an evening's entertainment.

Their next event is planned for Tuesday, October 5th.

Details: mendipstorycircle@gmail.com

Do you want to try Morris dancing?

mendiPmorris are running '”try it” sessions on alternate Wednesdays (2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month) 8-9.30pm at Congresbury memorial hall.

They are inviting men and women, young and old, fit or not, to go along, give it a go, keep fit and have fun. no previous experience is required, but you must be aged 18 or over. sticks are provided, but take two large hankies if you have them. musicians wanting to play are also welcome.

Details: richard.brock@tiscali.co.uk

Plenty to entertain the family at The Bishop’s Palace

Getting crafty at the Palace

iF you’re looking to get out and about with the family this October half Term, why not make a visit to The Bishop’s Palace, where there will be plenty to entertain and amuse the kids?

Running until October 31st, the autumn Treasure hunt is a chance to test your map reading skills whilst exploring the hidden treasures of The Palace and Gardens. answer troublesome riddles and testing questions to earn yourself a prize! age recommendation: 5+.

On Tuesday, October 26th (10.30am-12.30pm and 1.30pm3.30pm) you can take inspiration from the beautiful 14 acres of gardens to build your own colourful autumnal garden in one of two Craft Workshops. suggested ages 6+.

The following day (11am and 2.30pm) storyteller Beth Webb will make you laugh, squeal, and maybe shudder a little with her “The Last Pumpkin” tales of pumpkins and spiders, followed by colouring fun and a mini writing workshop. suitable for 6-10 year-olds but everyone welcome.

Finally, on all hallows eve (October 30th) Beth will be telling unbelievable tales of saints, demons and monsters in the atmospheric Undercroft. history meets legend in this retelling of the lives of medieval saints and sinners. age recommendation 14+. Ticket price: £15 includes drink on arrival. admission to the Treasure hunt, craft workshop sessions and storytelling sessions is included with any valid Bishop’s Palace ticket and, when you’ve finished, your little ones can enjoy playing in The dragon’s Lair natural play area.

The mendiP Times WhaT’s On GUideFOR OCTOBeR 2021

As Covid numbers are still high, 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.

Tuesday September 28th to Saturday, October 2nd

Keynsham Kindness Festival, 16 scheduled events. details: Facebook or www.keynshamkindnessfestival.co.uk

Wednesday September 29th

Mendip Ploughing Match, Green Ore. details: www.mendipploughingsociety.co.uk Harptrees History Society talk by Prof Richard Coates about the somerset dialect 7.30pm, preceded by aGm at 6.30, West harptree Village hall Bs40 6eG. no charge for members. Visitors very welcome, £3. Please book to ensure covid safe numbers: info@harptreeshistorysociety.org

Friday October 1st

Frome Memorial Theatre “an evening with aggers & Tuffers” 7.30pm Tickets: £27.50 from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk

Saturday October 2nd St Bridget’s Church, Chelvey Harvest

Ploughman’s lunch on the lawn, with traditional irish music. 12.30pm, Bs48 4aa. ByO or soft drinks available. donations. details: tony.stirratt@btinternet.com Frome Memorial Theatre “Rule the World with Tony as Robbie” 7.30pm Tickets: £21, £20, U16's £19 from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk Churchill Music: London mozart Players Quartet with clarinettist michael Collins. all saints Church Wrington, Bs40 5LG. Tickets: 01934 852589 or tickets@churchillmusic.org.uk

Castle Cary Carnival family race night

fundraiser, Caryford hall. Tickets £10 incl. buffet supper. Tel: 01963 351307. Kingston Seymour Market 10am-12pm Village hall. Fairtrade goods, cakes, crafts etc. Wells SOUP fundraising lunches give local organisations the opportunity to tell you about their work. Tickets £5 incl lunch. 12.50-2pm, Connect Centre, Ba5 2Be. details: www.wellsindependents.org/soup

Monday October 4th

Music in Mind, free meetings held fortnightly for people who feel isolated, or those with memory problems and their carers. With music therapist stella moore at the masonic hall Wedmore, 2.153.30pm. details: 01934 732282.

Tuesday October 5th

St John’s Glastonbury afternoon concert. scarlett stone sings with hywel davies, piano. 1pm, entry by donation.

Thursday October 7th

Congresbury Gardening Club talk by alan Clarke “Fungus Fact & Fiction” 7.30pm memorial hall. St John’s Glastonbury afternoon concert. Florin matasaru, piano. 1pm, by donation.

