It’s a sure sign that Summer is fast approaching when the Royal Horticultural Society issues a steady stream of news releases about the annual Chelsea Flower Show it is staging this year from 19th to 23rd May. Its aim is to encourage the nation to discover the joy of getting curious about gardening and the vital contribution plants make to the health of people, places and planet, and this year the attractions will include some of the finest examples of garden design with inspiring plant combinations and cutting-edge landscaping. At the other end of the scale, balcony and container gardens will show what is possible in a smaller space, often in towns where pollution, noise and flood management are among the issues facing gardeners.
But you don’t need to battle with the crowds at Chelsea to see some inspiring gardens and perhaps get ideas for your own plot. Gardening has flourished in Visitorland since Elizabethan times, and tucked away in the peaceful countryside are countless gardens to visit. Some, like the formal gardens at Montacute House, the landscaped estates at Stourhead and Sherborne Castle and the gardens of the medieval Forde Abbey, are widely known, but something of the essence of the classic English garden can be found at smaller locations. I particularly like those at East Lambrook Manor, Tintinhull House and Lytes Cary, but you probably have your own favourites.
There’s much pleasure to be derived from sitting in a garden amidst banks of colourful scented flowers, from watching the birds in the trees and hedges, from spotting the wildlife in uncultivated corners and from enjoying the flavours of home-grown fruit, vegetables and herbs. And few pleasures are greater than strolling round a beautiful garden where someone else has done all the hard work.
Further opportunities to do just that are provided by the National Garden Scheme. For almost 100 years it has encouraged
keen gardeners to open their gardens for charity once or more times a year, and this year the scheme is offering visitors access to over 3,300 private gardens in the UK, including several here in Visitorland which are usually publicised locally. A modest admission fee and any profits from the sale of plants, teas and cakes provide funds for the scheme to support nursing, health and garden charities, and thanks to the generosity of garden owners, volunteers and visitors it donated over £3.8 million last year. Since 1927 its donations have totalled an impressive £77+ million.
And some Visitorland communities hold ‘open garden’ weekends to raise money for their village hall, church or other local good cause. Sadly my own cottage garden could never be included in such an event because it reveals that I’m not a keen gardener. I’m more of an armchair gardener. I enjoy sitting in the garden, ideally on a warm afternoon, with a glass or two of wine and an absorbing book – even a gardening book! – and trying to avoid looking at all the gardening jobs crying out to be done.
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Topical theme AND top of the pops at Wincanton Choral Society’s Concert on May 17 DOES their music director have a direct line to the White House? Whitehall at least, one would hope. The theme of WCS's upcoming concert, Peace in our time does seem particularly apposite given the strife in the world.
During the evening of Sunday May 17th, the choir, with full professional orchestra and soloists, will perform two major and well-matched works that express the terror and tragedy of war: Karl Jenkins' The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace and Ralph Vaughan Williams' Dona Nobis Pacem . Fear not! Both have beautifully serene moments evoking the promise of peace. Still doesn't sound very Top of the Pops to you? The Vaughan Williams was immensely popular in its day, much played throughout the Second World War. But The Armed Man: a
Mass for Peace has just been voted by Classic FM listeners as the Nation's favourite classical piece in the 2026 Hall of Fame. Karl Jenkins is the first composer living today to achieve this accolade. He pipped to the post such perennials as Vaughan Williams' Lark Ascending and Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2. This powerful but accessible work is a mere 26 years old. Perhaps the MD has a direct line to Classic FM too.
The concert will be in the Sports Hall at Wincanton Leisure Centre, West Hill, Wincanton BA9 9SP at 7.30pm on Sunday May 17th. Tickets (£18, to include a programme; free for under 18s) from www.ticketsource.co.uk /wincantonchoralsociety. See www.wincanton-choralsociety.uk, www.facebook .com/wincantonchoralsociety, or ring Sally Greenhalgh on 01749 860457.
New Somerset Tour Celebrates Craft Cider Renaissance
A new premium cider tour is set to capitalise on the surging demand for artisan ciders, positioning Somerset as the epicentre of the UK’s craft cider revival.
Recent data indicates that
while mass-market cider consumption has plateaued, the artisan segment is booming, driven by a consumer appetite for authentic, locally sourced products. This is especially so in the ‘on-trade’ (pubs and bars), but there are signs of it in the offtrade too, with regional branches of Co-op giving an increasing amount of shelf space to smallscale local craft cider producers in their ‘Supporting Local’ sections.
Somerset, home to over 100 independent cider makers, more than any other county, is uniquely placed to meet this demand, with its landscape of ancient orchards (now in blossom!), picturesque cider shacks and tap rooms, and the wide variety of traditional methods used, offering unique visitor experiences that largescale industrial production cannot replicate.
“We’re seeing a clear demand for authenticity” said Luke Andrews, creator of the tour. “Our guests aren't just tasting ciders; they’re looking for ‘one of a kind’ experiences and a sense of discovery and place. They’re meeting some real characters and getting a masterclass from them in what craft cider-making is really about. And all the while getting off the beaten path and soaking in some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes.”
He argues that increasingly, people feel short-changed by industrially produced food and drink and see a value in supporting smaller-scale producers and local economies.
The new Somerset Cider Tour offers an immersive journey through the region’s finest independent producers. The fullday itinerary visits three distinct, independent farms, each renowned for its distinctive
Mentioned in Dispatches
contribution to the region’s characterful cider culture:
• Burrow Hill Cider Company: A behind-the-scenes exploration of the home of Somerset Cider Brandy, showcasing centuries-old distillation and fermentation methods.
• Tricky Cider: A guided tasting within a romantic 17thcentury walled orchard, set beside the iconic Church in a Field.
• Wilkins Cider Farm: A visit to a legendary farmhouse producer, offering traditional tastings from sweet to dry, led by the farm’s owner, a local figure known for his storytelling and deep knowledge of the craft.
Tour-goers start their journey at the home of Somerset’s first water buffalo herd, makers of the award winning Buffalicious mozzarella and ice-cream, and then head off to Burrow Hill, and on to Tricky Cider in Low Ham where they get a tour and picnic lunch of delicious local Somerset produce, before their final
pilgrimage, to Wilkins Cider near Wedmore, then back to Buffalicious for a chance to pick up some farm-shop goodies–perhaps even a buffalo steak.
All get to sample awardwinning ciders all day, without the need for a designated driver!
The tour is priced at £74.99 per person, inclusive of all tastings, guided tours, transport, and local lunch box - available for booking immediately for the upcoming season. Visit the The Somerset Cider & Cheese Experience Website: https://lp.cidertours somerset.co.uk/home.
Anchor tenant secured for Glastonbury’s Baily’s Buildings renovation as Phase 1 nears completion
The renovation of the Baily’s Buildings in Glastonbury has taken another positive step forward, with an anchor tenant now secured for this ambitious redevelopment project.
The agreement will see the new tenant (as yet unnamed) take 60% of the Phase 1 renovation of the West Building, which is due to complete in July this year. They will bring together several existing offices to create a company headquarters with training facilities, with around 35 full-time jobs moving to the
site this year and plans to expand the workforce to 50 people.
The Grade II listed Baily’s Buildings, which fell into disrepair in the 1980s after the Baily’s tannery and glove factory ceased operations, are currently being redeveloped with support from Glastonbury Town Deal funding. The derelict buildings were granted to the Beckery Island Regeneration Trust (BIRT) in 2011 and their renovation aims to create a vibrant, multifunctional space for local businesses, educational groups and community activities, becoming a catalyst for wider social and economic regeneration
in the area.
Significant progress has been made on site in recent months, with a new lift shaft and stair core installed to improve accessibility and future-proof the buildings for modern use. The project team has completed full restoration of the cast iron windows and carried out extensive reroofing works across the West Building complex, stabilising the structures and ensuring they are weather-tight for the long term. Specialist ecological measures, including the installation of bat lofts and early planting schemes, mean the project has already exceeded its
Bailys Buildings site visit. Image: Beard Construction.
Mentioned in
Dispatches
ecological ambitions for this phase while enhancing local biodiversity.
The historic restoration is being done sensitively and sustainably, incorporating net-zero construction, clever design and energy-efficient technologies, while retaining as much of the buildings’ architectural integrity and character as possible.
From an environmental perspective, over 30 tonnes of hard-to-recycle waste have already been diverted from landfill or incineration via recycling partnerships, reinforcing the project’s net-zero and ecological commitments.
The project is also delivering strong social and economic value for the area. A local procurement strategy has been successfully implemented throughout the construction and design phases, with £2.2m in contracts awarded to subcontractors within 30 miles of the site during Phase 1 of the renovation, supporting local economic growth, employment opportunities and reduced carbon
emissions from travel, as well as fostering a sense of local ownership and pride in the project.
Ian Tucker, Chair of BIRT, said: “Securing an anchor tenant for the Phase 1 renovation, and doing so several months ahead of the July completion, is an exciting milestone. It proves the project’s viability and attractiveness, as well as endorsing the need and model for future phases, with planning permission already in place to restore the whole complex of buildings.
“By bringing employment, education, history and community together, this project aims to put Glastonbury’s industrial heritage back at the heart of the local community. Through sensitive conservation, sustainable design and a strong focus on local benefit, the Baily’s Buildings are being brought back into productive use as a relevant and resilient asset for the town and for future generations.”
