Issue 11 - Volume 13 - Mendip Times

Mendip Times

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VOLUME 13 ISSUE 11

IN THIS ISSUE: • SPORT • BUSINESS • C O M M UN I T Y • MUSIC & THEATRE • FOCUS ON CHEDDAR

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FREE

Celebrating life on the Mendips and surrounding areas

APRIL 2018

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

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Welcome

THE show season is upon us, with pictures this month from the West of England Game Fair and a preview of North Somerset Show. The point-topoint season is also underway – we have a picture special from Blackmore and Sparkford Vale and will have more next month from Ston Easton – weather permitting!

Your memories of the Great Flood of 1968 are – literally – flooding in. We have a four-page special on Cheddar this month, alongside our spring Focus on Cheddar feature. We will look at other areas in coming issues as the 50th anniversary of the flood approaches.

Keep sending us your memories.

We hear how an author from Wells helped inspire J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter character and welcome an extension to the heritage railway line at Midsomer Norton.

We’ve extended sections this month devoted to charities and community news, business, education, music and theatre and What’s On, thanks to our advertisers who make the expansion of the magazine possible.

With all of our regular features and contributors – Sue Gearing suggests a bluebell walk – we also give you the chance to win tickets to the North Somerset Show and to the Bristol Hippodrome.

Look out for our coverage of Easter events in next month’s magazine.

May 2018 deadline: Friday, 13th April 2018.

Published: Tuesday, 24th April 2018.

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

01761 463888

or: email news@mendiptimes.co.uk or: letters@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: Shepton Mallet’s Snowdrop Festival.

Photograph by Mark Adler. See page 72.

CONTENTS

7

40

All aboard – steam fans celebrate line extension

Rambling on their minds – walkers building bridges

42

Cut above the rest – Mendip’s hardy hedgelayers

107

It’s a rap – Inja the poet’s school visit Plus all our regular features Environment ...................................6 Farming Mary James MBE ..........10 Food & Drink ...............................16 Business.........................................26 Arts & Antiques ...........................36 Education ......................................54 Internet and Crossword ..............58 Wildlife Chris Sperring MBE .......61 Walking Sue Gearing ....................62 Outdoors Les Davies MBE ..........64

Gardening Mary Payne MBE.......66 Charities........................................74 Caving Phil Hendy ........................80 Health Dr Phil Hammond .............84 Community ...................................88 Homes and Interiors ....................97 Riding Rachel Thompson MBE...102 Music & Theatre ........................106 Sport ............................................110 What’s On ...................................116 MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 3

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TRANSPORT 4,6 and 8 wheeled tipper Lorries for hire and muck away. Low loader, beaver tail and road brush hire.

PLANT HIRE Wide range of plant. 360 excavators, Dumpers, Bulldozers and Crushers.

EXCAVATIONS Large and small excavations. Specialist works include Equestrian all weather surfaces, drainage and bulk excavations.

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Underneath the lamplight

Trustee Ernie Woodford (front left) thanks county councillor John Parham for his support as other trustees look on

NEWS

Priddy fantastic for folk duo

Ford Collier and Alex Garden in Shepton Mallet at the launch of the town’s snowdrop festival

RESIDENTS of an historic area of Shepton Mallet are celebrating after new streetlights were installed.

Trustees of Shepton Mallet United Charities, which runs Shepton Mallet Almshouses, had become concerned by the state of old lighting attached to the wall of Strode Almshouses, next to the church. The metal had corroded and was damaging the stonework of the listed properties which date to 1627.

Shepton Mallet Town Council and Somerset county councillor John Parham stepped in to help the charity and the county installed two new lamp posts.

Jeff Curtis, chairman of the charity, said: “The street scene is considerably enhanced and United Charities is now able to complete the refurbishment of its historic buildings to the benefit of the residents.”

For details of the charity’s work in Shepton Mallet, visit: www.alms1627.org.uk

Fairground showmen honour Richard

ONE of the organisers of the twice-yearly charter fair in Wells has been recognised by the western section of the Showman’s Guild of Great Britain.

Richard Green, an historian and author, was presented with honorary membership of the Tommy Charles, chairman of guild at the section’s annual the western section of the lunch.

Showman’s Guild (left) presents Richard with his Richard, of Wells, has written certificate of membership two books on the families of showmen associated with the fair and is recognised as a fount of knowledge about the people of the fair, their lives and the rides, stalls and attractions which have appeared in the Market Place over the centuries. ● This year’s May fair – the 817th – begins on the evening of Friday, May 4th. The official opening by the mayor of Wells, John North, takes place at 11am on Saturday, May 5th.

FOLK duo The Drystones – created to fill a gap at the 2011 Priddy Folk Festival – are in the running for a prestigious national award.

Fiddle player Alex Garden and guitarist Ford Collier have been shortlisted as young folk musicians of the year in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. The ceremony takes place in Belfast on Wednesday, April 4th.

The pair, both aged 21, were friends at the Blue School in Wells but hadn’t played music together until that July when Ford’s father, Dean, needed to fill a vacant slot at the festival which he was helping to run. He asked his son who rang Alex and The Drystones were formed.

Ford said: “We’re thrilled to have been shortlisted for the young folk award; it’s going to amazing to be in Belfast even though we won’t actually get to play.”

For details of the awards and when the ceremony will be broadcast, visit: www.bbc.co.uk/radio2

Poppy plans for Shepton

(l:r); Tim Bickerdike in WWI uniform, Debbie Towner, Tesco Community Champion, and Major General Ray Pett, president of Shepton Mallet RBL

PLANS have been announced for a mass display of giant poppies around Shepton Mallet to remember service personnel killed in action.

Organisers are also planning a special commemoration in the town’s Collett Park on Saturday, November 10th ahead of Remembrance Day services.

Members of the Shepton Mallet branch of the Royal British Legion staged an awareness week in the town’s Tesco store to highlight the work of the organisation throughout the year.

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Lady and the plank LADY the terrier, joined members of the Mendip Ramblers working party when they tackled one of their latest challenges – building a footbridge over a rhyne near Glastonbury.

The dog is a familiar sight when the working party is out and about on Mendip on one of their weekly working days and she was happy to cross the water as work began.

The volunteers are more used to clearing paths and installing new stiles and gates as part of their work with Somerset County Council and Bath and North East Somerset Council.

But a large group arrived at Stileway, near Meare, to find a pile of timber and two metal gates waiting for them. Five hours later and the bridge was complete.

Somerset, B&NES and some parish

Lady shows no sign of nerves as she trots over the first plank of the new bridge

councils pay for the materials but the labour and skills come from the dedicated team of volunteers. In 2018 each person, on average, contributed more than 160 hours of work.

Footbridges are constructed or repaired

Members of the working party are a familiar sight on Mendip and surrounding areas

– some 13 of them last year.

Thirty five new stiles and 33 kissing gates were installed as well as 12 other gates. Paths were cleared and made safe and 75 signposts were checked and renewed.

The completed bridge at Stileway

This year’s Mendip Ramblers Free Walking Festival will take place over August Bank Holiday around Ditcheat.

For details, visit: www.mendipramblers.co.uk

Easter walk

THIS Easter Mendip AONB’s volunteer rangers are leading a guided walk around the Harptrees so you can explore the best bits of the area without the worry of route-planning and navigation.

On Monday April 2nd Harptree History, Woods and Views, will have fantastic views over the Chew Valley and delve into Harptree Combe, the site of a Norman Castle and Smitham Chimney – the only Victorian lead smelting chimney still standing in the South West.

The rangers have a wealth of knowledge of the landscape, wildlife and heritage of the Mendip Hills to share with you.

And, they'll be some surprises thrown in along the way!

It will involve a five and a half mile walk from East Harptree Woods.

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Priddy walk December 2017

Details: http://www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk/events/

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ENVIRONMENT

Clean for the Queen

Stanton Drew school pupils Sam and Dillon

IT was spring-cleaning time again at Stanton Drew and Stanton Wick as families, school children, teachers, dogs and other members of the community took part in the third annual spring clean, organised

by Shirley Edwards.

Two years ago she invited everyone to Clean for the Queen in time for the Queen's 90th birthday. Everyone enjoyed it so much that they decided to repeat the event.

Stanton Drew Teachers from Stanton Drew Primary School who turned out to help (l to r) Sara Chidzey, Zoe Abbott, Paul Schofield and deputy head Andy Marriott.

The case for organic farming

ON the cold night of Tuesday March 6th, Ubley parish hall came alive with musical theatre and the memories of Elizabeth, a Somerset land girl, from 1940 to the present day.

The play, No Finer Life, by Graham Harvey, agricultural adviser to The Archers, told the story of organic farming pioneer, George Henderson.

The event raised funds for the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s Avonside branch.

After the show Graham Harvey, who lives in Somerset, spoke passionately about the need to go back to traditional farming methods, on traditional Graham Harvey tenanted farms.

Shirley Edwards with the bags of rubbish which were collected

Some of the children who got awards for taking part

CPRE members with the show's star Rebecca Bailey

On his website he says: “Our bodies crave the nutrient-rich foods of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Instead we give them processed fakes made from cheap raw materials grown on degraded farmland.”

Details: www.grahavharvey.org.uk

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Fly-tipper prosecuted

Rubbish at Compton Dando

A 30-year-old man has been fined £6,400 after 12 tonnes of rubbish was dumped in Chew Valley countryside.

The items ranged from builders’ rubbish and household waste including black bagged waste to large household items including a sofa, chairs, a fridge-freezer and miscellaneous items of rubbish.

Bath and North East Somerset Council brought the prosecution following reports of piles of rubbish dumped in the locations in November and December 2016.

The actions of Garth Creese, from Crediton Crescent, Bristol, were described by the prosecution as deliberate and led to blatant acts of environmental vandalism in some of the most beautiful and historic areas in the district which had cost innocent landowners more than £3,500 to clear up.

Creese, who runs a waste clearance business, pleaded guilty to nine offences, under the Environmental Protection Act, in Rankers Lane, Compton Dando, Keynsham Scout Group land in Chelwood and two incidents at the site of an Iron Age fort in Stantonbury Hill and Stanton Prior. He was fined £1,600 per offence.

Creese, who appeared before Bath Magistrates on Monday February 19th, was also ordered to pay £450 costs and a victim surcharge of £160.

The court heard that the legislation is designed to ensure those disposing and handling waste take reasonable care to ensure it is only handled by reputable waste handlers and any transfer of waste is accompanied by a Waste Transfer Note, so that waste is traceable and incidences of fly-tipping reduced.

Magistrates heard that during the investigation it became clear that Creese showed potential customers an expired Waste Carriers Permit and offered his services at a rate that could never have covered the costs of legitimate disposal.

The scene at Chelwood PAGE 8 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

ENVIRONMENT

Making Wells plastic-free

ENVIRONMENTALISTS are hoping to make Wells the first single-use-plastic-free city in the country and have issued a list of 26 tips for reducing plastic waste.

They say the response has been overwhelming and extremely positive with cafés, restaurants and other businesses all eager to get rid of unnecessary plastic from their establishments in Wells.

Frome is also striving for “plastic-free” status as are other towns and villages in Somerset.

The group is also promoting Boomerang Bags, making shopping bags out of waste material to hand to shoppers who have forgotten their own re-usable bags and so prevent them from buying supermarket plastic bags.

They need material, such as old curtains, pillow slips and thread and people who can sew, pin, iron, make tea, etc.

Details: maggiepattenden@gmail.com plasticfreewells@gmail.com www.sustainablewells.org.uk

Stamping your mark on your local park

FAMILIES in Bath and North East Somerset are being encouraged to get outdoors and explore local parks and open spaces as part of a series of new free trails called Stamp Around.

The Stamp Around project has been created by the council’s parks team and the Active Lifestyles team who are encouraging people to reap the benefits of being active outdoors in the area’s parks and green spaces.

At present, the 25 stamp locations are in the Bath, Keynsham and Radstock/Midsomer Norton areas with more due to be revealed shortly. The new areas will include Peasedown St John, Bishop Sutton, Paulton, Saltford and even more in the existing areas. The aim of the game is to collect all the stamp marks in a locality. By sharing pictures on social media families could win a spot prize.

Councillor Bob Goodman, cabinet member for development and communities, said: “It’s a completely free way of enjoying time together and being active outdoors.” ● Collect local stamp cards from One Stop Shops in Bath, Midsomer Norton or Keynsham or download and print from: www.bathnes.gov.uk/playfulparks where there is also a “cheat sheet” to help solve some of the harder clues.

Keeping the Frome healthy

FRIENDS of the River Frome are looking for new members, saying development and pollution are adding to the river’s problems.

The group is also active in improving the environment for wildlife, with events like litter picking and balsam bashing, as well as organising walks and talks. Membership is £10.

Details: http://fromeriverfriends.org.uk/

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Our Services Include: Commercial and Residential Property Wills and Probate Litigation and Personal Injury Criminal and Family Law Agricultural, Business and Commercial Employment Shepton Mallet: 57 High Street, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5AQ. Tel: 01749 330330

Glastonbury: 11 Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset, BA6 8DL. Tel: 01458 832510

The BGW baby boom is in full swing.

Kelly Charles from the Cheddar office has given birth to her second son.

Oliver John Major arrived on 9 February. He was so keen to make his appearance that he did not wait for mum and dad to get to the hospital and was born at home in Draycott. He weighed in at a healthy 8lbs.

Oliver is pictured with proud parents Kelly and Tom and big brother Charlie. We wish them all well.

Businesswise, the property market seems to be in full swing and this is keeping us very busy. Indeed, we have recently expanded our conveyancing department at the Shepton Mallet office so work is being processed quickly and efficiently.

By the time this edition is published British Summer Time will have commenced and hopefully, the recent cold weather will soon be a distant memory.

Castle Cary: Old Bank House, High Street, Castle Cary, Somerset, BA7 7AW. Tel: 01963 350888

Cheddar: Bath Street Chambers, Bath Street, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3AA. Tel: 01934 745400

Website: www.bgw-solicitors.co.uk

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Focus on cattle breeds – Guernseys and Jerseys

THE weather has been quite eventful since I last wrote. Some lorries managed to get to farms to pick up milk but there were a lot “snowed in” and thousands of litres were poured away, that being a soul destroying occupation.

Despite all the hardship many farmers With MARY turned out to clear roadways which was JAMES MBE much appreciated. Also in February the National Farmers Union elected a lady as president for the first time, quite a milestone!

Minette Batters farms in Wiltshire and she has taken on a huge task. Having met the lady I think she will do a very good job. I wish her the very best of luck.

As promised last month I am describing breeds of dairy cattle.

This month Guernseys and Jerseys. It is a fact of life that all the coloured breeds are much reduced in numbers as the Holstein’s popularity has risen.

You will be able to see Guernseys and Jerseys at North Somerset Show on May 7th at Wraxall. The two Channel Island breeds do have a lot going for them. Gorgeous rich milk for a start. These two breeds share a common ancestry with those cattle on the Normandy and Brittany coasts back in the mists of time.

There was an Alderney breed in the UK probably around 1741 but this breed died out. Those cattle were black and surprisingly that colouring can be seen today on a Jersey and

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Jersey

sometimes on a Guernsey. The Jersey cattle Society was formed in 1878 and the Guernsey Society in 1884. Both breeds keep to their own island, even to this day, and imports are banned.

The Guernsey, whose colour is listed as red/fawn and white is slightly bigger than the Jersey. She has a kindly face and is easy to handle. The Jersey is listed as fawn with usually black tail and hooves and dished face with lovely dark eyes. Here again the Jersey is an easy breed to handle. The bulls from both breeds are quite fractious and as in most cases with any breed “you should never turn your back on a bull”.

In their heyday many Channel Island herds were founded in the Southern Counties of the UK. They were favourites of the aristocracy but their numbers declined as Holsteins which were bigger cows and produced more milk, became more popular.

Incidentally HM the Queen still has a Jersey herd based in Windsor.

Gold Top was the trade name for the Channel Island product, delicious milk, cream and butter. The average fat content would be 4.5% – 5.5%. You can find the milk in supermarkets, particularly Waitrose, sometimes as Gold Top sometimes as individual Guernsey or Jersey.

The best place to buy Guernsey ice-cream of course in our area is from Chew Moos at Dundry. Then there is Brown Cow Organics at Perridge Farm, Pilton and from Olive Farm, Babcary, the Hurdlebrook label for yoghurts and cream. The biggest Guernsey herd in the country is at Bickfield Farm, Compton Martin.

There are two Jersey herds in the area, one at Maesbury, Shepton Mallet and one at Ivy House Farm, Beckington. I apologise if I have missed anyone. I will be looking at the rest of the dairy breeds next month.

Guernsey

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FARMING

N ORTH S OMERSET S HOW C OMPETITION

Mendip Times has teamed up with the North Somerset Show to offer readers the chance to win one of six family tickets to this year’s show at Wraxall on Monday, May 7th. Just answer this question: in what year was the first show held?

Answers on a postcard to: North Somerset Show Competition, Mendip Times, Coombe Lodge, Blagdon BS40 7RG. The closing date is April 13th. The editor’s decision is final.

See page 119 for more details.

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FARMING

The pulling power of tractors

By Mark Adler

Chris in action PAGE 12 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Members of the SWTPA raise money for charity each year. This year’s recipients of £500 each were the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Guide Dogs for the Blind

sledge as far as possible along a 100metre sand and clay track. The sledge has an ingenious gear mechanism which makes it harder to pull the further along Chris Moore at home in Rodney Stoke

the track it goes.

Weights beneath the sledge can also be adjusted to compensate for the different horsepower of the tractor engines. There are even separate classes: Chris’s tractor comes under the Sport Farm category; next up is Super Sport, followed by Limited Pro Stock and, finally Pro Stock.

There is even a category for trucks in which his son, Stuart, competes.

Chris, of Rodney Stoke, is a member of the South West Tractor Pulling Association and has a background in agricultural engineering, so modifying his tractor – nicknamed Moore Junk – is carried out in his spare time. He said: “It is easy to spend thousands of pounds, not just on the tractor and engine parts but transportation. I prefer to do the work myself.

“The point of the sport is all about the distance travelled, not time.”

Stuart Moore competing in his Black Widow truck – the vehicle came originally from a circus

For details visit: www.swtpa.org.uk

(Photos courtesy of Lyndsey Moore)

“BUILT, not bought” is the slogan on Chris Moore’s International 955 tractor – not that it looks much like one you might see working on a farm.

Instead, it is one of the many to be seen competing in one of the more unusual motor sports – tractor pulling.

The competition is a familiar and popular attraction at the annual North Somerset Show, which signals the start of the tractor pulling season. Competitors will travel far and wide to take part in events between May and August – even going abroad. One European championship took place in Finland and the sport is hugely popular in Holland.

The aim of tractor pulling is to drag a

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Dear Mendip Grandad, Just a few lines to tell you how much I enjoy reading your Plop the Raindrop column in the Mendip Times. I also thought you should know just what he’s up to!

When I have water to empty which might have “bits” in it I take it outside to the larger drain to pour instead of the much smaller pipe in the house which might cause a problem.

A few weeks ago I was doing this (in the rain) and on my way back into the house Plop jumped off my small porch onto the edge of the bowl.

Before I could get back to the sink, he leaped into a bottle that was being filled with home-made gooseberry wine. I couldn’t rescue him so I continued to fill the bottle which was intended for a friend down on the south coast.

I don’t know where he went from there but I wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t with his salty cousins in the sea off Exmouth.

I hope you don’t mind my writing and that this letter reaches you.

Carole Seymour Writhlington

The Great Flood, I had just put our children Sarah and Tim to bed when Roger came in and said he was getting worried as excess water was pouring down from the hill and across the fields as the drains could no longer cope.

He collected some half hundredweight fertiliser bags and together with a farm student set off in the Land Rover to check on the family in Lag Farmhouse. The water was coming down the lane in a torrent and as they tried to block off the doors to the house, one bag slipped and was just tossed on the water, such was the force.

They rescued Sylvia and the girls (Morley Badman was away) and brought them down to Holt. He then set out to negotiate his way across to Merecombe Farm where he found Jack and Mary Strickland had managed to get out of the house and across onto a raised bank.

Boulders and uprooted trees had been crashing against the side of the house and they had decided to evacuate. By this time it was dark and must have been very frightening, although the sight of Jack clutching his briefcase was somewhat surreal.

We then spent the entire night sitting in a circle on the floor in my living room, in total darkness, speculating as to what daylight would reveal… the children asleep upstairs!

At least we were all safe. Although the Tarmac in the lane completely erupted and was unpassable and much debris was deposited in the fields from Grib Lane, we were really very lucky. There are many springs along this north side of Mendip and the A368 floods easily from Churchill crossroads to West Harptee as we know.

Mary Mead Blagdon Blagdon flood, The storm started early evening, after heavy rain and a severe thunderstorm, water began running down from the Glen into Street End Lane. After a while the water coming down the lane was getting deeper and flowing faster.

Mr Hazell (Coombe Dingle) had his car parked in the lane which was starting to get washed away with the force of the water, so myself and dad let him know what was happening. He came out to move his car but in doing so he was pulled under the

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LETTERS

water but he managed to get back up and was able to move his car.

Later in the evening there was a very loud clap of thunder which was believed to be a thunder bolt that came down in the Glen and it was after this that things took a turn for the worse as the water coming down the lane changed to a muddy brown followed by rocks.

The noise from the water and David Lock with the trench through the Glen rocks was very loud. At this point the water and rocks were hitting the wall opposite which acted like a dam, so water and mud had nowhere to go but into our cottage and I was trying to stop it while dad was getting my mum, granddad and my younger sister upstairs to safety.

But the water and mud were coming in too quick, so I also had to try and get to the stairs, but I became trapped under a fridge because the force of the water coming in tipped it on top of me.

Fortunately as the water got deeper I managed to get out from underneath it and get upstairs with the rest of the family.

When we were all upstairs dad and me were keeping an eye on the water level with a torch. At its deepest it was just a stair away from the top. It appeared to stay at that level for what seemed a very long time then the level started dropping – that was when the wall opposite collapsed with mud and water behind it. I think that was when the houses further down the valley got hit. The noise outside was still deafening.

Eventually it quietened down we started shouting for help, then we saw some torch lights on the corner at the top of The Grove. It was “Twister” Lyons and Bill Tidball. They managed to get help from Weston Fire Brigade as all the local brigades were already out. By this time the rain had stopped and everything was quiet so when the Brigade arrived they put a ladder up to the bedroom window to rescue us. Mr and Mrs Hazell very kindly put us up for the night.

Next day we could see the full extent of the damage. We went up the lane; there was some damage done to Elsie Pearce’s cottage (Glen Cottage). We then went to go up to where my granddad had his vegetable gardens and the damage was unbelievable as a trench had been gouged out 10 to 15 feet deep in places.

Mr & Mrs Lock, some other neighbours of ours, were going on holiday and gave us the run of their house while they were away. Later that day Mr Pete Ryley turned up after commandeering a JCB from a local building site to help with clearing away the rocks and mud. It took several months to dry the inside of the cottage and to get back to normal life.

Account of John Lindsay From his sister Jeanette Marsh

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A spring in your step

With JUNE MACFARLANE

APRIL brings Easter, longer days and lighter flavours. After all that chocolate it’s time for fresh fish and local asparagus and maybe just a tiny piece of something sweet and lemony.

Welcome to spring!

LEMON BARS

Warming your cockles – a real chowder

Zest for life – these lemon bars work well as a treat or dessert

Suddenly these seem to be everywhere, the chocolate brownies of 2018. Packed full of zingy lemon flavour, you can serve them as a small indulgence or as a fabulous dessert.

METHOD Preheat oven INGREDIENTS to 180°C. ) (makes 12-16 pieces Grease and 100g plain flour line a 21cm x 30g cornflour 31cm tin with 50g icing sugar parchment, ¼ tsp salt leaving an 110g cold butter, cubed overhang for 3 large eggs lifting out.

300g caster sugar Pulse first 3 tbsp plain flour five 1 tbsp lemon zest ingredients 6 tbsp lemon juice in a food processor until fine. Pour into tin, flatten top and bake 12mins until golden. Remove from oven.

Whisk together all remaining ingredients until well combined. Pour on top of base.

Return to oven and bake 18-20 mins until set and light golden. Allow to cool in tin.

Chill in fridge for two hours. Remove from tin and cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

INGREDIENTS

FISH CHOWDER WITH COCKLES

“Chowder” is one of those words, like “casserole”, where the dish is named after the pot in which it is cooked – in this case it comes from “cauldron”. You want a selection of firm, fleshed white fish. I used cod, ling and gurnard. Ask for the trimmings for stock.

(Serves 4) 100g bacon, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 leek, chopped 1 tbsp flour 850ml fresh fish stock or water 450ml milk 2 large potatoes, cubed Pinch of mace 1 bay leaf 2 tbsp parsley, chopped 500g raw cockles in their shells 700g firm white fish, pin bones removed, cubed 150ml single cream 4 tbsp toasted breadcrumbs

METHOD Fry the bacon in a little olive oil until fat runs; add onion and leek and cook until soft.

Add flour and cook through. Add stock and milk and simmer for five minutes. Add potatoes, mace and herbs. Simmer until potatoes are almost cooked. Meanwhile steam open the cockles in a little water.

Remove cockles, strain liquid and add to the potatoes. Add fish and simmer five mins. Add cockles, leaving some in shells. Correct seasoning. Turn down heat and add cream. Serve in bowls garnished with toasted breadcrumbs.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Local asparagus comes into season in April and Hollandaise sauce is one of the many reasons for eating it. The first time you make it, it might go wrong, but that will never happen again. Just remember to never stop whisking and you should be ok. It’s also great with fish, new potatoes, purple sprouting broccoli – loads of things.

Saucy for spring – asparagus is coming into season

INGREDIENTS

(makes 300ml) 4 large free-range egg yolks 250g cold unsalted butter, diced ½ lemon

METHOD Put yolks, butter and two tablespoons of water in a heavy-based pan and heat very gently, whisking all the time. Once the butter has melted, turn up the heat a fraction and whisk vigorously until sauce thickens. When thickened to your taste, stir in one tablespoon lemon juice off the heat and season. Taste and adjust if necessary. Serve immediately or sit over warm water until needed.

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What’s new from

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FOOD & DRINK

A round-up of events from Thatchers Cider in Sandford

Our first ever Thatchers Gold mini-keg

JUST in time for the summer season, we’re introducing our first ever mini-keg for our Thatchers Gold cider. Available in Tesco and our Cider Shop in Sandford, the 5 litre mini-keg is perfect for sharing occasions such as parties, family gatherings and barbecues.

Crafted here at Myrtle Farm, Thatchers Gold is our 4.8%, medium dry Somerset cider. It has a rich golden colour and is made from a blend of bittersweet apples including Dabinett, Porters Perfection and Harry Masters Jersey.

Thatchers Young Talent Programme

WE held a careers day at Myrtle Farm recently, when 120 school leavers, college students and university graduates joined us for a day of talks and tours. Members of staff were on hand to explain the varied job roles and training opportunities we have here, including apprenticeships, graduate and sandwich year opportunities across the company, within our cidermaking and orchard teams, marketing and sales, laboratory, engineering and supply chain.

Career opportunities at Myrtle Farm include being a part of our lab team

Diary dates at The Railway Inn WE’RE all looking forward to the forthcoming bank holidays, not least because, weather permitting, we’ll have the deckchairs out, and our popular pizza oven and BBQ on the go. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for details.

You’re invited to the Thatchers Foundation Cheese and Wine Tasting

THE Thatchers Foundation is holding a fundraising Festival of Cheese, Cider and Wine, at Winscombe Cricket Club on Saturday 19th May, from 5pm to 11pm. With live music, this promises to be a great evening, all in aid of local charities.

Somerset Day is 11th May, and we’ll be welcoming the Mendip Morrismen between 6 and 7pm. Cider and cheese tasting too! Come along and join in the fun.

Tickets, price £15, are available from The Wine Shop and Farrons Estate Agents in Winscombe, The Railway Inn, Thatchers Cider Shop, and Thatchers Reception at Myrtle Farm in Sandford.

We believe that as a family company with our heart in Sandford, it’s only

right that charity starts from home, so the Thatchers Foundation helps and supports community and charitable activities in Sandford, Winscombe and adjoining villages. Visit www.thatcherscider.co.uk/thatcherscharitable-foundation/

Cheers from us all at Myrtle Farm

www.thatcherscider.co.uk • Don’t forget you can also follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook Thatchers Cider, Myrtle Farm, Sandford, Somerset, BS25 5RA

MENDIP • APRIL 2017 2018 • PAGE 17 MENDIP TIMEST•IMES NOVEMBER

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Anniversary celebration

MIKE and Jo Drury are looking forward to celebrating their sixth anniversary at The Rising Sun in Pensford.

Their beautiful riverside garden has been re-seeded ready for the spring and summer and their barn has will be rebuilt after being burned down last year. The couple have a field to fork ethos that has helped establish their food as some of the best in the valley.

The vegetable patch is being planted and they produce their own pork and lamb on their farm close to Pensford Viaduct.

The couple sold their home in Bristol to buy the freehold of the 17th century pub, now firmly established as the centre of Pensford village life.

The Burrington Inn Burrington Combe in the Mendip Hills

Saturday night is music night – Live local bands

Restaurant • Bar • Function Rooms • Live music

The Burrington Inn • Burrington Combe • Nr Blagdon North Somerset BS40 7AT 01761 462227 • Email: enquiries@theburringtoninn.co.uk

The Rising Sun Pub and Farm

The Rising Sun, Church Street, Pensford, Somerset BS39 4AQ

01761 490006

flippindog@live.com www.therisingsunpensford.com PAGE 18 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Award for Bishop’s Table

THE Bishop’s Palace, in Wells has won a Quality Food and Drink accolade in VisitEngland’s annual awards.

