September 2018 No
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ISLE OF WEDMORE NEWS September 2018 No. 465 Editorial After such a long scorching summer it seems strange that in Keats’ words, ‘the season of mellow mists and fruitfulness’ is suddenly upon us, welcome to the September Edition, number 465. I am sure many people will be glad of the changes the new season will bring, particularly as you will see from the Weather Report compiled by Denley Brown on page 36, that a shortfall of 65.6% was recorded between May and June of this year, when compared against the 30-year average rainfall figure. Hopefully things will balance themselves out and it’s probably a little early to be doing impressions of Private Fraser; ‘We’re doomed Cap’n.’ Please forgive me repeating myself here, but may I again make two appeals as I did in last month’s Editorial? Firstly, is there anyone with a range of recipes (just a few would do) who may wish to join the team of authors of the ‘Tasty Morsels – A Recipe for You’ feature. Secondly, for your kind sponsorship please for the ‘Beer Bucket’ Challengers as we put ourselves through public humiliation to assist so many worthy charities within the village. So what is there to do here in Wedmore during September? Glad you asked, well amongst many other things, there is the 75th Theale Flower Show, a Green Wedmore Freecycle Day, the 18th Wedmore Real Ale Festival, Somerset Arts Week with a venue Deadline for October Edition: 1 September 2018 Contact the Wedmore News Editorial Copy / Items for Publication Bill Sutton, Culverhays, 9 Combe Batch, Wedmore BS28 4DU (710475) Email [email protected] What’s On Listings and Contact Details for your Club / Organisation Liz Henderson, 12 Church Street, Wedmore. BS28 4AB (01934 261643) Email [email protected] Photos and Features Liz Sweeney, Cheddar Road Farm House, Cheddar Rd, Cocklake (710637) Email [email protected] Advertising Copy Isle of Wedmore News, The Council Rooms, Grants Lane, Wedmore BS28 4EA Email [email protected] (712160) Distribution Enquiries John Cousins at [email protected] (712565) The Isle of Wedmore News welcomes all contributions and letters. It should be noted however that the views expressed are those of individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors, or represent any particular standpoint on the part of the publication. Wedmore News is digital! Each edition (without adverts) will be published on The Isle of Wedmore Website, www.theisleofwedmore.net. If you are a contributor who for copyright reasons does not want your entry included, please make this clear when sending it to the editor. The editors also reserve the right to edit or amend any contribution for reasons of space, conformity, legibility or legality. 2 September 2018 in Bagley, and rehearsals start for the Railway Children. Oh and don’t forget, for this month only, St Mary’s Church coffee morning takes place on the second, not the first Saturday. Lastly, it is also time for the artists amongst you to start dreaming up your entry for this year’s World Famous Turnip Prize, which is just over the horizon. As always, a sincere thank you to everyone who contributed this time. Bill Sutton Front Cover As the countryside is currently showing signs of the long spell of dry weather, we can look back to a greener time last August in this photo taken by Dawn Pallant, one of our regular contributors, who has recently won an award for her photography. See news item. News Parish Council Business The July meeting was held at Blackford Village Hall and, possibly owing to the fact that the venue had not been agreed until quite late, it was not advertised in the IOW News, hence there were very few residents in attendance. A representative from Acorn Development gave an update on the Cross Farm housing development and suggested that work would commence in October. The company was looking at creating a ‘Public Open Space’ within the site and would consider suggestions. David Ewens updated members on the ‘Fingerpost project’ and stated that over £8k had been raised by voluntary donations to date including a welcome donation from the Wedmore Community Power Co-operative. There was still a requirement to raise a further £5.5k to complete the project and the Council agreed to make a grant of £1k together with a vote of thanks to David for his tireless efforts. Pete Brown updated members on the progress of the new pavilion at Wedmore Playing Fields. The project still required more funds and the Council agreed to make a further grant of £5k towards the project with the hope that this would attract further grants and donations from local and national organisations. Wedmore