MSN Life Autumn 2021

Autumn 2021

Issue 40

Sponsored by Midsomer Norton Town Council

Updates on Heritage Action Zone,

plans for events in the town and much more inside.

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WELCOME TO

MIDSOMER

NORTON LIFE

C O N T E N T S

MAYOR'S WELCOME

RETURN OF COMMUNITY

TRUST EVENTS PROGRAMME

TOWN COUNCIL OFFICE

HERITAGE ACTION ZONE

SENSORY GARDEN

ello and welcome to the Autumn edition

of Midsomer Norton Life. It is hard to

believe that we're almost at the end of another

year, but as we look forward to the autumn

months, we hope that more of our favourite

events can return and life becomes a bit more

normal.

In this issue, you can find out more about upcoming

events at the Town Park Amphitheatre and the

return of face to face council meetings among

other exciting upcoming projects.

If you want to appear in our Winter issue, which

will be our 10th anniversary(!), get in touch with us

- news@ignyte-uk.co.uk

YOUTH CONNECT

WELLBEING IN NATURE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ST JOHN'S

WELLOWBROOK WALK

WERN

DUCK UPDATE

AGE UK

CAN YOU HELP HENRY

CONSERVATION

VOLUNTEERS

A TICKET TO RIDE AT THE

STATION

WELTON ROVERS

A MESSAGE FROM THE CLERK

How do I keep up to date with

Midsomer Norton Life &

Midsomer Norton Town Council

on social media?

It's Easy!

MSNLife

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The next edition of Midsomer Norton Life will be in

November 2021. If you would like your group to be

included in the next edition, please contact us on 01761

410141 before the deadline of 12th October 2021.

If you have difficulty reading the print please contact

the Town Clerk for a large print copy. You can also view

Midsomer Norton Life on the council’s website at www.

midsomernortontowncouncil.co.uk

Midsomer Norton Life is produced by Ignyte Media Ltd, Bathway Farm,

Bathway, Chewton Mendip, Somerset, BA3 4LN Tel 01761 410141.

While every care has been taken to ensure the data contained in this

publication is accurate, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors

can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party for loss or

damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence,

accident or any other cause. Ignyte or Midsomer Norton Town Council

does not officially endorse any advertising material included within

reproduced or stored in any retrieval system in any form without the

prior permission of the publisher.

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

WELCOME FROM THE MAYOR

ello everyone and welcome to the

latest edition of Midsomer Norton

Life. I hope you are managing to keep well

now that the regulations regarding the Covid

19 virus are being lifted. It certainly helps that

the vast majority of people have received their

vaccinations and I hope that those who haven't

yet managed to organise it, can do so soon.

Hopefully, when you receive this copy of

Midsomer Norton Life, the weather will be a bit

better than it is at the time of writing this. We're

just going through the batch of wind and rain

storms following on from those few days when it

was scorching hot. Not too good for those of us

who are trying to get some gardening done!

Keeping you up to date with the Town Park,

unfortunately the Lions had to cancel the

opening of the Sensory Garden due to the

Covid regulations, but they have now been

able to reorganise it for 11th September at 12

noon. So, if you would like to come along to

this event, please do. We have had a number of

organisations contacting us about holding events

in the Town Park and they are all being arranged.

If you are part of a group that would like to meet

up in the Town Park for an event, please contact

the Town Trust to get it organised.

I expect you have noticed that several dropped

kerbs have been installed around the town. This

makes life so much easier for wheelchair and

mobility scooter users.

My Deputy Mayor, Cllr Mike Moxham, has

had a number of comments from members of

the public about the state of the old brewery

building at the Welton, Bibby and Baron site on

Station Road. With a construction background,

Mike was the best person to contact Welton,

Bibby and Baron about this and they have

responded saying they intend to carry out a

structural survey soon. So, that sounds like good

news.

Thank you all for taking the time to look through

this copy of Midsomer Norton Life where you

will find lots of information about what is going

on in the town. Take care and enjoy the rest of

your Autumn.

Lynda Robertson,

Mayor of Midsomer Norton Town Council

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 5

A return for Community

Trust’s events Programme

he Midsomer Norton Community Trust’s

events programme is set to finally return in

full, 18 months after they were last held.

“As with many other community groups it’s been a

struggle to keep going with the impact of COVID.

However, we have survived and our volunteers

turned out in force recently to run our first

concert at the Town Hall. All we need to do now is

to get the message out there that we’re returning

and I’m confident we can begin serving the local

community again!”, said Alex Davis, Trust Manager

at the Midsomer Norton Community Trust.

The First Thursday Afternoon Social returns to

Welton Rovers on the 2nd September from 2-5pm

with live musical entertainment from Spirelane.

Since its launch the monthly First Thursday has

developed into a popular event in the social

calendar. Local entertainers provide a blend of

musical entertainment, laughter and even a bit of

bingo with hot and cold refreshments available

from the bar. The Social is the perfect chance to

have a laugh, make new friends and dance or foot

tap the afternoon away! Upcoming acts include

Niteshift, Bennie Vee and Russ Matthews.

Meanwhile, the Paradis Palm Court Trio series

resumed in August. These classical concerts see

Jacquelyn Bevan (piano), Lisa Betteridge violin &

Linda Stocks (cello) play a lunch-hour concert,

12.30-1.30pm on the first Friday of each month in

the Assembly Room at Midsomer Norton Town

Hall. Each concert is themed and comprises pieces

of music in a wide range of styles. Delicious

homemade cakes are on sale, along with tea &

coffee. Entry is free, with a retiring collection

towards the cost of running the series.

Meanwhile the Trust are aiming to resume

the Community Cinema screenings from

October. The Trust are currently in discussions

with their distributors about the film lineup

for the Community Cinema with news

and tickets expected to go on sale in early

September. For more information on all of these

events as they’re announced, head to www.

midsomernortoncommunitytrust.co.uk

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

Have you seen the new

Greenspaces Poster?

ou may remember in the last edition of

Midsomer Norton Life an article regarding

a green spaces poster being designed for

Midsomer Norton.

The posters have now been installed on the back

of the bus stops on The Island.

The posters include a map, making the town's

green spaces easy to find alongside a few

interesting facts about the Somer Valley.

Next time you are passing have a look and see

the green spaces Midsomer Norton and the

surrounding area has to offer.

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 7

Town Council Office NOW opeN

s Coronavirus started to race across the

world last year, our community faced

many challenges and the residents of Midsomer

Norton went to extraordinary lengths to protect

each other, their friends, and their families

from the effects of the virus. A couple of

consequences of the pandemic were the national

lockdowns and the working from home mandate.

As a result of this, on Friday 20th March 2020,

Council staff said goodbye to each other and

the Council offices which were then closed for

the foreseeable future. The office staff found

themselves starting work on the morning of

Monday 23rd March 2020 at home! Definitely a

new experience for us all. The Town Hall offices

may have been closed, but the Town Council

remained firmly open for business, continuing

to ensure public services were maintained and

running where possible.

