Mendip Times
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VOLUME 17 ISSUE 4
FREE
Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas
SEPTEMBER 2021
IN THIS ISSUE: • MID-SOMERSET SHOW • ARTS & ANTIQUES • FOOD & DRINK • WHAT’S ON • PROPERTY • EVENTS
Local people, local history, local places, local events and local news
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MENDIP TIMES
CONTENTS
Welcome
WE’VE a picture special this month from the Mid-Somerset Show, the first big show for two years, held at its new showground at Shepton Mallet, as well as pictures from other shows, festivals and events, as restrictions have eased. Forget Tokyo – Shepton Mallet is now the place to go for skateboarding! And we have news of international football and cricket – in Paulton and Allerton! The arts world is also reopening after the pandemic – we have details of various arts trails and festivals across the area this autumn in packed Arts and Antiques and What’s On sections. Food and Drink is also busy with previews of festivals in Wells and Cheddar. Our Business section reports expansion at Yeo Valley and Charlie Bigham’s, as there are more signs of optimism. Both Stoke St Michael and Shipham are celebrating news about their village halls, while Meare and Westhay are fundraising to build a new one. We have pictures from new community gardens in Winscombe and Clutton. In Farming Nick Green ponders the balance between food production and environmental protection, while Somerset Wildlife Trust has announced a valuable new green corridor in their Avalon marshes reserve. With all of our regular features and contributors, let us guide you gently into autumn.
October 2021 deadline: Friday, 17th September2021 Published: Tuesday, 28th September 2021 Editorial: Steve Egginton steve@mendiptimes.co.uk Mark Adler mark@mendiptimes.co.uk Advertising: Ann Quinn advertising@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: Allen Candy on a tractor run near Evercreech. Photo by Mark Adler. See page 12.
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Tasty treats – mini food festival in Shepton Mallet
Say cheese – all smiles at the Mid-Somerset Show
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In fine voice – choir helps to Wake up Wells
Riding to victory – pony club team takes top honours
Plus all our regular features Environment ...................................6 Farming Nick Green .....................10 Food & Drink ...............................14 Internet and Crossword ..............24 Arts & Antiques ...........................28 Business.........................................36 Charities........................................46 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE .......53 Walking Sue Gearing ....................54
Outdoors Les Davies MBE ..........56 Gardening Mary Payne MBE.......58 Health & Family ..........................64 Community ...................................74 Property ........................................83 Caving Phil Hendy ........................88 Home & Interiors.........................89 Sport ..............................................94 What’s On...................................101 MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 3
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MENDiP TiMES
NEWS
Villagers say thank you to Katy
A PARTY has been held at Ashwick and Oakhill Village Hall to say thank you to Katy Beauchamp who has left her role running firstly the local playgroup, then leading the Oakhill Church School Nursery over the past 28 years.
Katy (centre, in green) with partygoers on the village playing field
Katy, who lives in Oakhill, started the Ashwick and Oakhill Playgroup in the village hall where dozens of people – including current and former pupils, parents, grandparents and staff – gathered for the celebration.
Last dance for music club members
A COUNTRY and Western music club which has raised more than £16,000 for charity is closing after 25 years of dancing. Once so popular that people had to be turned away, the Goldminers’ Country Music Club began in March 1996 and celebrated 25 years in March 2020, just before the pandemic hit. The group has raised money for different charities and local organisations, including Paulton Hospital, Hearing Dogs, SCARF, RNLI, Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall,
Leonard Cheshire, Elm Hayes Surgery and WISH. Alan Kingman, on behalf of the club, has thanked Farrington Gurney for the use of the hall, all the artistes that have appeared and those who have helped and supported the club throughout the past 25 years. He would also like to say a special thank you to his wife, Norma, for all her help and hard work. The remainder of the group’s funds – almost £2,500 – have been donated to Paulton Hospital.
Stonemasons step in to help
Norma and Alan Kingman, from the Goldminers’ Country Music Club, present a cheque to Caroline and Terry Wynne MBE, on behalf of the Paulton Hospital League of Friends
RESIDENTS of Cranmore have welcomed the arrival of a new village cross to replace the previous one – thought to be
Parish council chair Ann Crowcombe, vicar the Rev. Jonathan Hunter-Dunn and churchwarden Gerry Locke with the new cross
Stonemason Darren Hill
around 400 years old – which shattered when it fell from its plinth. Stonemason Darren Hill, who works for local company Wolff Stone, carved the new cross.
MENDiP TiMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 5
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MENDIP TIMES
Winscombe’s new garden
FoUr friends have created the Winscombe railway Garden on a piece of derelict land in the village for their silver Duke of Edinburgh award. Churchill Academy students, louis Green, Alasdair Armour, Jacob Griffiths and Alastair McWhinney first approached Winscombe and sandford Parish Council in 2019 about renovating a plot of land by the railway bridge. the boys then presented a plan and costs at a parish council meeting which gained unanimous approval. After months of work, with support from their parents, the official opening was carried out by parish council chairman, Archie Forbes, attended by the boys’ families, friends, teachers and local councillors.
The garden is open
Clearing weeds (l to r) Alasdair, Jacob, Alastair and Louis
Before the work
Boost for River Chew
Bristol Avon rivers trust has received a grant of £97,700 from the government’s Green recovery Challenge Fund, which will support improvements on the river Chew. it hopes the river Chew reconnected project will act as a stimulus for further support, to create a healthier river for wildlife and people to enjoy. the project will deliver two river habitat enhancement schemes that will improve aquatic, marginal and terrestrial habitat. this will include planting about 2,000 riparian trees and shrubs and the creation of several seasonal ponds across two sites to reduce surface water run-off from agricultural fields and increase floodplain habitat diversity. the trust says: “restoration of habitats will help them function more naturally once again, unlocking natural processes and maximising transitional and in-stream habitat. At a local scale, the river will become more resilient to pressures such as climate change and form more coherent
one of the parents said: "it was a great afternoon, fantastic for the boys to receive the praise they deserve and the boys feel very proud that their hard work has sparked a lot of interest in the village."
River Chew at Pensford
priority habitats, as building blocks of the Nature recovery Network.” the trust is also launching a sustainable Water Usage project that will encourage local communities and schools to also take action to protect our rivers.
Details: info@bristolavonriverstust.org
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Boost for Mendip fund
Visitors to Mendip Activity Centre at Churchill have donated £7,500 to the Mendip hills Fund that gives grants to help local projects. Due to the pandemic, the fund has received very little income from businesses and events that usually bring people into the area. in 2019 £12,000 was awarded to projects such as forest schools, creating a wildlife area by a village hall and money for a local environment group to buy surveying equipment. Jim hardcastle, manager of the AoNB, said: “We're delighted that the team at Mendip Activity Centre have been able to adapt their site and the activities during the pandemic to keep such a successful business going. “We love that people come to the area for adventure and fun. Now they know that they are contributing to the protection of this nationally important area as well.” the centre’s owner, Dave Eddins, said: “the outdoor industry really suffered in 2020 due to repeated lockdowns and restrictions. My team was able to rise to the challenge and set about opening a pop-up campsite to take advantage of the staycation boom. “the generosity of our guests will help ensure the Mendip hills can be protected and enhanced for future generations to enjoy. We are very proud to support the Mendip hills Fund and the AoNB.” Details: www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk
Learn dry stone walling
thE Mendip society will be running two training weekends in dry stone walling in october, in conjunction with the launch of their small grants scheme for landowners restoring or creating landscape conservation and wildlife habitats. Both will be held at Chancellor’s Farm, Plummers lane, Priddy, BA5 3DD, for beginners on saturday and sunday, october 2nd and 3rd and for improvers on saturday and sunday, october 16th and 17th. Both are open to all members of the public and are free to join; both days must be attended. Numbers are limited to eight places on each course. the society is also a sponsor of the Mendip Ploughing Match to be held at Green ore Farm, Green ore, on Wednesday, september 29th when there will be two dry stone walling classes held. if you are interested in learning this new skill, a visit to this event will provide inspiration galore. Details: secretary@themendipsociety.org.uk 01275 874284
ENVIRONMENT
Bantam goes quackers
roB handy, who has a forest garden at East harptree, got a surprise when one of his hens decided to become mum to some ducklings. he said his last broody bantam, now proudly puffed out to the size of a dinner plate, rejected her own teeny-tiny eggs in favour of a clutch of six prize-size duck eggs she surreptitiously stashed beneath her. the results were six ducklings, which Mother hen cared for and looked after, and which are now a good size and swimming around in the pond, under the ever watchful eye of mum. rob has started doing tours again, demonstrating selfsufficiency and rural life, including a new patch containing companion plants of tomatoes, gooseberries and marjoram. he said: “these are a fine example of companion plants in the same way that the three sisters, runner beans, squashes and sweet corn are often used as an example of companion planting. “the gooseberries provide a structure for the tomatoes to climb through; its spikes helping protect the tomato fruit from birds. the tomatoes keep away the saw fly from the gooseberries - the saw fly normally strip the leaves. “the marjoram provides ground cover for both, meaning you don’t have to water the tomatoes or gooseberries and the marjoram, when trodden on, releases essential oils which keep away the pests of the tomatoes.”
Details: RobsFoodForest.site or YouTube channel Rob's Discovery MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 7
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(Photograph courtesy of Michael Holman, Red Forge Studios)
MENDIP TIMES
Trust expands Avalon Marshes reserve
Green award
ENVIRONMENT
Honeygar from above
soMErsEt Wildlife trust has acquired honeygar Farm, between its Westhay Moor National Nature reserve (NNr) and Catcott nature reserves, at the heart of the Avalon Marshes. the 46.5 hectare site and two further parcels of land also purchased, adjacent to the farm and sWt’s nearby Westhay heath reserve, will bring the trust’s total landholding in the Avalon Marshes landscape to 418 hectares. the trust has funded the initial land purchase of honeygar Farm with support from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation (EFF) which has bought it on the trust’s behalf to be repaid through fundraising. the trust will be launching a major honeygar fundraising campaign in the coming year to repay EFF by 2023 and undertake initial work on site. honeygar was identified by sWt as an important site to provide habitat and green corridors which will strengthen nature connectivity within the Avalon Marshes landscape and contribute to somerset’s wider Nature recovery Network. the trust’s CEo, Georgia stokes, said: “Nature is in crisis. the Uk is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world. Nothing short of big ambition and bold ideas is going to deliver the changes needed for nature to recover, for the abundance and range of species to return, and for us to meet the climate targets we need to by 2030. “We have got to do more and faster to face these twin crises of the ecological and climate emergencies, and this is one way somerset Wildlife trust can contribute. Nature can’t wait. “honeygar is a vital missing link in the ecological network of the Avalon Marshes, at the heart of the somerset levels and Moors. through creation of wildlife-rich habitats, protecting and rewetting the precious peat soils, and providing important water and carbon storage, honeygar connects many existing nature-rich sites including our own Westhay Moor, Westhay heath and Catcott Complex nature reserves. “the site will help us towards our goal of putting 30% of land into recovery for nature, a goal shared with the Uk government. More than that, honeygar will provide us with the opportunity to learn many lessons and share our learning with other landowners, partners and communities.” the trust and the rsPB have also been awarded £906,000 government funding to support work across three sites within the Avalon Marshes, sWt’s Westhay Moor NNr and honeygar, and the rsPB’s ham Wall NNr. Details: https://www.somersetwildlife.org/supportus/donate/honeygar
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DAisy stephens, aged six, has been awarded a Blue Peter Green Badge for her bug houses. older sister lily got her award last year for making a wildlife video, which included a badger snuffling through leaves. Mum, Natalie, from Pensford, said: “Daisy has a keen interest in bugs and nature and has carefully cared for and raised many caterpillars (found in our garden) through to chrysalis and butterflies.”
Lake plans
Work on a £1.5m scheme to build a new section of 2.7km walking and cycling trail around Chew Valley lake is getting underway. Construction of the all-weather path on the northern section of the lake will see a new path from Woodford lodge to Walley lane; a wider path across the dam; and a wider shared path and bridge from the dam to hollowbrook.
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Galhampton Shop & Country Store
Animal Feeds and Bedding Timber Supplies Tools | Hardware | Gardening Workwear | Logs and Gas Local Food | Home Essentials
Open 7 days a week Mon-Sat 7.30am – 5.30pm | Sun 10am – 4pm 01963 440464
Family-run, rural country store on A359 between Castle Cary and Sparkford
Fir Tree Business Park, High Road, Galhampton, Somerset, BA22 7BH sales@galhamptoncountrystore.co.uk
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The balance between the environment and food production
AS farmers look after 75% of the UK land mass they are quite rightly known as custodians of the countryside. This has been the case ever With NICK since the Enclosures GREEN Acts. Consider the uplands of England. The stones walls that criss-cross the dales, fells and high fields were all built by someone. The sheep that graze there are all managed. As you move away from the Mendip plateau to the Wrington Vale, the Chew Valley and the Somerset Levels you see a different landscape but one that is managed. The common theme with all these different landscapes is that as well as looking nice and providing habitat they produce food. The sheep grazing the uplands produce fine lamb. The lowland grass provides feed
for cattle that produce beef and milk. Look at some of the “broad acre” areas like Salisbury Plain and they are part of the bread basket of the UK. But change is afoot. With Britain exiting the European Union it has given the British government the chance to break away from the shackles of the Common Agricultural Policy. Farmer opinion is divided on this. Some like the thought of free trade whilst others have relied on CAP payments for so long it will be hard to be weaned off them. The British government have decided there will still be public payments made to farmers but they will be based on “public money for public goods”. To date, the public goods include countryside access and improving the natural environment. This is to be applauded. However, if farmers are tempted by the dangling carrot of farming the environment rather than producing food, where is our food going to
come from? Easy, say the politicians. If we need the consumer to have access to cheap food, we can import it from other parts of the world. All this will do is export our environmental woes abroad. What we need is a balanced plan securing food production and improving the environment. Given the opportunity, UK farmers could do just that. They are proud of being custodians of the countryside and being able to feed our nation.
Nick Green is Farms Director for Alvis Bros Ltd based at Lye Cross Farm. He is responsible for the farming and estate business and is passionate about British food and farming. As well as the business, he is involved with a number of local and national farming charities.
We are now stockists of ASPEN Fuels
l Ready mixed for 2 stroke engines l Burns cleaner than ordinary fuel l Virtually free from sulphur, benzene and solvents making it less harmful than regular petrol, therefore breathing much cleaner air when working with power tools l Better for engines, longer storage staying fresh for years therefore easier starting l Reduced toxic emissions so better for the environment
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FARMING
MENDIP PLOUGHING MATCH
The 151st Annual Competitions will held on land at Wells Road, Green Ore, Nr Wells BA5 3EP on Wednesday 29th September 2021 A celebration of agriculture on the Mendips over the last 160 years.
• Ploughing • Hedging • Stone Walling & Farm Produce Show • Demonstration of Steam Traction Ploughing. • Display of Vintage Tractors • Land Rovers and Classic Cars. Free entry and car parking Refreshments and Bar • Trade Stands. Main Sponsors – Yeo Valley, Mallets Cider, R M Penny, Kelston Sparkes, Tincknells and many other local firms
Enquiries: Jim King 07810413664 or Judith Ogborne 07783709619
Your main Kubota dealer for Somerset and South Gloucester Main Road A370, Hewish, Weston-super-Mare BS24 6SE
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 11
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MENDIP TIMES
Let them tractors roll
VINTAGE tractor enthusiasts gathered for their first meeting since lockdown ended for a run around Evercreech and surrounding villages. A total of 13 tractors took part in the event, organised by Rod Gillard, who runs the vintage vehicle display at the MidSomerset Show. Rod, who lives in Evercreech, said: “It was the first opportunity we’d had to get together.”
EVENTS
Owners were determined to get back on the road after the pandemic
Wagner in Croscombe
CROSCOMBE enjoyed three outdoor shows this summer including a family friendly version of Wagner's Ring Cycle opera by Bluebirds Theatre Company, which included amazing aerial acrobatics from the roof of their taxi cab. With support from Mendip District Council and Somerset based charity, Take Art, it allowed village volunteers to bring really high quality performances to Croscombe while also raising money for various village funds. Take Art are keen to work with other villages in Mendip to promote more shows in the future.
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The convoy of tractors – led by Rod Gillard – makes its way up Maesdown Hill on the way out of Evercreech towards Bodden, Chelynch and Doulting
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FOOD & DRINK
Say hello to a new season . . .
. . . and goodbye to the last one as it was a bit peculiar! It looks like a good crop of home-grown figs and wonderful hedgerow blackberries. I’m looking forward to doing a bit of real With JUNE MACFARLANE cooking again and this is the time when I start thinking seriously about mushrooms. And let’s hope for some late summer sunshine to boost our spirits before winter.
HONEYED FIGS AND BURRATA INGREDIENTS
(For four) 3 tbsp honey 125ml sherry vinegar 8 figs, wiped and trimmed 1 large ball of burrata Flaky sea salt 2tbsp fresh mint, chopped
Figs come in all sorts of varieties and colours. Get them as ripe as possible. Burrata is the silky sibling of mozzarella with a fabulously creamy interior. METHOD In a small pan, melt the honey with the vinegar and simmer until reduced by half. It should coat the back of a spoon. Quarter the figs. Break apart the burrata and arrange on plates with the figs. Sprinkle some salt over the burrata. Spoon over the glaze and scatter the mint on top. A dish to give a fig about!
BLACKBERRIES AND PEACHES WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE INGREDIENTS
(For four) 3 peaches 30g butter 60g caster sugar 50ml water 250g blackberries
This pasta dish is an ideal autumn warmer
PAPPARDELLE WITH MUSHROOMS AND HARISSA A spicy dish to ease us back to the stove!
INGREDIENTS
(For two) METHOD 150g pappardelle Bring a big pan of water 300g chestnut to the boil, add two tsp mushrooms, thinly sliced salt and the pasta. Olive oil Simmer for eight mins. 2 fat cloves garlic, Meanwhile, fry the mashed mushrooms until golden, 4 spring onions, thinly add the garlic and fry for sliced a minute, then add the 2 tbsp harissa paste spring onions and cook Fresh parmesan until soft. Drain the pasta and return to the pan. Add the mushrooms to the pasta and stir in the harissa. Toss all together. Grate the parmesan over the finished dish.
A perfumed dish for the first blackberries and the last peaches. Save some for breakfast!
METHOD Stone the peaches and slice into eights. In a roomy pan, gently melt the butter, add the sugar and when it has dissolved add the water. Allow to bubble and add the peach slices, shaking the pan to distribute. Cook for about six mins, until just tender. Add the blackberries. Simmer until they colour the pan. Take off the heat and serve, with ice cream or thick cream.
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Peaches with the first of the season’s blackberries
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Historic Country Inn
FINE REAL ALES • HOME-COOKED FOOD Opening hours (closed Tuesday) Mon, Wed, Thursday 12-2.30pm and 6-10.30pm Friday, Saturday 12-11pm • Sunday 12-10.30pm FOOD SERVED Mon, Wed, Thursday 12-2pm and 6-9pm Friday, Saturday 12-2pm and 5-9pm Sunday roast 12-3.30pm • Normal menu 5-8pm
The New Inn • Blagdon BS40 7SB • 01761 462675 newinnblagdon@hotmail.com
PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
New landlords at the New Inn
VIKKI and Spike Phillips have taken over the New Inn at Blagdon, a beautiful old beamed pub, with spectacular views over Blagdon Lake. The couple have been in the pub and hospitality trade for more than 40 years and have moved from Broadwindsor in Dorset, where they ran the White Lion. Spike was born in Cheddar, so is pleased to move back nearer to family. The couple had worked previously for Wadworth’s, the New Inn’s owners, and jumped at the chance to move, when they were offered the pub. With good home-cooked food and real ales at affordable prices, they aim to offer a warm welcome to all at a typical, traditional English pub.
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WILD FOOD
The big reveal
THIS summer I have been running forays for the lucky guests at our holiday let, a kind of “bogof” where if you book a holiday you get a free wild food foray with yours truly, whether you want one or not. So we set off from the cottage discussing edible plants and within five minutes I With ADRIAN noticed by chance a white colour on the BOOTS verge, hiding under a mass of grass. This could only be one of two things: litter or fungi but which one? So I built the anticipation by talking about common plantain, then with a flourish pulled back the grass for the big reveal – a family group of giant puffballs! This was rather more fortunate than discarded yogurt pots or tissues. Giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea) can grow up to 30cm in diameter although sometimes much larger. Pure white when immature it’s covered in soft leather-like skin, which can be a creamy white when older. The flesh is white and spongy. There is no stem but the base wrinkles to a point (like the base of a child’s balloon) where it connects to the mycelial network in the soil. Normally they are more spherical but our examples have become deformed due to being trapped in long grass. Look for them during the summer and autumn in grassland, pastures and roadside verges. Not that common, it is found occasionally and not necessarily showing itself every year. If you discover giant puffballs only pick one not all of them. There are good reasons for this: 1.They are so large one will feed an army. 2. I guarantee you will end up wasting the rest. 3. In taking all of them you may potentially hamper reproduction. So, no matter how exciting the fungal find, it’s much better to only take what you need and leave the rest. I have never seen so many giant puffballs in one spot, only ever one or two specimens together, so this was a real treat for me and an exciting find for our guests. It just goes to show keeping your eyes open and being receptive to chance discoveries can be quite rewarding! Avoid poisonous plants and fungi or those causing allergic reactions. Make sure you are 100% sure of your identification before eating any plant or fungi; avoid busy roadsides, dog walking areas, or places where chemicals may have been used. It is illegal to uproot or destroy any wild plant without landowner’s permission, but you can pick small quantities of leaves, nuts, and fruit on public rights of way. 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.
FOOD & DRINK
GARDEN FOOD
Preparing beetroot
FOR the past few years we've had very erratic beetroots – the same seeds, planted in the same soil at the same time, would yield anything from perfect, cricket ball sized roots to scrawny little things the size and shape of my little finger. We usually steer clear of F1 With JAKE varieties as we like to keep our own WHITSON seed, but this year we decided beetroots might be a special case and planted these Rhonda F1 seeds from Tamar Organics. The results have been, we must grudgingly concede, very good indeed. Beetroots are really versatile but pair particularly well with strong, salty ingredients like goats’ cheese or anchovies. I've gradually drifted away from eating raw beetroots as I've found that many leave an unpleasant burning or astringent sensation in the mouth. Usually I'll trim off the leaves and boil them whole in their skins for an hour or so until tender, drain and then cool them in lots of cold water. After this treatment the skins slip off in a very satisfying manner and you are left with something much like those vacuum packed beetroots you get in the supermarket. These are really lovely dressed in all manner of ways – with hard boiled eggs, anchovy fillets and a mustardy dressing, or with crumbled walnuts and soft goats’ cheese. Something else I've been experimenting with recently is lactic acid fermentation – this simple process is how sauerkraut is made, and indeed how almost all vegetable preserves were made prior to the availability of cheap white vinegar (which is often actually a by-product of the coal industry). Put simply, vegetables are placed in a jar with just enough water to cover them – this is then weighed and 2% of the total weight in salt is added, mixed thoroughly in with the ingredients, and then a weight is put on top to press down on the vegetable and exclude air (a plastic bag filled with water is good for this). After a week or two the pickles will be ready – I've yet to try this with beetroot but I plan to soon and report back on the results.
