Issue 11 - Volume 15 - Mendip Times

Mendip Times

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VOLUME 15 ISSUE 11

FREE

Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas

APRIL 2020

IN THIS ISSUE: FOCUS ON CHEDDAR • EDUCATION • COMMUNITY • ENVIRONMENT • BUSINESS • SPORT

Local people, local history, local places, local events and local news

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MENDIP TIMES

CONTENTS

Welcome

THE local hedging matches were well supported and we have pictures from Mid-Somerset and Wrington and Burrington.

But as Mendip gears up for its usual busy season of spring and summer shows and festivals, the threat of coronavirus has cast a shadow over them.

We don’t have our usual busy section of What’s On listings, and suggest you contact organisers before travelling in case events have been cancelled.

One casualty of the virus is the very popular senior citizens tea party organised each April by Cheddar Vale Lions, which has been postponed until later in the year. Cheddar Arts Festival has also been called off. Otherwise the place is buzzing as you will see from our Focus on Cheddar feature.

Meanwhile Wells has just opened a new tourist information centre after being named the best small city to visit in a national survey.

Mary Payne has some advice for gardeners on how to cope with all the rain we’ve been having, while, Phil Hendy, appropriately, traces the history of cave diving. We also have an extensive education feature this month.

With all of our regular contributors and features, let us keep you company in these uncertain times.

May 2020 deadline: Friday, 17th April 2020.

Published: Tuesday, 28th April 2020.

Editorial: Steve Egginton steve@mendiptimes.co.uk Mark Adler mark@mendiptimes.co.uk Advertising: Ann Quinn advertising@mendiptimes.co.uk Rachael Abbott rachael@mendiptimes.co.uk What’s On listings: Annie Egginton annie@mendiptimes.co.uk Accounts accounts@mendiptimes.co.uk Publisher: Mendip Times Limited Coombe Lodge, Blagdon, Somerset BS40 7RG Contacts: For all enquiries, telephone:

01761 463888

or: email: news@mendiptimes.co.uk www.mendiptimes.co.uk Design and origination by: Steve Henderson Printed by: Precision Colour Printing, Haldane, Halesfield 1, Telford, Shropshire TF7 4QQ Copyright of editorial content held by Mendip Times Ltd. and its contributors. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the Publisher. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the publisher or its associates.

Front cover: Climate protest in Wells. Photo by Mark Adler, see page 59.

5

Off the peg – school mums host clothes swap

11

The stakes are high – hedgelayers compete

71

59

Staying alive – climate strike protestors in Wells

Singing its praises – Glastonbury church reopens Plus all our regular features Environment ...................................6 Farming Nick Green .....................10 Internet and Crossword ..............14 Food & Drink ...............................20 Arts & Antiques ...........................28 Business.........................................34 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE .......49 Walking Sue Gearing ....................50 Outdoors Les Davies MBE ..........52 Gardening Mary Payne MBE.......54

Health Dr Phil Hammond .............67 Community ...................................70 Property ........................................80 Caving Phil Hendy ........................82 Charities........................................84 Homes and Interiors ....................86 Riding Rachel Thompson MBE.....89 Sport ..............................................90 Music & Theatre ..........................94 What’s On.....................................96 MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 3

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MENDIP TIMES

Clothes swap will help schoolchildren

New base for tourists and locals alike

NEWS

A riot of colour in Evercreech village hall

A CLOTHES swap evening in Evercreech has raised more than £100 for the village primary school and a recycling organisation.

Members of Evercreech Primary School’s Association of Parents and Teachers organised the SWISH event in the village school which saw dozens of items of clothing donated for resale; some had never been worn. Any unsold clothes were sent to Bags2School, which collects and recycles clothes and shoes and makes donations from the proceeds to schools and other organisations.

Jenn (left) and Gemma – two of the organisers of the SWISH event

Fairtrade map of Wells

The Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Rt. Rev. Peter Hancock, was joined by mayor John Osman to cut the ribbon to open the new TIC

A NEW tourist information centre has opened in Wells in the town hall after relocating from Wells and Mendip Museum.

The Visit Wells project is a result of the partnership formed between several key organisations across Wells.

Wells Heritage Partners was created to work collaboratively to push forward ideas and initiatives to raise the profile of the city.

The key organisations include The Bishop's Palace, Wells Cathedral, Wells City Council, Wells & Mendip Museum plus the Chamber of Commerce, Wells Civic Society and Wells businesses. The TIC used to be based at the town hall.

The opening of Visit Wells follows the recent accolade from Which Travel which voted Wells "Best Small City to Visit". Wells also won Coach Friendly Destination 2019 at the British Coach Tourism Awards and has been shortlisted for the same award for 2020.

Visit Wells will be open daily, initially from 10am until 4pm.

WELLS Fairtrade City Group has produced a guide to where Fairtrade Goods can be found in the city’s businesses.

Inside the brochure is a map showing cafes, supermarkets, clothes shops, craft supplies, cinema and delis which sell FT items. There are also stalls which come regularly to the market on a Wednesday and Saturday which offer Fairtrade goods.

The brochure was produced to coincide with Fairtrade Fortnight and the launch of Fairtrade in the UK 25 years ago.

Wells was one of the first ten towns and cities in the UK to be awarded the status. Businesses in the city are monitored regularly by the Wells Fairtrade City Steering Group to ensure that FT goods are still being sold or promoted. The group meets once a month over coffee in one of the city’s cafes.

(l:r) Fairtrade group members Pauline Malpas, Jenny Lewis and Alison Wilcox

For details, email: wftcgroup@gmail.com MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 5

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MENDIP TIMES

Keeping Mendip Hills tidy

DurINg April and may the mendip Hills AoNB unit are running a campaign to reduce anti-social behaviour, targeting litter, dog poo and car crime in car parks. the campaign is to remind visitors that these car parks are in nature reserves and are generally looked after by volunteers. they say the litter and dog poo are unpleasant to look at but also come with real impacts on the plants and animals. the poo changes the composition of the soil by adding nutrients, particularly nitrogen. to help mendip’s amazing limestone grasslands recover nitrogen shouldn’t be added as it helps nettles to dominate the rare flowers. much of the litter left behind is plastic and may also contain toxic substances which can pollute water courses. the volunteer rangers visited ten visitor car parks to survey how much litter and dog poo there was. the volunteers collected 25kg of litter and counted 409 piles of dog poo, weighing approximately 24.5kg. the worse site for litter was Bleadon Hill and the worse site for dog poo was Blackmoor Nature reserve with over 96 individual piles of dog poo on one path for 300 metres. ranger, Lauren Holt, said: “It’s unfortunate that the worse affected area by dog poo is a Site of Special Scientific Interest for the rare plants and used by educational groups all the time.”

As a result the unit are starting a campaign called the Hills Have eyes to coincide with Keep Britain tidy’s great British Spring Clean which runs until April 13th.

Volunteer rangers will be in the visitor car parks during the

campaign to give out free dog poo bags, keep an eye on people’s cars and give out helpful hints on where the best places to walk are.

Details: www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk

(Photos courtesy of Vaughn Matthews)

Mendip woodlands and wild flowers get funding boost

SomerSet Wildlife trust has announced a new project with Aggregate Industries (AI), working to create, enhance and restore species-rich grasslands and woodlands in the mendip area. thanks to a £22,000 grant from the Wildlife trusts and AI Partnership Fund, the mendip Woodlands and Wildflowers project will help provide better connected, high quality habitats for wildlife on SWt reserves and AI-owned land.

As a part of this, local people and AI staff will be invited to volunteer, helping to clear scrub, restore calcareous grasslands, and plant trees on speciespoor grassland. these trees will, in time, develop into a woodland, supporting nature and acting as part of a natural solution to climate change. the project will focus on enhancing calcareous grassland habitat at Somerset Wildlife trust’s Cheddar Wood Nature PAGE 6 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Yellow archangel

reserve in West mendip; and creating and enhancing woodland in east mendip, including Norwood Local Wildlife Site, monk Wood Local Wildlife Site and land

Details: https://www.somersetwildlife.org/

adjacent to AI’s torr Quarry. this project will also fund information boards at Norwood Fields Local Wildlife Site, Shute tip and the reservoir close to east Cranmore, to engage and inform people about the amazing wildlife habitats in their areas.

Lila morris, mendip Conservation officer at Somerset Wildlife trust, said: “We hope that through this project, both local people and AI staff will get the chance to learn more about the woodland and wildflower habitats found in mendip and gain new skills in practical conservation. “the project will provide opportunities to spend some time outside and help manage sites near to where people live and work, which they may not have previously explored. It wouldn’t be possible do this work without our many hard-working volunteers; we will be very grateful for any willing helpers!”

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Award for new book of local walks

Pictured (l to r) Peter Bradshaw, Sue Fraser and Larry Cunningham

FoLLoWINg the success of their earlier publications, the new book of walks by Peter Bradshaw, Larry Cunningham and Sue Fraser has been given a Wessex Watermark Award. twenty circular walks not far from timsbury, each featuring water uses a similar format to their three previous books to take walkers close to rivers, canals, lakes, reservoirs and other features associated with water.

It goes on sale on Saturday, march 28th, just as light evenings return and spring approaches.

Sue said: “People from all around seem to love the books so this time we've widened the area covered and chosen some of our favourite walks close to water, “given the book's 'watery' theme we are delighted to have received the Wessex Watermark award which will help meet the cost of printing its first edition. As with the previous books, we have researched and produced the book as volunteers for the benefit of the community.” once printing costs are recouped all the proceeds of sales will be donated to the charity Water Aid, which is working in 28 countries to provide clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. the new book mirrors the successful format of Peter, Larry and Sue's three previous books with clear directions, maps, information about points of interest on each route and colour photographs.

Larry said: “We seem to have hit on a format which suits a wide range of people, with some longer walks for serious ramblers and shorter alternatives for those just keen to stretch their legs.” the walks range from 1.8 to 8.5 miles in length.

Peter said: “there are so many potentially enjoyable and interesting walks in this beautiful area that it wasn't easy to decide which to include so we've concentrated on ones that combine attractive scenery with historical interest and, of course, water!” the book can be purchased from the Connies tea rooms or Health & more in timsbury, radstock museum, the Farmborough Community Shop and the oldfield Park Bookshop in Bath. Price £5 with all proceeds going to the charity Water Aid. Details: Peter Bradshaw 01761 472487 07840 398191 petergbrad@gmail.com

ENVIRONMENT

Getting stoned on Mendip

geoWeeK in the Wells and mendip area had promised to be even bigger and better than last year – but coronavirus has put paid to that. they had planned several field visits together with a building stone talk at the Bishop’s Palace and an “Ask a geologist” event at the Wells and mendip museum.

In view of the government guidance and the fact that the Wells and mendip museum is closed until further notice, they have had to postpone nearly all of their plans until geoWeek in may 2021.

However they can still offer to “Stone your home”. their experts will visit your stone-built home in Wells to reveal the amazing story of its building stones without ever going inside. they will post through your letterbox your “Stoned” certificate and background information on the stones of your home, all free of charge. If you would like them to arrange a visit of around half an hour on Friday, may 15th or Sunday, may 17th email Chris at chris@earthlearningidea.com In the meantime they will be taking the opportunity to write up the geoWeek walks they had planned as selfguiding trails while developing more ideas to ensure that geoWeek 2021 will be even bigger and better than their 2020 plans.

Not only is Wells the smallest city in england, it has the most varied geology within walking distance of any city in england too. So their objective remains the same – to bring the remarkable story of the 200-million-year journey of the Wells area to life for the people of Wells and mendip.

Details: https://www.bgs.ac.uk/geoweek/eventMap.html or chris@earthlearningidea.com)

Flood alert system in Chew

CHeW magna residents at risk of flooding will get rapid river level alerts thanks to a new state-of-the-art solar-powered river gauge funded by Bath & North east Somerset Council and Chew magna Parish Council.

During bad weather conditions the river Chew currently has to undergo regular visual checks by the volunteer warden team who often go out during storms and through the night in the dark. the wardens protect residents from property flooding, get flood boards up in good time and manage road flooding by putting up signs or barriers. the new river gauge means the levels can be accessed remotely with alerts being sent out via mobile phones to the wardens.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 7

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MENDIP TIMES

ENVIRONMENT

Cross to Axbridge path gets the go ahead

SomerSet County Council have told campaigners for a safe path from Cross to Axbridge that the target date for work to start is soon after mid-April this year. there will be a pedestrian refuge on the A38 north of the junction with Cross Lane and a surfaced path up to the gate into the footpath across the fields to Axbridge. the path up Cross Lane will also have street lights to ensure safety for pedestrians. the news comes after years of campaigning to make the old “coffin route” safe. It is the main route for quarry lorries from Shipham and Cheddar. tess gill, the campaign chair, said: “It is essential that there is no more delay as the heavy traffic on the A38/Cross Lane junction and Cross Lane will only increase following recent planning permission for 110 dwellings at round oak road, 60 at Steart farm, 115 at Lower New road, 100 at Yeo Valley and more in Cheddar Valley awaiting approval. “the risk to pedestrians and cyclists who currently have to walk

or cycle up dangerous Cross Lane is unacceptable. We will continue work with Compton Bishop Parish Council and Axbridge town Council and Bob Filmer our county councillor to press for the earliest start date.” the next step is to work with the landowners and all interested parties to install gates to the footpath across the fields to Axbridge that are accessible for wheelchair, mobility scooters and buggies as well as fencing to separate the footpath from cattle so the route is safe for all to enjoy.

Community shop to cut down on plastic waste tHe volunteer-run community shop in Wellow has secured a grant that will help them to significantly reduce plastic waste. the Parlour Shop has received a £500 contribution from the Ward Councillor empowerment Fund run by Bath and North east Somerset Council that will enable the shop to buy and install a variety of food dispensers so that products can be sold without packaging, with customers bringing their own containers in to be filled instead. the aim is to significantly reduce the amount of plastic packaging waste and to encourage new customers to support the community shop. It has also signed up to the council’s Plastics Pledge to work towards eliminating single-use plastics altogether.

the Parlour Shop has been run by volunteers as a non-profit making cooperative since December 1997 and acts as a village social hub, in particular helping older and less mobile people to be independent and reducing the need for residents to travel to shops by car. martyn evans, chairman of the cooperative, said: “We are extremely grateful to B&NeS for their support, we are a not-for-profit community initiative so these funds have been essential in getting this project off the ground. the dispensers will enable us to sell a significantly wider range of refillable products, supplementing those we already have for local milk, washing-up liquid and laundry liquid, as we try to reduce as much waste as we can in our

Work party braves the weather

community.”

Wellow has recently established the Wellow Parish Carbon reduction Pathway and this project to help reduce plastic waste is one of their important initiatives.

Councillor Neil Butters (Bathavon South) who made the donation from his allocation of the Ward Councillor empowerment Fund, said: “the people of Wellow have a strong record of working and running community projects. this project ties in with the council’s drive to reduce plastic and other waste as well as carbon emissions.

Any initiative to keep this community shop running will be of great benefit to not just the community but also the environment.”

meNDIP ramblers Working Party do local councils and parishes, but the labour not just them; dog walkers, residents, invaluable work in keeping footpaths in is free. obviously, ramblers themselves children and visitors also use those paths. the area open. every week the group are gain when the paths are accessible but it’s If the footpaths become impassable it is to be found somewhere, frequently in a loss to all communities and to the challenging weather, repairing or connections between them. It is not replacing stiles and kissing gates and only about ensuring that lost footpaths bridges so that the rights of way are found and recorded, but also that which are an important part of our the footpaths we know about are looked history are protected and safe. after.

In 2019 these volunteers actually members of mendip ramblers, and installed 48 gates, 44 stiles, and ten others too, will want to send thanks to new bridges! there were also lots of the working party.

Before and after … a bridge at North Barrow, near smaller jobs and clearing done.

By Elaine Dadley, for Mendip Castle Cary the costs of materials are met by Ramblers PAGE 8 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

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MENDIP TIMES

Harvest isn’t just a summer event MENTION harvest and most people will think of sun-filled summer days, farmers driving combine harvesters and trailer loads of grain being hauled along narrow country lanes back to the farm. That’s one harvest, but With NICK there are many more that happen GREEN year round.

Think about the milk harvest. It happens every day, 365 days a year. Consider the egg harvest, again, it happens every day of the year. Mendip is no different. There might be an arable harvest each summer but there are other harvests too.

Some may be aware of Fernhill Farm near Priddy. The farm is owned and managed by Andrew Wear and his partner Jen. Harvest happens all year round at Fernhill. Fernhill’s 160 acres is home to 3,000 breeding sheep (ewes), 40 breeding cattle and some woodland pigs.

Each April the ewes all have a lamb each which means at some time in the five to 12 months following there is lamb to sell.

That’s one thing harvested. Each of the cattle has a calf every spring. Some 24 to 30 months later these are sold for beef and that is another harvest completed.

And the woodland pigs have at least one litter of piglets each year and once they have been raised and sold that is another harvest. That’s the livestock harvests. Sheep need to have their woolly coats sheared off each year. Amongst other things, the

wool can be used for making clothing and insulating buildings.

That’s another harvest.

The trees in the orchard provide family and friends with apples, pears, plums and other delightful fruits at various times of the year. The kitchen garden does likewise and seasonal vegetables find the way to the kitchen table all through the year.

The farm has ten acres of woodland and timber is harvested from here to be burnt in the log boiler system. This provides heat for the house and all the farm buildings. It’s all done from farm produced, regenerated timber. To top it up, whenever the sun shines the system captures solar thermal heat.

When it rains, rainwater is captured off the roofs of the buildings and stored ready to be used to flush the toilets, water the vegetables in the poly tunnel and for the sheep and cattle to drink.

I’m sure harvest will still be something many of us think of as happening on hot summer days but this shows other harvests happen all year round without many of us even knowing.

Contact: 01275 472471 • www.jwandtjpearce.co.uk St Katherines Farmhouse, Downside Road, Lulsgate, Bristol BS48 3DZ

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FARMING

Hedging match at Barrow Gurney

THE Wrington and Burrington Hedging Society’s 188th match was held at St Katherine’s Farm, Barrow Gurney, hosted by Philip Carnell and his daughter Lindsey.

More than 30 competitors took part from as far away as South Wales and Devon.

The ladies who did lunch

A raffle prize from Chew Magna butcher Clifford Pearce Judges Paul Keel (left) and John Vickery

Winners (l to r) Sam Leach, Chew Magna, Beginners, Colin Clutterbuck, Stanton Drew, Champions, Colin Risdon, Hemyock, Devon, Open and Over 60s

Lucy Edmunds, from Pedwell near Street...before . . .

. . . and after

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 11

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MENDIP TIMES

EVENTS

A country day out

Photos by Mark Adler

LAUNCHERLEY, near Wells, was the venue for the annual Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society hedge laying competition, combined with a vintage tractor run and a gathering of Land Rovers.

The event, hosted by Kevin and John Gould of Hill House Farm, had been postponed from the previous week due to Storm Dennis.

A trophy which had been missing for more than 70 years was presented to Matt Jones, winner of the junior class. The R.A. Hobhouse Cup was presented to the society in 1932; its whereabouts had been a mystery until it was discovered last year.

Tom Harding, of Shepton Mallet, also competed in the novice class

Champion Alex Bown (right), of Binegar, with competition organiser Roger Noble (left) and show president Matthew Showering

Clive Gibbons, of Shepton Mallet, in the novice class

Keith Lintern, of West Pennard, was named best competitor over 60 PAGE 12 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Luca, soon to be four years old, is a big fan of tractors

Roy Bailey, of Oakhill, in his restored 1964 Ferguson 35X. It was bought originally by the Bristol Aircraft Corporation for use behind the snowploughs at Filton Airport, but was not popular with drivers and was eventually parked up

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HEDGE LAYING

R E S U LT S

Alex Bown was the winner of both the champion’s trophy and trophy for best local competitor

Chris Chivers, of Radstock – second in the open class

No time to admire the view; competitors put the finishing touches to their individual stretches of hedge

Norman Clothier, society president-elect, visited the competition

OPEN CLASS: Champion – Alex Bown, Binegar (also Best Local) 2nd – Chris Chivers, Radstock 3rd – Steve McCullock, Crediton 4th – Dave Brackley, Stoke St Michael 5th – Chris Claxton, Chilcompton 6th – Rob Wood, Trowbridge

NOVICE CLASS: 1st – Matt Knight, Farmborough 2nd – Neil Gemmell, Bristol 3rd – Michael Close, Pilton 4th – Keith Lintern, West Pennard (also Best Over 60) 5th – Ben Pritchard, East Harptree 6th – Bob Parsons, Stoke St Mary JUNIOR CLASS: 1st – Matt Jones, Knowle 2nd- Tom Harding, Shepton Mallet Matt Jones, winner of the junior class, holds the R.A. Hobhouse Cup, which had been missing for more than 70 years

The end of a long day

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 13

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INTERNET

Beware of fake news!

THERE is a lot of information online at the moment about the Coronavirus Covid-19, but it pays to remember that anyone can write anything they like online, as long as it’s not racist, libellous or abusive of course, but that doesn’t make it true.

Not just for health information either, but generally. There are a lot of people who seem to enjoy spreading misinformation. And be especially wary if someone is offering to sell (often for a lot of money) a cure for something – there is no such thing as a magic pill for any of life’s ailments, unfortunately.

Of course quite often people mean well, but it still doesn’t necessarily make it true. Always be wary of anything you read on the internet. So when checking information it is a good idea to use a reliable source.

For health information, then the .nhs.uk or .gov.uk addresses are good to use.

When shopping, particularly at first, go with sites you know to be reliable because you’ve used them on the High Street.

I rather like the “5 minute hacks”, which give all sorts of interesting things to do with all sorts of things, from plastic bottles to toothpaste!

But some of them are clearly doctored, as the end result is rarely as dramatic as they purport to be. And some look rather dangerous as well, so just be cautious. Be wary of links sent via email of course, as they may not even be what they pretend to be in the first place!

But how to tell? You can simply type in the information you have found and add the word hoax on the end, which may well bring up a list of sites telling you it’s a hoax or a scam. Type something like “onion virus cure hoax” (without the quotes) and see what comes up.

Or there are a few sites which would help, such as citizenadvice.org.uk and which.co.uk So keep calm and carry on (washing your hands!)