Our Town Warden maintained his presence out

and about in the Town and was able to work

outside by following the government guidelines

on social distancing. We saw how hard Dave works

around the Town in the last issue of Midsomer

Norton Life and we would like to thank Dave for

his continued commitment during these difficult

circumstances. Town Council and Committee

meetings were moved online and held remotely

via Zoom, because of a change in legislation to

reflect these unparalleled times. The Town Council

was able to hold all their meetings in this way for

the duration of the restrictions.

After a lifting of restrictions, the Town Council

offices were reopened on Monday 19th July 2021.

Currently two members of the office staff are

in the Town Hall, while further staff continue to

work from home until a phased and gradual return

of all staff by the end of August.

A deep clean of the office was carried out with

every workstation cleared and thoroughly cleaned.

Ventilation was an issue in the office because of

many layers of paint being applied to the window

frames over the years. The Town Warden was

able to rectify this and the windows can now be

opened to let air flow through the office.

To ensure the continued safety of staff and

visitors, we would like to request that visits to

the office are kept to a minimum. Please arrange

an appointment where face to face contact is

required. Contact details can be found on our

website. The office staff are always happy to help

and are available via email or telephone during

office hours. We do hope that the numbers in the

area continue to improve as they currently are at

the time of writing, and that normal service can

resume as soon as possible.

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

HIGH STREET Heritage Action

Zone makes further Progress

s the High Street Heritage Action Zone

(‘HSHAZ’) programme moves into Autumn,

the project team are pleased to report that

further progress has been made on the various

project streams and a number of key things

have happened over the summer months. These

developments relate to improvement works on

the High Street, support for local organisations

and stakeholders and plans for new community

events and activities.

The first key development relates to The Island

and the specialist input now being received from

engineers at AECOM regarding the plans for the

new Market Square. Over the recent months,

AECOM have been undertaking technical work to

test the proposals and ensure they achieve highquality

design standards, support local businesses,

improve safety for pedestrians and road users and

function well for markets and other community

events. The engineers are currently looking at

the condition of the river culvert beneath The

Island and considering how to make sure it is

safe; this will require site investigations and trial

holes to take place at some point soon. Once

the engineering works and tests are completed

the designs will be updated and shared with the

community.

As mentioned in the Spring issue of Midsomer

Norton Life, plans for the Town Hall project

continue to take shape and the newly-formed

‘Transformation Implementation Committee’ have

been meeting with the project managers to work

out how best to reinstate the ‘Market Hall’ on the

ground floor for community use. At the moment

the Committee are considering how best to cost

and phase these works and also fundraise for the

The High Street Heritage Action Zone outlined on

a street plan of Midsomer Norton

number 100024900

later phases, including the new side extension and

upper floors. The Committee are pleased that

tenders from structural, mechanical and electrical

engineers have been received and surveying/

technical work from these professionals will come

forward in the next few months.

In other news, the project team were delighted

to have many business owners, landlords and

residents attend the community webinar

presentation for the High Street Study in late

July. Held online, this webinar gave an overview

of the surveys carried out on every pre-1960

High Street building, recommendations for

improvements within the town centre and the

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 9

associated guidance for shopfronts. The webinar

also presented the findings of the High Street

Questionnaire and launched the Shopfront and

Heritage Asset Improvement small grants schemes.

For those who may have missed this event the

recording can be found here: bit.ly/3frMVNz

High Street business owners and landlords

interested in carrying out improvement works to

their shopfronts are also encouraged to contact

the High Street Project Manager and fill out the

associated Expressions of Interest form.

Other updates include another successful

meeting of the HSHAZ ‘Steering Group’ on

Wednesday 7th July. Items discussed at the

meeting included the development of the new

HSHAZ website, opportunities for outdoor arts

commissions in Summer 2023 and the recruitment

of an Engagement Coordinator to run markets,

community events and cultural activities on the

High Street on behalf of the Community Trust.

If this role is of interest to you, or someone you

know, please keep an eye out for the forthcoming

job advert or get in contact with the High Street

Project Manager or Trust Manager (manager@

midsomernortoncommunitytrust.co.uk)

For more information about the HSHAZ project, or

to discuss anything mentioned above, please feel

free to contact the High Street Project Manager,

Edward Heritage, via email or post (details below).

Email: MidsomerNortonHSHAZ@bathnes.gov.uk

Edward Heritage, High Street Project Manager,

c/o Midsomer Norton Town Council, The Island,

Midsomer Norton, BA3 2HQ.

TOWN PARK Amphitheatre

idsomer Norton Town Council have

transferred the ownership of the Town

Park to the Town Trust, whose mission is to

provide spaces for the inhabitants of Midsomer

Norton for social welfare, recreation, leisure time,

voluntary groups, events and activities.

Welton Baptist Church have plans to use the

amazing new 300 seat Amphitheatre space for

song, worship, picnics, talks about the Gospel

and testimonies about God’s impact on individual

lives.

Midsomer Norton Town Council have transferred

the owner ship of the Town Park to the Town

Trust, whose mission is to provide spaces for

the inhabitants of Midsomer Norton for social

welfare, recreation, leisure time, voluntary groups,

events and activities.

Please get in touch with Jo Corbett, the

Secretary of Midsomer Norton Town Trust, if

you are interested in using the Amphitheatre

or another space in the Town Park for an event.

You can contact her by email: secretary@

midsomernortontowntrust.co.uk or by phone:

07873 232437. Her office hours are Tuesdays and

Thursdays, from 9am to 5:30pm

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 11

OFFICIAL OPENING FOR THE NEW

SENSORY GARDEN

adstock and Midsomer Norton Lions club

has had a number of successful

environmental projects, facilitating litter picks

held monthly alternating between Radstock

and Midsomer Norton since 2018, and funding a

grassroots group, More Trees, for B&NES to grow

and plant trees in Bath and North East Somerset

in 2020. However, by far the most ambitious

project for the club has been its involvement

in the creation of a sensory garden with Lions

funding the plants and trees within the garden

of the new Midsomer Norton Town Park. Earlier

in the year the club won the Lions' District

Environmental competition in recognition of

their work over the last few years.

The project has taken a number of years and the

development for the whole park will take more

years and funding in the future to complete. The

land is owned by the Town Council and the site

was given to the Town Trust, who now manage

the park project where the sensory garden

is sited. The idea of a new ‘Town Park’ being

developed in Midsomer Norton was put forward

by the Midsomer Norton Town Trust in 2017 and

approved by BathNES council.

The club is delighted that our MP Jacob Rees-

Mogg, along with the Mayor of Midsomer Norton,

Lynda Robertson will officially open the sensory

garden on Saturday 11th September.

The Lions hope that the sensory garden will leave

a permanent environmental legacy within the park

for the people of Midsomer Norton and Radstock

and future generations and that it will appeal to

all 5 senses and offer a rich therapeutic experience

to people with a range of different needs.