Jacob Whitson is a chef, food writer and smallholder – he divides his time between the Mendips and Pembrokeshire.
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 17
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Wells Food Festival is back for 2021
(Photography courtesy of John Law)
WELLS Food Festival is delighted that it will be back in the heart of the city on Sunday, October 10th. Together with the festival headline sponsor, Charlie Bigham’s, this year’s event is set to be a jam-packed celebration of Somerset’s rich and
Crowds are expected to return in force for the festival
There will be 200 food producers and street food sellers
diverse food and drink. There will be 200 food producers and street food sellers in the Artisan Market. New features for 2021 include a Celebration of English Wine, complete with tasting sessions (bookable via the website), and five cookery workshops for children, free to join in on the day.
Jon Abbott, festival director, said: “After a really challenging 18 months for our producers, we are determined to make this festival our best yet. “We were proud to be able to support them with a virtual event in 2020, but there’s nothing quite like the real thing for the full experience.”
The festival runs from 10.30am-4.30pm and entry is free. For details, visit: www.wellsfoodfestival.co.uk
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FOOD & DRINK
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Root Connections CIC 11537595
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Connecting the community all year round
COMMUNITY food project Root Connections at Stratton-onthe-Fosse is hard at work on its next big project – the construction of a bespoke outdoor classroom to enable them to deliver horticulture-based health and wellbeing programmes to the local community all year round. The vision is to create a weatherproof, heated space that will bring individuals – especially those who are homeless or roughsleeping – and the community together in all seasons, crucially during the cold winter months when Root Connections’ beneficiaries need it most. The project was driven forward despite lockdown, thanks to Cathy Bushill, director at Roots, which will see a greentimbered, four-bay construction being developed over time, depending on funding. Suzanne Addicott, Roots founder said: “This is a such an exciting time both for us and the local community. Our outdoor classroom will be used by the community within the community, to support those who may be suffering from the effects of the pandemic in particular, and from rural isolation more generally. “We are so pleased that our plans are becoming a reality, as is our need to raise £50,000 to make the build and its fit-out happen.” l Roots Connections will be holding an open day on Sunday, October 3rd. For details or to donate, visit: www.rootconnections.co.uk/become-a-friend
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Cheddar food and drink showcase
Richard and Kathryn Munday
FOOD & DRINK
HAVING grown each year from its inception in 2017, the 2019 Cheddar Food & Drink Festival featured more than 40 stalls presenting a wide range of the finest produce anywhere in the South West. Although the 2020 event was not able to happen, the Cheddar Food & Drink Festival is back and takes place on Sunday, September 12th from 10am until 4pm in the Lakeside car park at the
bottom of Cheddar Gorge. As previously, visitors will be able to enjoy some fantastic live music and also visit Cheddar’s excellent pubs, restaurants, shops and cafés. The festival is being sponsored this year by Cheddar Pizza House, which was started by husband and wife team, Kathryn and Richard Munday from their home during lockdown at the end of January. They now offer pizzas, pizza kits, lunchtime pizza deals and delicious desserts.
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Proud to sponsor Cheddar Food and Drink Festival Order via Facebook facebook.com/Cheddarpizzahouse or call 07862 469983 Cheddar Pizza House, 7 Littlewood Way, Cheddar BS27 3FP MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 21
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MENDIP TIMES
Bite-sized food festival is a hit with kids
SHEPTON Mallet’s Sunday mini food festival was as popular with youngsters as it was with grown-ups. Around 20 stalls took part in the one-off event in the Market Place, organised by eat:Festivals in conjunction with Mendip District Council. The final event in the Little eat:Festival series – which also saw markets in Street and Glastonbury – will be held in Wells on Sunday, September 5th.
The one-off event attracted many people to the town centre on a Sunday
Cosy bars and restaurant
Family and dog friendly
The cakes on the beeSweet stall were just too tempting for these two young shoppers
Kia the stiltwalker in the Market Place
A traditional family run country pub tucked away in a beautiful corner of the Chew Valley with a delightful garden and front patio Monday to Friday 4pm From 12noon Saturday and Sunday
Regil, Winford, Bristol BS40 8AY
01275 472388
www.thecrownregil.com info@thecrownregil.com
PAGE 22 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Refreshing pints in the summer sun Sunday lunches a speciality
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FOOD & DRINK
A decade of coffee excellence
BEANS and Machines is celebrating its tenth anniversary and has seen a big expansion in the number of customers, despite the pandemic. The business at Old Mills, Paulton was founded by Rob Norman, a veteran of the coffee industry, with over 30 years’ experience in coffee machine engineering and servicing. Kiefer Lambourne, who has been with him since the start, is workshop manager, while Caroline Holbrook is in charge of the office. Charlie Ashwell-Edge is a new engineer. In the last five years the number of customers with new or reconditioned rental machines has more than doubled from 30 to 65, while the area the company covers now stretches to the Cotswolds and South Wales. As well as renting and selling a wide range of new and refurbished machines – mainly Italian made by Astoria – they supply a wide range of coffees, including their own bespoke blend, as well as teas, chocolate and other products, many locally sourced, organic and Fair Trade. You will see their signs outside cafes, pubs and restaurants right across the area. Rob said: “My initial intention was just to supply the machines, but it quickly became clear that customers wanted a whole package, with us supplying coffee and so on as well. ”Even during lockdown we were getting enquiries, in particular from new start-ups, which is really encouraging. “They know we are here to help them without any high pressure sales, so we’ll advise them about what machine suits
The Beans and Machines team (l to r) Rob Norman, Caroline Holbrook, Kiefer Lambourne and Charlie Ashwell-Edge
them, before they progress to something more sophisticated. They can grow with us.” Although the company has grown strongly over the past ten years, it has maintained its standards of top-quality customer service, while providing the best possible products. Their showroom has also expanded, with a wider range of machines on display, including Espresso, bean to cup and dispense machines, with tastings and demonstrations now being held several times a week.
Celebrating ten years in business! Your local coffee experts t: 01761 418882
e: caroline@beanandmachine.co.uk • w: www.beanandmachine.co.uk Beans and Machines Ltd, Unit 32, Old Mills Industrial Estate, Paulton, Bristol BS39 7SU
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 23
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INTERNET
Are you sitting comfortably
SITTING at a computer regularly for long periods can cause muscular skeletal disorders and muscle pain/eye strain if not set up correctly. Therefore, even if you are working from home, should you experience any significant pain or discomfort, seek advice from an appropriate professional. With NICK However even if you are fine at the SPARKS moment, and don’t necessarily sit at your computer for long sessions, it is worthwhile checking that your “work station” meets a few simple suggested and perhaps obvious guidelines. l The top of your monitor should be at eye level. l Make sure the room is well lit but positioned so that there is no glare on your screen. l Position the mouse on the right of the keyboard, phone on left, (for right-handed people). l You shouldn’t have to stretch to reach things. l Forearms should be level with the desk. l Back rest should support your back fully; do not perch or lean forward and your knees should be just past the edge of the seat. l Make sure your feet are flat on the floor or use a foot rest. l Look away from the screen into the distance from time to time to refocus your eyes. We blink less when looking at a screen. Laptops and tablets are meant for occasional use. If having to use one regularly then consider getting a docking station or riser to put it on. You can then make the monitor sit at the correct height. Also adding a separate mouse and keyboard will allow you to position them to make things more comfortable. This list is not exhaustive and to re-emphasise if you have a problem that might be related seek professional advice, and of course get regular eye checks. With thanks to Claire whose back is now better! Tip. MSWord and associated programmes have a useful device called Auto-Correct which may be accessed via the File>Options>Proofing> menu. Its purpose is to automatically replace words or letters you type with a hopefully correct alternative, e.g. their for thier, thus avoiding using the spell checker. There are two boxes to fill in, one for whatever you want to be replaced and the second for the replacement. So, for example, you could write (a) in the first box with your full address and telephone number, in the second for instance. Not its intended use admittedly, but it works and can be quite useful . . . give it a try. Submitted for IT for the Terrified by Nick Sparks. Although we have ceased our one-to-one tuition at Cheddar due to Covid, a number of us will continue with this column under the heading "IT for the Terrified" to keep the name alive. This article is for guidance only, and the opinion of the writer. IT for the Terrified itfortheterrified@btconnect.com or it4ttcvh@gmail.com
PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
CROSSWORD
The Mendip Mindbender
ACROSS 1 What ---- ---, Book by Susan Coolidge (1872) (4,3) 5 One of a sleeping pair (4,3) 9 Emperors of Russia before 1917 (5) 10 Woody vegetation often planted in cities because of its resistance to pollution and disease (5,4) 11 Made when Pupils meet (3,7) 12 & 21 down. Village nine miles South of Bristol known for the number and quality of its listed buildings and waterfall. (4,5) 16 About building design and construction (13) 19 Inhabitants of Australia and New Zealand (13) 20 A loop of cloth worn round the waist (4) 22 Self-centred, narcissistic or very vain (10) 26 A sort of 5 across for daffodils perhaps (6,3) 27 Bring to mind, kindle (5) 28 Wine should be left to do this before being poured (7) 29 Making use of 5 across say (7)
DOWN 1 & 15 down. Journalist who has joined Sunday Telegraph as columnist on Colour supplement ‘Stella’. Lives in Somerset and loves it here (5) 2 Sell space when imports exceed exports (5,4) 3 Nonplus, confuse or bewilder (10) 4 In the American language this would be a train or bus station (5) 5 & 23 down. Sponsors of this year’s Bath and West Show (9) 6 Individual unit or two lovers (4) 7 Scottish town that sends representatives to Parliament (5) 8 Cube with spots (3) 13 Surname of the Mayor of Wells (5) 14 Achievement or effectuation (10) 15 See 1 down (5) 17 Not clear enough to be read (9) 18 Blagdon lake is used as such (9) 21 see 12 across (5) 23 see 5 down (5) 24 A system of religious belief (5) 25 Thrash with a leather strap (4) 26 An untruth (3) Clues in italics are cryptic
This month’s solution can be found on page 94
Page 25 September.qxp_Layout 1 19/08/2021 15:21 Page 1
RH
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News page 26.qxp_Layout 1 19/08/2021 15:23 Page 1
MeNdIP TIMeS
Official opening for new showground
Offices and storage facilities on the new showground have been named the Yeoman Building in honour of Angela Yeoman, who is pictured with society chairman Ian Harvey (left) and show president Paul Hooper
SPONSORS and members were amongst the guests at the official opening of the Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society’s new showground at Shepton Mallet. l See Events pages 68 and 69.
Gate sponsors Marie and Andy Stott with show chairman Ian Harvey and show president Paul Hooper
The Hunter family after the opening of the new Hunter Gate
PAGE 26 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
NeWS
Memorial dedication to battle of the Somme soldier
Wing Commander Geoff Wilson unveils the memorial with (l:r) Worshipful Brother Tony Cooper (lodge secretary), Martin Feeney, chairman of the Midsomer Norton RBL branch, and Worshipful Brother Chris James (lodge communications officer)
THE president of the Midsomer Norton branch of the Royal British Legion has unveiled a plaque and memorial to Percy Blinman on the 105th anniversary of his death in the Battle of the Somme. Infantryman Lance Corporal Percy Blinman, of the 1/6 Gloucestershire Regiment, lost his life on July, 23rd 1916, aged 27. Percy was involved in what proved to be a near suicidal attack near Pozieres and is buried in Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers La Boisselle, France. The year before he was killed, Percy had become a member of Connaught Freemasons Lodge in Midsomer Norton, joining his father Harry Thomas Blinman, and brother Francis Kingston Blinman, both of whom are past masters of the lodge. The plaque was unveiled at the lodge itself. After the ceremony, the lodge presented the legion branch with £1,000 along with £300 from Somerset Masonic Charities.
Memorial service for freeman of the city
ST Cuthbert’s Church in Wells is expected to be full to capacity for a memorial service on Saturday, September 4th for Nancy Dodd, a freeman of the city. Nancy, who has died People from Arthritis Care and other aged 90, was the first organisations gather outside the Swan Hotel to raise a glass to Nancy as her woman to have the coffin passed by honour bestowed upon her. She dedicated her life to the city, to Somerset carnivals and to many charities such as Arthritis Care. People including the Mayor of Wells, Philip Welch, lined the streets of Wells to pay their respects to Nancy when her funeral cortege passed through the city. Just a few weeks earlier, students, friends and colleagues had made a similar gesture before the funeral of Wells Blue School teacher Sam Holland, who lost her battle with cancer at the beginning of July.
Seal-Lite Group FP ad.qxp_Layout 1 19/08/2021 11:47 Page 1
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MENDIP TIMES
Gallery celebrates
1 High Street | Shepton Mallet | BA4 5AA
A cooperative gallery in the centre of Shepton Mallet. Owned and run by local artists, showcasing paintings, prints, jewellery, knitwear, glass, ceramics, hand-bound books, folk musical instruments, and greeting cards.
Details: www.onecraftgallery.co.uk
A century of sculpture
Antony Gormley says sculpture is like alchemy; it works by changing a lump of clay or stone into something utterly different. to open the series of Cedars Hall Arts talks (CHAt) celebrating the arrival of Gormley’s new work Doubt, in Wells, the eminent art historian Jo baring traces a century of sculpture in britain through artists such as Henry Moore and barbara Hepworth. She discusses the importance of british sculpture and how Sculptor Antony Gormley and his Gormley, a figurative new work DOUBT which is due to sculptor and one of our be installed on the west front of most successful and Wells Cathedral on Thursday, popular artists, fits into August 26th this story. CHAt 1 is sponsored by Freya Mitton, 20th Century british Art. A special CHAt’s supper of sushi and a glass of wine will be available after the talk. Please purchase through the box office for £10, pre-bookings only. this talk has unreserved seating.
Photograph courtesy of Stephen White & Co.)
Open Monday to Saturday 10am–5pm 01749 343777 one.craftgallery@gmail.com | www.onecraftgallery.co.uk
one Craft Gallery is now in its 20th year. Situated in the heart of Shepton Mallet, its success is partly due to the fact that it is run as a co-operative with 15 members, each taking it in turn to look after the gallery, when they are available to meet customers and discuss commissions. All members are local artists, showcasing their work: paintings, prints, glass, jewellery, ceramics, knitwear, hand-bound books, folk musical instruments and greeting cards. each month, guest exhibitors supplement the wide range of crafts on display. With such varied work on show, it is definitely worth a visit. It’s open Monday to Saturday 10am-5pm.
PAGE 28 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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ARTS & ANTIQUES
Battle over militaria at Mendip Auction Rooms AT their August sale of Antiques and Collectables, Killens saw a good entry of militaria attract keen global interest with some excellent prices achieved. An entry of muskets were welcomed with strong room and online bidding with a late 18th century/early 19th century flint lock musket achieving £2450 and an 1853 percussion musket realising £1300. There was strong Middle Eastern interest for an Omani Buckler shield with telephone and online bidding and after a fierce battle, a price of £1700 was realised, well above estimate. A WWII Japanese presentation samurai sword dated 1945 made £650. Contemporary art continues to generate interest and a signed Lowry lithograph entitled “The Cart” also led to
strong bidding of all forms and made £4600. Jewellery and silver were also in demand with a strong attendance of buyers. In September, four sales are being held. On September 7th, there will be a sale of Victorian and Later Effects with an excellent entry of high quality musical equipment whilst at the sale of Antiques and Collectables on September 11th, there will be an entry of watches and clocks. On September 30th, there will be the bi-annual sale of Sporting Items, Fine Wines and Spirits and entries are invited. Valuations can be undertaken on a drop-in basis at the auction rooms between 10am and 3pm each weekday and Killens have professional valuers and experts on hand to advise. Alternatively, our valuers are able to conduct free home visits.
Contact the team at Killens on 01749 840770 or email enquiries@mendipauctionrooms.co.uk for further assistance
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 29
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MENDIP TIMES
SOMERSET Open Studios offers art lover the opportunity to meet around 50 artists and makers across Mendip who will be showcasing their work in private, pop-up and community spaces across the area. The event – from Saturday, September 18th until Sunday, October 3rd – presents a rare opportunity to engage with established and emerging artists for free and find out how they work and what inspires them. Building on last year’s Digital Open Studios, it will include online resources enabling people to plan studio visits and engage safely with the artist. An accompanying programme will include artist residencies, demonstrations, workshops and talks. Amongst those taking part will include contemporary textile artist Alice Kettle, who will be in residence at the Somerset Rural Life Museum at Glastonbury. See her working on a new Somerset Art Works supported project, Thread Bearing Witness, which explores cultural heritage and migrant movement. Trained as a painter, Alice uses tiny stitches to form colourful images. Drawing on four years of travel around Britain, David Abram’s aerial photographs reveal ancient sites hiding from our sight, ranging from Neolithic tombs to Iron Age crannogs. Visit his Frome studio to see large-format pieces, browse a selection of giclée prints and stock up on greetings cards. Landscape artists Amanda Bee and Miguel Ornia-Blanco will be showing their work at the Silk Mill in Marchant’s Barton, while the Black Dog Studios in Wells will display work by several artists including sculptor Martin Cody and Philippa Threlfall, known for her textured ceramic murals.
Alice Kettle’s Ground
For details, visit www.somersetartworks.org.uk or contact Paul Newman on paul.newman@somersetartworks.org.uk or call: 07715 528441
PAGE 30 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
{Photograph courtesy of Jo Low)
Open studios will be just that!
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Guild members “inspired” by lockdown
THE Somerset Guild of Craftsmen is proud to present its “Inspiration in Isolation” exhibition. The exhibition coincides with Somerset Open Studios and will be located in the Somerset Guild of Craftsmen gallery at 23a Broad St, Wells (through the archway by Pickwicks café) from Saturday, September 18th until Sunday, October 3rd. Focussing on the many different responses to the first Batik by Lesley Fawcett UK lockdown, its members’ work reflects their reactions to a different world around us all. By no means all positive, the exhibition shows honest responses to the situation: the peace, the tranquility and, for some, the loneliness and separation. A spokesperson for the guild said: “Inspiration in Isolation shows us how, in creativity, our crafters found solace, hope, positivity and an essential therapy in a time when there were ‘too many tomorrows’ and deadlines, for many, were nonexistent.”
SOMERSET OPEN STUDIOS 2021
A journey of rediscovery POTTER Christine-Ann Richards is probably best known for her delicate Oriental-influenced porcelain or her oversized statement pieces loved by interior and garden designers. But the artist, who is based in Wanstrow, near Frome, has found herself returning to much simpler, thrown pieces using her hand building clay – and enjoying the simplicity of throwing for the first time in 50 years! She will be showing her new work alongside her other pieces
during Somerset Open Studios when she will welcome visitors to the former Methodist chapel which is both home and studio. Christine-Ann was inspired to go back to her roots by a friend, Sara Pearch, herself a former potter who is now a flower arranger and who asked Christine-Ann if she could visit to make some pots.
SAW
Venue 123
Christine-Ann Richards Chapel House, High Street, Wanstrow BA4 4TE Open 11 – 5pm Closed Monday & Tuesday
Christine-Ann and her new work
christineannrichards.co.uk mail@christineannrichards.co.uk
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 31
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MENDIP TIMES
Chew Valley showcase
CHEW Valley Arts Trail is celebrating its 19th year with a planned return to a real event on October 9th and 10th. Exhibitors are looking forward to welcoming visitors after having to operate virtually last year. Organiser, Sandy Bell, said: “Whilst there were hundreds of views from far and wide, which opened us up outside the Valley, there’s Shells by Sheila Steel nothing like the personal interaction between the creative people and those coming to see the work, to browse, perhaps to buy, but certainly to be inspired by the talent that exists all across our beautiful Valley. “As usual, we have an array of talented people preparing for the trail, including some new participants. I’m confident there will be something for every taste, from traditional art works through to the most modern of styles. “All our exhibitors will be following the latest government guidelines when it comes to Covid and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that nothing unexpected happens which means we can’t go ahead. But if the worst happened we’d fall back on the virtual trail for a second year.”
Stitchers showcase their work
BACK in February the Embroiderers’ Guild decided to change the way it operates and now no longer supports a countrywide network of local branches. Members of Avalon branch voted to become an independent stitch group and Avalon Stitchers was born. Murmurations by Maggie Sutton They are an enthusiastic group with considerable skills and expertise between them, who enjoy learning from each other as well as well-known guest tutors. The new group will be officially launched at its exhibition Above and Beyond at Wells and Mendip Museum, launched on Saturday, October 9th and then open October 12-16th, 10am-4pm, (Covid permitting), where members will be showcasing recent “lockdown” work. The group meets at Ashcott Village Hall usually on the fourth Saturday of the month, 10am-4pm, and welcomes new members. Details: Sue 01278 723644 www.avalonstitchers.org
SOUGHT BY LOCAL COLLECTOR STAMP COLLECTIONS, ALBUMS AND POSTAL HISTORY
PLEASE CONTACT IAN APPLIN HOME (after 7pm): 01275 331821 • MOBILE: 07768 093576 EMAIL: ipakeeper@gmail.com
PAGE 32 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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ARTS & ANTIQUES
Signs of the times – now popular with collectors
The fast-paced and transient world of today’s digital advertising, all kilobytes and pixels clamouring for attention in the ether, With is a world away from CHRIS YEO the promotional tools employed by businesses a hundred years ago. From the late 19th century to the 1950s, the most commonly used forms of advertising were enamel signs. Displayed on the soot blackened walls of shops and railway stations the length and breadth of the country, their colourful artwork and snappy slogans proclaimed the names of the wellknown brands of yesteryear and the superlative qualities of their various products – from Brooke Bond Tea and huntley & Palmer biscuits to Lifebuoy soap and Brasso metal polish. With their crisp lettering and instantly recognisable images, many were sophisticated early examples of graphic design but the advent of commercial
television in 1955 quickly rendered them obsolete and their place was taken by the ubiquitous advertising hoardings of today. But the story doesn’t end there. Nowadays, enamel advertising signs are a popular field of collecting. Probably the bestknown – and one which always creates a stir when it appears at auction – is for Five Boys Chocolate. Made by Fry’s in Bristol, the chocolate bar was a mainstay of the nation’s sweet shops for nearly a century. The famous sign shows five images of the same boy going through the full gamut of emotions from tearful state of chocolate-less desperation to joyful realisation “It’s Fry’s”. Based on photographs taken in 1886 the boy featured was five-year-old Lindsay Poulton, the son of the photographer. Many years later, when Lindsay was an old man, a newspaper tracked him down to see if he had any recollections
of modelling for the legendary sign. Oh, indeed he did. his father had difficulty getting him to show the required degree of desperation and achieved the effect by tying an ammonia-soaked cloth around the boy’s neck! happily, not all his memories of the day were so painful: Fry’s paid a staggering £200 (over £25,000 today) for the photographs. Nowadays an original Five Boys sign will set you back a great deal more than that – around £3,000 in good condition.
