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January 2020 Hambridge and Westport

Coming soon! The group in The Village Hall on Saturday March 14th will be SNAPPA, one of the best professional bands around, with a fantastic mix of music, Tickets from Linda at the shop. Why not look them up on YouTube! SNAPPA have built up the reputation as one of the best three piece party bands in the country. They are based in the South West playing covers from the 1950's to present day, from rock and roll classics to modern day indie pop anthems. Their repertoire is ideal for all ages and tastes, whether a party, festival or wedding they always have everyone dancing and singing!

The band is made up of three full time professional musicians who between them have a great deal of experience including touring Europe and the United States with Chart topping bands, session work, instrumental teaching, composing, producing and have performed at World famous events and venues such as the legendary Marquee Club, Glastonbury Festival, Twickenham Stadium and the Royal Albert Hall. SNAPPA have had the pleasure to play for Prince Harry, Daniel Craig and Harry Redknapp …. and now for us at Hambridge and Westport! I’ve bought my ticket!

Lots has happened with the History Group over the last few weeks…..The brass finial from the Hambridge and Westport Friendly Society staff finally returned to its home before Christmas. Simon Denley, the Chair, has taken it in to the trusteeship of the Parish Council for display in the Village Hall cabinet. A long journey from the Philippines, and so many thanks to Eric and his family for its safekeeping and transport home. Simon has been looking for a suitable display cabinet for the Hall and he has now possibly found one. The next History meeting in the Village Hall is ot 2 p.m. on January 27th . The Facebook page goes from strength to strength now under its own steam, with over 120 members at the last count.

Crisis time at the shop!: For many years we all regretted not having a shop in the village. Linda stepped up to the mark and not only opened a superb village shop but also saved the Post Office. Read page 3 where Linda gives an insight in to the reality of village trading. It is certain that the shop and post office will close without drastic action! “Use it or lose it” is not just a saying, If you want a village shop and Post Office in the village please come to a meeting in the village hall at 7-30 on Tuesday 28th January, and help find solutions. Don’t let’s waste the two years tremendous investment by Linda and her family. Think of the loss to the community, how it will affect others less fortunate than you, and how sometimes we can welcome having to contribute more to the community, as a small price to pay for living in such wonderful surroundings. We need your advice, everyone’s ideas are important!

For more information call 01460 281114 phone/text 07831 600375 [email protected] www.hambridgeandwestport.org

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Thanks from Evie - We raised an amazing £180 at the quiz for the Borneo trip. It was a great night, with fantastic local support. Watch this space for further quizzes through the year, if for no other reason than for everyone to meet up! Almost there with the fund raising, next up is a prep weekend away, camping in the Brecon Beacons in March, before the main event in July.

From the Friends of Hambridge School (FOHSA) - The murder mystery evening will be 6th March at Barrington Village Hall, tickets are available and we would be grateful if you could let us know if you would like tickets ASAP for catering purposes. I know there were many of you who could not make the last date but are keen to get involved in what we are sure will be an enjoyable evening! £12.50 per head to include a two course meal and fabulous entertainment! We also hope there will be an Easter bingo on 27th March - always a popular event!

Through these events we continue to raise money for new electronic equipment for the classrooms.

All change at the Village Hall with a new Chair and Treasurer, Congratulations to Luci Knight and Dannii Hardisty for taking up these roles. A BIG THANK YOU to Sue Gaines for her many years as Chair. The full committee and last year’s accounts are listed at www.hambridgeandwestport.org There is currently an opportunity to help our Village Hall and share your skills and knowledge by carrying out regular maintenance and repairs. We need a part time occasional handyman. Building, technical and communication skills are a must, and a desire to help with advice for the committee about ongoing cost effective solutions and improvements. Payment will be by arrangement. In the first instance email Simon Denley, the Vice Chair, before the 21st February at [email protected] The Village Hall are looking for suitably qualified and skilled tradesmen to carry out a major refit of the toilets. Could this be you? Please e-mail Simon or contact any Rec. Trust committee member..

The Parish Council are to explore adoption of the “Ranger scheme”. The ‘Ranger’ is similar to a parish Lengthsman. The Ranger carries out a number of maintenance tasks not currently covered in any daily maintenance programmes run by South Somerset District Councils Street Scene team, Somerset County Highways team or any other official body. I guess this will be widely advertised.