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PAGE 14 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

CROSSWORD

The Mendip Mindbender

ACROSS 1 Area of southwestern England wherein Thomas Hardy set his fictional writings (6) 4 Maybe Tom is an easy going chap (8) 10 An old, simple, piece of footwear (5) 11 A nematode (9) 12 Billy ??????? footballer of the year 1970 and Leeds captain (7) 13 Thin pastry and fruit pudding from Germany (7) 14 Radio actor, without company, but prepared to keep you warm (8) 15 Word of regret (5) 19 Northern breed of dog including samoyed chow chow (5) 21 Drink on a stick (8) 25 Attainment of sexual maturity (7) 27 Minutes lost during a delay (7) 28 Frozen stretches of water on roads or glaciers (9) 29 Insurance company (5) 30 This village is set between Brent Knoll and Westonsuper-Mare and has been translated from old English as ‘a good place to live’ (8) 31 Stroke lovingly (6) DOWN 1 & 2 Down What is the name of the village on the old strawberry line whose station was Lodge Hill (8,3,6)

3

Country South of Finland, part of Russia until 1991.

Consisting of the mainland and 2,222 islands in the Baltic sea (7) 5 A feeling of uneasiness (6) 6 Musically: a vigorous light and playful composition (7) 7 See 8 Down 8 & 7 Down Village close to Midsomer Norton. Sounds like a place of worship in the sky (6,5) 9 Salesman adds thatch perhaps and gets a telling off for his troubles (7) 16 This is very ugly indeed (9) 17 Female crew member on an airline (7) 18 Small telescope (8) 20 Sets fire to (usually criminally) (7) 22 Greek character included a Brazilian erotic dance (7) 23 This village is separated from Weston-super-Mare by ‘The donkey field’; full of snowdrops and bluebells in the spring (6) 24 Dog-like African carnivore (6) 26 Freshwater fish. If the last letter is changed to the next in the alphabet it would be a Somerset seaside resort (5) Clues in italics are cryptic by greendandelion

This month’s solution can be found on page 97

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MENDIP TIMES

NEWS

Emotional literacy at Fosse Way School

WORLd Book day at Fosse Way special school in Westfield was celebrated with a focus on helping students to manage their emotions.

A storyteller, book illustrator and author all visited to work with pupils on what the school describes as emotional literacy. many students and staff dressed up as their favourite fictional characters. the school also introduced more than 50 new books to the library to help students explore ideas around emotions and relationships. sarah Keelty, literacy co-ordinator at the school and who dressed as mrs twit from the the twits by Roald dahl, said: “Lots of the work we do on World Book day – for example, making our own gratitude journals – will link to new everyday habits in the classroom and activities for Wellbeing Week in June.

“Wellbeing Week will incorporate sports Week and look at movement and fitness as one aspect of staying well and happy.” sarah added: “Not every student at Fosse Way can hold, see or read a book. But everyone is included. Reading is a social act. share a book, audiobook, comic strip, tV show or film story, or a story from your life. Read and talk with someone (even the dog, or the goldfish!) to show them how you value books and stories.”

Sarah Keelty as Mrs Twit with some of the students who dressed up for the day

Glastonbury-based storyteller Stu Packer Emily Fox, from Bristol, another illustrator

Illustrator Holly Clifton-Brown, from Frome, who ran workshops round her books Alphabreaths and Move Your Mood

Centenary celebration Amidst snow, hail and biting winds, over 40 Evercreech villagers met at 11am on February 29th to celebrate the dedication of the village’s war memorial in Evercreech cemetery, exactly 100 years ago. in a short ceremony the Royal British Legion branch chairman, ian Elliott, spoke of the dedication of the hundreds of villagers who a hundred years ago marched from the village centre to the memorial. this memorial cost over £300, at a time when the average wage in the village was less than £1 a week. it took just 15 months from the cessation of hostilities to raise the money, design the memorial,

PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

have it made and erected on site.

At the original ceremony the then vicar, Rev Bonsey said: "Let those who come after see to it their names are not forgotten.”

Each year since on Remembrance sunday in November, these names are read aloud in the service at st Peter's Church, Evercreech, fulfilling this pledge. the brief ceremony ended with a prayer from the Rev Helen drever, the newly appointed vicar of st Peter's Church within the Alham Vale Benefice. the standard bearer of the Evercreech branch of the RBL, Richard stevens (pictured), was on parade. A basket of planted spring flowers, with a single red

poppy, was left at the base of the war memorial, joining the poppy wreaths from last Year's Remembrance sunday.

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MENDIP TIMES

EVENTS

Shepton’s window wonderland

SHEPTON Mallet joined the growing number of communities – including Frome – to stage “window wonderlands” – decorating windows of homes and business with illuminated designs.

Maps guided residents and visitors around the town to admire the displays; the event was launched with a special light show onto the front of the main Anglo Trading Estate building. The Window Wonderland community initiative began in Bristol and is now worldwide.

The lighting display by Storm Media Productions onto the Anglo Trading Estate.

The windows were decorated with portraits of some of the town’s best-known residents

A window of the town’s library decorated by youngsters with the help of artist Mandy McKenna

A window of Tesco, created by local artist Fiona Campbell

PAGE 18 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Shepton Mallet Community Bookshop

House in Garston Street

Mendip Times and coronavirus

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Mendip Times VOLUME 15 ISSUE 11

FREE

Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas

APRIL 2020

AR • EDUCATION IN THIS ISSUE: FOCUS ON CHEDD BUSINESS • SPORT • COMMUNITY • ENVIRONMENT •

local events and local news

No-one is going to be safe from the effects of this virus Mendip Times is no exception We are pleased to have published our April issue There’s the biggest business section we have ever carried and nine pages of community news We’ve been happy to agree cancellation without charge for some advertisers We recognise the difficulties they face

The closure of many of them means our distribution network is disrupted We will be leaving extra copies in shops or supermarkets where we can If you come across people who can’t find the magazine ask them to call the office or read it online Local people, local history, local places,

The cancellation of so many shows and events will cause us problems next month The May magazine is usually full of joyful pictures And it still can be – with your help We’ve often commented on the amazing community spirit across Mendip We are already seeing evidence of that So if you have a story to tell about how you have coped with this nasty little bug we want to hear it Or any other items of good news – we can’t be bothered with bad You can call us 01761 463888 – staff will be contactable Email: news@mendiptimes.co.uk Post to Mendip Times, Coombe Lodge, Blagdon, BS40 7RG Read the magazine at www.mendiptimes.co.uk We hope you stay safe and well The Mendip Times team

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MENDIP TIMES

FOOD & DRINK

Recipes for Easter

EASTER, that great moveable feast, falls in the middle of April this year. It celebrates resurrection and, in the midst of turmoil, we could all do with some hope and optimism. If you make only one of these recipes, let it be the With JUNE challah. Share it with your loved ones MACFARLANE and think of the meaning of the three strands in the braid – truth, peace and justice.

LAMB TAGINE

Tradition with a twist – a lamb tagine

Lamb is traditional to eat at Easter, with its symbolic overtones. A tagine is a great way to make a feast dish for sharing.

METHOD In a large pan sweat the onion in the oil until soft and golden. Remove and reserve. Brown the lamb. Add the spices to the saffron and stir into the pot with the cinnamon. Stir. Add most of the coriander tied in the bunch, half the onion and 300ml cold water.

Simmer, cover and cook on a very low heat for about 2 hours until meat is tender. Remove coriander bunch and cinnamon stick. Chop the dates and apricots roughly, add to pot. Simmer, uncovered, until sauce INGREDIENTS thickens. (for four) Dress with 2 tbsp olive oil remaining 1 large onion, peeled and onions sliced and 600g shoulder of lamb, cubed chopped ½ tsp black pepper coriander.

1 tsp ground ginger Pinch of saffron, soaked in 2tbsp warm water 1 cinnamon stick Small bunch coriander 200g dates 100g dried apricots PAGE 20 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

CHALLAH

Challah – made for sharing

This soft, egg enriched bread is sweet with sugar and shiny with glaze. A lovely centrepiece and made for sharing. Three, four or six strands make the plait and anyone can do three, surely!

INGREDIENTS

(serves ten) 500g strong white bread flour 60g caster sugar 8g dried yeast 10g salt 1 whole egg plus one yolk 60ml rapeseed oil 200-250ml water (at room temp) 1 egg beaten for egg wash Sesame seeds

METHOD In the bowl of an electric mixer mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the egg, egg yolk, oil and most of the water and mix with the dough hook for about ten mins. Add more water if needed to make a soft dough. Roll the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size.

Line a baking tray with parchment. Divide the dough into three or four pieces and roll into strands. Plait the loaf, tuck the ends under and place on the baking tray to rise for 30mins, covered. Preheat oven to 220°C. When loaf is risen brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for about 30 mins until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

ORANGE CAKE

A special cake and, as it happens, it is glutenfree; the ground almonds add the bulk. Great with cream or yoghourt and it freezes well.

INGREDIENTS

(serves ten) 2 large unwaxed oranges 2tbsp lemon juice 5 large eggs 200g caster sugar 1tsp honey ¼ tsp salt 300g ground almonds 1 ½ tsp baking powder

METHOD Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Pierce the oranges several times and put in a microwaveable bowl with a splash of water. Microwave on high for ten mins. Remove and when cool chop roughly, remove any pips and whizz to a puree in a processor with the lemon juice.

Add eggs and sugar and whizz to a pale and foamy mix. Add almonds and baking powder and whizz to make a smooth batter. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 50 mins until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cover with foil if it seems to be browning too much.

Remove from oven and allow to cool before removing from tin.

Serve dusted with icing sugar and sprinkled with toasted almonds.

This orange cake is gluten-free

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MENDIP TIMES

Pillars Bar & Grill has it all

Elegance and style: Pillars Bar & Grill in Street

PILLARS Bar & Grill in Street offers a beautiful Art Deco setting for dining and live entertainment or simply somewhere distinctive in which to enjoy a drink.

In April, the bar and grill celebrates its first anniversary after work began in June 2018 on the building which was once a well-known entertainment venue.

Set over two floors, with a secluded alfresco terrace and bar offering an extensive range of wines, champagnes, beers, ales and ciders (as well as Pillars’ own brand of home brewed craft ale), the restaurant’s extensive menu offers a range of food from the grill as well as dishes catering for vegetarians, vegans and gluten free options.

Easter Sunday's lunch will be no exception with a delicious set menu at £25 per person. A regular programme of entertainment sees diners and guests at the bar enjoying top class acts performing live on Saturday nights.

And anyone looking for a unique venue for their private event or birthday bash will find the art deco surroundings provide a unique location in which to celebrate.

For details, visit www.pillarsbarandgrill.com or call 01458 446885.

Izzy is a winner

PAGE 22 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

FROME College’s Izzy Hobbs has won her way through to the Rotary Chef regional finals in Hampshire after winning the district finals against other schools in Somerset, Dorset and Wiltshire.

Izzy wowed the judges with her twicebaked soufflé, salmon on roasted vegetables, and pannacotta with biscuit tuille.

She took her GCSE practical food exam just a couple of days later.

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GARDEN FOOD

Top tips for asparagus

RECENTLY we have started 1,000 asparagus plants from seed, which we are looking to start selling within a few years as a cash crop. Whenever we tell fellow gardeners that we are starting asparagus from seed we seem to be met with incredulity – why on earth would we not With JAKE just buy crowns?

WHITSON Well, for one thing, growing asparagus from seed represents a significant cost saving compared with crowns – we reckon all told, the plants cost us no more than 10% the price of crowns.

On top of this, there is in general a wider selection of varieties available with seed than crowns and you get more diversity, allowing you to cull and select the plants according to your local conditions.

The main downside is that you have to wait an extra year or two compared with crowns, but as asparagus is a long-term proposition at the best of times this doesn't seem like a deal breaker for us.

The other disadvantage is that you get both male and female plants, meaning you get seed every year, leading to selfseeded asparagus “weeds” in your asparagus beds – again, this doesn't seem like it should be much of a problem for us, especially compared to the bindweed and hairy bittercress we already have!

We've started a handful of varieties, including Connover's Colossal, Mary Washington, Precoce d'Argenteuil and Pacific Purple, and are really interested to track the progress of the different kinds over the years.

Something new to us this year is these “soil blocks”, which we are absolute converts to – you make them by compacting ordinary compost using a special tool that you can buy online and they are far superior to peat or paper pots, as they do not form a dry skin around the outside when planted.

They are also superior to normal plastic plugs or pots because the roots become naturally air-pruned as they reach the edge of the block, resulting in far greater vigour and no transplant shock. A great way to reduce plastic in the garden!

As for eating asparagus, now is the time, but for the time being we'll be buying most of ours locally. We seldom do anything fancy to it, though for a fancy treat sometimes we wrap the spears in bacon and roast them briefly in a hot oven – delicious!

Jacob Whitson is a chef, food writer and smallholder.

He is currently working on setting up a small sustainable goose farm in Somerset with his partner Johanna.

FOOD & DRINK

WILD FOOD

Eggs is eggs

YOU can’t change the nature of things. Great sayings such as: “it is what it is” and “we are where we are” capture this sentiment. But I remember my grandfather saying “eggs is eggs” in these situations and that has nice memories for me to this day.

This got me thinking about how our hunter With ADRIAN gatherer ancestors and how we, up until very BOOTS recently, would have foraged for wild bird eggs. Regular readers will know that I like tenuous links to things so I was going to try to link this to Easter eggs, but I can’t bring myself to...

There are cultures around the world that still collect wild eggs, but today we abhor this practice in the UK and it is now illegal which is probably right in terms of conservation, but at the same time we have lost a connection with the natural world.

It contrasts what society demands and the intimate knowledge that only comes from the lifelong immersion in nature. Well you would if it was your only way of feeding yourself.

Back to grandfathers, not mine but someone else’s. John Filer is the grandfather of a very good friend of mine Callum Willcox. I met John before joining Callum’s team taking part in the first series of the Great Model Railway Challenge. How I got into this is a story for another day but in essence it’s all Callum’s fault.

Anyway, John and I got on like a house on fire, he is a real character and has told me many tales of his (mis!) adventures. One really caught my attention as a forager. As a child John’s mother used to run a cafe for the fishermen on Blagdon Lake. One of the speciality dishes (not trout ironically) was boiled eggs.

The fishermen would love to come in for a warming cup of tea and a hearty sustaining breakfast. Ever enterprising and certainly thrifty, John was sent out to collect duck eggs from the banks of the lake. This daily ritual required knowledge of the birds in question, an understanding of their habits and habitat, where and when they nested and how best to remove eggs without upsetting the birds.

Timing was everything and John knew all of this. He would only take one egg from a nest and any empty nest sites spotted would be earmarked for return the following day. Just in case. As it turned out this was a completely sustainable harvest and didn’t affect the population of ducks in the area.

That was the time of wildfowlers. But even they were carrying out a tradition going back many thousands of years, just using different tools for the job. Scientific research shows us that inside our DNA we are all still hunter gatherers. It’s in our very nature.

So you see, as my granddad used to say “eggs is eggs”!

Adrian Boots is a Landscape Ecologist, Wild Food Forager and Adventure Activity provider. You can visit his website: www.gowildactivities.co.uk to learn more about wild food foraging and activities you can do with him on the Mendip Hills.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 23

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MENDIP TIMES

THE

WOODBOROUGH INN

Modern and comfortable bar with traditional log burner and friendly welcome

• A real village pub – all welcome • Open all day, every day • Freshly prepared food • Extensive menu and daily specials • Local ales • Freshly-ground coffee • A stones throw from The Strawberry Line • Outside seating area www.woodborough-inn.co.uk

A L D W I C K V I N E YA R D

Well-fed feedback

INTERNATIONAL wine awards are a benchmark of achievement. But what our loyal customers think really matters. Sandy Luck conceived an inspired means to canvass opinion: A Tapas & Tasting event.

Our self-selecting focus group With rallied to appraise 3 red wines from ELIZABETH the 2018 vintage (Flying Pig, Regent LAVER and yet to be released Pinot Noir) and to feast on traditional Spanish dishes prepared by Head Chef Carole Grant.

Many thanks to everyone for so generously providing their illuminating tasting notes. While constructive criticisms need redress, consensus of praise for the Pinot rewards special devotion in tending “the heartbreak grape”. And it does need further bottling aging!

Given the evening’s success, sisters Sandy (left) and Carole (right) plan further ‘market research’ experiences.

More paella please, not a grain of rice was left!

01934 844167 • contact@woodborough-inn.co.uk Sandford Road, Winscombe, Somerset BS25 1HD

The Churchill Inn Bristol Road Langford BS25 5NL 01934 852757 the churchillinn.co.uk

A new look A new menu Same warm welcome

Russ and Bernie’s relaunched pub

Elizabeth Laver is Vineyard Manager

For wine & vineyard tours visit www.aldwickestate.co.uk PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

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FOOD & DRINK

New Spring Emma Bridgewater collection

MEAT SUPPLIED FROM OUR OWN FARM

Country shopping at its best

Centred around a traditional farm courtyard near Chew Valley Lake – the very best in local produce and gift ideas HOT CROSS BUNS AND EASTER BISCUITS

EASTER GIFTS AND FLOWERS

TEA ROOMS

Hot & cold meals Delicious cream teas Full English breakfasts Come and enjoy our lovely Sunday roast lunches

Sarah Raven seeds and Spring plants FUNCTION ROOM AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE

Opening times: Farm shop: Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5.30pm Saturday 8.30am - 5.30pm • Sunday 10am - 5pm Tea Room: Monday to Sunday 8.30am - 5.30pm

Enjoy a good Sunday roast

Wheelchair access, children welcome, free parking, coaches by appointment

New butchery range of meats

North Widcombe, West Harptree, Bristol BS40 6HW Farm Shop: 01761 220067 • Tea Rooms: 01761 220172

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 25

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MENDIP TIMES

Children take centre stage

AROUND 900 children from six schools in Shepton Mallet and the surrounding area combined to stage a specially written fantasy drama about living and growing up in the town.

Rosie’s Adventure was performed by 200 of the youngsters after a series of workshops organised by Make the Sunshine CIC. The show referenced important features of Shepton Mallet and what the children valued about living there, as well as sharing some of their concerns for the planet and the dangers of pollution and excess.

The schools which took part were Bowlish Infant School, St Paul’s CofE (VE) Junior School, Shepton Mallet Infants, St Aldhelm’s, Croscombe and Stoke St Michael.

The two performances at St Paul’s School were amongst the highlights of the first All the World’s Our Playground Festival which featured theatre, circus and other activities.

The festival was supported by The Arts Council, Wells Festival of Literature, Literature Works, Storm Media Productions, Right Price DIY and Framptons, as well partnering organisations.

Star Rockette and Betty Blades, from Higher Beings Circus

Dress rehearsal for Rosie’s Adventure at St Paul’s School

Gymnastic skills on show in the Market Place PAGE 26 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Puppeteers and performers Nick Parker and Sarah Roland-Barker, from Noisy Oyster from Frome – some of the puppets were more than 60 years old

Olivia, who plays Rosie in Rosie’s Adventure

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WORLD BOOK DAY

EVENTS

Bishop Sutton

Wellow

Stanton Drew

Shoscombe

Cameley

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 27

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MENDIP TIMES

Calling all writers – bigger prizes for 2020 competitions

ENTRIES open on Wednesday, April 1st for the 2020 Wells Festival of Literature writers’ competition which covers poetry, short stories and a book for children.

Nearly 1,000 poems were submitted last year and the outstanding success of the 2019 event is reflected in the larger poetry prize of £1,000, with second and third prizes also increased The Book for Children to £500 and £250, placing the judge is local children’s festival’s prize money within the top writer Fleur Hitchcock ten of British poetry competitions.

Jo Shapcott – Queen’s Gold Medal holder, poet, lecturer and editor, winner of the National Poetry Competition, the Commonwealth Poetry Prize, the Costa Book of the Year Award, a Forward Poetry Prize and the Cholmondeley Award – will judge the main poetry award.

Organisers also welcome Victoria Adukwei Bulley, poet writer and filmmaker, as judge for the young poets. Victoria is a widely published former Barbican Young Poet and 2018 winner of the Society of Authors Eric Gregory Award.

Duncan Minshull will judge the short stories. Duncan combined his own writing with more than 20 years as a senior BBC Radio producer and fiction editor. His latest book, Beneath My Feet: Writers on Walking, reflects his passion for walking.

The Book for Children judge is local children’s writer Fleur Hitchcock. Her debut novel Shrunk! was the Sunday Times “Book of the Week” and she now has 16 more books for young people to her name.

Prize monies for short story and book for children categories are: first £750, second £300 and third £200 plus local prizes of £100 each for the three competitions. The Young Poets’ prizes are: first £150, second £75 and third £50, plus a year’s subscription to the Poetry Society. l The closing date for entries is midnight on June 30th.

Organisers say 2.5% of every £6 entry fee goes towards the festival’s education projects. The awards will be announced on Sunday, October 18th.

For details, visit: www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk

PAGE 28 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

A new art gallery for Glastonbury

Many of the team behind Heart of the Tribe gather in the new gallery space

THE Heart of the Tribe is making final plans to open a new gallery at 74 High Street in Glastonbury to showcase Somerset-based artists.

Director Julian Clark and gallery manager Kim Von Coels have curated a core group of 19 artists from Glastonbury and the surrounding area to exhibit at the gallery. Contemporary approaches and diverse subject matter will offer an alternative to the conventional Glastonbury iconography of the Tor and mystical themes. The core group of artists features a majority of women artists in a space which is predominantly womenmanaged. For some of the core artists this launch will be their first showcase in the professional art world, while others have been practicing professional artists for years.

The gallery will offer regular exhibitions, events and talks, open to the public, with the goal of making art locally available and accessible. There is a strong emphasis on supporting personal and professional development within the creative community. The Heart of the Tribe’s emphasis on community extends to the virtual as well as the physical, as they are offering a free online platform to promote artists and craftspeople in the Glastonbury area.

The upstairs Art Room, for hire by the day, week or month, was created to offer an affordable studio space for local artists as well as foster the sense of artistic community that serves as the foundation of the Heart of the Tribe’s ethos.

For details of the planned opening, check social media or visit: https://heartofthetribe.com/gallery/

Arts & Antiques section.qxp_Layout 1 19/03/2020 13:33 Page 29

1100 online bidders at Clevedon’s March sale Chair featured here last month sold for £2,200. With the Cheltenham Festival taking place a diamond pendant in the shape of a horse-drawn carriage sold for £2,200.

A cased set of two 22ct gold medallions commemorating Sir Winston Churchill sold for £4,000. Realising the same figure was a James Tubbs of London violin bow.

Amongst the picture section a fine pair of 19th century Chinese oil on canvas paintings sold for £4,200.

Clevedon Salerooms are already accepting items for their next quarterly sale in June and with a busy programme of Antiques and Interiors Sales there is plenty going on!