It says it is testament to the high standards achieved at the Bishop’s Table Café, which the assessor felt were truly deserving of recognition.

Chief executive, Rosie Martin, said: “We are over the moon that the team at The Bishop’s Table has been awarded this well-deserved accolade.

“We made some huge changes to our catering in 2017, including the appointment of a new chef manager and team and it’s fantastic that the VisitEngland assessors noticed the leap in quality of our offering.”

Members of VisitEngland’s Visitor Attraction Quality Scheme represent a wide range of tourism experiences across England, from museums and galleries, farm attractions, historic houses and gardens to churches, cathedrals and country parks.

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GARDEN FOOD

Glorious goose eggs

NOW is the time for a rare treat – goose eggs. Geese only generally lay in spring and if left to their own devices will simply lay a dozen or so and then sit on them – once that has happened there'll be no more goose eggs until next year.

With JAKE You can get many more eggs, up to WHITSON 50 for the West of England breed that I keep, if you take the eggs away as they are laid and either hatch them in an incubator, under another bird (Muscovy ducks are the favoured bird for this), or eat them.

I hatch out some in the incubator and let the geese hatch a few too, but I usually save a few to enjoy as a seasonal treat. The biggest goose eggs are really very impressive things, as can be seen here with one almost filling a 25cm skillet, and are equivalent to three to five hens eggs each – quite a meal!

I've never seen them for sale in a supermarket, but they can occasionally be found at farm shops and farmers’ markets.

Goose eggs are very similar to duck eggs, with large, extra sticky and creamy yolks, and a slightly rubberier white than a hen's egg. The white is reputed to hold more air than hens' eggs, and hence be better for cakes and the like.

But to be honest goose eggs are too rare a treat for me to hide them in such a thing – I prefer to fry them (recently I had one sprinkled with herb salt alongside some ratatouille – quite delicious) or have them soft boiled for a super impressive egg and soldiers!

One thing to note – don't put them in the fridge, as they are so large that if you do by the time the white is cooked the yolk will still be stone cold in the middle!

Jacob is a former chef turned food writer, smallholder and mycologist. He divides his time between the Mendips and his nine-acre forest garden project in Pembrokeshire. Details: www.chaosfungorum.co.uk

FOOD & DRINK

WILD FOOD

Getting the needle(s)

I HAVE been very lucky to have recently been on a ski trip. I love the snow and the mountains but ironically we very nearly didn’t make it as the snow had drifted up to six feet in the lanes near home, so we had to walk across a field so that our friends could pick us up and go to the airport. It With ADRIAN was still snowing.

BOOTS We arrived in France and drove to the apartment in the Alps where it was still snowing. After returning to the UK and as I’m writing this it’s (you guessed it) still snowing. Remarkable!

However, this poses a problem for wild food availability and the act of gathering it.

It’s rather troublesome digging through snow drifts to get to wild garlic so our attention needs to be diverted to a more aerial format. Think of it as low hanging fruit when it’s snowing.

Except it’s not fruit but it is low hanging. Indeed you can even use the snowdrift to climb up to get at it, a win-win situation.

Now I realise I have talked about pine trees tree many times before (pine needle tea, pine pollen sugar etc) but on this particular ski trip I found a use for another needley (not sure that’s a word) tree, the ubiquitous fir! Yes that’s right, fir needles can be used to make a mountain drink called Le Vert Sapin. Well it had to be booze related didn’t it.

To make your own Le Vert Sapin, simply collect a bunch of fir needles (augment with a hint of mint and or rosemary if you like) stuff them in to an empty bottle, add a couple of table spoons of sugar, top up with either gin or vodka (not both together that would be wrong) and “voila”.

Give it a few shakes and leave for a couple of weeks and you have your very own after-dinner digestive. And I mean “digestive” because after the copious amounts of Raclette and Tartiflette consumed in the mountains, one needs all the help one can get.

Give it a go you may well be pleasantly surprised and hopefully by the time you are reading this it will have actually stopped snowing. I never thought I would hear myself saying that...

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

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 19

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Hartley’s Kitchen e Café bistro on the Mendips COME AND EAT IN GLORIOUS 3D

Daily Delicious Dishes

Tuesday Open for coffee, breakfast, lunch Wednesday The full menu + a mid-week roast Thursday Breakfast, brunch and lunch Friday Our great menu + fish & chips Saturday Special breakfast dish then lunch Sunday Breakfast & the best roast lunch Monday Closed oh no!

Fully licensed, easy parking – so don’t

A proper roast at Hartley’s

LAZY Sunday mornings – is it time for a walk with the dog, to clean the car, go to church or read the Sunday papers?

All very well, but when those little hunger bells ring in your head calling for a great Sunday lunch consider heading to Hartley’s Kitchen at Binegar.

Roast beef with fresh horseradish, Somerset lamb, free-range chicken, slow roast pork belly, maple roast gammon with pineapple gravy and for the big appetite a trio of three meats all with crispy roast potatoes and four seasonal vegetables. And if not on Sunday, why not try their Wednesday roast? No excuses! And if you like traditional fish and chips, then Friday is the day.

Delay Divert or Decline Open Tuesday to Saturday 8am – 4pm Sunday breakfast 9am – 11.15am Sunday lunch 11.45am – 3.30pm

Hartleys Kitchen, Rookery Farm, Binegar, BA3 4UL • Tel: 01749 841718 e-mail: info@hartleyskitchen.com web: www.hartleyskitchen.com

A P R I L D AT E S A l l ma r k e t s 9 a m - 1 p m u n l e s s ot he r wi s e ma r k e d *

SUN 1st SFM@Frome Independent SAT 7th Axbridge & Midsomer Norton SAT 14th Keynsham and Frome (C&G Market Hall) SAT 21st Crewkerne FRI 27th Burnham-On-Sea SAT 28th Glastonbury* (9am-2pm)

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

EASTER GIFTS AND FLOWERS

TEA ROOMS

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

100,000 potential customers within a short distance of your business

Sarah Raven seeds and Spring plants

MEAT SUPPLIED FROM OUR OWN FARM

Country shopping at its best

Mendip Times reduces travel costs

New Spring Emma Bridgewater collection FUNCTION ROOM AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE

Opening times: Farm shop: Monday to Friday 9am - 5.30pm Saturday 8.30am - 5.30pm • Sunday 10am - 5pm Tea Room: Monday to Sunday 9.30am - 5.30pm

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

Enjoy a good Sunday roast Geoff’s fresh fish every Friday

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

PAGE 20 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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

FOOD & DRINK

A certain little plot of vineyard

POST-harvest season brings little respite, either in field or office. But shorter days beget greater opportunity to research, especially pleasurable swotting-up on the history of English viticulture.

For the earliest evidence of winegrowing in Britain, current authors With routinely cite abridged translations from ELIZABETH the Cartularium Saxonicum, the oldest LAVER being a reference to Barrow Hill: “Grant

by King Eadwith Eadwig to Glastonbury Abbey of a vineyard at Patheneburga AD 956”. Frustratingly, any significance is glossed over as focus swiftly shifts to the South East, where vineyards now proliferate.

Thankfully there’s Hazel Hudson & Frances Neale’s Panborough Saxon Charter A.D. 956, a work of satisfying scholarship. Just as a second-hand copy of Somerset Archaeology & Natural History (1983) arrived, the longcoveted article popped-up on the internet!

Hudson & Neale write: “The most elusive physical feature of the charter is the ‘little plot of vineyard’ which is its chief concern. In 1086 it was estimated as three arpents; and while the extent of an arpent, the Norman areal measure used for vineyards, is debateable, it is unlikely to have been more than three acres and may have been much less – a mere plot of land, important for its crop and not for its size.”

How important was this crop? Writers dismiss the volume of English wine produced pre-20th century as negligible. What age were the vines in AD 956? The charter implies that King Eadwig bestows an established vineyard. Who then planted it?

Did this grant to Glastonbury purposefully coincide with St Dunstan’s initiation of Benedictine reforms, drawing in hermitic monks?

Why plant grape vines on Panborough’s “small earthen mound” and not the more imposing Nylands? Better terroir?

Or because it dominated the Panborough Gap, where the Old Brue and Axe Rivers converged? Somerset Domesday vineyards were situated on bedrock islands above the flooded Levels at the confluence of rivers. “Patheneburgh” may mean “the wayfarer’s hill”.

If wine from grapes grown here had so little value, why was this little vineyard cultivated for almost 600 years? The arrival of spring puts further investigation on hold.

Elizabeth Laver is Vineyard Manager For wine & vineyard tours visit www.aldwickcourtfarm.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 21

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We are passionate about providing a tailored and bespoke service to meet our clients’ needs. Please take a look at our website and gallery and get in touch with us to see how we can help you!

Sunflower Bakery Studio Courtyard • The George Inn Church Street • Wedmore Somerset BS28 4AB Tel: 07883 400765 www.sunflower-baker.com @sun_flowerbakery

PAGE 22 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Bakery flowers

KELLY Days’ cake studio in Wedmore, Sunflower Bakery, has really taken off, attracting clients from across the country and tutors from across the world!

A hobby that started at her home in Draycott has grown into a busy business, based in converted outbuildings at The George in Wedmore.

She’s expecting up to 50 people for a class in May, which will bring a benefit to the whole village. Kelly said: “It gives people the chance to stay and see other places like Cheddar and what businesses in Wedmore have to offer.”

Her classes cover everything from wedding cakes to sugar flowers, with a course on chocolate in April! She offers a range of different options, including private tuition and hopes her new base will be used for other events.

She said: “I’ve been surprised at the success of the classes, but there’s really nothing like them in this region.”

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FOOD & DRINK

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 23

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Celebrate our county on Somerset Day

ON May 11th events will be taking place across the county to celebrate Somerset Day and the organisers would love everyone to get involved.

From concerts to village fairs, guided walks to tea parties, and a plethora of other local events, there will be plenty going on, so why not join in with one of these special activities, or even organise your own?

New this year is the Great Somerset Tea Party being organised by and in aid of St Margaret’s Hospice Care in association with Somerset Day. Taking place on the May 11th, 12th and 13th, there will be tea parties galore, all in aid of a fundraising target of £26,000 – that’s a day of care across all of the hospice’s services.

Organisers hope you’ll take part in the biggest tea party Somerset has ever seen. More information at www.somersethospice.org.uk A glorious celebration of local musical talent will take place at Cedars Hall in Wells, on Saturday May 12th, starting at 6.30pm. Enjoy music from The Drystones, Yeovilton Military Wives Choir plus brilliant young musicians and celebrity guests from across the county, compered by Ben McGrail of ITV West Country, raising funds for the Somerset hospice movement. Contact the box office for tickets on 01749 834483.

Other events include cider and cheese tasting with the Mendip Morrismen, from 6pm on May 11th at the Railway Inn, Sandford and Shapwick Starlets WI Somerset Day Craft Fair, 2pm-5pm, on May 12th.

Artist’s studio sale

THE residue of the studio of the late Peter Coate RWA will be on sale in the meeting room of the Wells and Mendip Museum from May 1st to June 10th.

Proceeds from the sale will be given to the Somerset Wildlife Trust and to the museum. Peter was a well-known and prolific painter of the countryside in Somerset. He also painted in Dorset, Cornwall, Wales and the Lake District, working in both oils and water colours.

Some of his paintings and drawings, particularly of buildings, can be seen as historical recordings, given the rapid changes which have taken place in the last few decades. His work is in many private and gallery collections.

The museum is open daily from 10am-5pm, not Sundays. This sale can form part of the museum visit and the usual museum entrance fee of £3 will apply.

PAGE 24 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Countess drops in

NEWS

THE Countess of Wessex made a flying visit to the Royal Bath and West showground, where she met staff and trustees of Somerset Community Foundation at their offices there and visited the show society’s new Rural Enterprise Centre. She’s pictured with community foundation chairman, Jane Barrie (left) and operations director, Mary Hancock.

Fit for a queen

PAULTON resident Margaret Thomas has celebrated her 100th birthday with a party attended by more than 60 members of her family and friends.

Margaret, who grew up on a farm, received a traditional goodwill message from the Queen, which took pride of place on the top table at the Old Down Inn at Emborough.

Margaret with her telegram and card from the Queen

Some of the youngest members of the family join Margaret at the party

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✗ Frome based, affordable ✗

Skylark (SW) Ltd

Page 26

✗ ✗ ✗ ✗ ✗

high quality aerial photography in the Mendip area with prices from £120 + VAT Property photography and video for estate agents and private owners Aerial inspections of buildings, structures for building inspectors and private owners Solar panel inspection Event photography and video High resolution photography and 4k video Site survey and risk assessment prior to flying

Pilot accredited by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for commercial operations CAA approved third party insurance

Please visit www.skylark.ltd for more information and enquiries

Aerial photography

A NEW company operated by father and daughter Chris and Madeleine Green aims to bring affordable aerial photography and filming to the area.

Chris, a former hydrologist with extensive software development experience, has been granted Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) permission to carry out commercial drone operations having passed theory and practical exams.

All commercial drone work in the UK must be carried out by pilots with CAA permission. Madeleine is a keen and competent photographer, also specialising in equine photography.

Chris and Madeleine anticipate their services will be of use to private individuals for aerial photographs of their property or its inspection, estate agents for promotional material, building surveyors for examining structures, other companies wishing to carry out an aerial inspection of their buildings and event organisers.

Prior to each shoot a site survey is undertaken and a risk assessment provided. Photographs taken are high resolution and video is shot to 4k standard.

The company, Skylark South West Ltd, is based in Frome and carries CAA approved public liability insurance for aerial work.

Details: www.skylark.ltd

PAGE 26 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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The new main residence nil rate band and your Will WILLS which contain a trust were very popular before the introduction of the transferable spouse allowance. Previously, the nil rate band (currently £325,000 per person) was lost when a wife or husband passed their estate to their spouse on the first death. To ‘carve out’ the nil rate band the Will needed to either gift the equivalent to other beneficiaries on the first death or to set up a ‘discretionary trust’ in the Will.

The deceased’s half share of their family home (usually the main asset of the estate) was then put into the Discretionary Trust, which would then allow the surviving spouse to live in the property. Due to this type of trust, the value of the trust was not included in the estate of the second spouse to die for inheritance tax purposes.

However, since the introduction of the transferable spouse allowance, the nil rate band is not lost on the death of the first spouse to die, but ‘transferred’ to the estate of the surviving spouse. Many of these Discretionary Trust Wills remained in place to protect the share of the property against care fees for the surviving spouse.

Just under a year ago a new Inheritance Tax allowance was introduced in relation to the main residence. This measure introduced an additional Nil rate band where a residence is passed to a direct descendant (which can also include step children, adopted children or a foster child.)

This relief starts at £100,000 in the 2017/2018 tax year and increases to £175,000 by the tax year 2020/21 and is

BUSINESS

applicable per person. This means that if a married couple owned a property together and satisfied the other requirements this could potentially increase their tax allowances by £350,000 in total by the year 2020/21. This is in addition to the normal allowance of £325,000 per person which is already in existence.

Unfortunately, if the share of the property is held in a ‘discretionary trust’ the main residence exemption would be lost, as the share in the property would not be passing to a ‘direct descendant’ but to the Discretionary Trustees of the Trust Fund.

There is however, another type of trust, called a ‘life interest settlement’ or an ‘interest in possession’ (IIP) settlement. This gives the surviving spouse a right to live in the property during their lifetime and or to receive interest for life from any proceeds of sale of the property in the trust fund if the property is sold.

Because the surviving spouse has a right to the property for their lifetime this comes within the direct descendant condition for the main residence exemption. The deceased’s half share of the property is also still protected from care fees and the transferable spouse allowance is also available for this type of trust. It therefore seems sensible to review your Will where there is a ‘trust’ element to ensure that the type of trust is right for your circumstances and to maximise all available tax reliefs on death.

Please contact Barbara Calcutt (Bristol Office 0117 950 6506) or Anna O’Hara (Kingswood office 0117 967 5252) to discuss this further.

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. ● Family & Divorce Law ● Co-habitation disputes ● Inheritance disputes ● Wills and Living Wills ● Powers of Attorney ● Administration of Trusts ● Property – sales and purchases Chew Magna 01275 332168

OFFICES AT: Westbury-on-Trym 0117 950 6506

Kingswood 0117 967 5252 MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 27

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MENDIP TIMES

RUBBISH CLEARANCE SERVICE

Licensed Waste Carrier Single items to whole houses, garages and gardens cleared For a free no obligation quote, please call

John: 01761 410424 or mobile 07919 584737

MENDIP BUILDING STONE

FOR SALE Mendip Building Stone £50.00 +Vat per tonne collected.

Delivered rates available

Please call 01761 437733

PAGE 28 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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Ode to spring

AH, April! Warm sunshine and spring lambs!

“Oh! to be in England, now that April’s there …” and as well as the “lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf ’round the elm tree bowl (being) in tiny leaf”, it’s the new tax year!

Furthermore, if that isn’t exciting enough for you (and some people do tell me I should get out more), get this: from April 1st everyone’s work place pension contributions are going up!

Just in case you weren’t aware of it, employers will now be legally obliged to pay a contribution to your pension provider of 2% of your annual salary and employees will have to pay 3%. On top of this, April 6th, being New Year’s Day for the tax man (just imagine the parties in HMRC, with crackers, paper hats and party poppers filled with last year’s shredded tax returns!) we begin the long, slow journey towards next January’s tax return deadline once again.

For the sake of all of us, I feel I should point out a few things. Firstly, all the information required to help you – or your financial adviser – complete your 17/18 personal tax return should be available to you from this date, or soon thereafter.

Secondly, it doesn’t matter how early you

complete and file your tax return, the tax you owe is still not payable until January 31st, 2019.

On to my third point: completing and filing your tax return early gives you an excellent opportunity to prepare for paying your tax in plenty of time. I recommend a savings account specifically for this purpose. By saving throughout the year before the tax is due, some of the cost may be covered by whatever little bit of interest you accrue as well.

Fourthly, some of us professionals offer a discount for tax return records brought in early (in our case, it’s 10% for “stuff” arriving before the end of July).

It helps us that much, that we are actually prepared to charge less. Now, that is extremely painful, as you will be able to imagine, and, having written that, I now need to lie down in a darkened room with a damp towel on my forehead. So, on that note, enjoy the “chaffinch (singing) on the orchard bough, in England – now …”

Happy April!

Quotations are taken from Home Thoughts from Abroad by Robert Browning.

Jane Bowe, Probusiness

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Travel in style

BRISTOL Executive Travel, formed only three years ago, was named as overall winner and the best luxury chauffeur service in the region in the South West SME Small Business awards.

Now it’s looking to expand into Somerset, adding a new office at a farmhouse near Wedmore to its depot in Bristol.

The new base is home to company director Maurice Golding and his long-term partner, company secretary, Karen Boyce.

Maurice was a taxi driver in Bristol for 20 years before the couple retired to Spain and then decided to return to be nearer their family. After enduring weekend mayhem on taxis previously, the couple decided to launch a more upmarket chauffeur service on their return. Business is booming. From a single vehicle, they now operate 11 luxury Mercedes Benz cars and minibuses, equipped with complimentary 4G wi-fi, daily papers and refreshments. For special occasions they provide a gift and hamper service, if required.

Corporate clients include Rolls-Royce and Axa, and other clients include shooting parties, sports events and regular airport runs covering all major UK airports and weddings.

Karen said: “We get lots of calls from places like Frome, Cheddar and Axbridge, so decided to expand into this area.

We’ve grown through recommendation, with clients saying nothing they ask for is too much trouble. Whilst our prices are competitive, the service isn’t cheap so we aim to give the best service we can.”

Details: www.bristolexecutivetravel.co.uk

BUSINESS

Outdoor Clothing, Footwear and Accessories

Broad Street • Congresbury (opposite Ship & Castle)

01934 877333 www.countryinnovation.co.uk

Winner of 'Best Luxury Chauffeur Service Bristol' SME South West Enterprise Awards

Top quality transporta on services in Somerset and Bristol Bristol Execu ve Travel provides corporate travel, airport and train transfers, meet and greet for students, wedding hire and private vehicles for spor ng events Luxury travel now available in Somerset and Bristol

01934 261 598 info@bristolexecu vetravel.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 29

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BUSINESS

Pale Blue

Women’s clothing and other lovely things

Diary date: Visit our Clevedon Branch for our 3-day Linen Extravaganza on Thursday 26th, Friday 27th & Saturday 28th April

1 The Borough, Wedmore, Somerset BS28 4EB Email: paleblueclothingltd@yahoo.co.uk

Tel: 01934 713773

LECATCHER MO

NO MOLE NO FEE Telephone 01275 332966 www.mendipmolecatcher.co.uk

CAMELEY LODGE LAUNDRY

Duvets & Bedspreads washed & dried Sheets and Duvet covers washed and pressed Professional efficient service Collection & delivery service in the Chew Valley

Tel 01761 451787

www.cameleylodgelaundry.co.uk

P & C Logs C a ll P h i l o n 0 7 7 3 4 0 9 8 3 2 3 , o r C o l l ee n o n 0 7 7 8 5 2 5 0 0 3 3 or on E v en i n g s 0 1 9 3 4 7 4 1 9 4 1

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).

PAGE 30 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Marquee Staff

One full time vacancy Summer staff (ideal for students)

To work in a small team, later running your own team. Erecting marquees, installing furnishings. Must enjoy working outside, around the local area.

Help make someones’ event special.

No experience required, will be trained.

Pay £7–£11 per hour Monday – Friday 8.30- 5.30.

Must have own transport to drive to work.

CV to Jeremy Griffin, JG Marquees, Nettwood Farm, East Harptree, Bristol, BS40 6DA. Tel: 01761 221366 email info@jgmarquees.co.uk

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Transform your conservatory in less than a day DO you have a conservatory that is unusable during the winter months because it’s too cold or too noisy during bad weather?

In 2010 the planning laws were relaxed and in the majority of cases, you can now fit a solid roof to your conservatory without planning permission. This means better insulation, keeping the room warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, and a room that you can use all year round.

Green Space Ltd is a family run company. They specialise in transforming conservatories. Their roof panels are lightweight and offer eight times better insulation than a polycarbonate roof.

With U-values of 0.29, they will keep your conservatory at a comfortable temperature all year round. What’s more, the panels are manufactured to measure off-site, so installation generally takes less than a day and they always aim to

ensure that your roof conversion is as non-disruptive as possible.

They say they are very proud to have received over 1,000 reviews on Checkatrade and have an average review score of 9.88/10. Checkatrade run strict background checks on tradespeople

before they can become members.

The background checks and public feedback ensure that only reliable and trusted tradespeople get work through Checkatrade. To read more about Green Space UK Ltd on Checkatrade go to: www.checkatrade.com/GreenSpace/

Details: To find out how to transform your conservatory in less than a day with confidence visit www.greenspaceconservatories.co.uk

PAGE 32 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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BUSINESS

Balloon flights over the Chew Valley, Mendips and Somerset Levels

Spring at Lime

15, The Borough Mall, Wedmore, Somerset BS28 4EB

01934 710479

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 33

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HISTORY

Enchanted Wells was an inspiration

AN author who helped inspire the Harry Potter books has been commemorated in Wells with the unveiling of a blue plaque.

Elizabeth Goudge wrote novels, short stories and children's books and won the Carnegie Medal for British children's books in 1946 for The Little White Horse. J K Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, said the Little White Horse was her favourite book as a child and one of the very few with direct influence on her series about the boy wizard.

John and Gail North, the mayor and mayoress of Wells, were amongst the guests at the unveiling of the plaque

Elizabeth, a best-selling author in both the UK and the United States from the 1930s into the 1970s, was born in the Tower House on St Andrew Street in Wells, in April 1900.

Three years later her father was made head of the Wells Theological College and the family moved across the road to The Rib, because that house was owned by the Church of England.

Some of her other books were inspired

by Wells, which was renamed Torminster in Sister of the Angels and Henrietta’s House.

She died in 1984, A rare photo of Elizabeth Goudge, owned by the current but her books are occupier of the Tower House

Rotarian Geoff Haskins and Christine Winter, chair of Wells Civic Society PAGE 34 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

still on sale today.

The plaque was unveiled on the perimeter wall of The Rib and is the seventh in a series being installed across the city by Wells Civic Society with financial support from Wells Rotary Club. The project is led by the civic society’s vice-chairman Philip Welch who said: “The idea is to record rarely-known facts from the city’s history and create a tourist trail.”

In 1989 the Church of England sold The Rib which has just been restored by the present owners David MorganHewitt and Paul Dickinson. Paul said: “The plaque will hopefully encourage more people to read this celebrated author’s books.”

He added: “When we bought this historic house we appreciated how special and unique it is.

“We are happy to share it with local charities and continue the tradition of people enjoying convivial company here, which has been going on for 600 years.”

The Rib, next to Wells Cathedral: a Grade II listed building dating from the mid-15th century with some earlier parts

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Tel: 0800 097 8611

www.johnhodge.co.uk | e-mail: mailbox@johnhodge.co.uk

WESTON-SUPER-MARE | BRISTOL | CLEVEDON | YATTON | WEDMORE

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Nichola’s clay time

NICHOLA Hanman used to be a head teacher in Kent, but became frustrated with all the increasing bureaucracy involved with the job, so decided to take early retirement and move.

The move was to a small village on the edge of the Somerset Levels, surrounded by drainage ditches and lots of clay!

Not that she actually uses the clay around her, but buys it in.

She says she has been “playing with clay” for most of her adult life, but since retirement has decided to make it her career. She is fascinated by Raku, but has more recently been working on ceramic sculptures of animals and birds.

She started with penguins, but is now concentrating on hares and otters.

Nichola says she prefers to “work with videos of the animals, and not to imitate photographs. The challenge is not to create an anatomical likeness but to captivate the essence of the animal. So for hares it is the back legs and ears, for otters it is the face and the sleekness of the body.”

Each sculpture is hand built and unique. It is a slow process, a hare can take as much as a week to create: “Every firing of the kiln will produce a different result, and so opening the kiln after a firing is always exciting.”

By Christopher Bond

PAGE 36 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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Well connected naval uniforms saluted

THE latest monthly sale of Antiques & Collectables staged

by Killens at the Mendip Auction Rooms, was dominated by items generously entered by the Somerville family, formerly of Dinder House.

Items ranged from quality furniture to collectables such as tennis racquets once used by the family.

Sir James Somerville was a famous 2nd WW leader commanding Force H, the naval squadron that helped win the war in the Mediterranean. He later became an Admiral of the Fleet and seven of his uniforms went under the hammer. A battle of a new kind was fought between bidders with aggressive telephone bidding as well. The uniforms eventually sold well above estimate for £2,800.A good entry of jewellery was on offer with strong prices achieved. A white gold bracelet with diamond clusters made £850, an early 20th century

ARTS & ANTIQUES

9ct rose gold fancy link watch chain £700 and a pair of jadeite, diamond and ruby drop earrings £520.

On April 3rd, Killens will be staging an Antiques & Collectables sale with filming taking place for the Antiques Road Trip. A Victorian & Later Effects sale will be held the following day on April 4th. Viewing for both sales will take place on March 29th, 30th (Good Friday) and April 2nd (Easter Monday).

Valuers are on hand every weekday morning to accept entries or are happy to undertake free home visits. Also ensure that you follow the auction rooms on Facebook to see the latest news or register with them to receive the catalogues.

STARTING 17TH APRIL 2018 EXCITING NEW ART CLASSES At Barley Wood, Country House, Long Lane, Wrington BS40 5SA

Join ar st Bridget Winterbourne

Star ng Tuesday 17th April 2018 Morning session 10.30 – 12.30pm Evening session 6.30pm – 8.30pm

• Pay as you go £15 per two hour session or £80 for block of six sessions • Free taster session Tues 10th April 10.30am–12.30pm and 6.30pm– 8.30pm • For more info contact details right • No Experience needed • Come with an open mind to explore and experiment

CONTACT DETAILS

Email: bridget@bridgetwinterbourne.co.uk M. 07736 068323 www.bridget@bridgetwinterbourne.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 37

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Both a buyer and a seller – meet Gareth the auctioneer ONE could say that Gareth Wasp puts his money where his mouth is – not only is he Sale Room valuer and auctioneer for Cooper and Tanner, but his own home is full of his personal auction buys.

Gareth, 35, simply loves antiques and collectables and, for him, every valuation offers the chance of discovering something exciting or unexpected.

Based at Cooper and Tanner’s sales room at Standerwick, conveniently situated on the edge of Frome, Gareth covers all of Mendip and further afield.

And his territory is set to expand further following the acquisition by Cooper and Tanner of three CJ Hole estate agency offices in Cheddar, Wedmore and Bridgwater.

Valuation are held by appointment at the Standerwick offices every Thursday and Friday (9am-5pm) or Gareth will be on the road to visit people considering consigning items to auction. He can provide people with no obligation advice

A Chinese brass ewer, with a stylised dragon handle, 36cm high, sold for £340 at auction

on individual items, collections and house contents as well as providing probate and insurance valuations.

Cooper and Tanner sale rooms sell

more than 400 lots every week at their general sales, with an antiques and collectables sale held every six weeks.

Gareth has been an auctioneer for the past six years and is also an off-screen valuer for the BBC. Before joining Cooper and Tanner Gareth worked at Mendip Auction Rooms and has built up an extensive knowledge of the Mendip area.

