valley life - issue 1

Valley Life

News, views, features,

events & offers from around

Cheddar, Wedmore and

Axbridge

At the heart of the Cheddar Valley www.valley-life.co.uk

FREEYOUR NEW FREE LOCAL NEWS MAGAZINE ISSUE 1 JUNE 2016

2 www.valley-life.co.uk VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 1 / JUNE 2016

to the first edition of Valley Life, the new community news magazine for the Cheddar Valley. Here at Valley Life we aim to be at the heart of the Cheddar Valley bringing you news, views and features from this beautiful part of Somerset. The magazine will be produced by a team of professional journalists and designers with more than 30 years experience in national, regional and local media. We believe that there is a very real need for such a publication to help to tap into the community spirit that exists within the Axbridge, Cheddar and Wedmore areas to highlight the ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

We aim to distribute the magazine to 6,000 homes free of charge on a monthly basis to addresses in Cheddar, Axbridge, Wedmore and all points in between, thereby giving advertisers the opportunity of putting their goods and services in front of more than 10,000 residents in the area. The magazine would not be possible without the support of advertisers and for those who have taken space in our first edition, we are profoundly grateful. Perhaps if you do use the services of one of our advertisers, you can tell them where you saw their advert. Valley Life is all about reader involvement, so we want to hear your news and views about what is going on in the Cheddar Valley.

Rob Perkins, Editor

welcomeInside this issue

Contact us7 Tower Close, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3XQ Tel: 01934 741099

Valley Life is published by Valley Life Publishing and printed by Pixel8Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written consent is prohibited. The publishers do not accept responsibility for any errors made in advertisements of for claims made by any advertisers which are incorrect.The publishers reserve the right to refuse advertising for any reason. All material submitted for publication, including colour transparencies, is done so at the owner’s risk and no responsibility is accepted by the publisher for its return.

New businesses help bring village buzz back

Support for Strawberry Line expansion

Toby gets a stonework international call up

Plans to end Cheddar’s merry-go-round fiasco

– Pages 4 & 5

– Page 6

– Page 12

Parish Council News– Page 8

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[email protected]

Feral goats are the target of a new initiative to try to prevent the animals

from roaming into the village in search of food.

For several weeks now the animals, introduced into the Gorge in a joint initiative by English Nature and Longleat ten years ago, have been damaging gardens in the Lower Gorge area.

In one incident, a resident in The Bays had her garden devastated by the rampant goats, while social media video shows a lone goat roaming around outside the White Hart pub.

But now Cheddar Parish Council has been approached to try to bring the different parties together to try to solve the problem.

Councillor Peter Colton, chairman of the Highways and Open Spaces Committee, has written to English Nature, Longleat, the National Trust, Mendip Area of Outstanding Natural

Beauty and quarry owners to try to convene a summit to address the issue.

He said: "From the reports we've been receiving from residents, it appears that the goats have been multiplying and I think we should address this by getting it debated by all the interested parties."

The goats, famous for roaming the tourist hotspot, are causing

problems as they make their way down the gorge in search of food.

A spokesman for Cheddar Gorge, owned by Longleat Estates, said they were aware of the problem.

"The Cheddar Gorge team regularly help encourage any goats which stray close to the village back up to the gorge.”

NEWS

Goats on the rampage

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TURN the clock back three years and you could be forgiven for thinking that Cheddar village was looking

decidedly down at heel.

A few empty shops in prominent positions and the former Bath Arms left abandoned – not to mention The Market Cross reduced to a pile of rubble following an altercation with a taxi. But beneath that veneer, the village has always been a thriving hub of trade and business and over recent months that buzz has become even more apparent. A determined bunch of new businesses have

invested heavily and joined the existing traders to give the village an impetus that has been welcomed by residents and visitors alike. Estate Agency Laurel & Wylde, butch-er and fishmonger Cobbs of Cheddar and the refurbishment of the Bath Arms have all added to the diversity of the village. And fast-forward three years and Cheddar has been rejuvenated and the reopening of the Post Office last month has been the icing on the village cake. Adrian Cobb, owner of Cobbs of Cheddar, knew there was a real need for a butchers and fishmongers in the village.