Commemorative medallions – Sir Winston Churchill £4,000

ARTS AND ANTIQUES

PRODuCING the largest single sale total since 2018, Clevedon Salerooms’ March Quarterly Specialist Sale was a great success. With over 1100 online bidders registered prior to the sale the odds appeared stacked in favour of a good sale.

A set of six Mouseman oak chairs sold for £3,800 while the Marcel Breuer Long

Details: www.clevedon-salerooms.com

Diamond set pendant £2,200

One from a pair of Chinese oil paintings £4,200

EVERY LOT IN EVERY SALE ILLUSTRATED AND SOLD WITH LIVE INTERNET BIDDING

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MARCH SPECIALIST SALE

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

FREE AnTiQuE VALuATiOn DAYS 20th & 21st April

9.30am–1pm and 2pm–5pm Held at the salerooms – no appointment necessary

17th Century sixhour clock £2,500

Antiques, Interiors, Collectables & Jewellery Sales 16th & 30th April Sale starts at 10.30am On view day before 10am – 6.30pm

Rolex Oyster Speedking £4,000

Chinese Yen-Yen vase £5,000 Lacquered cabinet £3,200

Dougal McIntyre oil £6,000

Tel: 01934 830111

We are now accepting consignments for our next:

The Auction Centre, Kenn Road, Kenn, Clevedon, Bristol BS21 6TT www.clevedon-salerooms.com

Thursday 4th June at 10.30am

Quarterly Specialist Sale

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 29

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MENDIP TIMES

Art workshops

AuTHOR, illustrator and entertainer, Ade Bowen, is running a series of art workshops in Wells for Somerset Skills & Learning (SS&L).

There are four free workshops running at SS&L’s Wells centre that will teach basic skills to help people with their drawing. The workshops are aimed at beginners or Portrait by Ange Combe those with some experience, who wish to improve their confidence and ability to draw.

Details: www.sslcourses.co.uk

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Arts & Antiques section.qxp_Layout 1 19/03/2020 13:33 Page 31

ARTS AND ANTIQUES

Keen interest for impressive diamond bracelets AT their Antiques and Collectables sale at the Mendip Auction Rooms on March 7th, Killens saw a great entry of items with something for everyone and some 700 went under the hammer with strong bidding from online buyers as well as those in the room and arranging telephone bids.

Another excellent and impressive entry of jewellery attracted strong interest with bracelets and necklaces selling to particular advantage. A white metal bracelet set with aquamarine and diamonds stood out as an item to buy and sold for £2,400 after keen bidding.

A further example with pear cut aquamarines and diamonds sold for £1,000 whilst a cluster ring with a brilliant cut diamond and sapphires realised £1,200. There was an excellent entry of quality furniture with some interesting items of Ercol and G-Plan.

An Ercol dining table with six ladder back chairs made £750, a nest of Ercol tables £400 and a Ladderax unit £400.

Amongst the collectables, militaria was greeted with strong demand with a 19th century

Howdah pistol selling for £700, an Arab shamshir sword £460 and a WW1 German Prussian brass Pickelhaube helmet £300.

With the country facing lockdown during this coronavirus crisis, Killens are staging auctions in accordance with government guidance and precautions are being taken in the saleroom. All catalogues can be viewed online and bids can be made either online, telephone or by placing a maximum commission bid.

The team are happy to arrange delivery of purchased items.

They are also accepting items every weekday between 10am and 3pm and these can be left in a secure area if there is a preference to avoid contact with a member staff.

For updates on future sales, log onto www.mendipauctionrooms.co.uk.

The next sale of Antiques and Collectables at the Mendip Auction Rooms will be on Saturday, April 4th with a sale of Victorian and Later Effects on April 21st and of Sporting, Fine Wines and Spirits on the evening of April 30th.

On viewing and sale days, the Lookout Café is open between 10am and 3pm and serves excellent coffees, light lunches and refreshments.

Contact the auction rooms on 01749 840770 or email enquiries@mendipauctionrooms.co.uk for further assistance.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 31

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PANCAKE DAY

EVENTS

East Harptree

Blagdon youngsters tuck in

Chew Stoke

Pancake lunches at chew Stoke Methodist chapel proved popular again this year with a hall full of people enjoying their pancake lunches.

One of those attending was villager Doris Smart who proudly said she would be 103 in March. asked to what she owed her long life she replied: “chew Stoke pancakes.” She’s pictured with Maggie Bone (left) and John Bone. Some £350 was raised for the chapel’s worship area refurbishment.

PAGE 32 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Frances Aldridge serving Jill Hay

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NEWS

Sheddies land in Chewton Mendip MIDSOMER Norton Men’s Shed, part of Midsomer Norton Community Trust, have just made and delivered two special playground benches to Chewton Mendip School.

The multi-coloured “Buddy Benches” are there to ensure that any child who feels lonely or bullied can sit on the bench. All children and staff are briefed to befriend and if required console any child sitting there alone.

Men’s Shed chairman, Steve Swift, said: “We are pleased that our organisation can be of help to the wider community.

“I would like to thank the suppliers Charltons Timber and Protek Woodstain who so generously donated materials to help us in his initiative which has now rolled out through many schools in the area.”

Men’s Shed now has a tremendous workshop and social area at Farrington Farm Shop thanks to the generosity of the facilities provided at the farm by Andy and Tish Jeffery. And with these facilities they aim to expand the Buddy Bench scheme to other schools in the area.

Membership of “The Shed” is open to anyone over the age of 18 and is for people of any skill or ability. For each person the first two sessions will be free (just to see if you like it). If you decide to become a “Shedder”, the fees are £12 per year

Pictured (l to r) John Goulding, Men’s Shed, Clare Rice, school head, Ian Beeho and Graham Ives Men’s Shed, Lucy Hart, chair school PTA with pupils

and £3 for each visit.

The Shed is open every Tuesday and Friday from 9.30– 1pm and with membership increasing rapidly may open on other days soon.

Details: Steve Swift 07775 735789 email stephenkhswift@gmail.com

Palace open as usual despite the virus threat

Club’s special night

Sculptor Stefan Jennings put the finishing touches to a sculpture celebrating 800 years of the Bishop’s Palace in Wells

THE Bishop’s Palace in Wells has announced that it is now offering a fully “No Contact” system because of concerns about coronavirus.

Tickets can now be bought online in advance or at the drawbridge, in the open air at arm’s length, using the contactless method with a payment card, enabled mobile phone or smart watch.

Palace members can simply show their membership card at the ticket gate. The main door of the palace will also remain open so that the historical interior of the palace can be visited easily.

It says all its Easter events will go ahead as planned, since most of them take place outdoors.

SHEPTON Mallet 41 Club’s annual ladies’ night dinner and dance is arguably the jewel in the crown as far as its activities are concerned.

Held at the Wells Golf Club again this year to a maximum capacity gathering, Master of Ceremonies, Robin Weelen, bid a warm welcome to everyone attending.

During the interval a raffle raised £550 for club president Keith Jenkins favoured charity The Oxford Craniofacial Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital Oxford.

Pictured (l to r) John Denning, Nicky Denning, chairman Avalon Inner Wheel, Andrew Edwards, Christine Edwards, chairman Shepton Mallet Tangent Club, Keith Jenkin, chairman Shepton Mallet 41 club, Chris Phillips and Pam Phillips, chairman Shepton Mallet Inner Wheel.

Chew Valley Connect

CHEW Valley Connect – a chance for older people to meet over a cup of tea and have a chat at The Woodford by Chew Valley Lake – is postponing its meetings until further notice due to the outbreak of coronavirus.

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MENDIP TIMES

Visit Coates this Easter

If you are looking for things to do during the Easter holiday week, April 6th9th you will be spoilt for choice at Coates English Willow Visitor Centre in Stoke St Gregory. Each of the independent shops on site is offering workshops for both children and adults. You can choose from: Coates English Willow – Easter bonnets, willow flowers or willow spheres 01823 490249.

Edwinas Flowers – bottle arrangement, vase arrangements or Tussie Mussie arrangements for children 07889 411030.

Withies Deli – eclairs/profiteroles masterclass, cookie decorating, pizza making or macaroon baking 07448 109774 or www.eventbrite.co.uk Pallker Art Glass – fused glass decorative panel making or copper foil bunting 07968 285043 or www.eventbrite.co.uk Hattys Attic – decorative egg painting, paint a decorative bunny egg holder or make a macramé plant holder 07736 472185 or www.eventbrite.co.uk Booking is essential for all the workshops.

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BUSINESS

Chamber celebrates 20 years

Pictured (l to r) Sandy Bell, Jim King and Rod Podger

ChEW Valley Chamber of Commerce is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a fresh plan to promote businesses operating in the area, including a map which highlights the wide variety of businesses run by members.

Right back at the beginning, the first president, Jim King said: “People outside the area may regard the valley as a sleepy, Somerset backwater. But the truth is it is a hive of industry and our members reflect a wide variety of businesses, from traditional rural pursuits right the way through to the most modern of high-tech companies.”

Jim, now the chamber’s honorary life president, was succeeded by the current vice president and treasurer, Rod Podger, and later by Sandy Bell, the third president and first woman to hold the office.

Sandy said: “We will be working on a number of fronts, such as keeping up pressure to improve public transport links and helping to prepare Chew Valley School pupils for the world of work.

“There are many challenges ahead, particularly when it comes to the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus, and we will need to grapple with the green agenda and how that plays out in a non-urban setting.

“But by working together I am confident we can do our best to grow the local economy. We’re planning to help with that by producing a brochure or leaflet of some kind which will celebrate our 20th anniversary by highlighting the broad range of businesses that are flourishing in our beautiful valley.”

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MENDIP TIMES

COVID-19: Support for those in later life ThE fallout from COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is undoubtedly having a huge impact on us all but for those having to selfisolate who live on their own and don’t have the support of family or friends, the impact could be more widely felt.

We believe now more than ever that we need to pull together to support our neighbours, friends and family members who may be struggling with the loneliness that inevitably comes with self-isolation and social distancing.

In this article we want to highlight the growing number of services and community groups that have been set up to support local communities with activities ranging from essential shopping errands, to making telephone calls and providing a friendly voice at the end of the phone. A list of local groups can be found online, via Covid-19 Mutual Aid with advice for those wanting to set up their own support groups.

At Mogers Drewett, our Later Life Support Team has been offering to deliver essential no contact shopping to its elderly and vulnerable clients as well as giving clients a dedicated number for them to call, day or night, if they are feeling low or worried and just need to chat with someone.

Supermarket chains are also responding with services specifically tailored to older communities. for example, Sainsbury’s is providing over-70s and those with a disability priority access to online delivery slots while Iceland is dedicating shopping hours for those at higher risk of infection.

Many supermarkets are also offering the option of no hand-tohand contact for home deliveries, to be left safely at your door.

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for those wanting to support vulnerable members of the local community, there are a number of fundraising sites such as Age UK Somerset that are collecting donations. families and carers should also consider practical ways to help, such as setting up family group chats and playing games together online. for more information about how our Later Life Support Team could support you or a loved one, or for contact details of local community groups, please visit https://www.mogersdrewett.com or call the team on 0800 533 5349.

Kate Norris, Later Life Support Team at Mogers Drewett

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BUSINESS

Care costs to keep growing, suggests National Friendly

DATA released this week by Irwin Mitchell and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR)* suggests a worrying wealth gap is opening up amongst retired households, which threatens to divide those which can afford later life care from those who cannot.

Currently, the average cost of weekly nursing home care for those self-funding is £1,035 (equal to £53,820 per annum) according to the studies. As a result, the majority of retired households will not be able to fund a stay in a care home out of income alone. They will likely have to use their savings or other assets to bridge the gap.

Means-tested state support is currently only available in England if a person’s assets are less than £23,250.

Consider also that the latest data on life expectancy in Britain has shown that more people in the UK are living past their 90th birthday than ever before. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were

584,024 people aged 90 or over in 2018 including 13,170 centenarians.

The idea of living much longer may of course seem exciting, but the prospect of a longer life requires good financial preparation. Nicky Cave of Eldercare Solutions Ltd says: “Individuals should make sure they have adequate funds to sustain them over ever longer retirements. This should also include the need to think about how to meet the increasingly likely chance of facing longterm care costs later in life."

Wayne Carter, head of Sales and Marketing at National friendly, an insurer which provides funding solutions for later life care costs, comments: “Care costs are, and will remain, a big issue for those in retirement.

There is a clear need for innovative solutions, such as our Long-Term Care Annuity, to bridge the care funding gap. Our product (purchased at the time care is actually needed) provides a monthly benefit paid towards care fees for life.”

National Friendly’s Long-Term Care Annuity is available exclusively via Eldercare Solutions at present.

For more information, please visit www.nationalfriendly.co.uk/es or call 0800 082 115.

Sources: 1. Irwin Mitchell 2. The FT 3. https://cebr.com/reports/the-times-care-crisis-laid-bare-10-years-to-save-the-system/ 4. https://www.ft.com/content/3bfe5136-9526-41a9-94f4-206876606a5b 5. https://www.irwinmitchell.com/elderly-care-crisis

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Looking for rays of sunshine in the gloom AS I write this, there is a moment’s sunshine and thoughts of spring are dancing in my head. Well, let’s face it, precious little else is dancing in there at the moment!

This hasn’t been an easy time for any of us and with all the political and natural happenings in Britain, Europe and across the world it can sometimes feel excessively doom laden.

Well, I am fighting back! firstly, I have been thinking what it would feel like if we had such an avalanche of media coverage every year about ‘flu outbreaks, coughs, cold and pneumonia giving us the daily minutiae of the progress of these diseases as we are getting about Coronavirus or Covid 19.

We would be in a permanent state of anxiety and probably be frozen into inactivity. The facts would be ample I feel sure, without the hype and the constant digging into how we fEEL about it. Well, we’re not thrilled, obviously!

Secondly, I can’t help feeling that there might be a positive in that it could become normal for us to improve our hygiene routines in the winter, thus reducing the spread of colds and ‘flu etc. generally from now on. That would be good for all small businesses surely?

Thirdly, we might also take on board that it isn’t noble to take your cold/‘flu/Noro or other virus into the workplace. It’s actually a selfish nuisance and causes a much more rapid spread of infection to other staff and in turn to their friends and families. I have expressed my thoughts about this in earlier pieces, I know. fourthly, I am ... er ... mature enough to remember the handy

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little rhyme we had rammed down our throats in early childhood: “Coughs and sneezes spread diseases! Trap your germs in handkerchieveses.”

Yes, I do appreciate it lacks a certain Shakespearean flourish, but I haven’t forgotten it. Believe me, I have been sorely tempted to use it especially on occasions when I have witnessed people sneezing into their hand and immediately grabbing a shopping trolley handle. Yuck, yuck and triple yuck!

I would also say that, for whatever reason, now is the time to really give serious thought to planning ahead for your business.

Now, however, is a very good time to work out how much work can be carried out remotely (from home, for instance).

Don’t be afraid to ask for advice about this. Certainly we will be offering our business clients a free sounding board and, where possible, constructive advice on making strategies for minimising disruption. finally, once again, it’s simply a time to pull together, to keep calm and carry on and to show others what a brilliant small business community we have in Mendip. We have a reputation for offering good service and for looking out for each other and our customers. Let’s carry on doing that by looking after ourselves, our staff and all vulnerable people we come into contact with.

As I see the sunshine bathing the world outside once again, I think there is definitely something positive to be taken from our recent experiences. Spring is definitely on its way. Stay well.

Jane Bowe, Probusiness

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Letting out holiday homes in breach of covenant WhAT happens if you own and occupy a flat or apartment as your main residence and yet your neighbouring owners let their property out on short term lettings for holidays in breach of a covenant in their lease? In busy holiday periods the enjoyment of your own property could be ruined. With the advent of Airbnb, this question of short lettings for holidays has become a real issue. Often it is difficult to know whether the lease of a flat expressly prohibits short lettings. Most leases say the flat is only to be used for “residential” purposes – the courts have decided that this provision is breached by very short lettings.

Depending on the wording of the lease, it may be possible for that obligation to be enforced by other flat owners. They could bring an action for an injunction against the people who are granting holiday lets, in order to prohibit them doing so. however, a more effective solution would be for the freeholder of the building (which may be a management

company) to bring a court action for a decision that there has been a breach of the lease, with a view to then issuing court proceedings to lead to the forfeiture of the lease. This is usually a much cheaper remedy. having said that, most leases provide that if one owner of a flat wishes the freeholder to enforce the obligations of another owner, he has to pay all the costs of the action and provide security for them. That can be a disincentive, but it may well be that this is the action will need to be taken. Indeed, given the seriousness of this problem, if the freehold is not already owned by a company of which all the lessees are members, it might be worthwhile for those flat owners who are most concerned to join together to force a sale of the freehold.

The general rule is that, provided at least the owners of half the flats want to do so, they can compel the freeholder to sell the freehold to them. If you acquire the freehold then it is going to be much

BUSINESS

easier for you to enforce these obligations.

This is a potentially complicated area of the law on which it is wise to take independent legal advice.

EDWARD LYONS

Email: enquiries@lyonslaw.co.uk Website: www.lyonslaw.co.uk Telephone: 01275 332168

An established and progressive law firm providing a personal and costeffective legal service for commercial and individual clients. lFamily & Divorce Law l Co-habitation disputes lInheritance disputes l Wills and Living Wills lPowers of Attorney l Administration of Trusts lProperty – sales and purchases Chew Magna 01275 332168

OFFICES AT: Westbury-on-Trym 0117 950 6506

Kingswood 0117 967 5252 MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 39

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MENDIP TIMES

ECATCHER MOL

NO MOLE NO FEE Telephone 01761 417100 www.mendipmolecatcher.co.uk

P & C Logs

d

Call Phil on 07734 098323, or Colleen on 07785 250033 or on Evenings 01934 741941 Friendly prompt service from Phil & Colleen at their farm in Charterhouse Quality seasoned beech and ash hardwood, chopped and split into a variety of load options (with free delivery).

c aft

Debtors named

AS a free community magazine, Mendip Times operates on very small profit margins, relying solely on advertising to keep us going. We are a very small, independent, local business, not cushioned by being part of a large newspaper group.

We have an excellent relationship with more than 100 regular advertisers and the magazine has flourished in the last 15 years, publishing up to 23,500 copies a month, available now through more than 900 outlets, giving us the biggest readership of any local magazine in Somerset.

This has allowed us to devote more and more pages to the work of charities, voluntary organisations and community groups.

Sadly, we have acquired a small number of debtors who have totally ignored numerous requests to pay for adverts placed many months, or even years, ago. This is very distressing, as well as hugely time wasting.

Where we have made errors in advertisements, we have waived the fee. When advertisers have asked for more time to pay, we have always tried to help.

We don’t like to resort to court action but have had to in a few cases. Recently one persistent debtor, Louise Macmillan of Moondance café, paid off the court costs but has not made any attempt to contact us to pay her still outstanding debt.

In the circumstances we have decided to publish the list below of these most persistent debtors. They have all been given prior warning that we would do so, to give them time to contact us before we go to print:

MOONDANCE, Chew Magna and Chewton Mendip.

CHRISTMAS IN THE BARN, Mells.

KEEPERS PRELOVED, Wells.

HERON BUILDING SERVICES, Rodney Stoke.

THE OAKHOUSE, Axbridge.

s, ls,

We are very reluctant to have to take this step and sincerely hope it won’t be necessary in future.

s”.

EARTHCRAFT OF

WELLS

An Aladdin’s Cave of Craft Materials & Fair Trade Gifts 8 Priory Road, Wells BA5 1SY info@earthcraft.co.uk • 01749 674728

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I’m an accountant – get me out of here!

“REPORTS that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say, we know there are some things we do not know.

“But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don't know we don't know. And if one looks throughout the history of our country and other free countries, it is the latter category that tend to be the difficult ones.”

In his much-quoted news briefing response back in 2002, former US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, perhaps unwittingly described the UK’s current political, economic and tax landscape.

With the “B-word” still looming, a new parliament, tax cuts, tax increases and tax policies that seem to change almost daily – it seems fair to say that

there are plenty of “known unknowns” for business owners to be concerned about – and maybe a few “unknown

BUSINESS unknowns”.

It’s not easy to advise clients in such times in terms of say the most tax efficient business structure or perhaps whether to sell an asset before tax rates or rules possibly change.

All cases and circumstances are different, that’s why we avoid giving generic advice to our clients but rather spend time getting to know the client and their individual business and personal tax positions and tailor our advice and support accordingly.

Getting to know the “knowns” enables us to help clients achieve the best business and tax outcomes and be best placed to deal with whatever “unknowns” they may face. having been established for over 60 years, we’ve helped clients through uncertain times in the past and we’ll be here for them again – you know we will.

Rod Podger of Underwood Lamb Accountants

Rod can be contacted on 01275 332612 or by email rod@ulco.com

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BUSINESS

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EDUCATION

WLT schools continue to go from strength to strength THE Wessex Learning Trust is a group of nine schools in the heart of the idyllic Cheddar Valley who work together to get the best out of every learner.

Formed in September 2016 when eight local schools formalised their partnership so as to share knowledge and expertise for the benefit of their students, today the Wessex Learning Trust has grown into a leading educational trust with nine schools providing an exceptional education for children from ages two to 19.

Learners in all trust schools benefit from outstanding learning environments with ample outdoor space and facilities. The trust also oversees the operations at Kings Fitness and Leisure Centre, offering state of the art fitness facilities to both members and schools.

Each school within the trust maintains its own distinctive ethos and character, while benefiting from the ability to collaborate with others to ensure that the education the children receive is always world class.

The Wessex Learning Trust comprises Kings of Wessex, Hugh Sexey Middle School, Brent Knoll Primary School,

Axbridge, East Brent, Lympsham, Mark, Weare, and Wedmore First Schools.

All trust schools are rated either Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, with one report noting that “since joining the trust, wider opportunities for pupils have increased significantly”. The trust believes in never standing still and maintains schemes of professional development for all its staff, as well as frequent opportunities to collaborate and share best practice.

Looking forward the trust is working closely with other local schools that share its ethos of putting children at the forefront of everything they do, in the hope that in the coming months these schools will choose to join the trust and further enhance their ability to provide an unprecedented opportunity for learners.

If you would like an exceptional education for your child, visit the Wessex Learning Trust website at wessexlearningtrust.co.uk or get in touch to arrange a visit to one of their schools – places and transport are available now.

Details: 01934 745363 email office@wessexlearningtrust.co.uk Twitter @WessexTrust

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MENDIP TIMES

The importance of music at Millfield Prep AT Millfield Prep School, the music department aims to nurture, challenge and enthuse pupils in their music making at all levels. They offer excellent facilities, outstanding tuition on a wide range of instruments and a lively and positive atmosphere with endless opportunities for performance.