The design encourages a protected, stimulating

place for people to enjoy simply being, working

and socialising outdoors; a place for reflection and

enjoyment.

The club would like to thank all of the people

involved in this project who have made the

Sensory Garden go from an idea into reality.

Sarah Oughton, President, Radstock & Midsomer

Norton Lions Club

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

Youth Connect South West &

MIDSOMER NORTON TOWN COUNCIL

outh Connect South West is a youth

focused charity delivering services in Bath

and North East Somerset. In Midsomer Norton

they will be delivering community-based youth

work sessions using Midsomer Norton Town

Council funding.

The project will operate on two evenings a

week starting from 7th September 2021. Tuesday

evenings between 6-8pm will be based at the

container (HUB) at the skate park for a youth café

session that includes cooking and participating

in a range of table top activities. YCSW will be

engaging with young people to develop the HUB

and increase its use. On Friday evenings between

6 – 8pm will be a detached session (on foot). The

team will cover hotspot areas identified from

previous youth work and by the police and Town

Council, such as the High Street.

The sessions will offer young people improved

access to support for physical wellbeing, mental

wellbeing, sexual health and relationship issues,

improved access to employability and training

support and access to positive activities. They

will provide an opportunity to build positive

relationships with trusted adults, have more access

to relevant support services, and educate and

discourage young people from involvement with

serious violence, criminal activity and substance

misuse.

The aims of YCSW are to reduce anti-social

and criminal damage incidents related to young

people in the High Street, skate park and Town

Park, by engaging young people more with their

community and increasing their feelings of

community ownership.

Youth Connect South West, Bath Rugby

Foundation, Bath Area Play Project and partners

also delivered a fun and powerful package of

summer activities at the Astro Courts at Midsomer

Norton Sports Centre, Gullock Tyning. This was

open to all teenagers aged 12-16, with activities

including sports, exercise and creative play, as well

as nutritious food, for all attendees to enjoy. This

ran on Mondays from August 2nd to August 23rd.

Youth Connect provide a range of other services

for young people, such as supporting unemployed

young people or providing individuals with

support with issues that affect them. More

information on Youth Connect services can be

found at www.youthconnectsouthwest.org.uk.

Harry Parsons is the leader for the Midsomer

Norton work and can be contacted via:

harry.parsons@ycsw.org.uk

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 13

A RETURN TO SOME NORMALITY at

ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH

t John's are very pleased to let you know

that as the Covid restrictions are beginning

to lift, they are now holding weekly Holy

Eucharist services at 10am every Sunday. On

Sunday 5th September they will also reintroduce

the 8am service. St John's encourage the

congregation to still wear masks, and they are

now able to sing hymns – a great step forward.

A new member of the team at St John’s is Revd

Philip Hopper, who has joined in a training post as

Assistant Curate. Philip will be working on a part

time basis, and the team very much look forward

to his ministry with them.

On Tuesdays at 10.30am - 11.45am St John's are

resuming their coffee mornings, so people can

meet for a chat and a cup of coffee or tea. This

will be followed by Eucharist at 12 noon for those

who wish to stay.

The social events started again, the first one being

a Songs of Praise followed by a cream tea on

Saturday 21 August at 2.00pm.

There will be a very warm welcome to anyone

who would like to join any of these occasions.

To obtain more information, please visit the

Facebook page - St John’s MSN community group.

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE SURVEY

Midsomer Norton Town Council is

committed to using the most appropriate

channels of communications to reach our wide

variety of customers and stakeholders, including

residents, employees, schools, businesses,

community partners and all levels of government.

The Town Council are eager to listen, review

and check that our communications are being

understood by our community. We are constantly

striving to improve the way that Midsomer Norton

Town Council communicates with our customers

and stakeholders.

Of the replies to our recent survey about this

magazine, 96% of respondents said that they

look forward to receiving Midsomer Norton Life

maxem

eyewear

Magazine.

We asked for your ideas for future features,

and your feedback will help us to ensure that

we are targeting our readership. Your requests

include finding out what the Town Council are

doing to help the environment, news about

volunteer groups, catching up with things different

Councillors have been up to, positive stories about

local youths in our Town and some interviews

with local businesses and shop keepers.

Our thanks to everyone who took part in our

survey. The Town Council has agreed to appoint

a working party to look into the future of the

magazine and additional communication channels.

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 15

WELLBEING IN NATURE

arlier in the year, Midsomer Norton Town

Council staff were invited to learn more

about connecting communities to green spaces.

Somer Valley Rediscovered were funding a

four day training course run by Emily Malik

and Michéal Connors as part of the Natural

Academy. The training was focused on assetbased

approaches to nature connection and

engagement. In Midsomer Norton we are very

lucky to have numerous green spaces around us.

The Natural Academy state that, “our mission

with the NatureWell approach is to find a flexible,

scalable, integrative way of helping people and

the natural world recover and flourish. As we

know, this is vital for all our futures together

as one health”. Natural Academy is a social

enterprise whose mission is to support the health

and wellbeing of people and nature. They have

developed the NatureWell approach from over

12 years’ experience of working with people's

health in natural settings. NatureWell is part

of a well-evidenced learning framework that is

being delivered across the region and nationally as

part of NHS Forest.

The first two days of the course were held at the

end of June at Combe Hay Wine and Vineyard, a

beautiful location, just outside of Bath, where we

were kindly invited by the owners for the training

session. The second part of the training took

place in early August at Greyfield Wood in High

Littleton, another wonderful natural area we are

lucky enough to have on our doorstep. It was

a great opportunity to learn how we can engage

more in the green spaces owned by Midsomer

Norton Town Council.

The aim of the training was to show us how to

help people and communities connect to nature

for their health and wellbeing by disseminating

good practice more generally. By realising the

value of local communities and natural spaces

NatureWell can be applied to help people

connect to natural spaces to develop healthy

communities and, at the same time, to care for

our natural spaces in Midsomer Norton. It also

helps those who are living with challenges to

their health or wellbeing, are socially excluded,

or deprived to access the many benefits that

connecting with nature provides.

After the last 18 months of living through a

global pandemic we are all now familiar with

the health and mental health benefits that being

able to get out into nature can bring, even for an

allotted hour to get some exercise! During the

pandemic some of us discovered a new found

love of walking or discovered new local walks to

areas we were not aware of. It is time to embrace

and maintain this change going forward and to

preserve our great outdoors and appreciate how it

enhances our daily lives.

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

Happy Birthday St John's!

t John’s Primary School have been

celebrating their 300th year this month

with a series of celebrations. The school was

founded in 1721 after money was left in the will

of Ann Harris to educate the poorest 40 pupils

in the Parish of Midsomer Norton. Today the

school is attended by over 430 pupils who are

enormously proud of the school’s long history.

The 300th anniversary festivities began on St

John’s Day, Thursday 24th June, when we held

assemblies where the children learnt more

about the history of the school. They took part

in a treasure hunt around the school to find key

features which hint to the development of the

site from commemorative plaques, bricked up

doorways, historic fireplaces and the school

bell which was tolled for us all to hear. In the

afternoon we held a picnic on the field in class

bubbles and enjoyed cakes (donated by our lovely

PTA) and party games.

