Holnicote Estate rural workshop destroyed in electrical fire

A WORKSHOP on the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate was almost completely destroyed by fire early today.
The alarm was sounded by a tenant farmer at isolated Horner Farm, near Luccombe, at about 9 am.
A fire and rescue crew was initially sent to the scene from Minehead, but on arrival the officer in charge realised the incident was much more serious and called in further crews from Dulverton, Wiveliscombe, Nether Stowey, and Lynton.
It is thought an electrical fault was to blame for setting alight the converted barn premises.
The fire quickly ripped through the 164 feet by 33 feet building, although nobody was hurt in the incident.
It took several hours for the firefighters to put out the blaze using compressed air foam, two hose reel jets and one main jet.
Approximately 70 per cent of the building was destroyed and machinery and tools inside the workshop were even more badly damaged.
National Trust senior rural surveyor Andrew Lawes said although a detailed fire investigation report was awaited, it appeared that faulty electrics were to blame.
Mr Lawes said: “Our insurers and loss adjusters will visit in the New Year to survey the extent of the damage to the barn.
“We are relieved nobody has been hurt and are grateful to the fire and rescue service for their efforts in containing the fire so quickly and preventing the spread of damage to other parts of Horner Farm.”

Bike building workshops help former young offenders find jobs

FORMER young offenders are being given the skills to put their working lives into gear as part of Somerset County Council’s Geared Up project.
The county’s Youth Offending Team (YOT) has established the project, which invites young offenders to develop their social and mechanical skills repairing mountain bikes.
Geared Up encourages team working, and provides participants with valuable skills which can lead to employment.
The young people attend weekly workshops and work in pairs to repair and rebuild second hand bikes.
The sessions teach patience and co-operation as well as the practicalities of bike-building.
Geared Up participant Luke joined the project after being excluded from school and finding himself in trouble with the police.
He used the skills taught in Geared Up to find employment, and now volunteers to assist others on the project.
The scheme is open to those who have been through the Young Offenders programme, and are not in education, training, or employment.
The workshops are held in Bridgwater and a limited number of spaces are currently available, details of which can be obtained from Emer NcNicholl, YOT operational manager on 01458 440820.
Geared Up has received £7,500 from the Youth Opportunities Fund (YOF) which has funded the equipment, tools, and bike components used to date.
It is awaiting accreditation under the Award Scheme Development and Accreditation Network (ASDAN), which will enable the project to provide nationally-recognised qualifications to the young people involved, which will provide a boost to their CVs and improve their chances of securing a good job.
Emer McNicholl said: “Young people have greatly benefited from Geared Up, and their achievements have inspired them to make positive changes in their own lives.
“It is great to see former young offenders like Luke putting their troubled pasts behind them and helping others to do the same.”
Councillor Pauline Clarke, the council’s portfolio holder for strategic services for children and young people, said: “Somerset County Council is proud to champion the Geared Up project, which enables former young offenders to gain valuable skills and change their lives for the better.
“The council is committed to developing a high quality of life for the people of Somerset, and this project ensures a brighter future for both the young people involved and the community as a whole.”
Completed bicycles will be distributed to disadvantaged young people and victims of crime once they have been tested for road safety.

• Our photograph shows YOT youth justice worker Nick Foulkes (left) helping young people at a Geared Up workshop. Photo submitted.

Council holds free interactive workshop for district's ageing population

PEOPLE aged 50 years and over who live in West Somerset are being invited to a free, lively and interactive ‘Ageing Well’ workshop and lunch at Halsway Manor (pictured) on Thursday, October 9, from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm.
West Somerset Council housing and well-being portfolio holder Councillor Kate Kravis said: “We are hoping older people in West Somerset have a lot to say, and we want to hear it.
“The workshop is going to be friendly and informative but, most importantly, it is a great chance to get involved at a grass roots level to help develop a better future for everybody.”
An Audit Commission report published last month revealed that by next year, more than half of all West Somerset residents will be aged 50 years or older, compared to a national average of 34 per cent.
The workshop will feature wide-ranging discussions which will include service development, fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, health and well-being, and volunteering.
There will be a break at mid-day for a free lunch.
The council’s community portfolio holder, Councillor Neil Parbrook, said: “There will be some short presentations but plenty of opportunities for people to give us their views.
“We would like the event to be as lively and interactive as possible.
“People aged 50 or over tend to know their own minds and, as one of the largest and most vibrant sections of the community, we want to make sure that they have an equally active part in shaping the future so that it is increasingly positive, dynamic, supported, and fulfilling.”
The district council has teamed up to organise the workshop with the Somerset Primary Care Trust, Avon and Somerset Constabulary, Magna West Somerset Housing Association, Somerset County Council, and the West Somerset Strategic Partnership.
There will also be exhibitions and information available on a wide number of initiatives which are already available in West Somerset.
Help with travel arrangements is available, and more information, including how to book a place on the workshop, is available from Gail Sloman or Sarah Wilsher on 01984 635208 or by emailing ageingwell@westsomerset.gov.uk.