Trio reach regional finals of countryside business awards

THREE West Somerset businesses have reached the regional finals of this year’s prestigious Countryside Alliance Awards.
The awards celebrate the characters, skills, traditions, and enterprise of the countryside through the people who work so hard to make it tick.
Countryside Alliance regional director Alison Hawes said: “There are some cracking finalists in this line up and I am very confident that there are a few who are in with a chance of going all the way in the all-UK final.
“This list represents the best of the region’s produce, skills, enterprise and community spirit.
“Choosing a winner in each category is going to be very hard.”
Among the finalists from West Somerset is the George Inn, Brompton Regis, which has been nominated for the Daily Telegraph ‘Best Traditional Business Award’.
With the village shop in Brompton Regis having to close earlier this year because of the loss of its Post Office, pub landlords Paul and Trish Randell decided to open a shop in their skittle alley.
It meant elderly people faced with having to drive into Dulverton could continue to obtain local deliveries, newspaper rounds, and locally-sourced food.
Another award finalist is the Winsford Stores, run by Paul and Jenny Lawson and nominated in the ‘Best Village Shop or Post Office’ category for commitment to keeping a vital village business going.
Despite the threat of closure of their Post Office, floods, and a bad tourist season, the couple invested in the refurbishment of the stores and continued to deliver a friendly, helpful, and much needed service in the village.
Nominated in the ‘Rural Enterprise Award’ category was Stockland Lovell Equestrian, in Fiddington.
Owners Michael and Hill have developed a 1,200-acre dairy farm into one of the top equestrian facilities in the country while continuing to milk 250 cows.
They host two major events a year, run schooling events, clinics, lectures, and demonstrations, host Pony Club and Riding Club camps, and provide facilities for individuals to spend quality time with their horses.
In addition, they have their own tack shop and treat their volunteers exceptionally well with ample food and drink supplied, as well as vouchers which may be used for schooling or in the tack shop.
Regional judging in the competition takes place between now and January, with the regional winners announced shortly afterwards.
The overall UK winners will be announced at a House of Lords reception next March.

• Our photographs show (TOP) Stockland Lovell owners Lavinia and Michael Hill, with their sons Martin and Mark and dogs Bob and Marley, and (BELOW) Winsford Stores. Photos submitted.
  

Honours go to local people helping their local community

LOCAL people from West Somerset have been recognised by the chairman of Somerset County Council for their work in the community.
The Chairman’s Awards for service to the community recognise individuals, partners and groups who have made a significant contribution to their local community.
Four nominees from West Somerset who received framed certificates in recognition of their efforts were Sue Hayes, of Winsford, John Lees, from Bicknoller, Enid Mantin, of Cutcombe, and Kevin Escott, who lives in Minehead.
The overall district prize went to Mr Escott for his support of the Minehead Lifeboat Station, where he has served as a crew member, shore helper, and fund-raiser during the past 60 years.
Mr Escott was presented by county council chairman Councillor Alan Gloak with an engraved crystal clock at a ceremony in Glastonbury Town Hall.
Youth service officers across the county were also asked to nominate young people who had made a significant contribution to their community or other young people, or who had successfully represented the young people of Somerset.
Each youngster received a framed certificate and an engraved glass trophy.
Among those recognised was Terri-Marie Joyner, of Minehead, for her commitment to developing the Norton Fitzwarren Youth Club during the past two years.
Councillor Gloak said: “This is an ideal opportunity to thank those people who give up their time and energy for the benefit of their communities.
“It is right that we should highlight and celebrate their work so that it does not go unnoticed.”
County health and well-being portfolio holder, Councillor Justin Robinson, said: “Somerset is a wonderful place to live and work, and is built on the strong communities that exist everywhere across the county.
“It is encouraging to see so many local people making a positive difference to community life in Somerset.”