Earlier this month, Alun Williams, CEO of

Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership,

Headteacher Danielle West-Gaul and pupils

from Year 3 officially opened our outdoor

classroom.

This new facility will provide another area of

learning for pupils attending forest school, as

well as the opportunity to move lessons out of

the classroom. Other year groups worked hard

preparing for its opening by helping to cover the

floor area with chipped bark. We would like to

thank George’s Garden for donating a cherry tree

which was planted to mark the occasion.

Later this year the school will be installing a

stained-glass window in the school hall which is

being designed by Edgar Phillips. Former pupils and

local residents can make a donation to go towards

the installation by visiting gofund.me/09844bd6

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 17

Wellow Brook Walk UPDATE

he Great British Summer weather brings

the usual mix of sunshine and heavy

showers - the perfect combination for the grass

and greenery at Wellow Brook to grow and

grow at a rate of knots! Since the farmer who

previously, and very kindly, cut the area, retired a

couple of years ago, the Town Council have been

looking for somebody else to do the job.

The four acres of, sometimes rough under foot,

terrain is difficult to cut without the correct

machinery, and we were very lucky to find a local

farmer, Paul, who had the equipment for the job.

Paul was able to cut further into the hedgerow

than had been done previously, and this has

opened the field up considerably. There is now a

larger area for dogs to run in and for residents to

enjoy.

Please do get out and experience this part of our

Town. Our plans to improve the area are still

being considered, so keep an eye on our website

and social media for any updates.

Wellow Brook also has a problem with Himalayan

Balsam, which thrives along riverbanks. It is fast

growing, non-native to the UK, and spreads rapidly

annually by seed. Himalayan Balsam can grow

up to three metres in height, and each plant can

produce 800 seeds which can spread over seven

metres away, or even further if transported by

water.

The Town Warden has spent a lot of time carefully

pulling the plant by hand. The issue is being

tackled at the appropriate time of the year with

the correct equipment.

Our home help service

offers flexibility and choice

to suit individual needs,

enabling you to remain

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Respite or regular care available.

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

MUGA at West Clewes

idsomer Norton Town Council have

received quotes and approved the

construction of a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA)

at West Clewes Recreation Ground. The MUGA

will have a court suitable for multiple sports

including football and basketball. On the outer

side of the fences will be a cricket wicket,

hotshot target, and penalty shootout board.

The Town Council successfully secured Youth

funding from B&NES towards this project and the

Youth Hub at the Town Park. A lottery grant was

applied for by the Recreational Trust which was

successful and they have also contributed further

funds towards the full cost of the project. Any

outstanding funding will be supplied by the Town

Council from the reserves.

The Town Council are excited about providing

this free, fun facility and the physical and mental

health benefits it will bring to the town.

Sight Support West of England

ight Support West of England improve

the quality of life for visually impaired

people. They provide practical and emotional

support for people adjusting to living with sight

loss. They support people to continue to live

independently by equipping them with the tools

they need and create peer and social networks to

help reduce isolation.

The charity believe that sight loss shouldn’t stop

people reaching their full potential.

The Sight Advisors are available to offer

information and advice on assistive technology,

lighting, magnifiers and much more to help you

manage your sight loss. They are committed to

ensuring the services are accessible to everyone,

so appointments are available in accessible

locations across the region.

All face-to-face services are provided observing

COVID-safe procedures. Booking is essential.

Please call Sight Support on 0117 3224885 to

make an appointment. Sessions run on the 4th

Thursday of each month, between 10am and 1pm

at Midsomer Norton Town Hall.

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 19

West of England Rural Network

WERN

New Village Agent appointed

s we come out from the COVID lockdown

and life begins very slowly to return to a

new normality, many people are very nervous

about what they will find as they leave home

after nearly 18 months of self-isolation. Local

support services, clubs and social activities

have been closed and events cancelled as the

Government asked us to stay at home.

With a glimmer of light now showing at the end of

the tunnel, local charity WERN (West of England

Rural Network) is looking to support people in the

community who have struggled with their physical

and mental wellbeing. They have appointed

Michael Auton as their new Village Agent working

across Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Westfield and

Paulton.

Two teams of Village Agents (North Somerset and

B&NES) are embedded in the rural communities

in which they work, providing confidential 1-to-1

support with information and advice. Alongside

this they work with local people to create new

opportunities for activities and social groups,

and encourage people to move more and sit less

through gentle exercise and walks.

The focus is on people living in rural, often remote

locations. Older residents often feel forgotten

and ignored. They are certainly out of sight as

the social groups they attended have been closed

over the last year. During the pandemic Village

Agents became a vital point of contact for food

and other essential supplies.

Michael has lived in the Somer Valley for many

years and will use his wealth of experience and

local knowledge to signpost residents to local

services, befriending groups or offering 1-to-1

support. He is now looking to connect with

service groups, lunch clubs, befriending groups,

churches and charities, and is keen to come and

talk to readers about how the service can support

them at home.

Michael said: "The last 15 months have been hard

on all of us and we have struggled to manage

the impact of COVID on our lives. Social contact

has been significantly restricted and activities we

took for normal may no longer exist. As the new

Village Agent for Midsomer Norton, Radstock,

Westfield and Paulton, I am here to help any

residents to provide information and support to

access services which will improve their health

and wellbeing."

Anyone over 18 years of age can be supported and

you can self-refer if you are struggling and need

additional support. Michael can be contacted by

emailing michael@wern.org.uk or telephone 07392

700765. More information about the Village Agent

service can also be found on the WERN website -

https://www.wern.org.uk/village-agents

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

BATH MIND – HERE TO HELP

he past two years have been hard on

everyone, both physically and mentally,

so if you feel like you need support, join the

team from Bath Mind at one of their local mental

health and well-being groups.

The Midsomer Norton Wellbeing Group meet

every Tuesday from 11am until 1pm at the Swallows

Café. It is an inclusive and supportive group that

encourages positive mental health through peer

support and creativity, offering a number of

different activities, as well as one to one talks,

which are facilitated by the group’s organisers.

Bath Mind also run Open Opportunities sessions

at their base on Manvers Street in Bath. This group

supports those with ongoing mental health issues,

allowing them to engage in social activities linked

to the five ways to well-being. This group meets

face to face every Monday and Wednesday from

11am until 1pm.

Young people struggling with challenges, anxiety

or depression or who just want a group of likeminded

individuals that they can speak openly

with are encouraged to visit Safe Space, the

online well-being group provided by Bath Mind

volunteers. Safe Space is held via Zoom on a

Thursday from 5pm – 5.30pm with monthly meet

ups in person.

To find out more about Bath Mind’s work,please

contact the wellbeing team on wellbeing@

bathmind.org.uk or call Becky on 07538 113890.