Part-funded by the UK Government as part of the Towns Fund programme, the Baily’s Buildings project was granted £6.3million from the Glastonbury Town Deal for Phase 1 of the renovation and an additional grant of £650,000 from the Robert Richards Initiative towards the cost of delivering sustainable build measures. The Glastonbury
Town Deal investment aims to help towns increase economic growth, including a focus on regeneration, skills and enterprise infrastructure, connectivity and culture.
Duck races held in the Shreen River in Mere
Two duck races were held in the Shreen River in Mere on Saturday 18th April.
Starting by Steep Street in Mere, where a street cafe was also formed, the community were able to enjoy hot dogs, cakes and drinks whilst chatting. The races
were in aid of a cancer hospice. A warm and sunny morning enhanced the atmosphere for many people and the bright colours of the ducks bobbing along with various volunteers in the water, ensuring the ducks swam away from the leafy foliage surroundings.
The event was arranged by Trudy and Bernie Rowland along with family friends and neighbours. Draw and race prizes were donated by local businesses which included an air fryer, a £100 experience at Mere Falconry and more.
Spectators enjoyed the Duck Race in Mere. Image: George Jeans.
Mentioned in Dispatches
New Exhibition from Moish Sokal
Ilminster Arts Centre.
Tuesday 26th May –Friday 19th June
Somerset based travelling artist, Moish Sokal, has returned from his long travelling and painting journey to The Mediterranean
and Australia. He brings the sun back with a new and colourful collection of watercolours which goes on show at The Ilminster Arts Centre. Tuesday 26th May–Friday 19th June.
After my last exhibition ended in 2024, I decided to visit old friends and family in Ibiza, France and Israel and paint in the little studio which awaits me on my return to use. This time I was lucky to join boat trips around the rocky forbidding coastlines which I found to be quite a contrast to the many sandy beaches.
A few months later, I set off to paint in my favourite coastal town of Brunswick Heads in northern NSW. swimming at
sunrise and with this new energy, losing myself painting all day long from my sizeable cache of reference shots of my many years I travelled in India. When out of nowhere a Cyclone hit the area and left us stranded with no power, I ventured out in this storm with so many curious
others - by the time we reached the shore line the winds were so strong we could not walk up straight any longer and had to crawl on all fours.
After celebrating the New Year in Sydney, enjoying the delights of this great city, I headed west to the blue mountains and
A place in the Shade.
Moish Sokal.
Mentioned in Dispatches
thereafter to Tasmania. My first stop on this trip was the capital Hobart, framed by the rugged figure of Mount Wellington and the flow of the wide River Derwent. Alongside these paintings I show paintings of our lovely countryside in Somerset and beyond in all its seasons, and my recent attempts at painting flowers.
Sultry day on Sydney harbour. Spring is here.
Moish in the mountains.
Mentioned in Dispatches
Ways with Wood: Celebrating the Life and Work of Harry Brockway (1958–2024)
The South West Heritage Trust is delighted to present a celebratory exhibition honouring the life and work of Glastonburybased artist Harry Brockway (1958–2024). Bringing together a significant selection of his wood engravings, woodcuts and wooden sculpture, the exhibition offers an in-depth look at the creativity and craftsmanship that shaped his distinguished artistic career. Ways with Wood opens at Somerset Rural Life Museum, Glastonbury, Somerset, 23 May to 2 September 2026.
Harry Brockway was an exceptionally skilled printmaker, sculptor, illustrator and stone carver. Alongside making independent prints, he created wood-engraved illustrations for an impressive range of major and independent publishers, from Penguin to The Folio Society. His
work appears in editions of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and in texts by Philip Pullman, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Mark Twain and W. B. Yeats, among others.
In addition to his wood carving, Brockway worked as a self employed stone carver and monumental mason, contributing to restoration projects across the UK, including Wells Cathedral. His diverse portfolio extended from stonework for The National Trust and memorials for The Lettering Trust , to commemorative coins for The Royal Mint and t-shirts for
sustainable fashion brand Finisterre
Florence West, Harry’s eldest daughter, said:
“An inextricable part of Dad was his creativity and his dedication to the artwork that he produced. He was passionate, meticulous and exceedingly humble about his remarkable skill as an artist.”
South West Heritage Trust Exhibitions Manager Mel Coussens said: “This exhibition pays tribute to the remarkable skill, imagination and deep commitment to craft that defined
Brockway’s creative life. His legacy continues to influence contemporary wood engraving and woodworking, inspiring artists, makers and illustrators today.”
Born in 1958, in Newport, South Wales, Brockway studied sculpture at Kingston Polytechnic and The Royal Academy Schools in London, later training as a stonemason at Weymouth College. He was an active member of The Society of Wood Engravers and The Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. He worked from a small studio at the
Harry Brockway, The Tor from Ten Acre Field.
bottom of his garden where he continued to develop his practice in wood engraving, letter cutting, sculpture and design. Every day he downed-tools to take his daily walk up Glastonbury Tor.
In addition to the exhibition, Somerset Rural Life Museum will host a series of related events, including an afternoon talk, wood engraving workshop, walk around Glastonbury Tor and creative drop-in activities for children in
May Half Term and the summer holidays. For more information visit Srlm.org.uk
Ilminster Literary Festival announces dates for 2026
The Ilminster Literary Festival returns on 2nd – 9th June with a wide-ranging programme for its 10th anniversary. This year’s Festival will be an eight-day celebration of books, ideas, creativity and community and will bring together acclaimed authors, emerging talent and readers from across Somerset, Wessex and the wider south west for a lively week of literature and ideas.
This tenth anniversary programme will feature author talks, conversations and workshops across a wide range of topics and genres.
Festival Director Gerald Hawke said: -
“What began ten years ago as a small gathering of local readers and authors, has grown into a lively week in the towns’ calendar where nationally known novelists, historians, food writers, aviation experts, poets, and yes, even politicians, join us for conversations and discussions about their work. Over the decade, each year has added new voices, forged new friendships,
and shown us all new ways of seeing the world. The result? This year’s anniversary feels like a celebration not just of the Festival, but of everyone who has taken part and worked to make it the success it is today.”
The full programme was officially unveiled on 20th April with the Mayor of Ilminster Councillor Brian Hamilton cutting the anniversary cake at the 2026 launch party. Tickets are available online and are on general sale from 25th April. Full Festival information is available on the official website:www.ilminsterliteraryfestival.org.
Unmissable 2026 headliners include:
• Andrew Lownie –“The happiest divorced couple in the world”
• Daisy Goodwin –“An opera begins long before the curtain has gone up and ends long after it has gone down”
• Sir Jeremy Hunt –“If you put us in a difficult corner, we will stand our ground- that is the kind of country we are”
• Marc Allum–“The one that got away” Further speakers include:
• Monisha Rajesh –“This is the night train
crossing the border, bringing the cheque and the postal order”
• Alan Johnson –“The Labour Party is a moral crusade, or it is nothing”
• Johnny Ball –“There are not the same factual (children’s television programmes) anymore”
• Tim Willasey-Wilsey –“The life of spies is to know not be known”
But Ilminster does not forget the town’s children. The integral children’s festival will include readings from Zohra Nabi herself a well-known children’s author and writing workshops to help the localities budding writing talent achieve its full potential.
THE BUT TERCROSS TEAROOMS
Market Place, Somer ton (01458) 273168
Homemade Cakes & Scones
Morning Coffee, Cream Teas
Lunch Served 12 – 3pm
Open: Tue – Sat 9am – 5pm
Harry Brockway pictured in his studio at the bottom of his garden in Glastonbury.
Mentioned in Dispatches
Adam Dance MP calls for increased funding to tackle knife crime in Yeovil and South Somerset
In response to growing concerns regarding knife crime locally, Adam Dance MP has urged the Government to provide greater funding for community policing and youth services across Yeovil and South Somerset.
Speaking as part of a Commons debate, Adam further noted that South Somerset has too often been overlooked when it comes to police funding, standing up for residents who feel repeatedly let down and are anxious for real change.
Following on from the debate, Adam said:
“No resident deserves to live in fear because of inadequate police funding. Visible policing is vital to protect both the physical and mental wellbeing of our communities. But enforcement alone is not enough. Cuts to youth services have left vulnerable
young people without the support they need, pushing them onto our streets. This is simply not right. We must invest in high-quality youth services to give young people the opportunities they deserve.”
Adam’s contribution comes as new figures show knife crime has fallen for the second year in a row, with police-recorded offences involving a knife or sharp instrument down 9% in the year ending September 2025.
While this progress is welcome, levels remain around 54% higher than a decade ago, underlining the need for continued action and long-term prevention. It forms part of Adam’s wider work to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour locally. Last month, Avon and Somerset Police held their first beat surgery at his office on Princes Street in Yeovil, giving residents the chance to raise concerns and speak directly with officers about issues in their area.
The UK Government’s Consultation on Hunting –urgent action needed Twenty years ago, the UK Government passed the Hunting Act which banned the hunting of deer, foxes, badgers, and hares. This was a historic piece of legislation for animal protection, especially given the considerable opposition by the hunting lobby. Since then, hunters have used a loophole in the Act which permitted ‘trail hunting’ as cover to continue illegal hunting. For evidence of this, you can see the films by Protect the Wild on YouTube.