New businesses help to bring village buzz back

NEWS


He said: “While I was still at Budgens, I put a clipboard asking people if they would support a butchers shop in the village and the response was overwhelming. “That gave me the impetus to open Cobbs of Cheddar and we’ve not looked back since. People in Cheddar are discerning about their food and we concentrate on bringing in food that is produced within 10 miles and only selling fish I can guarantee has been freshly caught.

“And we are now get the feeling the com-munity spirit that was always in Cheddar is beginning to become stronger.” Nick Puddy, director at estate agents Laurel and Wylde was also convinced about the business prospects of the area. He said: “Having grown up locally, I always knew there was a thriving market in the Cheddar Valley.

“Good schools, fantastic countryside and proximity to larger centres were all ingredi-ents which make the Cheddar Valley a real draw – not only for people looking to move home, but for businesses looking to expand.” While Neil Jenkin, director of CJ Hole doesn’t subscribe to the view that Cheddar was somehow down at heel in recent years. He said: “That view upset me because Cheddar is a really successful place as a whole where a lot of successful traders continued in business while this transfor-mation took place. Circumstances conspired to give people the impression that Cheddar was suffering. Two prominent shops in the centre of the village lay unoccupied for what seemed a long time and that probably gave a false impression to people coming through the village.” And it seems the confidence of the new and existing traders in Cheddar is giving the village a real buzz.

6 VALLEY LIFE MAGAZINE ISSUE 1 / JUNE 2016www.valley-life.co.uk

The extension of the Strawberry Line from Cheddar to Wells took

a major step forward with Somerset County Council supporting the plan.

A petition with more than 5,500 names on it was handed into Somerset County Councillors in Taunton by Strawberry Line extension secretary Richard Jones.

And councillors agreed that the extension would be important for both tourism and safety.

John Richards, secretary of the Strawberry Line Association was delighted that Somerset had unanimously supported the plans to extend the line between Cheddar and Wells.

Mr Richards said: "It is a massive step for the Strawberry Line and now we have the support of the

county council, its leader and MP James Heappey so we are excited about the future.

"The county council support will enable us to go to landowners and potential funders to put our plans into place.

"This will not be an overnight plan but will be a piecemeal project dealing with individual landowners to try to secure the land in a mutually agreeable way to ensure the Strawberry Line is extended. The support of the council and especially its leader John Osman will help us to develop the line even further."

Keith Herring, a member of the Cheddar Strawberry Line path, welcomed the news as a first step in extending the line to Wells.

He said: "It's been a long time in coming, but let's hope

that this is the first step to completing the Strawberry Line from the Mendips to the sea.

"The leisure and tourism potential of this route is incredible. From a week-long leisurely walk or cycle for the whole family through some of Somerset's most beautiful countryside and historic towns to an intense ultra-marathon, the Somerset Circle is brimming with possibilities."

The expansion plans can’t come soon enough with the A371 between Cheddar and Wells a daily disaster area. Frequent narrow and winding sections make it awkward for vehicles, highly dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians, and practically impossible for the elderly or parents with buggies. In some places footpath provision is

County support for Strawberry Line expansion

NEWS


perilously narrow or non-existent. Communities along the A371 have waited long enough for an alternative.

Over the past twelve years attempts to extend the Yatton to Cheddar Strawberry Line to Wells have proved problematic.

Proposals for a path between Cheddar and Wells first arose in 2001 when Somerset County Council (SCC) decided to abandon any long term plans for by-passing village settlements along the notoriously dangerous A371. The council's strategy was to provide a safe Multi-user path to link Cheddar Valley communities by utilising dismantled railway track where possible.

At this stage local community groups and Sustrans (National cycling charity) became actively involved in identifying possible path routes and agreed that capital construction costs should be sourced through external grant funding rather than financed by county. A sum of £50,000 was allocated by SCC in 2005 to finance a Project Officer to head an Advisory Board of local community groups to study possible path options and recommend a preferred route. In 2006, following Advisory Board's recommendations, SCC Highways submitted a planning application for a Multi-user path from Labourham Road housing development (east of Kings

of Wessex School) to Glencot Lane, Haybridge, Wells. This would join the now completed Haybridge to Wells Leisure Centre path.