Our photographs show Councillor Gloak presenting certificates to (from the top) Sue Hayes, John Lees, and Terri-Marie Joyner, and (BOTTOM) Enid Mantin with her certificate being congratulated by West Somerset district and Cutcombe parish Councillor Roger Webber (right) and other locals. Kevin Escott was unable to attend the awards ceremony. Photos submitted.

EXCLUSIVE: Third teenager is charged after Tim Chilcott killing

A THIRD teenager has been charged with involvement in the killing of Minehead gardener Tim Chilcott.
The 18-year-old had been arrested at the time but was allowed bail while police continued to investigate the circumstances surrounding Mr Chilcott's death.
He was charged today (Friday, February 22) with the offence of affray and was named as David Hayes, who lives in Winsford.
Hayes is due to appear before magistrates sitting in Minehead on Friday, March 7.
Two other teenagers arrested with Hayes were subsequently charged with the more serious offence of manslaughter.
They are 19-year-old Sean Wylds, of Alcombe, Minehead, and a 16-year-old Porlock youth whose identity is protected by the law because of his age.
They are both due to make a second appearance in Exeter Crown Court on March 18.
Wylds has been remanded in custody, but the 16-year-old was given bail by the judge on condition he lived in the meantime with relatives in London and observed a nighttime curfew.
Mr Chilcott, aged 36, was found unconcious in Minehead town centre in the early hours of Sunday, January 20.
He died 36 hours later in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, where he had been put on a life support machine.
Mr Chilcott, who lived with his elderly parents in Hillview Close, Minehead, had suffered severe head injuries. The results of a post mortem to determine the cause of death have not been released, because of the forthcoming trial.

Exmoor 'big bridge' players help raise cancer care funds

MORE than £1,000 has been raised for Somerset Cancer Care from a ‘Big Bridge’ event recently held on Exmoor.
The charity is a division of St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice and provides information, support, and free stress-reducing complementary therapies to anybody affected by cancer - patients and their families and carers.
The charity’s Exmoor committee organised a bridge and lunch event in Winsford where the draw alone raised £239, and the total sent to the charity was £1038.20.
Sixteen tables of bridge players filled the village hall and everybody enjoyed a hearty lunch as well.
Among the organisers were volunteers Joan Bidie, Jane Lewis, Jenny Williams, and Cathy Nicholls, and non-volunteers Joan Cooper, Sue Ashburner, Brenda Coates, Anne Phillips, Rosie Strickland, and Alice Windsor Clive.
Money was also raised for St Margaret’s Somerset Hospice through the sale of its Christmas cards.
Committee member Cathy Nicholls said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who organised the ‘Big Bridge’ event.
“It was a fantastic day and the hard work of everybody involved really shone through.”

• Our photograph shows Dave Williams (left) and Peter Nicholls preparing refreshments for the ‘Big Bridge’ fund-raising afternoon. Photo submitted.
  

Winsford woman takes to stage to celebrate three-star award for adult care services