Gifted and talented pupils are taught in a parallel programme to further their development as advanced musicians. Music scholarships are also available to pupils from Year 6 upwards. Their purpose-built, newly renovated music department has 22 teaching and practice rooms, as well as a large recital hall.

Pupils are enthused by the passion and expertise of over 20 dedicated music teachers. Music is regarded as an essential element in the education of children and plays a very important role within school life.

Their thriving music calendar features almost weekly events, from informal “Tea and Music” and “Cushion” concerts, to large-scale end of term concerts, whole-school house singing, musical productions, workshops, masterclasses, the incredibly popular Rock and Pop evening and their annual meet at the prestigious Wells Cathedral.

The endless performance opportunities are available to those looking to perform solo for the first time or build their repertoire in more advanced ensembles. They run 21 extracurricular clubs and ensembles including orchestra, wind band, chamber choir, junior and senior choirs, jazz and blues band as well as various rock bands.

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Pupils in Millfield Pre-Prep all perform in musicals and have access to an exciting music programme that includes the opportunity to learn the ocarina in Year 1 and violin or cello in Year 2. All pupils from Year 3 to Year 8 are encouraged to either learn an instrument or sing in a choir.

They offer free trial lessons on any instrument and all pupils take part in annual music events.

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Exam results are not the only measure of success AS the Head of Sidcot School, a nonselective independent school, I often find myself torn between the desire for outstanding exam results and the need to equip students with the skills necessary to succeed in the world beyond school.

We all know that children do not grow by measuring so why is there such focus purely on exam results? Surely, we need to be aiming higher than this for our children.

I believe that for schools to better equip students with skills for life we need to release the pressure valve on exam results. We want Sidcot students to have an inspirational education that is as much about nurturing the spirit as it is about outstanding academic success.

Sidcot School lives and breathes the Quaker values of truth and integrity, equality and community, peace, simplicity, and sustainability. We welcome students and staff of all faiths and none.

We encourage individual thought, questioning and exploration, whilst

making sure our students have the support they need to grow as individuals, with their full range of talents recognised and celebrated.

My school’s moto is “Live Adventurously” and we have consciously ring-fenced space in the timetable for our students to explore different approaches to learning and to

EDUCATION

work on those skills and attributes that can’t be measured by an exam result.

Students leave Sidcot with a wellrounded, holistic education, prepared for life. After all, isn’t this a better demonstration of success than outstanding exam results alone?

Iain Kilpatrick Head of Sidcot School

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Bath College’s Somer Valley campus: Try a trade BATH College’s next open day is at Somer Valley Campus on Saturday, May 2nd. The open day is perfect for those who are looking at training in a trade or for a career working with animals.

Somer Valley Campus is home to a state of the art Construction Skills Centre, with purpose-built electric, carpentry, brickwork, stonemasonry, woodwork, plumbing and refrigeration workshops where students and apprentices learn their craft.

The campus also has a Painting & Decorating Centre, a Motor Vehicle Workshop and Engineering Department for students.

The open day will be interactive, with prospective students and parents able to “have a go” at the trades.

Animal care students will also be offering tours of the grounds to see approximately 200 resident animals, which include pygmy goats, ferrets, owl, chickens, guinea fowl, birds of prey and plenty of rodents, reptiles, insects and aquatic species.

This campus also has a brand new SEND centre, Wellow House, which provides a safe and inviting environment for students to further develop their skills with fantastic facilities including fully accessible kitchens, a training flat, sensory room and calming room.

Go along to the open day to talk to their staff about all courses and apprenticeships offered by Bath College.

Staff will also be on hand from the City Centre Campus to discuss the subjects taught there which include IT, music, psychology and law, performing arts, business, art and design, fashion, business and retail, creative media, catering, hair and beauty and many more.

Details: To pre-register for the open day, visit bathcollege.ac.uk/openevents

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EDUCATION

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Nature is not a cure – but it can help

THE great healing power of nature should never be underestimated. We’ve endured what must be one of the longest periods of rainy day after rainy day, indeed with a run of days of 100% cloud coverage it’s not surprising that people in these conditions suffer from Seasonal Affective

By CHRIS Disorder (SAD).

SPERRING SAD can affect you in many ways MBE including generally feeling low, needing excessive sleep, and over-eating. These things and loss of activity will have an impact on the immune system and at the time of writing we all need brighter sunny days to be able face the impacts of the virus and generally brighten the dull days.

Nature is not a cure, but nature can help. As the day length increases, spring flowers increase by variety and colour and can lift our spirits knowing that brighter days are to follow.

Birds will begin singing again and even in our gardens or our local parks areas in urban locations birds will be heard singing if we listen out for them. Even from your house you can watch birds; birds are really great as we can bring them closer by feeding them. Again this can lift the gloom of the darker days, but now with longer days also comes the sun (hopefully) raining down on us vitamin D. Some people think the sun shining through a window is a good source, but according to scientists it’s not. But they do agree that the sun is the best source of vitamin D. April also sees the arrival of some of our migrant species of bird, species such as the iconic swallow. Normally the first arrivals are heading much further north but can be seen

Swallows – an early sign of better days ahead?

WILDLIFE

Chris is planning a series of badger watches over the summer

feeding by flying low over the fields, parks and playgrounds in the hope of catching on the wing flying insects.

It’s been a long trip for these 18-gramme in weight birds; their journey would have started in February in South Africa travelling at around 200 miles a day it can take them over six weeks to get here. I would presume during the journey they would be stopping off to rest for several days, so please don’t get the impression they are travelling all the time.

Finally, when they reach here, they will and can have several broods during their summer stay. On Mendip for example a few years ago I followed a pair living in an old barn and that year they raised three broods, rearing a total of 11 young.

Watch out for swallows and write down the first date you see one. If you’re living on a farm where they nest regularly it might be interesting to note how many pairs you have compared to even a few years ago.

Many mammals are now having their young, or even in the case of the badger many young. Even though being born perhaps six weeks ago, only now will they be venturing out with their parents for the first time. Badgers normally emerge if undisturbed from their underground setts just after dusk and begin their night activities.

This normally involves some time cleaning the sett and collecting fresh bedding for the next day, also drying bedding; they are very clean, busy animals. Then they move off along well-worn trails searching for food and water. At this time of the year they will be eating a lot of worms, maybe even garlic and bluebell bulbs. They can be carnivores also eating young rabbits, so a classic omnivore. l I’m organising a series of badger watching sessions throughout the summer. These will be for only six people at a time, the first of these will be on Friday, May 22nd and take place at a specially-located sett. The meeting time will be 7.30pm and the watch will be over by 10.30pm. For pricing and further details please contact me direct on 07799 413918. This event is subject to change depending on the coronavirus outbreak at the time.

Stay safe everyone.

Chris Sperring MBE is conservation Officer for the Hawk and Owl Trust. For news of any public walks or talks coming up please visit via Facebook @ChrisSperringwildlife

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A slightly longer spring ramble AFTER the gloom and wet of winter, this is a longer and more challenging circle to put spring into your step and guide you through the beautiful rolling countryside between Winscombe, Sidcot, Shipham and Sandford. It weaves together Shute Shelve Tunnel, the Strawberry Line, Daffodil Valley and Lyncombe Hill. The route is mainly on the level except for one or two gentle uphills plus a steeper one up to Lyncombe Hill but it is not very hard. The going should be reasonably good underfoot although some muddy patches may be inevitable. Expect to see many wild flowers, including wild daffodils (if you go soon) and bluebells down Daffodil Valley from Shipham and in the woods.

There is a cafe and pub in Shipham, a pub in Star and refreshment options in Winscombe. There are very few stiles and it’s a tail-wagger for dogs too.

PARK: King’s Wood, near Winscombe, NT car park. Try and go early as it fills up. l From the A38 heading south from Sidcot in the Axbridge direction, just before the Welcome to Somerset sign, turn right on Winscombe Hill. The car park is a short way along on the left.

START: When I came National Trust volunteers were planting the edge of the car park with wild garlic, aconite and bluebells. Go through the main gate in the wall in the car park and immediately turn left on the public bridleway signed to Cross. Shortly, as you drop down in the wood, fork left. Follow the path down through a gate and soon parallel the

With Sue Gearing PAGE 50 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

railway cutting on your left. Come out onto the line. And turn left on the Strawberry Line, now a very popular cycle/walkway using the former rail line named after the early strawberries from Cheddar that were dispatched via this line to different markets.

1. TUNNEL Reach Shute Shelve Tunnel, an amazing 180 metre long tunnel. On the approach take a look at the variety of mosses and ferns cladding the steep sides. Inside the tunnel, notice the change of stone half way along and the accumulation of flow stone.

Outside, is a wheelbarrow with interesting information about the tunnel and line.

Follow the line on. Pass a sign left to Slader’s Leigh Nature Reserve where we go on the return. Go through a double set of gates and reach iron railed steps left and right.

2. STEPS Go up right. The path takes you between the recreation/rugby field of Winscombe and gardens. Join Fuller’s lane track and follow it to the A38. Cross with care and continue on along the marked footpath between hedges. There should be bluebells along the path. Climb gently and reach a crossing path. Go left and continue to the end. Turn right a couple of yards and then left on the main lane through Sidcot.

3. SIDCOT Just past a No Through lane coming in left, and opposite Sidcot School, go right up Newcombe Lane which is also a footpath. It leads into a field. Cross to a small gate in the corner passing close to a wooden stable. In the next field follow the left fence. This area is part of Sidcot School’s cross country course. Keep on through a Bristol Gate (a large gate with pedestrian gate built into it) next to a stone

stile. Continue along the left edge to a gate left and drop down steps. Cross the field diagonally aiming for a hedge corner.

Then continue straight on along a grassy track passing woodland. Go through a gate, along a path and through a gate. You are now in the hamlet of Winterhead.

4. WINTERHEAD On the other side of the farm drive take the gate opposite onto a fenced path which leads to the main drive/lane in Winterhead where a stream bubbles away alongside.

Turn left, and shortly follow the marked footpath right. Go through gates and begin the easy ascent towards Shipham. The path gets narrower and then leads into a field over a stile. Turn left along the bottom of the field all the way to a stile onto a footpath.

5. SHIPHAM This leads to the centre of Shipham in an area known as the square, opposite the Penscot Inn, a former farmhouse and now an inn and hotel. Shipham, at 500ft above sea level, was once a rough village mining for calamine, zinc and iron, but is now a pleasant residential Mendip community.

Turn left past the Penscot, to the village shop. You can do a take-away coffee here but if you want a cafe, cross the main road towards the memorial cross and opposite is a low cottage at the start of Hollow Road. This is Lenny’s Cafe a cosy and popular place run by volunteers to raise money for St Leonard’s Church in the village. It opens at 11am in the week and 10.30am on Saturdays.

Cross back over and continue on along the main road passing the school and reach Broadway with the pretty Toll House on the corner. Cross Broadway to the left of the Toll House and take the marked bridleway dropping down. It soon bends down left and then becomes a stony

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WALKING

footpath in a delightful sunken valley – Daffodil Valley. It is known for its wild daffodils along the edge and banks as well as bluebells, aconites, and celandines.

At the end go down a small lane past old miners’ cottages to the A38 in Star.

Le

6. STAR Cross and follow the pavement past the Star Inn, “welcomes families, ramblers and dogs”, and then turn left down the No Through lane, a restricted byway. Follow this along and up for half a mile to the top by a large barn. Turn left passing a Bristol Waterway compound left. Continue on this track for over half a mile all the way along and then gently up to a metal gate at the top.

7. LYNCOMBE HILL Come into a more open area on Lyncombe Hill. Keep straight on and through one more gate. Now leave the main route and fork left on a small grassy path leading to a field on the hill edge. Turn right and enjoy the great view across the valley to the Mendips as you continue through this field and the next. At the end turn down left and go through a gate into Sandford Wood by a concrete shed.

8. WOODS The path leads you along and down through the woods where you will see swathes of bluebells. Higher up in the woods there used to be quarrying for stone said to have been used to construct Avonmouth Docks and in the expansion of Temple Meads Station. It ceased working in the 1990s.

Just past a Volunteers Path come to a well-sited bench, facing south across to Winscombe and Crook Peak, a good picnic spot. Carry on, through a barrier, joining a larger track. Ignore Mike’s Path. It was named after Mike Stone a dedicated naturalist who did much work in the area and follows the line of the old quarry railway.

You may have seen signs in this area for Award Lane. This and the nearby small quarry were awarded to the parish in 1799 so they could dig out stone to rebuld local roads. It is now managed for public access and nature conservation by a group of volunteers.

Walk on down to another barrier and a cottage. Turn sharp left back on yourself, but beforehand you may wish to go on a few more yards to the Old Forge, originally used to build steam crushers and reopened in WW2 and worked by Italian POWs and local men to fashion tools for the quarry.

8.2 miles, about 4 hours walking, plus time for stops OS Explorer 141 Cheddar Gorge & Mendip Hills West, Grid ref: 421560.

Postcode BS25 1NW.

Soon join Uplands Path and pass the old POW latrines. Follow the path until you reach a railed stepped path on the right. Go down, through a gate, and continue on ahead, bend left, and then right up the drive passing a field where you may see two donkeys. At the top go right and follow Shipham Lane to the main road in Sandford. Cross over into Ilex Lane. Come to a bridge over the Strawberry Line.

9. STRAWBERRY LINE Cross and go down the path left leading down onto the line and continue on for nearly three quarters of a mile.

10. WINSCOMBE Come to Winscombe old station. Stay to the right, passing the platform on your left, and then if you wish you can make a short detour down to Winscombe to public toilets just below and a choice of cafes and the Woodborough Inn. To continue our circle carry on along the line until, just before the tunnel, come to steps up right to Slader’s Leigh. Go into this nature reserve which boasts many wild flowers and which

is owned and run by the Mendip Society. A treated path has been laid up the middle. At the top pass two rare and ancient small leaf limes (fenced off) and then go out and down to the sunken track and follow it up to Winscombe Hill and the car park opposite. l If car park is full, drive down the A38, turn left towards Axbridge and then just before the Axbridge sign find the large parking area on the right. This adds about 1.5 miles to the walk in total there and back, but it is flat and very easy. From the parking area, by the information plinth near the entrance go out, crossing the side road, and carry on along the Strawberry Line opposite. Continue to the A38, cross on the island to follow the old line on. Soon come to Shute Shelve Tunnel and continue the walk from there – (1. Tunnel). At the end, come back through the Tunnel (not Slader’s Leigh) and retrace steps back to the lay-by.

Penscot Inn, 01934 842659 The Star Inn, 01934 842355 Woodborough Inn, 01934 844167

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 51

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MENDIP TIMES

OUTDOORS

West Countryman’s diary

A QUARTER of this year has already gone as I write this month’s column and I can’t account for it.

The time is rapidly approaching when I With LES will have to start DAVIES MBE accounting for things, as my end of year business accounts are pulled together for the taxman’s inspection.

So it’s official! Last month was the wettest February on record and doesn’t seem to be stopping there. A recent trip down to Dorset for some pruning advisory work took me down a lane that was a river, due to the overflow from the steam running alongside.

It doesn’t take long for this to happen, when the water drops gravel and blocks up the steamway. Driving in this requires a little bit of care, even with a Land Rover. I always look for the camber on the road and see which way it falls away, then take a route along the highest part.

Even with a vehicle that is said to be able to wade through water up to 18 inches deep (whatever the metric equivalent of that is) I still take it steady.

Driving at speed through water is not a good idea, exciting though it may be.

Water can soon get sucked up into the engine, causing a catastrophic mechanical failure. Slow and steady wins the day if you find yourself in this situation!

I have still to get onto the garden. I am writing for April now, but not a bit of ground has been turned over ready for the essential early potatoes, shallots and onions. At some stage however, I am confident that the weather will change and as my mother used to say, I will get the “nudge” to get on with it.

Foxwood is the same and I haven’t been there since before Christmas because of the condition of the track. It’s at times like this my thoughts turn to those who have to make a living off the land. Orchards under water, winter drilled crops that are waterlogged and some spring crops yet to go into the ground.

One thing is for sure and that is we can’t blame this on the Coronavirus!

Being able to look at the world around is a luxury not everyone is able to have.

For me however it’s a part of my life and there are some bizarre situations that can

unfold. The most recent was the interaction between the feline and avian world.

A cat had decided it was going to climb to the top of a fairly large apple tree and give the noisy jackdaws that were having a meeting there, some “rooty-toot”. Not only was he out of his comfort zone, he was also outclassed by these “sassy” birds. They led the cat on a merry chase around the top of his tree, whilst his tail twirled around like aircraft propeller in an attempt to keep balance.

The cat became more and more agitated by this truculent bird behaviour and started to push the boundaries of sense into the realms of stupidity. These jackdaws were hopping out onto thinner and thinner branches as our now arboreal hunter was determined to teach them a lesson. Thankfully feline sense finally prevailed and he made his way very carefully down the tree.

Pride somewhat dented, but unharmed and no doubt determined to seek revenge for this humiliation at a later date, the cat withdrew. Surely there is a moral in this tale – know when to back off!

As I struggle to complete my pruning programme for this year, as I look at the garden in need of attention, the paper work that needs completing and even the next column for Mendip Times that needs to be written, I sometimes have to stop and think about priorities, not just of the workload, but of my wellbeing.

Now I know that my problems are nothing compared to many, but problems they still are. That’s when it’s time to get out and reconnect with the world around me. The front of my house has started to become the site of a very random

collection of plants. All in containers and taken from mother’s garden before it was all handed back, are fox gloves, primroses and snow drops.

Then there are daffodils in pots, one of her favourite rose bushes, the tubers of the red dahlia I bought so that she could have cut flowers in the house. All of these need my attention as well.

Escaping into my beloved countryside helps me to put things into perspective, as well as giving me inspiration.

Not everything in the countryside is, or has been in the past, quite so tranquil.

Mendip and in particular Charterhouse hides a very disturbing past. Some 148 years ago on April 23rd, 1872 Eliza Lace was murdered by her husband William.

The description of this murder is quite horrific and I do not intend to go into detail here.

Suffice to say that William Lace was hanged for the deed and Eliza buried by the other Charterhouse miners in Blagdon Churchyard. Sometimes it doesn’t pay to look back too much into the past!

The blackbirds are building a nest in the hedgerow again this year and will no doubt be running themselves ragged to feed the family later on. There will still be time for the male to sit on top the apple tree and sing his heart out on the warmer evenings.

Time for me to catch up with everything that has to be done, whilst leaving time for that all important glass of beer as I watch the sun go down.

Spring is coming, it’s just a case of when.

Don’t forget the clocks go forward at the end of March… Oh yes! Finally, this month’s picture is a sign of better things to come. A rainbow over the Yeo Valley.

You can always contact me through my website: Westcountryman.co.uk

PAGE 52 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

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MENDIP TIMES

Oh, dear what can the matter be!

WE have had an awful lot of rain.

Before we consider what effect the prolonged rainfall may have on our gardens, spare a With MARY thought for our PAYNE MBE farmers who have been unable to get on the land to sow crops, but gardeners are bound to encounter some problems too. My apologies for getting a bit technical.

My first thought turns to feeding. We may well find plants, especially grass, turning slightly yellow. This symptom can be associated with a lack of nitrogen which is necessary to develop the green chlorophyll pigment in the foliage.

Nitrogen is very soluble and hence very mobile in the soil and is easily leached out even after normal winter rainfall. This will occur more readily on sandy soils, especially those lacking in organic matter, than on heavier clay soils where the clay particles can hold onto the nitrogen.

It is important to apply a spring lawn feed which is high in nitrogen, just as the farmers apply nitrogen to get the grass growing. The other two main elements required by plants, phosphorus and potassium are less liable to be leached.

Overwintering vegetables, such as spring cabbage, are also vulnerable requiring adequate nitrogen to encourage rapid development as spring temperatures rise. Do not over apply nitrogenous fertiliser, as this can lead to leaching and run off into rivers and watercourses leading to more problems.

In the garden the use of controlled release fertilisers is an excellent way of supplying all the nutrients a plant requires without leading to leaching, as they only release their nutrients when the plant is able to absorb them when growing actively, and this is controlled by temperature.

Alternatively, use an organic fertiliser, such as pelleted chicken manure, which is slowly broken down by soil organisms to release the nutrients. Above all, we must all focus on improving our soils by the regular addition of organic matter from our compost heaps.

Dry periods in summer have encouraged gardeners to grow plants that are naturally drought tolerant. Sadly, PAGE 54 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

these are just the type of plants that will suffer the most from “wet feet”. So, I am expecting losses of plants such as lavender, sage, thyme and other Mediterranean style plants, particularly on heavier soils.

Yew hedges are very vulnerable to problems if their roots stand in water for any length of time. The foliage tends to turn slightly orange and may cause death unless the problem is corrected promptly. The excessive rainfall has also led to many soils remaining waterlogged for prolonged periods.

This can lead to a lack of oxygen reaching the roots and an extensive range of problems may follow but the symptoms may not be instantly visible.

The roots may have rotted so that as spring arrives and the temperature rises and they come into leaf, they are unable to absorb water and the plant may wilt, normally a symptom of plants that are dry at the roots.

This coupled with the various storms we have had can lead to instability in tall plants. Buddleja (butterfly bush) are particularly vulnerable to this and it is prudent to prune the top third of the bush in the autumn to reduce the effect of “wind rock” and then prune again in the spring.

Saturated roots will undoubtedly lead to more incidences of fungal diseases such as phytophthora. This pathogen is present in most soils and healthy plants can resist it, but when weakened by saturated roots may lead to death or partial death of woody plants. If a part of a plant does not come into leaf simply remove the affected part and wait and see!

It may be much later in the year before the dead branches appear. Reinfection of other fungal pathogens such as leaf and cane spots are often by splashing the spores up from the soil onto newly emerged foliage.

Cane spot on loganberry can be avoided by keeping the new and old canes apart. Best practice of mulching roses after the old leaves have been collected in the autumn will help with control of black spot on roses.

Plants growing in containers can easily become waterlogged if the drainage is interrupted. Standing pots on “feet” will help to allow better drainage thus replacing the spaces occupied by water with valuable oxygen.

Digitalis Pam's Choice

Tulips, both in the ground and in containers will be more prone to tulip fire, another fungal disease which causes grey mould to develop on the foliage and distorted flowers. This can spread rapidly in damp, humid weather so affected bulbs should be removed and put in your green bin. Do not home compost them.

Apart from all the rain we have also had an exceptionally mild winter with hardly any frosts. This may have an effect on some biennial plants, especially in sheltered corners. Biennial plants produce their foliage one year and then rely on a period of “vernalisation” (chilling) to trigger the development of flower buds in their second season before they set seed and die.