He said: “I have loved history ever since I was a child and one of the wonderful things about this job is that you never know what you are next going to be asked to value. Questions I am always asked are ‘do you sell ceramics?’, ‘do you sell wine?’. The answer is yes and a lot more besides.”

Cooper and Tanner Sale Rooms are offering a reduced fee in April to readers of Mendip Times. Please quote “CTMT01” when contacting them.

The weekly sale starts at 9.30am every Wednesday with viewing on Tuesdays. Sales are also conducted online via www.thesaleroom.com

SALE ROOMS OUR WEEKLY AND MONTHLY ANTIQUE AND GENERAL SALES

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2 6,

A pair of early 20th century Chinese plaques, each carved in relief in bone of a female figure riding a lion, each in a shaped wooden frame.

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6 3,

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£6

An early 20th/late A 19th century flintlock percussion pistol, with a walnut 19th century cameo grip by Ryan & Watson. glass vase, decorated with flowers and bamboo leaves, of oviform form, possibly

by Thomas Webb.

Antiques and Collectables Sales dates: • 2nd May (closing date 18th April) • 13th June (closing date 30th May) • 25th July (closing date 11th July) • 5th September (closing date 22nd August)

Gareth Wasp Telephone 01373 852419 The Agricultural Centre, Standerwick, Frome BA11 2QB Gareth.wasp@copperandtanner.co.uk PAGE 38 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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Jewellery valuation day in Wells FOLLOWING the success of Clevedon Salerooms’ valuation day in Wells last autumn their valuers will once again be providing free verbal estimates on all jewellery, watches, silver and gold in the council chamber at Wells Town Hall on Tuesday April 17th, 10am-4pm.

No appointment is necessary and John Kelly FGA the salerooms’ gemmologist and Toby Pinn chartered arts and antiques

ARTS AND ANTIQUES

surveyor will be on hand to offer professional free verbal advice and will be able to accept consignments for a future sale.

The March sale included this ladies Rolex watch that was purchased online by an internet bidder for £5,950.

When the salerooms offered this 1969 Alfa Romeo 1300 GT Junior in their March specialist sale enquires came from as far afield as Vietnam. The car had spent the last 25 years in a garage and with one owner from new, the car created huge presale interest.

Estimated at a tempting £2,500£3,500, the successful bidder parted with £17,950 for the pleasure of at least 12 months’ work in a nut and bolt restoration project!

Every lot in every auction, illustrated and sold with live internet bidding Our Free Valuation Days can be a rewarding experience!

RESULTS FROM THE MARCH SPECIALIST SALE:

Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers

FREE ANTIQUE VALUATION DAYS 9 10 & 23 24 April

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

Pierre Le Faguays Bronze Sold for £5,950 Two Chinese Famille Rose vases Sold for £3,950

Free Jewellery, Watch, Silver & Gold Valuation Day – Wells Town Hall

Antiques, Interiors, Collectables & Jewellery Auctions Thursdays 5th & 19th April Sale starts at 10.30am On view day before 10am – 6.30pm

Tel: 01934 830111 or 0117 325 6789

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

Tuesday 17th April 10am – 4pm On the above date our valuers will be in the Council Chamber offering free verbal estimates on all items of jewellery, watches, silver and Gold. No appointment necessary. For further information please contact Toby Pinn MRICS on 01934 830111.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 39

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Full steam ahead

Resident loco Joyce (left) with the Jinty

THE first passenger-carrying steam trains have travelled along the new extension to the heritage railway line at Midsomer Norton.

The railway's latest extension has cost some £45,000 in materials alone all raised from public donations. It brings the total operating length to just under one mile and is a landmark in the efforts by the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust to recreate the golden era of steam.

The latest half-mile section includes a “hunt crossing”, specifically designed in railway days to allow local fox hunts to cross the tracks. The Duchy of Cornwall Estates, from whom the land is leased, asked for the crossing to be reinstated for agricultural access.

A visiting Jinty tank engine hauling carriages approaches the crossing towards the end of the new line extension

The crew of the Jinty

Pupils in pyjamas

For details about the line, visit: www.sdjr.co.uk

CHILDREN from the federated schools in Priddy and Westbury-sub-Mendip took part in a pyjama day as part of a “Keeping Healthy” topic.

The Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage One children from Priddy and St Lawrence’s began the day by having breakfast together. The children brought along their favourite bedtime story, cuddly toy and a pot of bubbles!

The day was one of a number of transition activities as the federation moves to having all KS1 children based at St Lawrence’s and all KS2 children at Priddy in September.

PAGE 40 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Members of the track gang (l:r) Steve Corke, Pat Stevenson, Trevor Hodge, Matt Cornfield, Martin Mead and Chris Ross

Pyjama games in Priddy

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Sheila plays her trump card

Jan Bonus accepting the cheque from Sheila Coda

BRIDGE players from across Somerset have given a boost to the Burnham Area Youth Centre.

Sheila Coda, a member of Somerset Bridge Association, chose the centre – and the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance – as the charities to benefit from a

tournament. The BAY Centre received £800.

The money is raised by a number of bridge clubs in the county who all play the same duplicated boards over a period of a week.

Food bank in demand

A COMMUNITY initiative originally set up by Frome Town Council is now a charity in its own right.

Fair Frome is based at Frome Town Hall which is the home of the town’s food distribution centre in Frome. Fair Frome was set up in 2014 by the council to help those in financial crisis to put food on the table.

The food bank provides three days’ worth of emergency food and toiletries to people living within the BA11 post code and nearby villages. It can be accessed on up to three occasions.

Councillor Peter Macfadyen said: “This is an excellent example of Frome Town Council recognising a need, setting up a project which serves that need and which has since become a charitable organisation in its own right. This means they are able to leverage outside funding to further benefit the people of Frome.” ● Vouchers can be issued from Mendip Citizen’s Advice Bureau, YMCA Routes Café, Get Set Service, Frome schools (through PAT workers, based at Christchurch First School) and the Aster Clients’ Surgery. The food bank is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10am–1pm.

Top award

FAMILIES for Children chief executive Caroline Davis, has received a lifetime achievement award for her services to children and adoption in the South West.

Caroline beat off three other worthy contenders from across the UK to be awarded the Gareth Marr Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Adoption Week awards in London.

Caroline has worked in children’s services for 40 years. She has spent the last 25 years as the CEO of one of the UK’s most successful voluntary adoption agencies, Families for Children.

Caroline said: “It comes at a very exciting time for Families for Children as we are expanding our adoption support services across the region. The charity currently places over 40 children a year with adopted families in the area and at any one time we are supporting over 120 families with our support services.”

Theatre festival is taking shape

NEWS

Director Louise Miller during a rehearsal of the community production of Romeo and Juliet

(Photograph courtesy of Alfie Johnson)

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REHEARSALS are well underway for a community-led performance of Romeo and Juliet as the highlight of the first Wells Theatre Festival.

The festival will take place in July and organisers have launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to support community activity around the event. The fundraising campaign run through crowdfunding website Kickstarter has a target of £8,000 which must be raised

by Monday, April 23rd.

Money raised will help fund the running costs of the community production of Romeo and Juliet and other technical elements of the festival. It will also ensure that as many young people as possible have the opportunity to take part through the provision of transport to and from the festival for local school children.

The festival will run from Thursday, July 12th to Sunday, July 15th. There will be numerous workshops and performances across ten venues in Wells including the Bishop’s Barn, Cedars Hall, Wells Museum, The Little Theatre and the Almshouses Chapel and will feature the community production of Romeo and Juliet, performed on the green in front of the cathedral.

Ros Johnson, the festival’s artistic director, said: “The festival will go ahead whatever happens and we are doing really well with generous sponsorship from a number of local businesses which is making this possible. However, at the heart of this festival is the objective of ensuring that the local community, and most especially young people, have the chance to experience high quality theatre and get the opportunity to participate themselves.”

Festival patron Dame Judi Dench added: "It is wonderful to be able to introduce young people to Shakespeare. Hopefully, they will be hooked for the rest of their lives, as I was. I am thrilled to be a patron of such an exciting and ambitious venture as the Wells Theatre Festival.”

To donate, visit: www.bit.ly/WTfest18 For details about the festival and advance tickets, visit: www.wellstheatrefestival.org

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 41

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Tough day at Tadhill

By Mark Adler

HEDGE layers lived up to the catchphrase “when the going gets tough…” to transform a stretch of neglected hedgerow along an historic Mendip road at the Mid-Somerset Agricultural Society’s annual competition.

One of the entrants even found a long-forgotten stone milestone – or something similar – as the entrants tackled a stretch of hedge alongside the Old Frome Road at Tadhill, near Leigh-on-Mendip. The hedge looked as though it had been untouched for years.

Keen amateur historians are now trying to solve the mystery of the stone waymarker, which some believe may date from Roman times, but could be a parish boundary sign.

Alan Bartlett, from Honiton, who judged the entrants alongside local judge David Keedwell, admitted: “This was a tough hedge.”

Chris Chivers, of Midsomer Norton, was announced the champion. The competition was held on land owned by the Wainwright quarry company; its managing director, Peter Barkwill, was the 2017/18 president of the show society.

Tina Bath completes her stretch of hedge

The competition featured a vintage tractor run for the first time

PAGE 42 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Chris Chivers with his trophy and certificates Competition organiser Roger Noble (right) with hedging expert George Pidgeon

Stumped – brute force was needed at times

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HEDGELAYING

Competition winners with organisers at the end of the day

When the going tough – Paul Gulliford (left) gets a helping hand

The finished hedge at Tadhill

Judge Alan Bartlett (right) chats to one of the onlookers

Tina Bath sits on the waymarker stone which she found as the competition began

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 43

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New Mendip festival

A NEW festival launches this summer in the heart of the Mendip Hills, celebrating the wealth of outdoor pursuits and experiences the area offers, from adventure sports and wildlife encounters to alfresco feasts and live entertainment.

It will be held on the weekend of June 22nd–24th on National Trust–owned meadows above Cheddar Gorge with views from the pop-up campsite right through the iconic cliffs to the sea.

The event follows last September’s South West Outdoor Festival, which took place at the same site and was so popular that the National Trust are partnering with local organisations, providers and businesses to stage an annual Mendip-based festival.

Besides activities – mountain biking, trail running, climbing, caving, walking, watersports – entertainment will include live music, guest speakers and adventure films.

The festival will also feature gourmet hot food from nearby farms and artisanal street vendors and champion local produce from Yeo Valley – served by a DJ in a disco ice-cream van – and cave-matured Cheddar cheese, beer, cider and craft spirits.

Local producers are proud of their links to the landscape, and look forward to introducing festival-goers to a tasty, Mendip-infused epicurean experience. Mark Brady from the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Co said: “It’s the unique qualities of the rich pastures surrounding the Gorge that lend our cheese its flavour and character.”

Jem Ham from Cheddar Ales said: “The Top of the Gorge is a true home-from-home festival for us with beautiful scenery, happy people and fantastic beer.”

Chris Jefferies, a mountain biker and owner of Axbridgebased GinJar, agrees. He said: “We grew up around extreme sports so wanted to design a gin brand that fits with our lifestyle.

“Living in the Mendips we locally source elderflower for our elderflower gin and rhubarb for our rhubarb-and-ginger gin, and this festival is the perfect place to showcase these products.”

Details: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/topofthegorge

A growing business

PAGE 44 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

THERE’S a new team member at Cobbs of Cheddar – daughter Laura has joined mum and dad, Adrian and Estelle, who launched the business three years ago.

She’s in charge of wedding cheese towers, which they launched very successfully last year, and a new range of game pie towers. They can be personalised to suit the occasion and be delivered locally.

Laura is also in charge of hog roasts, leaving Adrian and Estelle free to concentrate on the shop, which specialises in locally-produced meat, a growing range of locally-sourced, quality fresh produce, Cheddar strawberries and a daily supply of fresh fish from Plymouth and Brixham.

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FOCUS ON CHEDDAR

Café expands

ANGELA Stevens, who runs the Lattetude coffee shop at Kings of Wessex Fitness Centre, in Cheddar has a new business partner, Jayne Van-Basten, and they are looking to develop the business further.

In the past Jayne has run a pub – and a hot-dog stand – in Bristol. Angela has been running the café for four years, creating a popular venue, well-known for its home-made cakes and gluten-free options.

Hot and cold food Coffee Snacks

RADFORD’S TILE SHOWROOM

OPEN TO RETAIL & TRADE Exclusive ranges available in: Ceramic Tiles • Porcelain • Mosaics • Slate • Natural Stone Stockists of: Adhesives • Tools • Grouts Professional design and advice service available We offer a comprehensive fixing service

01934 744814

Free Parking. Open Mon–Fri 7.30am–5pm; Sat 8.30am–1pm Mendip House, Unit 7, Valley Line Industrial Estate, Wedmore Road, Cheddar BS27 3EE (Next to Travis Perkins)

PERFECT PAVE

www.radfordstiles.co.uk

Perfect Pave has extended the range of its block paving and other landscaping projects, which it supplies to both trade and public. It has an extensive range of Indian sandstone in smooth and natural varieties and new ranges of porcelain slabs in numerous colours and textures.

It also has a new line of dry stack walling. Contact James for details. e company has built an enviable reputation over the last 17 years and now has contracts all over the South West.

Now supplying – as well as installing – landscaping products to the commercial and domestic trade Wider range and cheaper prices than builders’ merchants or garden centres

Showroom open 8am-5pm Mon-Fri 8am-12noon Sat MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 45

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Festival time in Cheddar • Clothing and Accessories • Cycle to Work Schemes • Quality New Bikes • Spares & Repairs • Cycle Hire • Follow us on facebook for our latest news and offers

CHEDDA R NUR S E R Y S t ra w b e r ri e s a n d b e d d i n g p l an t s wh e n a v a i l a b l e G a r d e n sh r u b s an d p l an t s C o m p os t , p ot s a nd a c c e s s o r i e s Sharpham Road, Cheddar BS27 3DR 01934 742135

Haberdashery Wool & buttons Jewellery making Crafts & gifts Paints & glues The Cottage, Bath Street, Cheddar BS27 3AA 01934 744886 Info@timeoutcheddar.co.uk www.timeoutcheddar.co.uk

CHEDDAR

Specialist in long hair styling, cutting and colouring. Individual Wedding and Prom packages available including hair, make-up and nails.

Union Street, Cheddar Call Bev on 01934 744913 Opening times Monday 9am – 4pm Tuesday 9am – 5.30pm Wednesday 9am – 5.30pm Thursday 10am – 8pm Friday 9am – 5.30pm Saturday 9am – 3pm Sunday Closed

PAGE 46 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

ARRANGEMENTS for this year’s Cheddar Arts Fringe Festival taking place from May 5th-7th are well underway, with more to see and do than ever before and no need to get into your car!

This growing and popular festival takes the form of a walking art trail around Cheddar and this year there are 30 artists across 14 venues exhibiting their work, ranging from painters, ceramicists and photographers, to textile artists, sculptors and jewellers.

Now in its fourth year, CHAFF is also pleased to be able to support six emerging local artists whose work will be on display in Cheddar library.

Venues open from 10am to 4pm each day with many providing tea and cakes to raise money for local charities. This is a great opportunity to visit artists in their own studios to see their range of work.

This growing festival promises a jam-packed weekend full of events. New this year is an art installation in the disused BT phone box at the top of Lower North Street.

● Extensive range of quality greetings cards ● Stationery and office supplies ● Foreign currency ● Photo booth and passport check and send service

TEL: 01934 741022

Spring fair

Last year’s launch party

CHEDDAR Vale Lions Club are holding their first ever Spring Fair at Cheddar village hall on Saturday April 28th, 10am to 2pm.

The event is a fundraiser to help the Lions carry out their work within the local community.

The fair will include Kingstons’ Exotics’ assortment of snakes, reptiles, insects and owls, with other activities such as face painting, papercraft and pig racing. In the main hall there will be a selection of stalls.

The whole event promises to have something for all, including refreshments and a raffle.

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FOCUS ON CHEDDAR

Ideal location in Cheddar

COURT House is a family-run business and has been since it started 31 years ago by Pearl and Brian Dando. The aim was to create somewhere with a homely atmosphere and everyone that visits agrees that this is still the case.

It is now ran by the next generation, sons Christopher and James who continue with the same ethos and values.

Residents all bring their own furniture, staff don’t wear uniforms and the walls are not covered in notice boards.

There are three different areas to Court House, all with a different feel. The main Georgian house has a grand entrance hall and drawing room. The purpose-built courtyard is in a Mediterranean style and these rooms have their own

kitchenette.

The peaceful Cottage has bags of character. All of the rooms are en-suite and have telephone and television points as well as a nurse call system.

There are activities laid on such as a pianist who plays regularly, themed suppers arranged and visits to the local pub for lunch. Residents are by no means expected to join in, they have the choice which is also the case with all aspects of their daily living.

The superb location of Court House means that residents have wonderful views over the Mendip Hills and are also able to enjoy its village location meaning that they can continue to be part of the local community which the owners actively encourage.

COURT HOUSE A beautiful Georgian Retirement Home set in the lovely village of Cheddar, Somerset.

You can live your life to the full and choice is our favourite word

The Manager – Chris Dando 01934 742131 chriscourthouse@gmail.com Court House Retirement Home, Church Street, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3RA MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 47

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Beauty specialist

FULLY qualified, with over 25 years’ experience including Harrods in London and salons in Windsor and Paris, Cheryl Childs specialises in the multi awardwinning CACI anti-ageing system.

CACI features a range of therapies for younger people, from lip to acne treatments as well as helping to slow the advancing years. Cheryl also offers organic waxing and hand, feet and eye treatments, as well as a range of facials utilising Katherine Daniels, the fastest growing skin-care system in the UK today.

Situated on the edge of Cheddar and only 15 minutes from Wells, Cheryl Childs Beauty is home-based though totally independent from the house with the added convenience of ease of parking.

Offering no obligation consultations, Cheryl treats a select few clients by appointment only, allowing time between appointments to ensure that clients are able to discuss their requirements and never feel hurried.

Cheryl always features a range of special offers including introductory discounts and also gift vouchers that can be for particular treatments or a specified value and make a perfect gift.

Details: www.cherylchilds.co.uk

PAGE 48 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Part of the community

AXE Valley Vets say they have been privileged enough to serve their local Somerset clients for nearly 75 years and during this time they have adapted themselves to suit the changes in the community.

Founded just after the 2nd WW the surgery was originally an ambulatory practice with a core of equine and agricultural work – anyone familiar with James Herriot will be able to picture the vet racing from farm to farm and occasionally seeing the odd pet cat or dog along the way.

This very much reflected the farming heart of the community at the time and the lesser amount of companion animal care. Things couldn’t be more different these days; whilst they haven’t lost their agricultural roots and have a thriving farm animal team, their small animal department has gone from strength to strength and their facilities, services and abilities continue to improve.

Their five branch surgeries are all equipped to treat you and your pets with compassion and care. They are proud to be part of such a fantastic community and will continue to be there for you when you need them.

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Cheddar tea party

EACH spring Cheddar Vale Lions Club hosts a tea party for senior citizens. They are collected and returned safely home by coach and minibus from all over the Cheddar Vale area.

This is a perfect opportunity for those not able to get out as much as they would like to meet up with friends, enjoy the entertainment provided and be served with afternoon tea.

This year the tea party will be held on April 14th at Shipham Village Hall, starting at 2.30pm with transport from 1.15pm.

If you are interested in attending or know of a group or someone that would like to attend, contact Lyn on 01934 843620.

Panto success

FOCUS ON CHEDDAR

Antiques in Cheddar and Axbridge

The name of Miss Ripley lives on in Axbridge. She used to own the historic St. John’s Hunting Lodge, which is now home to Axbridge Museum.

Ripley Antiques, in the medieval square, is the second venture for Lou and Jules, the people behind Proud to Browse in Cheddar. Both offer classic antiques alongside mid-century retro, as well as music, curios and gifts.

The couple also offer valuations, removals and can undertake probate work. If you have an antique to sell, they would like to hear from you.

Ripley Antiques & Vintage MENDIP Players’ Alice – the Panto played to full houses and earned a standing ovation during shows at Draycott village hall.

The Square • Axbridge BS26 2AP

01934 732641

New head

Opening times 10am – 5.30 Tuesday – Saturday 11am – 4pm – Sunday Find us on Facebook

STEFAN McHale has been appointed head of Fairlands Middle School, in Cheddar following the retirement of Peter Elmy at the end of December. Mr McHale has been deputy head at the school for two years and was made interim head in January.

Redcliffe Court, 3 Redcliffe Street, Cheddar, Somerset. email: cheddardistrictfunerals@outlook.com www.cheddardistrictfunerals.co.uk MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 49

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Firemen to the rescue

By Audrey Hill

Audrey Hill, aged 89, remembers the night well. Her late husband, Tim, one of the area’s best-known strawberry growers, was in charge of Cheddar’s volunteer fire fighters. He served with the brigade for more than 28 years.

WE lived in Cliff Street at the time when the flood started coming down from the Gorge. The Audrey Hill and her daughter Jenny water was up to the step of our front door, with the river out the back, but we didn’t get flooded.

Tim was called out and we didn’t see him again for 36 hours.

We were probably the only house in the street with a telephone then, because of Tim’s job. One call was from Vera Gough, who lived in the Barrows, who was on the council, asking where we kept the sandbags.

I said I was sorry I didn’t know if there were any. Everybody was ringing. One man said he was standing on his table to avoid the flooding.

I had my mother with me from Bristol and she was a nervous wreck, though we’d been through the blitz in Bristol.

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The next thing we heard the camping ground at Chestnut Farm had been flooded and the campers had been moved to the Methodist Church Hall.

Lots of houses were flooded. Tim said as fast as they were pumping water out of the back door, it was coming through the front door.

The flooding was worse at the bottom of Cliff Street and Church Street.

Mrs Denman, the vicar’s wife at that time, organised groups of Tim Hill was one of Cheddar's most people to go round and famous strawberry growers help clear up.

We had three acres of ground on Shipham Hill, where the flood waters and all the rubbish they carried, washed away the strawberries and the new potatoes. The potatoes were washed down to the camping site, where people cooked them.

The cloches were broken and there was glass everywhere. We were told we would be compensated but of course we never were.

Audrey has two daughters, Jenny and Denise, and two grandchildren. Jenny said: “I was at Rossholme Boarding School in East Brent and we were sent down to the village to see if we could help and I remember helping to sweep out various people’s houses. I was in charge of ten girls living in a cottage. When I got back I found my bed floating in water.”

Cheddar's firemen – Tim Hill is sixth from the left

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Boats instead of buses

THE GREAT FLOOD – CHEDDAR

By Judy Hutchings

YES! I well remember the Great Flood of ’68. My parents were living up the Lippiatt, Cheddar and had a cave at the rear of their property, fenced off.

In the middle of the night they were woken by huge rumblings and water came rushing through from the cave into their kitchen, down the old stone step out through the front door – but most of the floodwater in fact went under the house and came out under their footings and into the Lippiatt, surging down the hill.

My father, who worked at Cox’s Cave, donned waders and for the next few days was out, first barricading, then clearing up the rubble that the huge flow of water had brought down the Gorge.

I was living and working in Weston-super-Mare and frankly didn’t really believe it when he rang up, thought he was rather exaggerating. So it wasn’t until a couple of days later that I finally went out to visit them on the bus.

The bus had to stop at the top of Tweentown as there was a deep river flowing from the Gorge and past the Butcher’s Arms pub at the bottom of Tweentown, where the bus usually stopped.

I was amazed to see my father waiting for me at the bottom with a small boat! Several chaps and he were helping people across to the other bank. We spent the rest of the days to come helping dig out and clear away the two to three feet of mud and silt from shopkeepers’ doorways, adjoining Gough’s garage, so that owners could open their doors and clear up the debris inside their shops.

It was soul-destroying to see the mess and destruction caused but everyone rallied round and work began.

Father had said that at the top of the Gorge, up past the Lion Rock towards Horseshoe Bend, there was a huge hole large enough for a double decker bus to fit in. This I thought farfetched but when we eventually managed to walk up there it was true. A massive crater gouged out of the road surface by the force of the water.

Talking of Lion Rock, Mr Robertson, the then manager of the

Bottom of Redcliffe Street.

Used to be called Heal’s Corner because Mr Heal owned the photographers there.

Caveman Restaurant, spent most, if not all, of that fateful night marooned up on top of Lion Rock, with many of his staff. I hear they were “singing songs and praying” – must have been a terrifying ordeal to see the flood waters surging below.

Many locals said it was because the drains were bunged up with leaves and debris and hadn’t been kept clear, per usual, who knows, but certainly after that experience my father always made sure that the drains outside his property were always kept clear. They were the lucky ones, living on a steep hill, but others at the foot of the Gorge weren’t so fortunate.

My Da was a keen photographer and usually had a camera handy. He took several shots over the next few days, recording the water levels, etc. My sister in Hertfordshire has them so I may send her a copy of the February issue of Mendip Times for her interest.

Today she told me she has mailed you said photos – some of the children in them must be adults now and maybe still local?

Hope the above has been of some interest to you at Mendip Times. I do enjoy Mendip Times and pick it up at my local post office/store in the village.

Judy Hutchings Rock Cottages, Gurney Slade.

Linda Britton Potters Bar, Herts

Bottom of the gorge outside of Gough’s Garage looking up towards the cheese factory. Notice the old petrol pumps on the right!

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 51

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Cheddar Gorge

By Richard Ivens

IN 1968 I was working as an assistant engineer with the Axbridge Rural District Council. I knew nothing of the devastation until I got to work on the Thursday morning, July 11th, by which time the rain had stopped. I was sent out to inspect and report back on various locations.

In Blackmoor, Lower Langford, parallel with Langford Brook, some water was still running down the road, but nothing compared with what had occurred overnight. A number of properties had been severely damaged.

In one, on the west side of the road, the occupants were still upstairs, looking out of a window, and had still not ventured downstairs. They had a Mini car parked in the middle of their front garden and it was not theirs! It had been washed in through the hedge by the flood water.

A couple with a property on the other side of the road, backing on to the brook, subsequently decided to have their house completely rebuilt with the ground raised by a foot or two so that they would be high and dry if the same happened again. There were staff and students from Langford House Veterinary School out around the village looking to help where they could.

In Cheddar, a colleague had told me there were holes in the carriageway up through the gorge big enough to put a car in. When I looked for myself, I found holes big enough to lose several cars in! The serious damage had doubtless resulted from a flood surge which would have resulted from the failure of the road embankment at Charterhouse.

This would have been holding back a reservoir of water up to three metres deep.

The carriageway in the gorge was scoured down to bed rock and all the resulting debris was deposited over the road further down. Water was still discharging from the entrance to Gough’s Cave, up to the bonnet level of the van and saloon car parked there.

Water was also running into the Caveman Restaurant, which had broken PAGE 52 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Cheddar Gorge, 1968

Charterhouse causeway

We want to hear your stories. Write to: The Great Flood, Mendip Times, Coombe Lo

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THE GREAT FLOOD – CHEDDAR

be Lodge, Blagdon BS40 7RG, email news@mendiptimes.co.uk or call 01761 463888.

(Bottom three pictures on this page courtesy of “Bunty” Tracy)

windows where the water had exited during the night. Cliff Road was a fast flowing river and it was impossible to walk up there for some time afterwards.

The water level in the River Banwell, fed from Banwell Spring, is reported to have continued rising for several days after the storm.

I visited Charterhouse a day or two after the storm and saw the breach in the road embankment which had acted as a dam before it eventually collapsed. When it was rebuilt weeks later, the large diameter culvert was constructed, which can still be seen, to allow future flood flows to pass unimpeded.

A number of masonry structures were exposed in the valley, dating from the time of the lead slag re-working in Victorian times, which had not been visible previously.

The meteorological conditions and effects of the storm on landforms and cave systems is fully described in a booklet published by the Wessex Cave Club, The Great Storms and Floods of July 1968 on Mendip by J D Hanwell and M D Newson, October 1968.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 53

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Centre of excellence

BATH College provides vocational and academic courses in a wide range of subjects and they can help you to find a suitable course to make sure you have the knowledge and skills for your chosen career.

As the largest provider of apprenticeships in Bath, they also offer excellent opportunities for young people to earn and learn on the job.

Their City Centre Campus gives students the opportunity to be in the middle of Bath’s vibrant atmosphere, which is easily accessible from Bristol, Wiltshire and the surrounding areas.

Courses available include art and design, photography, business, hospitality and catering, hairdressing, complementary therapy, health and social care, IT, media, music and sport.

At their Somer Valley Campus, based in the picturesque Somerset countryside, students study arboriculture, animal care, veterinary nursing and motor vehicle

maintenance.

In addition, their Somer Construction Centre caters for 500 students and apprentices studying bricklaying, construction, carpentry and stonemasonry, as well as plumbing, electrical installation and

refrigeration.

They are creating a centre of excellence for the West of England, helping learners to gain the practical and theoretical skills they need to secure and sustain employment in the construction industry.

Details: www.bathcollege.ac.uk or contact their Student Advice Centre on 01225 312191.

PAGE 54 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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A welly good walk

FIVE-year-old All Hallows pupil Moiya recently inspired her classmates to put on their wellies to take part in a sponsored welly walk. She had met a homeless veteran on a family trip to Bath and wanted to be able to do something to help him.

Moiya told her class about meeting this man at a “show and tell” session and asked her teacher if the class could go on a bus to give the man some bedding she had been collecting for him at home. This led to lots of lively discussion around empathy and helping others.

