Cheddon August 2020 Fitzpaine Parish NEWSLETTER Websites: www. cheddonfitzpaine -pc.org.uk and www.cheddonfitzpainevillagehall.co.uk

View from The Chair Neighbourhood Plan Revision The draft revised Thanks to the easing of covid-19 lockdown and our policies are ready for submission to SWT Council. friends at Character Graphics, we’re back in print – Initially this was timed to fit in nicely with this year’s and we’ve got a bumper, 8-page issue for you this SWT Local Plan. Unfortunately, we now know that time! However, other restrictions remain in place and SWT are unlikely to complete their plan until late we shall continue with our virtual Parish Council 2021. Their delay puts us in a dilemma because some meetings until further notice. Agendas and previous of our policies may be rendered obsolete when their minutes are displayed on the parish council’s website plan finally comes out – in particular those relating to and notice boards and as usual, and all residents are climate emergency and local electricity generation. In invited to join our meetings by visiting the address any event, we are now facing substantial delays with below and following the on-screen instructions. our NP revision as the earliest possible date any referendum can be held is 6th May 2021 due to covid- https://mrs-ofb.my.webex.com/meet/cheddon 19 disruption.

While the pandemic situation has improved greatly, Country Park Wessex Water has generously gifted a we will definitely not be rid of this scourge for some water bowser to the Country Park/ Wood time yet. Both Somerset West & and project team. This will greatly assist with the time- Somerset County Councils are continuing to publish consuming watering of the ever-increasing population informative updates on their respective websites at: of trees on site. In return, we have complied with https://www.somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/coro WW’s request to make a discretionary donation from navirus-covid-19-advice-and-information/ CFPC funds to their supported charity, Water Aid. We wish to record our thanks to WW for their help. https://www.somerset.gov.uk/coronavirus/covid- 19-latest-advice/ Denise Webber, Chairman, PC Tel: 01823 451720; Mobile: 07788 522266 It must not be forgotten that many of us are still heavily reliant on helpful volunteers to find our way through these difficult times. In addition to our previous requests for help, we would like to add the following appeal: would anyone who feels able to support a lonely person in the 75+ age group please offer their services to Reengage on 0800 716543 (see parish website for more information).

Unitary Authority Debate A ‘Unitary Authority’ is what you get when you merge two tiers of local government into one. There are already 55 of them in and the driving force is cost saving. In our case, the two authorities in question are District (SWTC) and County (SCC). The prime mover in the debate is Head of Somerset CC, David Fothergill but, as you can imagine, there are those who are against the The water bowser gifted by Wessex Water to the concept. Clearly, the trick behind successful UAs Maidenbrook Country Park and Somerset Wood will make tree irrigation a much easier job! is that you end up with a cost/benefit improvement. We urge all our readers to follow the debate as it unfolds and to exercise your Contributions for October 2020 democratic right at every opportunity. Please do newsletter to the Parish Clerk by get involved and ‘Have your say’ at 16 September please! https://onesomerset.org.uk/have-your-say/

Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Newsletter – August 2020

Church Window Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Church ‘100 Club’ Cheddon Fitzpaine Church is part of the South Quantock Benefice together with , The ‘100 Club’ raises funds to help maintain the Kingston St. Mary & Broomfield. The Benefice Office Parish Church. The number of tickets sold has risen so is open every week-day (except Thursdays) from it is now possible to offer better prizes as follows:

9:00am to 2:00pm. For enquiries about marriages Winners of the latest draws are: and baptisms, please contact our Administrator, June: £60 Joan Osmond £15 Robert Hughes Michele Hardiman, tel. 01823 451257, e-mail: July: £60 Maureen Mort £15 Liz Thompson [email protected] RECTOR: Rev. Mary Styles If you would like to join the 100 Club, please tel. 01823 451189; e-mail [email protected] contact Pauline Stone (details below). For the latest information on all events, services etc., visit our website www.southquantockbenefice.org/

