Hermitage

REP: Tom Beels tom@beelsandco.com DISTRIBUTOR: Faith Hervey

Hermitage village has been a hub of activity over the past week. The now traditional marquee went up on the village green in time for the wedding of Ashley Killeen to Lisa Gallaway on 31 July. A very happy occasion. On the following Monday it was in use again, this time for the tea following the very well attended Memorial Service of Malcolm Dunning, who looked after the churchyard of St. Mary’s Church for some years. On the Wednesday evening, it was used once more as the venue for a farmers’ drinks party and hog roast. The evening was lovely, and people were able to stand outside and admire the Green. Finally came the ‘village weekend’, much missed last year but back with a bang this year! On Friday evening we had the BYO supper with live music which has proved so popular in recent years. The tent was absolutely full, with some 200 plus people sitting down to supper and dancing until the early hours. This event always makes a generous donation to the Air Ambulance, an organisation which relies on charity to function and could be needed by any one of us at any time, so a most worthwhile cause. On the Saturday evening the tent was buzzing again, this time for a party that was predominantly Young Farmers, although lots of other youngsters attended too. They were certainly celebrating being out of lockdown and it was the first event that many of them had been to in over a year. The roof was well and truly raised and the pole in the marquee well and truly climbed! The finale for the week was the Village Lunch where everyone can come together and enjoy a delicious lunch provided by Helen Furness and the ladies of the village. This year was no exception, and we all ate extremely well!

Huge thanks must go to everyone who helped make this momentous week happen, especially Pete, Kevin and Pippa for the bar. It was exhausting but so worthwhile. Special thanks to Andy and Hannah Hillier who kept the beer barrels coming – and there were an awful lot of them – and everyone who pitched in to help clear the debris after each event in readiness for the next. It was quite a challenge! Over the week, the footfall through the tent amounted to more than 1,200 people, all enjoying the hospitality of Hermitage. Roll on next year!

Despite being a little muddy underfoot after the annual weekend event on the Green, 70 people enjoyed a lovely two course lunch on Sunday 8 August in the marquee. It was good to see all our friends and neighbours relaxing and enjoying a little ‘normality’. Thank you to all who joined in and supported this village event, which gets more popular each year!

Jan Pescott

David Chutter

On Tuesday 6 July, a small group from the village celebrated the 90th birthday of David Chutter at his home in Hermitage. Cake and bubbly were the order of the day. Born in Yeovil hospital in 1931, David has lived in Hermitage all his life and been a stalwart of the community. He married Joyce and has two sons Mark and Andrew.

He tells of his apprenticeship to Sherborne Castle Estate at the age of 13 when he was noted for his ability to work with wood. His subsequent working life starting out as a carpenter and culminated in the formation of D J Chutter Ltd, which carries on to this day under the direction of his son Mark. David has always given freely of his time and skill in assisting the village with its various functions. Our small church a few years ago received its beautifully crafted wooden wheel for the bell by his hand.

Well done Dave for becoming a nonagenarian and here’s to your Centenary!

Tony Eidsforth

Hermitage Village Hall

As we edge towards some form of normality it was great to have our first Village Hall Committee meeting after almost 18 months. Below some of the events that we are planning to hold, COVID permitting, in the next six months: • A Macmillan Coffee Morning on

Friday 24 September from 10.30am–1.00pm. • Christmas bingo on Saturday 27

November at 7.30pm. • A Christmas coffee/tea afternoon on

Thursday 9 December from 3.00–5.00pm • A ‘New Year’ party on Saturday 29

January 2022. We are also planning to hold a ‘pudding club’ but more on this in the future.

Dave Whiteoak