Five star rating for Magna meals after spot-inspection

MEALS produced by Magna West Somerset Housing Association (MWS) have been given a five star rating by local environmental health inspectors.
The district council’s food inspection team carried out a surprise ‘spot inspection’ on the Magna kitchen in Ingrams Meadow, Watchet, and found staff were spot on with their food handling and preparation regimes.
Staff at Ingrams Meadow provide hot meals for elderly Magna residents and for those in the housing association’s sister site at Silvermead, in Alcombe, Minehead.
Dishes for Magna Meals on Wheels are also prepared, cooked, and distributed from Ingrams Meadow.
Magna community services manager Barbara Mullan said: “This is a fantastic result, we were not expecting an inspection, so to get five stars is a huge pat on the back for everybody.
“We often see restaurants advertised in the local papers for getting four stars, so this is a real achievement.”
Magna Meals on Wheels is an essential service for many people in the area as it provides freshly cooked meals using fresh ingredients from local suppliers.
They are delivered hot to the customer’s door.
Magna Meals on Wheels is available to anybody who needs it within a 10-mile radius of Watchet, and the frequency of deliveries can be adjusted to meet the requirements of customers.
Mrs Mullan said: “Magna Meals on Wheels often provides a point of contact for a vulnerable customer who may well not see anybody else or have the opportunity to get a hot meal during the day.
“We do a great job and this five star rating reinforces that.”
More information about ‘Magna Meals on Wheels’ is available by calling Ian Wood on the freephone number 0800 138 6107.

• Our photograph shows Magna Meals on Wheels kitchen staff at Ingrams Meadow (left to right) Dawn Rowe, Jayne Clark, and Judy Snell. Photo submitted.

Orange Prize winner attending Porlock Arts Festival

A FOUR-day feast for culture vultures gets underway with the return of one of the West Somerset’s best-loved literary celebrations next month.
Porlock Arts Festival, which runs from September 11 to 14, is playing host to leading lights of literature and media from across the country.
Arts festival organiser Tony Pinnington said: “We are delighted with this year’s line-up.
“We have attracted leading figures from the literary and media worlds and it promises to be a fantastic festival.”
This year’s Orange Prize winner, Rose Tremain, along with renowned author Dame Margaret Drabble and Fleet Street columnist and biographer Valerie Grove will be sharing their experiences and talking about their work during a friendly and informative evening.
Sunday Times columnist Roland White, Dan Hall, a former BBC commercial executive and now head of development for Dangerous Films, and BBC crime correspondent and author of murder mysteries Simon Hall will host a fun and thought-provoking afternoon discussion with the audience on the topic ‘Who Do We Believe?’.
The unspoilt historic village of Porlock will be buzzing as artists and craftspeople throw open the doors of their studios and showrooms.
Artisans will display their techniques, work, and collections, including silver jewellery, basket making, pottery, blacksmith’s art, wood sculptures, paintings, textiles, and felting.
There will also be a Pelham Puppet exhibition and demonstration, as well as glass blowing demonstrations.
Journalist and popular author Tony James will entertain as he draws from a lifetime of heroic failure in meeting his life plans, followed by gentle jazz in a bistro setting.
Famed author Sir Christopher Ondaatje, who lives locally, will also host a wine and cheese evening where he talks about his books.
More information on the Porlock Arts Festival or where to stay can be obtained by logging on to http://www.porlockfestival.org/ or emailing porlockci@somerset.gov.uk or telephoning 01643 863150.

• Our photographs show (TOP) a view of Porlock and (BELOW) author Dame Margaret Drabble. Photos submitted.