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 33
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MENDIP TIMES
ARTS & ANTIQUES
Arts in North Somerset NORTH Somerset Arts Week, from September 10th-19th, will have about 30 Covidsecure venues across the area, featuring artists, designers, and craft-makers keen to showcase their creations made during the lockdowns and to share their enthusiasm and passion for their art with you. Most work will be available
Sculpture by Cathy Judge
for sale. Pick up their A5 leaflet at your local library, cafes and shops or download their Arts Week app to plan your visits to artists’ studios, shops and to heritage buildings hosting exhibits. Entry is free but it may be worth phoning ahead to make sure they are open.
Get in touch via Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and their website northsomersetarts.org
PAGE 34 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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EVENTS
Village hall fundraiser – Trudoxhill declares “independence”
RESIDENTS of Trudoxhill, near Frome, belatedly celebrated the end of Covid-19 restrictions with a day of free family events. Trudoxhill Independence Day had to be postponed for a month after the government delayed the lifting of restrictions. Everyone attending received a booklet of free vouchers entitling them to everything from cake and a gelato to a hot dog and a cider for adults. The day was organised by the village hall committee who were able to show off their refurbished building for the first time and to bring the community together once again.
A dog show class organised by Trudoxhill-based Bellevue Vets in the field next to the village hall Trux Bucks! The free vouchers for everyone attending
Free games for young and old were on offer including a coconut shy and welly-whanging
Eva, with her face painted by Lynne, from Bouncers
Christina Scheper serving cakes
Oliver, aged five-and-a-half, with Billie, the winner of the class for the dog with the waggiest tail
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 35
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MENDIP TIMES
New in Chew Magna
Pictured (l to r) Clare Rippingale, Sophie McClellan and Debbie Neal
Two friends who met on holiday in Bali 13 years ago have realised their ambition to open a business together, PetHub, in Chew Magna. Debbie Neal, who lives in Chew Stoke, and Clare Rippingale, who now lives in winford are both avid animal lovers and decided a top quality pet shop was the answer. They have been joined by groomer, Sophie McClellan, from Chew Magna and several part-time staff. The extensively modernised building in Harford Square offers nutritious food, accessories and treats for both domestic and wild animals and birds.
Yeo Valley recruiting
Yeo Valley Production is recruiting up to 70 posts across its five manufacturing and distribution sites in the west Country. It is offering a range of permanent and summer only positions at Blagdon, Cannington, Crewkerne, Newton Abbot and its Highbridge distribution centre. After five decades, Yeo Valley is Britain’s third largest producer of high-quality yogurts and says high demand has meant the recruitment drive. Last year the family-owned dairy business placed a 20% share of Yeo Valley Production into an employee Benefit Trust which means that everyone is eligible for an annual bonus, based on company performance. Talent manager, Sam Ford, said: “Yeo Valley Production has been rooted in Somerset for decades now and it’s fantastic that we can create significant employment opportunities for the local economy and support the community and area we love.” “our colleagues are truly part of the family. It’s really important to us that everyone who works for us shares in the overall success of the business.” Details: careers@yeovalley.co.uk
ECATCHER MOL
NO MOLE NO FEE Telephone 01761 417100 www.mendipmolecatcher.co.uk
PET SHOP | GROOMER | SELF DOGWASH | FREE PARKING Open: Tuesday – Saturday 9.30am – 5.30pm Sunday 10am – 4pm • Closed Monday
www.chewvalleypethub.co.uk Email: info@chewvalleypethub.co.uk Tel: 01275 627265 chew valley pethub chewvalleypethub Glebe House, Harford Square, Chew Magna BS40 8RA PAGE 36 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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Accidental landlords – traps for the unwary
THeRe are many who through accident or circumstance become landlords and so can be innocents abroad in the minefield of meeting obligations to their lenders.. Frequently those who are upsizing or moving in with a partner will choose not to sell their original property, leaving an empty flat or house to be rented out. Many of these will forget, or simply not bother, to notify their lender of their change of circumstances – that could be costly. Failing to notify your lender you intend to rent out a property could allow your mortgage provider to demand instant repayment of the whole mortgage, something most homeowners will not be able to afford. You should get in touch with your lender and ask for "consent to let", which grants permission for the property to be rented out for a limited period of time. This does not always mean your borrowing will become more costly straight away. Many providers will grant approval for the remainder of your mortgage deal without raising the rate. But consent to let is only a temporary solution and longer-term landlords are better suited switch a residential mortgage to a buy-to-let version. Conditions included in most
residential mortgages do not allow borrowers to let the property and so a specific buy-to-let loan is required. Banks and other lenders tend to view buy-to-let mortgages as riskier than their homeowner counterparts as there is a risk of loss of rental income during void periods - typically when there is no rental income between tenants moving out and new ones moving in . The Bank of england has led the charge on regulating the landlords' mortgage market more closely and has introduced new, tighter affordability rules for landlords. These changes, alongside a punitive tax shake-up, have pushed hundreds of thousands of landlords to leave the rental market. Generally lending rates on buy-to-let mortgages are higher, sometimes by as much as one percentage point. This will, of course, increase monthly payments. However the potential downsides of being caught out make a buy-to-let mortgage worth choosing if your plan is to let a property. Many of the rates are very cheap and the additional costs may well be worth paying to avoid the potential black mark on your credit report if you are found to be in breach of the rules. Many accidental landlords take the view their lender is very unlikely to
BUSINESS
discover that the property has been let out, and therefore the risk of proceeding without the lender’s consent is worth it. However, banks and building societies are developing increasingly sophisticated methods of catching out armchair buy-to-let investors. Something as simple as a tenant returning mail sent to the property in your name by the lender could trigger an investigation and result in you getting caught. 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 cost-effective legal service for commercial and individual clients. l Family & Divorce Law l Co-habitation disputes l Inheritance disputes l Wills and Living Wills l Powers of Attorney l Administration of Trusts l Property – sales and purchases OFFICES AT: Chew Magna 01275 332168
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Kingswood 0117 967 5252 MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 37
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MENDIP TIMES
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P & C Logs
Mendip Times reduces travel costs
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).
100,000 potential customers within a short distance of your business
Bespoke garden buildings in traditional or contemporary style HOME OFFICE • STUDIO SPACE LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION • ADDITIONAL LIVING SPACE Please call or email for a no-obligation discussion of your requirements
www.avocetpoducts.co.uk/banwell/ email info@avocetproducts.co.uk Tel 01934 824092 PAGE 38 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Rod Major, owner
Funeral services & arrangements: H Affordable funeral packages H Bespoke funeral packages H Funeral plans Our introduced services: H will writing service H Simple or complex wills H Protective property trusts H Lasting powers of attorney H Living wills – advance directives
What our customers say: “My late husband, Bern, was Rod’s very first funeral plans client… Rod has been incredibly supportive since that first call… My husband’s service was beautiful and it was precisely what he had requested. Thank you Rod.” Wendy V
Call Rod on 01761 233 555 or email: fd@bwfd.me.uk www.bathwellsfuneralservices.co.uk
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BUSINESS
Welcome to Greenacres Camping
IF you are looking for a family friendly campsite near to Cheddar, wookey Hole, Longleat, wells and Glastonbury, then Greenacres Camping is the ideal location. They offer lots of play space, big pitches, the smell of campfire wood smoke, amazing wildlife and relaxation, just 45 minutes from Bristol and Bath. They have a large four-and-a-half acre field with just 40 pitches spread around the perimeter. That's a lot of space and no overcrowding. There is p-l-e-n-t-y of r-o o-m for the children to play safely. ALL their pitches are JUMBo-SIZe compared with most sites, so the largest tents are accommodated with ease. They are a spacious, safe and well equipped place for young families. out of season, it’s very quiet for the more mature camper offering views of Glastonbury Tor. Greenacres Camping is in a beautiful setting offering peace and quiet. It’s the perfect place to relax and unwind,
surrounded by trees you definitely feel like you are in nature and there is total tranquillity – but you are still only a few miles from wells and just five miles from Glastonbury. Under the new ownership of Alan and Beverley Pryce, the site is available for
tents, campervans and motor homes <7.0m. The site has firepits for hire, a full range of bikes (maps and helmets included) and ice-creams and Calor Gas are available. There is still some availability throughout the summer.
Details: Alan & Beverley 01749 890497 or email stay@greenacres-camping.co.uk www.greenacres-camping.co.uk
FAMILY CAMPING Set in a massive peaceful field, we are a friendly campsite offering large pitches with a children’s play area Bicycle Hire – all sizes and trailers | Firepits for Hire | Calor Gas and Camping Gaz
North Wootton BA4 4HL | Tel: 01749 890497 | www.greenacres-camping.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 39
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MENDIP TIMES
Make a difference at SWALLOW
ARe you an experienced manager in the care sector? A local charity is offering the opportunity to join them and make a huge difference to the people it supports. SwALLow, which supports Fun and support for staff and members at children and SWALLOW adults with learning disabilities across Bath and North east Somerset, might be the next step for you. They are looking for a deputy registered manager and will provide on the job training and huge job satisfaction. why is SwALLow a great place to work? They can offer flexible working, a full induction programme and generous benefits. They have a supportive staff team and management and know that it is important to keep smiling and having fun. But the best thing about working at the charity is the feedback that you get from SwALLow members; every day you come to work you will know that the work you do makes a real difference. To quote from someone who works for SwALLow: “SwALLow is a fantastic place to work, it’s like one big family. our members are supported to have so many amazing opportunities for learning, work and fun.” SwALLow offers a diverse range of support across the organisation, meaning that no two days are the same. Join this local growing charity and help them develop further to reach as many people as they can with their services. If you are kind, compassionate, understanding, committed, enthusiastic with a positive attitude, please contact SwALLow to find out more about what they can offer you.“ For details, email: michellecox@swallowcharity.org or telephone: 01761 414034
Call Nigel: 01761 231 238 PAGE 40 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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BUSINESS
Contact with grandchildren following divorce or separation FoR most, memories of spending time with their grandparents are special but when a couple separates, the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren can be forgotten. Family solicitor, Victoria Cobham explores the options available to grandparents wanting to maintain a relationship with their grandchildren when parents divorce or separate. Unlike the children’s parents, grandparents have no automatic legal right to see their grandchildren. Grandparents seeking to establish or maintain contact with their grandchildren following a separation have two options open to them. • Agreement with parents • An application for a Child Arrangements order Agreement The first step should always be to try and reach an agreement with the parents, either by way of a family discussion or through mediation, whilst neither are binding, any agreement can be recorded and form part of a parenting plan. Child Arrangements Order If an agreement can’t be reached then a court application for a Child Arrangements order may be required. A Child Arrangements order sets out Victoria Cobham with whom a child should live
and spend time with. For grandparents this is often a two-stage process, as they will need to request permission from the court to make an application. Stage 1 – Requesting permission when considering whether to grant permission to allow an application for a Child Arrangements order, the court will consider, amongst other things:• the applicant’s (in this case grandparents) connection with the children; • any risk that the application will adversely disrupt the child’s life Stage 2 – Applying for a Child Arrangements Order If permission to apply is granted the court will set a date for a hearing and may feel it appropriate to appoint a CAFCASS officer (court appointed social worker) to speak/meet with all the parties and write a report for the court. The court has a checklist of things that must be taken into account when considering a child’s welfare and what is in their best interests, which includes:• The wishes and feelings of the child taking into account their age • The child’s physical, emotional and educational needs • The likely effect of a change in circumstances • The child’s age, sex, background and any relevant characteristics • Any harm or risk of harm to the child • The ability to meet the child’s needs. If you are a grandparent concerned about maintaining a relationship with your grandchildren following a divorce or separation, please contact Victoria on 01749 342323 or email victoria.cobham@mogersdrewett.com
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 41
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Sainsbury’s bans Mendip Times from its stores
SAINSBURY’S supermarkets have banned Mendip Times from their stores, despite the fact we had been leaving them there for years, with the agreement of local managers. It follows the intervention of Self Select Distribution, based in Bolton, which has an agreement with Sainsbury’s and other national supermarkets to distribute free magazines, charging each publication £45 per store per month. Mendip Times director, Steve egginton, said: “even if we could afford their charges, it would be an insult to the hundreds of small traders who support us free of charge. we would rather support them and wouldn’t have the gall to ask them to stock Mendip Times if we were paying to go into supermarkets nearby.” Self Select have a similar agreement with Tesco, ASDA and Morrisons and also said their agreement covered the Cooperative. But Radstock and Southern Co-op societies say they are not part of the agreement and have agreed to continue taking the magazine, along with Budgens and other convenience stores. Had the Co-op nationally enforced a ban, which it threatened to do, several villages across our area would have lost their prime outlet for the magazine. In total Mendip Times is distributed through more than 900 outlets across Mendip and Somerset, with only a tiny proportion going to supermarkets served by Self Select. Steve said: “In every case, we sought the permission of store managers and agreed with them a safe place to leave the magazines. In Frome the store suggested we leave them on the
We’ve got it covered Mendip Times Distribution Points
windowsill in the entrance. “we had been doing that for years without any problem until a representative of Self Select saw them there earlier this year and then insisted we had to pay them instead of delivering magazines ourselves. we had never heard of this company until then.” while Sainsbury’s nationally issued their ban, one of their local store managers told us: “we do have a stand to display free local publications, I would be happy for your magazine to be displayed within the unit. “The unit is under constant review and as such I can't offer a long-term commitment to accommodating your magazine however at this time, I have space and would be happy to help.” Steve said: “This is an issue that could have negative implications for local publications right across the country. Local managers know the value of local publications and we thought they had a choice about what they take. Self Select’s action is so petty-minded, when it has made more than £1million a year from this business. “I apologise to readers who used to collect the magazine from Sainsbury’s and suggest they look elsewhere or contact us to take out a subscription.” In a letter to North east Somerset MP, Jacob Rees-Mogg, who wrote on behalf of Mendip Times, Self Select’s managing director, Stewart Leece, said: “our service does not threaten the future of local publishers, but simply gives them an option to distribute free copies locally into our retail partners stores if they wish to.” = 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 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 GLASTONBURY GREEN ORE GURNEY SLADE HALLATROW HIGH LITTLETON HINTON BLEWETT HOLCOMBE HUNSTRETE
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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 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 TICKENHAM
TIMSBURY TRUDOXHILL TYTHERINGTON UBLEY UPHILL VOBSTER WALTON WANSTROW WEARE WEDMORE WELLOW WELLS WEST HARPTREE WEST PENNARD WESTBURY SUB MENDIP
WESTHAY WHITCHURCH WINFORD WINSCOMBE WITHAM FRIARY WOOKEY WOOKEY HOLE WRINGTON WRITHLINGTON YATTON
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Time to think about autumn workwear
BUSINESS
SoMeRSeT workwear’s new trade counter is proving very popular, allowing visitors to see and feel the quality of the many types of workwear in stock and to purchase at the same time. Based on the busy westfield Trading estate near Radstock, and with in-house embroidery and heat transfer vinyl process, Somerset workwear staff can discuss customising workwear to give the garments that special branding. with autumn fast approaching, Somerset workwear have stock of the amazingly light and strong Leon Boots
wellingtons. Available in safety and standard styles the LBC wellies are manufactured from eVA polymer making them one of the lightest boots you will find. For waterproof clothing, Somerset workwear stock the Fort range of Airflex breathable coats and jackets in navy blue and green. Somerset workwear’s owners Mark and Caira Day would like to thank visitors to their stand at the Mid-Somerset Show in Shepton Mallet where many the garments and safety footwear were on display.
Whatever the weather: Leon Boots are available at Somerset Workwear
Somerset Workwear made its agricultural show debut at the MidSomerset Show
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 43
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MENDIP TIMES
Charlie Bigham’s set to expand INDePeNDeNT local food brand, Charlie Bigham’s, has launched a recruitment drive to welcome a further 30 people to its 300 strong team in preparation for the busy autumn period. Bigham’s has been dishing up premium food at its Quarry Kitchen near wells since 2017 and has continually led to the creation of new jobs within the local area. Bigham’s has also announced plans to increase the wages of all colleagues across the business with entry-level pay increasing to £10.35 per hour, with the opportunity to progress depending on skill level and experience. earlier this year, Bigham’s introduced a range of new working patterns designed to enable colleagues to get the right work-life balance including four-day week shifts (Monday to Thursday), four on four off rotational shifts and a three-day weekend shift working across Friday to Sunday.
Richard Bain, general manager at Bigham’s said: “we have a fantastic team here at the Quarry Kitchen – they have done an incredible job over the last year and have really lived up to their key worker status. we are very proud to have been recognised earlier this year as one of the UK’s Best Large workplaces and to be in a position to welcome more people to our team.”
Bigham’s prides itself on offering its team the best opportunities within the workplace including fantastic progression opportunities and training delivered by the Bigham’s Academy, competitive bonus scheme, pension, subsidised café, discounts at high street retailers, cycle to work scheme and of course lots of delicious Bigham’s meals to enjoy at home amongst other perks.
Details: https://www.bighams.com/all-jobs/ or send your CV to people@bighams.com
Young traders set out their stalls
THe overall winner has been announced of the National Market Traders Federation Young Traders Market South west regional final, hosted by Mendip Markets in wells. Gabrielle MartinGoff of Sew Little, 23, produces handmade children’s clothes and reusable, eco-friendly products. She will now attend the national final on Friday, August 27th and Saturday, August 28th in Stratford-uponAvon, alongside Overall winner Gabrielle Martin-Goff category winners travelled from her home in Stroud for Somerset Natural the competition Living and Big Munch. A total of 13 budding entrepreneurs aged 16-30 set out their stalls in wells Market Square to sell to the public and impress judges Councillor Helen Sprawson-white, chair of Mendip District Council, and Mendip district councillor Damon Hooton. The competition was last held in wells in 2019 but last year’s event was cancelled due to the pandemic. Locally-based traders included william Stocker, from Somerset
PAGE 44 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Also through to the finals is John Bates, from Bristol, a familiar face at markets in Wells and Castle Cary
Natural Living in Baltonsborough, Mike Cook, from Mike’s Patisseries in Clevedon and Kerry welsh, also from Clevedon, who runs The Papershed.
Federation president Mike Nicholson shares a joke with Chelsie Marie Sullivan, from Craftastic Cornwall
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BUSINESS
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 45
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Walk of Life is back
Grants available
tHe Richard Jones Foundation is inviting applications from young people for grants to support their education and training. Formed in 1692, the scheme covers the parishes of Chew Magna, newton st Loe, stanton Drew, stanton Prior and stowey sutton. the Jones family lived in stowey and Richard Jones is buried in Chew Magna. the closing date for applications is Monday, october 25th.
(Photograph courtesy of Clare Green)
Details: peter.h.godfrey@gmail.com
Rachel’s record attempt
Previous walk along the Kennet and Avon canal
BatH RUH’s Forever Friends’ Walk of Life is back and will be held on saturday, september 18th with distances of 26.2 miles, ten miles or a virtual marathon spread over september. Last year’s virtual marathon raised £40,000 for the hospital. that money has helped fund a number of projects including the charity’s RUH Cancer Care campaign for the new Dyson Cancer Centre, as well as support for wards and departments in the hospital. Laura snell, events and community manager said: “We really can’t wait to welcome people back to our annual Walk of Life event. We are hoping to see hundreds of people join us and those who complete the challenge will receive a unique finisher medal.” the event is open to everyone and costs £15 to register. Participants are asked to raise a minimum £100 for any ward or department at the RUH or one of the charity’s major campaigns. Details: www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk
Hospice appeals for volunteers
Weston Hospicecare is looking for more volunteers to help at its charity shops across the area. It needs help in Cheddar, Worle, Weston and Burnham. It says volunteering has many benefits including boosting your CV, making new friends, invites to events and most importantly, knowing you are making a huge difference. Director of Retail, emma King, said: “Without volunteers, we simply wouldn’t be able to open our charity shops. the difference they make is immense and they really are the heroes of Weston Hospicecare.” Details: 01934 423975
PAGE 46 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
CHaRIty fundraiser Rachel Clark is once again mobilising the community to join her in a world record attempt on sunday, september 5th, in aid of cancer counselling charity We Hear you. this year’s world record attempt is a re-run of the 2019 skittles world record attempt, aiming for the highest ever number of participants in an eight-hour game of skittles. the event runs from 9am-5pm outside Frome library, during the Frome Independent market. Rachel said: “the world record is coming home! I chose this one because although it’s tough in terms of timings and numbers, it’s an activity that almost everyone can get involved with, so we have the opportunity to really pull together as a community and smash our second world record, just like we did in 2018 with the world record 24hr row! “all you have to do is throw three balls and hit at least one skittle to be counted – this is a challenge of mass participation, not skill. the pandemic isn’t over yet, so we’ll be asking you to give each other space and you must preregister for a half hour slot to take part. Use the link below or scan the QR code on the posters you’ll see around town.” the charity’s fundraising and communications manager, Gemma Wilkes, said: “thanks once again to the amazing Rachel Clark and the (now pretty huge) team Clark for supporting WHy to the tune of more than £60,000 since 2011. We’re so excited to be back to smash a world record with you again!” Details: https://register.enthuse.com/ps/event/WorldRecordSkittles call 01373 455255 or email info@wehearyou.org.uk
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Walking for charity
aManDa Baldwin from Winscombe has set herself a fundraising challenge this year to walk ten miles a day, 3,650 miles, for local charities, Marmalade trust and Mind in somerset. she said she did quite a bit of fundraising last year but wanted to “go big” this time, literally, and has already walked more than 2,000 miles. as a fit and healthy 47-year-old, she walks most days on the strawberry Line, near Winscombe, though one recent walk of 23 miles took in a circle starting at Blagdon Lake, then around the Mendips. she said: “the two charities I’m walking for are close to me. With Marmalade trust I have seen first-hand the loneliness out there having being a care worker, even more so due to Covid, and the same with Mind in somerset, seeing the effects on people's mental health.” Amanda Baldwin is fundraising for Marmalade Trust (justgiving.com) Amanda Baldwin is fundraising for Mind in Somerset (justgiving.com)
Keeping a promise
CHARITIES
PRoMIseworks supports volunteers to mentor children and young people across somerset and are looking for new volunteers to start training in January 2022. In return for a commitment of two/three hours per week, you will be fully trained and supported in your mentoring role and have the satisfaction of knowing that your contribution is making a difference in the life of a vulnerable young person. you can also support them on easyfundraising or amazon smile by searching for Promiseworks. Details: www.promiseworks.org.uk 0300 365 1900
Poppies fund new memorial
Bookstall is back
aFteR more than a year, due to Covid restrictions, nailsea and Backwell Rotary Club ran their charity bookstall at the end of July with permission from Waitrose. the weather forced a reduction in the usual sales area but the event still attracted good support and goodwill messages from new and regular “customers” and raised £200 for local charities. Further saturday sales are scheduled for september 18th and october 16th.
a FRaMeD original artwork “stanton Poppies” by local artist natasha Clutterbuck, was sold at a special auction in stanton Drew, raising £1,000 towards the village’s new war memorial. auctioneer Jim King is pictured (left) with parish councillors nigel Pushman and Liz Richardson.