Brook The Brook in Blackford and Wedmore is part of the parish flood relief scheme and, during the early part of this month, members of the Council will be walking the Brook to ensure that it is unobstructed and fit for purpose. Sedgemoor District Council have the responsibility for maintaining it but owners of land adjoining the brook have riparian ownership responsibilities to keep the brook clear of debris etc. Rod Pring, Wedmore Parish Council, Grant’s Lane, Wedmore, Somerset BS284EA, Telephone 713087, email: [email protected] September 2018 3 Wedmore Real Ale Festival 2018 Our 18th festival is finally here and we can’t wait to get proceedings underway later this month. This year’s festival will, as ever, centre around a theme and this year we have gone for London Tube Stations, so start thinking about your underground dressing up outfit ready for the Saturday night (Grange Hill, High Barnet, Wimbledon, there is plenty of inspiration on the tube map and online). We will also have an incredible mix of live music to set the scene for the ale drinking: Kindred, who rocked the crowd at the Godney Gathering in July, will be opening the festival’s live music on Friday night, and the ever-popular Bad Edukation will headline this year’s Saturday night’s live music. We will also be showcasing live local music on Saturday afternoon/early evening, not forgetting our legendary DJ Olly Eade from DJ Enhance, who will be ensuring there’s no let-up in the music over the weekend. This year we will have 65 different choices of real ales, as well as 23 different ciders, wine and prosecco to choose from. Food will also be available throughout the weekend. Evening admission to the festival will be £5 per person, which will include a much- coveted 2018 festival pint glass to take away. If you would like to volunteer during the festival, either to help set up in the mornings, during the festival or clear up on the Sunday afternoon, then please contact Mike Bewick ASAP on 07794 781975 as he is finalising the rotas as you are reading this. Limited quantities of festival tops are now available to order, so if you want to get your hands on one before the festival, please visit our website and complete the order form. Pre-orders of hoodies have now closed, so you will have to wait until the festival to get your hands on any remaining ones. The auction will be back on the Sunday afternoon with a wide range of enticing lots for you to bid for. Last but not least, the festival will reach its grand finale this year with The Beer Bucket Challenge. This year’s final list of willing contestants who are no doubt looking forward to being soaked in cold beer in aid of charity are: Rich Macarthur Garry Stimpson Bill Sutton Chris McKinley Jason Collins Will Plummer Ewart Jackson - Voyzey Sarah Maddock Sam Brown Clare Bean Kerry Wilcox Rachael Bewick Of course, one of the main objectives of the festival is to raise money for local worthy causes, so if you have a local worthy cause that you feel would benefit from a donation from the festival, please complete this year’s Application Form, which can be found inside the rear cover of this edition of Wedmore News, on our website or on our festival app. All completed forms must be sent back to us by 19 September. The successful applicants will need to attend the presentation night on13 October. To keep up to date with the final details for this year’s festival please like our Facebook page @wedmorerealalefestival, follow us on twitter @WedmoreRealAle or go to our website www.wedmorerealale.com See you at the bar. Alan Page 4 September 2018 The Isle of Wedmore Remembers the First World War 2018: War and Remembrance I am delighted to announce that plans are in train by a partnership made up of St Mary’s Church, Wedmore First School and Hugh Sexey Church of England Middle School to hold a commemorative event in Wedmore in November 2018 marking the 100th Anniversary of the end of the First World War. We intend to hold an exhibition and associated events at Wedmore Village Hall from 7 to 11 November 2018, similar to that held four years ago that attracted over 1800 visitors, to commemorate the part played by local servicemen and the wider community between 1914 and 1918. If anyone from the Isle of Wedmore has any photographs, letters or memorabilia to lend to the exhibition they would be of huge interest. If anyone would be interested in helping, please do get in contact. We are actively looking for sponsorship or any financial support at the moment to offset the costs of the exhibition - sadly we were unsuccessful with a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant on this occasion.