Despite a manifesto commitment to ban trail hunting, the Government has, for
unfathomable reasons, now decided to launch a consultation on hunting. This consultation ends on June 18, 2026. It is now vital for as many people as possible to participate in the consultation to show the widespread opposition to hunting and to embolden the UK Government to act as a matter of urgency.
To participate, you can complete the consultation at https://consult.defra.gov.uk/defra /trail-hunting-consultation. If you do not have time to complete the lengthy questionnaire, please just use the prepared response by Protect the Wild available at https://protectthewild.org.uk/trailhunting-consultation.
Adam Dance MP.
The Government launched a consultation on hunting that ends in June.
Senior bulls set for showring comeback
The return of one of the most anticipated beef classes is set to be a highlight at this year’s Royal Bath & West Show, with entries now open for both beef and dairy classes.
Following strong demand from exhibitors, the Senior Bull Class for bulls born before 2025 will return to the beef schedule on Thursday 28 May. A staple across all beef breed categories, the class is renowned for showcasing some of the most impressive animals on the showground.
These bulls are often the largest and most powerful examples of their breed, and their absence in 2025 was keenly felt by exhibitors.
Alongside the excitement in the beef ring, this year’s dairy competitions promise equally high standards, culminating in the prestigious interbreed championship, which takes place on Friday 29 May.
Interbreed judge Andy Cope, who has judged at major shows across the UK and Europe, including the Royal Welsh, Royal Cornwall and Great Yorkshire, will take on the task of selecting the Supreme Dairy Champion.
Explaining what he looks for in a winning animal, Andy says it’s key to have a functional, balanced cow that can produce quality milk while maintaining high standards of health and welfare.
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“You’re looking for an animal that is well balanced, strong enough but still dairy, with good legs and feet and an excellent udder, which is one of the most important functional traits in a dairy animal,” he adds.
“The Royal Bath & West has always been a very prestigious show and one that people talk about across the country,” says Andy. “It brings together some of the best livestock and gives farmers a chance to showcase their top breeding stock.
“It’s not just about winning; it’s about the camaraderie,
meeting like-minded people and building connections. Farming can be quite isolating, and showing is a great way to bring people together,” he adds.
Adding to the livestock experience, cattle housing will return to the Showering Pavilion, giving visitors the opportunity to enter, get up close to the animals and see them being prepared for the showring.
“Showing is really important for pedigree breeders; you can have some of the best animals, but nobody might know about them. You never know who might
be interested in buying from you in the future.”
Beef entries closed on 16 April while dairy entries close on 7 May.
You can enter competitions at: www.bathandwest.com/royalbath-and-west-show/competitions and book tickets at: https://www.bathandwest.com/ royal-bath-and-westshow/visitors/tickets.
The Royal Bath & West Show will take place at The Showground, Shepton Mallet, Somerset BA4 6QN, from 28–30 May.
Image: Evie Tomlinson Photography.
Mentioned
in Dispatches
Caryford Community Hall
May Events
Saturday 2 May: The Lost Trades Doors 7.00pm. Starts 7.30pm. Folk/Americana trio, based in the West Country, with a cool Laurel Canyon vibe. With a sound that is reminiscent of the California
folk scene of the late 60s / early 70s, their three-part harmonies have been described as ‘flawless’, ‘spine tingling’ and ‘magical’. Tickets: £12 Advance. £14 Door.
Sunday 17 May: Sunday Sessions – Dave Saunders & Harry Skinner. Doors 3.30pm. Starts 4.00pm. Producers frontmen Harry Skinner + Dave Saunders with their brand of acoustic music. From Muddy Waters, Broonzy, Elmore James and more to their own renditions of favourite Producers songs. Tickets: £10 Advance. £12 Door.
Wednesday 20 May: Caryford Talks: Saskia MarjoramSaskia’s Flower Essences. Doors 7.00pm. Starts 7.30pm. Saskia has been learning and teaching about flower essences for more than 20 years and is passionate about helping people experience the plant world in a different way. Learn about the energetics of plants, what flower essences are, how they work and how they can help you. Tickets: £8. Advance £10 Door.
Thursday 28 May: Children’s Cinema in Caryford HallZootropolis 2. Doors 1.45pm. Starts 2.00pm. Detectives Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde find
themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who turns the mammal metropolis of Zootropolis upside down. Free snack & drink for children. Tickets: £2.50 from Bailey Hill Bookshop. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Sunday 31 May: Secret Gardens of South Cary - Open 1pm – 6pm. Following the success of our previous open garden events in Castle Cary, this year we are revealing the secret gardens of South Cary. Collect a route map from All Saints Church and explore in your own time. Plant stalls along the route and teas served at the Church. Tickets: £10 – Bailey Hill Bookshop or online. All Saints Church (on the day only).
Saskia Marjoram. Image: Daisy Davidson.
Mentioned in Dispatches
Wells Comedy Festival 10 Year Anniversary 22-24 May Wells Comedy Festival are thrilled to announce that Ed Gamble and James Acaster will be bringing their award-winning podcast Off Menu - to Somerset for a very special one-off live show to celebrate the 10th anniversary festival.
Since launching in December 2018, Off Menu has become one of the biggest podcasts in the country, regularly topping the podcast charts and racking up over 200 million downloads.
Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Adam Riches also joins the bill with both his critically acclaimed show Adam Riches IS Sean Bean IN 'The 12 Beans of Christmas' and a brand new work-in-progress show.
Plus Last One Laughing and Taskmaster star Lou Sanders has added an extra show due to popular demand.
They join Nish Kumar, Sara Pascoe, Bridget Christie Tim Key, Flo & Joan, Paul Foot, Mark Thomas, Jessica Fostekew, Ian Smith, Chris Cantrill, Huge Davies, Sam Nicoresti, Toussaint Douglass, Amy Annette, Celya AB, Andrew Frost, Pat Cahill, Frankie Thompson, Stuart Laws and more who will be attending the landmark ten year anniversary festival.
You can catch a selection of festival favourites at the Friday, Saturday Night and 10th anniversary Gala shows. All
Cedars Hall gala shows are BSL interpreted and profits from the anniversary gala show will be split between charities Vision Action and Wells Foodstore
All shows on sale at www.wellscomfest.com.
How the Nelson Trust is changing women’s lives in Somerset - supported by funding from Somerset Community Foundation Somerset Community Foundation (SCF) has awarded 28 grants and over £800,000 to The Nelson Trust to support the establishment and running of Bridgwater Women’s Centre.
Since beginning in 1985, The Nelson Trust has grown to be a regional charity that has been supporting individuals experiencing substance use, trauma, or involvement with the
criminal justice system.
“ The Nelson Trust allows vulnerable women to access support and the potential to change their future,” said Andy Ridgewell, Programmes Director at SCF.
“In rural counties like Somerset, there are many additional barriers. Transport links can be limited, communities can be tight-knit, and stigma can be significant. This can further isolate women and make it harder to seek help - which is why places like Bridgwater Women’s Centre are so crucial for women in the community.”
“The women we support often have multiple and complex needs. These might include unsuitable accommodation, domestic abuse, substance use, mental health challenges, unemployment,
limited education, or involvement in the criminal justice system,” said Christina Line, CEO of The Nelson Trust
“Our mission is to help women heal and recover – whatever that looks like for them individually –so they can thrive in their families and local communities and live independently beyond services. Ultimately, it’s about enabling women to live stable, independent, and fulfilling lives.” Want to make a difference close to home? Support more local projects like The Nelson Trust!
NOTICE:
In the April issue we failed to credit the images to the artist Roger Fry on pages 1 and 6.
Lou Sanders.
Nish Kumar.
Mentioned in Dispatches
Cheers to 21 years: Harry’s Cider celebrates
This Spring marks a double celebration for one of Somerset’s best-loved independent cider makers, as Harry’s Cider toasts 21 years of traditional cider making alongside the first anniversary of its popular shop and taproom.
Founded in 2005 by Harry and his son Toby, the family-run
cidery has grown from a small farm diversification project into a nationally recognised name, known for its characterful, smallbatch ciders made using 100% cider apples and traditional methods.
Using heritage varieties such as Harry Masters Jersey, Dabinett, Yarlington Mill and Browns Apple, Harry’s produces a range of traditional, sparkling, fruit and mulled ciders, all crafted to showcase the depth and flavour of proper cider. This commitment to quality has earned national acclaim, including the 2022 Reserve Supreme British Champion Cider award for Harry’s Dabinett.
To mark the occasion, Harry’s
is releasing its exclusive 2023 Vintage Fine Cider. Crafted using a traditional in-bottle fermentation method and aged for two years, this limited release offers a crisp, lively character with a refined natural sparkle. Carefully made for special moments, it is perfectly suited to accompany a delicious meal or to raise a glass in celebration.
The anniversary also shines a spotlight on the cidery’s shop and taproom, which opened last year and has quickly become a destination for locals and visitors alike. Set just metres from the orchards where the apples are grown, picked and pressed, the space offers a uniquely close connection between land and glass.
With the orchards now in full blossom — a fleeting spectacle that lasts only a few weeks each year - there’s no better time to visit. Visitors can enjoy a relaxed experience with a pint in hand, alongside a carefully curated selection of locally sourced food and drink. From tasting paddles showcasing the cider range to hearty farmhouse platters, cakes, and light lunches, everything is designed to complement the flavours of the cider and celebrate the best of the West Country.