However this application was later withdrawn. Following the completion of additional surveys in November 2007 SCC's Head of Physical Regeneration announced that new plans were expected to be submitted in July 2008 and that a further £50,000 had been spent on survey and consultation work. But

nothing further materialised.

In March 2010 SCC advised local community groups that they now had concerns about the path proposals stating “we would like to be assured that if we apply for planning permission the Strawberry Line Association (SLA) has a business plan and organisational structure capable of raising the funding and project managing delivery of such a large scheme should permission be granted.”


The problem of Cheddar’s “Magic Roundabout” has taken a step closer to being resolved, parish councilors have heard. Sedgemoor District Councillor Dawn Hill, who also sits on Cheddar Parish Council, has been waging a one-woman campaign to have the issue of the traffic blackspot prioritised by Somerset Highways. The junction of the A371 Upper New Road, Axbridge Road and Shipham Road – known locally as the Magic Roundabout - has been a traffic nightmare for many years. Now it seems as though Councillor Hill’s perseverance has finally paid off and the Magic Roundabout will be discussed as a matter of priority. Quarry lorries using the junction to go to and from

Batts Combe and Shipham Quarry, together with peak hour traffic, has led to long delays. And it seems as though the need for stone at the proposed £15.8 billion Hinkley Point C power station has been the tipping point in making Somerset County officials take notice. Councillor Hill said: “I have finally managed to get Cheddar on to the priority transport plan with regard to Hinkley Point. “It has been a long process, but I think we are finally making progress to ease the situation at the Magic Roundabout.” Fellow Sedgemoor councilor Jeff Savage told Cheddar Parish Council that a site visit to the Magic Roundabout left Somerset County Council officials scratching their heads in disbelief.

Plans to end Cheddar’s merry-go-round fiasco

Cheddar Parish Councillors have elected Peter Colton to be the new chairman of the council.

In a close run election, keen tennis player Councillor Colton beat off the challenge of last year’s chair Councillor Christina Brown to lead the council.

It took two rounds of votes to separate the pair after councillors were split 7-7 – a 15th member of the council, Amanda Kelly, has now been co-opted onto the parish council to prevent a similar situation arising. Councillors Colton and Brown retired from the chamber as the remaining members discussed who should lead the council. And after ten minutes both candidates were invited back into the room to be told that Councillor Colton had won the second vote.

He said: “I would like to thank Christina for the dedication that she has shown during her term of office and I hope to be a worthy successor. I would also like to thank all the other councillors for their support.”

Councillor Lyn Goodfellow was elected as vice-chair. The planning committee will be chaired by Councillor Paul Fineran, Councillor Dawn Hill will continue to chair the policy and resources committee and Councillor Martin Kay will head the Highways and Open Spaces committee.

Colton electednew chairman


After nearly eight months without one, residents in Cheddar

were celebrating after the re-opening of the Post Office.

New postmaster Richard Helps, who already has two Post Office branches in Axbridge and Wedmore, has taken on this busy “mains” branch to restore service to the community.

And Cheddar resident Shelley Trower was the first customer to make use of the new Post Office after a queue formed outside the building eager to take a first look.

Mrs Trower said: “I use the Post Office services regularly and not having one in the village has been a nuisance, but now we’ve got one back I know I’ll be a regular in here.”

Mr Helps said the successful project was down to a team effort including the hard work of Blackford builder Neil Leavey and the landlords Borough Mall Co who instigated the renovation of the building.

He said: “The Post Office has been sorely missed in the community and now the village has a complete feel to it with no vacant shops and all those on Bath Street looking in great shape.

“I’m sure that the residents of Cheddar will be eager to come and have a look at what we’ve achieved here.

“I’m proud to open the Post Office and bring normality back to the village.

“The work to transform the Post Office has been carried out by Neil Leavey to a really high standard.