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 21

Duck update

ack last Summer we received a call from

a resident advising us that several

ducklings were stuck in the grate on the River

Somer.

The mother duck was obviously very distressed

at not being able to reach her ducklings, which in

turn was upsetting for the resident who contacted

us. At this time, our Town Warden was fortunately

able to install some wooden planks to enable the

ducklings to climb out and be happily reunited

with their mum! However, these wooden planks

were not a long-term solution to the issue.

The issue arose again earlier in the summer, with

several very upset residents reporting stuck

ducklings to us. We immediately reported this

matter to the RSPCA (as redirected by the RSPB)

who can be contacted on 0300 1234 999. After

rescuing the ducklings from the area, the RSPCA

advised us that they could not move the duck

and ducklings up stream, as this was their nesting

ground, and they would eventually make their way

back to it.

We, therefore, contacted the Environment Agency

and explained the situation to them. After a visit

to the area, they came up with a plan to install a

ramp with small pieces of wood all the way up.

This would enable the ducklings to make their

way out without sliding back down to the place

where they were getting trapped. We would

like to thank the residents for alerting this to us,

the RSPCA for carrying out their rescue and the

Environment Agency for installing the ramp and,

hopefully, preventing any further incidents.

DROP-IN COVID Vaccinations

s part of the NHS Covid-19 vaccination

programme, Bath & North East Somerset

Council offered mobile drop-in vaccination

appointments at various locations in B&NES

throughout May, June, July and August 2021.

The vaccination bus parked in the Town Park

spaces near the Somer Centre. They targeted

areas where there was a relatively lower uptake of

vaccinations, and to rural areas where accessing

a large vaccination clinic may have been harder.

The vaccine bus operated as a drop-in service

so people didn’t have to book; they could just

turn up and have their vaccine, and there was no

requirement to be registered with a doctor. The

bus also operated as a space where people could

come to find out more about the vaccine without

having to actually have it. It was very difficult to

predict what the uptake would be: they had the

capacity to provide up to 200 vaccines per day.

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

AGE UK offer SUPPORT FOR THose

who have lost THEIR COnfidence

ge UK Bath & North East Somerset is

urging the public to be compassionate,

as we head into autumn, with a recent survey

showing that a huge 48% of older people say

they have lost their confidence, and many

more are worried about the future.

CEO, Simon Allen, said: “We are really concerned

that nearly half of people who answered our

survey say they have lost confidence. Older

people have been some of the most affected

during the pandemic and for many, the isolation,

lack of contact, worry and loss of loved ones has,

understandably, taken its toll. Therefore, we are

urging the public to really be mindful of older

people in our community who may want to take

things slower – not all of us are ready for no

masks and group hugs."

The survey, which went to thousands of residents

in Bath & North East Somerset, has shone a light

on how older people have coped during the

pandemic, what support is needed and feelings

about the future.

Nearly half of all people who answered said

they had lost confidence, which has sparked the

charity to launch an emergency ‘Confidence; to

live the life you choose’ appeal raising money for

more one to one support including tailored

mobility exercise, access to community groups,

chat and check in and practical guidance to

getting online.

Comments from the survey included:

Paula, 69, “I've never spent so much time alone

without human contact before. I have become

very isolated and have felt very lonely.”

Peter, 81 said: “I need confidence to understand

technology and get online. I find it difficult

being disabled and relying on other people all the

time.”

Rose, 63 said: "It is hard making friends when you

don't have confidence”.

Brian, 76 said: “I do hope I can build up the

confidence to go out of the house again.”

Confidence isn’t changed overnight and so the

charity is asking people for regular donations to

support their ongoing work which will see older

people having the confidence to live the life they

choose.

Age UK Bath & North East Somerset want to

remind people that they are here for anyone

over 55 who might need advice, support out of

hospital, help at home or just a friendly chat.

Can you help to support people in building back

their confidence? Please visit

www.ageuk.org.uk/bathandnortheastsomerset

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 23

CAN YOU HELP HENRY?

enry is an 8 year old from Midsomer

Norton who loves to be independent

and make people smile. At 12 months old he

was diagnosed with cerebral palsy spastic

diplegia which most noticeably affects Henry’s

lower limbs making him unable to stand or walk

unaided. This has never stopped Henry aiming

for better mobility and independence with his

determined nature helping him along the way.

Henry has received weekly therapy since diagnosis

which has become a big part of his life, teaching

him the skills to sit, crawl, walk with a walker

and now learning to walk with just sticks thus

increasing his stamina to go even further. These

are skills we all take for granted but Henry worked

extra hard to achieve.

Thanks to everyone`s support and help with

fundraising he was able to have SDR in July 2020 at

the Portland Hospital London.

Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR) surgery is a

procedure that treats muscle spasticity caused

by abnormal communication from the brain

to the muscles. It achieves this by cutting the

nerve rootlets in the spinal cord, thus reducing

spasticity while improving the range of motion

and functional mobility.

Following SDR there is an intense rehabilitation

period of 3 years and without this Henry will

not gain the full benefits from the operation. He

has been working so hard before and after and

deserves the chance to improve his mobility and

independence.

Just4Children are still trying to raise funds to

continue to allow Henry to access the therapy he

needs and any equipment and orthotics to aid his

independence.

You can help by either donating to www.

justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/just4children/

helpinghenry or why not join in the the firewalk

that’s happening on the 8th October at MSN

Cricket Club.

If you would like to volunteer to walk on fire

and raise some well needed funds, contact

helpinghenry6@gmail.com

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 25

The Conservation Volunteers

AT THE TOWN PARK

he Conservation Volunteers (TCV Bristol)

have completed a 200m path over the last

few months at Midsomer Norton Town Park. It

has taken the incredible efforts of a small group

of volunteers to lay 400m of revetment and

move 58 tonnes of hardcore/hoggin all by hand.

Work is now underway on a set of steps leading

from the Amphitheatre up to the Greenway

behind. Twenty-six steps were built initially;

several more days work will be necessary to

complete the job.

Midsomer Norton Town Trust appealed for

funding for the paths and were delighted to

receive £1558.62 in donations. A huge thankyou to

everyone who generously contributed. There will

be an opening ceremony for the paths and steps

once the work is completed.

The Town Council, Town Trust and Community

Trust are delighted with the continued

developments at the Town Park, and very grateful

for the amazing work undertaken by TCV. Please

get in touch if you can spare some time to work

on this, or other TCV projects.

A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

Would you like to help maintain

Midsomer Norton Town Park?

If you interested in physical activity outdoors

that will be a positive benefit for the

community then get in touch.

All tools and training will be provided by TCV.

Visit www.tcv.org.uk/getinvolved/volunteering

or contact the TCV officers on 07739447995

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

3SG - Community Wellbeing Hub

ath and North East Somerset Third

Sector Group (3SG) has been providing

support to charities, social enterprises and

community groups in Bath and North East

Somerset since 2016. 3SG is an independent

charity that has a membership of over 140

organisations, made up of charities, social

enterprises, faith and voluntary groups.