Page 55

The class decided they would all like to help the people living on the streets of Bath and the pupils decided they could do this through a sponsored “welly walk”. The children wrapped up warm and wore an array of colourful wellies as they stomped around the local area, chatting away as they walked along.

The class decided to support the Genesis Trust Lifeline Centre in Bath (genesistrust.org.uk) and managed to collect over £500 between them. Moiya and her class were then able to visit the centre, accompanied by her parents and younger sister, to deliver their donation in person.

The staff at the centre spoke to the children about the work they do to help those living on the streets and the children had a tour of the facilities. The children then drew

EDUCATION

some lovely pictures for the clients to see when they came in to use the centre that afternoon.

Headmaster, Dr Trevor Richards, commented “At All Hallows teachers strive to make learning meaningful to our children and are guided by their interests.

Moiya has been a real inspiration to her class and the whole of All Hallows and has now prompted other pupils to raise awareness of the homeless problem in Somerset.”

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 55

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Taking education further than the classroom

“ONCE in a life time opportunities” is how I would describe my time at Bath Studio School (BSS) a digital media and film academy for 14-19 year olds. Aside from the state of the art filming and photography facilities and the creative curriculum, work experience is a key part of studio school educational model.

BSS support students by finding internships at major establishments such as the children’s digital media company, Complete Control (CC). I was extremely lucky to get offered a work experience placement within CC. Companies as successful as this, open doors to experiences like working alongside the BBC’s children’s creative director, Liz Leakey. This has taken my creativity to an entirely new level, by taking education further than the classroom.

Every teacher has an advanced skill set and industry links and alongside the small class sizes, this makes your

PAGE 56 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

EDUCATION

educational experience really unique. One of my favourite industry seminars was from Blue Planet underwater cameraman, Michael Pitts.

The creative media students interviewed EMMY award winning Michael in our multi-cam studio and we were utterly inspired by his life and experiences working alongside David Attenborough.

Part of the “endless opportunities” is knowing that your work will be showcased in public. Exhibitions are used to demonstrate our industry standard work. In the last couple of months we have held events at 44AD Art Gallery to recognise graphics, digital media, photography and film work. In addition “Moles” venue was used to perform concerts and collaborate with local artists.

I am proud to be part of the student leadership team which helps to raise money for charities, organise trips and supports students through our mentor system, once again helping students to be independent and ready for life after school.

“Creativity is what we do” really reflects the ethos of our school. This encompasses everything from the curriculum to wider school life and enrichment. Personally for me I love everything about the school and genuinely has offered me “once in a lifetime opportunities”.

Grace Williams Yr 12 Digital Publishing student Senior prefect and marketing co-ordinator

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INTERNET

Personal digital assistants

WHAT are they? What do they do? Are they worth the investment?

No doubt you have seen adverts for Siri or Google Assistant or Alexa, Echo or Cortana. These are all personal digital assistants which are voice activated and can perform various tasks on demand. They can be stand alone or linked to another hardware device, such as a smart speaker, or simply an app on a PC, tablet, smartphone, or wearable device, such as a digital wristwatch. They will usually be voice-activated to perform tasks, such as searching the internet, playing music, making a shopping list etc. Previous requests are usually remembered, so you don’t have to start again every time.

So you just have to say the name of your device (e.g. Hi Siri) then our request, which can be a huge variety of things, such as “What’s the weather this afternoon?” or “Is there any traffic problems in Highbridge?” or What has President Trump tweeted today?”. Or general info such as “Who is Home Secretary?” or “How much salt is good for you?”. Or if you have a smart TV ask the device to turn it on and turn up the volume. You can ask it to play specific music, or just ask for “something upbeat”.

Some devices will even answer questions about the song being played. Depending on settings, you could ask it to “call Dave” or “Text Jane”. It should be able to translate for you “What’s the French for cheese” or replace your dictionary “Define holistic” Just ask it to add milk to your shopping list. Or ask it to remind you to phone John at 3pm. It should be able to recognise different voices, to have a his and hers option.

So they are convenient, easy to use and rather cool. Great for the visually-impaired of course.

So why don’t we all have them? Price is a factor of course.

And some say the sound isn’t as good as other devices, but they may improve as they evolve. Some feel they don’t like a device sitting in the corner of the room listening to our every word – bit Big Brother. Plus, do we really need that much help to stay sat down?

Submitted by IT for the Terrified: Cheddar Village Hall, Church St, Cheddar BS27 3RF 01934 741751 (usually goes to answer phone) www.itfortheterrified.co.uk itfortheterrified@btconnect.com I.T. for the Terrified – for all your computer training needs. A skill-sharing, community project.

Run by a Committee – Staffed by Volunteers Registered Charity No. 1130308 : Company No. 06779600 This article is for guidance only, and the opinion of the writer. For more in depth information, please contact us.

We offer individual training, at a pace to suit you. We can cover a range of subjects – including absolute basics; photo management; shopping online; emailing; Word processing, spreadsheets; basic web design; etc. on a range of devices, including Windows: Macs: Tablets: iPads: smartphones.

PAGE 58 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

CROSSWORD

The Mendip Mindbender

Brexit is high in the news at the moment, but which countries are also member states of the EU?

ACROSS 1. Helsinki is this country’s capital (7) 7. This member state is of similar size to Northamptonshire (10) 9. Innsbruck is an internationally renowned winter sports centre and found in this country (7) 10. Formerly part of Yugoslavia which joined the EU in 2013 (7) 13. Riga is the capital of this Baltic country (6) 15. Country bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east (8) 17. Another country to emerge from the disintegration of Yugoslavia, capital Ljubljana (8) 18. Angela Merkel is the current chancellor to this country (7)

DOWN 1. Land of the Blarney Stone (7) 3. This country joined the EU on January 1st, 1973.

The same day as the UK (7) 4. Baltic republic, capital Vilnius (9) 5. A sovereign state found mostly on the Iberian Peninsula (8) 6. Land of dykes, windmills and tulips (11) 8. A country in southeastern Europe bordered by 12 down and Serbia (8) 11. a sovereign state in Northern Europe with its own language (7) 12. The seventh most populous member state of the European Union (7) 14. This country’s national football team are known as the ‘azzurro’ (5) 16. Mariano Rajoy is the current prime minister of this member state (5)

Answers on page 121

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Royal visit to Castle Cary

Reality check for television presenter

NEWS

Save the Children volunteers on their stall at Castle Cary’s first vintage market. Pictured (l:r) are Jane, Ainsley and Sally

THE Princess Royal is to visit Castle Cary in April to meet volunteers who run the town’s Save the Children charity shop in her role as patron of the organisation.

The shop has been running for 51 years. It is staffed entirely by volunteers who raise many thousands of pounds each year. Shop volunteers are planning to hold an art fair in June based on donated works.

Details of the visit came as some of the shop volunteers ran a stall at Castle Cary’s first vintage market at the Market House.

Princess Anne’s visit is due to take place on the morning of Friday, April 13th. The princess is also due to open Smiling Somerset: Joss Mullinger, Weston College’s South West Skills Campus in Westonof Ansford, with some of his super-Mare and the Chocolate collection of books, maps, leaflets Quarter Retirement Village in and ephemera. Smiling Somerset Keynsham as honorary was the catchphrase for the county’s blossoming tourism member of the Society of industry in the 1920s and 30s Merchant Venturers.

Market organiser Angela Piggott (centre) with stallholders Sandy (left) and Steph. The market will run on the second Sunday of every month

Martin at the museum – he plans to return with his children

BROADCASTER Martin Roberts was transported back in time to the days of the working Somerset coalfields when he tried out a new virtual reality experience at Radstock Museum.

The Homes Under the Hammer presenter, who lives in Paulton, donned a special headset to journey below ground when he visited the museum as an ambassador for Visit Somerset.

Martin had visited the museum previously but said the VR experience would give people an even better idea of what a miner’s working life was like. He said: “We owe the miners such a debt.”

He added: “The museum itself is fantastic, but this really opens your eyes and gives a sense of what it was like for them and how hard they worked. It really is in the forefront of museum technology.”

Martin with (l:r) Miranda Litchfield, from the museum, VR developer Barry Lewis, John Turner, from Visit Somerset, and Barry’s VR partner Georgina Hill

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 59

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PROFILE

It’s too late to stop now – John has to keep on running

By Mark Adler

ULTRA-runner John Reynolds is making final preparations for his attempt on another world record – covering 400 miles non-stop in under four days.

His 100-mile circular route will take him across Mendip, through Keynsham, Saltford and Bristol city centre with no chance of any sleep.

But what is perhaps more remarkable is that John, aged 56, once completed an ultra-distance race despite suffering a heart attack. He had felt unwell but carried on running and only discovered what had happened when his doctor sent him to hospital. Consultants there believe it was only the strength of his heart muscles that saved him.

John, of Westfield, is due to begin his run on Thursday, May 3rd and fellow members of the Westfield TT running club he founded – along with other runners and supporters – will be by his side along the way.

He said: “I started thinking about the attempt 18 months ago and it has taken since then to plan my route and prepare. It will be 50% fitness and 50% mental strength.”

A typical timetable for a run

John discussing his four-day marathon

Two support vehicles will accompany John, providing food, drink and spare running shoes and clothing. Food will be high in carbohydrates – everything from mashed potato and gravy to pizza and chocolate. It will also be washed down with Guinness!

John said: “Swallowing food becomes difficult after two days, but you get over it by the third and the alcohol in the Guinness is gone in an instant.”

As well as fatigue, one of the biggest hazards will be the build-up of lactic acid in his muscles – John will have a physiotherapist on hand.

The run will raise money for Dorothy House Hospice – his fundraising efforts over the years have raised around £100,000 for other charities, including Time is Precious.

John said: “I needed a new challenge and raising money for Dorothy House has given me the extra impetus.”

He won’t be sitting on the sofa with his feet up once the challenge is completed, however: “You can’t stop running immediately as there is a danger of organ failure and anyway I can’t stop – running has saved my life.”

Westfield TT members at last year’s Chew Valley 10k

John would welcome any sponsorship. For details, find him or WestfieldTT on Facebook.

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WILDLIFE

Working together to save Mendip’s barn owls

AS we enter the new breeding season for barn owls, attention turns once again to the valuable support these birds get from the farming community.

Erecting artificial nests for many species is a great way to support and enhance their populations, but for barn

By CHRIS owls it is actually vital for their continued SPERRING survival. At least 75% of nest sites in the MBE UK are now in human-made nesting boxes due to the widespread loss of their natural nest sites, such as old trees and buildings.

Farmers, like most of us, feel privileged when they see a barn owl and, more often than not, it encourages them to want to see that sight more often. I receive calls almost daily from farmers wanting to help barn owls and encourage them to stay on their land.

If barn owls are already present on a regular basis then installing a nest box is a good place to start, but sometimes we also need to create extra prey-rich hunting habitat as well.

The main prey for barn owls is a small mammal called the field vole, which relies on nothing more complicated than rough grassland habitat in order to thrive. By leaving edges of fields, corners and banks uncut, or cut less often, the field vole population will build to a preyable level and barn owls will soon follow.

We have one of the strongest barn owl populations in the country on the Somerset Levels and a proportion of the youngsters produced there each year will feed on the Mendip Hills. If there are enough voles to sustain them they will stay and we will all get the chance to enjoy the magnificent sight of a barn owl hunting at dusk.

Through pellet analysis we know the field vole is by far the most important prey species for barn owls in our area.

This little animal lives predominately above ground, so Blue tits feeding

A barn owl begins its hunt for prey

instead of digging tunnels below ground, like most grounddwelling mammals, it makes tunnels through the grass, which is why it needs its grassland habitat to be rough and why they cannot survive in short grass. They breed quickly and populations can rise very quickly if conditions are right.

For those farmers and landowners going to the North Somerset Agricultural Show on Monday May 7th, I will be holding landowner advisory sessions on the Hawk and Owl Trust stand, where you can meet and talk to me about owls and we can give any advice you may need to help them on your land. I am always happy to visit and give on-site advice, as well as help with nestbox provision and habitat advice.

After the late cold snap referred to as the “Beast from the East” followed by the “Beast from the East II”, spring is now finally back on track with many species now nesting and the dawn chorus of bird song reaching its peak towards the beginning of May. Keep feeding the birds if you have been doing so all winter but switch away from peanuts now as these can be hazardous for chicks. Mealworms, fat balls (not in nets) and a good quality seed are ideal.

Look out for birds coming and going from your nest boxes with nesting material and later with caterpillars for their quickly growing youngsters. It is really interesting to note these events each year and see whether nesting is gradually starting earlier each year as a result of our warming climate.

It may be only a day or two each year, but over time you may notice an interesting pattern emerging. I have been monitoring barn owls in Somerset for almost 40 years and I have noticed a gradual shifting of nesting times, which now starts a full month earlier than when I started recording at some sites.

April is one of the busiest months in the wildlife calendar, so enjoy your observations of the natural world at this exciting time.

Chris Sperring is Conservation Officer for the Hawk and Owl Trust Contact him on 07799 413 918 or chris.sperring@btinternet.com

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Bluebells above Blagdon and Burrington

THIS Mendip walk will be at its very best in April/May as it takes us through the glorious bluebell and wild garlic woods of Fuller’s Hay, above Blagdon and Burrington. It’s a very varied circle of just over 4.25 miles which includes Burrington Ham – where the bluebells

will be out a little later. It has widespread views, as well as picturesque Rickford with its ford, stream and pub. There are uphill stretches, but nothing strenuous. It’s an ideal dog walk, as there are mainly good gates and only a couple of stiles.

Underfoot, conditions are quite reasonable but there may be some wet and muddy patches, depending on the weather, of course.

PARK: In the free car park in the centre of Blagdon, well signed off the bend, situated behind the village club.

START: Leave by the gate at the top of the car park and turn right in front of the club. Opposite Fanny’s Cafe, cross and take Post Office Lane. Near the end, turn up left through the gate and start the gentle climb up

With Sue Gearing PAGE 62 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

1. FIELDS Follow the right hedge. Go through a gate and up the left hedge and as the field opens out, turn right and gradually go up to the top hedge.

Ignore the footpath on the left. Just stay in the field and on to a gate ahead.

Take the right footpath heading across this field to the far right corner.

2. FULLER’S HAY Here go into the wood and bend left on the path coming into bluebell country and this beautiful flank of woodland covering the northern slopes of Mendip. Join up with the main path from the field. It is fenced for a while.

Just carry on, still in the wood. Head across a side valley with a pleasant view sweeping down to the road in the combe below, and carry on up the other side, continuing a gentle climb. Near the top, bear right on the track and soon come to farm buildings.

3. KEEPERS HOUSE Pass close to Keepers House. At the junction with a track, it is worth going down a few yards to the cattle grid where you get a beautiful view across Wrington Vale. But our route goes up left and over a stile.

Head diagonally left up across the field to the end of the line of trees. Go through to the next field and follow the left hedge all the way to the top. Turn right and at the end go through a gate into Burrington Ham. 4. BURRINGTON HAM Head straight across this high open land. Go over a crossing track (which leads left down to the Ham car park)

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and keep straight on. A lot of clearance has taken place on this open access land in recent years and as a result bluebells are making a great comeback. If you want to see more of them, just walk over a short way into the open areas on the right. Start to get really good views left up across Black Down and later, right across Wrington Vale. Go as far as you can and bend down right on the track and this leads you across to Ham Rocks.

5. HAM ROCKS A climb up here gives a spectacular view over Wrington Vale and across the Severn. Take the track down the right side of the rocks. Soon, at a more open area, go right on a smaller path. Follow it as it winds its way through the bracken. Don’t take side paths.

Continue on and then bend right under an avenue of silver birches. Follow it down and join a crossing stony track.

Turn down left, going through a grassy, humpy area, the result of former mining. Go through a gate onto a small lane/track which goes along above Burrington. Turn right, passing houses and reaching Rickford Rise. Turn left and it leads down to join the main Blagdon road.

6. RICKFORD Cross with care onto the Batch which drops down into the picturesque hamlet of Rickford with its ford and stream.

You can either take the first footpath up

WALKING L

4.2 miles, about 2.5 hours walking. OS Explorer 141, Cheddar Gorge & Mendip Hills West, grid ref: 501 591. Postcode BS40 7TA (village club).

left, which is very steep, the Stocking, or to see a bit more of this pretty spot go on along the stream to the welcoming Plume of Feathers. As a quick detour you may like to go on to the end of the road, past the gauge house to the mill pond and the eyecatching Masonic Lodge, once a Methodist chapel.

To carry on our circle, go left up the side of the pub in the track/lane called the Leg, which is less steep, and climbs to join the top of the Stocking.

Continue all the way to the field at the top.

Head straight on across the field, looking left over Wrington Vale. It may be a bit muddy round gates up here. Go into the next field and maintain direction, slightly left, going through to another field and carry on across to a gate onto Bourne Lane.

7. BOURNE LANE Turn right on this very quiet lane winds its way past the back of Coombe Lodge. It was built from 1928-1932 for the Wills family who ran the WD & HO Wills Tobacco Company in Bristol. It was their family home for over 30 years and is now a distinguished venue for special occasions and weddings. You get a glimpse of Blagdon Lake ahead, and go past estate cottages. Ignore Lays Lane.

Continue on and when you reach more cottages left, go left on track between low walls which leads to a garage. At the end find a footpath going right and leading into a field. Now follow the bottom of this field, and maintain direction across the next field.

There’s a gate ahead on the far side into a residential road in Blagdon. Follow it to the end and then turn up right into Blagdon and come to the fire station and car park.

Plume of Feathers, Rickford, 01761 462682. The famous Duck Race is on Saturday July 8th at 5pm this year.

Fanny Adams cafe and gift shop in Blagdon, 07966 672566.

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 63

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West Countryman’s diary

WELL . . . it did arrive, the snow that is.

There have been some pretty inspiring deeds of heroism and community spirit that came out from those couple of days of extreme weather. People who went out to help others in trouble, like our own Avon and Somerset Search and Rescue Team.

With LES There were individuals who helped get DAVIES MBE hospital staff to work and people checking on elderly neighbours. These situations tend to bring out the best in people. As always, a common problem will bond people together and it’s so very good to see that.

I am re-visiting a series of articles I wrote several years back for publication in the Mendip Society newsletter. I was encouraged at the time by Peter Gearing, then the society’s editor, to relate my time as the Mendip warden. Well here is the first in the series, retold and re-edited to be more relevant to today’s world.

This, to paraphrase a very famous and long-running BBC radio programme is “an everyday story of country folk”, well at least within the Mendip Hills anyway and is a look back at the years of the Mendip wardens. Things that went well and things that maybe didn’t go so well are all included in this series of articles that I hope you will like.

Amongst the sentences and paragraphs to follow, will be personal recollections, thoughts and views. After all, an individual’s view on any subject depends on the position they view it from. There are those who have been on Mendip a lot longer than I have and those whose knowledge is infinitely greater than mine.

However, this is not intended to be a definitive history of the Mendip Hills, but rather the development of an institution that evolved and included so many people. This is the story of the Mendip wardens and what it was like in those early years of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Here then was how it all began!

I don’t intend to go into a history lesson about the establishment of the AONB. Simply to start by saying the Mendip Hills AONB was created in 1972 by the Countryside Commission. With amazing speed for a government establishment (as Tom Elkin the original warden once said) the AONB was set up and made operational by 1983, with a warden and a steering group.

The early written statement was the first management plan, laying out the work needed to enhance and protect this very special part of rural England. Tom Elkin, then head of Charterhouse Centre, helped to establish the framework of the warden’s role and later implemented it as the first warden. His job would not have been easy, even though he had worked on the “Hill” since the early 1960s.

He had to pull together the sinews of Mendip, the landowners, the farmers, the parish councils and those groups, trusts and societies that had such an important role to play in any future development. To ignore any of these would have been to plan for failure.

The early work Tom carried out laid the foundations which I was later able to build upon and enhance in my own style. He concentrated on building relationships and establishing contacts, a job that could be described today as being “client liaison”. He had married a local farmer’s daughter and was a man of Mendip, even

OUTDOORS though he spoke with a northern accent.

Tom had a lot to overcome in his early days, often being viewed as a “county hall spy”. He worked to gain the confidence of those whose cooperation was essential to the success of the newly-fledged AONB. He was also aware that he needed to tread carefully with those who had been around for a while and who had been looking after the interests of Mendip.

In those early days the warden service was administered by Avon County Council who, I have to say, did an excellent job for the AONB right up to the day they were devolved into unitary authorities. Many a harsh word has been spoken of the Avon administration, but I must speak as I find, for both Tom and I had nothing but praise for the way in which we were looked after under them.

The AONB logo of a cow and a wall with a sheep in front, was originally the warden service logo. This was a brainchild of the two countryside departments of Somerset and Avon. I think it has stood the test of time – it's still there. I have always felt it told all you needed to know about Mendip top, it's a farming area with dry stone walls.

There was another photo used on many leaflets produced in the early days, a windblown tree and broken wall. This so epitomised the windswept open plateau. The tree has now gone but the broken stump remains alongside the wall, high above Cheddar and Shipham, almost in defiance of the natural elements and passage of time that led to its passing.

Tom was in no rush to create his volunteer rangers. He had spent a long time looking at the various organisations that existed.

He chose those he liked best and felt worked well to found his organisation upon. I felt he chose well and when I took over from him changed very little of what was in my opinion, a very good, happy and dedicated group of volunteers.

A testimony to that dedication was evident, when at the 20th anniversary lunch arranged by the rangers in 2007, seven of the original members were present and at the annual get-togethers numbers of those who attended was always in the high 60s.

The post of assistant countryside warden Mendip Hills AONB was created in the late 1980s and with that post came Fran Griffiths, Tom’s first assistant. About that time yours truly came on to the scene as a volunteer ranger. I signed up in 1989, having just left the Territorial Army after 18 years and was looking for some organisation that could make use of me.

This is when I bumped into Tom at an exhibition at the Bishop’s Palace in Wells. When Fran left, I applied for the position of assistant warden, which led to my successful appointment in September 1990. I was then 38. This was a dream come true, I could not believe my luck. It was the start of an involvement with Mendip that still remains special today. Once Mendip gets a hold of you there is no going back and nothing or anywhere else will ever match up to it again!

I'm going to hold it there for the moment, after all too much excitement is not good! Next time, more tales as a “youngish” warden starts to get to grips with life on Mendip. This month’s photo is of the man who started it all moving, the late Tom Elkin, MBE. By the way, how long is a piece of string?

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

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A p r il s h o w e rs b ri ng f o r th M a y f lo w e r s THE “Beast from the East” may have caused some damage to plants that is not yet evident.

The bitterly cold, dry wind sucked the moisture out of evergreen leaves and this cannot be replaced if the soil is frozen leading to desiccation.

This is particularly a problem with With MARY evergreens in containers, as the compost is PAYNE MBE more likely to have frozen solid. Camellias and rhododendrons are commonly grown in containers in this area as our soils are rarely acidic enough for them to be planted in the open ground.

You may find that your “oh so promising” camellia buds drop off before they open. Do not despair –a touch of “wait and see” is always worthwhile. Even buddlejas will be looking a bit sad if they were exposed to the wind. Wait until April and then prune them and keep your fingers crossed. Those who hard pruned in the autumn may have a few problems.

All winter we have been enjoying the coloured stems of dogwoods and willows and there is no rush to prune these either. I enjoy seeing the bright green new shoots as they emerge from the red stems and then I prune them in mid-April.

Shrubs that are hard pruned will benefit from a spring feed to give them the energy to produce strong new growth for us to enjoy next winter. A handful of Growmore fertiliser will suffice, spread evenly over the root zone.

The orange stemmed dogwood Midwinter Fire, that is so deservedly popular these days, can be hard pruned once established, but sadly goes through a difficult phase as the new growth starts with the leaves looking mottled and often crinkled.

Don’t despair, as soon as the temperatures rise, and its growth rate increases the problem goes away. The late flowering hardy hibiscus also go through a similar phase.

As the daffodils start to fade it is important to pull off the seed heads so that energy is put into building up next year’s bulb. A sprinkling of sulphate of potash (available in boxes from garden centres) will help. The foliage now needs a period of six to eight weeks before it can be removed or mown off if they are growing in grass.

Do not be tempted to tie the leaves in knots as this restricts their ability to photosynthesise and build up the bulb.

As the daffodils are finishing so the tulips are taking their place.

Look out for problems such as tulip fire. This is a fungal infection that manifests itself as grey mould on distorted foliage and flowers. The wet weather increases the chances of this occurring.

Remove affected plants and put out for recycling – do not put them in your own compost heap. Before planting tulips in the same place change the soil.

The quality of tulip flowers this spring may not be quite up to their usual standard. This is because April 2017 was exceptionally dry just at the time when the bulbs should have been building up, so the bulbs are slightly smaller and smaller bulbs equal smaller flowers.

After the tulips the alliums (ornamental onions) start to conveniently bridge the gap between the spring bulbs and early herbaceous plants blooming. The bold spherical heads of alliums are great, but their foliage comes up early and by the time they flower the leaves look decidedly tatty.

To remedy this, they can be tidied up cutting off the brown bits.

Unlike the daffodils and tulips that need time after flowering to PAGE 66 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

build up their bulbs the allium flowers later so its foliage has had a chance to do its work earlier.

Lilies are emerging fast and can easily fall prey to the bright red lily beetle. They can often be spotted in pairs doing what comes naturally! Hand picking and squashing is the easiest remedy if you are not too squeamish! Take care if you have a cat as the pollen from lilies is toxic to them. To enjoy the scent without the problem you can now buy pollen-free.

Now that the clocks have changed, our thoughts need to turn from the spring garden to the summer. A little time planning your container or hanging baskets will pay dividends. A colour theme is the easiest point at which to start basing your selection on the colours you prefer, but also think about the background against which they will be viewed.

The picture shows the hanging baskets I design for Compton Acres gardens where the red brick walls are a dominant feature.

Pink shades would not look good against the walls. Basically, three types of plant are required. Taller things for the middle, trailing things to fall over the side and then some bits and pieces to fill the gaps.

For shady areas begonias are ideal, but they will also grow happily in the sun. For sunny areas the bright “hot” colours work best, and for shady areas the “cool” shades of whites, pinks and blues work well. Add some water holding granules (SwellGel) and a dose of the excellent slow release fertiliser to the compost before potting, and there will be no need to feed again until mid-August.

Above all “watch out there are greenfly about” – they will not have been killed by “The Beast from the East” and the rain laden “Pest from the West” will encourage the slugs and snails that are feasting on the new growth that is now in abundance in your garden.

The slug pellets based on ferrous phosphate are very effective and safe for birds, hedgehogs, pets and children. Use sparingly and repeat regularly and rejoice in the fact that the pesky molluscs will go underground to die so you do not see a host of dead bodies.

Mother Nature has a lot to answer for.

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GARDENING

APRIL GARDEN TIPS

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

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

Plant frost tender shrubs such as lavender, sage, rosemary, santolina, osteospermum and hebes now.

Remove dead flower heads from bulbs, feed with a tomato liquid feed to build up the bulbs strength for next year.

Don’t be in too much of a hurry to cut the leaves off.

Lift and split daffodils to replant immediately. Try to avoid damaging the roots as much as you can.

Plant Gladioli corms and Dahlia tubers. Lift, divide and replant clumps of over crowded bulbs.

Plant main crop potatoes if you haven’t already done so.

Early varieties may need earthing up to exclude the light from the tubers. Cover shoots with fleece to protect from frost damage.

Sow runner beans, French dwarf beans, mange tout peas and garden peas.

Protect flowers on peaches, nectarines and apricots from frost. Use a soft brush to hand pollinate blooms and increase chances of a good crop.

Plant containers up with some herbs. Avoid planting mint with other herbs as it will take over given a chance.

Coriander, parsley, thyme, chives and tarragon are some of the most popular and look very decorative too.

Courtesy Cleeve Nursery

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MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 67

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Cameley House open for NGS

Cameley, Temple Cloud, Bristol BS39 5AJ

Open by arrangement between mid April and May for groups 10-30 (smaller groups considered) Adults: £5, children free flodden@btconnect.com • 01761 451111 More information at ngs.org.uk

FIONA and Jonathan Hayward are opening their garden at Cameley House for the National Garden Scheme for the first time this spring. They are inviting small groups to visit by appointment from Mid-April until the end of May. The three-acre garden, with Cam Brook running through it, has been a labour of love since they moved in eight years ago to be nearer family. They previously farmed in the Scottish borders.

You can expect to see magnolias, tulips and spring flowering shrubs and bulbs, as well as mature woodland. Next year they hope to open in February for snowdrops and hellebores.

Jonathan is the youngest son of the late Sir Jack Hayward, who brought the SS Great Britain back to Bristol from the Falklands.

He also owned Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club, which Jonathan and Fiona follow avidly – Jonathan is a former chairman.

Creating your perfect garden

TREE & PATHWAY SERVICES Family run business All your gardening needs From full garden transformation to trees and shrubbery trimmed or removed Please call for a free written quotation

Tel: 01278 588530 PAGE 68 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Mendip Times reduces travel costs 100,000 potential customers within a short distance of your business

OFTEN a garden is referred to as “a room outdoors”. This is a great place to start when you are planning a garden, as it makes you think about how you will use your garden, as well as how you would like it to look.

Eliza Gray is an experienced local garden designer and she says that the way you want to use your garden should be the starting point for designing a new layout: “You may want to use the garden for relaxing, pottering, watching wildlife, growing vegetables or cooking up a storm over a fire-pit. Through a consultation or a redesign, I can help you to make sure that your garden works for you, with a terrace that suits your style of entertaining, through to somewhere for you to dry your washing, and still including those beautiful, scented flowers that you love.”