“He has been here every day since January to turn it from what it was to what it is today and he’s done a great job.”

Mr Leavey, who was invited to cut the ribbon to officially open the Post Office, said the renovation had been a difficult job because of the complexity of the building and its age.

He added: “You always tend to come across problems on

any job, but it is just a matter of working with the clients to overcome these and get the job done. We were delighted to be asked to help to restore the Post Office to the village.”

Sarah Cottrell, Post Office area manager, said: “We are delighted to have restored a Post Office to Cheddar with a very experienced postmaster, Richard Helps, who has also undertaking a refurbishment to modernise the branch.

“The longer opening hours will also make it easier for customers to get their cash, send and collect their mail and do their banking because we know how important these services are to local residents.

“We are confident that this vibrant new-style Post Office at the heart of the local community will meet customer needs.

“This modernisation is part of a major investment programme, the largest in the history of the Post Office and will secure services for the future.”

Post Office reopening welcomed by village

NEWS


Post Office reopening welcomed by village

Wendy ends her four years as parish clerkAfter four years in the job, Cheddar Parish Council clerk Wendy Barritt has decided to hand over the reins of power to a new clerk.

Wendy, from Draycott, closed the door on her role on April 27 and she will be succeeded by Tanya Cant as clerk.

Wendy, a former school clerk and bursar at Draycott School, took up the role in January 2012 and within three months was thrust into the limelight when the Market Cross was hit by a car and was left in danger of collapsing.

She said: "My time at Cheddar began with a baptism of fire with regards to that incident. I had only just started the job and suddenly there I was in the thick of the situation.

"First of all we had to try to find out if anyone owned the Market Cross and subsequently discovered it was an orphan asset with the parish as guardians.

"It was seven months before we finally got it sorted out and at times it was quite stressful, but interesting all the same and I learnt a lot from the whole experience."

"I will certainly miss my colleagues and the councillors who have all been very supportive - especially in my early days when I was learning the ropes.

Wendy, who has a degree in zoology from Bangor University, is a volunteer reserve warden at Mascalls Wood, Draycott.

She also raises sheep to enable her to spin and work the wool.


A young stonemason from Cheddar’s Wells Cathedral Stonemasons

is slowly chipping a glittering career for himself.

Toby Brook, 19, has a string of awards to his name from his days at Bath College and during his apprenticeship at the Cheddar stonemasonry yard.

And now Toby will be representing the UK in the Worldskills international competition in Gothenburg later this year and is hoping to be in the UK team when they take on the rest of the world in Abu

Dhabi in 2017. But the world of stonemasonry may have lost a rising star if Toby’s week-long work experience with a carpenter when he was 15 hadn’t fallen through at the last minute.

He said: “I was desperate to do the carpentry work experience but when that fell through I was looking around and came across Wells Cathedral Stonemasons. Until that time I’d never really thought about a career as a stonemason.”

But after the week-long experience, Toby was hooked and secured an apprenticeship

at the company based in the former railway shed in the village. Now after three years training under the watchful eye of directors Simon Armstrong, Ryan Brunt and Peter Arkell, Toby is a senior member of the WCS team

He added: “Although I’ve now completed my apprenticeship, you never stop learning in stonemasonry. Every job is different and presents different challenges every day, so it is a really enjoyable career.”

Toby earned his place on the squad after winning

FEATURE

Toby’s stone working skills earn him international call


highly commended in the 2015 WorldSkills UK competition. He is just one of 19 apprentices chosen to enter EuroSkills Gothenburg 2016 and will be the only British stonemason competing.

He added: “I had two days training at Bath College and after that, Kevin Calpin, WorldSkills trainer for stonemasonry, decide to take me to Europe.

“I was surprised when I got through, because I imagined it was close. I shouted it out when I got the email and everyone patted me on the back.

“It’s a big achievement. I’m going to aim for my highest goal to get a medal, but I’m also looking forward to the chance of representing the UK.”

Toby, who has already been hard at work practicing, will now complete an intensive training programme before the EuroSkills competition.