Pauline Stone, PCC Member AUG/SEPT 2020 - PLEASE CHECK WEBSITE FOR Tel. 01823 277637; Mob. 07984 055574 CHANGES AS RESTRICTIONS ALLOW E-mail [email protected]

Re-opening our church buildings Letter from Rev Jim We have already opened up all four of the church What is left to be said about the virus and the buildings in the Benefice at specific times for private opportunities the New Normal presents? There has prayer. With the government’s green light for been a lot of optimistic talk of a greater sense of worship services, we have a provisional plan to hold community and how it won’t be possible to go back to an 11am Holy Communion service in one of the how things were. That last part is true insofar as nd churches each week starting on 2 August. We will ‘going back’ is a physical impossibility - we always ‘go be following government guidance (e.g. on social on’ to the next step, albeit in the light of our distancing, the celebration and distribution of Holy experiences. Communion and not singing during worship.) The present policy in the easing process of restrictions In addition, we will continue to hold our very seems to be to trust businesses to ‘do the right thing’ successful ‘zoom’ worship at 10am each Sunday for those who prefer not to venture out just yet. towards their employees. If that’s the sum total of protection I’m just glad I don’t work at the Post Office All Holy Communion Services at 11am: or Rolls Royce or anywhere in the travel or hospitality nd 2 August trade. Up till now, experience shows that in the hard 9th August West Monkton world of economics the right thing can only be done if 16th August Broomfield it leads to greater profit. Is that the sort of thing that 23rd August Cheddon Fitzpaine will change in the New Normal? It would be nice to 30th August ‘Zoom’ service only th imagine so. 6 September Kingston St Mary 13th September West Monkton The church is less trusting of human nature. It sees a 20th September Broomfield fault-line in all human endeavour – even the noblest 27th September Cheddon Fitzpaine of intentions get distorted and our choices need

These arrangements will be temporary as the local constant review. We cannot afford to sit back and let situation evolves – so do please check for up-to-date the New Heaven and the New Earth emerge by information with the Benefice Office or on our web- themselves, we are to notice their tell-tale signs and site. If you have any questions or concerns, please be put our energies behind them. Almost always – in touch. unless you are a footballing mega-star – this will be in CHURCHES’ LIMITED OPENING TIMES FOR PRIVATE supporting small and local initiatives and having our PRAYER (we will update as changes allow – do check attention drawn to the hidden people, those too the website) easily overlooked by our energetic culture.

West Monkton: Thursdays 10am–12noon and So, as we emerge from isolation it’s worth asking who Sundays 2pm– 5pm will feel included in whatever society develops. Broomfield: Wednesdays 2pm – 4pm Will black lives matter – or will we hide our prejudices Kingston: Wednesdays 2pm - 4pm and behind a banner of all lives matter? Sundays 11am – 1pm Will octogenarian lives matter – or will they bear the Cheddon: Tuesdays 2pm – 4pm consequences of our freedoms? ______Published & distributed free throughout the parish by Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council www.cheddonfitzpaine-pc.org.uk Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Newsletter – August 2020

Will refugee lives matter – or is it their fault for Church pastoral care by collecting prescriptions and coming here in the first place? shopping for those who are shielding.

Will there be homes, food, education, employment, Although our community groups are temporarily on dignity, value, respect; will the earth recover her hold, we have found ‘virtual ways’ to communicate. breath and nature flourish – or are our expectations Little Seedlings Toddler Group has its own Facebook now becoming unrealistic? page which has enabled us to post activities for children and families during lockdown. If this is a moment of real reflection – and maybe it isn’t, but if it is – we need to renew our efforts to Collective worship assemblies at Cheddon Primary School have looked very different. However, thanks engage beyond our ‘bubble’ and be drawn into the to Microsoft Teams online we were able to stay lives and thoughts and loves of the rich variety of connected. It was lovely to help the Year 6 Children humanity around us and the incredible and fragile prepare for moving on to secondary school and to world in which we live. spend time with them at their end of year ‘socially