Carrots and parsnips are examples from the vegetable kingdom although we rarely grow these for their flowers, but foxgloves, some wallflowers, verbascum and honesty are grown for their blossom.

Recent plant breeding has focused on removing the need for a period of chilling to trigger flowering hence we have Wallflower Sugar Rush that flowers in the autumn and all through a mild winter. We also have foxgloves from which the vernalisation requirement has been bred out.

The big question is “has this winter been cold enough for traditional biennials to flower”? I expect so but only time will tell. As with all gardening, patience is a virtue. Don’t panic just wait and see.

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APRIL GARDEN TIPS

• Remove the bubble polythene double glazing from your greenhouse, clean the glass and check that the ventilators work. Get ready to apply a coat of Coolglass to the outside to keep the temperature under control.

• Prune side shoots on grape vines back to five leaves on nonfruiting laterals and two buds beyond flower clusters.

• If you have raised your own plants and your greenhouse is unheated, keep the plants on a bright windowsill indoors for a few more days.

• Sweet corn can be sown in cell trays inside but delay planting out until next month.

• Marrows, courgettes, pumpkins and squashes can be sown in individual pots towards the end of the month. These will need protection if sown outside. Peat pots are very good for this.

• Plant basil in pots or in the borders between your tomatoes.

It always does better inside.

• Feed citrus plants with a higher nitrogen liquid feed.

• Consider buying a cold frame to ease the strain on space in your greenhouse at this time of the year. It is ideal for hardening plants off prior to planting them outside.

• Plant out half hardy varieties of bedding plants such as antirrhinum, ten week stocks, sweet williams, pansies and violas.

• Plant out sweet peas and provide support for them to climb.

• Plant out tender bedding plants in only the most sheltered spots in your garden. If your garden stays cold at this time of year then it is better to resist the temptation and wait a week or two longer.

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Tel: 01934 626093/813261 www.westongarden.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 55

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MENDIP TIMES

NGS GARDEN OF THE MONTH

Westbrook House

Your local Honda dealer, covering Frome (Shepton Mallet, Bruton and Wells) – Call: 01373 832965 or visit: www.mendipmowers.co.uk

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WELLS ROAD, CHILCOMPTON BA3 4RR Telephone: 01761 232137 www.nortongreencentre.co.uk Open: Mon to Sat 9.00am to 4.30pm Sunday 10.30am to 4.30pm PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

SURROUNDED by dairy farms and orchards in the village of West Bradley, Westbrook House is set in four acres. The garden has been laid out over the past 15 years by David Mendel, a decorative painter, and Keith Anderson, a garden designer.

There are three distinct gardens around the house. The lay-out is formal with borders loosely planted with flowering shrubs, trees, bulbs and perennials. Clipped box anchors the profusion of flowers to the structured plan.

NGS opening details: Saturday, April 18th and Saturday, June, 13th, 11am-5pm. Admission: £5, children free.

Contact Information: Keith Anderson and David Mendel 01458 850604 email andersonmendel@aol.com Address and Postcode: West Bradley, BA6 8LS. OTHER GARDENS Sunday, April 19th Yeo Valley Organic Garden, 2-5pm. Holt Farm, Blagdon, BS40 7SQ. £6 children free.

Sunday, April 26th Watcombe, 2-5.30 pm. 92, Church Road, Winscombe, BS25 1BP. £4 children free.

Thursday, April 30th Bath Priory Hotel, 2-5pm. Weston Road Bath, BA1 2XT. £3.50 children free.

Please check with venues that they are open.

OTHER GARDENS OPEN FOR THE NGS To see more gardens open for the NGS, see The Yellow Book, or Local County Leaflet, available from local Garden Centres, or go to: https://www.ngs.org.uk

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Seedy Saturday in Timsbury

GARDENING

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WORKSHOPS/GARAGES THE 11th Seedy Saturday had plants and seeds galore on offer to keen gardeners at the Conygre Hall in Timsbury.

Although numbers were affected by concerns around coronavirus, over 250 people from around the area (and Finland!) turned out.

Community displays and expert talks gave visitors a chance to find out about local initiatives, community farming and composting.

Sam Ross, event organiser said: “There was an increased sense of community and positivity at this year’s event, and I would like to thank all the volunteers and stallholders who continue to make it so successful, plus the generous support from our sponsors and ongoing interest from the local community.”

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MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 57

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MENDIP TIMES

HISTORY

A market town at war

WRITER David Lassman has turned to his hometown of Frome for his latest book about the impact of the Second World War on local communities.

Frome at War 1939-1945 is a comprehensive account of the market town’s experience of the conflict, with a focus on the ordeals endured by residents. Rare insights into the life of the town are included, along with seldom told stories from the footnotes of history; from Frome’s part within the secret underground resistance movement and the national fight for women’s equality, to the gradual influx of American GIs and Field-Marshall Montgomery's stay in the aftermath of Dunkirk.

More controversial aspects are also touched on, including injustice, espionage, racism and politics, to give a full picture of a town facing profound trials of endurance and courage, but at the same time revealing the characteristics that have sustained Frome throughout its history.

David was born in Bath but has lived in Frome since 2011. He has written extensively for numerous publications, as well as books that include Frome in the Great War, Foul Deeds & Suspicious Deaths in and Around Frome and The Awful Killing of Sarah Watts which recounted the town’s most infamous murder that appalled but enthralled Victorian society in equal measure. He has also written Bath at War 1939-1945.

David Lassman with his latest book, published by Pen & Sword Books Ltd.

Museum honours mining pioneer

RADSTOCK Museum has refurbished its upstairs exhibition gallery, using a legacy from Alex Hann, the last mines safety superintendent in the Somerset Coalfield and a life-long supporter of the heritage project.

Now named in his honour, the Alex Hann Gallery features a more flexible

layout with new display cases, provided by another bequest from David Cottle, who helped with the construction of the replica Co-op shop in the museum.

Alex, who died last year aged 94, was best known for developing a device used to train miners to recognise different flame shapes indicating safe – or dangerous –

Museum trustee Dennis Chedgy prepares to cut the ribbon to open the new-look gallery with the help of (l:r) Alex’s sons Jeremy and Simon and David and Sandra Ford; Sandra is the sister of David Cottle PAGE 58 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

levels of methane. Simon Hann, one of Alex’s two sons who attended the opening, recalled how he helped his father build the prototypes in the garden shed of their home – Old Pit Cottage – in Westfield.

Alex was also a keen supporter of the annual Somerset Miners’ Welfare Fund reunions, held at the museum.

Simon and Jeremy Hann next to a display cabinet featuring a prototype of Alex’s Koncap machine he developed to test for methane levels underground; the machine ended up being used in many mines across the world

NEWS

Flash mob at climate strike MEMBERS of Extinction Rebellion staged a flash mob dance during the latest climate strike protest in Wells.

Students from the Blue School in the city joined demonstrators from a wide range of community groups including Wells Climate Emergency Committee and Wells Climate Strike for the event, which began in the Market Square and included a short march.

The latest protest also raised the issue of preloved clothing rather than “throwaway fashion” with a clothes swap area. There was also a small display of electric vehicles.

One of the young speakers

Students lead the march past Wells Cathedral

Staying alive – the XR flash mob!

Attractions put on a brave face

Throwing some shapes in the Market Square

VISITOR attractions and other businesses in Glastonbury joined forces for the town’s second tourism symposium with a range of speakers and displays.

Andy and Karen Shaw, on the Glastonbury Dragons stand. The painting behind them is of a dragon’s festival in Glastonbury by Shirley Wellstead. This year’s celebrations are due to take place on Sunday, May 3rd (Beltane) and Saturday, October 31st (Samhain)

Working together: Jill Barker, chair of Glastonbury Chamber of Commerce (left), with John Turner from Visit Somerset, Kelly Knight, Mendip District Council’s economic development officer and local resident Mel Turford

The Somerset Rural Life Museum, Glastonbury Abbey, the Chalice Well and Berry’s Coaches were amongst those represented in the town hall along with community groups including Glastonbury Country Market and The Glastonbury Dragons.

The event also saw the launch of a new funding scheme for start-up businesses, being led by Mendip District Council.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 59

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MENDIP TIMES

Saving hedgehogs

Helpers (l to r) Elaine, Sky and Tanya

PRICKLES Hedgehog Rescue Centre started with a single juvenile hedgehog when it was launched in 2007. In the last year it took in 680 hedgehogs, nurturing them back to health, before returning them to the area in

which they were originally found.

These days that can mean taking them anywhere from Minehead, Taunton, Yeovil and Bath to South Wales, as the Cheddar charity has grown to support other centres who can’t cope with demand. It’s now one of the country’s biggest hedgehog rescue charities, with some 65 volunteers, as well as some parttime staff and a fundraising shop in Cheddar village, supporting their work in helping this endangered species.

At the moment they are coping with an influx of animals coming out of hibernation after the mild winter, before there’s enough natural food for them to survive.

Their advice is to put out dried cat food and water to help them, with dry straw and leaves for bedding. Contact them for advice.

Details: www.prickleshedgehogrescue.org.uk

Cheddar couple win top business award

Laura Filer and colleague Tom Lamb receiving their award from FSB regional director Terry Lockwood

WHEN Tom and Laura Filer had their daughter Sophie, now two and a half, they struggled to find a soft play area they were happy with – so they decided to open their own, Ocean Adventurers in Cheddar last July.

It’s just been named the South West’s start-up business of the year by the Federation of Small Businesses and they have been nominated for other top regional and national awards.

The centre, built in a former warehouse on Cheddar Business Park, now employs 20 people in a variety of roles catering for children up to 12 years old, with a café alongside.

Both Tom and Laura are accountants by training and met while working for Ernst and Young. Tom was previously senior financial controller at Airbus. The couple live in Congresbury and now have a second daughter, Olivia, aged four months.

They are particularly proud of the centre’s role-play village, which attracts people from a wide area – children are not just there to run around and burn off steam, but to develop and learn. There will be an Easter egg hunt, using maps.

They also use a hospital standard fogging disinfectant system to deep-clean the centre – which is reassuring given the current concerns about Coronavirus. The germ-free environment also means they can welcome children or parents who have a compromised immunity system.

Other disadvantaged groups, including older children with learning disabilities and those with disabilities, have free use of the facilities, including a special changing room with hoist.

Tom said: “We didn’t just set up here to make money, we have community interest at heart as well.”

Festival postponed

PAGE 60 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

CHEDDAR’S annual walking arts trail has been postponed until May next year. It was due to feature more than 45 exhibiting artists in more than 18 venues around the village.

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FOCUS ON CHEDDAR

Cheddar’s young business winner

Open: Monday – Saturday 7am-6pm, Sunday 10-4pm

We can cater for all events

Madeleine (centre) with the other finalists

YOUNG entrepreneur, Madeleine Bibby, from Kings of Wessex Academy has won the annual Big Pitch competition run by the Rotary Club of Mendip.

The Year 9 student’s Maddie’s Somerset Apple Cakes made a net profit £181, of which she donated £60 to Macmillan Cancer Research.

She had sourced all her ingredients locally, and had “employed” a team of tasters during the development phase so that her final bake, comprising over 300 cakes, was the most popular.

The project started last autumn when a team of Rotarians led

by Patrick Simpson worked with staff at the school to put on an Enterprise Challenge Day to stimulate interest in business management.

Groups of interested students then set up teams which were mentored for three months by a team of Rotarians with commercial and business experience.

A total of 15 teams entered the competition and four of them made it through to the finals from which Mendip Rotarians decided the winner.

Organiser, Rotarian Patrick Simpson, said: “The standard of all the entries was extremely high this year and this was reflected in the close voting. The business studies department staff of Kings of Wessex, led by Jo Wilson, are to be congratulated for the encouragement and opportunity they give to these young people.”

Mendip Times reduces travel costs

Cheddar & District Funeral Directors are here to help you every step of the way, providing dignity and respect to you and your loved ones. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Funeral Arrangements can be made at our office or in the comfort of your own home.

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100,000 potential customers within a short distance of your business MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 61

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MENDIP TIMES

Festival celebrates its third year

THE Top of the Gorge Festival will take place on a meadow above Cheddar Gorge from Friday, June 12th until Sunday, June 14th, offering campers and day visitors stunning views through the jaws of Cheddar Gorge to the Somerset coast.

The three-day festival is a celebration of adventure and outdoor shenanigans, with activities including trail running, mountain biking, road cycling, climbing, caving, walking, archery, food foraging, campfire cooking, star gazing, tree bathing, yoga and axe throwing.

Festival goers can also listen to guest speakers from the world of adventure, exploration and wildlife conservation, and live bands and DJs will be performing on the main stage right across the weekend.

The pop-up festival village features bars serving local ales and ciders, craft coffee, local stallholders selling quality flavourful produce from the area (including Cheddar cheese, strawberries and ice cream) and vendors serving a range of internationally influenced street food, including vegan and vegetarian options.

Headline speakers for 2020 include the UK’s most accomplished big-wall rock climber, Hazel Finday, the country’s best all-round cyclist, Juliet Elliot, expedition runner, Anna McNuff, who just ran the length of Britain barefoot, record-holding trail runners Nicky Spinks and Damian Hall, running author (and Guardian writer) Adharanand Finn, para rock climber Anoushé Husain, celebrity walker Abbie Barnes and loads more still to be announced.

Music will come from the Leylines, Brother Sea, The Adventures Of…, Hoodoo Blue, Tamsin Quin, Sadie Horler and many more and there will be performances from multi world-record holding trials cyclist Andre Burton.

Details: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/topofthegorge

Lions party cancelled

PAGE 62 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

CHEDDAR Vale Lions very popular Senior Citizens Tea Party, due to be held on Saturday, April 18th has been cancelled. They hope to hold it in the autumn.

A spokesman said: “This is a real shame, but in the light of those attending being the most vulnerable age group for coping with the coronavirus, it felt the most sensible thing to do to protect them.”

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Need shed – will travel!

THE 20-strong Axe Valley Men’s Shed group have a problem – they can’t find a shed to meet in. Instead they have been using the Methodist Church Hall in Axbridge every Wednesday for the last six months.

While tea, biscuits and conversation are all very well, a man can’t do what a man wants to do without a shed full of equipment and tools to work with.

Despite the help of local councils, they say they have failed so far to find suitable premises and are appealing for help.

Chairman, Andy Laken, a former fire officer, said: “We’ve got equipment but nowhere to put it. We need a permanent home.”

The group has attracted members from Axbridge, Cheddar, Wedmore and Winscombe and is looking to site its shed somewhere in that area. They hope it would also be used by other community groups.

They are affiliated to the national Men’s Shed movement, have a formal

constitution, management committee, a secretary Martin Fulford, a dental microbiologist, and treasurer Stuart Berwick, a government official.

They just don’t have a shed!

FOCUS ON CHEDDAR

They are also in the process of becoming a CIO, charitable incorporated organisation, which they hope will help with funding bids, including grant applications and sponsorship.

If you can help contact Andy Laken: ak_laken@yahoo.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 63

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MENDIP TIMES

Easter treats

Offering an excellent selection of Fresh Foods including: Cheeses & Deli Goods, Homemade Pies & Pasties, Filled Rolls, Freshly Cut Sandwiches, Homemade Cakes & Barista Style Coffee.

HANSFORDS are gearing up for Easter at their popular deli in Cheddar and their butchers in Shipham. Easter specials will include hot cross buns, Easter biscuits and cakes to order.

Both offer a warm, friendly welcome and specialise in supplying local meat and produce. Place your orders for Easter now.

Mendip Times reduces travel costs

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FOCUS ON CHEDDAR

Elegantly eclectic interiors

A STRONG trend in interior design currently is mixing antiques, vintage and modern furniture to create a lively and individual scheme. But how do we achieve this eclectic look successfully in our own home?

Head to local auctions or look in your attic to discover old pieces with character that can be brought back to life. Choose only pieces that you really love. Check for damage and talk to your friendly local upholsterers to find out what it will cost to restore.

Don’t be frightened of using bold colour schemes. Select natural fabrics like wool, velvet and linen. Complete with handmade or quirky accessories that are personal to you and allow your home to tell your story.

Why not talk to Pretty Sitting Upholstery & Interiors, the home of eclectic interiors, workshops and bespoke furniture?

They have just started new Saturday upholstery classes.

Details: 01934 752725 or visit www.prettysittingvintage.co.uk

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The Manager – Chris Dando • 01934 742131 • chriscourthouse@gmail.com Court House Retirement Home, Church Street, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3RA www.courthouseretirementhome.co.uk PAGE 64 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

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WHO’S IT FOR?

The perfect place for anyone and everyone who wants to get away from it all...

Camping Party

If you are trying to organise more than 6 adults or 3 or more families to go on a camping adventure, and you’d all like to pitch next to each other, don’t worry – help is at hand! Petruth Paddocks will simply take care of it all for you so there’s no need to manage endless emails, collect money or risk your own!

Sound too good to be true?

Well they want your experience to be a positive one from start to finish, from booking to departure so here’s how it works: Just give Petruth your name, email address, mobile phone number, your group name and the date you have in mind and ask your guests to contact them direct to book in – Petruth do the rest and keep you informed every step of the way. All you have to do is turn up with your guests!

One guest who stayed there with 10 pitches for her 65th birthday over the August Bank Holiday said: ‘My friends, family and I were very happy with our stay at Petruth. The ease of booking, the location of the site, the warm and friendly welcome, the seamless organisation and the facilities (spotless showers & loos) made our stay so easy. We arrived after work on the Friday night and the attention to detail at the busiest time of the year and in the middle of a heatwave was second to none. We stayed in the party field where we could have a camp fire, play music till 11.00, have singalongs, play games and laugh out loud to our hearts content. The location, although local, meant that we weren’t bored during the day either so after our communal fry-up on Saturday morning we took the easy walk along the lane into Cheddar and on the Sunday we visited the Car Boot Sale next door, and went home on the Monday. On site we really appreciated the freezers for our cool-bag freezerblocks, a phone charging area, a craft tent and a pop up café too – even our reluctant campers were impressed! We particularly enjoyed the ice creams served from their quaint little delivery bike too. In the evening we had a communal BBQ plus a fire pit and logs to gather round to socialise and with a vehicle ban and Security Personnel present we all felt very safe sleeping at night.

What’s better than pitching together round the campfire, people of all ages catching up, swapping stories, playing games, beer and wine, BBQ’s or a pizza?

‘Thoroughly recommend it as a great venue to celebrate with friends and family’

Book now via www.petruthpaddocks.co.uk

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MENDIP TIMES

New show building wins approval THE Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society has secured planning permission to begin work on its new site to host the annual Mid-Somerset Show.

After the purchase of the land between Cannard’s Grave Road and Dark Lane in Shepton Mallet last August, the society applied for planning permission to build a permanent building on the site. It will

contain an office, kitchen area, meeting room, toilets and a large storage space.

Society chairman, Ian Harvey, said: “We’re very excited we can now begin the next chapter of the Mid-Somerset Show. The new building will give us a permanent home and help us to run the show far more efficiently. And most importantly, of course, it will secure the

Tree-mendous work by volunteers

Planting trees in Ashcombe Park, Weston-super-Mare

MORE than 400 volunteers have helped to plant 5,000 new trees across North Somerset.

The trees, donated by the Woodland Trust, were planted over two weeks at 25 different locations in Weston, Nailsea, Clevedon, Portishead, Pill, Yatton, Locking, Wraxall and Wick St Lawrence.

The planting marks the first phase in North Somerset Council’s ambitious rewilding programme which involves creating more habitats for wildlife to flourish, increase biodiversity and help mitigate the effects of climate change.

Rewilding is being delivered in two ways. As well as planting more trees, the grass will be allowed to grow in other areas. The aim is to plant a total of 50,000 trees to create 25 acres of new woodland and to grow about 40 hectares of tall grass, reducing the areas of regularly mown grass by 25 percent.

Rewilding also means managing sites in ways that are appropriate to their needs.

This may involve restoring rare habitats such as limestone grassland or even felling trees that are diseased or damaging structures.

The council carried out a three-month consultation on the proposals at the end of last year with more than three-quarters of respondents supporting rewilding.

Councillor Bridget Petty, the council’s executive member for climate emergency and the environment, said: “A massive thank you to all those who turned out come rain or shine to help plant these trees – we could not have done it without you.

“Many have volunteered to help with the ongoing care and maintenance of the trees and we are looking for ‘rewilding champions’ to lead future planting sessions.

“I really enjoyed getting involved and working with local residents on making sure as many areas as possible benefit from the trees which naturally capture carbon dioxide. It’s an excellent first step in responding to Volunteers at Halletts Way, Portishead climate change.”

PAGE 66 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

NEWS future of the show for generations to come.”

The new site will now be closer to the Cannard’s Grave roundabout and will offer better access for vehicles. This year’s show takes place on Sunday, August 16th. l Mid-Somerset Show hedge laying competition. See page 12.

More support for children’s mental health

SOMERSET County Council is deploying two new teams in the Mendip and Taunton areas to boost children’s mental health as part of its programme of support for children and schools available in the county.

The initiative has been developed after the council and Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group won £400,000 in government trailblazer funding through the Fit for my Future partnership.

Other partners include Somerset Partnership, Young Somerset, Taunton Deane Partnership College, Tor School in Glastonbury, Public Health and Somerset County Council’s Education service.

The new Mental Health Support Teams are offering direct support to children and young people with mild to moderate mental health issues. They are made up of staff from across health, education and the voluntary sector and begin taking referrals from this week.

The council, in partnership with Somerset CCG, is bidding for government money to fund a wider rollout of teams in Somerset. A decision is expected by September this year.

Dr Peter Bagshaw, GP and mental health clinical lead for Somerset CCG, said: “This will make a real difference to the lives of young people across Somerset. We know that many children and young people face significant pressure in their lives. It is good to see health, education and the voluntary sector working together to improve their health and wellbeing.

“Making more emotional and wellbeing support available to children and young people at the earliest possible opportunity will support them to live healthy, independent lives as adults.”

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Plop the Raindrop

I’VE had a totally new experience this month. I got stuck in a face mask. I’ve come across masks before, but usually at a fun event like the carnival in Venice or a masked ball.

This was far more serious – a mask covering someone’s nose and mouth to try to stop tiny water droplets like me escaping into the atmosphere.

We’re accidentally helping to spread something called coronavirus. You know how small we are, so these viruses must be absolutely tiny.

My friend Blob is huge so I was able to check my reflection in his belly to see if I was carrying any nasty viruses on my back. I couldn’t see anything there or on any of my other friends inside the mask.

Then someone told me you need something called an electron microscope to even see something so tiny as a virus. Apparently even tiny bacteria have viruses that infect them!