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Gardening help

GARDENING

ESTABLISHED in the North Somerset area since 2004 Lee Prior and his team offer a bespoke garden maintenance service to suit your needs.

They are highly skilled and experienced gardeners who love working with clients to create their perfect garden. They have an established client base, having worked with many clients for over ten years.

Reliability, knowledge and resourcefulness are their key attributes but ultimately leaving a professional and tidy finish is their aim. They specialise in large country gardens and would be delighted to hear from you if you require assistance.

Bespoke garden maintenance and development. Qualified with RHS and fully insured. Established client base, working for many for over 10 years.

07834 109410 • 01392 496798 leeprior@hotmail.com • www.ldprior.com

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Serving breakfast, lunch & afternoon tea Delicious homemade meals.

Sunday Roasts, Outside catering, buffet lunches delivered, themed cuisine events.

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ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDS – SET IN 12 WONDERFUL ACRES – MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 69

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A healthy lawn

TRADITIONALLY spring is the time when our thoughts turn to the garden and our lawn in particular. But is your lawn looking as green, healthy and weed-free as it should?

If the lawn is lacklustre, perhaps with unsightly bare patches or clumps of weeds or moss, then the chances are your lawn needs some TLC. But if the idea of going to the DIY store buying preparations and spending precious time putting down feed and weed products on your lawn does not appeal, then help is at hand.

GreenThumb Somerset are lawn care experts who will keep your lawn looking healthy and green for less than it would cost you to do the job yourself.

GreenThumb’s value for money lawn treatments start at just £15 for a small garden and you can spread the cost over the year with direct debit.

They can also help your lawn stay greener during a hot summer and give your lawn the best chance of avoiding moss in the winter.

David and Claire Sargent have a team of eight fully trained and licensed lawn operatives who are supported in the office by office manager, Wendy, and office administrators Mary and Marnie with over 60 years of customer service experience between them.

Please do not hesitate to give them a call to discuss any aspect of their service. They look forward to hearing from you!

PAGE 70 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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GARDENING

Easter at Kilver Court

KILVER Court Designer Village in Shepton Mallet is holding an Easter weekend family extravaganza between Friday 30 March and Monday 2 April.

This year’s main An Easter treat for all the family at event will be a huge Kilver Court Designer Village Easter Egg Hunt which will see children challenged with finding nine giant decorated eggs hidden within Kilver Court’s 3.5-acre garden. Children who complete the hunt will be rewarded with chocolate treats.

The hunt will run in the garden between 10am – 4pm, from Friday 30 March to Sunday 1 April. Registration will take place in the Wiggly Shed garden shop – no booking is required. The cost is £2.50 per child which includes free garden entry for one accompanying adult.

Elsewhere in the village, there’ll be a site-wide sale with further discount across dozens of brands throughout the Easter Weekend.

Over at The Great House, there’ll be a whole host of Easter decorations, bonnets and chocolate eggs available to buy, as well as freshly-baked Easter treats including spelt hot cross buns. There will also be a site-wide sale throughout Easter weekend, with further discounts on dozens of brands including Jack Wills, TOAST and Garden Trading.

Push – 4-wheeled – Roller Collection – Mulch or Zero turn – whatever size lawn, we have a mower to suit your needs

Behind Shell Garage Winterstoke Road, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset BS23 2YS

Tel: 01934 626093/813261 www.westongarden.co.uk

MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 71

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S nowd rops spark le in Sh epton Mallet Photos by Mark Adler

OWNERS of private gardens with connections to Shepton Mallet’s Snowdrop King opened their gates to visitors as part of the town’s second Snowdrop Festival.

The festival celebrates the life and work of Victorian enthusiast James Allen, hailed as the leading authority on the plants and who developed scores of new varieties. One of the gardens is where Allen’s most famous hybrids – Merlin and Magnet – were identified.

Amongst the highlights of the three-day festival were a procession to his snowdrop-covered memorial in Shepton Mallet Cemetery and a talk by garden expert Naomi Slade.

The festival is spearheaded by Shepton Mallet Horticultural Society, which has overseen the planting of many thousands of snowdrop bulbs around the town.

Naomi Slade in the grounds of St Paul’s School where she gave her talk

Elijah, aged nine and from Glastonbury, dances to the Drystones who performed at the opening of the festival PAGE 72 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis was the guest of honour at the opening of the festival. He is pictured with Simon Edwards and Chrisi Edwards, two of the organisers and plantswoman Jackie Williams, from Triffids of Oakhill on her snowdrop stall

The procession enters the cemetery to pay tribute to James Allen

Sisters Iris and Violet Lippins, from Shepton Mallet, in the craft workshop

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Anna Olszewska outside her Anna’s Attic shop in Town Street – she won the award for the best snowdrop-themed window display Libby, from Shepton Mallet, with a print from a linocut

SNOWDROP FESTIVAL 2018

Ted Allen, of Evercreech, the 2018/19 president of the MidSomerset Agricultural Society and possibly a distant relative, was invited to lead the procession to James Allen’s memorial and plant a pot of snowdrops in tribute

Volunteers Roseanne, Karen and Lucy in the pop-up snowdrop café

Examples of Magnet and Merlin at Park House, one of James Allen’s former homes

Masie Wrigley, aged eight and Melody Oliver, aged five, won the fancy dress competition

Zena Pollard, one of the festival committee members

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Groups welcome

NAILSEA Charity Walks and Runs, which is organised by Rotary, Nailsea and Backwell, has a new addition this year. As well as walking or running one of the three routes at a time of your choice, you can now take part in one of two group walks.

Now in its seventh year, the event has raised over £100,000 for local charities and good causes since its inception.

The registration fee is £6 per person aged 18 or over and this helps to defray costs with any surplus donated to Rotary charities. It will be held on Sunday, June 10th.

Transatlantic fundraiser

Details: www.nailsearotary.org or contact Graham Hunt on 0797 077 1845 or at grahamjeanhunt@tiscali.co.uk

New cycle event

A NEW charity cycle event through stunning Somerset countryside is taking place for the first time on Sunday, June 17th in aid of Weston HospiceCare and Friends of St Mary’s Church, Wedmore Based in the Saxon village of Wedmore, this is a figure-of-eight route starting and ending at the

village playing fields.

The event offers a choice of three routes: the short and easiest route of 30 miles will take you south of Wedmore around the beautiful Somerset Levels, starting at 10am.

The medium and more challenging route of 40 miles heads north of Wedmore, up through the iconic Cheddar Gorge, across the spectacular Mendip Hills and round Blagdon Lake before venturing back over the Mendips to Wedmore, starting at 9am Or why not do both – the full route of 70 miles? First you ride the 40-mile route across the Mendips and round Blagdon Lake, then back to Wedmore for a quick refuel, before finishing with the easier 30-mile route round the Somerset Levels, returning to Wedmore for a well-earned rest, starting at 9am All routes start from Wedmore Playing Fields, Blackford Road, Wedmore, BS28 4BS. Details: https://tinyurl.com/wedmore4030

Hospital exhibition

FRUITS of the Imagination is the new exhibition on display in Yeovil Hospital’s outpatient department, with works of machine and hand embroidery by local textile artist and teacher Rebecca Bruton.

All the pictures in the exhibition are for sale, either as originals or prints, with a percentage of the sales being donated to Yeovil Hospital Charity.

The exhibition will run until midMay. PAGE 74 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Alan Carter with his family in Glastonbury and son Will and colleagues in the US on SKYPE during the fund raising event.

ALAN Carter from Glastonbury celebrated his 70th birthday in style by raising over £1,000 for Dorset and Somerset Air ambulance.

Alan organised a marathon row at the Train Station Gym in Glastonbury, together with his family, to join his son Will at a gym in Monroe, North Carolina, US, with the aim of bridging the gap of 3,888 miles and meeting in the middle.

By rowing and running in their respective gyms they managed to raise £1,327 for the charity.

Appeal on target

KEYNSHAM Mencap hosted their second dinner and auction at Saltford Golf Club, raising over £3,100 in aid of the society’s new building appeal.

The theme was “Family” and chair Lisa O’Brien gave a heartwarming speech saying: “We are all part of one family. We support each other and we celebrate the support we receive from our community.”

Treasurer, Russ Pocock, said fundraising for the new premises had been going well but they still have some way to go in raising £250k by the end of 2019.

Walk the line

YEO Valley Lions Club is again organising its popular Strawberry “Lion” 50:50 Sponsored Walk, which this year will take place on Sunday, May 20th.

This is an opportunity for individuals or groups to raise money for the organisation or charity of their choice whilst also helping Yeo Valley Lions raise funds to support Meningitis NOW. The sponsorship achieved by those taking part is split 50:50 with the Lions Club.

Three different length walks of five miles, 13 miles or, for the very energetic, 20 miles are available on the Strawberry Line, all starting from Yatton station.

The walk attracts participants of all ages including youth groups through to adult groups and individuals, some raising money to support their own organisation, others for their chosen charity. New participants are always welcome.

Details: www.yeovalleylions.org.uk

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Art for refugees

AN art sale in Frome has raised more than £1,900 for several charities working with refugees.

The weekend event was organised by RAISE – Refugee Action in Somerset East – and prices ranged from £5 to £5,000 with artists, from Frome and surrounding villages, taking only a small commission.

It was held at the Silk Mill Gallery and was organised by a team led by Lorna Thomas, who has worked as a volunteer in refugee camps in Calais.

Lorna said: 'We are overwhelmed by the response of artists, stall holders, musicians, cake makers and all those who came to the 'extraordinary exhibition' and thank them for their support in sharing their time and talent.”

CHARITIES

Frome Street Bandits drum up support for the sale – they also played in the venue

Robert Corbin, one of the organisers

The sale in the Silk Mill

Charity celebrates 25 years

SWALLOW, a local charity supporting teenagers and adults with learning disabilities, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

The celebrations began with its annual evaluation day and AGM where people helped by the charity, their parents and carers got together with staff, trustees and supporters to help the celebrations begin.

From small beginnings in the early 1990s where a handful of people got together to improve lives and choices for local people with learning disabilities, SWALLOW now helps over 120 teenagers and adults.

The charity provides a wide range of support, all developed in response to need, and helps individuals to live positive and independent lives in their communities.

Beverley Craney, chief executive said: “We are so proud of all that has been achieved by SWALLOW over the last 25 years.

We have many more exciting plans for the future, there are always challenges, but our members inspire us to dream big!”

Details: nickyt@swallowcharity.org 01761 414034 www.swallowcharity.org or www.facebook.com/SWALLOWCharity/ MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 75

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Musicians and lawyers help Heads Up

Nights at the theatre

Heads Up deputy manager Mandy Hobson receives the cheques from Merv Colenutt (left) and Bruce Scobie as Bridget Davey and Geoff Wills, from The Tracks Band, look on

A FUNDRAISING concert at the Strode Theatre in Street and a donation by a networking group of solicitors in the MidSomerset area have provided a boost to the Heads Up mental health charity in Wells.

Members of covers band The Tracks Band joined concert promoter Merv Colenutt and solicitor Bruce Scobie to present cheques to the organisation.

Heads Up is based at South Horrington. For details, visit: www.headsupsomerset.org

Bollywood comes to Pilton

A WEEKEND of Indian music, dancing and food will be held in Pilton at the end of April to raise funds for a women’s rights campaign.

Eternal Taal, a pioneering, allwomen Bhangra troupe from Birmingham, will lead a dance and percussion class on the afternoon of

IN 2004, Chris Cox arranged a minibus trip to an Italian concert at Wells Cathedral for the local Italian Twinning Association of which he is treasurer.

This was enjoyed so much he was asked about going to an Italian opera at Bristol Hippodrome, which he arranged.

Before he knew it, he was being asked to arrange trips to other Bristol Hippodrome shows and these grew in popularity. He has now run 222 trips and counting, with over 700 theatre goers on his database.

The “profits” from the trips are over £55,000 to date, mainly donated to The Somerset Red Cross, with other donations to The Alzheimer’s Society and the local Italian Twinning Association.

Chis, from Somerton, is group leader of Langport & District Red Cross, with a centre in Langport which opens every morning for companionship, refreshments and sale of bric-abrac.

Chris said: “Hopefully Charity Theatre Trips will keep going as I have a colleague who shadows the arrangements so that they could continue even if for some reason I was unable to continue with them.”

The new programme runs from April to March 2019. Coaches pick-up in Curry Rivel, Langport and Somerton; some then take the Keinton Mandeville/Shepton Mallet route; others take the Street/Wells route. This is decided based on the addresses of those booking.

Details: coxtheatretrips@btinternet.com www.theatretrips.webeden.co.uk or phone 01458 273085.

Saturday, April 28th followed by a concert in the evening. In between, a Bollywood-style buffet will be served.

On the evening of Friday, April 27th, there will be a special screening of a Bollywood film.

The fundraiser takes place at Pilton Working Men’s Club with proceeds

(Photo courtesy of Gareth Hannam)

Cake sale keeps Lisa’s Army marching on

Frome Medical Practice staff Kirsty Macdonald, Shelly Fyall, Francesca Andrews, Karen Cuss, Lisa Voyle, Ali Grey, Nikki Hanney and Emily Rolfe.

going to the White Ribbon Alliance UK, which campaigns for women’s rights to safe and dignified maternity care in the UK and across the world. ● Tickets for the entire weekend cost £20 for adults (12s and under free) and are available from the club.

Saturday only tickets £18.

STAFF at Frome Medical Practice raised more than £550 from a cake sale for Lisa’s Army – a campaign set up by a young mother who is terminally ill from cancer.

Lisa Wells, who is in her 30s and from Frome, has bowel and liver cancer; she was diagnosed with the disease just weeks after the birth of her second child. Lisa launched Lisa’s Army to provide a legacy for her children and for Dorothy House Hospice.

Dee Wells, Lisa’s mother, is a member of the practice team and colleagues decided they wanted to do something positive to help the family.

Francesca Andrews, one of the main organisers of the event at the practice, along with Kirsty Macdonald, said: “It was such a fun day and we are completely overwhelmed by how much we made and the support from staff and patients. Thank you to everyone who made cakes, donated and contributed to making it such a success.”

For details about Lisa’s Army, visit: www.lisasarmy.co.uk or find @lisaarmy_w on Twitter

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CHARITIES

Supporting young people

GRANTS are available for groups working with young people, but applications have to be made to Somerset Community Foundation by the deadline of Friday May 11th.

The grants from the #iwill Fund aim to encourage youth social action among young people aged between ten and 20 years, and up to 25 for disabled young people.

This can involve volunteering, fundraising and campaigning, aimed at developing the skills and knowledge of young people, boosting access to further education, higher education and employment.

The #iwill Fund is open for grant applications of £1,000 – £5,000. Projects can last up to one year or be one-off events, and repeat funding is a possibility for those who were awarded a grant last year.

Previous local groups who received

Ilminster Youth Theatre

funding include Ilminster Entertainment Society’s Youth Theatre, The Power Through Music project delivered by Actiontrack (Taunton), Wells City Football Club, Onion Collective (Watchet), 2BU (Taunton), Wincanton Youth Theatre and Berrow Junior Football Club.

The #iwill Fund, created with funding from the UK Government and the Big Lottery Fund, is part of the national #iwill campaign, coordinated by the charity Step Up To Serve, and aims to get six out of ten young people involved in social action by 2020.

It has been made possible thanks to a £40 million joint investment of National Lottery funding through the Big Lottery Fund and from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

Part of managing the #iwill Fund includes match funding, meaning Somerset Community Foundation need to raise an additional £30,000 to create a pot of £60,000 in total for grant making.

Details: 01749 344949 or email: info@somersetcf.org.uk or go to www.somersetcf.org.uk/iwill

Italian job

NICK Hennessy, the restaurant manager at The Woodford, on Chew Valley Lake, is doing a charity bike ride in May this year from Venice to Rome.

He will raise funds for breast cancer care and for the Raj K. Soni legacy fund. His wife, Liz, and his colleague Diane Franks’ daughter, Stephanie Wilkins, have both had treatment for breast cancer.

The legacy fund was set up by Nick’s friends, Raj and Sue Soni, of RS Wines, in memory of their son, Raj, who was killed in a cycling accident in Bristol. The fund supports youngsters to do sport and music.

Nick had a family holiday in Tuscany, full of good memories, just before his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and decided to return there for the ride. It will cover about 450 miles and he hopes to raise up to £4,000. He’s raised about half that so far.

Nick’s main sponsors are Arthur David and The Woodford.

Nick, with colleagues Diane Franks (left) and Jessica Cox

Details: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nickhennessy www.rajksoni.org.uk

Appeal reaches its target

SOMERSET Community Foundation has announced that its 2017/18 Surviving Winter campaign has reached its fundraising target of £100,000.

Since Surviving Winter first launched in Somerset in 2010, the appeal has raised an astounding £600,000 in total for the county.

One man’s idea to donate the equivalent of his Winter Fuel Payment to help others in greater need has since become a nationwide campaign with over £550,000 raised across the UK since October 2017 alone.

SCF’s community partners actively support people living in fuel poverty by visiting their homes and issuing Surviving Winter grants; thanks to the generosity of donors in Somerset this winter, the campaign has already helped close to 400 people in Somerset so far and more grants will continue to be issued well into the chilly springtime.

Cold weather is a prime cause of preventable deaths among older, isolated people in rural areas like Somerset. Age UK Somerset, one of SCF’s community partners, has a few tips that could save a life in the cold weather: if you have elderly neighbours, pop in to check they are OK; offer to get any shopping they might need; or even offer to take a hot meal to them.

If you are elderly, keep an eye on your thermometer and make sure your living room temperature is at 21°C and your bedroom is at 18°C; use a hot water bottle to keep warm, even during the daytime; and drink hot drinks regularly throughout the day and evening.

Details: contact either Community Council for Somerset on 01823 331222 or Age UK Somerset on 01823 345610 or visit: www.somersetcf.org.uk/winter

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Charity wins national award Lifeboat hero stands down Founder Eva Hamilton at the ceremony

THE Somerset-based charity, Key4Life, has won a national Centre for Social Justice award for its work in helping young offenders to reach their full potential through employment, education and skills.

The CSJ said the charity has established itself as one of the most successful organisations turning around the lives of some of the most prolific young offenders in the country.

Key4Life has honed its methods for mentoring, training and upskilling young offenders over five years and is now recording astonishing results. While nationally three in four young offenders re-offend two years post-release, among Key4Life participants, the figure is as low as 14 per cent.

One year post release, nearly two thirds (64 per cent) of participants are in employment compared to the national average of fewer than one in six (15 per cent).

Key4Life, based at Butleigh, near Glastonbury works within prisons and outside in communities and schools where deprivation is high. The mentoring provided aims to help the young person to understand and change their underlying attitudes, behaviours and aspirations, while also addressing their confidence, self-esteem and resilience.

Key4Life also organises work experience for ex-offenders or young people at risk of committing crime in local companies, which often result in the offer of long-term employment.

Key4Life’s success has resulted in their being approached by the Metropolitan Police and several London schools to replicate their success in the capital.

Andy Cook, chief executive of the Centre for Social Justice, said: “Key4Life succeeds because it treats the whole person – from mental health needs to supporting the young person emotionally and building aspirations to providing skills necessary to achieve employment.

“The charity understands many young people they treat have been caught up in gang life. Often they have experienced serious youth violence and suffered trauma.

“There are as many as 20,000 young people under 25 years old are in prison. It costs taxpayers £55,000 per year to imprison each young offender. It costs taxpayers £55,000 per year to imprison each young offender.

“It is in all our interests to get those numbers down. If Key4Life has unlocked the secret behind cutting reoffending, there is huge potential in rolling its model out nationwide and seeing those unacceptably high numbers fall.”

PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Richard Spindler at Weston RNLI station

RICHARD Spindler, the long-serving operations manager at Weston Knightstone RNLI lifeboat station, has stood down after 54 years’ service, during which time he saved many lives.

Richard is known to many at Weston as the heart of the local RNLI crew. He served on the crew of the lifeboats until he reached the age when he could no longer be boat crew.

He then took up the role of deputy launching authority and then lifeboat operations manager. Once again age has overtaken him but he will continue serving the RNLI and the local community as lifeboat boathouse manager.

He has a long history of bravery in the face of difficult conditions and has several bravery awards for saving lives. In particular he rescued three boys and a coastguard when they were trapped in a cave on Brean Down in a storm.

The lifeboat itself could not get in to the cave. Richard swam in three times and brought the survivors out one by one to the safety of the lifeboat.

He has received many awards for his service, including the RNLI Gold Badge, The No 10 Downing Street Pillar of Light and most of all the MBE for his services for saving lives at sea.

His place as head of the station is being taken by Michael Buckland Michael Buckland. Mike has been on the station for 19 years and has been a helmsman for over 14 years. As a senior member of the crew he has been involved in many rescues and helped to save many lives.

Mike said: “I am excited to have the privilege of leading our team forward and I hope there are exciting times to come in the near future with developing plans for the new station and launch capabilities.

“I'm delighted that although Richard is standing down as operations manager he is remaining part of the station team as our boathouse manager.”

Richard said: “It has been a huge privilege to serve on this station. I have known and worked with many great people and have had a very rewarding time serving alongside these heroes.

“I shall miss being involved in the operations but having my new role should be exciting as we build our new station, and I will still be working with the crew.”

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In memory of Colin

THE family of Colin Ian Balkwill are raising funds in his memory for the small charity, Myeloma UK. He was diagnosed with the cancer in 2014 and died on December 22nd last year.

He lived in Holcombe for 26 years before he and his wife, Elizabeth, moved to Wells in 2017. His family say he was an avid reader of Mendip Times and took it home to them, after reading it in the local pub.

In a tribute they said: “The Bell at Leigh upon Mendip was where he spent his hour of quiet chat with his many friends.

They asked him questions about astronomy, difficult mathematical questions, science, computers and the space station.

“He found a convivial pub, The Globe, in Wells and he was welcomed there. He drew people towards him – was known as the man with space station times on an app on his phone. He would be there, with a pint in a mug, with a handle, a quiet, kind and gentle man with a goatee beard, who loved cats, reading Mendip Times and a pint at a Mendip pub.”

Details: https://www.justgiving.com/colinbalkwill

Hospice donation

STUDENTS at Frome College have presented a cheque for £711.21 to Dorothy House Hospice, raised at a Christmasthemed “mufti” day and carol concert. Another group of students arranged for Christmas gift boxes to be sent to children. Steff Cox from the charity is pictured with college principal, Emma Reynolds and BTEC World of Work students.

CHARITIES

Mountain adventure is peak ambition

Emma (left) and Jill

FRIENDS and work colleagues Jill Cox and Emma Holcombe are busy fundraising ahead of a challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of charity.

The pair, who work at Mulberry in Chilcompton, are hoping to raise £8,200 for the Forever Friends Appeal at Bath’s Royal United Hospital and the

Coleford-based charity Times is Precious.

They will tackle Africa’s highest mountain at the end of August having completed the arduous Three Peaks Challenge two years ago.

Fundraising events ahead of their attempt include a 5k fun run and walk beginning and ending at the Centurion Hotel in Westfield on Friday, April 6th, a cake sale on Friday, April 20th in the atrium at the RUH and a music night at Frome Football Club on Saturday, May 19th with Niteshift.

Time is Precious is Mulberry’s charity of the year. Jill said: “Mulberry have been very supportive as a company and staff have helped us with Mufti days, book sales and sponsorship.” ● Donations can be made via: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/team/MulberryKilimanjaro

Celebration tea

SOMERSET Sight is about to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its volunteer visiting service, with a grand tea at Wells Town Hall on Wednesday May 2nd.

Formerly Somerset Association for the Blind, it was founded in 1919, in direct response to the needs of wounded soldiers returning from World War I. Somerset Sight is the only local independent charity offering low visual aids, lighting, magnifiers and technology to support over 3,500 blind and visually impaired people of all ages and their families in Somerset.

They provide support at the point of diagnosis and beyond – reaching out to people who need help in their own homes or the wider community so that they may lead fuller, healthier and more independent lives. Beneficiaries are supported by 12 staff members and more than 300 regular volunteers.

The charity’s aims are much the same now as they were 100 years ago, to provide immediate practical help and information, gadgets and gizmos, reduce isolation and promote wellbeing so that visually impaired people can remain independent and continue to do the things they enjoy.

The tea will be from 1pm-4pm with tickets £7.50 each.

Details: Holly 01823 366147 or email holly.sutton@somersetsight.org.uk

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Cheddar’s mysteries revealed

CHEDDAR Gorge has a human history dating back at least 14,000 years, before the last Ice Age, when we know that a group of horse hunters were With PHILIP killed and HENDY cannibalised by a tribe of deer hunters.

Cut and gnawed bones found in Gough’s Cave in 1986 provide incontrovertible proof that this happened, although the precise reason is unknown.

The human remains were mixed with contemporary deer bones, so hunger can probably be ruled out, although the carefully chipped skull cups suggest a ritual purpose.

Humans left Britain during the last Ice Age, but when conditions improved, we returned and stayed. Around 10,000 years ago the hunter known famously as Cheddar Man died and was buried in Gough’s Cave.

Found in 1903, the skeleton is Britain’s oldest most complete set of human bones – but what did he look like? The Cheddar Museum, which cleverly shows the skeleton transforming into a hunter dressed in skins, with his equipment, shows a white Caucasian male.

A later reconstruction shows him with a fuller face, but this interpretation also looks very European. DNA tests in Cheddar in 1997 proved that some local

(Photograph courtesy of Cheddar Gorge & Caves)

Hunter-gatherer

people, including Adrian Targett, a history teacher at the Kings of Wessex School, were distantly related to Cheddar Man. More recently, a bone sample taken from Cheddar Man provided us with his complete genome, from which an amazing amount of information could be deduced. Tests show that around 10percent of the British population carry some of the same DNA, which is hardly surprising as the post-Ice Age colonists would all have been fairly closely related.

Cheddar Man’s tribe was part of the Western European hunter-gatherer group, which lived in places as far apart as Spain, Germany and the north Mediterranean region. Even more incredibly, the DNA allowed scientists to determine Cheddar Man’s skin colour, his hair colour and type, and even his eye colour (which was, surprisingly, blue).

Based on a reconstruction of the skull made using a 3D printer, an accurate model of Cheddar Man’s head was made, and unveiled at the Natural History Museum in February. His black, slightly curly hair reaches to his shoulders and he has a wispy beard.

Modelled to represent Cheddar Man when he died in his early 20s, his blue eyes contrast with his dark skin. He has been given an enigmatic smile, as though he is amused by our earlier attempts to portray him. His dark skin shows that insufficient time had elapsed since the group came from Africa via the Middle East for the group to develop the paler skin which we Northern Europeans need for a variety of reasons.

Another Cheddar mystery which dates back to the 12th century refers to a lost cave in the Gorge. No first-hand account exists of this vast cave, with small streams running over the floor, and where no-one had reached the end.

Although several caves have been discovered in the Gorge over the years, none, not even Gough’s Cave, has come anywhere close to matching the ancient description. It fell to the late Dave Irwin, after much research, to conclude that the lost cave was in fact Wookey Hole.

The confusion arose due to secondparty accounts being written, the confusion compounded by people who had not visited the area, and a somewhat

CAVING

Cheddar Man

loose interpretation of Cheddar being near Wells.

A few years ago I was puzzled by a newspaper account in a cuttings book which I was given. The cuttings mainly related to Cheddar caves. In November 1935, the News Chronicle reported that excavations in Gough’s Cave, after the removal of 3,000 tons of rock and mud, had opened a large flooded passage.

The manager, T.B. Gill, expected that when drained, the passage could provide an alternative route to St. Paul’s Chamber – but where exactly was this passage? On the same day, the Daily Mirror published two photographs, both of which are very grainy due to the crude reproduction technique of the time.

One photograph shows a group of workman digging the passage with shovels and wheelbarrows, accompanied by a small dog. The other shows four men in suits and trilby hats crammed into a small boat. The passage in fact begins behind the exhibition of models at the foot of the Pixie Forest and it does indeed connect with St. Paul’s Chamber, via some small boulder chambers, emerging at the back of Aladdin’s Cave in St. Paul’s.

I believe that Gill was being rather optimistic, as even when drained, the passage is for the most part low and arduous, although a later discovery led to Makin’ Progress, from which cave divers are able to enter the subterranean River Axe. An alternative route was opened much later to St. Paul’s, via a tunnel blasted from above the Pixie Forest by Cornish miners in 1976.

The main Cheddar mystery being looked at by cavers today is to find the route of the River Axe from the swallet feeders at Charterhouse through to Gough’s Cave. The recent discovery of the Frozen Deep in Reservoir Hole has provided some answers, but there is a lot still to be discovered.

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 80 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

(Photograph courtesy of Channel 4 Plimsoll Productions)

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Animals shine at Game Fair

By Mark Adler

BIRDS of prey, working dogs and even a meerkat or two took centre stage at this year’s West of England Game Fair and the Royal Bath and West showground.

Visitors braved sleet and strong winds to enjoy the annual celebration of country life but the show on Sunday was cancelled.