Jigsaw sale
WeDMoRe Friends of Weston Hospicecare raised £640 at Wedmore street Fayre selling jigsaws and succulent plants. Chair, shirley Wederell, said: “I would like to thank all the people who delivered jigsaws to my house for the above sale. I was amazed at the quality and quantity.” the group is planning another fundraising event in the autumn.
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 47
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Marathon charity effort
CoUsIns Carina Hand and thea Grafton are walking four marathons this year to raise funds for the Brain tumour Charity. Carina, aged 14, from Charlton Musgrove and thea, aged 15, from Charlton Mackrell, were inspired to take on the tough challenge by Carina’s brother, tristan, now 17, who underwent treatment for a brain tumour as a young child. tristan’s diagnosis when he was just
Tristan at the time of his diagnosis
six came as a huge shock and hit his family hard. Carina said: “My brother had his first epileptic fit in the spring of 2010, he seemed to be a very fit and healthy little boy. “Initially we were told it was a febrile convulsion, but with subsequent fits it became apparent something else was happening. the optometrist requested more frequent eye tests, as his sight was deteriorating surprisingly quickly. “Finally he had an MRI scan, which showed a 50mm ganglioma tumour and large fist-sized associated cyst. He underwent nine hours of surgery two days later. “as a family we hadn't had any family members with a brain tumour so the whole thing was very new, at the time our family didn't know much about it and I don't think we all fully understand it still. It's such an awful thing that it sort of seems unimaginable, but the reality is it's more common than we all believe it to be.” Happily, tristan is now 17 and living life to the full, having responded well to the surgery, but Carina and thea were inspired during the lockdown period to fundraise for families who aren’t so fortunate. Carina, a pupil at Marlborough College, Wiltshire, and thea, who attends Cheltenham Ladies College, have already completed two marathons this year. the
Carina and Thea
determined pair managed to tick off their first in February and their second in april. Fundraising is going as well as the walking, with Carina and thea on target to raise £2,600 in total for walking all four marathons. Gina almond, the Brain tumour Charity’s Director of Fundraising and Marketing, said: “We are extremely grateful to Carina and thea for their fantastic fundraising and wish them all the very best. “Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer of the under 40s and, unlike other cancers, survival rates have not improved significantly in recent decades. We want to lead the way in changing this and fighting brain tumours on all fronts through our work.”
Carina and Thea fundraising for The Brain Tumour Charity on JustGiving
Howard’s party
Howard Hughes
PAGE 48 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
neaRLy £500 was raised for charity, thanks to donations at a party held in celebration of the life of Howard Hughes, who died a few months ago and who would have been 80 on august 7th. originally from Portishead, Howard, who lived with his wife Marlene near Clutton, was a former farm labourer and real character known by many in the Chew Valley. His daughter, nicola Doneise Pearce, said: “I wanted everyone to remember dad, and what better way than to have a rock n’ roll style party.” It was held at the Druids arms in stanton Drew, with many people dressed in authentic 50s dress, adding to the enjoyment.
Family and friends of Howard’s (l to r) Martin Reed, Nicola, Ray Pearce, Denise and Keith House, Val Close and Alison Hughes, with Howard’s widow, Marlene, sitting in front
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Scarecrow time
HaRVey’s scarecrow trail will be on display around the Chew Valley from october 3rd featuring something or someone from a favourite film, tV moment or online game. the trail is fundraising for a sibling’s Wish and the Harvey Hext trust to support children learning to live with the tragedy of losing a sibling. With a growing demand nationally from the nHs and key bereavement Harry Potter partners such as Clic sargent and the Children’s Hospice south West, the charity’s memory boxes are recognised as much-needed gifts for grieving children. Details: www.harveyscarecrow,com
Detection dogs
a CoFFee morning hosted by Joanna Brown in Chew stoke raised £400 for the Medical Detection Dogs charity, which trains dogs to detect various medical conditions. special guest, Liz Brownlee, has owned a detection dog, Lola, for 11 years, and is now training a five-monthold puppy, Paddy. Liz, from Chew Magna, who is a published children’s poet and editor, has been diabetic since she was 12. Lola was trained to alert her when her blood sugar levels are low. she said: "Lola changed my life 11 years ago - no more fear whenever I went anywhere on my own that I would fall under bus or become incoherent or unconscious whilst out and about. "nowadays I can go to London on the train and attend events and meetings. Before Lola, I didn’t go anywhere like that on my own. MDD definitely needs more help as Covid has stopped much of their fundraising." Liz Brownlee with Paddy and Lola and Joanna Brown
Details: https://www.medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk
CHARITIES
Covid hits fundraising
Rachel and Piers Dyer, Mary’s aunt and father
MaRy’s Beat, based in Cossington, between street and Bridgwater, is a fund created in memory of Mary Christabel Dyer, to help disabled people take part in activities that will build self-confidence and encourage participation, that they may not otherwise be able to afford. Grants of up to £1,000 are awarded for individuals to take part in music therapy, music experiences or outdoor adventures and activities, and are made possible thanks to Mary’s family, who normally organise fundraising activities every year. since the fund was launched by somerset Community Foundation in July 2017, a total of £12,405 has been awarded in grants, to 23 individuals with physical disabilities, learning disabilities or both, living in somerset or Devon. However, the pandemic has A grant of £750 means meant that Mary’s family Harrison, aged nine, can haven’t been able to do their join family bike rides on his planned sponsored cycle ride or specialist trike other fundraising activities. to be able to award grants early next year more funding is now desperately needed. Piers Dyer, Mary’s father, said: “We normally raise around £3,000 each year for the fund which is then given out by sCF as grants to people living with disabilities. our sponsored cycle to the Hoge Veluwe national Park in the netherlands, where Mary had her first ride on a special wheelchair bicycle, was planned for august 2020, but due to the pandemic it unfortunately had to be postponed. “We’re keen to start fundraising again and hope to plan events for 2022, which include a concert as well as another sponsored cycle ride. also, if anyone would like to arrange a fundraiser for Mary’s Beat we can offer support and would be happy to come along to an event to speak about the fund. We also welcome any donations.” Details: www.justgiving.com/campaigns/ charity/somersetcf/marysbeat
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 49
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Monkton Combe School celebrate hard won A-level results Under the most unusual circumstances Monkton students received their A level results – grades which hold the very same status as those which came before and those which will follow despite the fact that they were arrived at in quite a different fashion. Much has been made of the teachers' role in the allocation of these grades, but these are the pupils' grades – a result of their toil, their resilience and their determination. Monkton teachers were asked to recognise that via exam board grade descriptors. We're very proud of our pupils' results and following a rigorous external moderation process, none of the grades which we submitted was changed: 64% of grades were awarded at A or A* and 95% were A* to C. Over a third achieved an A*. But, as ever, these results, although hard won, represent just the launch-pad for our pupils' next adventure. We take pride in the diversity of paths which our
pupils choose to take beyond Monkton – “Monkton thinks differently” applies just as much to making sure each individual finds his or her own path. So Kiera and Kemi both head off to the prestigious University of the Arts London to read Costume for Theatre and Screen, and Creative direction for Fashion respectively, Ibim to Loughborough to read robotics, Mechatronics and Control engineering, Issy to nottingham to read French with Contemporary Chinese, and Polly and Kit to edinburgh to read
Physics and Ancient History respectively. With over 70% of pupils already confirmed securing their first choice of university and more still in discussion over details of their chosen courses, Monkton pupils had plenty to celebrate. Chris Wheeler, Principal, said: “I send heartfelt congratulations to all pupils who received results in this toughest of seasons. This cohort have seen disruption unlike any who have gone before them and have learned tremendous courage and resilience which no results will ever capture.” If you would like to join next year’s Sixth Formers as they each start their own unique journey, then Monkton still has a limited number of spaces available for Year 12 pupils looking to start this September. If you are looking at Sixth Form beyond 2021 the next whole school open morning is on Saturday October 2nd and our Sixth Form Open evening is on Friday, October 8th.
To register for these events visit http://www.monktoncombeschool.com/contact/open-morning-registration.html
Page 50 • MendiP TiMes • sePTeMber 2021
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Frome College centenary
Federation success
EDUCATION
Year 6 were able to enjoy their annual camp in North Devon
THIS is an exciting time to join Frome College; an exceptional learning community where all students make outstanding progress, regardless of their starting points, in a well ordered and caring environment. Learning is creative, challenging and purposeful; providing a sense of fulfilment, leadership and a desire to succeed. The college offers the broadest range of subjects in the area which, coupled with an energetic and inclusive extra-curricular offer, means their students thrive and enjoy college life. They are proud to celebrate their centenary this year; 100 years of educating and serving their community. go along to their open evening on Thursday, september 30th at 6pm, or book a visit by emailing fccopentours@fromecollege.org
BOTH Burrington and Wrington Primaries are united in their quest for educational best practice. Following two years of federation partnership, the schools are going from strength to strength! With the recent SIAMS “excellent” inspection grading of Burrington, the schools are also being recognised for more than just their known academic excellence. At Burrington, a thriving forest school sees all year groups utilise this area of outstanding natural beauty and the church school ethos provides a strong family feel. With the love of sport, music and the arts combined with the “gold” recognised science provision, Burrington’s small classes provide an inspiring learning environment and there is nursery provision on site as well for three-year-olds. details: 01761462662 email office@burringtonprimary.co.uk https://www.burringtonprimary.co.uk
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 51
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Wessex celebrates exam results
EDUCATION
KIngS of Wessex Academy in Cheddar has been celebrating “fantastic” A-Level and Level 3 results, saying students have shown great resilience and determination in a difficult year. Head teacher, david Wiltshire, said: “I am delighted for the students that their hard work and enthusiasm has been rewarded. “I am deeply proud of their resilience and it is fantastic to be able to celebrate their successes. I’d like to thank parents for their support.” The Wessex Learning Trust is a leading multi academy trust in the South West of england, comprising 14 schools and caring for more than 3000 children aged between two and 19.
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The barn owl season (continued) IN the August issue of Mendip Times, I started telling you about the barn owl nesting season in 2021 so far. As always with these By CHRIS owls, there’s a twist SPERRING MBE in the tale, but more on that at the end. In the last month I’ve managed to witness many owlets who are now starting to fledge. This includes those in our Hawk and Owl Trust Somerset webcam nest box. Prior to fledging I had the opportunity to ring the owlets; ringing is a licensed activity with licences and permits issued by the British Trust for Ornithology. The ring is placed on the leg of the owlet and has a unique number; the information is only collected when the owl has died, but the information gained does tell us how far the owlets distribute from the parental territory, how long they live and what caused their death. There’s nothing quite like the pride expressed by a landowner who witnesses the fruit of their conservation efforts as owlets, who are now fully-grown, begin flying with their parents around the farm or countryside. Whilst checking a nest with a volunteer who’s been helping me since 1985, we come across one that had some
By contrast, two normal coloured owlets in the Hawk and Owl Trust webcam box
very special owlets. Five owlets, a goodsized brood again, but these were all very dark brown. Occasionally I do find darker or even lighter owlets, but to find the entire brood dark brown was something we had not seen in nearly 40 years of monitoring, and so the attention turned towards observing the parent owls. The male was standard coloured but the female, who was by now roosting away from the noisy owlets, was indeed a very dark phase. After circulating the pictures on social media some people felt that the female was the eastern European race of barn owl (dark breasted barn owl); others thought she might be the African barn owl and a few others thought they could all just be dark colour morphs. Whatever they are, they were the most unusual brood I have ever found. By August, the season for nest checking starts to wind down and, so far, it’s one which has seen all the hallmarks of the effects of climate change and land use changes. Looking back, this year has once again reaffirmed to me more strongly than ever how weather events shape success and failure. These events don’t just affect the owls but can in fact be seen cascading down through the food chain, from owl to vole and from grass to butterfly and bee, and far beyond. Talking with an arable farmer just the other week, we compared notes on barn owl success and failure on his farm each year and then putting that alongside his crop yields for those same years. The two sets of information were fascinatingly linked and the binding element was undoubtedly the weather. After visiting many nests this year, I have found that most sites have had at least two or three owlets but a few sites that could be called traditional have had no barn owls at all. And then there’s the minority of sites which have bucked the trend and had four or more owlets this year. For an owl that, on average, doesn’t live very long in the wild, the key to success lies in the numbers game: you must breed in your first year and have enough offspring to replace yourself and to offset the high mortality of owlets in their first year, so the more offspring you have then the overall population
WILDLIFE
One of the unusually dark brown owlets which sparked a debate on social media
stabilises, or even increases. The pattern of weather and breeding success is quite real; those owls that bred early in the season were the ones that failed or fledged very low numbers of owlets; those that started later, on average had the bigger broods. With those early season owlets now long distributed, I decided to check on a few of the sites, as I wanted to know what the voles were doing in August after a poor start for this prey species. What I found was a very high population of voles and this was at two of the early breeding barn owl nesting sites. It’s such a shame that these owls literally missed the voles due to the early dry and cold conditions. That evening, I stayed to watch the adult owls, which should by now be in full moult as their breeding season is effectively over, but what I saw was a male hunting frantically. On catching a vole, he lifted off the ground with the vole in his beak, then in mid-air and flying he transferred the now dead vole to his feet and headed straight towards the nest. A very special moment for me, as this confirms that there’s a second brood, another lot of owlets to be produced in one calendar year. This site had only two young fledged back in late June and now with the food supply so high, this brood should be much bigger, perhaps even getting this site over the line of the magic number of four owlets. This is nature recovering. Once again may I say a massive thank you to all the farmers and landowners who call me for advisory visits, then give permission for me to monitor nest sites on their land.
After an absence of more than a year due to Covid restrictions, I will be starting the owl walks once again on Mendip and in other areas. Please contact me if you wish to join me on one of these walks. Ring me on 07799 413918 or email me at: Chris.Sperring@hawkandowltrust.org.uk
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 53
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A Fyne day out in the Quantocks
This time, for a change, we head south to another Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Quantocks, with this easy and very varied circle from fascinating Fyne Court, through the grounds and then out through woods and across fields, down in valleys and by streams. Enjoy some good views across country. There should be some glorious autumn colours to enjoy. There are no major hills. You may like to take a stick to hit back some of the undergrowth alongside paths which has grown up over the summer. There are a few stiles. There’s a great start and finish in the courtyard of Fyne Court with an inviting cafe and information about this beautiful estate and its history. it’s a great walk at any time of year with snowdrops
With Sue Gearing PAGE 54 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
and bluebells to enjoy in the winter and spring. START: At Fyne Court, Broomfield in the southern part of the Quantock hills. From the M5 junction 24, go through North Petherton. There is plenty of parking in the main car park and an overflow area on the other side of the road. Free parking for NT members. it is a good walk for dogs. This beautiful and welcoming estate was once the pleasure grounds in the Arcadian style of a large house belonging to 19th scientist and pioneer in electricity, Andrew Crosse, whose family owned the house from its construction. Sadly, it was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1894 and is now a visitor centre and glorious wildlife area and nature reserve owned and run by the National Trust. It also houses the office of the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Andrew Crosse conducted a series of experiments with electricity at Fyne Court in the early 19th century. He became known as “the thunder and lightning man” and it is said spuriously that his work could have inspired Mary Shelley to create Frankenstein. There was a large country estate of woodland, ponds and meadows, including a walled garden and arboretum. Within the grounds are a folly and boathouse. Have a look further into the estate after the walk. There is a very pleasant tea shop in the old stables, a snug, toilets and bookshop. You can find a lot more information about the Crosse family and maps of the estate here. From the main car park cross and go down the path by the parking meter. Bend round and then go ahead between buildings to the courtyard and hub of the
place. Turn right across the lawn following the red route arrow. Go into woodland under a large lime tree and climb up. Bend right on the red trail and through the arboretum with some splendid specimen trees. Pass on the left an amazing fallen tree – a great magnet for young tree huggers and climbers. Reach the entrance drive and cross onto the path opposite which soon bends right. Along here on your left is the overgrown serpentine lake – once a main feature of the estate. soon reach steps down right which you can go down to get a good look at the restored folly below. Known as Castle Folly, it is thought to have been used as a prison and also as a dog kennel. Today it is a useful undercover picnic place for rainy days. Return to the path up the steps and turn right, going above the folly. soon reach the restored Boathouse.
1. BOATHOUSE This sits at the end of the serpentine lake. Go up over the bridge and round the back and continue on. Cross a bridge and go up through woodland. Pass a wooden xylophone on your left – another attraction for children. soon you will see, through left, the circle of posts and open area of sky Glade. You can turn here into the glade or go on until you reach another marked post and turn sharp left almost back on yourself up into sky Glade. This is a restful area of trees and ring of posts where you are encouraged to sit back and enjoy the sky. Some of the posts are carved with the names of cloud groups. Leave the red route and go through the
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WALKING
glade, following the purple trail. Continue through the woodland with a field on your right. Bend right through a gate into open grassland. 2. MARKER POST Go straight across to a marker post then turn right, as directed there. The purple trail has been diverted from Five Ponds Wood, down in the valley, while work is taking place to combat ash dieback. Go through a large gate and further on fork left, leaving the purple trail, dropping down more steeply. Before reaching the edge, fork left, drop down under the trees on a muddy steep path and cross the small stream. Come up to a path with a locked gate left and here turn right alongside a stream. Cross a footbridge, and go up steps. Turn left over a stile and follow the public footpath through a valley with the stream on your left. Continue to a lane.
3. WOODS Go straight over through a kissing gate and uphill on a path through the woodland where you can expect to see bluebells and wild flowers in season. Pass a dilapidated wooden shelter and continue on this path for a short way until you reach a small path on the right, by a large sweet chestnut tree. Make sure that you don’t miss this turn. This path drops steeply, crosses a stream and climbs up the other side, then meanders on to reach a wall ahead. Go out by a post and come alongside a mesh fence. Turn left and walk alongside with the fence on your right. At the end, keep straight on (not right) and follow the marker post taking you out into the open. 4. FIELDS Enter a field and keep straight on following the edge with some lovely views across country. Eventually reach a stile, cross and continue straight on but this time following the hedge on your right. At the end, go through a Bristol Gate and another gate passing spring Cottage. Reach the lane and turn left.
5. LANE head uphill to a junction and turn right. After a few minutes, at a slight left bend, reach a small stony lay-by on the right. On the road ahead you can see a signpost and junction but don’t go that far. here, at the lay-by, cross over the stile on the left of the large gate, follow the left field edge hedge and enjoy glorious views down across the valley below. After a gate, continue to drop, looking down a
4.25 miles. About 2.5 hours walking but allow time to explore. OS Explorer Quantock Hills & Bridgwater 140, Grid ref 222 320, postcode TA5 2EH
beautiful valley onto an organic farm, stream Farm.
6. STREAM FARM At the foot, come alongside the orchard fence to the corner and turn right on a grassy swathe with the orchard right and tennis court left. Cross a step-through stile and continue on along the hedge. A short way down on the left, cross a stile and go diagonally across the field towards a small lake where another stile takes you onto the farm drive. Follow it up right, then bend right onto Tarmac.
7. MACMILLAN WAY You are now on the Macmillan Way. Continue all the way to a junction and turn right uphill. Pass a new farmhouse, and shortly go left up steps and over a stile. Follow the bottom of the field above the farmhouse. Go over a stile, through a kissing gate and turn right along the top of this field.
8. GARDEN Gradually drop down to a kissing gate and on through a garden. Cross a stone footbridge and carry on by the stream with a lake up on the right, beautifully fringed with meadow sweet when i came. head on over a stony bridge and across to a gate into woodland, part of Broomfield Common. The path wends its way through the woods. Eventually come to a crossing track and turn right on this, following a
stream. The track climbs and becomes sunken. Exit the woods at a lane junction.
9. BROOMFIELD Go straight on along the lane climbing very gently and pass the village sign for Broomfield. The village is the most widely spread and highest in the Quantocks. For centuries from 1259-1890s it was the scene of an annual fair selling coarse cloth and cattle, sheep and horses and with other traditional fair attractions. It was held in the Fair Field opposite the village green. Go past the beautiful village hall, once the village school, and reach the entrance to the church. Turn into the churchyard past the enormous ancient yew and war memorial. The church is well worth a visit and has an outstanding set of 16th century carved wooden bench ends. In the NE of the churchyard is an obelisk memorial to Andrew Crosse. Exit the main door, turn right in front of the yew tree and the gate you entered by and go straight on through the churchyard along the path to the village green. immediately turn right and turn right again into a field marked as NT Fyne Court. Go left along the edge and through a gate, dropping down steps on a path. After another gate turn left and rejoin the NT’s purple trail which returns you to the courtyard and cafe.
Wedmore walk July – Reader alert. Apologies to the reader who wrote saying there was a problem with a farmer near the start of the walk. i was on holiday but somehow or other the email had disappeared when i returned home and went to answer it. Please could he or she contact me again and i will try and help. MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 55
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OUTDOORS
West Countryman’s diary
LIKE running downhill, my backside is trying to keep up with my head as the months rush by. There may be some time for an With LES Indian summer yet I DAVIES MBE hope before the autumn leads us quietly into another winter. In the Roman calendar September was the seventh month and the Anglo-Saxons named it “gerst-monath” or barley month. I’ve seen plenty of barley coming off the fields and hope that it will be as good a season for grain as it has been for grass. There shouldn’t be any shrivelled grains this year through lack of moisture. This is the month of harvest, not only from the land, but from woods and hedgerow. Blackberries are beginning to turn colour, a sure sign autumn is just around the corner. Elderberries will soon darken and swell, making me think of wine making. My apples look good and I still have some from last year that have a shelf-life of at least 18 months, so no need to worry about a shortage there. Another “gift” from the Romans, sweet chestnut, will soon be ready. I am hoping for a year of plenty from these trees, as the wetter weather will, with any luck, have made for an amount of good-sized nuts to roast on the fire. The days of burying them in a tin for Christmas have long been superseded by other methods. Likewise new potatoes were treated the same, to ensure something a little different for the festive season. These days we are more used to buying everything in season or out of season. I have heard no talk of harvest home celebrations and imagine that this will be another year without many of our traditional festivals. Harvest home is a great tradition, but a little too soon for me. A lot of root crops still have to be brought in and there’s the apple crop as well. I spoke at the Brent Knoll festival a few years back. A massive celebration and I wonder if we will be able to go back to such mass gatherings. I feel we have all become a little more cautious now.