Rev Jim Cox Tel. 097967 817337 distanced’ picnic. e-mail: [email protected] We have even started a new Zoom group for teenage girls who are wishing to explore the Christian Faith. Rev Tracey’s report At mid-pandemic crisis point, I reached out to families Take5 Community group will be reconvening during in our community to build hope. Over Easter, I gave the summer on a Thursday at 12:30 for local walks. out packets of sunflower seeds for a community We meet outside 4 Garden Close Northwalls Grange competition to be judged on the day of the cancelled and head out for a gentle walk. The Somerset wood is flower show. The winner was Brodie from Garden already proving to be a popular spot for us to enjoy socially distanced walks and these are a great way to Close with his whopping 283cm sunflower! meet others.

Sadly, this year we are unable to offer Summer Holiday Play Days but in place of this we are offering Virtual Community Fundays (see notice opposite).

Rev Tracey Hallett, Church in Community Pioneer Tel. 07854 489753; e-mail: [email protected]

Cheddon Fitzpaine Memorial Hall For obvious reasons, the scope of my report is fairly limited at present. Suffice to say that the regular maintenance of the hall is on-going, bookings are coming in at a healthy rate for next year and beyond, and we are gradually re-opening for some of our regular users. Currently, dog training, yoga, ballroom dancing and Zumba are back on – albeit subject to strict observance of government guidelines relating to social distancing and personal protection.

An unexpected – and regrettable – development is that our wonderful cleaner Andrea will be leaving us due to personal commitments. The Hall Trustees wish her all the very best for the future and invite applications from potential replacements – see advertisement below.

Malcolm Lown, Chairman, Cheddon Fitzpaine

Memorial Hall Trustees Tel. 01823 412750 Jack and the Beanstalk? No, it’s Brodie Email: [email protected] and the sunflower! Bill Rigby, Booking Secretary In these strange times, it has been good to be a visible Tel. 01823 413925 (messages answered within 24 hours) sign of Church in the community, and a pleasure to Mobile: 07586 413290; e-mail: support the Covid-19 help teams and join in with the [email protected] ______Published & distributed free throughout the parish by Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council www.cheddonfitzpaine-pc.org.uk Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Newsletter – August 2020

end of September – this is three months on from the inspection date, and within the 12 weeks that Skanska CLEANER REQUIRED is obliged to undertake the work.

for Wessex Water have consulted residents over the June Cheddon Fitzpaine Memorial Hall downpours regarding the local sewage issues in Cheddon and, fingers crossed, all is ok (for now!). This is a self-employed, part-time position of Broadband issues Ways of improving internet in the approximately 25 hours per month. Availability Cheddon & Rowford areas are currently being for immediate start would be beneficial. explored. Contact your Parish Clerk for updates.

For further information, please contact MAIDENBROOK Malcolm Lown (see details above)

Virtual Community Fun Days to take us through the HOLIDAYS!! Every Thursday through August Free event for the whole family

There will be fun crafts, games and activities and we will supply you with a bag of goodies and instructions which will include all you need to enjoy a fun family time together at home! “One man went to mow…” – with a little help from There will be a You Tube video at 10:30am the WMPC tractor. introducing the theme of the day and we will Maidenbrook Country Park/Somerset Wood Local catch up together at 3:30pm on Zoom for you residents are enjoying the wide, open spaces in the to share your amazing makes and mayhem! Country Park, which has been temporarily opened to To receive your bag of goodies and joining mitigate against the covid-19 restrictions. Many instructions, please book your space each thanks are extended to the wonderful volunteers, week by emailing us by 5:00pm on the Friday who have been – and are – maintaining the trees before the following Thursday’s event, using already planted in the WW1-commemorative this email address: Somerset Wood. Considerable effort has been expended on the removal of weeds around the trees [email protected] and along footpaths and significant patches of We will allocate on a first-come basis to be ragwort and docks elsewhere. Their work is much fair. When emailing, please indicate how appreciated and plain to see in the much more tidy many children are in your household. presentation of the park-land.