Visitors throng the shopping mall and arena in the Edmund Rack Pavilion

An inquisitive meerkat in the wildlife display in the smallholders’ area

Alice Wood’s family have been showing Poll Dorset sheep at the Royal Bath and West Show for 51 years. She turns the fleeces from their Sherborne Flock into a range of products

Phoebe, from Oakhill, tries her hand at falconry with Snatch, a harris hawk PAGE 82 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

asha, an 11-week-old Pyrenean Mountain Dog with owner Joy Maidment, or Banwell

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EVENTS

A member of the Angersleigh Alpaca flock from the Somerset Levels Oliver learns some animal first aid from Emma on the Axe Valley Vets stand

Gundog training with Graham Watkins

Wool artist Sarah O’Connor at work one of the BASC stands

Chefs Richard Hunt and Rachel Green prepare for a demonstration in the Taste of Game cookery theatre

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The joy of pottering

THERE are few greater joys in life than pottering around, even if you forget what you’re pottering around for. Many of us wander upstairs only to forget why we did it, until we get back downstairs again.

Happiness is the journey, rather than the destination, so if you enjoy your stairs, the

By Dr PHIL depth of the pile underfoot, the pleasant HAMMOND use of your limbs and the amusing photo of your grandchildren strategically placed halfway up, does it really matter if you can’t remember why you’re at the top?

Home is like a gentle gym. Instead of pushing your pulse up to 200 in a sweaty puddle, you can enjoy the beauty of the world around you whilst pottering to the max. But does it make you live longer?

Researchers used monitors to track the activity levels of 1,181 British men aged 71 to 92 and followed them for an average of five years. After adjusting for confounding factors, they concluded that any amount of physical activity, at any intensity, increases your life expectancy, and the more you take the better.

Sustained bouts of at least 10 minutes pottering were best, before stopping to smell the roses or flick dog poo into a hedge.

The study wasn’t randomised, so it may be that habitual potterers are healthier in other ways (e.g. they might grow their own vegetables). And we know that some men cheat with activity monitors (by putting them on the dog or in the tumble dryer).

We also know that activity monitors can’t easily distinguish between standing (good for you) and sitting (the new smoking). However, it does seem the more sedentary you are, the more likely you are to die prematurely, and if you’re lucky that might be quietly in your chair in the corner rather than having a junior doctor jump up and down on your chest.

As for you potterers, you now have a great excuse to do it all day, and all of the night. Just don’t fall down the stairs.

Dr Phil Hammond is celebrating 70 years of the NHS is Frome on April 15th and the Redgrave Theatre Clifton on November 18th. www.drphilhammond.com PAGE 84 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Plop the Raindrop

I EXPECT you have lots of friends. It’s tricky for me because I never stay long enough anywhere to make any.

Just occasionally I bump into people I know while I’m zooming in clouds around the earth and I know a few of the raindrops in the swimming pool where my mum and dad live in Spain, but I can never guarantee getting there to see them.

So when I find a friend, it’s special. One day I was flying through a cloud, which gradually turned from white to black. Suddenly about 11 raindrops fell past me. Then I fell out.

About two minutes later, I came down to earth and landed on a leaf. Then in a very, very scared way the leaf asked me my name. “I’m called Plop, what’s yours?”

“My name is Fred. You have to get us out of here,” Fred exclaimed. “Why?” I asked. “Because I’m going to run out of energy if someone doesn’t get me on a tree.”

I had started to evaporate, so I held Fred firmly and guided us down to a tree, where Fred stuck himself to a branch. I’d thought leaves were always blown OFF trees, not ON to them. But perhaps this isn’t always the case.

I managed to shelter under Fred for a while and found we had quite a lot in common. He’d been floating around the countryside for a few weeks and had landed on the new stand at Ashton Gate to watch Bristol City play Sunderland.

“They were rubbish,” he said, “three nil up at half-time and it ended in a draw.” I said I preferred rugby to football because a rugby ball is nearly the same shape as me.

He said he’d seen quite a lot of the country, being blown around by winter winds. I said I’d seen most of the world, as well as going into outer space.

He said he thought I was talking rubbish.

I said I thought a talking, travelling leaf was a bit farfetched. But he showed me pictures on his iPad to prove where he had been.

It was quite interesting chatting to him and seeing who he shared the tree with: spiders, ants, birds, caterpillars, squirrels and climbing children.

“They’re the biggest nuisance, deliberately bouncing on the branches so that we fall off,” he said.

A couple of days later, that’s what happened. The branch was bouncing like a trampoline, when Fred got catapulted into the air and I got thrown into a huge cow pooh on the ground.

I just had time to wave and say how much I had enjoyed his company as he floated away over the Mendips. I wonder where he is now?

After holding my nose firmly for a couple of days, I was swallowed by a dung beetle and am now stuck in a dark hole underground.

Life is full of adventures.

Mendip Grandad

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Home wins praise

HEALTH & FAMILY

THE Burnham Nursing and Care Home in Burnham-onSea has been renamed Priory Court Care & Nursing Home.

The new name marks a new chapter for the Oxford Street care home which received an overall rating of Good in all areas following their recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

Home Manager, Raji Sunil, said: “We wanted to mark this new chapter for our care and nursing home with a new name. We’ve made many positive changes here; from a complete refurbishment of the top floor and communal areas, new staff and management team and now our overall Good CQC report. We felt that the time was right to announce a change of name.”

The name reflects the former use of the buildings as a convent. Priory Court Care and Nursing Home is home to up to 71 residents and offers nursing, residential and dementia care in a homely setting.

Foot Faerie Podiatry Practice Job Vacancy Part-time Receptionist/Clinical Assistant We are looking for a friendly and enthusiastic receptionist/clinical assistant to join the team at Foot Faerie Podiatry Practice.

• Rented self contained, en suite accommodation for the active elderly • A home cooked 3 course mid-day meal • 24 hour emergency cover • Lift to first floor & sitting room • Independent living within private community • Close to the centre of a thriving, picturesque village • Spacious landscaped gardens • Friendly, home from home • Activities and outings • Guest accommodation • Views of the Mendip Hills • Welcome to people of any faith or none • Charges are fully inclusive For news on current vacancies please contact the Resident Warden 01934 843746 • warden.sewell@btconnect.com Sewell House, Belmont Road Winscombe BS25 1LQ www.sewellhouse.org.uk

Sewell House is managed by Sidcot Friends Housing Society Ltd – a not-for-profit organisation

The successful applicant will: • Be caring and friendly • Have excellent communication skills • Be reliable, professional and friendly • Have IT and computer experience • Be able to work Saturdays • Cover for sickness and holidays • Have their own transport Ideally you would have a care, medical or nursing background.

All employees are required to undergo an Enhanced DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check and to undertake First Aid training, including CPR. The closing date for this post is 8th April 2018.

If you would like to apply for this position, please send your CV and covering letter to Sue Boothroyd at footfaerie@gmail.com.

Start date: ASAP

Foot Faerie Podiatry Practice, Rookery Farm, Roemead Road,Binegar, Somerset BA3 4UL 01749 372404 Web: www.footfaerie.co.uk • Email: footfaerie@gmail.com MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018 • PAGE 85

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There’s plenty that’s new at Feet1st4U NEW members of the team along with an expanded range of treatments using Décleor products are amongst the exciting developments at Feet1st4U Wellbeing and Fitness Centre.

Complemented by a ladies-only gym, the business is being run with 20 years of industry experience by qualified chiropodist and beauty therapist, Michelle Targett, at the central Midsomer Norton location.

Michelle’s team now includes new therapists Abby Roberts, Sammie Broughton, gym instructor Chelsea Parsons and receptionist Julie Hall. Michelle explained: “We are a friendly team who welcome all new customers and gym members with a Ladies gym, fitness classes and wellbeing

Now offering: Exercise classes and nutri&onal advice Chiropody clinic Full range of beauty treatments including: • Eyelash li • Eyelash extensions • Gel nail extensions • Spray tans Holis&c treatments including: • Reflexology • Hopi ear candling • Aromatherapy massage • Decléor prescrip&on facials We are a Decléor approved salon

6a/6b The Hollies, Midsomer Norton BA3 2DT Tel: 01761 412201 • www.feet1st4u.co.uk

Clare Hall Nursing Home is set in beautiful grounds in the village of Ston Easton, 12 miles from both Bristol and Bath.

Situated on the outskirts of the Mendip and overlooking the Somerset countryside, Clare Hall welcomes those wishing for both long- and short-term stay.

We provide privacy, comfort and individual space within our choices of single and double rooms, all decorated and furnished to a high standard, some with en-suite facilities.

There are large open lounges and bright conservatories with views of our lovely gardens and landscape, where family and friends are always welcome.

Clare Hall Nursing Home specialises in providing: ❋ Nursing care ❋ Respite/residential care

If you would like further information or to arrange a visit, please contact our Care Home on 01761 241626 or visit our website on www.clarehallnursinghome.co.uk

PAGE 86 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

HEALTH & FAMILY

Welcome! (l:r) Abby, Julie, Michelle and Sammie

free ten-minute consultation for all our therapies too.”

The ladies gym has undergone a total makeover, with brand new changing rooms. Exercise classes are now open to members and non-members too. Monthly memberships are available with no joining fee and with a free kind, attentive induction by Chelsea.

Bev from “Transform your Life” is also available for nutritional support and increased energy for gym members to help them achieve their goals.

Michelle will be taking part in a charity sky dive on Sunday, April 15th as part of the Go Blue team to raise money for local children’s cancer charities in memory of Writhlington School Student Lucia Robinson. Michelle added: “I’d like to thank all our customers who have already donated and supported the cause and further donations are welcome in the shop before the jump please.”

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Compton Dundon festival

THERE will be a flower festival in St Andrew’s Church, Compton Dundon from Saturday, May 26th-Monday, May 28th.

The theme this year is “Memories” which is challenging the flower ladies to come up with some spectacular displays. Viewing of the flowers is from 10am to 5.30pm, and refreshments are available, but there will also be plants, produce and cakes for sale.

It will be a weekend of fun activities as the main fund-raising event of St Andrew’s year. On Sunday at 6pm there will be a choral evensong by the vocal ensemble Intermedii, with a glass of bubbly afterwards.

Then on Monday there will be a barbecue and fete from 12noon to 3pm in the churchyard. The children need to take their teddies as there will be parachuting from the church tower.

If anyone would like to give a donation towards the festival in memory of a family member it would be much appreciated.

Details: Angie Castle 01458 272371.

Blazing a trail

BLAGDON'S first lantern parade was a great success, lighting up a winter’s day. Organised by Blagdon School PTA, it attracted around 100 people and raised £175 for the school.

One of the organisers, Nicky Orr, said: "This was an amazing magical evening for all the community and we hope to do one every year in the future."

Axbridge civic awards

Barry Hamblin, Jamie Harris and Katherine Sousa

AXBRIDGE has held its annual Civic Awards ceremony with the newly-introduced Young Person’s Award – showing just how much the town appreciates those volunteers working hard to make Axbridge such a lovely place to live.

Barry Hamblin was selected to receive an award this year for all the time, effort, enthusiasm and sheer hard work he has put into establishing and managing the Axbridge and Cheddar Valley Sea Cadets TS Goathland unit. He had also been actively involved in many other organisations which have been of benefit to the town.

Jamie Harris was selected as one of the recipients of the Young Person’s Award in recognition of his incredible sailing achievements, being Cadet World Champion in Argentina and receiving Somerset Young Sportsperson of the Year in 2017. This is in addition to his many other achievements – not least his outstanding academic results!

Katherine Sousa was also a very worthy recipient of the Young Person’s Award, due to her contribution to civic life, not only as the first Mayor’s Cadet in Axbridge, but also her recent appointment as Cadet to the Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset. Alongside these commitments, she plays an active and valued part of the Sea Cadet Unit and still finds time to be an Ambassador for Kings of Wessex School.

The awards were presented by Deputy Lieutenant of Somerset, Brigadier Tom Lang, at the civic service at St John the Baptist Church.

Cheddar Valley Voices choir who performed at the ceremony PAGE 88 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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Another serving of SOUP

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Rotary is a good bet

COMMUNITY

THE Rotary Club of Glastonbury and Street has hosted two fundraising events for local charities.

At the first, some 50 “punters” enjoyed a night at the races at the Piper’s Inn at Ashcott – the main recipient was Avalon School in Street’s hydrotherapy pool project.

That was followed by a charity concert held at the McMillan Theatre in Bridgwater with the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, Commando Training Centre. ● Rotarian Tim Smart, who organised the concert, has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship, the highest honour in Rotary International.

Martin Bowe of sponsors Probusiness of Wells

FOUR good causes will pitch for their share of hundreds of pounds in the latest Wells SOUP on Saturday, April 14th and all will come away with an award.

SOUP has helped 31 charities so far, four more will present this time and Somerset Area Cruse Bereavement Group will tell how they spent the £350 received at the January event.

The organisers are Wells Independents who want to thank the event’s sponsor Probusiness, as well as Waitrose, Burns the Bread, Sante Wines, Morrisons and Micky in Wells Market for the flowers. ● SOUP takes place from 1-2pm in the Connect Centre, Wells.

Tim Smart (right) is congratulated on his fellowship by Martyn

Dementia Friends for Shepton Mallet

Club president Martyn Steer with Captain Sam Hairsine RM, director of music of Her Majesty’s Royal Marine Band RMCTC Royal Marines

SHEPTON Mallet Dementia Action Alliance has held its first information session as part of a campaign to make the town a dementia-friendly community.

The session at St Cecilia’s nursing home was presented by Deborah and Peter, two of Shepton’s newly-trained dementia champions, who said: “It is great that Shepton has a Dementia Action Alliance and it was a privilege to help more people become Dementia Friends.

We look forward to running many more sessions and encourage Dementia Friends to be proud to wear their badge and help others by their actions.” ● Further sessions will be held in the near future. For details, visit the DAA’s Facebook page Shepton Dementia Action Alliance, email sheptonmalletdaa@btinternet.com or Front (l:r): Chris, Helen, Dervla, Tracy, and Liana. Back (l:r): Peter, Terry, Anne, Rachel, Deborah and Shirley call Peter Hillman on 07970 665036.

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Lead theft hits church restoration plans VILLAGERS in Leigh on Mendip are counting the cost after thieves stripped lead from the porch of their historic church just days after a restoration project began.

The theft is a massive blow for fundraisers the Friends of Leigh Church who fear they will have to foot the bill for the lead to be replaced. They were alerted by an alarm on the church but could not stop the thieves escaping, leaving some of the rolled-up lead behind. Some lead on the west end of the aisle roof was also damaged.

Extensive work had started to repair the Grade I listed Mendip church and scaffolding had been put up around the outside. It appears the thieves struck before it could be made secure.

Until the theft, at least £500,000 was needed by the PCC in the next five years and up to £750,000 over the next ten years to rescue the building and to take the opportunity to keep the church at the heart of the village, through the development of a range of much-needed additional community uses.

The Parochial Church Council of Leigh-on-Mendip with Downhead had been awarded National Lottery funding of up to £180,000 towards the cost of repairing the roof and developing local heritage at St Giles. The HLF grant will

David Mattick, a member of the parochial church council, with some of the lead abandoned by the thieves. It dates from 1788

go towards the costs of repairing the church roof and to high level stonework and leadwork. A separate grant will repair the clerestory windows.

Other grants have allowed the PCC to install a kitchen and meeting room to create a community hub.

Bid manager and chair of Friends of Leigh Church, Graham Harris, said: “We’re delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has given us this support for Stage II of our application and we offer them our sincere thanks. When Friends of Leigh Church was set up to aid the PCC in their efforts to save St Giles Church we came to the critical conclusion that a successful repair

programme needed to be underpinned by a strong approach to community involvement.

“We are delighted with the support that the community has shown this project; there is clearly a strong desire to maintain the church asset for future generations, both as a place of worship and a centre for the community as whole.”

The medieval church has been on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register since 2014 and is assessed as being in a poor condition and suffering slow decay. ● The friends’ next main fundraiser is an open gardens and heritage trail on Sunday, May 20th from 11am.

St Giles Church is on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk register

More tea, vicar? Priest-in-charge the Rev. Anthony Dickson at a coffee morning in the new community hub in the church before work began and the theft was discovered

Spring in the Spinney at Camerton

PREPARATIONS for a busy spring and summer at Camerton Community Hall are well underway.

Estate manager Ray Hutton has been working hard to complete various woodworking tasks whilst chairman Clive Turner and son-in-law Guy are continuing their quest to finish the wooded area known as The Spinney in time for the summer months.

The Camerton Winter Talks came to an end with a talk by Mike Horler about “Life with shire horses”. ● Camerton hosts its annual village Easter fun day on Saturday, March 31st.

PAGE 90 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Guy working on the paths in The Spinney

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Volunteers needed

PEASEDOWN Party in the Park, first held in the summer of 2009, is re-launching its volunteering initiative – with an added bonus called Be Part of It. Festival Secretary, Helen Thorn, said: “People volunteer because they want to contribute something to society in their free time.

“At Be Part of It, we also offer our volunteers a certificate, food vouchers on the day itself, and a reference (if required) for school, college, university or a new job.”

Party in the Park officially starts at 12 noon on Saturday June 9th on Beacon Field, with festivities on the field running until 7pm.

With 2,500 people expected, it relies on volunteers for its success.

Volunteers must be 18 or over or have parental permission.

World Book Day

COMMUNITY

LONGVERNAL Primary School in Midsomer Norton and Westfield Primary School, Radstock managed to defy the snowy weather to celebrate World Book Day, when many other schools were forced to close.

Details: www.peasedownpartyinthepark.org.uk or email volunteering@peasedownpartyinthepark.org.uk

Great entertainment and trips

A Probus club tour of Shepton Mallet prison

MEMBERS of Midsomer Norton Probus Club enjoy lively talks and events – and new members are welcome to join them.

February started with a talk on “Taking Better Photos” by Roy Ackrill, from Backwell; members are more confident about taking better photos after Roy’s illustrated talk. At the next meeting member Robert Gardiner wowed colleagues with his talk on his life in farming.

Robert started by telling the members he was born in 1938 at North Hill Farm, Tunley, which was built in 1845, and still lives in the house to this day. ● The club meets at the Centurion Hotel in Westfield on the second or fourth Tuesday in the month at 10am.

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Inner Wheel birthday

THE Inner Wheel Club of Clevedon recently celebrated its 70th birthday with a slap-up meal cooked and served by pupils at Clevedon Community School.

More than 90 people sat down for lunch before enjoying a cabaret by the school’s drama group. Guests were welcomed by (l to r) association president Liz Thomas, club president, Gill Scott and chairman of District 10 Pat Dazeley.

Knitters are the talk of the town

Guests and knitters at the party in Shepton Mallet

CHARITIES which are supported by Shepton Mallet’s fundraising Knit and Chat club were the guests at an afternoon tea party in the town’s Peter Street Rooms.

And there was a surprise in store for members of United Charities which run the alms houses in Shepton Mallet. They were expecting to receive a cheque for £1,250 as a result of the club’s efforts last year, but instead were presented with £1,500.

Charities to benefit in 2018 include Somerset and Wessex Eating Disorders Association, based in Shepton Mallet, and the oncology centre appeal at Bath’s Royal United Hospital.

Knit and Chat meets at the SWEDA offices and members will also be busy this year knitting poppies ahead of the town’s ambitious plans to mark Remembrance Day. ● SWEDA is the only specialist charity in the South West helping people with a variety of eating disorders. For details, visit: www.swedauk.org and find Knit and Chat on Facebook.

PAGE 92 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

Village sitting pretty after donation

Pete Harvard and Andrew Owst from The Village Hall Committee (left) receive the cheque from Fergus Crawford and Drew Forsyth from The 1982 Committee (right)

THE village hall committee in Compton Martin received a welcome addition to their bottom line – and their bottoms – with a donation from fellow village organisation, The 1982 Committee.

The 1982 committee raise money by holding harvest suppers every year and other fundraising events. They have donated £2,500, which both committees agreed should be used to buy 100 new chairs for the village hall.

Fergus Crawford, chair of The 1982 Committee, said: “Our committee exists for the sole purpose of doing good things for the village through fundraising.

“The village hall is such an important hub for Compton Martin, used for everything from pantomimes and Pilate’s classes, to weddings and bridge. The old chairs were getting a little tired. We knew a new set would benefit everyone in the village long into the future.”

Village hall committee member, Andrew Owst, said: “This is a wonderfully generous gesture from The 1982 Committee.

We’re a very close village and everyone likes to muck in and help each other. These new chairs are a real blessing!”

International Women’s Day

PEASEDOWN St John’s International Women's Day event was well supported. Organiser, Cllr Karen Walker, said: “It was encouraging and heart-warming to hear about the contributions that local women have made to our community. They certainly are our suffragettes of today!"

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COMMUNITY

Scout hall work begins – but Evercreech Guides need you!

WORK has begun to modernise and upgrade the 1st Castle Cary Scout Group hall thanks to a grant from Viridor Credits Environmental Company.

The £72,700 grant, awarded through the Landfill Communities Fund, will help pay for new toilet facilities, improved insulation and to correct subsidence.

Roy Higgins, from the scouts, said: “We are grateful to the Viridor Credits Board for this funding and thank Viridor Credits for giving us the opportunity to upgrade our halls and carry out the much-needed improvement works, ensuring that the future of scouting within the Castle Cary area continues in a safe and modern environment.”

A condition of the award was that the group raised more than £7,000. Roy added: “We have been working hard over the past months to raise the money to reach this third party contribution target and would also like to thank those organisations and individuals who very kindly supported us. Without their help we would not have raised the amount required and would have forfeited our grant.”

Meanwhile, new leaders are being sought to run the 1st Evercreech Guides. The unit was founded by Caroline Ripper in 2005 and, since then, more than 100 girls from the village and surrounding area have been members. ● The guides currently meet on Mondays at Evercreech

WI centenary

BARROW Gurney WI members have celebrated their centenary. It was in February 1918 that Mrs Henry Martin Gibbs, from Barrow Court, called a meeting of village ladies in a “Hut” near the school.

She was elected president and retained the post for ten years.

The old hut became difficult to maintain so in 1928 Mr and Mrs Henry Martin Gibbs provided a new hall which was then called WI Institute House.

Members at the 100th birthday supper were each presented with a bone china trinket box suitably inscribed. It was a very special evening with every member helping with the arrangements.

It had good food, excellent entertainment and the unveiling of a stunning new banner which was beautifully stitched by Karen Pople, Mary Patch, Gill Riddler, Mary Magro and initially by their sadly missed late president Elaine Davys who was the inspiration behind this banner.

The photo shows current president, Gill Fidkin on the left and member Ginny Gibbs, related to Mrs Gibbs, cutting the birthday cake, made and iced by Audrey Patch and Mary James and surrounded by photos of the first president.

A photograph of the first president hangs permanently in the village hall. It was indeed an evening to remember.

The scout hall in Castle Cary

school between 6.45pm and 8.15pm, but organisers say that could change if necessary if new volunteers can be found.

Support would be provided. For details, find the unit on Facebook.

Easter chicks

BLAGDON'S Weston Hospicecare support group went ahead with their spring fair despite the threat of snow. Among the spring-themed items on sale were baskets of knitted spring chicks, which had been the idea of staunch supporter Maureen Taviner, who passed away at the beginning of the year.

She was also a founder member of the group's knitting circle, who create knitted toys for all the group’s sales.

Knitting group member Joan Smith is pictured (left) with support group organiser Angela Smythe.

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Lions celebrate 50 years

ARRANGEMENTS are well in hand for the popular Claverham Beer Festival, organised by Yeo Valley Lions Club, to be held this year from Friday July 6th to Sunday July 8th at Claverham Village Hall The Lions Club celebrates 50 years of service this year so there will be a selection of beers and ciders all supplied from within 50 miles! There will of course also be food and entertainment at each session.

This will be the 16th year of this annual event which to date has raised over £85,000 for charitable causes.

This year the proceeds will help support Penny Brohn UK and Young Minds as well as local voluntary organisations and other local Lions projects.

Details: www.claverham-beerfestival.org.uk

Village clean-up

Staying active

THE charity, Spark, has teamed up with Health Connections Mendip to hold a free information event to help older people in Mendip to remain active, healthy and independent.

Older people and their friends and family are encouraged to go along to meet local services and voluntary and community groups and find out about more about the wide range of support that’s available in the community.

There will be practical advice and information on a variety of topics, from healthy eating and exercise, to getting online and managing finances.

Jenny Hartnoll from Health Connections Mendip said: “We would encourage everyone to come along to this event, whether old or young. The more we all know what support is out there, the more we can all support each other as a community.

“There will be lots of information stalls to visit, and you’ll also be able to find out how to get involved, for example, by becoming a community connector. Come along, get information, have some free food, make connections, or get involved!”

The event is also open to community groups and organisations who would like to meet other service providers in the area. It’s being held on Monday April, 16th, 10.30am2.30pm at the Cheese & Grain in Frome and free refreshments will be provided.

Details: Kerry Wills; 01935 475914 booking not required.

VOLUNTEERS turned out once again for the annual litter pick which the village of Compton Dando and surrounding villages carry out each year.

Around 20 people turned up, piling on to the tractors and trailers provided by Simon Kinnersley and Gary Pearce, to be dropped off at various points around the lanes.

Amongst the rubbish collected were fast food wrappers, cups, an old freezer, tyres, drain pipes, dog poo bags, nappies and several socks!

After the litter picking was completed everyone tucked in to a home-made soup lunch, provided by Harriette Dottridge, with thanks to Liz Stanbury for the use of her garage, which acted as café for the day.

This year's organiser, Sarah Wilson, gave a big thank you to B&NES for their help in providing pickers, hi-vis jackets and bags for rubbish. She also thanked people who continue collecting litter during the year on their walks around the villages.

Digging for history

Jacob and Daisy striking Roman coins with mother Katie

PAGE 94 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

MIDSOMER Norton’s Big Dig project has been launched with a registration event, giving people an introduction to the town’s history. The main event investigating the town’s medieval past is on July 21st.

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COMMUNITY

Dancing their socks off!

CHURCHILL Academy and Sixth Form presented its primary cluster schools event, Dance Their Socks Off, for the tenth year at Weston Playhouse. Children from ten schools joined in the adventure with Churchill Academy and sixth form students.

Over 400 children from Banwell, Blagdon, Burrington, Churchill, Hutton, Locking, Sandford, Congresbury, Winscombe and Wrington primary schools took part.

Months of hard work, choreographing, planning and rehearsals ensured that all were ready for their big night.

Pupils from Locking

Raise a glass (plastic-free) to village’s cider festival

UPTON Noble is gearing up for its third community Uptonogood Cider launch on Saturday, March 31st.

The evening celebration will be plastic-free and sees the unveiling of the village’s own cider, after 110 bags, or almost three tonnes of apples - the biggest haul yet - was gathered last autumn. Two thousand litres of juices were pressed producing around 3,900 bottles. ● The launch takes place at Upton Noble village hall with live music, DJs and food.

Tickets cost £5. For details visit: www.uptonoble.com

Pupils from some of the schools

Pupils from Wrington

Cheers – here’s to the village school!

Sally Davis and Zoe Coombs, of the Friends Association of Stanton Drew Primary School

THE Stanton Drew Primary School Friends Association raised £1,012.39 for the school with a cider and beer tasting evening in the village hall.

One of the organisers, Zoe Coombs, said: “We learned a lot about the tongue

and how our sense of smell and taste work together – while tasting five different ciders. The experience opened our eyes, and taste buds, to varieties we may not have tried or properly appreciated before.”

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Award winners

Page 97

HOMES in Sedgemoor are the proud winners of the Energy Efficiency Regional Landlord Awards 2018.

The organisation, which manages approximately 4200 homes on behalf of Sedgemoor District Council, has invested in projects such as installing solid wall insulation, mansard roof, cavity and loft insulation. They have also installed heat metering, efficient gas boilers, air source heat pumps and LED lighting. Chris Willmott, property investment manager, said: “This award is testament to the commitment of our colleagues and partners to improving our customers’ homes and health.”

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HOMES & INTERIORS

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I’ve been through the jungle (desert) on a horse with no name (America 1971)

COSTA Rica in the early morning. It’s hot.

It feels good to be out of the rain beating down on the hanging bridges and zip wires of our tour’s cloud forest adventure yesterday.

Now seven tourists gather in a shady corral waiting to go horseback riding.

With RACHEL Overhead scarlet macaws blaze through an THOMPSON unpolluted blue sky. There’s no engine MBE noise, instead cicadas hum and howler monkeys roar from nearby jungle. Our guide, Michael, helps me aboard a pretty, grey horse.

“What’s his name,” I ask? “He doesn’t have one”. Two New Yorkers christen their mounts Long John Silver and Freddie Flintstone. The horses all wear western saddles and bit-less double rope hackamores. Everyone pays attention to a swift riding lesson from Michael. We learn to neck rein for direction, kiss for upward transitions and lift our ropes to halt and back up.

Vultures circle above as we amble over sun-dried cow pastures and head into the jungle. Like many Costa Ricans (Ticos) Michael has a degree in ecology and is keen to enthuse us with his passion for biology and the adaptability of native trees, plants and animals. It reminds me of hunting with Field Master Roger Stratton “look at the primroses girls!”

I try not to think about the snakes, giant spiders and scorpions that might be hanging from the trees. Emerging onto the beach a squadron of pelicans fly low over the Pacific Ocean pounding the shore. “Costa Rican Airforce,” laughs Michael! We gather (unwisely) under coconut trees to admire the view and check for whales and dolphins.

Returning, we learn that the Costarricense De Paso registered horse breed is Central America’s hidden treasure. Rarely found elsewhere due to export conditions, the breed is unlike any other in the world. Ticos describe the breed characteristics as “magnificent, noble, gallant and majestic”.