St James the less, From Gill… We had some good Christmas celebrations at the church with a full church for the Christingle on Christmas eve, and then we were pleased to welcome the Isle Brewers congregation for family Communion on Christmas morning. The church will be hosting the Big Breakfast on 1st February at 9.30 a.m., in the Village Hall as usual. Hope to see you there for a lovely cooked breakfast and as much tea, coffee and toast as you want. The Christmas cake raffle held in the shop raised £108 for the church so thankyou Ian, Linda and staff for your efforts. The cake was won by Hazel Blackman. Gill still needs expert advice about installing a toilet in the church, see page 5.

For more information call 01460 281114 phone/text 07831 600375 [email protected] www.hambridgeandwestport.org

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A heartfelt message from your local shop!

Here at Hambridge Village Stores we have just celebrated our 2nd Anniversary. Thank you to all who came to our taster evening and helped us celebrate, it was a great evening.

Sadly without more support we will not make it to 3 years. The reality is that in the 2 years we have been trading, the shop has never been in profit, even by a few pounds. The only thing that keeps the shop going is an endless string of loans.

Did you know?

• We get no revenue from the papers

• Only 5% profit on cigarettes and tobacco

• Only 10% on most other items

• Linda does NOT take a wage?

Consequently our profit margins are very small and we need to sell an awful lot of bread and milk to be in the black.

What could we do differently to make YOU use the shop?

We are always happy to take on board any suggestions and ideas so please feel free to come and talk to us!

We try to stock all the essentials people may need and we appreciate that you wouldn’t do your weekly shop here, but do come in and have a look around. We have lots of stock from basics to specialty items like Tracklements chutney’s and condiments, Roots and Wings jams and preserves, locally produced apple juices, ciders and honeys. Fresh baked bread, homemade cakes, sausages and bacon from the Sausage Shed in Westport. Meat and Pies from Bonner’s of Illminster and much much more.

In addition to the shop we have our cafe area, serving hot and cold drinks, lunches, snacks, cakes and pastries. Takeaway coffee and tea, hot pasties, sausage rolls, cheese and bacon slices……...... And of course there’s the Post Office - but did you know that you can pay money into your bank account (apart from Nationwide) and draw cash out.

There’s no need to ever leave our lovely village!

On a brighter note, we love running the shop and have so many wonderful customers. We know from all the positive feedback from regulars and passers through that the shop is appreciated and for some it’s a life line, which makes it all the more essential that with your help, we try and turn things around.

Finally we would like to wish all our customers, past, present and future a very happy and healthy 2020. We look forward to welcoming you to Hambridge Village Stores soon.

For more information call 01460 281114 phone/text 07831 600375 [email protected] www.hambridgeandwestport.org

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A timely reminder from Trevor about security …..

The probability of being caught up in a terrorist incident is extremely low, of late the terrorist focus has been on making a big impact in a crowded area and London and Manchester have borne the brunt of this, that said there remains a strong desire among the extremists to strike at service personnel. Taunton is the home of 40 Commando Royal Marines, Yeovilton is the home of Royal Naval Commando Aviation and 9 Regt Army Air Corps, hence there is a reasonable chance of service personnel being present in any crowded area in Taunton or Yeovil. So whilst the probability of an incident in small rural towns may be extremely low, it will always be considered a possibility and worthy of vigilance.

I can add, that there is an excellent online police training course at https://ct.highfieldelearning.com/ You have to register in advance and use Internet Explorer. It covers seven modules and it’s really thought provoking, especially about the identification of risks and spotting warning signs of trouble. It’s quite topical for us at the moment with the Parish Council discussing CCTV. It took me about thirty minutes to complete the course.

Brilliant work by Jean, Paul, Will and Chris raising £430 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. And festive pleasure for all to enjoy

Our School …..

Message from Ms Laura Chesterfield, Hambridge Community Primary School 01460 281370 one of our teachers.

“I really want to try and get some people to come into school and talk about their memories of World War 2 (maybe they were children in WW2 or an evacuee or ...?) I will be sending out a letter to everyone in the class asking if they know of someone, but I would also like to ask people in the local community.” Perhaps you know someone who could help? This might fit in well with a street party in the Village Hall on Friday 8th May.

Wanted – A barrel or tub, to plant the Christmas tree that we used at the Village Hall, ready for next year. Minimum diameter about 30”. 01460 281114.