Maidenbrook/Waterleaze POS Adoption The Virtual Fun Days will be run in partnership Environment Agency has confirmed that the gabion with the churches of Creech, and works on the brook have now been signed off; SWTC’s Thornfalcon and the churches of West Monkton, legal department is working with Bovis and Taylor Kingston St. Mary, Broomfield Wimpey re finalising the legal documentation prior to and Cheddon Fitzpaine. completion.

NERROLS Area updates Now that our contact at Barratt David Wilson is back CHEDDON off furlough, we have been promised regular updates SCC Highways have inspected every drain in Cheddon (at least monthly) on progress to final completion. village and Maidenbrook Lane. The Parish Council will Northwalls United FC! The Parish Council has granted hold them to account to jet every single drain by the £250 towards the cost of the start-up club’s smart ______Published & distributed free throughout the parish by Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council www.cheddonfitzpaine-pc.org.uk Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Newsletter – August 2020 new strip, as admirably displayed by Rob Hadhazy what we were told and we reported it in good faith. below. Somerset County Councillor and Northwalls The lights haven’t been moved, just the goal-posts! resident Giuseppe Fraschini has been a prime mover in forming the team and raising sponsorship. Players Problem hedges are sought from throughout the Parish, so anyone Just a reminder to owners of private hedges not to let interested please contact Giuseppe on 07859 970530. them encroach onto adjacent footpaths or contravene the ‘Right to Light’ law.

WANTED!

Newsletter Deliverer to cover Stoney Furlong

If you are able to help on a regular, bi-monthly basis from the end of August, please contact your Parish Clerk.

Nerrols Farmhouse We are pleased to report that all Dog & waste bins the rubbish has now been cleared from the site. The Parish Council is considering requests for a bin at Local District Centre From the outset, the plot of land T5/12 (opposite the back entrance to Pyrland Farm), between the new school on Nerrols Drive and the and also in the Country Park vicinity. Crown Roundabout has been earmarked for commercial development. SWTC has expressed a Footpaths clear preference for a mixed residential-above- It would be immensely helpful if walkers could take commercial scheme (think ‘Priorswood’) and a secateurs to trim any vegetation encroaching on our potential buyer is currently negotiating for a scheme network of pathways. While it would obviously be too along those lines. Watch this space! much to expect everyone to be ‘tooled up’ every time Facebook Page for ‘Nerrols Farm’ Grateful thanks are they go out, perhaps areas of overgrowth could be due to the administrators of the new Facebook page remembered and tackled on the next outing. Cuttings for Nerrols Farm. This includes: Stoney Furlong, can be left tidily along the side of the path. Litter is Standfast Place, Warres Road, Summerleaze Crescent, another significant problem in parts of our footpath The Shaulders, and Cashford Gate. The new link is network. Currently a particular problem area is on https://www.facebook.com/groups/nerrolsfarm Pitchers Hill, Cheddon, and the layby at Happy Valley, Please pay the site a visit, put your address in, and the Upper Cheddon. If you feel you can do this safely, Administrator will accept you as a qualifying resident. your help will be greatly appreciated.

Highways Priorswood Library M5 Junction 25 For all those interested in this major CFPC has given a grant of £250 to help ensure that the project, main contractor Griffiths are issuing a regular library service remains available to as many people as newsletter reporting progress. You will find it at: possible. Please do support our local library as the https://community.alungriffiths.co.uk/wp- key to its survival is ongoing demand. Jack Stafford, content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/M5-J25-June- SCC Community Library & Volunteer Manager adds: Newsletter.pdf “I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight Creech Castle, Toneway A reminder that SCC has some of the digital work that our member of staff at recently announced a 12-month delay for this road Priorswood Library, James (now referred to as ‘Library improvement scheme. Man’), and some of the volunteers have been doing.