Cider tours remain a key part
of the Harry’s experience, giving guests the chance to explore the orchards, learn about the cidermaking process from apple to bottle, and sample the range. The cidery also hosts a lively programme of family-friendly events throughout the year, including popular Pizza Nights, Cider Saturdays, and live music set against the orchard backdrop. Coinciding with the start of this year’s British Cider Week, Harry’s Cider hosted their first Pizza Night of the season on Friday 24th April, complete with live acoustic music from Stevie Nichole Brown and wood-fired pizzas.
Whether for a tasting, a tour, or simply a quiet drink among the blossom, Harry’s Cider invites everyone to raise a glass to 21 years of apples, craft and community.
More information about their events and cider tours can be found on the Harry’s Cider website.
Harry Fry, Toby Fry, Alison Chapman and Pippa Fry in the orchard. Image: Bill Bradshaw.
Excitng news at Castle House Nursing Home, we are now an awardwinning home of 54 rooms, including 3 double rooms, afer the completon of our 9bed extension, and internal garden courtyard. We are a family run home, located in the friendly village of Keinton Mandeville. Set in six glorious acres of Somerset countryside, 10 minutes from the A303, and major travel links.
Jo Marshall, (UK Care Home Manager of the year 2017), is an onsite Manager, who runs this familyowned Nursing Home, with her exceptonal team offering a variety of quality services and actvites, this being recognised in our last two inspectons from the Care Quality Commission, where we achieved an “Outstanding” ratng.
Our relatonships with the local GPs and their surgeries have been built throughout the years, facilita t ng seamless, person centred coordinated care. We offer 24hour nursing care, with a high staff to resident rato, this enables us to support our residents and their families to con t nue the ne xt chapt er of their lives in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, supportng you to focus on your relatonships.
Our aim at Castle House is to provide your loved ones with person centred care, in our modern and elegant living space comprising of a cheerful lounge where a multtude of daily actvites take place, a peaceful garden room, spacious dining room, quiet areas throughout the home, 46 En suite rooms, 18 of which have large wet room facilites, three jacuzzi bathrooms, balconies with spectacular views overlooking the gardens and paddocks.
Fresh home cooked meals are served from our 5 Star kitchen 24 hours a day and our menus reflect the choices made by our residents, as does the wellstocked bar. Residents can enjoy our purposebuilt Beauty Therapy Suite, where top to toe therapies are offered in a tranquil environment.
As a home we encourage residents, to personalise their rooms, if they wish to do so keeping their surroundings familiar and feeling like home. Wi fi is a v ailable throughout the home, we also have several iPads and tablets, enabling families and residents to keep in touch, using modern technology.
Choosing the right home can be overwhelming, therefore, we invite you to come and meet us, take a tour through the home and gardens, whilst we talk through your individual requirements, creatng a unique care plan together.
The Bigger Picture
With Bridget Sudworth
Stepping outside of a morning brings the pleasure of noting just how green everything looks.
May is the most beautiful month of the year in the garden when all the new growth is fresh and vital, raring to go. We are totally distracted when working on the computer to observe through the south facing window, a new nesting box hanging on the north wall of the garage opposite and frankly, sited above our garden motorway - that is, the path from the cars to the back door.
Blue tits have decided to brave the traffic and are busy flying back and forth lining the new box with a selection of moss and twigs, flying in and out with beakfuls of the stuff. It somehow restores faith in wildlife which is
always just there, waiting for its moment but so wonderful to observe at close quarters. The birds are incredibly quick and discreet, simply flashing in and out though one of them has just lingered on a branch of the climbing hydrangea that embraces one side of the box. They feature regularly at the bird table each day if we recognise them correctly, and enjoy splashing about in the bird bath - they must get quite puffed out going back and forth. By the time this is published, there may be young cheeping inside the box.
The environmental damage of Mr.Trump’s war in the Middle East, by comparison, is having a massive impact on the world, not that that would bother him as he is in denial about Climate Change. Those astronauts, just popped off to the dark side of the
moon, may have noted before leaving Earth’s orbit, the clouds of pollution hanging over the whole area.
Being a very simple person, I can’t imagine how much they will see when flying approximately 250 miles above the surface of the moon when there is no light! My husband, who knows stuff, tells me, patiently and with a small degree of patronage due to my idiocy, that even with no street lights on the moon, they will be shining big torches so they can pick up information here and there.
Two things strike me here. First is that the Chinese have been there several times during the last 50 years so this US trip is not, therefore, the first to the moon since the Apollo series; is this yet another Trumped-Up claim? And secondly, I take the
war and destruction on planet Earth, why are we desperately aiming to corrupt and mess-up more planets? It seems immoral, furthermore, to invade these intergalactic places when we can’t look after the one we already have. There is already so much litter endlessly orbiting the earth one wonders how on earth (‘scuse the pun), we can ever get things right with space exploration. And even if the astronauts find untold mineral riches on other planets, they will only use it to fly further on and widen the field of destruction.
International claims to lunar success will cause more earthly arguments anyway, so there will be lunar wars in time to come. One trembles at the thought for the world our grandchildren will inherit.
Blue tit when nesting. Image: Karin Jaehne/Shutterstock.com.
The Bigger Picture
With Bridget Sudworth
Back on earth, our wonderful breakfast preserve, marmalade, has come under legal scrutiny recently due to a possible government mission to align our labelling system with EU regulations to improve export legislation - marmalade will now be called ‘Citrus Marmalade’. The notion that Mrs Keiller in Dundee was the first to process a consignment of Seville oranges appears to have been disproved over the years but still touches the edge of the imagination. Dundee was the port where a Portuguese ship was found sheltering from storms carrying the oranges as ballast and Mrs Keiller was a Scot. We all know they don’t like waste! The claim, however, that Paddington Bear was responsible for making the UK the capital of marmalade consumption was endorsed by our late Queen who was given to carrying marmalade sandwiches in her handbag so that little
fabrication must be true! Personally, I am a devotee of Paddington Bear, particularly since the films with Ben Whishaw’s voice-over as the famous little bear are irresistible, but one can spin the truth to all sorts of levels.
Great excitement has been generated down on the Lizard with the spotting at sea of two old boys, brothers John Coe and Aquarius, ploughing through the waves and driving maritime observers to total ecstasies. They are apparently the only remaining members of a pod of Orcas or Killer Whales released over 60 years ago into the Atlantic. How the latter fact can be verified, I am not sure since the demise of the rest of the pod, bar one caught in netting, is unknown though with John Coe and Aquarius, their fins protruding above the waves are very distinctive which obviously allows those in the know to recognise them. Given that they can swim over 100 miles a day and roam in packs up and down international seas, anything could have happened to the others. Orcas are the top of the maritime food chain, very, very clever at hunting, consuming everything from seals downwards, have their own language which is passed down the generations and can live for 60-90 years. We really need to pay much closer attention to what is going on around us before shooting off to the stars.
I write this over the Easter period, long before publication of the May edition of The Visitor. Regardless of that, in some parts
of the UK, particularly the Welsh Marches where we used to live, this is traditionally the time to attend to family graves with young and old gathering to pay their respects to ancestors. When living up there, it was within reach for me to visit the grave of my great grandmother which may have surprised anyone likely to notice, for example the local gardener in charge of keeping Clyro churchyard tidy. She died in 1869 so to have a living relative planting bulbs and doing some weeding in and out of the rusting railings may have been unexpected. The poor lady, of wealthy but illegitimate parentage, brought up by her
father who never married, died aged 32 having delivered 7 children, leaving my grandmother, the youngest, a motherless toddler of 15 months. A strange history. I hasten to add that I am the youngest of the youngest of the youngest of late marriages which is why I am able to report on these historic matters! There should be daffodils blowing there in the wind and rosemary turning into a woody little shrub right now. Enjoy your gardens during this lovely month and don’t forget that the more food you can grow, the better for you! Availability and price of food will be governed by what goes on across the waters.
Orca (killer whale) swimming in the cold waters of Tromso, Norway. Image: Kertu/Shutterstock.com.
From my kitchen!
YEOVIL Business Focus
J2 Tiles & Bathrooms
J2 Tiles & Bathrooms is a familyrun business based in Yeovil, Somerset. With over 25 years in the industry, they have a wealth of experience in all aspects of tiling in both commercial and domestic settings.
They’ll take care of everything, from plumbing and electrical work to tiling and finishing. They also offer full bathroom and wetroom installations - so whether you’re planning a complete bathroom renovation or just a simple kitchen tiling job, they guarantee professional service. They can also just supply their high quality products for you to fit yourself.
Did you know - If you have limited mobility you may be entitled to VAT Disability Relief on an adapted design bathroom to suit your needs - give them a call if you need any advice and they’ll be happy to answer any questions.
There is an endless range of tiles to choose from on their website as well as grouts,
adhesives and trims, at highly competitive prices - often a fraction of the cost of well known high street brands. They are experts in bathroom installations and tiling and have a newly refurbished showroom where you can ask questions and view products. Check out their brand new website showing their ranges with pricing at www. j2tiling.co.uk.
They are committed to providing the highest quality workmanship and first class customer service. If you are looking for a high-standard and recommended family-run tiling and bathroom company, contact or visit J2 Tiles & Bathrooms today.