He said: “It’s going to be a lot of hard work. With every competition I’ve done so far, you don’t know what you’re doing until you get there. The higher you go the harder it gets. It’s a bit overwhelming to see where I was in my first year of college and to see where I am now.

“I never thought I would get this far. It does boost your confidence. When you’re in a workshop you don’t really know your skill. You don’t know how good you are until you’re competing against others.”

Simon Armstrong, director at Wells Cathedral Stonemasons, said: “Toby’s done very well and we’re delighted. We weren’t surprised, however, since we know how good he is and his inclusion in the UK squad is brilliant.

“Ever since he came to us, he has proved himself to be one of the best apprentices in the country.”


FEATURE

Double delight for family run Petruth PaddocksThirteen years of hard

work was recently recognised and

rewarded twice over when the team at Cheddar campsite Petruth Paddocks won not one but two out of a possible three accolades at the Sedgemoor Business Excellence Award ceremony.

These awards come hot on the heels of being recognised as the most popular UK campsite by the camping industry’s leading search engine Pitchup.com.

Best Family Business and Best Customer Service awards were presented to Jules and Sandra

Sayer, their children Kelly and Steve and their site managers Steve and Jo by Radio Somerset presenter Claire Carter.

Claire said she just loved the Petruth Paddock’s mantra: “People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel.” (Maya Angelou)

The panel of judges included Helen Lacey of Red Berry Recruitment Ltd who said: “It was an honour to be a judge at the awards as there where so many excellent applications.

“To win one award is an

achievement but two is absolutely fantastic!! For me, Petruth Paddocks epitomise what a family business is all about, passion, caring and customer service, you can tell they really love working together and making their customers happy. So it’s not surprising they won both the Family Business and the Customer Service Categories! Well done, well deserved”

The team welcomed over 13,000 guests last year and according to a recent Economic Impact Report those folk spent almost £1 million pounds in Cheddar and the surrounding


area. Petruth Paddocks now employs four full-time staff and on busy weekends and during the holidays up to an additional ten part-time staff wear the campsite’s branded clothing that asks “How can I help you?”

When asked what’s the secret of the campsite’s success Jules said: “We simply love what we do and that shines through – from the warm welcome after a stressful journey, the helping hand putting up the tent with no instructions, fixing the broken loo seat the moment it’s mentioned or just taking the time to chat to folk around their campfire – its lots of little things that show we genuinely care about how our guests feel.

“We’re also on a mission to separate children from their tech and allow them to experience the fun, adventure and yes even the risk that running round fields and making new friends can bring.

“We want children to appreciate the joy of physical relationships, the benefits of physical exercise and the fulfilment of creating dens and making up games – the stuff that memories are made of. We remember this stuff from our own childhoods – it’s contributed to who we are as people, how we view risk and how we relate to one another. Can you ever imagine our children today recalling in years to come how they remember the fabulous times they had destroying zombies playing Black Ops III or scrolling through their Facebook news feed?

“We plan to introduce a low-ropes course and a ‘beach area’ later in the year however the highlight for children during

their stay will probably still remain the daily trailer rides which are accompanied giggles and by shrieks of laughter – and that’s just the parents!”

Sandra added: “We all muck in to do whatever’s needed. Our automated booking system lets us know in advance how many folk to expect and we keep a careful eye on Mr Sun because when he pops out our bookings soar. We have a policy to always over-staff. This means no one gets stressed and there’s always someone wondering about chatting to people and spotting ways to help create special memories.”

Kelly looks after the administration and it’s a crucial role – she said: “People need to know they’ve made the right choice. From the moment they make their booking we make sure that any special requests are responded to the same day and that all our communication is done in a fun, relaxed, personal and friendly way.”

Campfires are one of the top three reasons why folk choose to stay at the site and

last year alongside his role as maintenance manager, Steve provided over 6,000 sacks of logs which he and the team deliver to campers every evening along with paper, lighters, kindling and fire-pits made from converted washing machine drums.