Hambridge and Westport Youth Cafe from Mandy Brister and Ruth Evans … We currently meet in the first Tuesday of the month from 7pm to 9 pm. Anyone in School Years 7 to 11 welcome. £1 subs and there is also a Tuck Shop so you can purchase some treats. The next session is on Tuesday 4th February when we will be hosting a Wii challenge tournament Looking ahead, there is Tuesday 3rd March for Pancake Day, making your own pancakes with choice of toppings. There will also be a Pancake race weather permitting! And on Tuesday 7th April there will be Easter themed games and activities.

For more information call 01460 281114 phone/text 07831 600375 [email protected] www.hambridgeandwestport.org

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News from the Lamb and Lion Jeremy tells us that that there’s a Valentine’s night on Friday February 14th and Burns Night on Saturday January 25th . Call 01460 281774. There are also tentative plans to have a 1940s night on Friday May 8th as part of the 75 anniversary of VE Day. Ideas include dressing up, period cars and anything else to add a touch of nostalgia. More news as it gets planned, but keep that date free to celebrate.

Also on May 8th (it’s a Bank Holiday Friday) we have tentative plans to have a street party in the Village Hall. Ideas include bringing your own party food, and games and entertainment from the 1940s, including musical chairs, pinning the tail on the donkey and anything else we can dream up. All very low key and simply to have fun.

The Vicarage also have a valentine’s event on Friday 14th February. They are having an accordion player visiting to do a set at 3 p.m. The event is open to anyone who would like to come along so that’s a great way for people in the village to link up with residents at the Vicarage. The elf day cake sale at The Vicarage was a success. Corrine says they don’t have the final amount raised yet as they are still gathering donations. They all had a lovely time and ate far too much cake!!

The Parish Council: Recent topics from the January meeting include:

• Village shop – it has been proposed that all avenues are explored to prevent losing the shop – the most likely being a community operated shop which would be able to obtain grants & support from district & Parish council.

• Ranger scheme – PC looking to adopt this & have requested further info from SSDC

• Confirmation that the Defibrillator remains part of the SWASFT accreditation scheme – new pads to be ordered by PC

• Precept set. This took up a large part of the meeting- Unfortunately there will be an increase in the precept of 5% for 2020/2021. A breakdown will be available on the website once meeting minutes have been approved at the PC meeting in February.

• Discussion on the Parish Council website issue & money has been set aside for this. Also funds earmarked for CCTV & a display cabinet.

• There is an opportunity to plant trees in and around our villages to do our bit for the local environment: application to SSDC tree giveaway has been made and the Parish Council is exploring other sources of trees including woodland trust etc. If successful we will be looking for volunteers to help plant & for suitable locations within our villages.

For more information call 01460 281114 phone/text 07831 600375 [email protected] www.hambridgeandwestport.org

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• A proposal has been put forward to provide a toilet in the church. Options & costs are to be explored and discussed at a future PC meeting to determine possible methods of funding.

• Caravan sited in Westport – no further development

• Planning: Application received No. 19/03508/FUL. Change of use and conversion of the Old Chapel into one two bedroomed residential dwelling. Old Chapel, Hambridge, TA10 0BA. The Parish Council provided no objections and requested that as much of the internal features are retained as is possible & that there are to be no visual changes to the front elevation – I.e. retain form of windows, the plaque and railings etc.

(Full details will be published in the minutes of course, Normally a printed copy is in the shop as well as online.)

Meetings are open to the public (with a very few exceptions), and there is a slot allocated for public comment. The next meeting is in the committee room of the village hall on Monday February 10th at 8 p.m. Parish Council documents are held on the website www.hambridgeandwestportThe Parish Council would be pleased to receive any contributions for the newsletter or for discussion at the meetings.. Just contact Simon Denley on 01460 281340 or Jenny Ludgate our clerk on 01458 251432 [email protected], or for the newsletter, e-mail Mike Evans [email protected] or call 01460 281114 or check www.hambridgeandwestport.org.

The Church toilet (or rather a lack of one!): Our Church was built in 1844 and originally was to be designated Westport Church, and came about directly as a result of the success of the Westport Canal. Many churches were built without toilet facilities, but times were different then, and popping down to the third tree on the right was probably more acceptable. In this day and age, if any meeting place is to be used by the public, then toilet facilities are not only desirable, but absolutely essential. So, the Church needs a toilet!

Where do we start? Money is obviously important but there are a number of decisions to be made before the project kicks off. Let’s consider the following ….