Keep an eye on their Facebook and Instagram for upcoming promotions!
Focalflames Fireplaces
At Focalflames Fireplaces, they’ve always stuck to the belief that staying small and personal and specialising in their field means a much more professional and
responsive service to their customers! And with over 20 years’ experience in the industry they pride themselves on providing high quality, great value services, with FREE home consultations, and even their very own showroom.
With expert advice to help you make the right choice at a budget you are happy with, they will not be beaten on price!
So why don't you give them a call or TEXT today for a free of charge no obligation quote on 07931 918947.
Upcoming wedding? A day at the races? A vast selection of hats available to hire at Hooper’s Hat Hire, Yeovil.
Focal Flames can supply and install your dream log burner.
YEOVIL Business Focus
The Somerset & Dorset Family History Society
The Somerset & Dorset Family History Society is a charity whose remit is to promote the study of family history, genealogy & heraldry. They operate from their Research Centre in Peter Street, Yeovil.
Although they specialise in family history research within the two counties, their volunteers are willing to help you find your ancestors wherever they may have been. Their computer suite offers access to the major genealogy websites (Ancestry, Find My Past etc.). Over many years, their members have recorded parish register entries and memorial inscriptions, and these are available to view along with dozens of magazine articles relevant to the many villages within the area. They have an extensive library of local history books, trade directories, biographies and pedigrees of families with local ties. One of their ongoing projects is to collect and catalogue old photographs of local people and places. Please pop in and see them; their ground floor office can be accessed by wheelchair. Opening hours can be found on the website: https://sdfhs.org. A small
daily charge is made for nonmembers. Members also hold meetings at various locations within the two counties and further afield. Details can be found on the website.
Ward & Sibley, The Jewellers of Yeovil
When you visit a jewellers shop, it is more often than not for a special occasion.
At Ward & Sibley, the friendly and knowledgeable staff ensure that you receive a personal service whether you are buying a small thank you gift - or an elegant diamond ring.
Being an independent retailer they offer a very individual choice of jewellery, there is something to suit all tastes and budgets from contemporary costume jewellery through to bespoke pieces.
Whilst diamonds are always a firm favourite as are gemstones, at Ward & Sibley you will find a comprehensive range of precious and semi-precious stones.
If you are seeking a particular stone please ask. A free gift wrap service is available to ensure your gift looks extra special.
If you have any questions before visiting them in store you can give them a call on 01935 474065.
The SDFHS has many parish records, including memorial inscriptions.
WARD & SIBLEY
Ward & Sibley of Yeovil, for all your jewellery requirements.
WThe advantage of Wine Staycations ith the advent of spring and the promise of better weather, many of us will be looking forward to planning a well deserved vacation this year. However, with rising costs and worries about the instability of the political world stage, along with concerns about our own economic prospects, now might be the time to consider staying at home, if only to avoid airport queues and cancelled flights.
I am promoting the concept of a ‘wine staycation’ and with this in mind, to set the scene, UK wine consumption has been in a steady, long-term decline since its peak in 2009.
With a 4% year-on-year drop in volume recorded in 2023, the market is expected to continue shrinking for the foreseeable future. There are a number of reasons for this, including higher taxation and increasingly stiff competition from other alcohol categories.
One key element in this decline is the ‘sober curious movement’, a phrase I had not been familiar with until now. Driven by health-conscious younger consumers (under 35s), it refers to a growing wellnessfocused trend that questions one’s relationship with alcohol, promoting conscious, mindful drinking.
As many as 43% of regular UK wine drinkers are actively seeking to reduce their frequency of consumption, or eliminating alcohol altogether to improve mental clarity, sleep, and physical health.
In addition, there is a distinct shift towards premium, lowalcohol and sparkling options, and whilst volume is falling, there is a trend towards purchasing higher-quality, more expensive wines rather than volume-driven, cheaper options.
The good news for wine lovers is that in order to keep their heads above water many UK vineyards are now diversifying. Without children to consider, rather than visiting one of the many crowded tourist destinations, where parking can be a nightmare, for me the ideal option would be a leisurely stroll
through a vineyard or two, perhaps a spot of lunch followed by an afternoon nap on site, allowing me to imbibe guilt-free, whilst supporting the local economy.
Thankfully, with UK wine tourism booming, and visitor numbers reaching 1.5 million in 2023, over 200 vineyards are now offering tours and other attractions.
These often feature specialised sparkling wine tastings and onsite dining (several with Michelin starred restaurants), in addition to accommodation ranging from luxury hotels to glamping pods and shepherds' huts.
The environmentally conscious among us will also be pleased to find that sustainability is increasingly high on the agenda across the board.
When considering the optimum time to visit, wine tourism is active year-round, though the ‘peak’ season runs from April to October.
Canterbury Wine Festival
May 16–17, 2026:
Welsh Wine Week
May 30 – June 8, 2026: Wine Week (the largest national celebration with events across all regions) June 21–29, 2026: English Harvest season, where some vineyards allow visitors to volunteer for grape picking September – October 2026:
Sussex & Kent, known as the heart of English wine, offers visitors experiences like the Great British Wine Tours vintage bus trip, the Sussex Pullman steam train, and electric bike tours through the Kentish countryside.
In the Surrey Hills visitors will find award-winning vineyards in this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty offering guided vineyard tours, cellar door tastings and nature trails.
Key areas in the South for wine tourism include:
Kent & Sussex: Known for their English sparkling wines, on account of the favourable climate and similar chalky soil to the Champagne region, with estates like Chapel Down, Gusbourne, Wiston Estate, Ridgeview, Bolney, Balfour and Danbury Ridge.
Hampshire: Home to Black Chalk, Hattingley Valley, Hambledon, and Raimes.
Dorset: Features Bride Valley, Langham, and English Oak.
Surrey: Includes Denbies Wine Estate, Greyfriars, and High Clandon.
Devon & Cornwall: Offering unique experiences like Trevibban Mill, Camel Valley and Sandridge Barton.
In addition to traditional tours (most estates offer 1.5 to 3-hour tours that walk visitors through the vines and production facilities, finishing with tutored tastings) visitors can also indulge in diverse experiences such as nature trails, food pairings, festivals and concerts and even activities like ice baths and vineyard yoga. Most vineyards require pre-booking for tours and tastings, especially for popular weekend slots. Average tasting and tour experiences range from £15 to £45 per person, while fullday guided tours from London or Brighton typically cost between £140 and £185.
Good websites to visit for more information about vineyard visits, including maps, and accessibility options, include: https:// winegb.co.uk/about/visita-vineyard and https://www. englishwine tasting tours.co.uk. Nothing can beat experiencing passionate winemakers sharing their stories and the unique character of English wine when combined with beautiful British countryside, and most importantly, contributing to a growing UK industry that supports local economies and small businesses. Many vineyards have out of season breaks at reduced prices and I am pleased to say that in doing my research for this month’s article I became so enthused I have already booked mine!
UK Wine Tourism is booming. Image: PeopleImage/Shutterstock.com.
With L.P-V
May Notice Board
CREWKERNE Flower Show
Saturday 15 August 2026
To be held at: The Henhayes Centre, South Street Car Park, Crewkerne. Entries in 8am-10am. Judging 10am-11.15am. Show Open 11.15-2pm. Admission 50p. Refreshments available. Show schedules now available in Crewkerne. Entry forms in by 12 August.
Garden Club Monthly Meeting on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7.15pm, 7.30pm start at The Henhayes Centre, Crewkerne. (Except August when we have our Flower Show). Refreshments included at 7.15pm. Membership is £20p/a. Visitors £3. Further info from Mrs R Prince, 01460 74290. We have monthly talks, outings, and Discount Evenings at a local gardener centre. Please come along.
LANGPORT Duck Race 25th
May 2026 at Bow Bridge, Cocklemoor, Langport for information see: www.rotory langportandsomerton.org/duckrace.
ADVERTISE your June event here for only £5 for 20 words, 30p per extra word. Email: info@thevisitormagazine.co.uk or tel: 01963 351256 by 18th May.
May dating with Alison at Just Somerset Introductions May is a great time to get out and about and it doesn’t have to break the bank with everything going up in cost. Search out your local park, or a nearby woods with the bluebells for a good walk - they were out early this year! It’s a good way to meet new people and make new friends. Visit some open gardens, often these are held for charity so just a small charge. Find a good local market or farmers market where you can sample local foods and produce. Another idea - there are several farm shops with cafés and other shops for a reasonable
coffee and cake meet. Flea markets or Antique Fairs are good too for a small entry fee! Just Somerset Introductions organise these types of outings and if you looking to meet someone special or maybe start a new relationship it could be for you? NT visits, coffee meets, nature reserves, lunches out, cinema trips, theatre, music concerts, to name a few. Covering all ages and younger members are welcome. See the website for more information on how they work and read testimonials. Have a look and give Alison a call! What are you waiting for? What’s stopping you!
you think you know your Pop music, do you ?
1) Name the band whose first hit was 'Virginia Plain' (Clue - 1972)
2) Lyric: 'It's a girl my Lord, in a flat-bed Ford, slowin' down to take a look at me'.
3) Taylor Swift released a song about which famous English actress in October 2025?
4) Fifty years ago in May 1976, which single by ABBA held the Number One spot?