Jules added: “Site managers Steve and Jo take responsibility in solving any problems – they know they have our trust and permission to do whatever it takes to make sure people leave feeling better about themselves. Every guest is given a 20-page Welcome Guide that not only explains what’s acceptable and what not – music off at 11pm, no driving after dark. but also where to shop, eat or replace your broken tent – everything’s covered including discounts with many local suppliers.”

With more than 1,000 positive reviews on all the leading review sites their customers clearly agree that the team at Petruth Paddocks are blazing a trail when it comes to creating wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

Back row, Julian Sayer, wife Sandra, Laura Nesbitt and Steve Sayer, join front row from left, Roger and Sue Durston, Dan Kostyla and Kelly Sayer and site managers Jo and Dan Allen at the awards ceremony at Bridgwater College


Cheddar-based Doorstep Dinners is the new way to enjoy wholesome, homemade food without having to make it yourself. Doorstep Dinners owner Beccy Thomas moved to Cheddar with her family in November and now spends her days making and delivering meals, all featuring locally-sourced ingredients, around the Cheddar Valley. Beccy can deliver hot, chilled or frozen meals to your home, work or holiday accommodation. The 5* meals are for those times when you’re really busy at work, recovering from illness, bringing home a new baby, going away and leaving the family to fend for themselves, or when self-catering holidays seem like a better idea when you booked than when you arrive! The menu includes some old favourites that are great to eat all year round alongside a range of dishes and side dishes specially designed to show off the best of local seasonal produce. For summer 2016, Beccy is also introducing the ‘BBQ in a Box’: a menu of ready-prepared BBQ meats, fish and vegetarian options and salad bar selection.

To order: Call - 01934 221 438 Visit - doorstepdinners.co.uk [email protected]

At this time of year there is really nothing better than a genuine Cheddar

strawberry so you really must buy the fruit for this recipe from one of the local roadside stalls, or village shops, and absolutely not from the supermarket! You will taste the difference I guarantee.

If you haven’t eaten the whole punnet by the time you get home, the syllabub (a traditional English dessert) adds a fresh creamy zing to the sweet fruit and makes a great dessert with little effort. Like grown up strawberries and cream.

This is great as it is but if you’re feeling creative why not play with the recipe and make it your own?

You could add more or less sugar according to taste, use basil instead of mint, or orange instead of lime. You could even soak your strawberries in balsamic vinegar,

orange juice, or (according to TV chef Nigel Slater) red wine, before adding them.

Just a tablespoon of your chosen dressing should do. Cover, and soak in the fridge for 30 minutes. Crumble in meringue or shortbread biscuit to add some crunch.

And just in case you do want to share this with the kids, it’s ok to leave out the Marsala if you prefer.

To make your Sundae into a frozen dessert, mash up your strawberries, mix together with the syllabub and freeze for 2-3 hours in a shallow plastic tub, stirring every 45 minutes or so to mix the granules that form around the edges. The last time you stir it, it will have the texture of sorbet and be ready to eat.

Why not send us a picture of the Syllabub Sundae you create?

Whisk together the cream, sugar, Marsala, vanilla extract, lime juice and zest until the mixture turns thick and creamy (but not stiff). To

serve, spoon a generous heap of the syllabub into a serving bowl or glass. Chop your strawberries into bite-size pieces

and arrange them over the syllabub.

Sprinkle with the chopped mint. Pop it all in the fridge for half an hour and then enjoy.

You will need . . . • A large punnet of Cheddar strawberries, stalks and leaves removed • 100g caster sugar • 300ml double cream • 4 tablespoons Marsala or medium dry sherry • 1 tsp of vanilla extract • Zest and juice of 1 lime • Small handful of very finely chopped mint

Strawberry Syllabub Sundae Serves 4-6 (if you’re feeling generous!)

Beccy Thomas brings you her dish of the month

Tasty meals direct to your door

INTRODUCTORY OFFER: Quote ‘ValleyLife’ when placing your first order and receive 10% off (orders over £10 only).

Follow facebook.com/door-stepdinnersuk for reviews, dishes of the fortnight and more.


Axbridge Town Council is searching for a new Town Crier to take over from

Yvonne Chamberlain.