It was really hot and stuffy inside that mask, but the person who was wearing it was trying to protect everyone else from catching anything off them. Younger human beans seem less likely to get it so seriously, so you probably don’t need to worry.

But it’s really important to learn how to wash your hands thoroughly. Then if you touch something that might be contaminated with any viruses you can wash them away to stop them going anywhere else.

Obviously to end up inside that mask, I had first to be inside that person’s body. I’m not quite sure how I got there.

I’d been sleeping quite peacefully in a carton of orange juice, when I got sloshed into a glass and poured down this person’s throat. It’s quite interesting going on a tour of a human bean.

Your body is really an amazing battlefield, with your immune system fighting nasty little foreign invader bugs like viruses and bacteria all the time.

Most of the time you wouldn’t notice, but sometimes you might have a snotty nose, a bit of a headache and a temperature.

Those are signs that your body is on full bug alert. If you do feel unwell you should tell your mum and dad in case your body’s defences need a bit of extra help. Usually Calpol.

Anyway, after a few hours that face mask was thrown into a rubbish bag, which was put out for collection by a dustbin. Then some mice broke in and decided the mask would make a perfect lining for their nest.

It was quite warm and cosy in the nest, if you don’t mind mice. But I got bored after a while and hopped on to the mouse’s back to get a lift outside.

Big mistake. I’m now stuck inside a cat.

MENDIP GRANDAD

Coping with fear

By Dr PHIL HAMMOND

HEALTH & FAMILY

WHEN my son Will was 11, he put a note through the letterbox of all our elderly neighbours in Lower Batch, Chew Magna, to say: “My name is William Hammond. I live around the corner in Norton House. If you need any help picking up shopping, posting mail or doing anything around the house during the summer holidays, please let me know. There would not be any charge.”

Will did this entirely off his own bat and made me think my parenting style of benign neglect wasn’t completely

useless.

I thought about Will when I read about Becky Wass, a freelance copywriter from Falmouth, who decided she wanted to help people who were anxious and scared by coronavirus, and came up with the excellent leaflet for anyone to fill in and leave with a neighbour.

Thousands have already been distributed. It’s a clever and kind way of reducing people’s fear in difficult times by letting them know they are not alone.

Fear is really bad for our health. It does far more than make patients, politicians and investors panic. It might even kill us. In 1997, the behavioural biologist Paul Martin wrote a book which changed the way I practise medicine. The Sickening Mind is a gripping account of how our mental state affects our susceptibility to disease and death.

I realised then that it was futile to separate mind, body and the environment in which they interact.

Illnesses aren’t “physical” or “mental”, they affect whole people with complex, messy lives. Our seed can’t be separated from our soil.

Martin’s most graphic example is the first day of the Gulf War of 1991, when Iraq launched a series of SCUD missile attacks against Israel. Many didn’t land anywhere near civilians. And yet on the first day of shelling, January 18th, the overall death rate jumped by 58%, with 54 more deaths than expected.

Researchers deduced that two people died from the physical effects of the missiles, and 52 deaths were triggered by the fear of being hit by a missile.

Some victims had pre-existing health conditions but without the excessive fear, they would likely have survived.

I now work in the world of post-viral fatigue, where we know that your susceptibility to viral infections, their severity and the long-term harm they can do, depends not just on your natural immunity (we have none to Covid-19 until we’ve been infected), but on your mood.

People who are very anxious and fearful seem to suffer worse infections.

When this pandemic finally leaves us, I am expecting a surge in referrals to chronic fatigue clinics driven not just by the virus but by the stress surrounding it.

The good news is that humans have evolved to adapt to threat and our fears often turn out to be worse than the eventual reality. After the first Iraqi strike had occurred in January 1991 and turned out to be less cataclysmic than feared, there was a marked decline in levels of stress.

As Paul Martin puts it: “As in other wars, the populace adapted to the situation with surprising speed. Then, as the fear and anxiety subsided, so the death rate also began to decline. There were 17 further Iraqi missile attacks over the following weeks, but Israeli mortality figures over this period were no higher than average.”

So it will be with Covid-19. There are tough times ahead, but the death rate may be far lower than the worst predictions and the community bonds we form from helping each other will outlive any virus.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 67

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MENDIP TIMES

Find comfort for problem feet at the Cosyfeet shop in Street DO you or a loved one need extra roomy footwear? Is it a struggle to find stylish footwear that fits due to swelling, diabetes or arthritis? The Cosyfeet shop in Street can help. They offer a much roomier fitting than anything you’ll find in high street shoe shops.

Combining the latest trends with expert shoemaking, their premium footwear for men and women offers style as well as blissful comfort. They are a small, caring company with over 37 years’ experience of fitting problem feet and legs.

Cosyfeet footwear is specially designed to fit swollen feet.

Some styles can also fit bunions, problem toes and bandaging.

Their stylish, roomy shoes and slippers are adjustable and can cope with a variety of foot shapes and swelling and offer excellent support and underfoot comfort.

To complete your comfort, Cosyfeet have a range of extra roomy socks and hosiery that won’t cause swelling or restrict your circulation. They also have a large selection of seam-free socks that are ideal if you have arthritis or diabetes.

Their premium products are endorsed by over 11,000 healthcare professionals and they are also members of the Healthy Footwear Guide, an organisation which champions healthy footwear.

The Cosyfeet shop is based at The Tanyard on Leigh Road in Street where you’ll find their complete range of footwear, socks, hosiery and foot care products. Their friendly,

experienced staff are on hand to offer advice and ensure you leave with the product that’s right for you.

And they offer a no quibble money back guarantee so you can shop with confidence. The custom-built shop is bright and welcoming with wheelchair access, toilets and plenty of free parking right outside.

Details: 01458 447275 or visit www.cosyfeet.com

PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

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HEALTH & FAMILY

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 69

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MENDIP TIMES

Look at what goes on here!

Michael Eavis with parish council chairman Peter Goater and councillor Debra Drew

Lesley Gass (left) and Pam Webb, from the Walton Textile Group.

They were raffling the American quilt shown in the background created by members in aid of St Margaret’s Hospice Care. The raffle will be drawn on Monday, April 27th

YMCA Mendip on their stand

Volunteers’ party in Mells

(l-r): Rob Waller, chairman, Mells Village Shop, and Fr. Clive Fairclough, Rector of the Mells Group of Parishes, show off their awards to volunteers

Honey-Rose, aged seven, records a song for Glastonbury and Street Talking Newspaper, watched by volunteers Jenny Randall, Sue Jones and Ann Merritt PAGE 70 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

STAFF and volunteers from both St Andrew’s Church and Mells Shop and Café gathered at Mells Manor to be thanked for their invaluable contributions over the past year.

The Mells Group of Parishes, which includes St Andrew’s, was recently named the national winner of British Food Fortnight’s Love British Food 2019 Award and rector, Fr. Clive Fairclough, brought the carved wooden winner’s plaque along to the party.

Rob Waller, shop and café chairman, also brought along the Chairman of Somerset County Council’s Award for Service to the Community. The shop opened ten years ago.

Both Fr. Clive and Rob Waller stressed the importance of volunteers to their communities and many of those present were volunteers in both capacities. Fr. Clive said: “But above all, it is important to remember the fun to be had as a volunteer and a true member of the community.”

(Photo courtesy of Caroline True)

VOLUNTARY groups, clubs and other organisations joined forces at the Crispin Centre in Street to showcase ways in which people can become involved in the local community.

Glastonbury Festival’s Michael Eavis opened the event which was organised by Street Parish Council. A similar event was held in 2018.

Councillor Debra Drew said: “The idea was to bring together as many community groups as possible in one place so they could network with each other and offer visitors the chance to find out more about the services they offer.”

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COMMUNITY

Welcome back as church reopens its doors Photos by Mark Adler

SAINT John the Baptist church in Glastonbury was packed for the first service since the building underwent a major refurbishment.

Before the Sunday morning benefice communion service, St John’s clergy and choristers – from one of the last church choirs in Somerset – processed to the church from the town’s Market Cross, entering through the newly-restored West Doors.

St John’s had been closed for more than a year to allow the work to be carried out. Aided by a £465,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the project included levelling the floor – with underfloor heating – and the installation of glazed glass porches to the west and south entrances.

The organ has been restored and new audio-visual facilities and multi-purpose lighting installed to open up the church for concerts and other community events. Nearly all the Victorian pews have been removed; replaced by flexible seating for around 300 people.

The procession prepares to leave for the church

St John’s was packed for the morning service

St John’s church choir – one of the last remaining in Somerset – at the Market Place

The opening hymn: Blessed city, heavenly Salem

Lighting the incense From the earth to the sky as the procession passes some of the high street shops

St John’s vicar and area dean the Rev. David MacGeoch led the first service to be held in the church since January 2019

St John’s will be rededicated formally by the Bishop of Bath and Wells in May. MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 71

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MENDIP TIMES

Award highlights heritage line’s community links VOLUNTEERS who tend the gardens at Midsomer Norton South railway station have been presented with a certificate from South West in Bloom for an “outstanding” performance in the It’s Your Neighbourhood category.

The award recognises the links forged between the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust and the local community.

Although the plants on display are a large part of the award other factors are equally important. The judges were looking for community participation and environmental responsibility and recognised that Midsomer Norton Station has shown high levels of all three.

Last year In Bloom judge Denise James visited the station and was able to observe the result of work done not only by the gardens team but also sixth form students from Fosse Way School and a group of volunteers from the local Sainsbury’s store who were celebrating the company’s 150th anniversary by doing local community work.

Teamwork at the station: (l:r) trustees John Baxter, Doug Auckland and Gail Coleshill with Sara Parsons and Charlotte Jukes, from Sainsbury’s

Something to think about

MEMBERS of Shepton Mallet Trefoil Guild are supporting a member of the town’s 1st Shepton Mallet Ranger group who is going on a guiding trip to Tanzania to work as a volunteer.

They held a coffee and cake afternoon to raise money for Ellen Johnson, who will work with other rangers from Somerset decorating a library and teaching English in preschools in Arusha for two weeks in July. The fundraising event took place during the guild’s Thinking Day in February.

Ellen, aged 16, has also been fundraising for the trip. She said: “I am really excited about the prospect of volunteering in Tanzania and am looking forward to it immensely. I know that the children I will be helping will benefit from our visit and that I will benefit from learning about

PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Fosse Way students, Sainsbury’s staff and station volunteers with the certificate and a celebratory cake

Railway trustee Gail Coleshill, who has responsibility for grounds and gardens, took Denise up the line so that she could see the environmental improvements and wildflowers lineside as a result of clearance work by the trackwork volunteers.

Gail said: “Although we have entered the It’s Your Neighbourhood class before we have never achieved ‘outstanding’ before and I would like to pay tribute to all the hard work from the team. There is no doubt that the station looked its best not only with all the flowering borders around the station but also the wildflowers up the line.

“We would also like to pay tribute to Denise James who has been a great help and support over the years and we were very sad to hear of her death last autumn.” l The It’s Your Neighbourhood awards are judged with community participation counting for 40% of the score, environmental responsibility 30% and gardening achievement 30%.

Shepton Mallet Trefoil Guild members at their annual fish and chips lunch in town where they enrolled a new member

a new culture and way of life by giving up my own time, including the contribution it will make to girlguiding and my future life and studies.”

The guild enjoyed a busy 2019 with talks, visits and fundraising events along with trips to meet other guilds

around the county. The link between Trefoil, guides and rangers in Shepton Mallet has continued to strengthen recently with a joint camp-out on Brownsea Island and members of the guild sharing their skills such as yoga and jewellery manufacture with the girls.

They’re all kids at heart – even politicians!

Eleanor Jackson prepares to cut the ribbon as guests and youngsters look on

THE appeal of having a go on the equipment at a new children’s play area in Westfield was too tempting for local dignitaries from Bath and North East Somerset Council.

Having cut the ribbon to open the area officially, the politicians were joined by their counterparts from Westfield Parish Council and some youngsters from the area to try out the facilities.

The new play park – funded through a £70,000 payment to B&NES as part of a planning development agreement – is off Shakespeare Road and provides a safe place for children to play on that side of the main A367. Work will begin soon to create a picnic area alongside. Westfield parish council worked with B&NES on the scheme.

Councillor Eleanor Jackson, chair of B&NES and a member of Westfield Parish Council, said the play area was a gateway site on the Old Pit Lane route which will link Westfield with the new town park in Midsomer Norton.

The work is part of a £480,000 investment by B&NES to improve play and outdoor family fun across the area. It is working in partnership with community groups and parish councils on major upgrades to parks to encourage children to

COMMUNITY

Paul Crossley, B&NES cabinet member for community services (left) and Robin Moss (B&NES member for Westfield) join some of the children on the rope swing

play outside more and improve their health.

Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for community services, who attended the opening, said: “We have made large-scale improvements to play areas in our district and I was delighted to meet the children, ward and parish councillors in Westfield, to officially open the new equipment.

“Space for physical and imaginative play is so important to children’s development and health and it is great to see parents and children appreciating this new play area.”

Elsewhere, a slide is being replaced at Old Road in Writhlington and a new climbing frame is being installed at Eckweek Lane in Peasedown St John. B&NES is also working with residents and community groups in Ubley to prepare a bid for funding.

Club welcomes new members

James Tanner, parks support officer for B&NES, tries out a bouncy mat

SHEPTON Mallet 41 Club president Keith Jenkins is pictured welcoming two new members Joseph (Jo) Bonello (left) and Frank Grech.

Jo, who is married to Bridie, comes from Malta where he was a founder member of the Malta Round Table. Frank and his wife Susan moved to Shepton Mallet about two years ago. He was a local government officer in Coventry.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 73

(Photo courtesy of Nick Spratling)

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MENDIP TIMES

Community café celebrates first aniversary

THE idea for a community cafe in Congresbury first started about 18 months ago to raise funds for a proposed new village hall.

The offer from Debbie Fortune to use two spare rooms and the courtyard at her office was eagerly accepted. With the help of various grants and a donation of fixtures and fittings from Howdens of Clevedon the café was opened in February last year serving freshly brewed coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and delicious home-made cakes.

The cafe has become a hub for young and old from the village and further afield. The cafe is managed and run entirely by a team of 40 volunteers who work on a rota system and/or make the delicious cakes.

Surplus profits go towards the proposed new village hall or are re-invested in improving the café.

Following a volunteer’s suggestion the cafe became home to the Glut Market to reduce food waste and supply fresh fruit and vegetables to the local community. Fundraising events for the Macmillan Coffee morning and Great Western Air Ambulance raised a total of £980.

Ian Sheppard for the project said: "We would not have been able to do this without Debbie Fortune and her team and the support from Rory at Bristol Twenty Tea and Coffee Co. The volunteers love it because they are giving something back to the community and get something out of it too.

"When people come here for the first time, often say how

Rotary’s busy time

AxBRIDGE Rotary have been very active of late. The crocus planted a few months ago are now in flower and brightening up the footpaths.

The road signs in Banwell have been cleaned. It’s amazing what a difference soap, water and a scrubbing brush can make!

A recent quiz was well attended and a cheque for the proceeds will be presented to the FreeWheelers on April 21st at The Crown.

Axbridge Rotary meets at The Lamb in Axbridge at 7.30pm on the second and fourth Thursday of the month.

Everyone is welcome.

PAGE 74 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

lovely it is and not quite what they were expecting which is nice to hear."

The café is open on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday mornings and every third Saturday, from 9am to 1pm. Cards are accepted and decaf and gluten free options and takeaway available.

Library talk

A LIFE-LONG disability rights campaigner was the special guest speaker at March’s Speakers Corner at Peasedown St John community library.

Helen Sims, from Paulton, has had cerebral palsy since birth and cannot walk or stand unaided.

Aged 14, she had several major orthopaedic operations, spending almost four months in hospital and had to learn to walk from scratch.

She recounts her tales in the form of poems, essays and short stories in her book, Taking Steps.

Helen grew up in Writhlington and now lives in Paulton with her husband. She attended Writhlington School and was so inspired by teacher, former head of English Anne Rodgers, that she’s dedicated the book to her.

Helen said: “It had always been a dream of mine to have my own book since I was a little girl. Disability isn’t the only issue discussed in this book. I’ve included short stories, poems and articles about a range of subjects.

“The main point of it was not only to raise awareness, but to turn all the negative things that have happened in my life, everything I’ve been through, in to something strong and positive that might help others at the same time.”

Details: peasedownlibrary@hotmail.com

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Choc full of stories!

John Gingell and club president Sue Hopkins holding cocoa pods, each of which would contain 20-30 beans that would make about three normal chocolate bars

SOME of the best chocolate most members of Midsomer Norton and Radstock Inner Wheel had ever tasted or smelt was offered by retired chocolatier John Gingell who gave a talk about cocoa from bean to bar.

John had made the hand-tempered chocolate similar to an 1803 recipe which he now uses for the talks on the history and methods of chocolate-making.

John brought with him a large display of chocolate memorabilia, all of which could one day be part of a Fry’s museum in the redeveloped former chocolate factory at Keynsham where John worked for 40 years.

Many of the artefacts had been donated from people’s attics after they heard John’s talks that raise money for up-and-coming young athletes.

John can be contacted via: ginge800@talktalk.net

Bus journeys made easier

COMMUNITY transport charity Midsomer Norton and Radstock Park Dial a Ride have taken ownership of two new specialised wheelchair seats, thanks to a grant from the Sperring Trust.

The seats are designed to accommodate wheelchairs comfortably and securely, whilst converting to a regular seat when required, avoiding the need to remove seating when carrying wheelchair passengers.

The charity says the new seats will make travel for their wheelchair passengers a more comfortable and Travelling companions on the straightforward experience.

Dial a Ride bus l The charity is also currently looking for volunteer car drivers to support the service and trustees to join their management committee. For details about the service call: 01761 417504.

Energy and diversity in Wells

COMMUNITY

Tina Blackwill leads a pom-pom class

INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day was celebrated in Wells with displays, have-a-go-activities and demonstrations in the town hall at an event organised by Women in Wells.

Organisations which support a wide range of people with needs which can cause isolation and distress came together to meet some of the 300-plus visitors to the event who were offered demonstrations and exhibitions of some of the arts and crafts which can help to alleviate stress and mental health problems; from knitting to willow weaving, crochet to fine art, quilling and many more.

There was musical entertainment from Cathy Judge and from three local choirs: the Blue-belles, Cantabile and The Swan Singers, whilst Wells’ very own pom-pom dancer Tina Blackwill added energy and glamour to the afternoon.

Cantabile prepare to sing

Members of the Inner Wheel Club of Wells with some of the items they make for dementia sufferers, refugees, breast cancer charities and other good causes

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 75

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MENDIP TIMES

Sweet success – cream tea to celebrate carnival giveaway CASTLE Cary and Ansford Carnival Society celebrated donating £1,500 to 13 local charitable causes with a cream tea enjoyed by almost 100 guests.

Carnival young royalty presented donations to a wide range of local charitable causes including the local Community Assessible Transport bus, Ansford Academy PTA, Caryford Hall and local girl guides, Megan Knapp and Phoebe Lennard, to help fund their community building trip to Tanzania.

Others to benefit were Castle Cary Primary School, Brue Valley Rotary, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, Castle Cary Cygnet Majorettes, Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, Castle Cary Scouts and St John Ambulance. North Cadbury PTFA and Castle Cary Primary PTFA also received their commission for sales of carnival toys during the carnival procession.

St John Ambulance

Workshops take a break

THE winter craft day workshops organised by Harriette Dottridge have ended with a profit of £130 being transferred to the Compton Dando Community Association.

The photo shows (l to r) Eileen Broadley, Jean Tadman and Clare Hudson making small animals by felting.

PAGE 76 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Carnival junior royalty and the recipients at the cream tea celebration

Society chairperson Di Pinnions said: “It is a very special event in our carnival calendar, an opportunity to celebrate what carnival is all about as we hand out donations to support our local community and thank everyone who has helped us.”

This year a special Best Collector

Girl guides Megan and Phoebe

For details, visit: www.ccacs.org.uk

award was given to Rich Frapple, for his children’s carnival entry. l The 2020 Ann Hallett Children’s Carnival will be on the afternoon of Saturday, October 10th, with the evening illuminated carnival the following Saturday, October 17th.

Ansford Academy PTA

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Museum welcomes veterans

A NEW bi-monthly drop-in café and advice centre for ex-military personnel and their families has been opened officially in Radstock Museum with the message: “If we can help just one person, then it will all be worthwhile.”

Run by the Midsomer Norton and Radstock branch of the Royal British Legion, the sessions will be supported by the armed forces charity SSAFA. It is hoped the café will be up-and-running properly when the museum reopens after the coronavirus threat is over.

The museum’s education officer, Lisa Pool, worked with branch members to develop the project which is part of a move to encourage more people in the community to make use of the facilities; the museum already runs a memory café, employing some of their 40,000 artefacts.

Branch president Wg. Cdr. Geoff Wilson told guests: “The drop-in centre acknowledges that there are many people

Reunion: Jane Norris (left), a former chair of the Frome RBL branch, and Helen Schofield, from SSAFA, had served together at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar in Gosport as members of the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service in the 1990s but only met again recently through a mutual friend

Church fundraiser

COMMUNITY

Sue Bendle, whose son-in-law Cpl Gordon Pritchard was killed in Iraq in 2006, prepares to cut the ribbon to open the drop-in centre. Looking on are (l:r) branch welfare officer Graham Jagger, chair of museum trustees Nick Hall, chair of Bath and North East Somerset Council Eleanor Jackson and Denis Luzuet, another branch welfare officer

out there who need our help, not only from a supportive position but also to give assistance and not just service personnel but also their families.

“We are, therefore, extremely grateful for the facilities, backup and support from the museum and their dedicated staff in making this drop-in centre possible. We also have the support of the Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen's Families Association for which we are grateful.”

Branch welfare officer Graham Jagger, a veteran who served in Northern Ireland and who himself suffers from PTSD, said: “We don’t wear a bandage on our heads; our hurt is inside. We don’t ask for help; we just get on with it. But when we do ask for help, we begin to improve slowly.

“If only one person benefits from this new service, then it will have been worthwhile.”

Time for a chat: Helen Schofield and Pam Clark, both from SSAFA, with legion branch president Wg. Cdr. Geoff Wilson and Nigel Moore, chairman of the RBL branch in Frome

A SOUP and pudding lunch raised £660 for St Mary the Virgin Church in Stanton Drew. PCC secretary, Anne Bennett, said: “It was such a good opportunity for members of our community to socialise.”