5) 'With or Without You' a single from which band?
6) In which country was the band 'Nazareth' formed?
7) Who were the duo on 'Ocean Drive' in 1995?
8) Which Beatle sang about 'Watching the Wheels' in 1981?
9) Who made the much-acclaimed album 'Bat out of Hell' in 1977?
10) With what instrument do we most associate with Ian Anderson? (Jethro Tull)
Bonus Question: Name the album from which the song in Q5 was taken. Anorak Bonus Question: Name the Beatles single that was released in May 1966? (Clue: It was NOT from an album)
Great Quotes in Music (151)
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything." - Plato
Sudoku by T. M.
Fill in the grid with the numbers 1 to 9 so that each row, each column and each 3x3 block contains all the numbers 1 to 9
By John Osborne
Cracks in your walls?
Experts reveal when to worry Two things are always certain about spring: The weather remains unpredictable and the nation will collectively kickstart its annual home refresh.
From clearing gutters and gardens to deep cleaning kitchens and bathrooms, springtime is usually the annual signal to get
your house or flat into shape.
But it’s not just about chucking out the clutter, it’s about checking up on the condition of the home too, whether that’s looking for damp patches, peeling paint, or cracks in walls.
According to experts at Tesco Insurance, cracks in walls are very common and they’re not always serious, which is why it’s
important to understand what they mean.
This helps homeowners quickly identify whether a crack is cosmetic or something that needs further attention.
Alex Cross, Chief Customer Officer at Tesco Insurance, said: “It is very common for homes to develop small cracks in walls over time, and in most cases these are simply part of a property settling or reacting to changes in temperature.
“While they may be harmless over the long-term, some cracks can be the sign of a bigger problem rather than just a minor surface issue.”
To help homeowners better understand their properties, experts at Tesco Insurance have outlined the common causes of cracks in walls and what to look out for, including the key signs that could mean it’s time to take a closer look. Cosmetic Cracks (usually harmless) – include:
• Thin, hairline cracks (typically less than 2-3mm wide)
• Straight or vertical cracks in walls
• Cracks that don’t change over time
• Often found in plaster rather than brickwork
These cracks are often caused by: Natural settling – All homes shift slightly as they age, particularly in the first few years
after construction, which can lead to small, hairline cracks, often around doors, windows and ceilings.
Changes in temperature –Fluctuating temperatures can cause materials like plaster or wood to expand/contract, especially between winter and spring when the weather begins to warm up.
Moisture and damp – Excess moisture/damp can weaken walls over time, which might cause cracks to form. Other signs usually come with this like staining, peeling paint or musty smells.
Poor workmanship – Some cracks can be down to how the wall was finished when it was built or decorated, like plaster or paint not applied properly or given enough time to dry or settle.
Structural Cracks (may need attention) – include:
• Wide cracks in walls (for example, anything wider than a £1 coin)
• Diagonal or stair-step cracks, especially in brickwork
• Horizontal cracks in walls, which can sometimes indicate more serious structural movement
• Cracks that are getting longer, wider, or more noticeable over time
These cracks are often caused by: Structural movement – More serious cracks can be caused by subsidence (when the ground beneath a property sinks), or heave (when the ground expands). These cracks are less common.
For more information, visit www.tescoinsurance.com/homeinsurance/buildings-insurance.
It’s Spring time at Lizzie Price Shading Solutions
External shading offers a range of benefits for buildings and their occupants. By reducing direct sunlight penetration, it helps maintain cooler indoor temperatures during warmer months, usually eliminating the need for air conditioning and being far better for the environment. Additionally, external shading can minimise glare and prevent fading of interior furnishings, while also enhancing visual comfort and privacy. Overall, it contributes to
improved energy efficiency and creates a more pleasant indoor environment.
At LPSS they know the benefits that many of their customers have already experienced by shading externally to create cooler homes. Their range of products can also create the perfect outdoor space to sit in the shade and enjoy quality relaxation time with family and friends. Choose a folding arm Awning, a Glassroom or a Veranda, all of which can be enhanced with heaters and lighting.
LPSS are an approved, award winning Weinor dealer providing the very best range of Awnings, Verandas, Glassrooms and External screen blinds, with their expert advice and installation they will find the perfect solution for your home.
To book an onsite appointment to discuss your requirements contact them on 07879 992 000 or email: enquiries@lizzieprice shadingsolutions.co.uk or the new easier to type info@LPSS.org.uk. Scan the QR code on the advert to visit the website.
MOTORING I
VINTAGE Motorcycling with Rod Hann
will start this month with the events planned to take place during May. As riding events become more prolific it must be time for all of us to get out and about and enjoy what is happening.
The Somerset Section commence things with their club night at Cossington on the 7th and this will be a guest speaker. The 17th will see the running of the All Day Breakfast Run which starts at Spaxton Village Hall, Next on the 20th will be an Evening Meet at Eli’s at Huish Episcopi, and they round things off with Ruth’s Day Out on the 24th from Pitney Playing Fields.
The Dorset Section start on the 2nd with their Hedgerow Run which goes from Cranborne Garden Centre. On the 14th will be a Club Lunch at a location to be fixed, next will be the Red Post Run on the 17th and this starts from the Farmyard Kitchen at Sherborne. The Giants Run and weekend will be on the 23rd and 24th and this centres around Spire Hill at Stalbridge. Lastly on the 31st will be the Jeff Clew Memorial Run and this goes from Leigh Village Hall.
The Wessex Veteran and Vintage Section have their Ploughman’s Lunch and Meeting at Silton on the 11th. The Wells and Westlands Classic Clubs are similarly busy but of particular note will be Westlands ‘Spirit of Motorcycling’ on the 10th and this goes from Yeovil Rugby Club. This event replaces the old ‘Spirit of the Sixties’ and will be well worth supporting. The old event raised lots of money for charity so I expect this one will do much the same. So no excuses for not
getting out and enjoying your bikes. As well as the above events the summer season of ‘Bike Nights’ commenced last month and are prolific throughout the area.
They provide good meeting places for those wishing to have social evenings with friends and like minded people. Riders from all aspects of motorcycling attend and I find it refreshing to see, and speak to, people who have differing interests in all the forms that motorcycling can involve. You may wish to give it a go.
I reported last month that I would be attending the Charterhouse auction of machines at the Haynes International Motor Museum. Well things went ahead as planned and I gained the impression that prices had stabilised and a little firmer than of late. A good variety of machinery was on offer with prices varying from just a few
pounds to many tens of thousands of pounds, so something for everybody. For whatever reason there were quite a lot of exotic racing bikes available this time. I had never seen so many people in attendance at one of these sales.
Star of the day for me, and for many, was the 1978 Suzuki XR23 once ridden by the late Barry Sheene. This bike has excellent provenance with a complete known history. The bike is a 680cc works machine used by Barry Sheene to win the 1978 MCN Superbike Championship. Only a few of these machines were made for the two Suzuki works riders and this is thought to be the only remaining example. After its racing career had ended the bike was returned to the Suzuki works race shop to be totally rebuilt before being sold off to the owner who has kept it until this sale. It sold for £90,000 which was a little below estimate.
Barry Sheene was of course one of Britain’s best known motorcycle racers. Born in Essex in 1950 he raced from 1968 to
1984 and among his many accolades was winning the World Grand Prix Championships in 1976 and 1977. He was one of life’s real characters. He drank and smoked and was loved by all the ladies and the tales of his hellraising escapades can hardly be believed. But his riding talent was of the very top drawer. He was a complex character as well and was certainly no fool. For example he learnt to speak four languages, mainly so he could converse properly with his race mechanics to get the very best preparation for his bikes. He had more than his fair share of spills as well, some of which were serious enough to be life threatening. By the time of his retirement he contained many metal plates and screws keeping him together which of course affected his health so he moved to Australia for a warmer climate. He died in 2003 from cancer.
A sad end was made sadder when his daughter, Danika, also died young from cancer in 2019 just five weeks after her initial diagnosis.
1978 Suzuki XR23 once ridden by the late Barry Sheene.
Family Health with
Jenna Evans
There's been a bit of a health craze of late called Fibremaxxing. It's been taking social media by storm and sees people dramatically increasing their fibre intake in the hopes of reaping benefits for their gut, heart and immune health amongst other things. The British Nutrition Foundation recommends we consume around 30g of fibre per day and estimates that most adults in the UK get only 20g. Diets high in ultra processed foods are woefully lacking in fibre (and nutrition in general!), so the backlash against these UPFs (yay!) is one of the reasons fibre, a long time luvvie of the alternative health movement, is stepping into the spotlight. So what is fibre and how can it help us?
Dietary fibre is broken down into two categories – soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance. This may help slow digestion, bind bile acids and cholesterol, chelate heavy metals, soothe intestinal inflammation and have a positive impact on blood sugar. Insoluble fibres absorb water and provide 'bulk' in the digestive tract, often used to improve bowel movement frequency and quality. One of the main benefits of fibre that we're starting to understand is how, when fermented, it produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) such as sodium butyrate, acetate and propionate. SCFA have been found to promote beneficial microbes, act as an energy source for colonic cells, support the integrity of the gut lining, regulate inflammation, improve metabolism and regulate the appetite.