Take heart, however, because the Mendip Ploughing Society will be holding their match at Green Ore on Wednesday, September 29th. More about that in my next column. We are all hoping for fine weather and a good turnout on the day, with plenty of open space and fresh air. No doubt the other agricultural societies will be holding their matches and shows in the autumn and perhaps some semblance of normality will return to our rural calendar. Sunny days and lush vegetation bring something we all need to be aware of and that’s the tick! Milder winters mean these obnoxious little hitch-hikers survive in greater numbers to feed off the unsuspecting passer-by. That may not necessarily be a walker, but they will do nicely, as will dogs. The method of gaining access to these blood-rich meals on legs is to climb vegetation such as tall grass and bracken and wait until something passes by. Just hop onto the new host and go exploring. Ticks will not get stuck into you immediately, instead they will wander around a bit until they find a nice soft area in which to bury their head and begin feeding. Keep your arms covered and wear light coloured clothing. That will help you identify these unwanted strangers and give them the brush-off. Don’t forget to do your all-over check at the end of the day in the shower and check the dog as well. When it comes to removing one of these “critters” don’t be swayed by talk of using a burning cigarette. This will only end up in the traumatised creature exploding the contents of its gut into your body, along with any nasties it contains! Check out the internet, there is plenty of
information available when it comes to this subject. Take care and be aware is the best approach. How often does the blackbird sing in my garden in the evening? You’ve heard me mention it so many times before. Well, not only does it sing, it comes looking to be hand-fed now. Sitting at the table outside, I was more than surprised to find a young female blackbird alight next to me and start to open and close its beak in that typical “feed me, feed me” routine that leaves the parent being run ragged on a neverending feeding frenzy. It turns out that a neighbouring family have been feeding the bird and it now looks on anyone as a surrogate parent. “Doby” as she had been named was until recently hopping from garden to garden trying to get everyone to feed her. My only hope is she will learn to look after herself and not become totally dependent on the human providers. This almost sounds like a story of life! No cloud spotting, no searching for faces in trees or lying out of the sun this time. I have been advised that warmer weather is going to return. Just how warm I’m not quite sure, but I would hope it’s that Indian summer I was talking about. Every day of sunshine at this time of the year is worth far more than those in mid-summer. As always, I will be dreaming of those days in mid-winter, when I huddle around the “Pit-Stop” sandwich van in Wells, trying to increase my calorie intake of hot tea and sausage sandwiches (not forgetting the onions). My picture this month is of ripening blackberries on my fence – indeed a sure sign that autumn is just around the corner!
You can always contact me through my website: Westcountryman.co.uk
PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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Buddlejas for butterflies
It is at this time of year that the Butterfly Bush really comes into its own and puts on a dazzling floral display enhanced by the rich variety of butterflies that are attracted by the perfume, to feast on the nectar in narrow tubular flowers. the main species blooming now is B. davidii, With MARY named in honour of Pere David, the PAYNE MBE missionary. It was introduced in 1890 from China and Japan but has now become naturalised on wasteland, railway embankments and even chimney pots! the generic name buddleja honours the Reverend Adam Buddle, an English botanist. In recent years this plant has undergone something of a revolution, thanks to the work done by Peter Moore of Longstock Nursery in Hampshire where a National Collection is housed. In the United States buddlejas have been declared an invasive and noxious weed and hence modern breeding has been concentrated on selected sterile hybrids. the selection and breeding of many plants has, in recent years, focused on varieties with compact habit, more suitable for the smaller gardens of today. thompson and Morgan introduced the Buzz Series, growing to between four and five feet, with a range of colour forms, Buzz Magenta, Buzz Sky Blue, Buzz indigo and so on. these can be grown in a container for 2-3 years but are better planted out. Even smaller, is the Flutterby Series bred in the US and suitable for pot culture, or even a hanging basket! this makes an impressive sight on a sunny bank, as it is of a completely prostrate habit. the main flowering season is July and August, but Longstock Autumn Delight, bred by Peter Moore, extends the flowering season from August to early October. For larger gardens Dartmoor makes an impressive sight with its wide spreading arching branches laden with multi-headed flower clusters. this variety was found by chance near Yelverton, on Dartmoor. the near black flowers of Black Knight make it a favourite, but needs careful positioning with a light background to show off the colour. You may have noticed that I have spelt buddleja with -ja at the end, when you were expecting it to be buddleia. this is because although the -ia version has been around for very many years, when Linnaeus first named the plant in honour of the Rev. Buddle in his Species Plantarum, he used – ja and therefore that is what it must be. Propagation of these buddlejas could not be easier. take 46” non-flowering side shoots of this season’s growth. Pinch out the tip and insert them round the edge of a pot of well drained compost. Pop a plastic bag over the pot, secured with a rubber band and keep out of the sun. they will root in about 4–6 weeks, but wait until next spring before separating them into individual pots. Even easier is to take hardwood cuttings. Wait until October/November. Cut 12” (30cm) lengths of the current season’s growth of pencil thickness or thicker. Remove the leaves. trim just above a bud at the top and just below a bud at the base. Insert these leafless “sticks” into deep pots or PAGE 58 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Red Admiral
straight into the ground such that only the top third of the cutting is visible. Wait till next autumn (2022). Dig them up and plant where required. Pruning B. davidii varieties is also very simple. In the autumn cut off the top one third of the bush. this helps avoid the winter winds rocking the plant. In early April cut all the last season’s growth back to a couple of inches from the base of each shoot. Few pests seem to attack these plants, which is also a bonus. Capsid bugs can cause ragged foliage with holes in, but when you see the damage it is too late to do anything. Occasionally the attractive mullein moth caterpillar appears and can seriously defoliate a bush amazingly fast so keep an eye open for these. Fortunately, this same pest seems to prefer its main host of the verbascums (Mulleins). there are many other buddleja species that make ideal garden plants. the Chilean Orange Ball tree (B. globosa) originates from S. America. Its round orange balls of flowers make an impressive sight in early summer, but this is not suitable for smaller gardens, growing to 4 -5 metres. Very little, if any, pruning is required of this shrub. It has been hybridised with B. davidii to give the orange flowered B x weyeriana Sungold. Similar in flowering time and habit to the traditional butterfly bush. B. alternifolia Argentea makes a fine standard specimen for a lawn. Long slender arching stems grow one year, then bear lilac along the length the following year, between April and June. Fine hairs on the leaves give a silvery appearance. Pruning involves cutting back the stems that have flowered to encourage new growth. B. x pikei Unique is a new compact sterile hybrid that flowers on current season’s wood and is suitable for a large pot. For those looking for something a bit different B. lindleyana flowers in late summer but is best for sheltered sunny positions. the arching flower spikes are much looser than with most buddlejas, giving the whole plant a more relaxed appearance. Buddlejas have much more to offer these days than their derelict bombsite cousins. Easy to grow, easy to prune and propagate, and above all, a feast for our beautiful native butterflies.
For more details go to: www.queensgreencanopy.org
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SEPTEMBER GARDEN TIPS
• the first spring flowering bulbs will be in soon, with most available by the end of the month. • Plant snowdrop bulbs and anemone corms just as soon as you can. they can be difficult to get going but by planting really early they establish much more readily. • Autumn flowering crocus should be planted as soon as possible, as they will flower this October. they flower before the leaves appear earning them the common name ‘Naked Ladies’. • Dead flowers, and a little bit of the stem below, should be trimmed off lavenders now. If they have become straggly a harder pruning should be delayed until late spring. • Roses tend to succumb to attack from blackspot, mildew and rust at this end of the summer and you must not let down your guard against these diseases now! • Prune climbing and rambling roses now (if not done last month). • Plant Hydrangeas. Plant all in soils that stay moist or that you can mulch generously. • this is the best month for establishing new lawns. Sow new seed or turf, both after careful soil preparation. Don’t skimp on this as it is the one chance to get it right! • Fast growing hedges such as leylandii may need trimming again and will look better for it throughout winter. Don’t leave this too late as that might result in brown patches. Give evergreen hedges a final trim.
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GARDENING
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MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 59
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MENDIP TIMES
Church working party
Pictured (l to r) Steve Rendell, Barend ter Haar, Kelston Gough, Mary Cashman, Ann Matchette with John and Harriette Dottridge at the front
FOUR times a year, villagers in Compton Dando are invited to give up a Saturday morning to help keep the beautiful churchyard of St Mary’s Church tidy. this time hedges were trimmed, graves were strimmed and gutters and gullies cleared of leaves, which left the volunteers feeling satisfied with what they had achieved, and ready for tea and cake. the working parties are a joint venture between the church and the Compton Dando Community Association (CDCA).
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DESIGNER Libby Russell has spent years developing this plantswoman’s garden in a beautiful Somerset valley. One part is a riot of colour through kitchen terraces, potager, pool garden leading to an orchard with wildflower banks bursting with species roses. On the other side, a grass amphitheatre echoes the striations of the hills opposite offering a calmer, more contemporary space with wide herbaceous borders edged by interesting trees and shrubs. this plantswoman's designed garden continues to change and evolve. Address: Gold Hill, Batcombe, Shepton Mallet BA4 6HF. Contact: Libby Russell, libby@mazzullorusselllandscapedesign.com, www.mazzullorusselllandscapedesign.com. Opening dates and time: Saturday, September 11th, 2-6pm Booking Tickets: Visits to this garden may be reserved through the NGS website: https://www.ngs.org.uk but for this garden, this is not essential, you can just turn up and pay on the day. Admission: £6.50, children free. Opening by arrangement: May to September for groups of ten to 30. to be pre-booked through Batcombe House. Admission: £15, children free.
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PAGE 60 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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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Planning your garden
WItH more time to spend at home, you may have found that your garden has never been better tended or more appreciated. Perhaps now that you feel you have your garden going in the right direction, you have noticed small areas that could be improved or redeveloped? Garden designer and tutor Christine Pritchard is running a number of short stand-alone courses where you can learn more about a specific style or area in the garden: front gardens, naturalistic planting and ponds are just three examples. However if you need a more radical change you can choose a longer course to help you redesign your whole garden or learn more about putting plants together in your borders. Courses take place at Stoke Lodge in Bristol and Somer Valley Campus (formerly Norton Radstock College). You don’t need to be a knowledgeable gardener or fluent in Latin to enjoy these informal courses. Details: Christine Pritchard 01761 221166 or visit www.christinepritchard.co.uk
Sale supports church
ELAINE Avery of West Harptree has raised £1,500 for the village’s St Mary’s Church by selling plants from a stall outside her home. She started off in a small way back in 2005, raising just over £100 that first year, and this has steadily grown, raising around £11,000 over the years. She said: “During lockdown we haven’t been able to do much fundraising so this has been a great help.”
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Showroom open 8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12noon Sat MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 61
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MENDIP TIMES
Clutton’s new garden
Pictured (l to r) Melanie Matthews, Chris Ward, Heather Byrne and Neil Skinner
CLUttON has a beautiful community garden looking down towards the village church, after allotment holders transformed an overgrown plot putting in benches, flowers and fruit trees. the opening was celebrated with cakes and drinks made from produce from the allotments. Preparing the site
GARDENING
Gardening stops for tea
The club’s summer party in full swing in Henton Village Hall
HENtON and District Gardening Club have held their summer party at Henton Village Hall with a strawberry cream tea, wine and elderflower cordial. Dozens of members attended the event which saw tables decorated with local flower arrangements. the club’s monthly meeting on Wednesday, September 15th at 7.30pm in the village hall will see Mendip Times columnist Mary Payne talking about how to “Make the Most of a Small Garden”. New members are welcome. For details, visit: https://hentongardenclub.weebly.com
Club members back together
Bridging the gap – the club will resume meeting in September
INNER Wheel Club of Wells president Liz Hamblin hosted a “Welcome Back” tea party in her garden for all members of the group. the club will start meeting once again in September at its new home at Wells Golf Club at lunchtime on the second Monday of the month.
Flower festival in Wedmore
St MARY’S Church in Wedmore is holding a flower festival on Saturday and Sunday, August 28th and 29th. the church will be filled with many beautiful flower arrangements and there will be coffee, tea, light lunches and cream teas available each day. All are welcome between 10am and 6 pm and tickets are £5 with free entry for children. the proceeds will go towards the upkeep of St Mary’s Church. Details: www.facebook.com/St-Marys-Wedmore or phone Anne Blandford 01934 713045 anne@blandford.me.uk
PAGE 62 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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EVENTS
Clutton Flower Show
The queue to get in
Straw Dogs on stage
Uplands and District Townswomen’s Guild
Some of the Clutton in Bloom team (l to r) Jenny Cleeve, Nikki Shabbo and Beccy Angell
One of the dog show winners
Committee member Lisa Fraser (left) with Mary Payne who opened the show
Crowds were the biggest for years
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 63
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Opening up
ImAgINe where we’d be without Covid vaccines? Since having both of mine, I’ve been to a rugby final at Twickenham, the fabulous ValleyFest music and food festival and travelled to four NHS hospitals to make a radio series. I’ve interviewed staff, patients, carers and volunteers, collecting their stories about and before the pandemic, and said thank you with a comedy show. By Dr PHIL So far no symptoms, no positive tests and no pings, but HAMMOND plenty of fun and laughter. We may yet hit see a rise in Covid hospitalisations and deaths in autumn and winter, but nowhere near the thousand a day we had in January. We are far from back to normal but we are in a much better position than countries struggling to get vaccines. We need to donate all the surplus ones we have. So can vaccines do it all, or do we need to carry on with extra precautions? The most useful model of harm reduction was devised by Professor James Reason from the University of manchester. Reason reasoned that no safety intervention is perfect and each has flaws akin to holes in a slice of Swiss cheese. So a multi-layered approach of different interventions, with holes in different places, is most likely to reduce or prevent a threat getting through. Current vaccines dramatically reduce your risk of hospitalisation and death from the delta variant of the virus, but they only stop spread by around 50%. Unless vaccines get even better, we are not going to eliminate this virus, or reach herd immunity (when everyone in the country is protected, even if they haven’t had the vaccine). Instead, Covid will cause a certain number of deaths a year (currently around 100 a day) and full vaccination will always be your best protection. When there’s a lot of virus about, as there is at the moment, then washing your hands regularly, not touching your eyes, nose or mouth, opening windows wherever possible, socialising outdoors and wearing a mask in crowded indoor spaces can help. Standard or homemade masks don’t stop you contracting the virus (it hangs around in air and gets through the holes and gaps) but they do stop you passing it on to others (by trapping the droplets and spittle that escape from your mouth and nose, which may contain billions of virus particles). If you want to wear a mask that reduces your risk of contracting the virus, you’ll need to pay more for a N95, FFP2 or FFP3 mask. I still wear a mask walking around a crowded pub or restaurant. And I still advise people to get double vaccinated even if they’ve already had coronavirus. I worry a little that the government doesn’t seem to have much of a plan if infections do take off again when schools return and winter beckons and I particularly worry about pressures on the NHS and people not being able to get timely access to the treatment they need. Ambulance services have just had their busiest month ever, with over 1million 999 calls as people started to check out those emergency symptoms they’ve been sitting on for months. emergency departments are overloaded and 5.45 million people are on waiting lists. So it was a joy to visit NHS hospitals for my new radio series, thank the staff and cheer them up. In return, they told me some wonderful stories. Tune in and hear about the nurse with long Covid who slept outdoors in her underpants, the man who tried to turn a doorknob with his buttocks, the mum who ate her placenta raw, the woman who thought the emergency department could fix her bad perm, the chaplain who offered to pop the breast implants of a dying woman, the nurse who put a goldfish in a fluid bag and the mortuary technician who sings happy birthday to his patients. You couldn’t make it up. And, in the NHS, you don’t have to… Dr Hammond’s Covid Casebook was published on August 19th. Dr Phil’s Bedside Manner is broadcast on Radio 4 from August 26th, 6.30pm
PAGE 64 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Plop the Raindrop
I lIke autumn, when the leaves start falling down to the ground to make me a moist warm comfortable bed. Of course I’m not alone down there, sheltering with all the worms and bugs and sometimes baby frogs and newts. I’ve even known hedgehogs trying to barge their way in. They are all starting to look for somewhere safe to stay in the winter. As a water droplet, staying there long is a bit of a forlorn hope for me. If it gets too hot I’ll evaporate and get whisked back into the sky. Too cold and I turn to ice. Then there are other hazards like birds who like to turn over the leaves looking for food. And pesky kids who just like kicking leaves into the air. But it’s a fascinating world, where tree roots and fungi have a network, like telephone lines, linking each other. I am able to listen in to their messages, but only if I promised not to tell anyone. One thing I can tell you is you would not believe how much water a tree can drink. I’ve been sucked up through their roots millions of times, then transported up their trunks to help new leaves grow. Then towards the end of the year, deciduous trees shed their leaves. They add to the nutrients in the soil below which in turn help the tree grow even bigger. It’s a really interesting cycle of life, which I’ve watched ever since the very first trees started to grow about 400 million years ago. They had learned to use the energy of the sun to make food through something called photosynthesis, as most plants do. Clever aren’t they? As for fungi, which can be hugely smelly, they use something called mycelial networks to stay in touch. Sorry if that’s all a bit technical. Sometimes they appear like fairy rings on the grass. Of course fairies don’t make the rings – they just play in them. It’s a good time of year to go looking for fungus, especially in the woods. I like the big red ones with white spots, where fairies sometimes hide. But don’t touch them - some are poisonous. Naturally I’m immune. It can have its advantages being indestructible. If I get too close to heat I turn into steam and vanish into the air. If I get too cold, I turn into ice. If the ice melts I can turn into water. When you drink water, I can end up inside you, often for quite a while if I go into your blood stream. For far less time if you go to the loo! MENDIP GRANDAD
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HEALTH & FAMILY
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HEALTH & FAMILY
Health hub at Body Balance
FITNeSS and therapy expert kim Richards is a firm believer in taking an holistic approach when it comes to health – especially women’s health. Her Body Balance centre at Rookery Farm in Binegar is far more than just a gym, offering a complete lifestyle package with therapies and a café where the emphasis is on healthy eating – even if the cakes are delicious! Kim Richards in the Balance Café kim opened Body Balance in April 2019 with the aim that it should be especially attractive to older women in its approach to fitness and wellbeing, but everyone is welcome. As well as gym sessions and weekday morning bootcamps, Body Balance offers pilates, gong meditation, massage and other therapies. kim is especially keen to help women going through the menopause who might not be able to have HRT.
Orriss and Low Optometrists Corner House Winscombe BS25 1AQ 01934 843713 www.orrissandlow.co.uk
Balance Café open to all Mon-Thurs 9-2/Sat 9-12 Serving salads, smoothies, cakes, shakes and fabulous organic coffee
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MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 67
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Flying the flag at the Mid-Somerset Show A BRIEF ceremony to raise the Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society’s flag marked the official opening to the public of the organisation’s new showground on the edge of Shepton Mallet. The flag – raised by 2021 show president – was last seen in 2019 when it was lowered at the end of that year’s show. Thousands of people flocked to the new showground to enjoy one of the first agricultural shows to be held in the country since Covid restrictions were ended.
Josh and Eddie Walton, Wedmore YFC
The Funkinsteins on the Acoustic Stage
Amy Laing preparing Peggy a standard poodle PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
A nose for success – one of the prizewinning cattle
Judging one of the soft cheese entries
Cam Valley Morris danced at various locations around the showground
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THE MID-SOMERSET SHOW 2021
Preparing Bubba for the judges (l to r) Zara, Jaz, Daisy and Sophie
Brian Whitlock (left) and Barry Little, members of the Ferguson Club Emily, Elizabeth and Kathryn Bell from Wedmore YFC
The Shetland Grand National underway in the President’s Ring The Grey Dogs Jazz band entertained visitors to the Members’ Marquee
Show president Paul Hooper with young handlers during the parade of livestock champions
Members of the South West Dry Stone Walling Association MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 69
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MENDIP TIMES
Bikers converge on Wells
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WELLS Classic Motorcycle Club’s tenth annual “Tortoise and Hare Run” attracted 181 entrants, raising funds for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. This has become a very popular West Country event attracting entries from across the country. The bikes entered ranged from a 1918 Dart-Jap to an NSU Quickly plus many desirable immaculate classics and modern machines. Details: www.wellsclassicmotorcycleclub.weebly.com
Austin owners gather at heritage line
THE NEW SHOP
Some of the 27 Austin vehicles at Midsomer Norton South station
OWNERS of historic Austin vehicles met at the Somerset and Dorset Railway heritage line in Midsomer Norton where a guest loco – an Austin 1 which served at the Longbridge Works in the Midlands where the cars were built – is currently delighting railway enthusiasts. They were able to ride behind the engine – which is on loan until early next year – on journeys up the line from Midsomer Norton South station towards Chilcompton.
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MOTORING
Classic cars in Burtle
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THE Pip ‘N’ Jay Classique Road Run is a new and exciting classic car event for Burtle, raising funds for the village church. Local residents Richard and Rosemary Tucker offered their farm as the venue and Chris Mockridge, a veteran of car runs including the Classic Monte Carlo Rally, agreed to sort out the Cars in the paddock
regulations, plot the route and produce a road book for each entrant. The new event was received with great enthusiasm and 45 vehicles signed up, raising £1,805. The Friends of Burtle Church are planning to hold the event again next year.
Helpers at the start
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 71
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Enthusiastic supporters
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Family festival marks charity’s 40th anniversary
DOZENS of families enjoyed a weekend of circus, entertainment and craft-based activities at the Children’s World Family Festival at Paddington Farm on the edge of Glastonbury. The charity was founded in 1981 by the late Arabella Churchill, whose daughter, Jess Hirst is now at the helm. Its patron is Glastonbury Festival’s Michael Eavis, who opened the event.
Azaria, mum Leeandra and Adrianna on the truly crazy golf course
Elise on the high wire hoop
PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
The opening of the weekend of fun and entertainment
Musical youngsters join Eek&Co on the main stage
Yeast Scrapstore ran craft workshops at the festival
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EVENTS
Kristen Lindop cuts the cake at her leaving party after she stepped down as a director of the charity
Mable and Leaf, her young assistant in the Big Top
Pete Anderson’s Unbalanced Act
Getting to grips with some juggling skills
Jugglers Charlie Dancey (left) and Haggis McCloud at the launch of the book Bella’s Fields by John Fleming (centre), flanked by Charlie Miller, a charity trustee and Jess Hirst
Street entertainer Herbie Treehead leads people in a version of The Happy Song
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 73
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Tackling the effects of the pandemic QUaRTeT Community Foundation’s Covid impact report shows it distributed a record £5.2 million between april 2020 and March 2021. its report, a Year like No Other, shows the reach and impact of its grant-making, and the role of community action and local charitable giving. last year a total of 930 local projects received Quartet grant funding to help local communities. Together, these projects supported over 590,000 people in North Somerset, B&NeS, Bristol and South Glos. This included those self-isolating or shielding, hungry families or people needing mental health support due to the pressures of the pandemic. Many of these people are often marginalised from mainstream support and opportunities or live in the most deprived areas.