Originally bred from Iberian Andalusian and Peruvian Paso lines this horse is a unique blend of Arabian, Berber and

Life’s a beach in Costa Rica

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On a horse with no name

English thoroughbred and is tough with breathtaking movement, confirmation and temperament. In a land with few roads, the Costa Rican Paso has been adapted through selective breeding into a superb working animal able to traverse mountain and jungle trails in fierce heat and adverse conditions and to survive on little sustenance. The best 4x4 by far!

Another equine adventure, this time to Rancho Tipico.

Pocoyo, an agile grey horse, carries me up a steep and rutted mountain path following farmer Don Juan who is leading sixyear-old Parisian, Evan. Evan has the biggest grin ever proving once again that a love of the horse transcends all barriers including language and age.

Tying the horses up in the shade we trek on foot through the jungle poking at piles of leaves looking for snakes and frogs.

Picking a spike from an evil-looking plant and uncovering a poison dart frog, Don Juan shows us how to make a poison dart.

This can disable your prey sufficiently long to catch and kill it (could be useful sometime).

Back on the horses we pass through high pastures, grazed by the serene Brahman cows, through a beautiful natural graveyard once the land of indigenous people, the Quepoas tribe, and finally pause again for a cool swim in a waterfall pool.

In the evening guests and iguanas gather around the hotel pool for a catch up. Two Americans discuss the horseback riding trip. “How was your horse,” one asks? “Oh, my goodness”, comes the reply, “he was totally awesome.”

Awesome indeed. I raise my bottle of Imperial beer in silent tribute to the fabulous Tico Paso horse and wish I could bring one home.

Pura Vida Costa Rica!

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April hangs up her reins

APRIL Wilson from Chew Stoke first rode a horse when she was two and has had a great career in mounted games, travelling all over Great Britain and Europe with her amazing ponies and being selected to ride for England.

Now, aged 24, she has decided to concentrate on a career and has given up competitive riding.

She started her love for games when she was six, joining Banwell Pony Club, one of the top teams, winning many competitions with them. She also qualified for Horse of the Year show three times, winning the Prince Philip cup in 2006 at the age of just 12.

Prince Phillip presented the trophy on the show’s 50th anniversary. She then rode for the England team in Belfast, winning the championships.

Her success continued with the

RIDING Mounted Games Association of Great Britain winning eight British titles including individuals, seven world titles (two individual and five pairs), as well as ten European team championship titles with the England team.

April has been a pleasure to watch over the years, very dedicated and precision perfect. Parents, Richard and Tracey, say they are very proud.

50% OFF VACCINE OFFER!!!

Last chance for new and existing clients!

Book and pay before 30th April to take advantage of this special offer. Applies to one vaccination per horse, administered anytime before 31st January 2019.

Stables Equine Practice, Conkerfield, Pennybatch Lane, Wookey, Wells BA5 1NH Tel: 01749 830666 • website: www.stablesequinepractice.co.uk

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Harriet in the frame

By Mark Adler

UP-and-coming jockey Harriet Tucker is heading for two national showdowns after winning a qualifying race in testing conditions at the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Point-to-Point meeting near Wincanton.

Harriet – riding the Rose Loxtontrained Monsieur Gibraltar – was first past the post in the Skinner’s Pet Food Ladies’ Open Race. The winning horse is owned by Ditcheat trainer Paul Nicholls, his neighbour Ian Fogg and John Gane, from nearby West Pennard.

Monsieur Gibraltar will contest the Timico Mixed Open Final at Cheltenham on Friday, May 4th, before the Skinner’s Ladies Open Point-to-Point final at Stratford-on-Avon in June.

At the Cheltenham Festival, Harriet won the Foxhunters Chase on the Nicholls-trained Pacha du Polder.

Two competitive pony races followed the six-race card with Roisin Leech riding All of My Dreams just getting up to beat Charlie Sprake riding Mr Marshall in the 148cms race and Freddie Gingell (grandson of trainer Colin Tizzard) aboard The Jobs Not Straight beating Veno Star ridden by Kelsie Bielby in the 138cms contest.

Trainer Colin Tizzard took time off from his Cheltenham Festival preparations to once again act as starter for the meeting but went on to win the Gold Cup with Native River.

Colin Tizzard in action

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Thumbs-up! Winning ladies race jockey Harriet Tucker with (l:r) trainer Rose Loxton and part-owners John Gane and Paul Nicholls…

… as Harriet and Monsieur Gibraltar head for home

Chloe Emsley and Victors Serenade were easy winners in the Wessex Area Novice Riders’ National

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Freddie Gingell and the Jobs Not Straight (right) on their way to victory in the second of the day’s pony races

Happy Mother’s Day: Jo Hepburn congratulates son Jamie who won the opening Longman Cheese Sales Hunt Race on It Has To Be

RIDING

Equine artist David Crocker presents one of his paintings from a previous fixture to young jockey Tyler Heard and dad Colin

Chris Derryman with Tyson, a terrier cross

Stallholder Zara York from Wells; last year Zara won an award for wearing the best vintage outfit at the Cheltenham Festival

The scene around the paddock

There was a large field for the Manor Farm Partnership Open Maiden Race, won by Toby Maguire ridden by Gus Levinson

Jockeys in the pony club races at the presentation ceremony

Fence stewards at their pre-race meeting

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Wedmore Arts Festival

WEDMORE Arts Festival will get off to a superb start on May 11th, with the headline act the wonderful Glastonbury Male Voice Choir.

The festival is also delighted to welcome as a guest performer a young violinist with star quality, Poppy McGhee, from Wookey. She is only 13 but her talent has already been widely recognised and she has won several “young musician” awards both in Somerset and further afield.

She will play two solo slots during the concert – definitely an evening not to be missed, especially as proceeds will be shared with Avalon Camps, a very worthy local cause.

Another new act for the festival is the talented Liz Grand playing Anne Hathaway in the critically acclaimed onewoman show Second Best Bed. There are plenty more dramatic revelations during the festival with a range of fascinating speakers including Andrew Wright, the award-winning choreographer and stage director; Hilary Boyd, best-selling novelist and creator of the popular “gran-lit” genre; Don Boyd the well-known film director; Brigadier Bruce Jackman OBE MC, who served for 31 years with the 2nd Gurkha Rifles; and Michael Eavis who will talk about Farming and Festivals.

There will also be an insight into wildlife with Simon King, and an evening of laughter with comedian Jeremy Hardy.

If you prefer music, there’s the iconic Richard Lennox, organist Jeremy Coles, and the extremely talented young musicians who make up the Wells Cathedral School Brass Ensemble. With the sensational jazz singer Clare Teal with her trio rounding off the festival on Saturday May 19th.

During the week Heath House Art Group will be exhibiting a spectrum of their creative talent in the Barn at Lerburne House, with free admission.

The full festival programme will be available shortly, with tickets on sale from March 31st.

Clare Teal

29.

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A showcase for young musicians Oli and Lauren

I CAN’T remember a time when there wasn’t music in my life in one way or another. I have been lucky enough to have grown up around people who enjoy music as much as me and I have had opportunities to develop my interests and play with some amazing musicians.

But that’s not always the case. Growing up in rural Britain brings a host of challenges for young people. There is generally less of everything; transport is a big issue, with rural services cutting well short of our city dwellers. It’s also ridiculously expensive for most young people.

Socially, young people have less opportunities to network locally with most music venues less willing to host an event of alternative live music, favouring mainstream music nights for guaranteed ticket sales.

So where does this leave our budding young rural musicians? It can be a daunting process getting a gig wherever you live, but more so if you have lived your life surrounded by more animals than people.

The music industry and social media have a large voice about what we have to be to “qualify” as a musician, making it harder to breach the pub gates to suggest you might entertain their locals.

And so, five years ago, Somerset Rural Youth Project set up Rural Music Network, a programme for young musicians to showcase their music across the region. We set up gigs and we support acts with transport, equipment, recording and marketing.

They develop their skills as musicians as they perform more and more and build a network of musicians and venues. I can’t describe to you how amazing it is to see a bedroom-bound musician, getting up on stage and performing an epic set to a receptive audience. It empowers and motivates them to pursue something they love, and builds bridges for a life-long occupation.

We are planning a Somerset tour this spring, with some talented local acts, so look out for our venues and dates on our Facebook page; Rural Music Network.

Indigo Craig Details: If you are a musician or you know someone who could benefit from getting involved email indigocraig@sryp.org.uk

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MUSIC & THEATRE

Inspired by Inja

A GROUP of students who struggle in mainstream schools took to the microphone to read out poems and even rap in front of an audience.

They were inspired by poet and rapper Inja, who spent two days working alongside pupils from Fosse Way School in Westfield and the Mendip School at Evercreech.

Funded by the education arm of the Wells Festival of Literature, Inja brought his Page to Performance project to the schools, which cater for children with autistic spectrum disorders and speech, language and communication needs.

Sue Rye, from the education team, said: “The aim of these two days is to give them the confidence to experiment with language, to express themselves freely and – if possible – to perform in front of others.”

Inja is just the latest professional artist to work with the festival’s schools project.

Tony Walsh spent time at Chewton Mendip School and poet AF (Ashley) Harrold was due to visit Hemington primary school,

Inja with (left) Sue Rye and Hilary Cain from the festival’s education team

near Frome, and St Joseph and St Teresa’s school in Wells as Mendip Times went to press. The poet has been spearheading a poetry project to raise money for a literacy initiative in Africa.

In 2017 the Festival donated some

£20,000 to educational projects in the local area. ● This year’s Wells Festival of Literature will have a new base – Cedars Hall. The festival will run from Friday, October 19th until Saturday, October 27th.

Conor was inspired to perform his own rap song

John reads his own words aloud to the audience

Being interviewed by students

Students from both schools took part in the showcase event

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

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Riding high

MARK Youth Theatre presented High School Musical Jnr, based on a Disney Channel movie written by Peter Barsocchini, at the Strode Theatre, Street, the first year the young people had performed at this venue.

The youth theatre is made up of talented young people who are aged between nine and 16 years, who attend the local schools and colleges. The show was directed by Clare Banwell and Laura Jones.

Poets’ corner

A GROUP of poetry lovers are causing quite a stir in the local area. The Barn Poets has only been established since last May but the monthly poetry café is attracting a considerable audience.

Founding member, Shannon Turner, said: “I’m amazed at how rapidly we have gone from being a small get-together to a substantial group. At our last meet I counted 17; previous meets we’ve had 20, so we are really beginning to be a group to reckon with. It’s powerful stuff, poetry.”

Publicity Officer, Ginny Edwards, said: “We’re not highbrow at all – in fact we seem to specialise in humorous verse! The audience comes with a variety of intentions – to simply listen, to recite published poets, or take part in the open mic.”

The Barn Poets meet every third Tuesday of the month 78pm at the Book Barn café, Hallatrow, BS39 6EX. Young people from 12 years are welcome. The café is open from 6.30pm for coffee and snacks but closes at 7pm for the readings.

Russian singers The main characters

Details: markyouththeatre.org.uk

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THE concert series in Martock Church, the second largest parish church in Somerset, attracts audiences from all around Somerset and North Dorset.

Ewan Hewitt has put on 118 concerts since 2002, attracting over 17,000 people and raising £68,000 for the charity, The Guardians of Martock Church.

The next concert on Thursday, April 26th will feature the LYRA Singers from St Petersburg with a programme of Russian Orthodox Church chants and folk songs. Tickets are £9 or £10 on door.

Details: 01935 822706

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Stowey concert and supper

MALCOLM Archer, one of the world’s leading church musicians, will be giving an organ recital in Stowey Church on Saturday, April 14th at 7pm, followed by an optional two-course supper at Manor Farm, Stowey.

He has enjoyed a distinguished career in cathedral music, which has taken him to posts at Norwich, Bristol and Wells Cathedrals and then to St. Paul’s Cathedral in London as director of music.

He is now director of chapel music at Winchester College, where he is responsible for the college’s ancient choral foundation, conducting the chapel choir and teaching the organ.

Church warden Jill Nicol says she’s delighted that Malcolm has agreed to give a recital in the church and hopes many people will want to hear him play.

She said this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and she fully expects Malcolm to put the sweet, small Bryceson organ, restored in 2010 by Roger Taylor, organ builder of Burrington, through its paces!

This is a fund-raising evening for Stowey Church. Tickets cost £15 or £10, depending on seat location. Supper tickets cost an additional £10.

Bristol and District Organists’ Association have agreed to video the performance, which will then be projected onto a screen at the front of the church - the organ is at the back - so that people will be able to see Malcolm playing.

Details: Sue Skinner 07740 626 696 or by email neilsue.skinner@btinternet.com

Noah’s a winner

LOCAL family entertainer, Noah Kelly, who lives with his family in Compton Bishop, near Axbridge, has been named UK Family Entertainer of 2018 in a national competition at Blackpool Winter Gardens.

Nutty Noah, as he is called, said: “It’s been an amazing experience to take part in and I’m honoured that people in my own industry think I’m good enough to be the winner.”

He said it’s all because of the experience he’s gained from putting on shows locally, particularly in Pensford and Chew Stoke. He won the regional heat of the competition at Brean before going on to the national final in Blackpool.

MUSIC & THEATRE

Kate Eastment in Yatton

YATTON Music Society are presenting a concert by the brilliant Sandford based soprano Kate Eastment who will be accompanied by the esteemed organist Jonathan Price.

Kate performs as a soloist throughout the region appearing with opera and choral societies and as a choral singer she has been privileged to sing in many beautiful cathedrals.

Jonathan is a graduate of Durham University and became a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists in 1986, having won three prizes for the highest marks in performance at the Associateship examinations. He is the current organist and director of music at Christ Church, Bristol.

The concert starts at 7.30pm at St Mary’s Church, Yatton, tickets £8 members, £10 non-members, including refreshments.

Details: www.yms.org.uk or contact David Ford 01934 830255 or e-mail david.ford@yms.org.uk

Choral society’s Keynsham date

THE generous acoustic and spacious architecture of St. John’s Church, Keynsham, is the setting for Chew Valley Choral Society’s spring concert of glorious celebratory music originally performed at the coronations of four monarchs, two British and two Austrian.

Under its director, the composer David Bednall, Chew Valley Choral Society has established a reputation in the valley for excellent performances of the masterpieces of the classical choral repertoire.

In “Coronations” they offer a programme of music by Handel, Mozart, and Parry that is sumptuous, triumphal and joyous, enriched by four outstanding vocal soloists, soprano Naomi Macleod-Jones, contralto Lucy Balderson, tenor Iain MacleodJones and bass Edmund Danon.

The concert is on Saturday April 28th at St John’s Church, High Street, Keynsham, tickets £12, students and children £6.

Details: the parish office 0117 986 3354 or 01275 333014.

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A tour along The Colliers Way

CYCLING with EDMUND LODITE

THE Colliers Way is a picturesque 18-mile cycle-path linking Dundas Aqueduct near Bath to Frome via Radstock. It gets its name from the route of the old Somersetshire coal canal and the railway

that superseded it.

The well-signed route (number 24) makes use of disused railway lines and quiet country lanes, passing through the heart of the old Somerset coal field. There is an opportunity to discover more about the long and fascinating history of mining and life in the North Somerset coalfields at Radstock museum.

The southern part of the cycle-path from Radstock follows the route of the old railway line and is traffic free. The apple cores once discarded by travellers through train windows have now self-seeded and together with more recent planting has created an orchard alongside this part of the route.

This has been the inspiration for a series of signs set into boulders, along the way, featuring the names of old varieties of apples and pears.

This very scenic and relaxing section has access points along the path to neighbouring villages. Kilmersdon is the home of the original Jack and Jill – you can still see the medieval well made famous by the nursery rhyme!

The short section from Great Elm to Frome is on a quiet lane but there is a fairly steep section to contend with.

The longer northern part of the cyclepath leaves Radstock on a traffic-free path and then uses quiet lanes to reach Wellow.

This section is more undulating with a steeper uphill and downhill section near Shoscombe, but the reward comes from the views. Leaving Wellow, you pass under a viaduct and enter the Trekking centre and Riders Rest tea rooms to join a traffic-free section.

I missed it and the daunting view of Hinton Hill came in sight. Climbing up the hill I looked at the gradient readings on my Garmin and started to realise this must be wrong but then thought . . . never give up on a good hill. At the top I worked out the mistake and a fast descent took me back to the viaduct.

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section along quiet lanes to reach the pleasant village of Monkton Combe. From there it’s a short ride to the scenic Dundas Aqueduct and the end of the Colliers Way. It’s only a few more miles to get into the centre of Bath. There is a choice of going east on the towpath via Bathampton or cycling back to Midford and join the atmospheric Two Tunnels Greenway. Free

route maps are available at the visitor centre and café.

The Colliers Way is a great way to explore some of our industrial heritage or to simply enjoy a good bike ride. And if you ever want to cycle into Bath, the Colliers Way is about as pleasant as you can get especially if you want to avoid traffic.

Junior tour of Mendip

THE Junior Tour of the Mendips cycle race takes place over the weekend of April 7th and 8th. Organised by Bristol Cycling Development Squad this prestigious three-stage event attracts the best young riders from across the country.

The first day starts with a short time trial by Chew Valley Lake between Chew Stoke and West Harptree. In the afternoon, the second stage is a fast 65-mile race on top of the Mendips near Priddy.

On the second day riders will compete in the 50-mile final stage. This includes three tough climbs; Burrington Combe, Rhodyate Hill at Blagdon and will finish on Harptree Hill.

There is something in this event for time-trial specialists, sprinters and hill climbers, but the winner will also need to contribute in a group. It promises to be an exciting two days of high quality cycling!

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Maria’s Boccia bronze

A RESIDENT at disability charity Leonard Cheshire’s Greenhill House, in Timsbury, Maria Francis, bowled her way to glory, with a bronze medal in the Heathcoat Cup, Boccia England’s Individual Pathway competition.

Boccia is a paralympic sport Bronze medal winner Maria Francis similar to boules and is designed for athletes with physical disabilities.

Residents at Greenhill House have been playing Boccia since 2009.

Maria travelled to the competition at the K2 Sports Centre in Crawley. The event was held over two days with the medallists announced at the end. This is Maria’s second time winning a medal at the event.

She said: “When they called my name I was quite shocked I won a medal again! I enjoyed being with all the people there.

We all shook hands after we played.

“I enjoyed most of all doing the competition and playing Boccia. Boccia gets me out of the home and talking to other people with the same interests as me. Winning a medal is special, I feel very proud of it.”

Ann Birtwistle, volunteer co-ordinator and chair of the Greenhill House Boccia Club, said: “Well done Maria, everyone at Greenhill House is very proud of you. Thank you to Mike Knight the team’s volunteer coach and referee. He continues to selflessly support the team by giving up his time to help.

“It just shows how far players have improved their skills through lots of hard work and practice. It boosts your confidence and self-esteem hugely when you win. I think Maria would agree with me!”

Details: Ann Birtwistle 01761 479902 or ann.birtwistle@leonardcheshire.org

New look for Shipham

SHIPHAM AFC have unveiled new kit sponsorship for their veterans’ team from local cider makers Darren and Heather Wilcox.

Shipham AFC re-formed just over a decade ago and now run three teams; a first team in the third division of the Weston and District league, a veterans’ (over 35s) team and, new this season, an U18 side. They are always on the look-out for new players at any of those levels.

A genuine team effort

BOWLS players from Frome, Radstock, Midsomer Norton and Paulton get together towards the end of the outdoor bowling season each year to raise money for (l:r) Kim Pitts (Frome Park), Eric Obern good causes by (charity committee), Jim Dowling (Blue taking part in a House), David James (Frome Selwood) and floodlit charity Sister Anna Hale (Frome Community competition.

Hospital) Members from both Frome Selwood and Frome Park bowling clubs combined to represent Frome in this long-running competition. This year it was the turn of charities in Frome to benefit from the event.

At a recent presentation at The Blue House in Frome members from both clubs gathered to see Frome Selwood captain David James present cheques for £750 each to representatives from The Blue House and Frome Community Hospital.

Speedway team reaches for the sky SOMERSET Rebels speedway has named Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance as their new charity partner.

The Rebels compete in the SGB Premiership, British speedway's top division, and race from March to October at the Oak Tree Arena near Highbridge.

Rebels promoter Debbie Hancock said: “We share the same year of inception with DSAA and I have always been impressed with the valued operation they

SPORT

provide within the emergency service.

“There have been occasions where our sport has required such a service and so I am delighted to be able to offer them the support of the Rebels. During the season we will be pleased to hold collections to help with their funding and I am sure that our loyal band of supporters will do what they can to support the charity.”

The service’s operational costs are more than £2.5 million per year and the

approximate cost per mission is £3,000.

Lara Battersby, DSAA communications assistant added: “We are delighted to have been selected as Somerset Speedway’s charity partner for 2018. We receive no direct funding from the Government or the National Lottery, so we are grateful that Somerset Speedway and the Rebels will be supporting us throughout the year.”

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Swimmers inspired

WELLS Swimming Club invited a very special guest to their 2018 presentation evening, top Paralympian Stephanie Millward.

But before she appeared it was time to celebrate those who competed in the club championships, with head coach Eli Meyers and team captains Roberta Bland and Katie Chambers handing out the medals to the winning juniors and masters and presenting the sought-after trophies to this year’s club champions.

Stephanie explained how at junior level she had worked hard to become one of the top swimmers in the country making the junior Olympic team and was on her way to the Year 2000 Olympics when disaster struck.

She became blind and was diagnosed with MS but she managed to turn disaster into triumph and is now a top Paralympian athlete. Amongst many achievements, she won two gold, three silver and a bronze in individual competitions and two gold medals in relay events in the Rio Olympics.

She told the Wells swimmers to work hard, never give up and follow their dreams no matter what obstacles got in the way.

After her inspirational speech Stephanie presented the club’s

The club presentation evening

Declan Truan-Thatcher with his county championships medals

PAGE 112 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

County championships medley team

main awards and also gave out a personally autographed card to each club member. She took time to speak to individual swimmers about their progress and aspirations and let everyone handle one of her Olympic gold medals and the Olympic torch which she carried for the 2012 games.

Among the award winners were: most improved girl, Ailsa Richardson; best girl, Emma Healey; most improved boy, Seth Allom; best boy, Cameron Taylor; volunteer plate Linda and Neil Chambers; and swimmer of the year, Declan Truan-Thatcher.

Stephanie Millward’s speech clearly inspired the swimmers present as at the 2018 Somerset County Championships, held in the 50m pool at Millfield, Wells Swimming Club had a record number of swimmers qualify to compete in a record number of events.

Wells Swimming Club is a friendly, enthusiastic club and if you are an adult or child who would like to swim for fun, general fitness or competitively or would like to help with coaching, training or running the club then look at their website or Facebook page.

Asta Maddox 50 fly Somerset champion 2018 with her gold medal

Details: www.wellsswimmingclub.com

Cameron Taylor with his silver medal

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Marathon man

Netball tournament

SPORT

CHILDREN at Leigh-on-Mendip Primary School got some extra sports coaching when Frome international runner Jim Plunkett Cole dropped in to see them.

Radio tennis

MEMBERS of Pensford Tennis Club found themselves on BBC Radio Bristol after the station’s programme Clueless with Richard Lewis visited them.

Club captain, Sue Grimes, said: “The clue ’Chewing up in 1968’ helped the team to find us. This referred to the great storm in 1968 when the River Chew devastated Pensford and destroyed its main road bridge.”

She’s pictured with Ann Kibby, Alison Patey, Elaine Davidson, radio presenter Richard Lewis, the club coach Dan Church, and club member Sally Whitemore.

Golf open day

MENDIP Golf Club is holding an open day on Monday, May 7th, 10am-4pm and extends a warm invitation to all beginners, intermediate and experienced golfers of any age to see their beautiful course, clubhouse facilities and professional shop with a simulator studio.

Mendip is a downland course with extensive views over seven counties and is one of Somerset’s finest. With free-draining slopes it provides great conditions all the year round.

There will be a free coaching session with a PGA teaching professional for adults and juniors. All equipment will be provided. A special membership opportunity will be available on the day plus the opportunity to win a two-month trial membership.

The club is situated off the A37 at Gurney Slade, four miles north of Shepton Mallet.

FROME’S Oakfield Academy Year 8 took part in a netball tournament at Fairlands School in Cheddar together with a team from Selwood Academy. They were up against rain and strong winds but pulled together and put in a strong performance.

The girls won three matches, drew one and lost one, scoring 25 goals in total. The only team they lost against were the overall winners from Wells Blue School.

BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 7 MAY 10AM – 4PM ● A warm welcome is extended to all beginners and existing golfers of any age to come and sample the course and facilities at this friendly Members Club situated between Gurney Slade and Shepton Mallet off the A37 ● No entry charge ● Free session with a Qualified PGA Professional ● Junior Coaching ● See our course with unrivalled views extending over 7 counties ● Sample our excellent clubhouse catering and friendly bar

★ SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP OFFER ON THE DAY ★

Details: www.mendipgolfclub.com

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Swimmer claims British title

A SWIMMER from Street has claimed the title of Men’s Senior 200m Backstroke Champion at the 2018 British Swimming Championships in Edinburgh.

Brodie Williams, aged 18, finished second to Christain Diener, from Germany, but was the first British swimmer to finish – with a time of 2:00.29.

Brodie is sponsored by the Somerset sports charity TS5C and said: “I’m pretty Brodie Williams is a backstroke champion happy to get that. Obviously, it was a was presented with the “Outstanding hard race but I’m happy to come away Achievement” award in the TS5C with the title.”

TS5C chairman Alan Gloak said: “This Sportsperson of the Year Awards. is excellent news for Brodie and bodes Alan added: “Brodie’s great well for his future. We’re keeping an eye performance in Edinburgh vindicates the on the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.” need for small self-funded charities such The charity has provided grants to as ourselves.

“With all the costs involved in training Brodie for four years and watched him go from strength to strength. Last year he and competing, it is crucial to provide

financial support at the grass roots level, to help these young sporting talents on their way up.” ● Unlike similar organisations in the country, TS5C is not funded directly by government or the local authority but instead relies completely on the generosity of local businesses and individuals.

For details, email info@ts5c.org or visit www.ts5c.org

Wild about football

FROME Town Youth Football Club has been selected to work in partnership with the Somerset FA to deliver an SSE Wildcats Football Centre in the town as part of a national initiative to inspire girls aged between five and 11 years old to get involved in the sport.

The centres offer girls regular opportunities to play football and take part in organised sessions in a fun and engaging environment. Two hundred centres were established across England in 2017 and a further 800 are in place for 2018.

The sessions take place on a weekly basis, either after school or at weekends, subject to each local organiser. Each centre is run in conjunction with local county FAs utilising qualified coaches and local facilities to offer girls a location nearby PAGE 114 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

The Wildcats scheme is aimed at girls aged between five and 11 years old

where they can get involved.

Frome club secretary, Sarah Davis, said: “Girls have been having fun and making friends whilst playing football with our club since 2011. We hope our experience delivering girls’ football for the past seven, years combined with Somerset FA’s support and funding, will encourage even more girls to give football a go.” ● An official launch and free drop-in training session will take place on Sunday, April 8th between 10.30am and midday on the astroturf at Frome Leisure Centre. To register a child, email wildcats@frometownyouthfc.co.uk with the following information: child’s full name, date of birth, parent contact telephone number and parent email address.

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All welcome at Wells Tennis Club Open Day

Everyone for tennis? Young and old are welcome at Wells Tennis Club’s open day

WELLS Tennis Club is offering the chance for people to give the game a try at their open day on Saturday, April 21st.

All five courts and two mini courts will be packed with free tennis-related activities from 9.30am until 2pm. As well as a chance to try tennis with award-winning coach Kevin Durney, refreshments and discounted memberships will be on offer. Visitors don’t need a racquet – just some enthusiasm to give tennis a go.

The club now has more than 200 members who enjoy regular social games, competitions and discounted coaching at its site next to the football club on Rowden’s Road.

Kevin, Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership Coach of the Year for 2017, said: “Tennis is a great way to improve your health and social life at the same time. I see new players gain improved stamina, agility and strength as well as developing tactical skills.

“I’m looking forward to meeting beginners, rusty returners to the game and those who want competition at our open day.”

The timetable for coaching on the day is: • 9.30-10.30am: mini red (aged eight and younger) • 10.30-11.30am: mini orange/green (aged nine and ten) • 11.30am-1pm: Juniors (aged 11 and older) • 1pm-2pm adults For more information about the schedule for the day visit www.wellstc.co.uk

Bowls anyone?

SPORT

Gift of life to sports club

(L:r): Sunder Ganapathy, president of Somer Valley Rotary Club with footballers Kieron Axford and Jack Smith

SOMER Valley Rotary Club has purchased and presented a defibrillator to Chilcompton Sports Club.

This was done through an initiative by the Football Association who were offering them to all football clubs at a subsidised cost. The club is home to two adult teams, with one of them currently top of the Somerset County league. Youth teams cover age groups from under-seven to under-16.

Rotary club president Sunder Gunapathy said: “There are around 250 children taking part in football at this club along with adult teams and we felt this was an opportunity to support a great scheme and such a vibrant club.”

Coaching Refreshments Fun, friendly advice Membership offers Raffle

ISLE of Wedmore Bowls Club is planning a series of taster/coaching sessions for people looking to take up the sport.

They will be held at weekends in May and June.

You can also meet members on their stand at Draycott Strawberry Fair Sunday, June 10th and at Wedmore Street Fair Saturday, July 7th.