Friday October 8th

WOWfest Ceilidh, Wells Town hall, 7.30pm, £7 in advance, £8 on door, with squeeze Fiddle Pluck. details: info@timeconcerts.co.uk

Saturday October 9th

Cossington Jazz, with hot Fingers, acoustic jazz from 1930s and 40s led by Tom “spats” Langham, Village hall Ta7 8Jn, 8pm, tickets £12.50. details: 01278 451187 rogercollett.sounds@talktalk.net Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War memorial hall. Good quality books, jigsaws, dvds. Frome Society for Local Study talk by Jonathan holt – somerset Follies. 2.30pm assembly Rooms, Frome, Ba11 1eB. members free, £3 non-members. details: www.fsls.org.uk

Saturday October 9th and Sunday October 10th

Chew Valley Arts Trail is back! Over 18 venues, many with multiple exhibitors, open between 10am and 6pm. details: www.chewvalleyartstrail.co.uk

Sunday October 10th

Wells Food Festival, with over 200 food producers and street food stalls, 10.30am to 4.30pm. details: www.wellsfoodfestival.co.uk Castle Cary Apple Day fun and music, stalls, food & drink, 11-3pm market house. Free. Lecture at 6pm: “The apple in art” speaker from the national Gallery. details: Colleen 01963 351763. markethouse.bookings@castle-cary.co.uk

Monday October 11th Congresbury Memorial Hall Club Friendship

evening with bingo, 8pm War memorial hall. Visitors welcome.

Nailsea & District Local History Society AGM

followed by “The Whitchurch airport story 19301957” by Clive Burlton, 7.45pm, Green Lecture Room, nailsea school. Visitors £2 www.ndlhs.org.uk.

Tuesday October 12th

Fosseway Gardening Club talk by local florist heather Burch “autumn Flower decorations”. Pylle Village hall, 7.30pm. Visitors welcome: Jill 07772 008594. Café Scientifique talk by Prof James Ladyman “science as a complex system” 7pm market house, Castle Cary. Free. details: Colleen 07375 890751 or tcolleenbower@gmail.com

Thursday October 14th Glastonbury Townswomen's Guild meeting,

Town hall 2.30pm. speaker david andrews: “Romance Through the ages.” Visitors welcome. St John’s Glastonbury afternoon concert. Celli amici (cello trio). 1pm, entry by donation. Frome Memorial Theatre “an evening of mediumship with Psychic Tony stockwell” 7.30pm Tickets: £22, £20 from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk

Friday October 15th and Saturday 16th

Chew Valley Beer Festival, Ubley Village hall. details: www.chewvalleybeerfestival.co.uk

Saturday October 16th

Farmborough Craft & Gift Fayre, memorial hall, Ba2 0ah, 10.30–4pm, entry £1, children free. Gifts and refreshments. Frome Memorial Theatre “Rich hall’s hoedown deluxe” 8pm age 14+ Tickets: £17 from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk Claverham Village Market 10am-12pm Village hall, vegetables, butchery, crafts etc Charity Bookstall outside Waitrose, nailsea. nailsea & Backwell Rotary. South West Early Music Forum Obrecht workshop 10-5pm st John’s Glastonbury. all welcome. Castle Cary Carnival & lantern procession 7pm. With entertainment outside market house. details: www.ccacs.org.uk

Saturday October 16th and Sunday 17th

Leigh on Mendip Art & Craft Exhibition is back! 11am-4pm memorial hall, Ba3 5Qh. admission free. Paintings, textiles, wood, jewellery, glass, photography and more for sale. Cakes, tea & coffee.

Wednesday October 20th to Saturday, October 29th

“Me wearing three hats” Robin Gray’s exhibition of his abstracts, cave pictures & photographs, 10am4pm Wells & mendip museum. admission to the exhibition is free. Closed sundays and mondays.

Thursday October 21st

St John’s Glastonbury afternoon concert eliza Green, piano. 1pm, entry by donation.

Friday October 22nd

Inaugural Race Night Peasedown st John Cricket Club. eight races raising funds for both the cricket and croquet club. From 6.15pm, first race 7.15. details: Chris 01761 431158 or Brian 07970 922867.

Friday October 22nd to Sunday October 24th Somerset & Dorset Railway end-of-season Gala

all home locomotives and visiting austin 1 will be running. details: www.sdjr.co.uk

Saturday October 23rd Yatton & District Horticultural Society Autumn

Show, 2-4.30pm yatton Village hall, Bs49 4hL. www.yattonhorticulturalsociety.co.uk Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War memorial hall. Good quality books, jigsaws, dvds. Frome Society for Local Study talk by John smith – the Battle of Britain over somerset 2.30pm, assembly Rooms, Frome Ba11 1eB. non-members £3. details: www.fsls.org.uk iSax Saxophone Quartet 7.30pm, st mary’s Church, yatton. Tickets £10, details: www.yms.org.uk St John’s Glastonbury concert: indian Tabla with Ricky Romain, 8pm. Tickets £12 on door or www.stjohns-glastonbury.org.uk

Monday October 25th Congresbury Memorial Hall Club Friendship

evening with bingo, 8pm War memorial hall. Visitors welcome.