The Strawberry Line cafe in Yatton was one of the organisations to receive support
A busy weekend
Suzanne Rolt (left) and Sue Mountstevens
Quartet also recorded its highest ever total of donations and voluntary income last year, £16.7 million. This ranged across both local and national funds, including the National emergencies Trust. its permanent endowment fund now stands at £56.6 million, making it one of the largest of any community foundation in the UK. But it says this next year will be a crucial one for the local charitable sector as it tackles social needs exacerbated by the pandemic. it’s launched a Recovery Fund and is keen to hear from individuals and companies interested in working with them. Chief executive, Suzanne Rolt, said: “During the pandemic we’ve worked like never before, with record levels of funds both raised and distributed. This has only been possible thanks to the generosity of our donors and fund holders. “We recognise that the need for support across local communities is as high today as it has been throughout the pandemic. This is not a return to business as usual – Quartet is helping organisations to adapt and to work in new ways. This requires longer term, strategic support.” Chair, Sue Mountstevens, said: “i’m so proud of everything the team has achieved over the past year and in the face of enormous challenges. Yet 16 months on the pandemic is far from over, and the demand for our grants continues to grow. “Quartet is here to bring together people who want to help the local community with projects that make a real difference. i’d invite anyone interested in helping to tackle this rising need to read the report and get in touch with the team.”
Uphill had a busy weekend when it staged its 75th annual show as well as a summer fete for Weston hospicecare. in its heyday the show had over 1000 entries with the hall full of flowers and produce. With over 250 entries this year, the show still provided great enjoyment for those who attended in larger numbers than usual. The money raised through refreshments, a raffle and donations on the door will help the Uphill Village Society maintain and promote the village. PAGE 74 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Centre re-opens
The volunteers of langport & District Red Cross hope to open their langport centre on Monday, September 6th, to welcome back friends from 10am12noon each day after the long Covid shutdown. The entrance is in the large car park in langport and donations can be taken there during opening hours or to Somerton by arrangement with Chris Cox on 01458 273085. They do not have room for large items such as furniture, but are usually happy to re-home mobility aids.
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Lions’ playground reopens
YeO Valley lions have reopened a playground for special needs children near Yatton, which had been closed because of the pandemic. Club members have taken on a rigorous cleaning and maintenance regime on a daily basis and a “track and trace” system has been adopted. The group, which has been serving Wrington, Congresbury, Yatton and surrounding communities for over 50 years, opened the playground about 15 years ago. The equipment includes swings, one of which is designed for wheelchairs, and a slide built into a hill so that the risk of accidents is minimal. a portable toilet has also been installed for families to use. The lions say it is quite evident by the response of the many families and organisations who use the playground that the facility has been missed. even in appalling weather children were keen to use the facility. Details: playground@yeovalleylions.org.uk
Top award for village hall
ShiphaM village hall has won “Gold” for the quality of management and condition of its hall after a rigorous inspection from the Community Council for Somerset. The assessors’ report said: “This is an exceptionally well run and maintained hall which meets and, possibly, exceeds all the criteria for hallmarks 1, 2, & 3.” Chair, Jeff Brewster, is proud of the whole team who, because of their commitment and efforts, ensure the highest standards of administration and maintenance continue to be met. The hall’s management committee are not resting on their laurels and are updating the booking system and have recently had their website redesigned. Jeff is keen to widen the membership of the management committee from both the local community and area. he says he is looking for people of all ages to bring new skills and talents to the team.
Award nominee
COMMUNITY
paUlTON parish councillor, Grant Johnson, is the only finalist from the South West in the Young Councillor of the Year awards, organised by the National association of local Councils. Grant, aged 29, said: “Representing the village where i was born and raised is truly one of the greatest honours of my life and i am so proud that the work i do in our community is raising our village's profile to the national stage." Winners and runners-up will be announced at an online ceremony in the autumn. Details: https://www.nalc.gov.uk/starcouncilawards
The award is a tremendous boost for this popular facility as its events programme fills again after the recent restrictions. Featuring a large hall, kitchen and two meeting rooms, it is an ideal venue for a range of activities.
Details: Tony Davies https://www.shiphamhall.co.uk
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 75
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Fresh new look for memorial hall
VillaGeRS in Stoke St Michael have been celebrating the reopening of their memorial hall after extensive refurbishment work carried out during the pandemic. The hall committee used the time when the building was closed to the public to carry out repairs and improvements including removing years of smoke and grime – especially on the wooden floor. Other work including reconfiguring the toilets to make them more accessible and opening up long-forgotten fireplaces. The garden and patio at the back of the hall – opened in 1923 – also received some tlc. The committee hosted an open day for the community and is offering to let out the hall for free for the next 12 months to people living in the parish.
Welcome! Hall committee members (l:r) Teresa Taylor-Wolff, Peter Steer, Richard Hobbs, Karen Pearce and Susan Steer
Teresa Taylor-Wolff in the newly-planted garden and seating area
The memorial hall was built in memory of those killed in World War One
The hall was built on land donated by the local Knatchbull family. This sign – from the pub nearby – was rescued from a skip
For details, visit: www.stokestmichaelhall.co.uk
Parish clerk retires
ChRiS Gittins has retired as clerk to Timsbury parish Council. at his final meeting, council chairman, Josie pownall, made a presentation on behalf of all councillors to mark his five successful years in the job. She said: “During Chris’s time the council’s role has expanded considerably as B&NeS council reduced its role in local affairs. “Chris has handled these changes with skill and understanding and we are all grateful for the very real contribution he has made to improving village life.” Chris said: “i enjoy living in the village and hope to be here for many years yet. Timsbury is a thriving parish with a strong community life. i look forward to continuing to be part of it.”
PAGE 76 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Josie Pownall and Chris Gittins
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COMMUNITY
Loving their library FaMilieS in Shepton Mallet were treated to a free day of fun to celebrate the reopening of the town’s library. love Your library Day was organised by 7 Starlings CiC, which has taken over the running of the refurbished building following years of uncertainty over its future. Somerset County Council worked with Shepton Mallet Town Council and 7 Starlings – helped also by funding from Glastonbury Festivals – to agree a new way forward for the library which will see the building also being used for community-based activities.
Families, volunteers and guests in the new-look children’s area with Abby and Richard Young, from Tall Tails Theatre Company
Richard creating a buzz as he acts out The Bumblebear, a book by Nadia Shireen
Rotary celebrates 100 years
WeSTON Rotary is celebrating its centenary with an anniversary exhibition at Weston Museum’s community room. it was unveiled by Mary Macfarlane, granddaughter of the club’s first president T. ernest Macfarlane. The display will be open to visitors until the end of October. Weston Rotary president, George horsfield, said: “When our predecessors met on 23rd September 1921 little did they know that the excellent work they started would still be going strong 100 years later. “Today we are proud to support Weston Food Bank as our 100th year charity. in the 1920s the focus was on The Rotary Boys’ house, an incredible project which provided holidays for children for over four decades and is described in detail in the exhibition.” another highlight of the display is the voice recordings of some members describing why they joined Rotary and how it has enriched their lives. The display features a pictorial record of Weston Rotary’s work as well current initiatives including visits to longleat for local schoolchildren and an easter party for Weston Super Seniors. Weston Rotary has played an active role in developing the Rotary Young leaders awards (RYla) for several years. in addition the club is part of Rotary international’s efforts to
Abby gets a helping hand from her daughter, Ember, as she reads Ruby’s Worry, by Tom Percival
Mary Macfarlane is pictured with (l to r) local MP John Penrose, Rotary president George Horsfield and Councillor John Crockford Hawley
provide sanitation and clean drinking water to people in flooddamaged areas in Kerala, india as well as other initiatives in a range of countries. Fundraising to finance the work is raised at various points throughout the year from pounds for pines (collecting Christmas trees) in January, through to a fun Dog Day show and golf competition in the summer.
Details: https://www.facebook.com/westonrotaryclub www.wsmRotary.uk
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 77
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MENDIP TIMES
Pulling power
all Saints Church in publow was open for visitors to climb up and view the bells, while the bell ringing team were only too happy to show visitors what bell ringing entailed. They say pulling a bell is good for agility, co-ordination and reaction time, plus you can get a full Bell ringers (l to r) Peter Owen, Charlie body Tricks and Stephen Rogers cardiovascular workout by walking up the stairs to the tower! Tower captain, Stephen Rogers, said: “We had quite a few people go up the tower with one lady expressing a keen interest in becoming a bell-ringer. She is coming along on Wednesday evening, which is practice night, to have a go. “We currently have a team of seven, with two new recruits, but are always on the lookout for new recruits.” Go along any Wednesday evening at 7.30pm to have a look at what they do. Details: stephen.rogers68sjr@gmail.com
New president
Ken Rock (left) handing over to Clive Hawkins
The Rotary Club of Nailsea and Backwell have welcomed their new president, Clive hawkins, for his second stint – he was president 20 years ago. he takes over from Ken Rock who conducted all of the meetings in his year via Zoom. Whilst the club are optimistic for the future, they are always keen to welcome new members. PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Green grants available
SOMeRSeT Community Foundation (SCF) has recently awarded £50,000 in grants to 22 groups to create or develop green community spaces across the county. These grants were made possible thanks to Somerset County Council with the support of Somerset Community Food. The foundation says green social prescribing, nature-based therapy, growing and nature all featured prominently in the applications for grants, many in relation to recovery from the pandemic. andy Ridgewell, senior grants manager at SCF, said: “a few years ago we started to get more applications from groups using gardening to help people in their communities. “in March 2019 we worked with Spark Somerset to organise a networking session called Grow for Good, bringing together over 20 local gardening and horticultural projects to network, exchange ideas, and potentially work together. The outcome was a conversation with Somerset County Council about sustainable food systems and food poverty, and directly influenced the creation of the £50,000 Growing Grants fund.” Groups receiving grants included axbridge Community allotment association, Cultivating Community, Frome, Feed avalon CiC, Glastonbury, Frome Field 2 Fork CiC, Green henton, honeymead Garden Society (allotments), Baltonsborough, Manor house Road Community Garden, Glastonbury, plotgate Community Farm, Barton St David, Root Connections CiC, Wells, Shipham Community allotment association, Stepping Stones playgroup, Wells and The Mendip School, Shepton Mallet. The foundation is also awarding grants of up to £2,021 to organisations and sports clubs who deliver sports development programmes for young people up to the age of 25. it’s managing applications for a national charity, Made By Sport. Recipients so far have included anglo Boxing Sports Community Centre, Shepton Mallet, purple elephant productions CiC, Frome and Wells Cricket Club. Details: www.somersetcf.org.uk or call 01749 344949
Market returns
The first publow Church market held since the Covid restrictions were lifted has exceeded all expectations, raising over £700 for church funds. instead of being held in pensford Church Rooms, it was held in all Saints Church, where there is more room. The next morning market will on Saturday September 4th, 10-11.30am at the church. Details: 01761 4904324, 490336 or 490584
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COMMUNITY
Community award winners
ChelWOOD Bridge Rotary Club has announced Sam Oliphant from Chew Magna as winner of its community award for the last year. Rotarian, Colin Robinson said: “Sam’s good work spans many years,
Sam Oliphant
starting with a small informal meeting group for the over-70s in Chew Magna which grew to over 30 members who continue to meet regularly. “She then added for the benefit of the group monthly birthday breakfasts, weekly table tennis and yoga sessions and the occasional days out where she hires and drives a 16-seater bus! “Following the Covid-19 outbreak she came up with a number of innovative actions, including Chew Chat on the cricket pitch, to keep the group together whilst adhering to government pandemic guidelines.” The club also announced a special 2020 Covid-19 award to Karen aniola from high littleton. Mr. Robinson said: “When the pandemic struck Karen quickly mobilised over 25 volunteers to offer help to any vulnerable member of her local community. “This resulted in the formation of the ‘high littleton Volunteer army’. She
Karen Aniola
set up a Facebook page for communication between her group of volunteers to ensure that any requests for help were dealt with effectively and she kept everyone in the group up-todate, forming a real sense of community and team spirit.”
Still under military command Volunteers wanted aFTeR a difficult year due to Covid, Wrington Vale Rotary’s retiring president, Roger Vincent, a retired senior sub-mariner, has handed over the chain of office to Bob preedy, a retired senior army officer, hopefully with more normal times to come.
Holiday help for children
BaTh & North east Somerset Council is supporting the most vulnerable children in their area by “topping-up” the summer free school meals voucher scheme. each eligible family will receive an extra £5 per child per week on top of the £15 per child per week already provided. The support is in the form of e-vouchers that can be spent in supermarkets by parents and carers of children who receive benefit-related free school meals and children who meet similar criteria in early years’ settings. More than 2,000 families in Bath and North east Somerset are in receipt of the vouchers, with more than 4,000 local children benefitting. eligible families will be contacted via email from august 26th with instructions on how to receive an additional £30 voucher to cover the extra £5 top-up.
ValleY arts is looking for volunteers to help run events, now that restrictions are easing. The benefit is they get to see performances for free! it’s holding a welcome session at The pelican, Chew Magna, on Wednesday, September 1st at 7.30pm in the barn. Details: info@valleyartscentre.co.uk
New village hall
a FUNDRaiSiNG spa afternoon tea was held by the new Meare and Westhay village hall charity, which aims to build a new hall for the community. The event, held in alan and Rita Wren’s garden, saw 20 ladies enjoy a pamper from laura Wilcox from Temple Spa, scones, cakes, prosecco and pimms, all provided by Rita. Organisers say the community came together and the event raised £230. Details: Facebook
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MENDIP TIMES
Rotary’s Big Breakfast
At work in the kitchen (l to r) Roger Owen, Umang Patel and Graham Robinson
Chefs Ray Lithgoe and Rob Taylor, watched by Ken Biggs and Doris Gillette
Ann and Sam Budd taking orders from members of the Classic and Historic Motor Club
Member Hugo Pike serving breakfasts to (l to r) Phil Townshend, Liz Richardson, Karen Warrington, Julie and Andrew Vickery and Colin Bennett
NOW in its 13th year, Chelwood Bridge Rotary Club's annual Big Breakfast was another big success, drawing in the crowds, as well as 70 drivers and passengers from the Classic and historic Motor Club, who started their rally
after breakfast. The event is usually held in a large marquee used for the Stanton Drew Flower Show but moved to the village hall when the show was postponed.
Lions boxing clever for Air Ambulance
Alan Sanderson is congratulated by club secretary Ian Williams on becoming president
CiTY of Wells lions Club is leading the way in a new fundraising initiative to help the Dorset and Somerset air ambulance. The club is asking people to donate their unwanted mobile phones to be recycled and any valuable components to be sold in aid of the charity. With the support of Wells City Council, the club has arranged for a secure box to be available during opening hours in the town hall reception
Launching the new phone recycling scheme in Wells are (l:r) club member Eve Loring, secretary Ian Williams and treasurer Mary Ellis
where unwanted phones can be handed over. The phones are being collected by Reciproc8 on behalf of the charity.
For details, visit: https://www.reciproc8mobiles.co.uk/recycling
PAGE 80 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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Thank you tea
COMMUNITY
Pensford’s new “library”
Jane Flower (right) chatting to tower friends
Tower Friend John Gully enjoying his glass of Prosecco
MeMBeRS of pensford’s Tower Friends were treated to a ginger cream tea as a thank you by Jane Flower for helping each month with the tower’s fundraising Sunday teas, which have raised more than £600 in the past three months. after enjoying a glass of prosecco, provided by Tower neighbour Chris Downton, everyone adjourned into the Church Rooms where they enjoyed ginger flavoured scones spread with rhubarb and ginger jam and fresh clotted cream. The next fundraising afternoon will be on Sunday, September 19th, from 2pm with the bonus of a duck race, being held for charity by pensford Tennis Club, next door.
Chris Downton pouring out Prosecco for Caroline and Alison Coombs
Some of those who helped (l to r) John and Jenny Gully, Sarah Bishop, Charlie Bishop and Dave Parnell
peNSFORD now has its own “community library”, an old red phone box installed at the bottom of Wick lane after standing for many years in the garden of Millstream Cottage in Stanton lane. it’s been donated by the pattimore family in memory of John and Brenda who were proud pensfordians for over 60 years. The box, renovated by a small team of villagers, is now open for business with a range of titles to choose from. Sarah Bishop, who organised the project, said: “The box came from Wookey hole (it was decommissioned) and was a birthday present for my mum from my brother Simon. he was working for BT at the time. So, it was my mum’s box. She used it as a greenhouse for her flower seedlings after it arrived in the early 90s. “i want to give a big thanks to all contributors who gave up their time to work on it and those who provided the cash for renovation materials. also a big thanks to the Flukes in Millstream Cottage for patiently allowing us access to their garden over the year for the renovation.”
It was in a sorry state
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Making money from waste
Julie Leader and pupils with some of the waste they have collected so far
ShiphaM First School is encouraging the local community to collect “hard to recycle” waste and raise money for the school. There’s now a drop-off point outside the school for people to leave items like tooth brushes and tooth paste tubes, Marigold gloves, biscuit and snack wrappers, air, home and laundry care products and packaging, and writing instruments. local resident Julie leader has signed up to the programmes offered by TerraCycle, the world leaders in the recycling of this kind of waste. None of this can be included in local kerbside recycling collections so traditionally has ended up in landfill or been incinerated. Mrs. leader said: “i was looking for a way to reduce the amount of waste packaging the community produces, and about three years ago i found these great free programmes run by TerraCycle to recycle a whole host of waste which the local council recycling collections can’t accept. “anyone can sign up and collect waste at home for recycling. i decided to go one step further by setting up a public access drop-off location at Shipham First School, where anyone can drop off their hard to recycle rubbish.” The waste is then recycled by shredding, cleaning and turning it into a pellet format which can then be used by manufacturers to create new generic plastic products such as outdoor furniture, lumber and construction applications. For each unit of waste collected, the school receives TerraCycle points that can be redeemed to provide more equipment for its Green Club to buy litter pickers and more bins. So far Shipham has collected 8,000 pieces of waste, raising over £30 for the school.
Happy birthday!
COMMUNITY
MeMBeRS of Bishop Sutton and Stowey Wi had a day out to the lavender fields at Faulkland where they celebrated pat Smith’s 88th birthday. They also held a high tea for the group’s 80th birthday, which will be celebrated at Bishop Sutton village hall on September 4th.
Bigger choice as real ale festival expands
The 20th Wedmore Real ale Festival takes place from Friday, September 10th until Sunday, September 12th at Glebe Field, opposite Wedmore village hall’s car park. The new, larger site allows them to offer over 100 choices of ale, cider and wine, as well as a wide selection of food and live music. Sunday’s grand finale is the Beer Bucket Challenge. This year’s willing volunteers, who have agreed to be
soaked in cold beer in aid of charity, are Charlotte Cundy, emily Mulliner, emma andrews, lexie Gower, linda Moorcroft, Shannon loughrey, Sarah love, Dave powell, Finn Cavanagh, Nick Munyard, pip Nicholls, Matt lloyd and Simon Tremlett. in 2019, the festival raised £19,000 for local good causes and has raised £205,000 since 2001.
Details: Facebook @wedmorerealalefestival, Twitter @WedmoreRealAle or go to www.wedmorerealale.com
PAGE 82 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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The Wells property team making homes happen DESPITE rumblings that house prices are set to slow down as we move into the second half of 2021, the Lodestone Property team, located in Chamberlain Street in Wells, are still seeing high demand in hotspots such as Wells and surrounding villages like Wedmore and Cheddar with hamlets in the Chew Valley proving to be particularly popular. Lisa Cope, who has recently joined the Wells team with 30 years’ local estate agency experience behind her, says: “What’s not to love about Wells and the surrounding area? We are so lucky to have such an abundance of historic buildings, beautiful countryside, interesting shops and great places to eat. “Having lived in the area all my life it is easy to take it all for granted! It’s not until you go away and come back again do you realise what a stunning environment, we live in.” Lisa added: “There is still considerable interest in the Mendip area; I would encourage those who are wondering whether to sell to seek advice. With so many people looking to still buy we’re confident the property bubble isn’t about to burst. After all Somerset will always be a popular and vibrant place to live and work.” Rachel Badrick, also based in Lodestone’s Wells office,
PROPERTY
The Wells team – making homes happen
specialises in helping with the conveyancing process. She said: “I love taking a property from that first market appraisal through to completion. Understanding the conveyancing process once a property is under offer enables me to support our clients and purchasers acting as a buffer, chaser and specialist guide.”
For more property advice and information contact Lodestone Property (Wells) on 01749 605088 or visit www.lodestoneproperty.co.uk
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Agency launches with groundbreaking approach A NEW estate agency has opened in Doulting village, covering the Mendips and the Chew Valley. The brainchild of three local entrepreneurs, Manor & Hall has been born from a shared belief that the traditional buying and selling process in England and Wales really doesn’t need to be so painful! They are passionate about providing excellent customer service via a fair, unfailingly honest, professional approach that is ultimately measured by its clients, and in doing so are offering a new approach to the estate agency marketplace. Partners, Ryan Stott, Luke Parle and Wayne Bird bring with them a wealth of commercial experience gained from highend estate agency, property development, management and marketing. They had been discussing a joint venture for several years before deciding that now was the time to launch something fresh, exciting and genuinely new. So, what’s so different? By targeting the upper end of the property market they can offer substantial savings; this is achieved by offering satisfaction-based selling fees, no ties to contract periods, supported by professional photography and floor plans to market your property to the highest of standards. They offer a basic fixed minimum selling fee of £4,000 (+ VAT) whatever the value of your property, giving the greater benefits to customers with properties that are valued at well above the national average. All they then ask is that once your
property has been sold, that you then consider how they have performed and pay them what you feel their service was worth. They have teamed up with a charity partner – Homes for Homeless Veterans – and all referral fees received from lenders, surveyors and solicitors will be donated to the cause. Do check out their new website, Instagram and Facebook and feel free to contact them for a free market valuation of your property. They say: “Trust us with your property and we will trust you with our fee!”
