Quantock Area News

Nether Stowey's response to EDF

January 2010
In November 2009 EDF Energy published their Initial Proposals and Options with regard to the proposed development of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point (Hinkley Point C). On 14 December 2009 representatives of EDF Energy made a presentation to a meeting of the Nether Stowey Parish Council, and members of the public, in Nether Stowey Village Hall. On 14 January 2010 representatives of EDF Energy made a further presentation to a public meeting hosted by the Parish Council in Nether Stowey Village Hall attended by 64 people.

You can read Nether Stowey Parish Council's response to the EDF proposals here (pdf).

Free Insulation

December 2009
From November 2009, all private households in Sedgemoor, West Somerset, Taunton Deane, South Somerset and Mendip – including privately rented properties – will qualify for free loft and cavity wall insulation, if residents:

• are over the age of 60
• OR have children under 16 years
• OR are in receipt of certain benefits
• OR have an annual combined income of less than £20,000 and savings of less than £20,000

This extends last year's scheme to reach even more people.                  [More details...]

Quiz Night

November 2009
Quiz night at the Rose & Crown in Nether Stowey. A fun night every 2nd Sunday in the month, arranged by Nether Stowey Twinning Association. Anyone and everyone welcome! Quiz starts at 7:30pm.

Mysterious Skulls

September 2009
Now that the nights are beggining to draw in it's time to curl up with a good book. Acclaimed local authors and television producers from Aisholt, Chris Morton and Ceri Thomas, will shortly be releasing their new fiction title
'2012: The Secret of the Crystal Skull'.

Archaeologist Laura Shepherd is working late one night when she finds her colleague, Ron Smith, dead and clutching a mysterious crystal skull. The skull leads Laura to its eccentric previous owner, an old woman whose shock revelation blows her orderly world apart...

The book follows their best-selling factual title 'The Mystery of the Crystal Skulls' which is

‘..the book that inspired the Indiana Jones movie.’ – Sunday Express

Their highly-acclaimed film documentary, ‘The Mystery of the Crystal Skulls’, has been shown both on BBC1 and around the world.

Holford Fifth Annual Flower Show

August 2009
Organisers were very pleased to have such wonderful sunny weather for their Show on Saturday, 8 August. Amazingly after such a wet and miserable summer so far, the flower and vegetable exhibits were well up on 2008 and at their usual high standard. Total entries increased by 33% to 430 and included home baking, preserves, floral art, photographic, art, craft and junior classes.

Liz Guttridge won the Margaret Upson Award for 'Flowers & Container Plants' and the Alan Date Award for 'Fruit & Vegetables', Margaret Pinn won the Floral Art Trophy, Simon Hilditch won the Photographich Trophy and Liz Guttridge was successful as the Overall Points Winner of the Show.

Visitor numbers were also up and sumptious cream teas proved very popular in the garden of Glen Close by the village hall. A great afternoon was enjoyed equally by villagers and visitors from outside the area, and grateful thanks go to everyone who helped and supported the Show to make it such a success.

We don’t need Super Nannies!

You don’t need to be a super nanny to help parents with young children. If you’ve got through the early days, why not volunteer your experience to help someone else?

Home-Start West Somerset is asking you to become a home-visiting volunteer with the UK’s leading family support charity, and just give a couple of hours a week.

Next course starts 17th September 2009. For details contact Ali, Janet, Ros or Juls on 01643 707304 or homestartws@tiscali.co.uk
Registered Charity No 1113944

Winter Quiz League

July 2009
The organisers of the Oxfordshire Quiz League are setting up a similar quiz league for Somerset, starting in October 2009. They are looking to start a Quantock Hills division for clubs/pubs within a 6 mile radius of the Quantocks.

If any pubs/clubs are interested they can contact James Carr by e-mail or tel. 01865 712028

Barrier at Ramscombe

13th July 2009
We have been informed by the Rangers that the barrier near Adscombe Farm, on the track leading to Ramscombe, will be shut between 10pm & 7am during the summer. Don't get locked in!

Open Garden

June 2009
Barbara and Peter Oates opened their garden in Shurton for the National Garden Scheme for the last two Thursday afternoons. They were very lucky with the weather as the sun shone beautifully. The garden is very well tended and is well presented, with a mass of fantastic flowering shrubs and flowers. A artistically designed garden with a number of lovely touches.
The NGS is a registered charity which opens gardens of quality, character and interest to the public. The scheme has been operating since 1927 and in that time they have raised almost £40 million to support nursing and caring charities, £25 million in the last 10 years.