Western Relief Road/Hartnells Farm/A3259 We hear This is probably best viewed by looking at the you say that we promised no more temporary traffic Facebook page lights on the A3259 for a year – but they are now back https://www.facebook.com/SomersetLibraries in the area! All we can say is that, at the time, that’s Priorswood/ ______Published & distributed free throughout the parish by Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council www.cheddonfitzpaine-pc.org.uk Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Newsletter – August 2020 where you can see all these wonderful video story- Services at Cheddon & the Benefice times and other activities. James has consistently See listing on page 3 of this newsletter. received specific praise from across the Library Service for his videos and many have had thousands of views, Parish Council Meetings – 2020 including from people from around the world. There Held on Mondays at 7pm, these are public meetings have been shout-outs and engagement from schools open to everyone. As a result of the covid-19 and also from the District Council who have restrictions, they are now being held as video- approached James to try and figure out a way to join conference calls until further notice. Members of the up with some of their arts projects. All positive stuff public wishing to take part by dialling-in should in this current time and Priorswood’s digital output contact our Parish Clerk well in advance so that the particularly has been exemplary.” necessary arrangements can be made.

‘Recycle More’ proposal https://mrs-ofb.my.webex.com/meet/cheddon

Somerset Waste Partnership plans to expand its th th th kerbside recycling. A four-phase introduction over 10 August, 14 September, 12 October, th th some 18 months would reach us in the final two 16 November, 14 December. CHEDDON FITZPAINE PARISH COUNCILLORS phases. Key features of Recycle More include: Cheddon, Rowford & Upper Cheddon

Expanded weekly kerbside recycling, notably adding plastic pots, tubs and trays; Denise Webber (Chair) 01823 451720 [email protected] All households to receive a new recycling container – a ‘bright blue bag’; Alan West 07584 055566

Three-weekly rubbish collections (more recycling [email protected] means more space in bins). Nerrols

The new service would be introduced area by area so Mike Batsch 01823 272376 SWP's five depots could be upgraded to handle [email protected] thousands of tonnes of extra recycling. Waterleaze As you read this, a decision on the timetable for the roll-out of Recycle More should have been made. Lee Baker 07764 626171 [email protected]

Natural Notes from a Waterleaze resident Rob Isaacs 01823 333324 [email protected] “During the coronavirus lockdown, we found some solace at least in watching the wildlife and birds Jason Woollacott (Vice Chair) 07940 277413 around us at Waterleaze. They happily carried on [email protected] with their usual rhythm of the seasons, without disturbance from the pesky humans! We’ve had PARISH CLERK regular visits to our bird Jo Pearson 01823 259478 [email protected]

feeders from Great Spotted POLICE CONTACTS Woodpeckers for a few years PCSOs covering Maidenbrook area now, but we noticed this year it was clearly both a male and [email protected] [email protected] female arriving. Then we only saw the male, but more PCSOs covering Cheddon village area: frequently; so, we guessed they must have a nest. PCSO Catherine Richards 07710 026192 In due course both parents came to our garden, till PCSO Lyndsay Smit 07802 874297 one day we were thrilled to see they’d brought their PCSO Marshall Bernhardt 07849 305815 baby with them! Baby woodpecker took a while to get [email protected] the hang of things, and hilariously struggled when our [email protected] fence was wet (how many young animals had [email protected] never seen rain this year?). After a few weeks they all disappeared, we like to think they’re off on their Please see below link where to find them: holidays. Our little woodpecker family have given us https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/your- so much joy this weird spring. How lucky we are.” area/taunton-west/

______Published & distributed free throughout the parish by Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council www.cheddonfitzpaine-pc.org.uk Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Newsletter – August 2020

IMAGES FROM MAIDENBROOK COUNTRY PARK & SOMERSET WOOD, Summer 2020

Slow worm inside the Country Park road gate, Mulch delivery – with good tractor skills display! June 2020

Getting the poisonous ragwort pulled Before it goes to seed!

Golden striped dragonfly in long grass, June 2020

Can you spot the visitor? June 2020 Harvest Mouse nest, July 2020

______Published & distributed free throughout the parish by Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council www.cheddonfitzpaine-pc.org.uk Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Newsletter – August 2020

YOUR PARISH MAP NOTE: Yellow & green shading indicates estate areas / boundaries

______Published & distributed free throughout the parish by Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council www.cheddonfitzpaine-pc.org.uk