Taking a new approach to buying and selling (l:r) Luke, Ryan and Wayne at their new office in Doulting
For details, visit: www.manorandhall.co.uk
PAGE 84 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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Looking at “old” properties
PROPERTY
Tom Killen looks at how properties have been converted over time to create fine homes
A STRoLL through any rural village will quickly reveal how the use of properties have changed over time with “old” properties such as schools, forges and bakeries having now become desirable addresses. In more rural areas, since the late 1980s, we have seen many redundant agricultural buildings converted and this trend is continuing with even more modern buildings now gaining planning consent. Indeed, I live in the old Cake House which is a converted barn that previously was used by past generations of my family in producing cow cake! Buildings that have been converted have become comfortable and unique homes. Those in villages often occupy fantastic central locations whilst rural conversions offer proximity to our fabulous countryside. You can get a lot of character and history as well as some quirkiness. Modern conversions can offer a tremendous blend of period and contemporary living whilst retaining character features such as classic fenestration, fireplaces and wooden floors.
The Old Chapel Stoke St Michael
At Killens, we are known for having expertise in selling “old” properties and two properties we are currently offering are classic reminders of previous times. Situated in the heart of Stoke St Michael is The old Chapel which is a charming former Victorian converted chapel which offers character four bedroom accommodation set in generous grounds and is available at £525,000. In the nearby village of oakhill, the Brewery was once a busy place in the centre of the village and, some years ago, the buildings were converted to provide a high quality development of apartments and smaller residences. We are marketing a two bedroom ground floor apartment that benefits from the shared use of a swimming pool, gym and communal grounds at £220,000.
Are you seeking to sell an “old” property? Contact us at Killens for a free appraisal of your property on 01749 671172 or 01275 333993
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 85
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MENDIP TIMES
Wells has the “wow” factor
THE second Wake Up Wells day brought the city’s volunteer groups and organisations together for a postpandemic celebration of its community. Organised by The Project Factory CIC, the day also honoured volunteers and NHS staff who provided vital services during the crisis. Wells Cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace, Wells and Mendip Museum and Wells Cathedral School were amongst the venues who supported the day which also included a community picnic.
Glastonbury Male Voice Choir perform on Cathedral Green
Wells Coronavirus Network with the Dean of Wells, Dr John Davies
Community groups ran stalls inside the nave of Wells Cathedral
Being a politician always involves walking a tightrope, as Somerset county councillor Mike Pullin demonstrates…
Isaac tries his hand at drumming…
PAGE 86 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
… as does Kirstie Harris, one of the organisers of the day
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EVENTS
Wedmore summer fayre
WEDMORE’S Street Fair and Harvest Home teams combined forces to organise a fayre around St Mary’s Church. They hope to resume normal service next year.
Wedmore Tuesday Club
Wedmore scouts
Human fruit machine (l to r) Melissa Neill, Lisa Hall and the Rev Richard Neill Cheddar Vale Lions organised pig racing
The fancy dress parade
David Hopkins (left) and Steve Mewes with Green Wedmore’s new Close to Home cookbook
Isle of Wedmore Gardening Club
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 87
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MENDIP TIMES
THE autumn approaches and in normal years many cavers would by now have returned from their trips to foreign lands, exploring and possibly discovering new caves. The recent stop-go regulations regarding foreign travel have largely put paid to these expeditions, although visits to other British With PHILIP caving regions have been possible. Mendip HENDY caving has been on the increase, although possibly not at pre-pandemic levels. This is the time of year when many clubs hold their annual general meetings and club dinners. Neither of these events was possible last year, so AGMs are likely to be longer than usual, with two years’ worth of business to discuss. Several clubs were able to obtain some form of government grant to help them survive; some of this money has been spent on improvements to headquarters, while most is probably sitting in the bank, awaiting a decision from the general membership at the meeting. Usually at these occasions some of the elder statesmen of the club will attend. They may have hung up their helmets, but still hold the club dear. Their knowledge of history and tradition can often steer policy in the best direction. It is, however, unclear how many of these older members will risk travelling to a large gathering, even though social distancing rules have been relaxed and most of them will have had their two shots of vaccine. Because so many people from far and wide will attend the AGM, it makes sense to hold the annual dinner on the same date. Preparations will have been made well in advance, as it is surprising how few establishments on or around Mendip can cater for around 100 or more. The menu also has to be carefully selected, to cater for the growing number of vegetarians and vegans. Yet beef remains popular, as does the prawn cocktail. Many of us are traditionalists. Over the years, the clubs have arranged to hold their dinners on different dates. This caters for those who are members of more than one club, those who like to meet up with friends from a rival club, and also allows guests to be invited from other groups. In the distant past, dinners could often be rather raucous affairs, with bread rolls (and worse) being thrown around. Many members did not bother to dress up; indeed, a charity shop suit which could
be worn once and then binned was popular apparel. Now things are much more sedate, with dinner jackets and smart suits much in evidence. It is amazing how some scruffy cavers can scrub up well when the need arises. The female element also surprises, with beautiful frocks and evening dresses. We have to look hard to be able to recognise some cavers. The dinner is held to a strict protocol. It often begins with a Grace, and between courses awards are given to deserving members. These may include prizes for the best journal article or photograph, and there are usually some more humorous awards. The caver who has shown the best ability to cave beyond his prowess, by getting stuck in a squeeze or deep mud, or otherwise requiring assistance from his fellows, becomes “Tiger of the Year”. Nominated by his peers, this award is never actively sought. Someone who does something remarkable with his car, such as parking it on a dry stone wall or in a pond, becomes “Driver of the Year”. Any notable humorous event (at least to bystanders) is marked with an appropriate prize. After the Loyal Toast, the speeches begin. Toasts are made to the club by one of the guests, and a member reciprocates. Absent Friends are remembered, and then the Guest of Honour will give an address. He or she may range from an eminent professor in some caverelated discipline, through worthy elder cavers who can be relied on to give an entertaining speech, to a cave guide, with tales based on experiences with members of the public who are either gullible or not cave-savvy. Afterwards, the club may lay on some entertainment or music, but the main business of the rest of the evening is conducted at the bar. Later, the revelry may continue back at the club headquarters. In the past, this was a chance to sing the caving songs (some of which were not at all PC and would make a docker blush) and recitations. Vocal lubrication was provided by a barrel of beer. The “apres-dinner” is now much more sedate, but there will still be a few sore heads in the morning. Some will shake off the cobwebs with a caving trip, which may be organised by the club as the President’s Meet. Occasionally a trip to a show cave or place with a caving theme will be arranged. The dinner weekend is a great opportunity to meet up with old friends, and set the club on its course for the next 12 months. It is to be hoped that Covid will not damp things down too much.
Wessex Cave Club dinners
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 caving publications and until his retirement was a caving instructor at Cheddar. His main interest is digging for new caves
PAGE 88 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
(Photographs by Phil Hendy)
Mixing business and pleasure
CAVING
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Secure future for factory
HOMES & INTERIORS
www.castlecaryselfstorage.co.uk
A family affair: Justin and wife Kath with Agnes and Flora, two of the couple’s three daughters
A FAMILY-run self storage business on the edge of Castle Cary has taken over a former ice cream factory to create a new, secure warehouse. Castle Cary Self Storage, based on the Lovington Business Park at Lovington, offers 24-hour-a-day access to both the units inside the warehouse and its outside storage containers. The business was started by third-generation dairy farmer Justin Farthing who owns the estate and lives just a short distance away and who has converted the former Lovington Ice Cream plant into the new warehouse. Lievito Bakery, based nearby, is about to move into another part of the site where Justin’s wife Kath also runs Brue Day Care Nursery. Castle Cary Self Storage is easily accessible from Shepton Mallet, Bruton, Wincanton and, of course, Castle Cary itself.
Family-run self-storage facility Our new indoor storage warehouse is now open! Drive-up outside units available Secure with 24hrs CCTV, alarms and pin code access 24hrs a day/7 days a week access Prices from £6 per week
Lovington Business Park, Lovington, Castle Cary, Somerset BA7 7PP
www.castlecaryselfstorage.co.uk
01963 240311
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 89
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Warm in winter, cool in summer?
IF your home has a conservatory, you almost certainly value and enjoy the benefits it offers. But there may be a few issues which you feel you could and should address. And it will not surprise you to learn that what many people predominantly struggle with is their conservatory being too hot in summer and too cold in winter. The good news is that there are solutions which, depending on your preferences and budget, will, to varying degrees, overcome temperature and other problems. The most economical solution to controlling temperature is, of course, to have blinds fitted. These will certainly help greatly in reducing heat in the summer months but are rather less effective when it comes to heat retention. Aesthetically too you may not judge them to enhance the appearance of your conservatory. Undoubtedly the ultimate choice has to be the solid roof conservatory, which has so much insulation to keep it cool in summer and warm in winter. It should be kept in mind that a Building Regulations Certificate has to be issued with this type of roof. You can have downlighters in the perimeter pelmet and a central light, which can be dimmed down to suit the mood. Changing a polycarbonate roof for self-cleaning glass can also make a considerable difference to the comfort and overall ambience of your conservatory. This can even be
HOMES & INTERIORS
upgraded again to Ultra 86 glass which protects you from the UV rays. The other benefit with glass is that when it rains, there is no noise. The glass being Argon filled will definitely hold the heat in for longer. If new flooring is required, there is a huge choice with all the latest designs available from Weston Ceramics. They give Kingfisher customers an extra 10% discount. At Kingfisher we always try and give impartial and helpful advice and guidance and present and explain the options and choices clearly. If you visit our showroom you will be given the kind of objective information that will help you make decisions without being rushed or pressured. TONY THURLING
Weston Garden Machinery Garden Machinery & Woodburning Specialists
ACR Ashdale in Buttermilk Enamel Behind Shell Garage Winterstoke Road, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset BS23 2YS
Tel: 01934 626093 www.westongarden.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 91
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MENDIP TIMES
Choral society back on song
SoMerSeT Choral Society will recommence communal rehearsals and activities in September in preparation for a concert in St John the Baptist Church in Axbridge on Saturday, November 27th. There will be a “Come and Sing Vivaldi Gloria” on Saturday, September 4th in Cheddar Catholic Church, Tweentown, BS27 3HU, 10am-2.30pm, with a second session from 1-2.30pm, ending with a short performance of the work. All singers will be welcomed. The fee will be £10 for the day and will include provision of a score. The first formal rehearsal will be on wednesday, September 8th at 7.30pm again in Cheddar Catholic Church and thereafter every wednesday evening 7.30-9.30pm. Membership fees will remain at £55 for the term and will include one ticket for the November concert.
Details: Sarah SomersetChoralSociety @hotmail.com 01934-742134
Shanty singers set to return
The Steepholmers on stage
weSToN-super-Mare’s first ever sea shanty and folk music festival, organised by weston shanty band The Steepholmers, was a huge success and plans are already being made to hold the event again next year. Performers from all over the country performed at venues across the town, helping to raise £5,000 for weston’s rNLI and Lions Club. Festival organiser and founding member of The Steepholmers, Nigel GlanvilleGittins said: “The aims of the festival were to bring the community together enjoying live music, benefitting local businesses and raising money for local charities. “we can’t wait to do it all again next year and already have performers lining up to register, which is just fantastic.” Next year’s event will take place from August 5th-7th.
Remembering Woodstock
AwArd-winning theatre company, Something Underground, are bringing their latest, open air stage show, The Spirit of woodstock, to the Merlin Theatre in Frome. It’s about the incredible era that surrounded the “mother of all free festivals”, the politics, the conflicts, the music, the protests, the moon landings and more. Jonathan Brown brings you 65 characters in lightning-fast succession. The show will be in the outdoor theatre on Saturday, September 11th at 3pm and 7pm. PAGE 92 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Carol Hawkins (right) with a pirate friend
Katie from Cask with Bertie GlanvilleGittins
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MUSIC & THEATRE
Band’s lockdown anniversary album
edwArd Leaker’s Swing Machine Jazz orchestra celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, with a new album produced during lockdown. His original idea was to form a band that brought together some of the wonderful musicians we have living in the South west to play classic and contemporary big band music. The first concert at wells Town Hall was a resounding success with queues around the market square for cancellations! Since then the band has featured over 80 of the finest musicians in the UK. They have also hosted concerts with a staggering array of guests from the UK big band and jazz scene including Pee wee ellis, Pete Long, Claire Martin, Joe Stilgoe, Mike Lovatt, Clare Teal, elaine delmar and countless more. Following a successful “lockdown project” where they recorded a new piece commissioned by the band, edward had the idea of recording an album to mark their anniversary. It features 24 musicians, nine newly commissioned pieces of
Autumn concerts
Pee Wee Ellis playing with the band
music and there are a few surprises as well! As well as the core band, there is a guest appearance from long-time friend of the band and musical legend Pee wee ellis, who lives locally. edward said: “The chance to work again after the year that musicians have just experienced was very welcome indeed.” He’s now looking forward to getting the band back out on the road again.
Details: www.edwardleaker.com/swingmachine
AFTer 18 months without live music, Yatton Music Society is hosting live quality concerts again at St Mary’s Church, Yatton featuring talented local musicians. The season will start on September 25th with Laura Heathcote and Stuart Phippen with an inspired evening of violin and piano music. The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets are £10. Details: www.yms.org.uk or David Ford daford220@gmail.com • 01934 830255
Society seeks new members
CHew Valley Choral Society, a friendly mixed-voice choir of people who enjoy singing choral works of all kinds, is looking for new members. Under its director, the distinguished composer and choral director david Bednall, the society has established a reputation for excellent performances supported by outstanding soloists. They are looking for new members to join them to perform Haydn’s Nelson Mass and the Fauré requiem in their concert on Saturday, November 27th in St John’s Church, Keynsham. There are vacancies in all sections but tenors are especially welcome. There are no auditions for new members
but you need a reasonable voice and some knowledge of reading music. rehearsals, on Tuesdays, 7.30-9.30pm, at the church hall, Church Lane, Chew Stoke, BS40 8TX, begin on Tuesday, September 7th.
Details: info@chewvalleychoral.org.uk • phone 01275 333014 website: www.chewvalleychoral.org.uk MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 93
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MENDIP TIMES
Back on the road again
“ThERE’S a lot of cyclists out there today” is a phrase I’ve heard a lot recently, from family and friends. Although the pandemic has CYCLING with EDMUND seen a surge in LODITE recreational cycling, this recent increase is due to the return of organised cycling events across Mendip – albeit with some social distancing still in place. From road races to sportives, it’s good to see normality returning as cyclists take part in organised events again. The best regional male and female riders were in action twice. First racing several laps of the “rifleman’s route” around the shooting range near Priddy. Then a few weeks later completing several loops of the hillier and more challenging Stowey circuit. The best juniors from across the country also took part in the three-day Tour of the Mendips. These races require a lot of preparation and involve much more than the cyclists. The casual observer will first see a marked car giving notice and warning oncoming traffic that the riders are approaching. Mobile marshals on motorbikes (quite often ex-traffic police) will pull up at junctions to warn that the race is approaching. Static marshals will also be positioned at key points on the course. Accredited marshals have the power to legally stop and hold the traffic temporarily so should be treated in the same way as a red traffic light. As the riders pass by in a blur of colour the commissaire’s car will follow the main bunch of riders to ensure fair and safe conduct during the race and give instructions to the marshals. After the riders there will then be any team cars and medical assistance. All involved are volunteers, receiving only out-of-pocket expenses for
PAGE 94 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
accredited positions, so if you do happen to be stopped briefly be nice to them and enjoy the spectacle! Now there may be a very small number of people who cannot bear for their car journey to be a few seconds longer and think racing on open roads shouldn’t be allowed. In response, I’d say it doesn’t happen very often and the roads that are used generally have lower levels of traffic. Events also usually take place on Sundays when it is quieter, and by the way…it is allowed! All courses or circuits must be approved by the police. Usually, a circuit will be designed to be ridden anticlockwise so that any turns are lefthanded, so as not to cross oncoming traffic. Applications to use an approved course or circuit for a race must then be submitted to the police weeks in advance and all events must comply with “Cycling
Approaching the start of the race
Racing on the highways” regulations. The purpose of the police approval, safety marshals, highway regulations and the race convoy cars etc is to ensure the safety of all road users during the race. Now, you may also have seen many riders, or even taken part, in the Great Weston Ride, a popular sportive starting in Long Ashton and ending at the seafront in Weston-Super-Mare. Sportives are non-competitive and riders follow a signed route. Unlike the fast procession of a road race, you’re more likely to see a gradual trickle of riders along the route. I’ve ridden it before and the thing that makes it stand out for me is that a lot of the riders are doing it as a personal challenge and/or are raising lots of money for good causes. There is no race in this event, everyone’s a winner so well done to all those who took part!
Great Weston Ride
SEPTEMBER CROSSWORD SOLUTION
ACROSS: 1. Katy Did 5. Twin bed 9. Tsars 10. Plane tree 11. Eye contact 12. Chew Stoke 16. Architectural 19. Australasians 20. Sash 22. Egocentric 26. Flower bed 27. Evoke 28. Breathe 29. Retired. DOWN: 1. Katie Glass 2. Trade gaps 3. Disconcert 4. Depot 5. Thatchers Cider 6. Item 7. Burgh 8. Die 13. Welch 14. Attainment 15. (See 1d) 17. Illegible 18. Reservoir 21. (See 12a) 23. (See 5d) 24. Creed 25. Belt 26. Fib
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Paulton v. Liverpool!
SPORT
Wearing their tops with pride
Martin Feeney, RBL branch chairman, John Swift, junior section chairman Midsomer Norton RFC, and Pattie Nicol, branch fundraising officer Ex-England international Mark Wight leading the Liverpool Legends out with mascot Jack Tovey, aged seven, son of Paulton assistant manager Paul Tovey
OvER 1,200 people attended a community day at Paulton Rovers where some of the veterans of the club’s 2009 FA Cup side took on a team of Liverpool Legends. The Liverpool players included England internationals Mark Wright, Alan Kennedy, now in his late 60s (looking fit but missed a penalty), Paul Walsh, Scottish international, John Wark, Don hutchinson and Ireland star Jason McAteer. The Paulton players were managed by Andy Jones who took Paulton to the 1st round of FA Cup in 2009 and many in the team played in that game. The match ended in a 3-3 draw and helped raise funds for the club after months of Covid closure, with a collection for Prostate Cancer Research.
ThE Midsomer Norton and Radstock branch of the Royal British Legion have sponsored 15 training tops for the junior section coaches at Midsomer Norton RFC.
Martin with some of the coaches
Tennis tournament returns
(Photography courtesy of Jenny Short, Norton Radstock Photographic Society)
The two squads greeting each other
Ladies tournament players
Jason McAteer in action
WELLS Tennis Club hosted its first tournament in almost two years at the beginning of August. New ladies captain Ginni Smith organised the competition which saw action on all five courts as 20 players competed in 15-minute-long rounds. Chie Preston was the overall winner with 26 games and Clare Mather a close second with 25 games. Ginni said: “I’m delighted that we were able to enjoy a fastpaced afternoon of tennis followed by a long overdue catch-up with friends.”
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MENDIP TIMES
Showcasing their skills at skate park Photos by Mark Adler
BMX riders, scooter fans and skaters descended on Shepton Mallet’s West Shepton Skate Park for an afternoon of competitions and fun. The event was organised by Shepton Mallet Town Council as part of its summer series of free activities for all ages. It took place before the skateboarding and BMX events at The Olympics but shared the ethos of competitors cheering each other on – and also showing respect and consideration for younger or lessable users on the skate park.
Youngsters gather at the skate park with the team from wheeled sports events organisers Camp Rubicon Curved air
Reuben is an enthusiastic scooter
Skateboarders practice ahead of the competition Competitors were judged on technique and difficulty of the tricks they performed
Respect – there is a real camaraderie amongst boarders
PAGE 96 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
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SPORT
Cricketers promise lashings of fun! ALLERTON Cricket Club are hosting and playing a T20 game against the Lashings World XI a team of former international players including Devon Malcolm, Monty Panesar, Chris Lewis and Adam hollioake. The world famous ex-professionals are renowned for their games against lesser-known cricket clubs and they certainly know how to entertain the crowds. Allerton Cricket Club are a non-
league team of village cricketers, of varying ages and abilities, so this is certainly a David vs Golliath battle that will be a delight to watch. It will take place on Friday, September 3rd at Allerton from 4pm. Along with the fast bowling and big
England victorious in golf croquet “three nations” in North Somerset
hitting international superstars, legendary BBC Test Match Special commentator henry Blofeld will be commentating on the match. The club has already sold 300 tickets for the pre-match players’ lunch and over 180 tickets for gate entry.
NAILSEA and District Croquet Club welcomed teams from England, Scotland and Wales for the 2021 Golf Croquet Internationals. The matches were played in North Somerset even though Wales was the official tournament host for the doubles and singles matches which saw some interesting match-ups. The Welsh manager, Ian Burridge, faced his son, Euan, who was playing for England. Locally, Martin Murray, from Bristol Croquet Club, played for Scotland whilst Nailsea’s own James Galpin played for England. James started at NDCC as a junior and has now reached international status, playing last year in Australia.
Ian Burridge running a hoop for Wales
The winning English team (l:r) Euan Burridge, Stuart Smith (capt), Steve Leonard, James Galpin
At the end of the two days, England took the trophy with 12 wins. Wales were second with eight wins, with Scotland winning four. The club is hopeful that it can host this event in future years, but other high-level matches are on the calendar for 2021/22 for both Golf Croquet and Association Croquet. Spectators are always welcomed to watch this fascination game.
For details, visit: www.nailsea-croquet.org.uk
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 97
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MENDIP TIMES
Twiglet is back in action
Glenda Spooner Farm reopens
A horse rescued following a sickening attack where he was left for dead in the road with fractured bones is now fully recovered and working with vulnerable children at horseWorld’s centre at Whitchurch. Named Twiglet, because he was so emaciated, he has made a remarkable recovery and is now a fully trained equine Assisted Learning pony working with children who are outside mainstream schooling or struggling to learn in a classroom environment. horseWorld yard manager, sarah hollister, said: “Twiglet had been through a horrific ordeal. We were called out in the middle of the night to pick him up. he had collapsed in the road. “he was weak, painfully thin and had a fractures in his back and neck which we discovered on return to horseWorld when our vets examined him. he was emotionally shut down, there was no life in his dull, sunken eyes.”
GLeNdA spooner Farm, World horse Welfare’s recue and rehoming Centre near somerton, is reopening after being closed to the public for almost 18 months due to the pandemic. sally Page, centre promotion officer, said: “everyone at Glenda spooner Farm is getting excited to welcome back familiar and new faces when we reopen. Whilst we have been closed the yard have been busy helping a large number of rescues, rehabilitating them ready to go to new homes. “We have a wonderful herd of horses and ponies, including some gorgeous foals, just waiting to see you all again and don’t forget that our coffee shop will be open for a drink and a bite to eat after you explore our new walks out amongst the fields. We all look forward to seeing you soon and we have some exciting upcoming events too.” With the impact of Covid-19 causing a 20% decline in income the charity is introducing a small charge for visiting the centre and to help support the visitor facilities. The charge for a general visit is £3 each, with children U-5 free. dates and event details will be available soon on the website.