The position of Town Crier carries a small annual honorarium and it is a ceremonial post, held in high esteem, which offers opportunities to represent Axbridge in other towns as well as taking part in ceremonial occasions here.

This post was held by Yvonne for 40 years until her retirement last year. During her time as Town Crier she raised thousands of pounds for charity and was appointed MBE in the New Year Honours list in 2014.

As a Town Crier she has competed in Belgium, Canada and Australia, and has visited schools to teach children about the role and the town's history.

"Our 'first cry' is what is known as a home cry and you should sell your own town, and to the best of my ability I have always tried to sell my town because I've always been proud of living in Axbridge," she said.

"I was born here, and I'm the oldest lady living in Axbridge who was born in Axbridge."

If this unique opportunity appeals to you and you wish to find out more please contact the Town Clerk for a job description and information on how to apply.

Mrs V L Brice, Axbridge Town Clerk, PO Box 1184, Axbridge, BS26 2WJ, Tel: 07884 264033, Email: [email protected]

Calling out for a new Town Crier

NEWS

Beccy Thomas brings you her dish of the month


FEATURE

Traditional cidermaking is nothing new in the Cheddar Valley, but now

there’s a new kid on the block as Old Jollop beings to spread its wings. The name comes from the old Somerset tradition of farm workers being given cider to drink at the end of the working day by farmers to ease their aches and pains – known as Old Jollop or medicine. The cider is the brainchild of horse dentist Toby Lee and his cousin Luke Fielder, who together have been nurturing Old Jollop for the last couple of years having come up with the idea over the course of several nights in the pub. And now that idea is beginning to blossom, with 30,000 bottles of Old Jollop’s four separate ciders ready for market. Anyone living in Wedmore is probably already aware of the brew pressed at Ashgrove Farm in Sand.

But Toby and Luke are looking to widen their appeal with Axbridge, Cheddar and Wells in their sights for Old Jollop’s line up of ciders. Toby said: “We got together a few years ago and just started making cider for our own use – it was pretty revolting really, but it was the seed of the new venture. “We went on various cidermaking courses and it gradually evolved into what we have now. It was only last year that we really starting selling any quantities of cider. “We pick the apples off the ground from our orchard here and various neighbouring orchards around Wedmore and then we borrow a friend’s baler which sounds quite odd, but it has a huge 60-tonne ram which presses the apples really well.” Old Jollop has a real community feel about its production with friends and relatives helping out in the entire process. Luke added: “Instead of going

to commercial orchards, we’ve been visiting local farmers in the area who have old, tired-looking orchards and asking if we can have the apples and in return we prune the trees so that they become healthier – so it’s a win-win situation.” Toby added: “Our product is based on the more traditional trees and by pruning them it gives them renewed life. “Because of demand locally, we are hoping to make 30,000 bottles of the four different types of cider. We have only really started selling to Wedmore, but this year because of the amount we have produced we are looking to spread our wings and go into Axbridge, Cheddar and possibly Wells. “I don’t yet know whether it’s a hobby that’s gone wrong or gone right because there are such tight margins in making the cider.” So watch out for Old Jollop in pubs and shops.

Old Jollop makers hope the medicine continues to work

Toby Lee, left, and Nick Fielder, show off Old Jollop


Thursday, June 9

Toddler Group Cheddar Valley Community Church Centre, Gadd’s Lane off Tweentown, 9.30-11am.

Draycott Art Club, Draycott Memorial Hall, 10am 1pm, 2-4pm, Non members drop-in welcome, contact Robin Gray, 07968 287961.

Roxy Community Cinema at Axbridge, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, 8pm. For tickets contact 07808 806573.

Friday, June 10

St Andrew's Mother and Toddlers, Cheddar Village Hall 10-11.30am.

The Blend a meeting place for young people 12+, The Café, Church Street, 7.30-10.30pm.

Shipham Community Cinema, Sicario,Shipham Village Hall, 7.15 £4 for non-members.

Roxy Community Cinema at Axbridge, Carol, 8.30pm. For tickets contact 07808 806573.