So how do we up our fibre? You may have started to see all kinds of fibre enriched functional foods and drinks. I'm not a fan of these. Whole foods are always the best way to go. There's something intrinsically wrong to me about knocking back a bottle of glorified
'pop' with added fibre. As always, let’s start with food! Now there are some great fibre products on the market too – and they will be made from whole foods/herbs such as psyllium, acacia, baobab, linseed and rice bran. There's a wonderful oat bran powder used to manage cholesterol and blood sugar. The simplest way to up fibre is to increase your consumption of wholegrains, beans, and whole fruit and veg. Swap refined for wholemeal, bean pasta for wheat, snack on bean and pea snack bags (fava and green pea are my favourites) instead of reaching for the crisps and leave the peel on fruit and veg when it's edible. Also, eat fermented foods and drinks such as sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir and kimchi to replenish the microbiome.
We're still learning about how our gut microbes interact with foods and the impact this has throughout our bodies which brings me on to a few words of caution! Be slow when increasing fibre intake. Depending on your own microbiome and gut health history, too much fibre too fast can have unwanted effects. As always, listen to your body! Some
marilyn barbone/Shutterstock.com.
people will respond well to fermented foods – sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, kimchi etc. - but others may find them difficult. If you do, you may have an intestinal overgrowth such as SIBO and may be wise to use selective supplements and herbs to improve general gut function and microbe balance first. Certain medications can also be negatively impacted by fibre so if you're on anything do check with your GP and pharmacist. And remember to stay hydrated – fibre needs fluid!
You can pick up a list of high fibre foods in store at Ceres. Have a beautiful May!
•Jenna is a Holistic Health Coach and creator of bespoke beauty products. She can be found on Facebook at ‘Alchemical Beauty UK’. Jenna is also a multi-award winning Product Advisor at Ceres Natural Foods, Yeovil.
To make an appointment, please pop in or call 01935 428791 for details. Always check with a health professional before making any dramatic changes to your diet and lifestyle or starting a new supplement, especially with any existing health conditions.
Bringing Texture into the Garden
With Julie Haylock of Sandhurst Garden Design
Texture is a powerful design tool because it works on the senses as much as the eye, combining rough with smooth, shiny with matt, bold shapes with soft, allowing you to create exciting contrasts that stimulate emotion and create zones.
Different materials will add structure, colour and movement, guide the eye and control how you travel through the space, and even the way materials are laid, influences perception. Boards or pavers set lengthways draw the eye making a space feel longer, while laid in a widthways pattern
emphasises breadth.
Materials should be sympathetic to the house and local surroundings, so when choosing finishes, consider the view from the house, do you want to soften a large area of paving by mixing textures, such as slate with gravel, or timber with landscaping bark?
Remember that a regularly used path needs to be firm under foot to deal with the regular traffic, while a secondary route, might be for example, be gravel, bark or stepping stones, and by repeating the same material you use for the main path and the patio, creates cohesion unifying the design.
Partially obscuring a path with planting, a change in surface material, or a gentle curve adds mystery and encourages people to wander and explore, and whilst walls and solid screens shut out views and create privacy, slatted timber, woven hazel panels, or trellis filter the light, and can be used to frame enticing glimpses of the garden beyond.
When it comes to your choice of furniture keep it simple,
complementing the garden’s style. Choose sustainably sourced materials, and ensure your terrace or patio is large enough to accommodate seating comfortably, allowing enough space to be able to move around it.
And finally, it can be easy to fixate on flowers, but foliage colour, leaf pattern and shape are equally important. Using architectural plants for strong form, variegated leaves for interest, and soft, tactile grasses that invite you to run your fingers through them, are all just as important when considering texture.
So, to sum up, using thoughtfully combined textures, materials and planting, you will enhance your garden design project to another level, creating a garden you are proud to call your own.
Partially obscuring a path with a change in surface material, adds mystery and encourages people to wander and explore.
Andrew's books are available to purchase at Waterstones in Yeovil, Palmers Garden Centre, Yeovil, Somerton Art Space, Brimsmore Garden Centre and Winstones in Sherborne.
Somerset collector who championed unknown artists leaves behind incredible legacy
AN amazing private collection built over decades by a passionate Somerset collector, who quietly supported emerging artists long before many found fame, has now come to light.
This large private collection of Art, Studio Pottery and Sculptures included more than 130 works of art, studio pottery and sculpture from the estate of Lionel and Beryl Phillips was offered at auction in April, revealing the breadth of a lifetime spent discovering and encouraging creative talent.
Lionel Phillips, originally based in London, developed an early fascination with the grassroots art scene through the city's ‘Open Studios’, informal spaces where artists gathered to showcase their work. It was here that he began not only collecting, but forming lasting relationships with artists at the beginning of their careers.
Over time, his instinct for spotting talent proved remarkable. Many of the artists whose work he acquired would go on to achieve significant recognition, including figures such as Sir Terry Frost and Sokari Douglas Camp. Beyond collecting, Phillips played an active role in supporting the arts. He served as the longest-standing Director and Legal Advisor to the British Crafts Centre, maintaining close ties with makers and institutions across the country.
After relocating to Somerset, he turned his attention to the local creative scene. Noticing a lack of exhibition spaces, he helped bring contemporary work to venues including the Dillington House and Somerset College, creating opportunities for artists to reach new audiences.
He also became a familiar voice
Sir Terry Frost ‘Blue, Red and Yellow’ sold for £1,200 at Lawrences Auctioneers on 17 April.
in the region through his monthly contributions to a local magazine, where he profiled artists he had encountered, often shining a spotlight on emerging talent. His interest in studio ceramics became a defining feature of the collection. He developed a deep knowledge of the field, acquiring works by leading potters such as Richard Batterham, Ken Eastman and Takeshi Yasuda, as well as local figures including John Leach.
Together with his wife Beryl, Phillips built a collection that reflects artistic quality and a lifetime of curiosity. Now, following their passing, the collection offers a rare glimpse into a personal journey through Britain's modern art and craft movement, one shaped as much by relationships as by reputation. The works were presented as part of the 20th Century Art & Design auction that ended on 17th April at Lawrences Auctioneers.
The Pub Pages
BEER & SKITTLES
My children have always been perfection itself – what are you implying?' You can almost hear the words of a parent whose 'little darling' has been admonished by a member of the pub staff for running around the pub.
Yes, children in pubs is a subject that has risen its ugly head again, making it into the mainstream press on several occasions recently. I dare say all pub-goers have been subjected to screams, crying, arguing and generally obnoxious children. Mostly, I'm sure we would like to forget about our experiences, and I apologise if I am awakening memories of that spoiled Sunday lunch-time carvery, or that early evening meal we looked forward to with one’s life-partner. As someone who has visited a few pubs in his life, here are a couple of un-favourites. Lunchtime with a former business colleague during school holidays was more than a little interrupted by half a dozen children running around a large pub, whilst the parents sat around a table, apparently oblivious, deeply engrossed in their phones. They continued to do so even when the children decided it was a good idea to play football. So incensed was I that I wrote to the pub (good oldfashioned paper and envelope) as the two young (insufficient) front of house staff were well out of their depth. I received a waffling 'non-reply', as expected, so we never returned to that venue.
An evening meal with an old friend turned into a near-riot as the children not only argued, but had electronic games that continually chattered in ghastly computer voices with repetitive 'music'. Somewhat annoying for all the patrons. Grrr.
It's worth noting that pubs that have banned children have found
their trade increasing. If nothing else, children consume more time for staff as they try to make up their minds what they want off the menu, and their proportion of the spend is much lower - just one reason of many. Whilst I am sitting on the fence regarding this subject, I'm also not 100% clear on the legal standing and duties of the landlord – could he ask the parents to take their kids and leave? Opinions vary on this and also whether youngsters should be there anyway! In these tough times for the licenced trade I can understand why pubs would welcome children, but it's no good if it backfires, clearly.
Perhaps you will be interested in our experiences, dear reader. Whilst our children were small (1980's, a very different time!) there was a set plan. Almost inevitably we would be with another couple, also blessed with two offspring. I would walk into the pub and up to the bar and say 'Would it be okay if we brought the children in?', and before receiving an answer, would add 'I promise you that if any one of them makes a noise, they'll be out!' The answer was always in the affirmative, with the only instruction no more than 'Please use the far end of the lounge'.
What transpired if either made any noise? I do recall there were occasions when I took a child under my arm and made a swift exit to the car park. It kept the peace, we were always welcomed back to the pub and most importantly, the child soon got the message!
A recent pub visit for our penultimate game of the winter skittle season, was at 'The Armoury', Yeovil, where the charming Lisa served my Guinness. This Extra Stout now accounts for one in every nine pints served in this country, so it looks like they have 'got themselves back together'.
On the bar. Kings Arms, Thornford
Corona and Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck's and even Leffe, Hoegaarden and Bass! That may come as quite a shock to some drinkers.
Far more relevant to me is arch pub-games enthusiast Matthew Callaghan - particularly for skittling and shove ha'penny. Doing his bit for pub sports, he even managed to turn an unfortunate incident into a positive, for when his car was badly damaged after hitting a flooded pot-hole, Matt ended up suing the local council – and won! Gaining interest from his local Welsh Television company, he was interviewed and sure enough, it was broadcast. Not being one to miss an opportunity, he'd stimulated the interest of the reporter, who returned to film and report on activity at Matt's local pub during a game of 'Shove' (as it's now referred to) and that too was broadcast. Well done that man! Matt is in the midst of forming a 'mixed' league for Thursday nights with the intention of 'getting them in' of course. Newport is an easy run over the bridge (no passport needed at the time of writing) and May will also see the 'Welsh Open' Tournament when 'Shove' enthusiasts converge for a couple of days’ play. North Devon and Dorset players are already eyeing up those trophies, so if you fancy your chances, contact me (email at the end) or via 'Pub Games' on Facebook, where the broadcast can be seen.