Pictured waiting to be served are (l to r) Liz Richardson, Sue and Clarke Osborne, Phil Townshend and Karen Warrington.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 77

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COMMUNITY

MENDIP TIMES

Lunch is served Pictured (l to r) Sam, Tony, Lily and Mollie helping Sheila Limburn on the door

CHILDREN from Chew Stoke Primary School have been helping their local church with their fundraising soup lunches.

The monthly lunches have been taking place throughout the winter months since 2006, raising money for St Andrew's Church and also a different charity each two months.

Husband and wife team Judith and Jonathan Longhurst and their Fairtrade stall

Club hears from riding charity A CHEQUE for £200 has been presented by Frome Inner Wheel to the Saxon Riding for the Disabled group after a talk by coach and trustee Jo Rutherford.

The centre, at Bradford-on-Avon, is run by volunteers offering therapeutic riding opportunities for adults and children from five-70 years of age. They have five horses and they currently help 24 adults and eight children. They provide coaching which includes carriage driving, dressage and proficiency tests.

Club president Sue Ruddick with Jo Rutherford

Rotarians back from South American adventure

PADDINGTON Bear met Billy the British Bulldog when a group of eight Rotarians headed off for an exchange trip in Peru.

Member of clubs from Midsomer Norton, Shepton Mallet, Yeovil, Taunton Deane and Portland spent several weeks touring the South American country as guests of their Peruvian counterparts, staying with host families and enjoying the sights and sounds.

The Rotary International Friendship Exchange forged new links between the English clubs and those in Peru. The party travelled from the capital, Lima, to Ica and Nazca. In Ica, the group also met up with Rotarians from other countries on a similar exchange.

Jackie Partridge, soon to be president of Somer Valley Rotary Club – celebrating its 25th anniversary this year – was on the trip and said: “The Peruvian people are delightful, friendly and welcoming.”

Rotarians united

A party of Peruvians is due to make a return visit in May next year. Rotarians are now looking for host families and for anyone who is a Spanish speaker to help with translations.

For details about Somer Valley Rotary Club, visit: https://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/homepage.php?ClubID=1794

PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Motoring page.qxp_Layout 1 19/03/2020 14:35 Page 1

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Lions purring ahead of classic car run

MOTORING

The engines of more than 100 classic vehicles will roar into life for charity

CLEVEDON Lions Club members are once again looking forward to their annual classic car event which will raise money for charity.

BBC Points West presenter Alex Lovell will wave the starting flag once again when more than 100 classic cars, motorbikes, lorries and coaches gather at Cadbury Garden Centre before touring the area and finishing at Salthouse Field in Clevedon.

This year’s event is due to take place on Sunday, April 26th with the vehicles due to arrive at Salthouse Field between 12.30 and 1pm for everyone to see. l Admission to Salthouse Field is £2 per person which includes a free raffle ticket. Proceeds will go to Children’s Hospice South West and Clevedon Lions’ charities in the local area.

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Marchants Hill, Gurney Slade BA3 4TY Call: 01749 841051 Mob: 07778 465520 Email: sales@caravanrepairs-sw.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 79

Property section.qxp_Layout 1 19/03/2020 14:43 Page 80

Mendip TiMes

For sale by Auction (unless sold prior) on Tuesday 24th March 2020 at Mendip Springs Golf Club An attached, stone built, former cart shed, situated on a private lane (part of the West Mendip Way) at the foot of Cheddar Gorge. Internal dimensions 3.85m x 3.126m. Suitable for commercial use or potentially holiday accommodation (subject to the necessary consents). Ref: 25764

A substantial brick and stone former agricultural barn with full planning and listed building consent for conversion into a three/four bedroom residential dwelling, reference 24/18/00038.

Hall, cloaks, open plan kitchen/dining and living space, family room, two bathrooms.

Large garden and drive access.

Cheddar • Guide Price £25,000

Loxton • Guide Price £300,000

Rowberrow, Nr. Churchill • Guide Price £450,000

Wrington • Guide Price £375,000

For sale by Auction (unless sold prior) Tuesday May 5th 2020 at Mendip Springs Golf Club A large detached farmhouse requiring significant renovation and offering some 3500 sq ft of accommodation; 5 bedrooms, 3 receptions, kitchen, utility, cloaks shower and bathroom.

Barn attached, tractor shed and additional outbuildings and paddock. In all 0.9 acre. EPC: G. Ref: 22236

We’ve got it covered

A well-proportioned family house with surprisingly spacious accommodation (1252 sq.ft.) comprising: hall, cloakroom, sitting room, dining room, fitted kitchen, four bedrooms and family bathroom. Garage (with utility area) south facing garden and parking. EPC E. Ref: 25780

Contact the Wrington Office: 01934 864307

Mendip Times Distribution Points

= Mendip Times Distribution area

Mendip Times is available from over 900 outlets across the Mendips from superstores to village stores and post offices, farm shops, supermarkets, garden centres, pubs, inns, hotels and restaurants, doctors’ surgeries, libraries and tourist information centres.

ALHAMPTON AXBRIDGE BALTONSBOROUGH BACKWELL BADGWORTH BANWELL BARROW GURNEY BARTON ST. DAVID BATCOMBE BECKINGTON BISHOP SUTTON BLACKFORD BLAGDON BLEADON BRENT KNOLL BRISTOL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT BROCKLEY BRUTON BUCKLAND DINHAM BURCOTT BURRINGTON BUTLEIGH CAMERTON CASTLE CARY CHARTERHOUSE CHEDDAR CHELYNCH CHEW MAGNA CHEW STOKE CHEWTON MENDIP CHILCOMPTON CHURCHILL

CLANDOWN CLEEVE CLUTTON COCKLAKE COLEFORD COMPTON DANDO COMPTON DUNDON COMPTON MARTIN CONGRESBURY COXLEY CRANMORE CROSCOMBE CROSS DITCHEAT DOULTING DRAYCOTT DUNDRY EAST HARPTREE EASTON EAST PENNARD EMBOROUGH EVERCREECH FARMBOROUGH FARRINGTON GURNEY FAULKLAND FELTON FROME GALHAMPTON GLASTONBURY GREEN ORE GURNEY SLADE HALLATROW HIGH LITTLETON

PAGE 80 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

HINTON BLEWETT HOLCOMBE HUNSTRETE HUTTON KEINTON MANDEVILLE KILMERSDON LANGFORD LEIGH on MENDIP LITTON LONG ASHTON LYDFORD ON FOSSE LYMPSHAM MARK MARKSBURY MASBURY MELLS MIDSOMER NORTON NAILSEA NETTLEBRIDGE NORTON MALREWARD NORTON ST PHILIP NUNNEY NYLAND OAKHILL PAULTON PENSFORD PILTON POLSHAM PRIDDY PYLLE RADSTOCK REDHILL REGIL

RICKFORD RODE RODNEY STOKE ROOKSBRIDGE ROWBERROW SANDFORD SHEPTON MALLET SHIPHAM SOMERTON STANTON DREW STANTON WICK STOKE ST MICHAEL STON EASTON STONE ALLERTON STRATTON ON THE FOSSE

STREET TARNOCK TEMPLE CLOUD TIMSBURY TRUDOXHILL TYTHERINGTON UBLEY UPHILL VOBSTER WALTON WANSTROW WEARE WEDMORE WELLOW WELLS

WEST HARPTREE WEST PENNARD WESTBURY SUB MENDIP WHITCHURCH WINFORD WINSCOMBE WITHAM FRIARY WOOKEY WOOKEY HOLE WRINGTON WRITHLINGTON YATTON

Property section.qxp_Layout 1 19/03/2020 14:43 Page 81

Cookswood offers wonderful facilities in somerset LocaTed in rural Somerset and set within 250-acres, cookswood is a collection of sustainably built holiday homes, some situated lakeside and others within woodland glades. cookswood will have so much to offer, including many wonderful facilities and activities, with something to keep the whole family entertained.

This includes a luxury spa with an indoor pool and fitness suite, farm shop and cafe, stables, golf course and a restaurant and bar for fine dining. children will be entertained with the kids’ club, woodland play areas and endless outdoor pursuits.

The mineral lake and beach areas will offer breathtaking views and activities such as swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding. There will also be scenic nature trails, cycle routes and bridleways for you to enjoy, and our nature study centre will give you

insight into how we enhance habitats to benefit wildlife.

You are able to choose your desired freehold plot on the site, and preferred design from our selection of modern and traditional styles, and your home is built for you. customers also have the opportunity to work with our design and build

properTy

team to bespoke the interior of their property to suit their individual taste and personal requirements.

With staycations on the rise in the UK, a cookswood property is also an excellent investment opportunity, as owners are able to rent out their holiday home, enabling a return on their investment.

prices from £380,000. For more information please visit www.cookswood.com. To arrange a viewing of the site please email hello@cookswood.com or call us on 01761 232889

Mendip TiMes • April 2020 • pAge 81

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MENDIP TIMES

(Photograph courtesy of Wessex Cave Club)

AN insurmountable obstacle to early cave explorers was a sump, where the passage ended at a pool of water. One of these was at the With PHILIP end of Swildon’s HENDY Hole. There was every expectation that the cave would continue beyond the sump, but there were no means for passing it.

The first attempt to dive the sump was made in 1934 by Jack Sheppard, breathing air through a rubber garden hose. This was unsuccessful, but one of the party, Graham Balcombe, spent several months trying to remove the roof of the sump using explosives.

He only managed to bring down the roof above the sump pool and annoy the Priddy inhabitants with the noise and vibration.

F.G. Balcombe was born in Manchester in 1907 and spent his working life with the Radio Branch of the Post Office Engineering Department. He climbed in the Lake District and met up with Jack Sheppard before becoming a caver.

Eventually, on October 4th 1936,

Balcombe and Burwood

Sheppard managed to pass the sump using a home-made diving dress (“Jimmy”) and breathing air pumped from a football inflator. They entered Swildon’s Two and explored as far as Sump II. Balcombe dived this to two airbells, Swildon’s Three, where they were at the limit of their equipment.

By then, Balcombe had seen the potential of cave diving to extend caves, but was frustrated by the lack of suitable equipment at an affordable price. Then came a stroke of luck. Sir Robert Davies, managing director of the submarine and safety firm Siebe Gorman & Co. heard of the exploit and generously offered the use of some of his gear plus a trainer, Charlie Burwood.

When it arrived on Mendip, it was found to be the hard-hat equipment used by commercial and naval divers, with air being supplied by a large handdriven pump. It was totally impractical for Swildon’s Hole, but Wookey Hole was suitable.

Balcombe became the self-appointed leader of the divers and negotiated with Captain Gerard Hodgkinson, the proprietor of the show cave, to attempt to dive the underwater course of the

Rebreather apparatus

(Photograph courtesy of Phil Hendy)

The birth of the cave diving group

River Axe. The captain was not keen initially, but his wife Olive saw the publicity potential.

Under the genial instruction and supervision of Burwood, training commenced in Minneries Pond at Priddy, until eventually they were ready for Wookey. Getting all the equipment to Chamber Three was an ordeal, but eventually all was ready, and Balcombe set off, bottom walking to the Fourth and Fifth Chambers, which were already known to exist.

Immediately Balcombe was taken by the soft green appearance of the water, and its clarity. All six trained divers took their turn at experiencing this underwater fairyland, but it was decided to restrict the number of divers to two. Balcombe was an obvious choice and to avoid prejudice, the other diver was Penelope Powell, known to all as Mossy. She was an experienced caver, having worked at Gough’s Cave.

It was hard work carrying in the shot line and the concrete blocks to which it was anchored at intervals. The air hose and safety rope, and later a telephone line, had to be hauled behind the diver.

However, in the course of several weeks, progress was made, culminating

Phil has been caving for more than 50 years and is a member of the Wessex Cave Club. He has been involved in producing several

PAGE 82 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

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newsletters and notices. Diving resumed at Wookey Hole. The equipment used was self-contained oxygen rebreathers, with bottom walking as a means of progression.

Balcombe’s main co-diver was now Don Coase, a member of the Bristol Exploration Club, which provided valuable assistance, carrying kit and helping to dress the divers. The Eighth Chamber was found, then the high and decorated rift, Chamber Nine. A refuge dump of food and a telephone was installed there.

Coase found an underwater loop between 9-1 and 9-2 and then a large void, completely submerged, which was named Chamber 10. Using oxygen, divers could not go deeper than ten

Balcombe and Powell

metres and thoughts turned to using air mixtures and swimming with fins.

They were not initially popular, but gradually scuba gear caught on, although Balcombe remained committed to his oxygen rebreather and bottom walking.

Graham Balcombe eventually gave up diving at the age of 50, for various reasons: domestic, health, and waning enthusiasm.

However, by that time, the Cave Diving Group had in 1955 reorganised itself as a proper club and it continues today at the forefront of technical cave diving in Britain and caves throughout the world, thanks to Balcombe and his dedication, professionalism and inventiveness.

(Photograph courtesy of Wessex Cave Club)

in the discovery of the Sixth and Seventh chambers.

Using hard-hat equipment and bottom-walking stirred up the muddy bottom reducing visibility to zero, as well as making it difficult to negotiate steep slopes and restrictions. Other equipment would be necessary, and Balcombe began to devise selfcontained kit, breathing pure oxygen, scrubbing the exhaled carbon dioxide with soda lime.

However, the war intervened and diving operations ceased until 1945.

During the war, Balcombe worked in Harrogate and spent his spare time inventing equipment and learning how to use the oxygen rebreather safely.

After much research, and tests in swimming pools and ponds, Balcombe was ready to test his gear in the large resurgence of Keld Head in the Yorkshire Dales.

He dived solo, which would be frowned upon today. Although a miner’s headlamp was sometimes used, the divers came to rely on Aflolaun (Apparatus for Laying Out Line and Underwater Navigation). This was a hand-held board, carrying equipment such as a light, line reel, compass and depth gauge.

It went through several modifications and Balcombe meticulously filled many notebooks with information regarding breathing drills and kit improvements.

Gradually gaining experience, Balcombe found a decorated chamber in Keld Head and dived sumps in other Yorkshire caves.

It was at the Keld Head dives that the divers conceived the idea of forming a Cave Diving Group and this came to fruition during the diving expedition to Ffynnon Ddu in Wales during Easter 1946. The large spring was on the other side of the valley to Dan yr Ogof, a show cave with a big underground river.

It was thought that Ffynnon Ddu might lead to a similar large cave.

Boulder blockages limited progress and cavers later found a dry route into the cave, Ogof Ffynnon Ddu, an extensive system which surpassed all expectations.

The newly-formed CDG had four sections, Somerset, South Wales, Derbyshire and London, all operating more or less independently, though they were kept in touch by Balcombe’s

CAVING

several caving publications and until his retirement was a caving instructor at Cheddar. His main interest is digging for new caves MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 83

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MENDIP TIMES

Popular charity cycle ride returns for 2020

Volunteers retire

Jeff and Betty

THE third Wedmore 40/30 charity cycle ride will take place on Sunday, July 5th and funds raised through sponsorship will support the work of Weston Hospicecare.

Riders have the choice of a 30, 40 or a combined 70 mile route climbing through landmarks such as the iconic Cheddar Gorge and the Somerset Levels.

The 12-mile family ride will also return making the event accessible to riders of all abilities.

The hospice is working alongside a group of volunteer cycling enthusiasts from Wedmore who have chosen to support the charity alongside the village’s St Mary’s Church.

Events manager Grace Dibden said: “Wedmore 40/30 has been running for two years and it has been fantastic to see hundreds of people enjoy the rides.

“The volunteers who have been the heart and soul of this event have done a tremendous job and we’re keen to work alongside them to grow it year on year.”

Entry prices range from £12.50-£35 for adults and £5£12.50 for children. Admission to the 12-mile route for children is free of charge.

Details: www.westonhospicecare.org.uk

Support for air ambulances

EIGHT air ambulance charities, including Dorset and Somerset and Great Western, have benefited from a two-year charity partnership with Dorset brewer Hall & Woodhouse which raised £268,365.

Speaking on behalf of the charities, Tracy Bartram, communications manager at Dorset and Somerset said: “With the approximate cost of an air ambulance mission being £3,000, this means that in two years the partnership has potentially funded 90 life-saving missions.

“On behalf of the patients that need us all, thank you – we are truly grateful.”

PAGE 84 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

THREE stalwarts of the RNLI shop in Weston-super-Mare have been presented with certificates of thanks on their retirement.

Rachel Heath, and Jeff and Betty Mitchel had all served at the lifeboat shop for many years. They were presented with the certificates by Richard Spindler, the longest serving crew member.

Peter Elmont, volunteer chairman, said: “Without our volunteers the lifesaving service could not happen. These three have been stalwarts of our shop and we wish them all the best in their retirement.”

Rachel Heath

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Skittles record bid

LOCAL fundraiser and Frome’s Person of the Year 2019 Rachel Clark is once again calling on the community to join her and Team Clark in breaking a world record on Sunday, June 7th raising funds for cancer counselling charity We Hear You (WHY).

The 2020 world record attempt is a repeat of last June’s challenge – 593 people took part in a continuous eight-hour game of skittles outside Frome Library and Team Clark are satisfied that the attempt was successful.

Sadly, a technical error meant that the team didn’t have vital video evidence to claim the official record from Guinness. Undeterred, and following Rachel’s year-long 365 for WHY running challenge, which raised more than £20,000 for WHY, Team Clark are back to attempt the challenge again.

Rachel said: “The existing world record stands at 468 skittles players. Last year, although we couldn’t claim the record, a phenomenal 593 players took part in Frome. I know we can smash that total and I want to celebrate smashing the record with all of you this June.”

Details: www.wehearyou.org.uk email fromeworldrecordskittles@gmail.com

Gardens open to support hospice

ST. MARGARET’S Hospice Glorious Somerset Garden Season has arrived, commencing on Sunday, April 28th at East Huntspill and completing with a lift and divide event at Yeovil Hospice on September 27th.

This season there are more than 60 individual gardens taking part, stretching from Wincanton to Porlock, and everywhere in between.

Full details can be found on the St Margaret’s Hospice website or in the full colour brochure available from any St. Margaret’s shop, tourist Information centres, garden centres and libraries.

Details: Susan 01935 709182 www.st-margarets-hospice.org.uk/

CHARITIES

Running – or walking – for charity

REGISTRATION is now open for the ever-popular Nailsea Charity Walks and Runs sponsored by Rotary, Nailsea and Backwell.

Over the past eight years this event has established itself as a regular feature of the Nailsea calendar attracting hundreds of supporters, many of whom come back each year where they are joined by eager first-timers.

The event represents an important way to raise vital funds for local charities and good causes whilst ensuring that all participants have fun and enjoy this beautiful area.

You can take part alone, with family and friends or as part of a fundraising activity for a favourite cause. There is a modest registration fee of £7 per person aged 18 or over on June 7th. Those under 17 on that date go free.

In the past few years, around £20,000 has been raised each year contributing to the grand total of around £150,000.

Details: www.nailsearotary.org

SOUP off the menu for now

ORGANISERS of the grant-funding SOUP event in Wells have postponed the April meeting because of the current situation.

The four community groups invited to pitch their services during the lunch to the audience have been invited to participate in the next SOUP on Saturday, July 11th.

Chairman’s challenge

LOCAL businesswoman Helen Lacey is inviting Somerset businesses to join her on an 8km assault course in aid of local charities to mark her year as chairman of Somerset Chamber of Commerce.

Helen, of Red Berry Recruitment, which is now part of the HR GO plc group, with offices in Yeovil and Shepton Mallet, is holding the challenge on September 5th at the Grail Quest course between Langport and Long Sutton and is hoping to raise at least £2,500 for good causes.

Details: https://grailquestrace.co.uk/

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 85

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MENDIP TIMES

Tony Hucker TV Service – Sales – Rental

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PAGE 86 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

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Homes section.qxp_Layout 1 19/03/2020 14:34 Page 87

HOMES & INTERIORS

R.O. Dando and Sons Ltd Builders, Decorators & Roofing Contractors

FAMILY BUSINESS BASED IN THE CHEW VALLEY FOR OVER 100 YEARS

Call us or visit our website for more info: 01275 333603 • www.dando.org.uk

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 87

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MENDIP TIMES

HOMES & INTERIORS

David Bush Joinery • Unit 4b • Burnett Industrial Estate Cox’s Green • Wrington • BS40 5QR Tel/Fax: 01934 862430 • Mobile: 07875 367789 www.davidbushjoinery.co.uk • david@davidbushjoinery.co.uk PAGE 88 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

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Live for today – for tomorrow may never come!

CHELTENHAM Gold Cup day, radio on, daily a continuous steeplechase of national crises as daunting as any fences facing the jockeys – leave EU jump – health crisis jump – climate emergency jump – flooding jump – stock market crash jump – coronavirus jump.

With RACHEL “What’s happening at Cheltenham?”

THOMPSON asks the presenter, clearly up to here with MBE COVID–19. “Cracking open another bottle of champagne,” some woman gasps. “Awesome!”

What resilience! Well yes, horsey people are rather.

My dad, one John King, used to say in troubled times: “Go outside and suck up a lungful of fresh air and you will feel a lot better.” He should know, a tractor accident in my babyhood meant waving goodbye to his farm. Falling back on his RAF engineering skills he went to work at Westlands Helicopters, but bereft of cows and countryside he suffered a nervous breakdown.

One day after school I watched him covered in a red blanket wheeled away in an ambulance. We moved to the Mendips. Unable to drive, Dad bought a moped, hauled his bad leg over the seat, crammed some tools in a makeshift basket and went gardening for a living (mostly on farms) with a “Thank the Lord” expression on his face.

There is no better panacea than engaging with the landscape for building resilience, healthy minds and bodies through green travel and recreation. The Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is right on our doorstep but accessibility, traffic levels and lack of linking routes are an issue, as everywhere.

The government recognises the need for access to the countryside improvements too. Lord Gardiner of Kimble (Defra) says in a letter to a friend “spending time in the natural environment is important for maintaining and improving physical and mental wellbeing” and “providing access … to land thereby facilitating recreational horseriding, carriage driving, walking and cycling and

Maggie Brombley with Sian

RIDING

Access to open space and green space are essential for human health and wellbeing

providing access to green space and countryside for disabled people”.

The government’s 25-year plan for “A Green Future” facilitated by landmark legislation contained in the Agriculture and Environment Bills moves us away from the common agriculture subsidy policy to a reward system of delivering public goods. Public goods include higher welfare for animals, great food, clean and plentiful water, clean air, protection from and mitigation of environmental hazards, mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, thriving plants and wildlife, beauty, heritage and engagement. The new Environment Land Management (ELM) Scheme design thinking is currently being tested and trialled through a series of partnerships across the country.