AN Exmoor woman will be centre stage tonight (Thursday, November 29) as a star-studded celebratory showcase takes place to recognise the latest three-star rating of the county’s adult social care services.
Three stars is the top rating given by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) and means the services have been judged to be ‘excellent’.
The celebratory event is being staged at the Brewhouse Theatre, in Taunton, with many people taking part from across Somerset, including Becky Hayes, who lives in Winsford.
All the participants will have taken part in artistic endeavours within the service, helping it to receive the highest possible rating for a fourth consecutive year.
Becky, aged 23, has been involved in the Moves Afoot dance project which takes place in Minehead’s Seahorse day centre for adults with learning disabilities.
The project is run by Arts Exchange, which is funded by Somerset County Council and the Arts Council, providing activities in dance, music, and storytelling for adults with learning disabilities.
For the past year, dance artist Oliver Ellis has been working with service users on Friday afternoons, supported by Seahorse staff.
Becky has been one of the keenest participants, and Seahorse Centre deputy team leader Helen Chave said: “Becky communicates in a very particular way and we know when she is happy.
“We knew that she enjoyed the dance session and has developed a really good relationship with Oliver.
“All the group have benefited and the project has given them the confidence to express themselves creatively using the ideas and skills brought to us by Oliver.”
The Brewhouse Theatre evening will feature a screening of the award-winning comedy horror film about food hygiene ‘Germ Academy’, created by and starring people with learning disabilities.
Cast members will be on hand to discuss their roles, as will those involved in the service’s latest film production, ‘Shape Up’.
Also on hand will be people who have become community ‘storytellers’ with the help of an innovative project run by The Unlimited Company, based within the community team for adults with learning difficulties in Mendip.
The CSCI rating will contribute to the Audit Commission’s next comprehensive performance assessment of the way the county council works and delivers services.
This year’s test was even harder than previous years, with extra emphasis placed on delivering demonstrable positive outcomes for the community.
Among areas rated as ‘excellent’ in the report were leadership, use of resources, maintaining personal dignity and respect, increased choice and control, improving quality of life, and improving health and emotional well-being.
The county’s community director, Miriam Maddison, said: “To receive a three-star rating is a welcome endorsement of all the work the council does in this area, but this event is all about celebrating the achievements of people we help.
“As a service, it is important that we are not content to just support and care for people.
“It is about making a positive contribution to peoples’ lives, helping them achieve great things and this event is celebrating just that.”
Council portfolio holder for adult and community services, Councillor Justin Robinson, said: “We have forged excellent working partnerships with volunteers, partner agencies, and carers across the county, allowing us to deliver excellent services at the local level to people across Somerset.”

• Our photograph shows Becky Hayes training with dance instructor Oliver Ellis at the Seahorse Centre. Photo submitted.

Muddy Matches country-minded roadshow comes to Exmoor for pub grub night

MUDDY Matches, the online community for country-minded people, is bringing its national roadshow to Exmoor on Thursday, November 8.
The two sisters behind the scheme, Emma and Lucy Reeves, are holding a pub grub night in the Royal Oak public house, in Winsford, from 7 pm.
The idea behind a Muddy Matches Pub Grub night is to for some like-minded, muddy people to come together to grab a bite to eat in a nice country pub.
It is open to anybody to attend and is intended to be a relaxed affair with each person paying for their own food and drink, and having an opportunity to meet some new people in the area.
Anybody who wants to go along should call Lucy on 07901 865283 beforehand in order that she has an idea of the number of people attending.
Lucy said: “We loved the sound of this country pub in the Exmoor National Park and thought it would be a great place to have a Pub Grub night.
“If anybody is feeling sociable but skint, they can still pop along for just a drink later.”
The Muddy Matches co-founders are in the middle of a two-month tour of Britain in a motor home and are spending six days in each region of the country to put on events and immerse themselves in all things ‘muddy’, from the traditional to the completely bonkers.
Lucy said: “We want to get out there and find out what makes other country people in Great Britain tick.
“Everybody experiences the countryside in different ways and we really want to embrace that diversity and showcase both its wonderful and whacky sides.
“We also plan to put on some great parties along the way.”
It was Lucy and Emma’s understanding of the countryside and being ‘country minded’ meaning different things to different people which led them to develop their concept of ‘muddiness’ in the first place.
“We had to figure out the one underlying thing that unites country-minded people from all walks of life,” said Lucy.
“The answer was obvious - mud. It does not matter whether you like walking or shooting, whether you grew up in the countryside, or are just hoping to move there, whether you actually live in the countryside or just like to spend time there, if you think you are country-minded, the only thing you cannot have is an aversion to mud.”
Lucy and Emma intend to film their journey and document it all in their Muddy Marathon blog, which went live on their website in October.
More details about the tour can be found at www.muddymatches.co.uk/muddy-marathon.
Anybody who would like to get involved or who has any suggestions can email lucy@muddymatches.co.uk.

• Our photographs show (top) Lucy and Emma Reeves with their camper van, and (below) the camper van painted to resemble a country cottage. Photos submitted.