Twiglet on arrival
Details: www.horseworld.org.uk/discovery-appeal
PAGE 98 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
Details: www.worldhorsewelfare.org
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Bella
Charlotte
Izzy
Mae
William
MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021 • PAGE 99
h t fJ
Valley Pony Club and won! They faced stiff competition over two days, sometimes in the pouring rain, and came away with the biggest rosettes they had ever seen, as well as a medal each. Children, with parents and helpers, camped alongside the ponies, and spent a damp night with not much sleep, lots of laughter, and too many sweets. The team members were Mae Jackson, aged 13, Charlotte smith, 10, isabella Penfold, nine, William Falango, nine, and Bella smith, six. one of their parents said: “Well done Mendip, and thank you to all the organisers, dedicated trainers, and very patient ponies!”
t
A MeNdiP Farmers pony club team came away winners from a mounted games competition held at southfield house, Nunney. six teams of four or five riders and ponies took part in a series of exciting and exhilarating races that involve a mix of turns, handovers, skills tests, vaulting and galloping against each other. The children develop skills such as improving accuracy, agility, concentration, speed, hand co-ordination, team work and sportsmanship, as well as having lots of fun playing some imaginative games. The Mendip Farmers branch of the Pony Club entered a team for the novice class in a competition organised by the Wylye
(Ph t
Mendip triumph in pony club games
)
RIDING
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The Cary Hoard comes back home
A HOARD of 152 silver coins dating back hundreds of years is to go on show in Castle Cary in September. The hoard – cared for by the South West Heritage Trust The Cary Hoard was discovered under floorboards in a building in Paddock Drain in the town in 2006. It is believed to have been hidden during the English Civil War with the most recent coin dated to 1644. On Friday, September 3rd and Sunday, September 5th (10am3pm) members of the trust team will be bringing the hoard, along with other items from Castle Cary, to Castle Cary Market House. On the Sunday, the team will be joined by the finds liaison officer for Somerset who will be running a finds surgery where members of the public can bring in their own archaeological objects for identification. The weekend also marks the last days of the free exhibition Cary21: Cary Through Time in 21 Objects.
Party at the country market
Stallholders gather round the birthday cake as the celebrations begin
GLASTONBURY Country Market has celebrated its 20th anniversary with a birthday cake and live music in the town hall. The weekly Tuesday morning market sprang from the former Women’s Institute markets and has developed into a community hub with a café. Whilst food – especially baked goods – has always been popular, the market has become a go-to place for arts and crafts. Guitarist Ian Perry It is run as a co-operative with added to the party members paying 5p to join – the market atmosphere would welcome more bakers to join them – and it’s main criteria is that all produce and crafts must be handmade and unique. PAGE 100 • MENDIP TIMES • SEPTEMBER 2021
NEWS
Dip into deepest Somerset
The front cover is a wood engraving of the Burrow Mump and the Levels by Howard Phipps
A NEW book about people and places in Somerset is to be launched in September, with proceeds supporting the work of three local charitable organisations. Deepest Somerset, by journalists Gay PirrieWeir and Fanny Charles, is a portrait of the remarkable county, looking at its people and places, contemporary and traditional cultural life, the industrial past, present and future and,
of course, the food and drink. The book has an introduction by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, reflecting on the importance of the connection between people, farming, food and the landscape. Contributors include Michael Eavis, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, the Lord Lieutenant Mrs Annie Maw, Costa Book Award-winner Jasbinder Bilan, bird photographer Carl Bovis, conductor Charles Hazlewood, artists James and Kate Lynch, National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls, Jacob Rees-Mogg MP and choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. Fanny Charles was the editor of the Blackmore Vale and Fosse Way magazines. Gay Pirrie-Weir was the magazines’ arts and planning correspondent, and was co-author of Not Afraid To Dream, a history of the arts in Somerset. Deepest Somerset is the third in the Deepest Books series, following Deepest Dorset and Deepest Wiltshire. It is illustrated with outstanding photographs by David Blake, Len Copland, Ian Sumner and Matilda Temperley. Proceeds of Deepest Somerset will support the work of Somerset Community Foundation, the Children’s Hospice South West (Somerset) and the Farming Community Network.
Cider-making – Neil Worley and Helen Burge of Worley’s Cider, on their farm near Shepton Mallet
The book costs £25. For details visit: www.deepestbooks.co.uk or telephone 01963 32525
(Photo courtesy of Len Copland)
MENDIP TIMES
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Miners reunion returns to museum
Miners gather at the miners wheel outside Radstock Museum for the 2019 reunion
RADSTOCK Museum is looking forward to welcoming former National Coal Board workers from the Somerset coalfields for a catch-up over a beer or a cup of tea on Monday, September 6th. After a break last year due to Covid, the Somerset Miners Welfare Trust committee are delighted to once again host the event which will be in a slightly different format this time. It is hoped the trust’s president Michael eavis – who worked at New Rock Colliery at Chilcompton – will be able to attend. Bryn hawkins, from the SMWT, said: “The previous SMWT committee, chaired by Francis hillier, did a great job in keeping the annual miners reunion going for many years. “The present committee is committed to continue for as long as there are ex-NCB employees to attend.”
Dance group rehearsals resume
The Beetlecrushers at the 2019 Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society wassail in North Wootton
The Mendip-based Beetlecrushers clog and step dance group has resumed practicing in Gurney Slade. A popular feature at many events such as the Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society wassail, the group is currently unable to accept new members to adhere to social distancing guidelines. however, the group is planning to hold a new taster course along with a revision course for past members. For details, contact: beetlecrushers@hotmail.com
WHAT’S ON
Annual Miners’ Reunion Sponsored by the Somerset Miners’ Welfare Trust
at Radstock Museum For all former employees of the Somerset Mines
Monday 6th September 2021 14:00 – 16:00
This year’s reunion will take the form of an open afternoon at the Museum. There will be time to have a good look around the Museum and enjoy a beer or tea and cake with former colleagues and friends. For more information, contact Bryn Hawkins on 07877 907963 MeNDip TiMeS • SepTeMBeR 2021 • pAge 101
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MENDIP TIMES
Railway offers fun and nostalgia
The east Somerset Railway at Cranmore is gearing up for a busy weekend of fun and nostalgia when it presents The Way We Were over August bank holiday. Many wartime re-enactment groups will be in attendance representing the home Guard and ARP wardens along with Land Girls At Large, a 1940s police station, military groups and vintage vehicles. Watch out for a “skirmish” on the line between members of the opposing armies and make sure you find time to board one of the vintage buses and take a trip around the Cranmore area. The wonderful Dickie Lines will be serenading visitors on the platform and acting as the heritage line’s Master of Ceremonies for the weekend. For younger visitors there will be a Punch and Judy show each day and a craft area where would-be evacuees can make their own evacuee “label” and “gas mask container”. A new attraction at the eSR this year is its lottery-funded waiting room which has been restored to its mid-20th century heyday and a ticket office which strongly evokes the working life of a country station master from a similar era. The adjoining room has been transformed into a museum with implements and artefacts used at a country station from yesteryear, true railway stories from the local area, a “trainspotters corner” and information about the life and works of the line’s founder, the wildlife artist David Shepherd. Train times for The Way We Were are 11am, midday, 1pm, 2pm
The Way We Were is returning to Cranmore over the August bank holiday weekend
and 3.30pm. Prices are: adult £14, concession £13, child 3-17 £12, family £45. As an added attraction Kelvin Amos will have a small display of heritage buses. his 1947 Bristol bus will be giving free bus rides around the Cranmore area, with further trips using other vehicles. he will also operate a feeder service from Wells and Shepton Mallet to the railway. The bus will depart Wells Bus Station at 10.30am and Shepton Mallett (Cenotaph) at 11am each day, returning at 4pm.
To book tickets in advance please visit www.eastsomersetrailway.com, contact info@eastsomersetrailway.com or telephone 01749 880417 Heritage buses details: Kelvin Amos 07748 634224 pAge 102 • MeNDip TiMeS • SepTeMBeR 2021
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WHAT’S ON
Calling all pink Ladies and T-Birds!
The Bishop’s Palace and Wells Film Centre have teamed up for an outdoor screening of the classic 1978 film Grease in its singalong version. Get those vocal cords warmed up to join in with wellloved numbers such as Grease Lightning, Summer Lovin’ and
of course You’re the One That I Want. It will be shown on the palace croquet lawn on Friday, September 3rd. Doors will open at 6.30pm, with the show starting at 8pm. Tickets are £20 for adults and £18 for children and include a hog roast provided by the film centre (or vegetarian/vegan option) and a drink. Take your own blanket or low-backed seating and an umbrella, as the show will go on whatever the weather. This event usually sells out quickly, so buy your tickets, available now, from www.wellsfilmcentre.co.uk
Rare plants
The hugely popular Rare Plant Fair will return this September to the Bishop’s Palace, with its fantastic range of expert nurseries, offering a range of rare and unusual plants. The fairs offer the opportunity to buy interesting and unusual plants from genuine growers dedicated to offering well-grown plants and advice on the plants they sell. The admission fee, £7, includes the fair, palace and gardens.
MeNDip MT eNDip iMeS T • iMeS SepTeMBeR • JuNe 2021 • pAge 103
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MENDIP TIMES
Wit and wisdom at Wells Festival of Literature
PeOPLe of all persuasions will be piling into Wells during October to take part in and savour the Wells Festival of Literature which promises eight days of everything! There will be fact and fiction, poetry and prose, of course. But within those broad categories audiences will find a wealth of variety guaranteed to inform, entertain and inspire. Annoy? Possibly. Challenge? hopefully. Amuse? Undoubtedly. Speakers coming to Wells to share their wit and wisdom in Cedars hall include Lucy Atkins, Gyles Brandreth, Vince Cable, emma Dabiri, Cal Flyn, Natalie haynes, James Naughtie, Lucy Pollock, Philippe Sands, Mary Ann Sieghart and Issy Suttie. The topics being covered will include war and peace, hope and despair, laughter and tears, memories, morals, medicine and maturing. Amongst the characters being discussed are Charles Dickens, Robert Maxwell, John Keats, Donald Trump, edward Burne-Jones, Philip Larkin and Pandora. Full details of the 33 events on offer between October 15th and 23rd can be found on the festival website and in the brochure. Priority booking is open from August 31st, with tickets available to the public from Monday, September 6th. For details, visit: www.wellsfestivalofliterature.org.uk or call the box office on 01749 834483 (weekdays 9.30am to 12.30pm)
An experience to get all fired up over
September offers a unique opportunity to drive this Austin 1 loco
A ChANCe to drive and fire an historic steam locomotive is on offer at the Somerset and Dorset heritage railway at Midsomer Norton. From Saturday, September 4th, aspiring engine drivers can take to the footplate of the visiting loco Austin 1, which can be heard echoing across the valley as it ascends the incline from Midsomer Norton South Station towards Chilcompton. On offer is a whole-day opportunity – under supervision – to operate the loco pulling passenger and freight stock and to experience other roles at the railway with like-minded people. Up to four additional guests per driver may also attend and ride in the coach and brake van to share the experience.
All fired up – this could be you
For further details visit www.sdjr.co.uk
pAge 104 • MeNDip TiMeS • SepTeMBeR 2021
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entertainment guaranteed at Frome Cheese Show FROMe Cheese Show returns in September promising a day packed with entertainment for all the family. From main arena attractions such as the grand parade of livestock champions to horse classes, the showground’s other areas will feature everything from children’s TV presenter Andy Day, Frome Town Band and Jackdaw Songbirds to a family dog show the Mighty Mr Smith – Strong Man and the hog Show – the UK’s only performing pig show! This year’s show takes place on Saturday, September 11th at the West Woodlands Showground and is being overseen by the UK’s youngest show manager: Charlotte O’Neill, of Shepton Mallet, is just 23 but has several years’ experience already in the agricultural show world having worked with the MidSomerset Agricultural Society. At the heart of any agricultural show, however, is the livestock and, in Frome’s case, the cheese competitions which give the event its name.
Because of Covid concerns, the cheese pavilion is unable to host the popular cookery demonstrations, but instead will house the food hall as well as the cheese.
WHAT’S ON
This year, the show society will say farewell to its long-standing president David Millard who has announced he is to retire after the event.
Advance tickets for the show are now on sale. For details, visit: www.fromecheeseshow.co.uk
MeNDip TiMeS • SepTeMBeR 2021 • pAge 105
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MENDIP TIMES
T h e M e N D I P T I M e S W h AT ’ S O N G U I D e
As Covid numbers are still high, we advise that you check that these events will take place. We’re happy to list entries for charities and voluntary groups free of charge. Commercial entries £25.
Until Sunday September 5th Cary 21. A history of Castle Cary, Victorian Assembly & Billiard Rooms, Mon-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun 3-5pm. Admission free. Friday August 27th to Sunday August 29th Bath and West Country Festival. Details: www.bathandwest.com Mendip Ramblers Free Walking Festival, Shipham. Details: www.mendipramblers.co.uk Saturday August 28th and Sunday 29th Wedmore Flower Festival 10am to 6pm St Mary’s Church, £5. Monday, August 30th Cheddar Vale Lions Duck Race 2pm, Cheddar Gorge. Details: www.cheddarvalelions.org.uk Castle Cary Fun on the Field, free family events at Fairfield, 2-6pm. Every Thursday Blagdon Art group meets at St Andrew’s Church, new members welcome 1pm–3.30pm, bring own materials, £3/session. Taster session free: Margaret Avery 07725 056051. Friday September 3rd Allerton Cricket Club T20 against Lashings, former international players, with commentary by henry Blofeld. Details: eventbrite Allerton. See page 97. Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club, RNLI Fundraiser. Tea & cakes, cash bar 3-6pm. Adults £5 U10s free. Castle Cary silver coins hoard exhibition 10.30am3pm Market house. Details: 01963 351763, markethouse.bookings@castle-cary.co.uk. Friday September 3rd to Sunday September 5th Love Cleeve Community Festival. Family fun, theatre, walks & talks about climate change, nature, community and faith. Tickets: www.lovecleeve.co.uk Saturday September 4th Theale Show, 2.30-10pm with live music from 7pm. Details: www.thealeshow.com Frome Memorial Theatre: "The Circus of horrors Revamped & Rockin" (aged 18+) 7.30pm. £25, over 60s £23, from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk evercreech Village Show, Weston Town Playing Field, 1-5pm, with Chris Bullzini, jazz band grey Dogs, car boot, craft stalls, produce show. £2.50. Details: David 01749 830640 or www.evercreechshowsociety.co.uk Somerset Choral Society Come & Sing Vivaldi Gloria, 10-2.30pm Cheddar Catholic Church, BS27 3hU. Singers £10, scores provided. Details Sarah: SomersetChoralSociety@hotmail.com or 01934 742134. Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial hall. Good quality books, jigsaws, dvds. Pilton Picnic on the Playing Field BA4 4BR from 1-5 pm, stalls 2pm. Sideshows, music, juggling, scarecrows. Details: Pilton Show Facebook page. Bishop Sutton & Stowey Wi’s 80th birthday celebrations, 2-4pm, Bishop Sutton village hall. Items for sale, including their own lockdown recipe book. Shepton Montague Annual Fete 2-4pm, higher Farm Shepton Montague. Cream teas, bric-a-brac, produce, games, falconry display. All welcome. No dogs please. Frome Dissenters Cemetery open day, BA11 3eh. 11am-4pm. Ffi: www.fromedissenterscemetery.org Sunday September 5th North Somerset ploughing & Hedging match Details: www.nsas.org.uk ubley Village Fete, 11.30am to 3pm at The Old Manor, BS40 6PJ. Cream teas, BBQ, bar, stalls and Chew Wildlife gardening display. eat:Festival event in Wells. Details: www.eatfestivals.org pAge 106 • MeNDip TiMeS • SepTeMBeR 2021
FOR
Castle Cary silver coins hoard exhibition & Finds day 10.30am-3pm, Market house, with South West heritage Trust. Details: 01963 351763, markethouse.bookings@castle-cary.co.uk Frome Dissenters Cemetery Service, 2pm. BA11 3eh. Details: www.fromedissenterscemetery.org Monday September 6th Congresbury Memorial Hall Club Friendship evening with Bingo, 8pm War Memorial hall. Visitors welcome Tuesday September 7th to Saturday September 11th Sew What, an exhibition of stitched textiles in Wells Museum, 10am-5pm. Free admission to exhibition. Tuesday September 7th Congresbury Singers meet again with new musical director Graham Coatman, St Andrew’s Church, 8pm. New members welcome. The Arts Society Mendip: talk by Simon Seligman about ‘Debo’ Mitford, Duchess of Devonshire. 11am Croscombe Village hall, also via Zoom - links sent to members on request. Guests welcome, £6, please book: tasmendip.comm@gmail.com Wednesday September 8th Valley Arts, Living Spit, Bishop Sutton village hall, 7.30pm. Details: www.valleyartscentre.co.uk Somerset Choral Society First Rehearsal, 7:30pm Cheddar Catholic Church, BS27 3hU. Rehearsing “Vivaldi Gloria” and “Pergolesi Magnificat”, Singers (SATB) welcome, Details: 01934 742134, SomersetChoralSociety@hotmail.com Thursday September 9th glastonbury Tor Townswomen’s guild meeting 2.30pm, Town hall. Tea, cake and discussion of future plans. New members welcome: 01458 832599. Friday September 10th to Sunday 19th North Somerset Arts Week, about 30 Covid-secure venues across the area. Details: www.northsomersetarts.org Friday September 10th to Sunday 12th Wedmore 20th Real Ale Festival, Glebe Field, BS28 4eQ. Details: www.wedmorerealale.co.uk. See P82. Saturday September 11th and Sunday 12th Railway Rev-up, Railway Inn, Meare, BA6 9SX. 10am-4pm. Vintage vehicle displays. Auction Sat at 11am; car boot sale Sun at 10am. In aid of Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. Saturday September 11th Frome Cheese Show. Details: www.fromecheeseshow.co.uk See page 105. Chew Stoke Harvest Home. Details: www.chewstokeharvesthome.org.uk Winscombe Community Association, Not the Michaelmas Fair, community centre, 11am-4pm, stalls, picnic, bar. Details: Jackie 07811 292909. Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial hall. Good quality books, jigsaws, dvds. Sunday September 12th Rare plant Fair, Bishop’s Palace, 10am-5pm. Adult admission £7 includes the fair, palace and gardens. Details: www.bishopspalace.org.uk 01749 988111. Frome Memorial Theatre: “Ben Fogle – Tales from the Wilderness" 4pm & 8pm. Tickets £26.50 from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk Cheddar Food & Drink Festival, Lower Gorge, 10am-4pm. See P21. Stratton-on-the-Fosse Fun Day & Dog Show, 12 to 4pm, village hall. Free entry, parking by donation. Tuesday September 14th Talk by Avon Bulbs ‘selection and planting’ Pylle Village hall, 7.30pm. Bulbs on sale. Visitors welcome. Details: Jill 07772 008594. Wednesday September 15th Henton & District gardening Club talk by Mary Payne on how to “Make the most of a small garden”. 7.30pm. New members welcome: www.hentongardenclub.weebly.com Friday September 17th Moonlight Beach Walk for Weston hospice. Details: www.westonhospicecare.org
WHAT’S ON
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Frome Memorial Theatre: “Blake – Live in Concert”, 7.30pm Tickets £24 (£23) from 01373 462795 www.fromememorialtheatre.org.uk Saturday September 18th Redhill Family Fun Day, 1–7pm to celebrate the opening of their new children's play area and fundraising for Winnie Wilkins who needs a specialised wheelchair. Games, pony rides, animal corner, cocktail shack and BBQ. Redhill Village Club, BS40 5SG. east Harptree Flower & Craft Show 2.30pm village field. Wedmore guides jumble sale, village hall, 9.30am12, entrance £1 inc free tea/coffee. Details: elaine 01934 713650, happy to collect. Charity Bookstall outside Waitrose, Nailsea. Organised by Nailsea & Backwell Rotary. Forever Friends Walk of Life for Bath RUh. Details: www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk Midsomer Norton Duck Race, midday, organised by Radstock & Midsomer Norton Lions. Details: www.rmnlions.org.uk Frome Netball Club 70th anniversary celebrations. Matches, memorabilia, refreshments. All welcome. Oakfield Academy, Oakfield Road, Frome BA11 4JF. Ffi: www.fromenetballclub.co.uk Fabulous 50 Festival. holcombe Playing Fields, 3.15-11.30pm. Live music, food stalls, glitter, well stocked bar! Raising funds for the village. Tickets: www.ticketsource.co.uk/holcombe-hive Saturday September 18th to Sunday October 3rd Somerset Open Studios: www.somersetartworks.org.uk • see page 31. Sunday September 19th pensford Tennis Club charity duck race, with tea and cakes from the Tower friends at St Thomas a Becket Churchyard, 2pm. Harvest Festival Fun Day, Binegar Fair Field. Flower festival in church, open air service 11am. Live music, family games, scarecrow competition, BBQ, hotdogs, drinks & cakes. Details: office@beacontrinity.church Monday September 20th Timsbury NATS talk: Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. Brian Plant, 7:30pm Conygre hall, BA2 0JQ. Visitors welcome £3, refreshments. Details: Rod Bruce 01761 433013. Friday September 24th to Sunday 26th Wedmore Arts Festival. Details: www.wedmorefestival.co.uk Saturday September 25th Valley Arts, Packhouse Ceilidh, Community Farm, Chew Magna. Details: www.valleyartscentre.co.uk Yatton Music Society 7.30pm, St Mary’s Church, Yatton, Tickets £10. Details: www.yms.org.uk See page 93. RNLi Winscombe Bulbs & garden furniture sale, 10am-1pm Community Centre, entry free. hot dogs, bacon rolls, hot drinks. Details: Tina: 01934 842304 or meejlfh@gmail.com Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial hall. Good quality books, jigsaws, dvds. Fundraising fun day and family dog show, in aid of Frome Street Carnival. Victoria Park, Frome. 12-6pm. Charity/carnival club stalls welcome. Free. Details: info@fromecarnival.org.uk via Messenger or 07913 057968. Sunday September 26th September Falconry Day, Bishop’s Palace, 10am-5pm, displays 12noon and 3pm weather permitting. Included in general admission. Details: www.bishopspalace.org.uk 01749 988111. Monday September 27th Congresbury Memorial Hall Club Friendship evening with Bingo, 8pm War Memorial hall. Visitors welcome Wednesday September 29th Mendip ploughing Match, Green Ore. Details: www.mendipploughingsociety.co.uk See page 11.
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