In the Mendip Hills area The Trails Trust, the Mendip AONB Hills unit, Natural England (Access Specialist), local agricultural and IT consultants have teamed up in partnership with Defra to explore how public access and biodiversity enhancements fits into the new scheme. Local test participants will be asked for their views on issues and solutions around public access and biodiversity, access valuation, collaboration, opportunities for diversification and how all of this can be incorporated into the new land management schemes. The test will run over 16 months and is a unique opportunity for local landowner and farmers to inform national policy.

ELM offers the opportunity for a new contract between landowners, farmers and the public to work together to produce both wonderful food and the green travel network that we all need whilst at the same time protect the environment, tackle poor health and climate change and promote enjoyment of the countryside in a safe and respectful way. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-yearenvironment-plan

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MENDIP TIMES

Cycling the Festival Way

It has been a few years since I finished working in Bristol and the main thing I missed about that was commuting to and from work on my bike. It was a good simple way to rack CYCLING up the miles each week with EDMUND LODITE without really having to think about it too much.

It did mean getting up a bit earlier but the reward was wake up exercise, seasonal scenery changes followed up by an endorphin rush and a well deserved egg on toast at work! there are many benefits from cycling to work rather than using a car or public transport. In addition to improving health, fitness and wellbeing you avoid queues of traffic, save money and help the environment.

Having a good route (or a choice of routes) is the key to successful commuting. the most direct route to work may not be the most pleasant. Quiet lanes and traffic free paths may make the journey slightly longer but they are much more enjoyable.

Sustrans have done some brilliant work in developing a network of safer cycling routes and that’s a good place to start when looking for a route. the best example that I found is the Festival Way which links Nailsea to Bristol city centre. that also gave me a chance to relive my commuting days.

It is known as the Festival Way because it provides easy

Fundraising continues at rugby club

access to Ashton Court, where a number of festivals are held each year. Along the way it connects with Flax Bourton and Long Ashton and being mostly traffic-free it provides a safe commuting corridor into Bristol. the 16 km path starts at Millennium Park in Nailsea and is clearly signposted all the way (cycle route 33). the only sections on road are just after leaving Nailsea along a quiet and pretty lane and then through a couple of quiet residential areas in Flax Bourton and Long Ashton. As it is a shared path some care should be taken when approaching and passing walkers and the public. A bell is still the best way to let someone know you are approaching!

Soon after, you enter Ashton Court with its 850 acres of woods, grasslands and magnificent old oak trees. there is a small hill to contend with but the views and open parkland are worth it as are the grazing deer when you leave. then it’s a pan flat ride all the way into Bristol along the Harbourside with inspiring views of the SS Great Britain.

After completing a full loop of the Festival Way (from the Park & Ride in Long Ashton) my perception of it had changed a lot. I’d started by thinking it was simply a functional path for cyclists to get to and from work in Bristol – and yes it does do that, but then it gives so much more.

When you add the variety of open countryside, beautiful parkland, a historic house, grazing deer and a ride along the waterfront it stands up on its own as a good bike ride.

If you did this every day you could even end up looking forward to going to work!

Midsomer Norton scoring one of their second half tries in a 35-22 win over Cheltenham

MIDSOMER Norton Rugby Club has been able to begin work on renovations and repairs to their clubhouse but is still appealing for more donations.

A new security system has been installed and the club is upgrading the gents’ toilets. However, the biggest undertaking will be the installation of an on-demand heating system for the showers.

PAGE 90 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Harbourside and SS Great Britain

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SPORT

Darcie crowned South West tumbling champion

Darcie (left) and Millie

A MEMBER of Shepton Mallet Gymnastics Club has won the title of champion tumbler in the South West.

Darcie Snaith was one of a team of senior gymnasts from the club who took part in the tournament – her colleague Millie Rood won bronze – which also featured a competition for primary schoolchildren in which Calla Scott, from Croscombe, won bronze in her first outing at the event.

Darcie will now travel with her tumbling coach, Clare tanner, to Stokeon-trent in May to represent the South West and the Shepton club at the national finals.

Tennis club wins promotion

The primary competitors. Back (l:r) Calla Scott, Joshua Seager and Lily Hoddinott.

Front (l:r): Elsie Seager, Hazel McEntee and Ava Cox

Bowls – the generation game CONGRESBuRy tennis Club men’s A team have gained promotion to North Somerset Summer League Division 1 for the first time in the club’s history. to achieve this they came top of Division 2 after a tough season against Backwell A, Wrington A, Weston A, Clevedon B and taunton A teams.

Victory was only assured in the last game of the season beating taunton A team 10-0, meaning winning the division by just four points. unbelievably their home games were played on a tarmac surface that is thought to be 25 years old. However the courts have now been resurfaced ready for the new season – practice has started in earnest organised by club captain Martin Dibsdale (far left of photo).

With the success of the B team climbing from division eight to division six in the last few years, Congresbury is entering a C team in the same league for the first time in memory. So if you are a tennis player in the area and are interested in playing league tennis new players are very welcome.

In addition to the men's and ladies' teams in the summer league, they have teams in the National Summer Singles/Doubles League (Avon Section), the North Late Summer Vets League (over 45s), the North Somerset Doubles Mixed Winter League and a team in the Junior Winter League 2019-2020.

BOWLS truly is the “sport for all” and a sport for life – just try it. It can be played by all ages, abilities and sexes – making it the perfect sport for all members of the family.

Like all sports, the object of bowls is essentially simple, but to be able to play consistently well demands determination, concentration and practice.

It has been medically proven that bowls improves your general health and helps to strengthen the immune system.

Bowls is not only a sport, you can also have a varied social life at your local club. It is the ideal sport for meeting new people, socialising and meeting new challenges head-on. the social benefits include making new friends, avoiding isolation and fostering community spirit – all members of the community can enjoy bowls and lead a healthier lifestyle.

Bowls can also help to keep you healthy, giving your muscles and joints good exercise. During an average game, you will bend more than 40 times, walk approximately 1,260 metres and swing your arm more than 40 times to deliver a bowl weighing more than three pounds.

Why not come and see for yourself? From April 20th we will be holding sessions on Monday evenings, at 6pm, at Street Bowling Club, Victoria Field, Leigh Road, Street, BA16 0HB. All you will need are flat soled shoes.

Tony Morgan chairman/secretary Details: 01458 447759 email tonymorgan1066@gmail.com

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Fixture lost over safety fears ORGANISERS of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale point-to-point meeting were forced to abandon the event on the advice of the on-course doctor.

Heavy overnight rain left vehicles struggling to get onto and move around the site at Charlton Horethorne, near Wincanton, and tractors were needed to help vehicles – including an ambulance called to treat a medical emergency – get onto firmer ground.

Spectators who braved the conditions were able to watch a parade of hounds and a discussion about the Cheltenham Festival between champion trainer Paul Nicholls and Joe tizzard, son of rival trainer Colin Up-and-coming jockey Angus Cheleda canters on board Captain Cuckoo, trained by Anne Pearse of East Pennard, near Shepton Mallet.

Angus is based at Paul Nicholls’s yard at Ditcheat

A farewell to Mark Doggrell and Matthew Puffer

tizzard.

Later, some jockeys took horses for a canter around the track and there were emotional scenes when Mark Doggrell retired after 14 years as huntsman and Matthew Puffer stood down after four years as kennel master by riding with the hounds past the

Yatton foiled by a single point

finishing post. the BSV has announced that admission for spectators to the 2021 meeting will be free-of-charge. l The Mendip Farmers Point-toPoint fixture, due to be staged on Sunday, March 22nd, was postponed as Mendip Times went to press.

A rare moment of action as jockeys took the chance to canter around the track

yAttON RFC 1st XV’s league play-off hopes were virtually ended by a last-minute conversion by rivals Wells to secure the home side a dramatic 22-21 victory. the tribute Somerset Premier sides clashed at Wells’ Charter Way ground with the home side taking a 10-0 first

half lead.

But a series of yatton tries gave the visitors a slender lead before Sam Garrett stepped up to convert Will Greenman’s try with more than 80 minutes on the clock. the result consolidates Wells in mid-table.

Despair on the faces of the Wells side after Yatton take the lead late in the second half…

… followed by the relief of a last-minute victory

PAGE 92 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

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SPORT

Winscombe girls are winners

WINSCOMBE RFC girls have had amazing success again, with both u18s and u15s winning the South West finals. the u18s beat the reigning national champions Pulborough for the first time in over two years, to become South West Champions, winning 17-5. the girls now eagerly await news of whether the next stage of the competition, the national semi-final will be affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Meanwhile Winscombe Warriors u15s girls triumphed 24-7 in the South West regional final against Basingstoke RFC, booking their place in the National RFu semi-final for the second year running!

In some pretty testing conditions at Cheltenham RFC, Winscombe kicked off and quickly imposed themselves, looking to take control of the game from the outset. By half time Winscombe had taken a healthy 17-0 lead come the break but couldn’t rest on their laurels as, as soon as the second half had started, Basingstoke were quick to react and secured a well worked converted try themselves to take the score to 17-7 and the pressure was firmly back on the Warriors to respond. the final converted try of the day came from another forward carry by Winscombe’s Isabel Clarke to score under the posts and seal victory. the club says the grass roots of this success is built through the girls in the minis section and most importantly the u13s girls set up which is the primary feeder for their senior girls teams.

U15s conversion: Harriet Griffiths

U18s team post match with award

the u15s have a squad of up to 40 players training each week which means the coaching staff are often able to field two competitive u15 sides on a Sunday.

Any girls interested in joining the club can find details on their website.

U18 Izzy Taylor down the wing

The victorious Winscombe U15s squad

U15s scrum

Details: www.winscomberfc.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 93

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MENDIP TIMES

The music must go on!

CHOIR leader Caroline Lowe has launched The Outdoor Choir to avoid the risk posed by coronavirus of meeting indoors. The choir’s first session was on the banks of Chew Valley Lake.

Caroline, who runs several choirs in the Chew Valley area, said: “It seems to be a complete disaster not being able to meet up and sing and so today I have been wracking my brains for a way to continue to have singing in our lives.

“The idea is that we meet outside, stand at least a couple of metres apart but have a good old sing together.”

She plans to organise these on an ad hoc basis depending on the weather forecast. She’s also planning The Post Corona Choir asking members to learn songs at home through online tutorial videos and rehearsal tracks ready for a performance and party once restrictions are lifted.

Both these choirs are free.

Details: www.carolineschoirs.com and look for the relevant pages – The Outdoor Choir and The Post Corona Choir

Bringing music to you

WITH all children stuck at home, Music for Miniatures will be online streaming concerts for children and working creatively to provide access to live music.

The charity is also looking to do open air concerts in parks and spaces where people can listen, keep their distance and still enjoy the benefits of live music.

They are asking for communities to get in touch if they have an area of sheltered housing with a communal garden where musicians could perform.

Maybe courtyards in care homes and

areas where the elderly might be isolated or where many people are self-isolating.

Founder, Julie Payne, said: “Live music is for everyone and at these times,

Details: info@musicforminiatures.co.uk

these concerts will be for everyone, young and old. Musicians can’t perform in the concert hall, but they can bring the concert hall to you!”

Making their mark – youth theatre’s latest production MARK Youth Theatre presented Disney’s Aladdin JR at Strode Theatre, the stage version of the 1992 Academy award-winning film and the 2014 hit Broadway and West End show.

PAGE 94 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

It was directed by Claire Banwell and Laura Jones. Mark Youth Theatre involves young people aged between nine and 19 years who attend local schools and colleges.

Irish journey

WINSCOMBE Community Singers were invited to sing in St Patrick’s Cathedral in Armagh. About half of the choir flew out to Belfast to join other choirs to help celebrate St Patrick’s Day. The concert was filmed for PBS America to be broadcast as part of the celebrations. If you enjoy singing but are not yet confident enough to be “out there” on your own, they invite you to go along and try them out.

Details: www.winscombecommunitysingers.co.uk

Axbridge Pageant called off

THE ten-yearly Axbridge Pageant, which was due to be held this August, has been postponed for a year.

The artistic director John Bailey said that the government’s advice to cancel meetings for the next few weeks meant rehearsals would be affected and there would be a reluctance for people to commit to the pageant.

He said: “We cannot risk it. The coronavirus has blown it away, and we have had to bow to the inevitable and put it off for a year. In making this decision we are seeking to protect the commitment, passion and enthusiasm that the community has for this unique event.

“This, of course, is hugely disappointing news for the many people who have worked tirelessly on the event and for the hundreds who were about to embark on the exciting journey of bringing the Axbridge Pageant to fruition in August of this year.

“But, very sadly, these are exceptional times and we are sure you will realise that this is the responsible thing to do.”

The pageant was set to take place from August 29th-31st but will now be rescheduled to be performed on August 28th-30th, 2021.

MUSIC & THEATRE

15 years of Mendip All Drummers

IN 2005 an Adult Learning and Leisure course was funded by Mendip District Council to enable students to experience African drumming. When the funding came to an end, a few keen members decided to continue on their own and they became Mendip African Drummers.

By late 2006, with a name change to Mendip All Drummers, the group were performing around Somerset.

They have since played at the Royal Bath and West Show, Priddy Folk Fair and the Green Gathering as well as many fetes and village shows throughout the Mendip area, supporting various charities.

For many years the group played and held drop-in workshops at the Wells May Day event and the annual Moat Race, at Collett Park Day and many other local events. They have also had the pleasure of playing at wedding receptions, birthday parties, churches and in Wells Cathedral.

Mendip All Drummers welcomes anyone who would like to learn to play a variety of African drums and there is also an opportunity to play with the performance group. There are currently two groups – one at Easton near Wells and one in Frome. Both concentrate on playing authentic African rhythms.

Two recruitment events are in the pipeline and there are plans to hold one-day workshops with professional teachers at some time in the future.

A member of Mendip All Drummers describes the experience of drumming in the group as “being good for the soul, as well as a lot of fun!”

Details: Nick 07855 129165 or visit Facebook page: Mendip All Drummers at Easton

Concert cancelled Plans for the pageant were well advanced

YATTON Music Society has cancelled its concerts due to be held at St Mary’s, Yatton because of the coronavirus.

They were due to take place on March 28th, April 25th and May 16th.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 95

(Photo courtesy of Louis Smith)

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(Photograph courtesy of Christian Mueller)

Cathedral survey begins

Wells Cathedral

WEllS Cathedral is asking local people and visitors from further afield for their feedback.

Jackie Croft, Wells Cathedral’s Chapter Clerk, said: “Wells Cathedral is an important destination in the heart of Somerset and the city of Wells. We want to make it the most engaging experience possible for all People can also use this QR code… just who visit! switch on the camera on your phone, “It has been a hover it over the image, and click on the number of years link that appears since a visitor survey was undertaken and we are really keen to receive as much feedback as we can. Our survey only takes only a few minutes to complete. We would be very grateful to all who take part!” l The 2020 Wells Cathedral Visitor Survey is open until April 19th and can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/wellscathedral

Museum’s new season

CASTlE Cary Museum was due to open for the new season on Wednesday, April 1st with a special display on Castle Cary and Royalty, tracing the town’s royal connections back to William the Conqueror. It includes a cannon ball and a pair of Queen Victoria’s knickers!

There’s also a tribute to Castle Cary’s firefighters, tracing their history from 1764 to the present day, looking at the equipment, female fire fighters, historic fires and recent dramatic rescues.

The crews also play a big part with fundraising, carnival and memorials for the local community. Castle Cary values its fire service.

Why not visit and see other items of a bygone era? The museum is open weekdays 10.30-12.30pm and 2-4pm; Saturdays 10.3012.30pm and bank holidays. Admission is free.

PAGE 96 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020

Film festival postponed

THE organisers of the 2020 Wells Festival of Film have announced they are postponing the event until September because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Wells Film Centre were planning three days of classic films and animated features for April. The new dates are Friday, September 4th to Sunday, September 6th.

A spokesperson for the centre said: “We are sure the public will understand that we have to put safety first.”

After the postponement was made, Wells Film Centre made the decision to temporarily close its doors.

It said that after the Prime Minister’s advice to avoid places such as bars, restaurants, theatres and cinemas, attendance to the local independent cinema dropped dramatically.

Proprietor Sally Cooper said: “While it is a sad time to say goodbye to our customers, the safely of our community, customers and staff comes first. At this time, we are unsure how long we will be closed, but we will be back as soon as we can.

“We will continue to update our website and social media platforms as any new information becomes available. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers, business partners and staff for all their support. As a community we will get through this difficult time together.

Stay safe and see you all soon.”

For up to date information visit www.wellsfilmcentre.co.uk

Festival funding

VAllEy Arts has been awarded Arts Council funding for another fringe festival in the autumn and hopes to make it bigger than ever.

In the meantime it’s looking to hold events in open spaces, if necessary, and to continue building support.

Food festivals on hold

ORGANISERS of the Somerset-wide eat:Festivals have announced they are postponing or cancelling all events until later in the year.

They include eat:Weston-super-Mare, which was due to take place on April 18th but has been put back to August 22nd, eat:Castle Cary, due to take place on May 2nd but cancelled until 2021, eat:Clevedon (due May 16th, but now 2021) and eat:Burnham-on-Sea (May 23rd – next event October 24th).

In a statement, the organisers said: “eat:Festivals were born out of a desire to reconnect people with the productive landscape that surrounds us. We have delivered 42 amazing locally focused food and drink festivals over the past 8 years.

This spring, because of the spread of COVID-19 through our communities, we have chosen to adapt by working with partners and hundreds of local food and drink micro and small businesses to deliver a virtual festival.

“Some of our producers already have online shops or are stocked by home delivery services. We are working hard to get them all online and enable deliveries of their produce to customers directly, in collaboration with the brilliant retailers in our festival towns.”

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Theatre group nominated for top award

GlASTONBURy and Street Musical Comedy Society is waving the flag for Mid-Somerset in a national awards scheme after being nominated for “best musical”.

The society, which this year celebrates its 90th birthday, has been nominated at the National Operatic and Dramatic Association’s SW awards for its production of The Addams Family.

The show, directed by West End choreographer and former Street resident Andrew Wright, wowed crowds at Strode Theatre in Street last April, and could be crowned best musical against 16 other shows from across the south west. laura Hyde, Chairman of GSMCS, said: “This is really exciting news to be nominated among so many other great shows from across the region. The Addams Family was a huge show for us, and it’s great to even be receiving nomination recognition; if we grab the top prize then that will just be the icing on the cake. We’re keeping everything crossed.”

GSMC’s Addams Family production

Royal Bath and West Show postponed

THE Royal Bath & West Show will now be held from July 31stAugust 2nd because of the coronavirus instead of at the end of May. It’s promising new attractions to appeal to all the family and with over 50 hours of scheduled entertainment every day there’s sure to be something for everyone.

All other major events in our area have been cancelled.

Tickets are on sale now at www.bathandwest.com/tickets

WHAT’S ON

Coronavirus wreaks havoc

MENDIP Times cannot publish What’s On listings this month because virtually all community meetings and events have had to be cancelled.

A few people have told us that unless the government expressly forbids meetings, they plan to go ahead. One of those is Music for Miniatures “because children are a low risk group and entertaining them will become more important than ever if/when schools are closed”.

Some walking groups may decide to continue meeting.

Please check their websites (given in previous issues of MT) for up-to-date information.

We will continue to publish Mendip Times but many of our usual distribution outlets will be closed. We plan to leave more copies at your local shops and supermarkets where possible.

Please tell your friends and neighbours who may not have been able to obtain a paper copy that MT can be read in full on our website: www.mendiptimes.co.uk Details: annie@mendiptimes.co.uk

Evercreech’s plan to make children smile

RESIDENTS and businesses in Evercreech are being asked to help bring a smile to the faces of children by creating an Easter rainbow trail about the village.

Plans for an Easter community event have been cancelled so a group of people got together to work on the idea of the trail.

One of the first to appear is on the front window of the Old Stores Studio. A painted Easter egg hunt may also take place.

APRIL CROSSWORD SOLUTION

ACRoSS: 1. Wessex 4. Pussycat 10. Sabot 11. Earthworm 12. Bremner 13. Strudel 14. Radiator 16. Sorry 19. Spitz 21. lollipop 25. Puberty 27. Time-lag 28. Icesheets 29. Aviva 30. lympsham 31. Caress. DoWn: 1 & 2. Westbury-subMendip 3. Estonia 5. Unrest 6. Scherzo 8 & 7. Temple Cloud 9. Reproof 16. Repulsive 17. Hostess 18. Spyglass 20.

Torches 22. lambada 23. Uphill 24. Hyaena 26. Bream

Mendip Times reduces travel costs

100,000 potential customers within a short distance of your business

We are holding a party in our village to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day, please come and join us – all welcome!

• Big band (playing 1940’s tunes) • Sing-along of war-time favourites • Food and drink for purchase (or bring your own picnic) • Memorabilia • Playing of the Last Post • Nation’s Toast FREE ENTRY WWII DRESS ACTIVELY ENCOURAGED!

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2020 • PAGE 97

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WHAT’S ON

Easter at the Bishop’s Palace

SINCE most activities will be outdoors, the Bishop’s Palace and Gardens in Wells are going ahead with a range of Easter-themed family-friendly activities.

The fun starts on Saturday, April 4th when the palace Easter trail will be in place; find your way around the palace gardens using the baby-animal-themed clues and if you’re successful, claim your prize from the visitor reception on the way out.

The trail will run until the end of the school holidays on Sunday, April 19th.

On Tuesday, April 7th and 14th, 10.30am-3pm, their Crafty Cats sessions will take place in the Undercroft of the palace. On both days the theme will be “baby animals”, with different activities on each occasion.

On Thursday, April 9th and 16th, 10am-4pm, the palace team will be holding “Nature Ninjas” activity sessions with a difference in the community garden, aimed at getting little ones engaged with nature.

If you’re looking for a day out with a difference, then don’t miss The Bishop’s Palace’s Medieval Falconry Day on Easter Saturday, April 11th. Suitable for all ages, this event will include flying displays with an expert falconer.

In between displays, visitors will have the chance to handle some of the birds.

As this event is a fundraising day for the palace, ticket

prices will be: £10.25 adults, £5.10 children, £20.50 family with one adult and up to 3 children, £28.50 family with two adults and up to three children – including entrance to the site. l Grace, the female of the pair of famous palace swans, has finally chosen a nest to use and has laid her first two eggs.

Palace staff have spent the last few weeks trying to encourage Grace and Gabriel to nest at the side of the moat.

However, Grace has actually decided to lay her eggs in another nest, on the island in the moat! The good news is that visitors will be able to see Grace and watch her on the nest.

Details: 01749 988111 www.bishopspalace.org.uk

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