Saturday, June 11

Circuit Musical, Saints Alive, Cheddar Methodist Church, 7.30pm all welcome.

Axbridge Church Fete, 2-6pm.

Wedmore in Bloom work party, meet at St Mary's Church gate. 9.30-11.30am.

Sunday, June 12

Cheddar Valley Community Church Family Celebration, Kings of Wessex main hall,10.30am-12noon.

Cheddar car boot sale, Winchester Farm, Cheddar, entry £1 per car.

Charity Open Garden in aid of Childreach International at Dragonfly Cottage, 5 Gardiners Orchard, Wedmore, 10.30am-4pm. Entry £5 with free tea, coffee and cakes.

Quiz night at the Kings Head, 8pm free entry.

Monday, June 13

Cheddar Valley Adult Voices, Kings of Wessex, 7-8pm. Contact Kate 07595745884 or email: [email protected]

Cheddar Arts @ Kings Theatre, Dad's Army with Catherine Zeta Jones, Toby Jones and Bill Nighy. Contact 01934 744939 for tickets.

Tuesday, June 14

Cheddar Country Market Cheddar Village Hill, 10.30-11.30am.

Cheddar Valley Voices, Fairlands School, 4.15-5pm and 5.15-5.45pm. Contact Kate 07595745884 or email: [email protected]

Wednesday, June 15

Cheddar short mat bowls club, Draycott Memorial Hall at 2pm.

Royal British Legion Cheddar branch meeting at the White Hart at 7.30pm. Contact 01934 741930 for details.

Rock n Roll Bingo, Kings Head 8pm.

Thursday, June 16

Toddler Group Cheddar Valley Community Church Centre, Gadd’s Lane off Tweentown, 9.30-11am.

Roxy Community Cinema at Axbridge, Macbeth, 8pm. For tickets contact 07808 806573.

Friday, June 17


Shipham Community Cinema, Sicario, Shipham Village Hall, 7.15 £4 for non-members.

Roxy Community Cinema at Axbridge, Brooklyn, 8.30pm. For tickets contact

07808 806573.

Saturday, June 18


Sunday, June 19

Cheddar Valley Community Church Family Celebration, Kings of Wessex main hall ,10.30am-12noon.



Monday, June 20


Yoga flex and stretch for the over-50s, Axbridge Town Hall 11am-12pm.

Tuesday, June 21


Cheddar Valley Voices, Fairlands School, 4.15-5pm and 5.15-5.45pm. Contact Kate 07595745884 or email: [email protected]

Wednesday, June 22

Riverside Quiz Night, 8.30pm, entry free.

Rock n Roll Bingo, Kings Head 8pm.

Thursday, June 23

Roxy Community Cinema at Axbridge, The Man Who Fell To Earth, 8pm. For tickets contact 07808 806573.

Friday, June 24


Shipham Community Cinema, Sicario,Shipham Village Hall, 7.15 £4 for non-members.

Roxy Community Cinema at Axbridge, The Danish Girl, 8.30pm. For tickets contact 07808 806573.

Mr Punch's Folk Club open mic, New Inn, Wedmore 8-9pm.

Saturday, June 25


Sunday, June 26

Cheddar Valley Community Church Family Celebration, Kings of Wessex main hall ,10.30am-12noon.



Monday, June 27


Tuesday, June 28


Wednesday, June 29

Knit and natter, Cheddar Library 2.30pm.

Thursday, June 30

Wedmore & Blackford Toddler Group, Blackford Village Hall, 9.30-11.30am. Contact Gareth 01934 710471.

Yoga at Wedmore, Masonic Hall 9.30-11am. Contact Shane 01275 790175.

Life Drawing classes with Lily Sawtell at The Swan 10-11am.

Lost for something to do in the Cheddar Valley, here's a look at what's on offer for all ages

What’s OnEvents • Clubs • Groups • Music • Fitness

If you have an event you would like to see on our monthly diary send the details to [email protected]


Just a 15 minute walk from Cheddar Gorge

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www.petruthpaddocks.co.uk

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valley life - issue 1

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