The main sewer is in the road and connection to this will always be the preferred option. In fact, the planners may insist. However digging up roads with traffic control, and all that goes with it, is expensive! There are alternatives, like compost loos, but this doesn’t really give a complete solution, as any additional facilities like a sink would be limited. Another decision to be made is how to ensure full compliance to cater for everyone.

Back to the money! The Church will obviously contribute and the Parish Council are supportive and Adam Dance our County Councillor is full of ideas for grants. So although we might be reaching for the stars, we are at least on the launch pad.

Gill still needs a Mission Commander (Project Manager) Could that be you?

For more information call 01460 281114 phone/text 07831 600375 [email protected] www.hambridgeandwestport.org

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Church services for February Sunday 2nd February 9.30 a.m. Holy Communion in Isle Brewers Sunday 9th February 9.30 a.m. Holy Communion in Hambridge Sunday 16th February 9.30 a.m. Family Service in Hambridge Sunday 23rd February 9.30 a.m. Parish service in Isle Brewers Wednesday 26th ASH WEDNESDAY 6.30 p.m. Communion with Ashing

Ashing is a symbolic tradition where the palm crosses from last year are burnt and a cross is drawn on people’s foreheads with the ash.

Hambridge Mill: Looks like the Co-op initiative failed to get the Mill. We did hear that there were possible proposals to develop the site for housing. It would be great to see the Mill alive and busy again. It holds so many memories for people, especially through its use as a social club and also of course as a place of employment for many. It started life as a mill and transitioned through brewery, distribution center and then furniture manufacturer. Quite a history. I bet those walls could tell some stories!

More about the Village web site ….. We created a village web site some years ago using a free Microsoft 365 web hosting arrangement. When that finished we moved the web site to a free community web hosting service provided by BT. The web domain is funded by the Parish Council, and for transparency holds all the relevant Council documents for public access. Unfortunately we have now hit a problem.

In the precept (budget) for the Parish Council there was reference to web site upgrading. This is to meet a deadline of 23rd September 2020 for compliance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018, Wow! What a mouthful! In short, the law is that Parish Councils must have a web site so that their documents are available for all, and also that the web site can be read on phones and tablets, including special rules regarding suitability for those with visual impairment. The bad news is that we can’t do that with the freebie web site from BT.

The Parish Council have allocated funds to change the web site, but perhaps we have someone in the village who has web site experience. Give Mike a call on 01460 281114 if you are interested in helping.

Here’s a bit of information…. Parish Councils must be totally transparent in the way they work, just like all organizations working with public money. For example, the meetings must normally be “open”, New regulations came into force on 6th August 2014 as a result of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 which mean that councils and other local government bodies are required to allow any member of the public to take photographs, film and audio-record the proceedings, and report on all public meetings. The new rules allow for reporting of meetings via social media of any kind. I’m glad I’m not on the Parish Council! For more information call 01460 281114 phone/text 07831 600375 [email protected] www.hambridgeandwestport.org

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News from the WI: February's WI meeting is on the 11th at 7.00 p.m. in the village hall. It’s a craft evening along with our usual tea and cakes. There will also be our usual monthly raffle and flower of the month competition. There is a calendar of excellent speakers booked for this year and membership is up so that’s great news for the village. We would also like to include congratulations to the newly appointed President, Kerry Male.

And now a great bit of co-operation. The Village Hall had big round tables and square tablecloths. Not ideal! Karen and Hazel have made the huge tablecloths in to circular ones to fit the round tables. Problem solved! Three remain oblong to fit the long tables. Thank you so much.

Thinking ahead ……. We have the Village Hall booked for June 20th. If no one else has any celebration plans for the Solstice time, perhaps we have another low tech get-together. Perhaps some local entertainment like last year. So get out your guitars, polish your trumpets, lubricate the vocal chords or practice your tap dancing. Poems and the telling of tales welcome and bring your own picnic. We won’t forget the raffle this year. Perhaps a tug of war, a juggling class, best summer outfit, a chance to try a new skill ….. who knows Dads v Mums fottie would be fun! …… Give me a call on 01460 281114 if you’re interested.

And finally ……. An advert

In the Village Hall car park again on Friday 31st January from 5 till 8 p.m. (I must declare an interest)

Published by Mike Evans and generally reflects the views or discussions of the Parish Council

For more information call 01460 281114 phone/text 07831 600375 [email protected] www.hambridgeandwestport.org