Their aim is to raise the profile of their members,

provide 1-to-1 support and offer opportunities to

influence local strategic decision making. 3SG also

provide hundreds of volunteer marshals to the

Large Vaccination Centre at Bath Racecourse and

are currently recruiting so use the contact details

below if you'd be interested.

Since the start of the pandemic, 3SG has also been

behind the local volunteer response and was a

founding partner of the Community Wellbeing

Hub. The Community Wellbeing Hub is still open

and continues to offer a wide range of advice

and support to residents of Bath and North East

Somerset.

You can contact the hub on 0300 247 0050 from

Monday to Friday between 9am-5pm.

If you would like to find out more about 3SG, then

please get in touch:

Email: Miles at contact@3sg.org.uk

Call: 01225 683087

Website: www.3sg.org.uk

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 27

‘A Ticket to Ride’ AT THE STATION

he weekend gala to celebrate the visiting

steam locomotive Austin at Midsomer

Norton station saw four locos in action in some

of the best weather of the summer! The biggest

ever gala saw resident Class 08 and 03 Diesel

Shunters working alongside unique Sentinel

steam locomotive ‘Joyce’ and the visiting Kitson

0-6-0ST ‘Austin 1’.

There was an intensive timetable that saw

both freight and passenger services, with all

combination of locos in action. Two vintage buses

were on site assisting with transport to and from

the gala. The Wickham Trolley was also put to

work providing a ride within the confines of the

station yard.

Austin has been hauling passenger services every

summer weekend and will be a major part of the

autumn Gala on the 22nd to the 24th October. An

extra treat this year are Driver Experience courses

on Austin on September the 4th and 18th. Looking

forwards, bookings will soon be available on the

website for Santa Specials on all the December

weekends.

People have been very welcome over the summer

weekends and volunteers at the station would

like to thank all the visitors who have made all

their hard work worth while.

You can get your ‘Ticket to Ride’ on the website

or why not join the team as a working volunteer?

Booking for all events and rides is through the

website, sdjr.co.uk

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

Wheelchair & Pushchair Access

in Midsomer Norton

idsomer Norton Town Council has

always been keen for all its residents to be

able to enjoy as much of the town as possible.

Many steps have been taken to ensure better

access to as many of the town's public areas as

possible. However, it had been reported to us

that there was an issue with access to the Town

Park, because of the lack of dropped kerbs in the

area.

Councillor Steve Plumley contacted B&NES

Council and arranged to meet with one of their

officers, along with Councillor Mike Moxham

for some practical advice, to discuss suitable

locations. B&NES Council granted permission for

the works to go ahead, and the dropped kerbs

have now been installed, making it easier for

wheelchairs, mobility scooters and pushchairs to

access the Town Park and the Somer Centre.

Another area that was notified to us as proving

difficult to access, was the entrance to Hayes

Road, as there was not enough room to negotiate

the bars. The bars in Hayes Road have reportedly

been an issue for years but it was recently brought

to our attention again by a resident. The bars were

so close together as to not allow some of the

newer children’s buggies and mobility scooters to

get through.

Councillors Steve Plumley and Mike Moxham

again met up with the B&NES Council's Highway

Inspector, and they have now installed new bars

with an increased space between them to make

access into and out of Hayes Road much easier.

We would like to thank B&NES Council and their

officers for their assistance in making the areas

more accessible.

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 29

HELP Stop Anti-Social Behaviour

he Town Council are disappointed to

continue to deal with anti social behavior

at West Clewes and the Town Park. In recent

weeks the trampoline has been broken, bottles

smashed, litter left and individuals have been

drunk and disorderly. Broken glass is a serious

health and safety risk, especially so close to a

park where children are playing and where dogs

are frequently walked. The Town Warden quickly

responds to reports of broken glass to ensure no

one is injured.

CCTV in both areas have recently been upgraded

and blind spots have been removed. Due to this

upgrade the office staff are now able to download

good quality footage to send to the police. The

police have been taking the footage to the local

schools in a bid to identify those youths who

appear on the footage. In three recent instances

the youths have been identified and the parents

have been informed of their children’s behaviour.

Two Community Resolution Orders have been

raised and two youths now have a six month ban

from entering West Clewes.

Each time an instance of anti-social behaviour is

reported the office staff must take time out of

their busy schedules to trawl through the CCTV

and download the appropriate footage. The Town

Warden spends a large

part of his time repairing

the damage caused or the

clearing up. At times the

damage is severe and the

Town Council must pay

a contractor to make the

repairs.

All this is costing the Town Council money. The

funds received by the Council come from the

Town’s residents' council tax. Spending money on

repairs takes away funds for other projects that

make the town a better place to live in.

The Town Council have been working closely

with the police in combating this unacceptable

behaviour, including patrols taking place. The

police are eager to speak with those mistreating

these areas and educate them on the impact of

anti-social behaviour.

With the summer holidays upon us, the Council

would like the open areas to be enjoyed by the

community as a whole and for residents not to be

put off by anyone being a nuisance or causing a

disturbance.

If you witness any anti-social behaviour, please

contact the Police on 101.

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 31

SOMER VALLEY FM is BLOOMING!

omer Valley FM, the local radio station for

North East Somerset, based in Midsomer

Norton, have had their gardens further developed

and spruced up by the Prince's Trust 2 Team from

Bath College.

The team, based on the Somer Valley campus,

initially cleaned and cleared the area, renovated

existing borders, planted afresh and even designed

and built a lit path.

Ben Perry, Prince's Trust Team Leader was

delighted with the results. "The team were

brilliant in planning and completing the garden

redevelopment very quickly. Working well

together, I’m sure the skills they are gaining as part

of the Prince's Trust training will help them in their

future careers."

The Prince's Trust Team is Sophie, AnnMarie,

Ashleigh, Liam, Callie and Nathanial.

Richard Burgess, Station Manager, commented:

"We have a great relationship with Bath College,

across all the campuses. It’s important to me

and our team that we encourage our young,

local people wherever we can, from gardening

through to media presenting. The students were

a pleasure to be around – I hope they can find

the right opportunities for themselves when their

education is complete."

The Prince's Trust next programme starts 27

September, finishing 17 December.

To contact your local radio station: 01761 411755,

studio@somervalleyfm.co.uk, or find us on social

media.

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

Join the WELTON RUNNERS

ould you like to make new friends and

have company when you’re exercising?

'Welton Church Runners' could be the group for

you!

We meet every Saturday morning, 9am outside of

the Somer Centre in Midsomer Norton. Everyone

is welcome, whatever your age (children must

be accompanied by adults). The group follows

various circuits around Midsomer Norton Town

Park, depending on ability. Some of the runners

have also recently been part of a fantastic

volunteer team adding a new path, linking the

existing routes, to create different options. For

those wanting to do a little extra, some of the

group are also doing Couch to 5k and would love

to offer encouragement and support. Others

also sometimes meet in the week for time trials.