Details: Keith Pettit 01934 733237

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Susannah Garland Artist and Sculptor

Exhibition of Watercolours @ South Cloister, Wells Cathedral Friday 6th April – Thursday 19th April

Opening Times; Mon-Fri 10am-5pm & Sunday 11am–5pm

Susannah is happy to discuss and undertake commissions Website: www.susannahgarland.co.uk Email: susannah.garland@gmail.com Tel: 07932 681017

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Gin fans raise a glass to Abbey House

A GIN and prosecco festival marked the official start of a new chapter in the life of Abbey House in Glastonbury.

The 19th century building housed a retreat which closed last December when ownership reverted to Glastonbury Abbey.

The makers of Elephant Bar gin donate The abbey is planning 15% of profits to the Elephant a programme of Foundation. Pictured with Michael Eavis refurbishment of the and Rolling Cocktail Company owners former gentleman’s Matthew (left) and Kelly (right) Knight is the gin company’s Alex Pullin, from South residence within its picturesque grounds.

Horrington Stunning views of the abbey ruins can be seen from the sitting room and library at the back of the house. There are in total four reception rooms within the house, which is set in four acres of gardens.

The Rolling Cocktail Company, based in Pilton, organised the “house warming” event, which was opened by Glastonbury Festival found and abbey patron Michael Eavis.

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Chapel Farm charity day

WHAT’S ON

BUILDING on its already successful reputation, Chapel Farm are soon to be hosting their annual open day raising money for charity. The event will be on Sunday May 20th and last time welcomed over 600 guests!

The canine rehabilitation centre, creche and shop will be open with demonstrations and offers available. There will be two fun class rings and lots of other games and stalls to get involved with. There will also be a BBQ with food supplied by local butcher Jon Thorners.

Their canine rehabilitation centre has been running for almost ten years and is open six days a week for hydrotherapy, fun and fitness swimming, physiotherapy, acupuncture and herbal medicine consultations. The large 10x6m pool is now also available for “swim with your dog” sessions where you, the owner, can get in the pool alongside your dog.

Their canine creche is open Monday-Friday for doggy day care. The bark’n’ride service will even collect and drop off your pooch from your house! They have a large barn and huge outdoor space for the dogs to exercise and socialise in as well as our 28 acres of land nearby.

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Easter at Haynes

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THE Haynes International Motor Museum is always a great place for the whole family to visit and this Easter there’s even more to do!

For the youngsters until April 8th they are offering an Easter Trail with Springtime Bunnies around the whole museum with a reward at the end and from March 30th to April 2nd there is the now famous Motorland Easter Egg Hunt with Bentley the Bunny, which runs in the morning and afternoon.

Both of these activities are offered at no extra cost over the normal admissions price. In addition South West Karting at Haynes have the go-kart circuit set up for all over Easter and mums and dads can watch or have a go too.

With more than 19 stunning exhibitions, delicious meals and snacks available from Café 750 it really is the must-do trip this Easter.

Details: www.himm.co.uk

Quilters support air ambulance

QUIRKY Quilters will be holding their tenth biennial exhibition of quilts at Frogmary Green Farm near South Petherton on May 12th and 13th.

They are a group of over 30 women who meet fortnightly at Stoke-Sub-Hamdon and who just love sewing and “playing” with fabric. This exhibition will also be celebrating 20 years of the group’s existence.

To make it special they have a selection of traders selling fabric, threads, templates, leather and quilting accessories.

Of special interest is the group project from 2017 which illustrates a famous poem with individual members creating small wall hangings.

The cost of entry is £3. This year they are supporting Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance through their craft tombola.

Details: bthorn@staplecross.co.uk

Museum’s new season

AXBRIDGE and District Museum reopens for the new season on Good Friday, March 30th. Its home, King John's Hunting Lodge, a lovely timber-framed building in medieval Axbridge Square, houses a delightful collection of artefacts representing a rich, centuries-old local history.

This year the museum celebrates 50 years with the National Trust and 550 years since the house was built. Up-coming exhibits include the 50th anniversary of the great flood of Cheddar Gorge, a mid-20th century scrapbook of a lady born in the workhouse and 100 years of the RAF. It’s open daily 1pm-4pm and from 11am-1pm on the first Saturday of each month, to coincide with the Farmer's Market in Axbridge Square. It will close for the winter on October 31st. Entrance is £2.50, with the ticket valid all season. National Trust members and under-16s visit free of charge.

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Details: www.kingjohnshuntinglodge.co.uk

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North Somerset Show’s 159th year

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THE North Somerset Show, the annual celebration where the city meets the countryside at Wraxall, will take place on Bank Holiday Monday, May 7th this year and is shaping up to be more spectacular than ever.

It will be the 159th showpiece of everything to do with agriculture and the countryside including equestrian events, cattle classes, dog agility, tractor pulling and farm machinery as well as food and drink and country crafts in a series of spectacular marquees.

The one-day show has been a highlight of the countryside calendar in North Somerset since 1840 when a small group of farmers formed the North Somerset Agricultural Society, having previously got together for ploughing competitions.

Show secretary, Tim Ledbury, said: “Tickets have now gone on sale online and the programme is being drawn up with exhibitors, trade stands and competitors coming forward to ensure they clinch their place.

“All the old favourites will be in place. At the heart of the show will be the livestock with cattle, pigs, sheep, llamas and alpacas coming from all over the country. The equestrian programme, includes show jumping, Royal International Horse Show qualifiers, heavy horses, hunters and cobs.

“We are expecting around 25,000 people to be there on the day. Funds raised will once again be going towards educational

WHAT’S ON

projects that help children understand the countryside. Hundreds of small businesses from the region will be represented and there will be some fantastic demonstrations of rural skills, including axe wielding and gundog handling and wood carving.”

Arena events are being finalised with a full day’s programme for all the family. People who book in advance for the show online receive a discount.

Details: www.nsas.org.uk phone 01934 837285 for tickets or 0845 6342464 for general enquiries.

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M e n d i p

Please send entries for these listings as a single paragraph of approximately 25 words. We’re happy to list entries for charities and voluntary groups free of charge – but please submit them in the format below.

We may not be able to use entries which are too lengthy or submitted as posters or leaflets. Commercial entries cost £25.

From this month: Spring Group Walks through the gardens of Camerton Court, Bath. Dates by arrangement. Contact 01761 479319 or www.bathcamertoncourt.co.uk Cameley House three acres of garden open for the NGS. Visitors welcome by arrangement between midApril & May for groups 10-30 (smaller groups considered). Admission £5, children free. Home-made teas. Fiona & Jonathan Hayward 01761 451111 flodden@btconnect.com Tuesday March 27th Congresbury Singers: Stainer’s Crucifixion, 8pm, Nailsea Methodist Church. Free. Retiring collection in support of the Wellspring counselling service.

Wednesday March 28th Backwell & Nailsea Macular Support, demonstration by VISION AID, 1.30pm Backwell WI Hall. Details: Sheila 01275 462107.

Thursday March 29th West Mendip Walkers moderate circular walk 11m from Black Rock Gate. OS: Ex141 ST482545. Start 10am. Park Black Rock Gate. Contact Tony Strange: 01934 733783 / 07415 517355 or anthonyestrange@gmail.com Good Friday March 30th to end of October Sandford Station Railway Heritage Centre, a Victorian gem on the Strawberry Line, BS25 5AA. Open weekends & Bank Holidays from 11am–4pm.

Restored ‘Sentinel’ engine, carriage & trucks. Hot & cold drinks, cakes etc. Admission free.

Friday March 30th & Saturday March 31st Cake Sale! Lyncombe Wood District Rainbows, Brownies & Guides at Murphys Fish Bar, on the A38 at Churchill traffic lights, BS25 5NW. 12noon–2pm & 5pm–7.30pm each day.

Friday March 30th Vintage tractor road run. In aid of Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. Railway Inn, Meare, nr.

Glastonbury BA6 9SX. Tractors gather from 10am and start to leave at 11am. All tractors welcome on the day. Ffi: Ivan Sparks 07891 939055 or ivan.sparks@hotmail.co.uk Saturday March 31st Easter Family Extravaganza! Willow Workshop & Sculpture Trail at the Willows & Wetlands Visitor Centre, Stoke St Gregory, TA3 6HY. 11am- 4pm.

Food & eclectic craft stalls. Tel: 01823 490249.

Mendip Society walk a moderate circular 6m from Croscombe to Wells. ST 587 444. Meet 2pm by village hall, Croscombe, BA5 3RA. Do not use the hall car park. Contact: John 01934 842868.

Easter Eggstravaganza, Collett Park, Shepton Mallet. Egg hunt, bouncy castle, face painting, BBQ. Details: www.collettparkcafe.com or Facebook Uptonogood Cider Festival. Community event in Upton Noble to celebrate the village’s own cider made from donated apples. Live music and DJs. Tickets £5. Ffi: www.uptonnoble.com Sunday April 1st Commemoration and flag raising service. Marking the centenary of the founding of the Royal Air Force.

Glastonbury Abbey, Gather at 12.15pm for 12.30pm service. Organised by the Mid-Somerset branch of the Royal Air Force Association. All welcome.

Monday April 2nd to Saturday May 11th Midsomerset Camera Club Photography Exhibition, 10am-4pm Mon-Sat. Red Brick Building, Glastonbury BA6 9FT. Club meets Tuesdays, Pipers Inn, Ashcott. Details: www.midsomersetcameraclub.org.uk PAGE 120 • MENDIP TIMES • APRIL 2018

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Easter Monday April 2nd Mells Daffodil Festival. Adults £3 U-16’s £1. Starts 11am. Proceeds to local community groups www.mellsdaffodilfestival.co.uk Make-it Monday! Family crafts at The Bishop’s Palace, Wells. www.bishopspalace.org.uk Mendip Ramblers leisurely 3m cup of tea walk Castle Cary. Start 1.30pm Castle Cary free car park BA7 7EA. ST639322. Contact: Mary D 01749 342285 / 07951 467453.

Harptree History Walk, woods & views: 5 ½ miles from East Harptree woods led by AONB Rangers.

Details & booking: www.mendiphillsaonb.org.uk/events/ Tuesday April 3rd 'An Introduction to the Woodland Trust' by Owen Rogers for Somerset Wildlife Trust. Tea & coffee from 7.30, Talk 8pm, Caryford Hall, Castle Cary BA7 7JJ. Adults £3, children free.

Congresbury Over-60’s Club Friendship Hour – Tea, biscuits & chat with friends! Congresbury War Memorial Hall, 2.30-4pm. Details: 01934 832004.

Cheddar Male Choir invite potential new members to join two open workshop evenings, (3rd and 10th April) 7-9.30pm, Wedmore Village Hall, BS28 4EQ. www.cheddarmvchoir.co.uk Thursday April 5th West Mendip Walkers strenuous circular walk 10mi from Monksilver. OS ExOL9 ST073375. Start 10am, park Notley Arms. Contact Tony Strange Tel: 01934 733783 / 07415 517355 or anthonyestrange@gmail.com Mendip Ramblers moderate 7m walk East Harptree Woods, Coley, Greendown. Start 10am East Harptree woods car park BS40 6DA, ST558541. Contact: Tony P 01749 342285/07752 689629.

Friday April 6th Nature Ninjas in the gardens of The Bishop’s Palace, Wells. Horticulturally-based fun activities for all ages. www.bishopspalace.org.uk Archaeological Remains found in local caves with Phil Hendy, a Mendip Times contributor and caver for over 50 years. 7.30pm, Wells & Mendip Museum.

Wells Natural History & Archaeological Society members free, Visitors £2.

Open Mic Night at Redhill, hosted by Jerry Blythe.

Join us for an evening of live music! Redhill Club, BS40 5SG, 8pm. For more info: Jerry 07900 587646.

Saturday April 7th Nailsea Horticultural Society Spring Show, Nailsea School, 12.30-5.30pm. Over 150 classes, refreshments, Filton Concert Band. Details: www.nailseahorticulturalsociety.co.uk Mendip Society walk – Cadbury Hill Fort, moderate 5 miles. ST 439 652. Meet 2pm, car park top of Henley Lane, Yatton BS49 4JR. Contact: Ann 0117 973 6497.

Medieval Falconry Day The Bishop’s Palace, Wells.

10am–4pm. www.bishopspalace.org.uk Friends of the Somerset River Frome. Litter pick 10am-12. Market yard next to Cheese & Grain Hall, Frome. Children welcome -accompanied by adult.

Sunday April 8th The Daffodil Society Wessex Group 30th Annual Show, Henton Village Hall, Nr Wells BA5 1PD. A vast display of daffodils, 2pm -4.30pm. Free admission. Details: 01275 855675.

Mendip Ramblers moderate 10m Mendip Ring Circular: Faulkland, Laverton, Hassage. Start 10am Faulkland village green BA3 5XB, ST739545.

Contact: Bob & Rosemary 01749 346023.

Spring Bird Migration. A guided walk on the Shapwick Heath NNR. 8am-10am, led by senior National Nature Reserves Advisor Simon Clarke.

Places limited, booking essential. Charge £5 per person. Ffi: julie.merrett@naturalengland.org.uk Carnival costume sale, organised by Globe Carnival Club. Wells Football Club, Rowdens Road, Wells.

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Midday-4pm. Ffi: Graham on 07817 288085.

Monday April 9th Mendip Folk Dance Club Evening, St James Church Hall, Winscombe BS25 1AQ. 8-10pm £3. Details Pat 01934 742853.

Tuesday April 10th Undressing Antiques by Mark Hill of BBC Antiques Road Show, 11am, Bath & West Bar & Restaurant, B & W Show Ground, Shepton Mallet BA4 6QN. www.theartssocietymendip.org.uk Guests welcome.

Contact 01934 862435.

“Simplifying Watercolour” Tim Wilmot, Clevedon Art Club, 7.30pm 6th Form Centre Clevedon School, BS21 6AH non-Members £3.

Wednesday April 11th Fuchsias – talk by John Nicholass for Nailsea Horticultural Society, 7.30pm, Nailsea United Reformed Church Hall. Members £2, Non-members £3 includes refreshments. All welcome.

Wells Civic Society, Wells in Mosaic, update from Ian and Ruth Ames-White, Wells and Mendip Museum, 7.30pm.

Thursday April 12th Velasquez –The Great Magician of Art, Arts Society lecture, Caryford Hall, Castle Cary BA7 7JJ, 10.30, free parking. £6. Tel: 01963 350132.

Mendip Ramblers moderate 6m walk Dursdon Drove, Eastwater, Priddy. Start 10am Ebbor Gorge NT car park BA5 1EL. ST520485. Contact: Gus 01749 840349 / 07840 926769.

West Mendip Walkers moderate circular walk 6.0mi from St Andrew’s Church Chew Stoke. OS Ex154 ST557619. Start 13.30, park nr church. Contact Hilary Stirling Tel: 07709 024033 or peter.stirling@me.com Saturday April 14th Glastonbury Male Voice Choir Spring Concert in aid of Rotary charities. 7.30pm Cedars Hall, Wells Cathedral School. £15 from 01749 834483 or www.cedarshall.events Coffee morning for Cats Protection, Glastonbury & Wells Branch, Seager Hall, Union Street, Wells.

10.30am-1pm. Contact Janet 01749 880545.

Mendip Society walk, Burrington Ham & Black Down. ST 476 585. Moderate 4 miles looking at the story of the Common, with Les Davies. Meet 2pm, car park 200 yds up Burrington Coombe after the cattle grid, BS40 7AU. Contact: 07778 678985.

Yatton Music Society Kate Eastment & Jonathan Price, St Mary’s Church, Yatton, 7.30pm, tickets £8 members, £10 non-members, inc refreshments.

Details: www.yms.org.uk or or david.ford@yms.org.uk Tel: 01934 830255.

Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial Hall. Good quality books, jigsaw puzzles, dvds, cds & talking books.

Worle Chorale in Concert, 12noon, All Saints Church, Weston-s-Mare, BS23 2NL. Tickets £8 on the door include lunch & wine. Details: 01934 420697.

Organ recital by Malcolm Archer, a leading church musician, 7pm, Stowey Church, BS39 5TQ. Tickets £15 or £10, depending on seat location. Supper at Manor Farm, an additional £10. Fund-raising for Stowey Church. Sue: 07740 626696 or neilsue.skinner@btinternet.com Free talk by Stellar Scribes about finding inspiration then putting your ideas down on paper. 10.30am to 12.30pm, Street library. Places are limited to 15. To book, visit the library, call 0300 123 2224 or email strlib@somerset.gov.uk Sunday April 15th Golf Day Cumberwell Park, Bradford-on-Avon.

Supporting Tim Bruton's 2018 Marathon for Children with Cancer UK. Details 07710 592559.

Monday April 16th Congresbury Memorial Hall Club Friendship evening & Bingo. Non-members welcome. 8pm Congresbury War Memorial Hall.

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Tuesday April 17th Midsomer Norton Townswomen’s Guild talk by John Smith, Roman Army in Somerset, 2pm, St John’s Church Hall BA3 2HX. Details: Glen Hepworth 01761 413528.

Wednesday April 18th Henton & District Gardening Club, Gardens of the Rich and Famous – David Moon, 7.30 Henton Village Hall, Nr Wells.

Mendip Gardening Club, Gardens of World War 1, Christine Stones, 7.30pm, Ston Easton Village Hall.

Contact Hilary 01761 750139.

Beacon Hill Society AGM. Somerset Earth Science Centre, Stoke St Michael. 7-9pm. Ffi: www.beaconhillsociety.org.uk Thursday April 19th West Mendip Walkers moderate circular walk 10mi from Gardener’s Arms, Cheddar. OS Ex141 ST457539. Start 10am, park roadside. Contact Andy Paterson Tel: 01934 741690 or aepat@btinternet.com Mendip Ramblers moderate 7m walk Stoney Stratton, Chesterblade, Small Down. Start 10am Evercreech Church. BA4 6HX, ST649386. Park nearby streets. Contact: Tony P 01749 342285 / 07752 689629.

Saturday April 21st Cantilena Choir singing Haydn & Handel, 7.30pm St Mary's Church, Magdalene Street, Glastonbury.

Tickets £12, Child £1 from Dicketts Stationers or 01278 722870.

Jumble Sale at The Strawberry Special, Draycott, 2pm-4pm. Supporters of St Peters Church.

Congresbury Arts & Crafts Spring Fair, 10am4pm, The Refectory, next to St. Andrew's church.

Ample parking. Refreshments, light lunches. Details: Marion Johnson 01934 834106.

Wedmore WI Jumble Sale, 10am-12pm, Masonic Hall, Church Street, Wedmore BS28 4AB. Raffle, various stalls. Details: 01934 712572.

Giant Jumble Sale at Conygre Hall, Timsbury, BA2 0JQ, from 10am–12noon supporting St Mary’s Church.

Congresbury Book Sale 9am-1pm War Memorial Hall. Good quality books, jigsaw puzzles, dvds, cds & talking books.

Mendip Society a moderate 4.5m walk, Axbridge hillside, returning to birdwatch at the reservoir. Meet 11am, Cheddar Reservoir carpark, ST 439 542. Bring packed lunch. Contact Pauline 01934 820745.

Mendip Society walk around Axbridge Square at 2.30pm with John Page of the King John Hunting Lodge followed by visit to the museum. Entry £2.50 if not a National Trust member. Contact Pauline 01934 820745.

Trinity Singers Concert of Choral Classics, with soloists and boy choristers accompanied by The Lochrian Ensemble. St Mary's Church, Yatton, 7.30pm. Adults £10 from www.trinitysingers.co.uk or on the door. U-18s free.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi at Evercreech Village Hall.

Doors open 6.30pm film starts 7.15. Tickets £5 from Evercrcreechfilms@gmail.com or 07510 927418.

Somerset Morris. Dancing in Wookey from 4pm.

Somerset Morris are also looking for more musicians to join them. Meeting each Thursday 8-10pm at Marksbury Village Hall. Ffi: www.somersetmorris.org or email somersetmorris@hotmail.com Sunday April 22nd Mendip Ramblers moderate 10m circular: Upton Noble & Batcombe Vale. Start 10am Batcombe BA4 6HE, ST690390. Park roadside south of church.

Contact: Gus 01749 840349 / 07840 926769.

Monday April 23rd St George’s Day evening at Mendip Folk Dance Club, St James Church Hall, Winscombe BS25 1AQ. 8-10pm £3. Details Pat 01934 742853.

The Green Gardeners Chris Francis of Thorngrove Garden Centre, on hanging baskets. 7.30pm, Parish

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Rooms, Somerton. Refreshments. Visitors welcome (£3).

Congresbury Memorial Hall Club Friendship evening & Bingo. Non-members welcome. 8pm Congresbury War Memorial Hall.

Somerset Morris. Dancing at the Old Green Tree, Bath from 8pm. Somerset Morris are also looking for more musicians to join them. Meeting each Thursday 8-10pm at Marksbury Village Hall. Ffi: www.somersetmorris.org or email somersetmorris@hotmail.com Wednesday April 25th "England in Tune" entertainment by Tim Lewis & Sheila Furneaux,1.30pm Backwell & Nailsea Macular Support. Sheila, 01275 462107.

Thursday April 26th West Mendip Walkers moderate circular walk 5.4mi from Banwell Free car park. OS Ex153 ST397592.

Start 13.30. Contact Andrew Smallbone Tel: 01761 462370 or andrewsmallbone@hotmail.com Mendip Ramblers moderate 6m walk Somerset Levels, Wedmore and Blackford. Start 10am Wedmore, car park off B3151, BS28 4EE, ST437481.

Contact: Margaret P 01761 232042 / 07910 873853.

Families for Children Trust need potential adopters, especially for older children, sibling groups & children with disabilities. Adoption agency & charitable trust, rated outstanding by Ofsted.

Information session: 4pm-6pm, Monks Yard, Horton Manor, Ilminster TA19 9PT. LYRA Singers from St Petersburg 7.30pm, Martock Church, TA12 6JL. Russian Orthodox Church chants & folk songs. Tickets £9, £10 on door. Details: Ewan Hewitt 01935 822706.

“Four Decades of High Speed Rail Travel on the Western Region” talk by Roy Kethro for AGM of Sandford Station Railway Heritage, 7.30pm, Winscombe Cricket Club BS25 1AX. Free, open meeting, all welcome.

Friday April 27th RNLI Compton Martin village hall, speaker, film and perfect puddings, 7.30pm. Details: Tim Gracey 01275 472639.

Saturday April 28th Chew Valley Choral Society presents "Coronations": Handel, Mozart, Parry.

7.30pm St. John's Church, Keynsham. Tickets £12, students & children £6 from 0117 9863354 or 01275 333014.

Churchill Music! Pelleas Ensemble – Flute Viola & Harp, 7.30-9.30pm St. John the Baptist Church, Churchill, BS25 5QW. Tickets £12 Champions, £16 Non-Champions, U18's £4: www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/387035 or Susannah Read 01934 844106.

Mendip Society walk, Norton Malreward, moderate 5miles. ST 602 651. Meet 2pm lane leading to Holy Trinity Church, BS39 4EX. Park Church Rd. Contact Roger 01225 872777.

Spring Ball, in Georgian era costume, Mendip Folk Dance Club, St James Church Hall, Winscombe BS25 1AQ. Details Pat 01934 742853.

Mark Moor Bowling Club Open Day, 11am-4pm, clubhouse next to Mark Village Hall, TA9 4NY. New members, from 8 to 80, all welcome! Bar & refreshments. Contacts: Elaine, 01278 326051 or Joan 01278 641625.

Winscombe Tennis Club Open Day, 10am-4pm at The Lynch, BS25 1AP. For all ages and abilities.

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Refreshments. Reduced membership to join on the day. Contact: winscombelawntennisclub@live.co.uk Sunday April 29th Mendip Ramblers moderate 11m hilly Tour de Blackdown. Start 10am Burrington Combe, top car park BS40 7TZ, ST489581. Contact: Laurence 01373 452294/07568 584994.

Monday April 30th Wessex Stationary Engine Club, "The Ships of the Vikings" with Tim Bowly, Old Down Inn, Emborough BS3 4SA, 7.30pm. All welcome free entry, details 01225 754374.

Tuesday May 1st Guerra, Guerra! Music, the arts, & war 1800-2000

by Daniel Snowman. 11am Bath & West Bar & Restaurant, B & W Show Ground, Shepton Mallet BA4 6QN. www.theartssocietymendip.org.uk. Guests welcome. Contact 01934 862435.

Thursday May 3rd Mendip Ramblers moderate 6m walk Barton Drove, Wavering Down, Compton Bishop. Start 10am NT car park Kingswood, BS25 1NW, ST421560. Contact: Margaret P 01761 232042 / 07910 873853.

Friday May 4th Open Mic Night at Redhill, hosted by Jerry Blythe.

Join us for an evening of live music! Redhill Club, BS40 5SG, 8pm. For more info: Jerry 07900 587646.

Saturday May 5th to Monday May 7th Batik Exhibition plus work from local artists & quilters, St Bridget's Church, Chelvey, Nr Backwell.

10am–4pm. Refreshments. Donations to MS Society & Church Funds.

Saturday May 5th Garden Day, Wells & Mendip Museum, 10.30 to 4pm. Stalls & refreshments all day. Charity plant stalls welcome: 01749 675768.

Sunday May 6th Mendip Ramblers moderate 6m circular: Kilmersdon, Snail's Bottom, Chilcompton. Start 10am Kilmersdon Village Hall BA3 5TG, ST696523.

Contact: Bob & Rosemary 01749 346023.

Sunday May 6th and Monday May 7th Celebrating Somerset, Midsomer Norton Station, steam rides and various attractions, 10.30am-4pm.

Details: 01761 411221 or www.sdjr.co.uk Bank Holiday Monday May 7th May Day Fete, Claverham Village Hall, 12noon.

Displays, dog show, bouncy castle, stalls, BBQ, teas.

All welcome, entry free.

Mendip Ramblers easy 3m Cup of Tea walk from Ammerdown Centre. Start 1.30pm Ammerdown parking area. BA3 5SW, ST711527. Contact: Trevor & Val 01761 232311 / 07976 629342.

First Pilton Jumble Sale Trail. 11am onwards. More than 30 stalls, fine cakes and other produce.

Numerous attractions and ample parking. Supporting Glastonbury charity Children’s World.

Wednesday May 9th Wells Civic Society, Wells Railways, three stations and many lines, with Colin Price, Wells and Mendip Museum, 7.30pm.

Thursday May 10th “Made in Somerset” over 30 artisan stalls, crafts and produce, 10am–3pm at The White Hart and ACEarts, Market Place, Somerton. Refreshments. Entry free.

Mendip Ramblers moderate 6m walk Washing Stones Gully & Withial Combe. Start 10am West Pennard Village Hall BA6 8RT, ST548381. Contact: Francoise 01458 831823.

MENDIP MINDBENDER ANSWERS FOR APRIL ACROSS: 1. Finland, 7. Luxembourg, 9. Austria, 10. Croatia, 13. Latvia, 15.

Slovakia, 17. Slovenia, 18. Germany.

DOWN: 1. Ireland, 3. Denmark, 4. Lithuania, 5. Portugal, 6. Netherlands, 8.

Bulgaria, 11. Estonia, 12. Romania, 14. Italy, 16. Spain.

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TICKETS TO SEE M ISS S AIGON AT B RISTOL H IPPODROME

Mendip Times has teamed up with the Bristol Hippodrome to offer you the chance to win two pairs of tickets to the hit musical Miss Saigon on Thursday May 7th, at 7.30pm. Just answer this question: Which Somerset impresario is behind the show?

Winners must pick up the tickets from the theatre box office on the night. Answers on a postcard to: Miss Saigon Competition, Mendip Times, Combe Lodge, Blagdon BS40 7RG. Entries must reach us by Friday, April 13th. The first correct answers drawn will win the tickets. The editor’s decision is final.

From Friday 30th March From Friday 6th April From Friday 13th April From Friday 20th April

Princes Road, Wells, BA5 1TD NOW SHOWING: Ready Player One (12A) 3D/2D Duck Duck Goose (PG) A Quiet Place (15) • Love, Simon (12A) Midnight Sun (12A) • Blockers (15) The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society Wonderstruck (PG)

Wed 4th: Macbeth ROH 7.15pm EVENT CINEMA APRIL Wed 11th: Macbeth RSC 7pm

● Book in person ● Online 24/7 @www.wellsfilmcentre.co.uk ● Over the ’phone: 01749 673195

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WHAT’S ON

Car-nival time at Downside

DOWNSIDE Abbey at Stratton-on-the-Fosse is preparing to host a car-theme celebration called “Car-nival” in the grounds in the summer.

Enthusiasts from across the South West are expected to attend the highly-regarded car show, with both fans and families turning out for the fun-day on Sunday, June 24th.

Mike Penn, founding curator of the Haynes International Motor Museum and one of the organisers, said: “The show is based in a remarkable setting and always with a fantastic array of top-class vehicles. I really recommend the Downside classic car show to anyone who might be considering it.”

The gathering of vintage, classic and interesting vehicles is now in its fifth year having started as a Concours d’Elegance. Each year, more than 100 cars are on display with vehicles in the past including a 1904 De Dion Bouton, a 1926 Bugatti T23 Brescia, a 1936 Squire, 1926 AC Sociable, and a 1911 Stanley Steam Car. In addition to the cars, there will be a cricket tournament, live music, competitions, bouncy castle and face-painting. Visitors will also be able to see behind the scenes with free tours of the Abbey and Downside School available to all. ● To register a vehicle, email Sarar Kerr at Downside on skerr@downside.co.uk or call 01761 235194. For details, visit: www.downside.co.uk/carnival2018

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