Tuesday October 26th and Wednesday October 27th

Frome Memorial Theatre “spellbound presents Bugsy malone” 7pm, and 2pm Wednesday. Tickets: £12, £11, U16s £9 from 01373 462795. www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk

Wednesday October 27th

Harptrees History Society “The mid Tudor Crisis” Prof Ronald hutton on the short reigns of edward V1 and mary, 7.30pm West harptree Village hall, Bs40 6eG. socially distanced chairs. Visitors very welcome £3. Please all book by email: info@harptreeshistorysociety.org

Thursday October 28th

Chew Valley Wildlife Group, “new methods of Tracking Birds” mike Bailey, 7.45pm millennium hall, Chew magna. The wildlife group’s jumble sale normally held in January will not take place. St John’s Glastonbury concert: avalon Recorder Consort. 1pm, entry by donation.

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

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 Scare Walk raising funds for holcombe village. Time tbc. details: www.facebook.com/holcombehiveevents

Cary Carnival is back –Covid-friendly style New members welcome

The Weston-super-mare Folk dance Club meets on the first and third Tuesdays of each month at Corpus Christi Church hall, ellenborough Park south, Weston, 8-10pm. new members and beginners are most welcome to join them for a fun evening.

Details: Sheila Heath 01934 625242

Lottery heritage fund boost for museum

The last evening procession in 2019

CasTLeCary and ansford carnival couldn’t celebrate 100 years of carnival last year – that was one reason why the town’s carnival society was especially keen to put on a procession in 2021. so, a new-look event will take place in the town on saturday, October 16th. Lined up already are walking entries, a few small floats, twirling majorettes and three bands. another innovation for this year’s special community carnival is the town’s first lantern parade. as part of the main carnival procession, the lantern parade will include around 250 children from primary schools including Queen Camel, Wincanton and Castle Cary.

Castle Cary Primary school head, sarah martin, said: “The children are really excited to be part of the evening procession this year.”

The other new feature for this year will be a festival-like atmosphere around the market house with a dJ playing before the procession and live music afterwards. The usual procession route has been shortened.

Carnival society chairman, Paul Burch, said: “We know it will be different this year. it’s about celebrating as a community that we are coming out of the pandemic and looking forward positively to the future.” he added: “it’s great how many families and local organisations are putting in entries. Cary is a small town with a big heart! everyone is determined to come together, celebrate and look forward to the future.”

The procession starts at 7pm. For details, visit: www.ccacs.org.uk

WeLLs & mendip museum has received an award from the national Lottery heritage Fund for its project search & Learn.

This was the motto of the museum’s founder, herbert Balch, and is now the title of a project to both reinvigorate and re-tell the social stories of Wells. it marks a step change in how the museum tells those stories and includes refurbishment of two galleries, restoration of Balch's study, and the installation of new displays and interactives. alongside this will be a vibrant activities programme, and the opportunity to work with new and existing partners. The award is of £194,600 towards a £300,000 project.

Start Christmas at the Hippodrome

enTeRTain all the family with the spectacular, toe-tapping production of irving Berlin’s classic musical, White Christmas. direct from the West end “this terrific dose of pure escapism” (The Times) will be lighting up The Bristol hippodrome from monday november 1st-6th.

The iconic award-winning sheila Ferguson (Three degrees) stars as martha Watson in this acclaimed masterpiece. Join veterans Bob Wallace (matthew Jeans) and Phil davis (dan Burton) as fuelled by love, the all-singing, all-dancing duo follow the stunning haynes sisters, Betty & Judy (Jess daley & emily Langham) to a Vermont lodge for a special Christmas show.

This is a timeless romantic comedy to warm the hearts of all ages. Book your tickets now at atgtickets.com/bristol

Music celebration will aid hospice

LiVe music and a party dJ will feature at a Christmas party at the Royal Bath and West showground in december.

Organised by the midsomer norton-based music agency music expo, a Community interest Company, the night offers a great opportunity for families, friends and staff parties to get together in the run-up to Christmas day.

The party takes place on saturday, december 18th at the Wessex Pavilion and will feature a guest performance by Glastonbury Festival’s michael eavis, with Grasier. Other performers include Karl Ficarotta, Taya minchington, Recovering satellites and the Gabriel Templar Band. Proceeds from the event, which begins at 7pm, will go to dorothy house hospice.