Squirrels Nursery Closure

Andi Rickard
May 2009
Parents in Cannington are dismayed that Bridgwater College has decided to to close Squirrels Nursery from July this year.

Squirrels Nursery started life over 20 years ago as a Montessori School and has been in the same spot ever since. The College says that they will offer places for all the children at the Bridgwater Children's Centre but this is on the east side of the town and not practically accessible to parents working in West Somerset.
[More...]

Deer Count Results for 2009

April 2009
The Quantock Deer Management and Conservaton Group have recently published the results of this year's deer count on the hills.

Overall 680 Red deer were seen - a very similar total to last year. An encouraging result this year was that the count included a higher proportion of stags than recorded for some time.

Full results of the count (pdf), which includes comparisons back to 1991.

Warm Streets, Discount & Free Insulation Scheme

April 2009
Warm Streets is a new joint project between the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE), all of the local councils in Somerset and Scottish and Southern Energy aimed at supporting those who are struggling to pay their fuel bills and help people make substantial savings. Discounted loft and cavity wall insulation is available to everyone.

Helen Richardson, project manager, said: “Warm Streets is about helping everybody across the district to save money on their energy bills. For example, low income households will have the opportunity for additional financial support which will, in many cases, lead to insulation being installed for free.
[More details...]

Nether Stowey May Fair

April 2009
Nether Stowey’s picturesque main streets will come to life on the May Day Bank Holiday Saturday 2nd May with a street market, entertainment and exhibitions.

The village main streets will be closed to traffic from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a Fair with over 80 stalls including arts and crafts, country clothing, organic produce, bric á brac and a selection of local beers, ciders and food. Entertainment will range from duck racing on the Stowey stream to interactive art, games and buskers as well as the tallest available mobile rock-climbing wall.

Organised by Community Action for Nether Stowey with the help of numerous local people, this year’s May Fair celebration coincides with the 100th anniversary year of the acquisition of Coleridge Cottage by the National Trust – “Coleridge Cottage 100”. The Cottage, where the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge lived and wrote ‘The Rime of the Ancient Mariner' and 'Kubla Khan' at the end of the 18th century, will be open with free entry on Saturday.

Other events include a display of photographs - “A Century of Stowey Folk” in which the work of international and local photographers will be represented - in the Library, a local arts and crafts exhibition in the Village Hall and an art exhibition - “The Quantocks and other Subjects”, in which both amateur and professional local artists will take part - in the Church Centre.

£2.25 Million Awarded for Local Action in Rural Areas

March 2009
Following a successful application by Western Somerset Local Action in Rural Communities (LARC) £2.25 million has been allocated to the local area in a project that runs until 2013.

The LARC are inviting applications for grants towards local projects that meet the relevant criteria.

The area includes the Quantock Hills AONB, the Sedgemoor Quantock Cluster, the whole administrative district of West Somerset, Wiveliscombe and the10 parishes, Minehead, Williton and Watchet.
Map of LARC area (pdf - boundary in purple)

The Programme will provide financial support for a wide range of activities including environmental stewardship, skills development, farming and forestry diversification, resource management, renewable energy supply chains and community-led development.
[More information... ]

Portrait of The Quantock Hills

2nd March 2009
A new book of photographs of the Quantock Hills, by Craig Hutchings, is published 10th March. The book has around 150 stunning images of he Quantocks varying from landscapes, seascapes and wildlife, taken from dusk 'til dawn. The book is hardback, 144 pages, and depicts the hills in all their glory.

It’ll be on sale in Waterstones, Smiths and on-line from Amazon via the link below.

Local photographer, Craig Hutchings says:

"I am donating my royalties to the charity ‘Friends of Quantock', as you know, they do splendid work in preserving the hills for future generations. I thought I’d give back something to the place I’m so lucky to live in and that has given me so much pleasure over the years. "

There will be two book signings taking place, a book launch at Brendon Books on Thurs 19th March at 7.00 p.m. where all are welcome and there is no charge but a place needs to be booked through Brendon Books (01823 337742)as drinks and light refreshments will be available. The second signing is at Bridgwater Bookshop on Sat 28th of March, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

The book can be purchased from Amazon through the link below.