Whether or not you’re ready for going the “extra

mile”, coffee and cake with new friends at a nearby

café is a popular option after running together

on Saturdays - it would be great to see you. If you

would like more information or would like to join,

please contact eugene.kertzman@weltonchurch.

org.uk

ANDREW JAMES

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 33

MIDSOMER NORTON RUGBY CLUB

s summer turns to autumn, excitement

builds as Midsomer Norton Rugby Club

prepare to play their first matches for almost

eighteen months.

The First XV begin their season in Cheltenham on

Saturday 4th September, before the first chance

to catch them at home the following Saturday

against Chipping Sodbury. The Second and Third

XVs have slightly longer to wait, starting their

league campaigns on Saturday 25th September.

The Junior Section continues to thrive with the

pitches at Norton Down full of youth players

of all ages enjoying training on Sundays. With

coronavirus restrictions easing the clubhouse has

now fully reopened and families are enjoying its

new look after a volunteer-led refurbishment.

Behind the scenes there have been changes with

Neil Denning stepping down as Chairman after

an incredible nineteen-year stint in the role. Alex

Davis was elected as the club’s first new Chairman

for almost two decades.

The club have recognised the contributions to

the club of Neil Denning, Bob Ladd and Simon

Mollison with the award of Life Memberships.

The contribution of the three individuals will be

celebrated at an event this Autumn.

The rugby club welcomes new members and

players of all ages and abilities. For more

information head to

www.midsomernortonrfc.co.uk

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 35

RECOGNISING ACHIEVEMENT – THE

CHIEF SCOUTS BRONZE AWARDS

or so many people, this has been a

challenging year. Trying to run a Beavers

group (the youngest section in Scouting for ages

6-8 years) has pushed the leader’s ingenuity to

the limit!

With imagination aplenty, the Beaver leaders

of 1st Midsomer Norton Scouts have managed

programmes that allowed the young people

to have fun and continue to gain their badges.

Thanks to the wonders of Zoom, there have

been visits by the police and fire services, plus a

magician and even a pantomime.

With lockdown easing, all the groups at 1st

Midsomer Norton Scouts have been able to meet

back face to face. Last week saw the end of the

Beavers' year, with a family party in the park.

Over 100 badges were given out to the group,

including some very special badges. Five Beavers

achieved the top award which can be presented

at Beavers, the Chief Scouts' Bronze Award. Huge

congratulations go to Ollie, Charlie, Ed, and Zach.

Amelie, aged 8, not only achieved this award, but

she managed to attain every badge that Beavers

has to offer. A total of 22 activity and 6 challenge

badges, from first aid and road safety to hikes,

fires, and cooking.

Martyn Rayner, the Beavers Leader for Ottawa

group, said: “We are so proud of Amelie’s

achievement. She has hardly missed a session in

the past two years and joined in every activity

with a big smile on her face. We will miss those

leaving us this term, but hope they enjoy Cubs and

stay within the Scouting movement for years to

come.”

If you are interested in your children joining 1st

Midsomer Norton Scouts, please send their details

to joiners@midsomernortonscouts.org.uk or for

further details on joining or volunteering please

visit our website: midsomernortonscouts.org.uk

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

Gardening in the sunshine

SWALLOW Charity

WALLOW is a local charity supporting

teenagers and adults with learning

disabilities. SWALLOW members and staff have

been busy getting out and about and enjoying the

good weather. The SWALLOW horticulture group

have been planting up hanging baskets and also

making a ladybird bug house.

If you would like to know more about SWALLOW’s

work please go to www.swallowcharity.org.

Registered charity

number 1045893.

The charity relies on

donations to be able

to continue its work in

Midsomer Norton. If you

would like to support the

charity by making a gift or

fundraising please contact

Nicky Tew on nickyt@

swallowcharity.org.

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 37

SOMER VALLEY FOODbank

ue to the sale of our existing warehouse,

the Somer Valley Foodbank needs to find a

new storage facility that can hold up to 7 tonnes

of non-perishable food. We need a space that is

about 1,500 square feet in size.

We are appealing to the local business community

for help in this matter and if anyone knows of

or has a premises that we could use, please

could they contact the Somer Valley Foodbank

Chairman, Paul Woodward, on 07729523986 or

email info@somervalley.foodbank.org.uk.

“We need this matter resolved as soon as possible,

as we have to leave the present warehouse by the

end of the year. The foodbank management team

would like to thank our landlord who has been

most generous and helpful with the arrangement

we have and it is just unfortunate that we have to

leave. It has been a very useful warehouse for us

to have for the last year. We fully understand the

need to sell the facility but we just do not have

the funds to purchase it,” said Paul Woodward.

The Foodbank provides three days of emergency

food to people who need it the most.

Professionals such as health visitors, social workers

and the CAB identify people in crisis and issue

them with a Foodbank voucher. This all done via

phone calls and electronic vouchers.

The voucher can be taken to a Foodbank

distribution centre, in Midsomer Norton,

Peasedown, Paulton or Radstock, where a friendly

team of volunteers will help people with their

food needs.

With more than 70 volunteers collecting and

transporting food, helping in distribution centres

and providing support to those who visit, the

Somer Valley Foodbank is one of the biggest

volunteer-led projects in Bath and North East

Somerset.

Of the 2,000 people who receive help each year,

they are referred to the Foodbank for a variety of

reasons, such as being on a low income, benefit

delays, benefit changes, debt, ill health and

unemployment, etc.

“We would also like to thank the local press for

their continued support and to the community

who continue to donate food for us to hand out

to those who are referred to us by local agencies.

We are now calling on the community for help in

finding a new warehouse,” added Paul Woodward.

For more information about the Somer Valley

Foodbank, visit www.somervalley.foodbank.org.

uk, email info@somervalley.foodbank.org.uk or call

07729523986

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

GOOD NEWS FROM Welton Rovers

elton Rovers’ season has got off to a

fantastic start with the Midsomer Norton

team winning the Fry Club Cup for the first time

in the club’s history.

The prestigious pre-season tournament has been

won by the likes of Bristol City and Bristol Rovers

in the past, and celebrated it’s 50th instalment

this year. Rovers will go down in the competition’s

history as the milestone winners after a 2-1 victory

over Mendip Broadwalk in the showpiece final.

Welton Rovers Confirm New Club Sponsor

Welton Rovers are delighted to announce Sam

Chivers Estate Agents as the club’s new Primary

Sponsor.

Sam Chivers Estate Agents are local experts in

residential property sales, lettings, commercial

lettings and land of all types in the postcode areas

of BA3, BA2 and BS39.

As part of the new sponsorship deal, the Sam

Chivers logo will adorn Welton Rovers’ brand new

Nike manufactured home kit, which the club wore

in their opening leaguefixture at Odd Down.

Rovers' chairperson, Malcom Price, said of the new

relationship: “There is no better company for us

to have started this relationship with than Sam

Chivers Estate Agents. Their work is everywhere

to see within our community, and for our football

club to receive their support is a massive boost to

us going forward, as well as a further commitment

to their work within our local area”.

MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE 39

MIDSOMER NORTON TOWN TRUST

he Town Council has transferred three

of its assets to the Town Trust, the

charity established in 2014 to provide facilities

for recreation for the inhabitants of Midsomer

Norton. The Trust has now added to its assets the

Town Park and Somer Centre in Gullock Tyning,

and the Silver Street Nature Reserve. The Trustees

will seek to maintain these spaces for the use of

groups and residents of Midsomer Norton, in line

with the Trust's charitable objects.

The Town Trust is currently working closely

with the Town Council on the Town Hall

Transformation Project, which is seeking to

improve the operational challenges at this building

in the heart of the Town. The Town Hall offers

G. Mitchard & Sons

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We thank our customers

for their continued support supplying their

needs for every and any occasion.

We are pleased to supply our customers

with locally farmed meat, poultry,

milk and cheeses,

home-prepared bacon and cooked meats,

our prize-winning pies and sausages,

plus our famous faggots!

Shop opening hours:

Tuesday to Saturday, 7am to 3pm.

Phone orders taken Mon-Fri 7am-5pm

(for collection during above shop opening hours)

or visit our Facebook page

Westfield Radstock BA3 3XS

Tel: 01761 412109

a range of spaces for community use but the

addition and partition of rooms over its 150 year

history make the building difficult to use and it

is in a poor state of repair. The proposal being

implemented is a transformation of the building

to reinstate the original ground floor Market Hall

and construction of a rear extension for offices,

community meeting rooms, storage and service

rooms.

These current projects, along with the ongoing

management of St Chad’s Well and the Orchard

Hall are keeping the Trustees and the Town Trust

Secretary busy and hold the promise of exciting

opportunities to come for the communities of

Midsomer Norton.

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MIDSOMER NORTON LIFE

Silver Street Nature Reserve

or the last couple of years we have been

feeling the benefit of our wild open

spaces. In Midsomer Norton we have the

wonderful Town Park and the Silver Street Nature

Reserve as well as other areas in walking distance.

We have found that being in contact with our

natural side feeds the mind, body and soul and

listening to bird song is just a joy. Walking is also

good for us too.

So many people come to the Nature Reserve in

Silver Street and are pleasantly surprised with

what they find there. A lovely cool woodland

with the glint of the pond appearing through the

trees and the spring ever flowing even in the dry

weather. The meadow is full of wildflowers and,

facing south, is a wonderful place to sit a while

and look over Midsomer Norton.

We have had our assessment from It’s your

Neighbourhood (In Bloom) and hope for a

favourable result; the judge was very impressed

with the work our volunteers have achieved this

year. So come along and see for yourself what you

are missing!

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MIDSOMER NORTON LOCAL LIFE 41

A MESSAGE

FROM THE CLERK

I hope this edition of Midsomer Norton Life finds

you well and you enjoyed the summer months.

As you will have read earlier in this issue, the staff

of Midsomer Norton Town Council have started

to return to the office after a long 18 months

of working remotely. With COVID cases rising

locally, we must all continue to act to control the

spread of the virus, to keep ourselves and others

as safe as we can. If you do need to see us, please

make an appointment, or continue to contact us

via email or by phone; we are always happy to

help where we can.

You will have read that Anti-Social Behaviour is

continuing to have an impact in the Town. While

we are aware that it is a small minority causing

issues, the consequences affect us all at the end

of the day. Should you see anything of concern

then please report it to the Police on 101. This is

not an emergency number for incidents requiring

an immediate response but can be used to report

a crime or incident. As another example, we have

had reports of cars parking in locations likely to

cause an obstruction – this too can be reported

on 101.

Similar to 101 in a sense that you can report an

issue requiring attention, is the Bath and North

East Somerset Council Fix My Street website -

https://fix .bathnes.gov.uk. Here you can report

problems with roads, pavements, parks, litter and

fly tipping, and overhanging vegetation to name

but a few, for all locations in Bath and North East

Somerset.

Recent installations in the Town have included a

new bus timetable at Redlands Terrace. This was

requested by a resident early last year and was

delayed because of the pandemic. New bars have

been fitted between Hayes Road and Northmead

Road, allowing mobility scooters and buggies

better access. The Somer Valley greenspace

posters are now up in Midsomer Norton, Radstock

and Westfield. The poster in Midsomer Norton

can be seen on the back of the bus stop on The

Island detailing the green spaces in our area.

Finally, a new server has been installed at the Town

Hall, for increased service reliability for its users.

In other news, all revenue grant payments have

been made and letters sent to the recipients.

Please see the Midsomer Norton Town Council

Grant Policy on the website to see if your local

voluntary or community group might be eligible

for financial help. We are also continuing to

investigate funding for the planned improvement

works at Wellow Brook, including potential

funding from S106 monies, the Duchy of Cornwall

and Somer Valley Rediscovered.

With Wellow Brook Walk also in mind, we have

been advised by Somer Valley Rediscovered that

as part of the new Environment Bill, developers

will need to demonstrate part 10% Biodiversity

Net Gain (BNG) on qualifying developments.

Ideally this net gain of biodiversity is delivered

on-site but, in some instances, where this is

impossible, they may be allowed to achieve this

10% increase off-site. In return for the off-site

improvements the developer must provide

funding for a minimum of 30 years management to

achieve stated habitat creation and improvements.

We have nominated the Town Park and Wellow

Brook Walk as potential areas to take advantage

of this funding and are waiting to hear from the

B&NES ecologist.

Please continue to keep up to date with what

the Town Council are doing by having a look at

our website and social media pages, which are

updated regularly. I would also like to take the

opportunity to let you know that (at the time of

writing) the Full Council, Planning Committee, and

Finance and Operations Committee meetings due

to take place in September, will see a return of

meetings in person, and all details will be found

on the website in due course.

LOCAL LIFE

YOUR TOWN

COUNCILLORS

Midsomer Norton Town Council

Town Hall, The Island, Midsomer Norton

Bath BA3 2HQ - 01761 418701

townclerk@midsomernortontowncouncil.co.uk

midsomernortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Lynda Robertson

(Mayor)

07912 516223

lyndaroberston@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Michael Moxham

(Deputy Mayor)

01761 419960

07593 185850

mikemoxham@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Lynne Clement

07855 037805

01761 414003

lynneclement@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Michael Evans

01761 235996

michaelevans@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Sue Graham

07896 411 840

suegraham@midsomernorton

towncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Christian Griffiths

07568 482261

christiangriffiths@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Brian Lawrence

(Chair of Finance and

Operations Committee)

07701 007 277

brianlawrence@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Gordon Mackay

(Chair of Planning

Committee)

07806 604 302

gordonmackay@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Pete Mocock

07891 380197

petemocock@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Steve Plumley

07913 952901

steveplumley@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

Cllr Richard Robertson

07511 413721

richardrobertson@midsomer

nortontowncouncil.co.uk

MSN Life Autumn 2021

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