It's always gratifying to receive emails from you lovely people out there in Visitorland. Last month was no exception and amongst the regulars and semi-regulars was a particularly outstanding one from new correspondent Stephen Chubb who wrote in response to the 'Beer and Skittles' of March this year, particularly regarding the Henley League in the Crewkerne area. As a piece of social history it is worth relating. There was, Stephen writes, the research premises owned by ICI, at Henley Manor Farm, where at least seven families lived. In 1974 they created a club house from a redundant farm building, and over the next 17 years until the farm was sold and the club was converted into a house, it had a bar, pool table, dart board and a skittle alley.
Bands played with up to one hundred people attending and darts competitions with 6-8 boards. The men played in the Crewkerne skittle league. Some of the ladies wanted a slice of the action, but the Crewkerne ladies league, with 16 teams, was effectively 'full'. So taking the hint, Kath Combes and Vi Mace started the 'Henley Ladies League' and the rest is history, with the league still continuing, to my delight, and doubtless to the pleasure of the ladies. Whether there are still twelve teams I am unable to say at this juncture.
When on our little 'road trip',
folks, it comes from Wales). It also produces
Newport, South Wales, is famous for a couple of things. One, the Magor Brewery, which produces that fine Belgian lager 'Stella Artois'. (Yes
P. A. BAXTER
My Goodness, my Guinness!
The recently reopened alley, Belvedere, Weymouth.
Phil and I omitted the Globe in Misterton, but Steve tells me a second alley has been installed (date unknown) which is also great news. I was also unaware that The Fox in Corscombe has an alley although there is no mention on their website, sadly. I do hope it gets plenty of use. I believe that at one time the pub was owned by a TV Celebrity Chef, although unknown at the moment. Stephen was born in Henley Manor and still plays in the Beaminster League which has 15 teams in seven pubs in the area. It's six a side playing 8 hands, and include 'beer legs' by combining the fourth and fifth hands. I am sure we are all very grateful to Stephen for his input to this column, for which I thank him most sincerely.
Meanwhile at Wallingford, to enhance the viewers enjoyment (see YouTube and Facebook live skittles!) the alley has been fitted with a 'Speed Trap'. (True). Join 'Pub Games' to find out more and do watch the live broadcasts!
There's much more to share this month but we've run out of room, so I'm off to the pub and taking the Grand-children with me. Don't worry, they're very well behaved ... cheers!
That when it comes to fixing outside pipework, it goes without saying that a pond will feature somewhere in the mix for Castle Cary’s Nick Weeks. That a new salad bar has recently been opened in Bovey Tracey by Mrs Carol Methven, the first customer to visit the establishment was the Easter Bunny.
That despite visiting Iceland on several occasions, former Weymouth resident Mrs Sandra Hawkins has never encountered the Northern Lights.
That a slip of the tongue by Janet Feakins of Sprowston turned her Hoveton daughter-in-law into her mother-in-law.
That Anne Tole of South Petherton was recently a lucky ducky.
That Doreen Meecham of Crewkerne celebrates her 90th Birthday on 7th May. Her family and friends send their love and good wishes for a very Happy Birthday.
Solution to April Sudoku
A Knur and Spell ‘Spell’, made by Boz Davison.
Vintage Bat and Trap, from eBay.
Millenium views
THE May 1996 Visitor was highly critical of a proposal for commemorating the forthcoming millenium. ‘One such wheeze to cross our TV screens recently was a giant ferris wheel on the south bank of the Thames opposite the Houses of Parliament, but only staying for five years’, which the report thought was ‘a waste of effort’. It argued that ‘surely the millenium should be marked by something permanent to last for another thousand years’, adding that ‘to be incarcerated in a transparent pod with no conceivable escape for at least twenty minutes while being elevated slowly to a thousand feet up in thin air doesn’t sound like an awful lot of fun’. The Visitor got it wrong! Thirty years later the London Eye is still attracting vast numbers of visitors who are captivated by the panoramic views over our capital.
Cabbages could be good for Gillingham
A quiet corner of central Gillingham was being revitalised in 1996 by the creation of an arts, crafts and antiques centre. The May magazine reported that Blackmore Vale House in The Square, for many years the home of Slade and Sons department store, was shortly to open as Cabbages & Kings which ‘will incorporate a café on the ground floor with individual stalls occupied by a mixture of artists, antiques and collectables dealers, and various craftspeople’. It added that ‘there will be a ceramics room with potters’ wheels and a kiln, available for hire, also a photographic darkroom’, and within the 6,000 sq ft building ‘there is room for an exhibition gallery and a drama and lecture studio’. It noted that ‘this exciting project has already attracted an encouraging number of occupants and should bring just the right level of activity to an otherwise sleepy corner of old Gillingham’.
The art of planting in Stalbridge
A garden festival to raise money for the Dorset Garden Trust was previewed in the May 1996 Visitor. Scheduled for the 18th
and 19th May, it was to be held at Thornhill Park at Stalbridge ‘where a new garden is being created around the Grade 2 house built for the famous decorative artist Sir James Thornhill in 1730’. The article revealed that ‘the festival will be launched with a lecture entitled “Beyond Colour – the painterly art of planting’’ by Nori Pope, the well-known plantsman from Hadspen Garden and Nursery’, which was to be held in Sir James’s original picture gallery.
Stop
press in Yeovil
A columnist in the May 1996 Visitor wrote that he ‘was saddened but not surprised to read in the Western Gazette at the end of March that from 26th April the paper will be printed in Bristol’. He explained that ‘the Yeovil press will be closed with the loss of 18 jobs but the editorial staff will continue to be based at Sherborne Road’ but added that ‘it only seems like yesterday but was in fact eight years ago – that the Gazette’s new purposebuilt press hall on Yeovil’s Lufton trading estate was opened with a blaze of publicity’. The move from the basement at Sherborne Road had been heralded as ‘the dawn of a new era, bringing such alleged benefits as colour pictures, quicker printing and no more traffic snarlups on Sherborne Road as the lorries delivered the massive rolls of newsprint’, but it wasn’t long before the Gazette’s commercial printing business was transferred to Clevedon’. His sad conclusion was ‘now the newspaper presses are going too. The move will mark the end of an era for Yeovil ... South Somerset has said farewell to this section of the print industry.’
Discerning diners
A dismal description of pub catering in the 1990s appeared in the May 1996 Visitor. ‘The local pub where “mine host” would offer “today’s specials” are largely a thing of the past’ it said, complaining that ‘nowadays most pubs are tied to a brewery or large catering group and the fare on offer is generally pre-packed frozen “cook-in-the-bag” or the inevitable frozen scampi and
become a nation of battery-fed human beings?’ and ‘have we lost the appreciation of good freshly cooked and well presented food served in comfortable surroundings?’, and its answer was ‘yes’. Nowadays with so many Visitorland pubs offering imaginative menus using local produce carefully cooked, the 1996 image is certainly ‘a thing of the past’.
Roger Richards.
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Personal Storage
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Prize Crossword No. 473
Set by Frank Butler
SEND COMPLETED ENTRIES TO:
The Visitor Crossword, P.O. Box 5522, Castle Cary, Somerset BA9 0BP – to arrive by Monday 18th May
Correct entries are placed in a hat and the winner is the first name drawn. The prize for winning the Crossword is a £15 voucher to spend with any advertiser in this issue of The Visitor Please do not forget to state your choice of advertiser and your name and address.
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Clues Across:
7 & 9. Sun, moon and stars with beautiful figures [8, 6]
10. First boy managed fibre source [4]
11. Crazy to be eating away from home [3, 2, 5]
12. Take-away carpenter [6]
14. At home, six can note ‘attractive’ [8]
15. Reserved about sin with fortified wine [6]
17. Americans fit and serviceable [6]
20. Supplement: Tot up, finish with hesitation [8]
22. First boat to attain hole in sea wall [6]
23. Fighter is steady about empty time [10]
24. A Bullet, having no shell [4]
25. Points to percolate, or take a nap [6]
26. Drama structures very French, keeping warm [8]
Clues Down:
1. Hunts and looks around Bridge [8]
2. Half Provence roasts and bakes [4]
3. Curious beagle [6]
4. Sailor finds answer and clears [8]
5. Notice, fair, fit, made to be altered [10]
6. High point, initially because each animal could only nod [6]
8. Ratty, I mix rare earth’s oxide [6]
13. Stopping ‘rogue’ protein surrounding happening [10]
16. Vessel with defective ears served with salad [8]
18. Shuts out clued sex [8]
19. Scamp’s deed is a blow [6]
21. Physician possesses floods [6]
22. Greasy, yellow goat [6]
24. Place for heard vision [4]
Winner of the April Crossword Is Julian Waldron of Higher Odcombe who chose to spend the £15 Voucher at The Buttercross Tearooms, Somerton.
