THE Somerset County Museum in Taunton is offering activities for families during the half term holiday next week. On Tuesday it will host February Fun for three to 11-year-olds. Sessions will run from 11am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3pm. Children will
TAUNTON Deane Council for Voluntary Service and Volunteer Centre has this week moved to new premises at 57 East Reach, Taunton. It formerly operated out of the Old Municipal Building, in Corporation Street.
TALENTED students at Westside Music School in Taunton have passed a range of music grade examinations. The students were presented with certificates to mark their success at a special event at the Westside Music School in Bridge Street on Monday night
TAUNTON constituency MP Jeremy Browne is calling on local people to donate their furniture to a local charity when they move house. His comments have come after visiting the Home Furniture Services Trust on Canal Road in Taunton. Mr Browne said: "The
Toolstation League Division 1: Portishead 1, Minehead 1. MINEHEAD came within 15 minutes of inflicting Portishead's first league defeat since September. In atrocious conditions, the Blues led through Ollie Feltham's first half goal but Portishead's
A former West Somerset Community College student has successfully completed 32 weeks of the hardest initial training in the world to become a Royal Marines Commando. Daniel Totterdell, 24, can now don the famous green beret to indicate he has undergone
CHORISTERS Millie Shaw and Meiling Daniell-Greenhalgh from Dulverton have beaten off competition from girls from the whole country to be offered places in Exeter Cathedral choir. Millie, eight, and Meiling, nine, who both sing in the choir at All Saints
THE incidence of sexually transmitted disease in young people in the Taunton area is among the lowest in the South-West. But NHS South West regional director Dr Gabriel Scally, based at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, has warned people not to be complacent
A BANNER the size of a Trident missile is expected to be on display in Minehead's Wellington Square on Saturday. The banner will form the centrepiece of a demonstration by West Somerset Peace Group against nuclear arms. Anti-war campaigners from West
A TAUNTON father is offering a reward for information leading to the return of his son's stolen moped. Nick Woolard is hoping his offer of £50 will help track down the Peugeot Speedfight 2, which belongs to his 17-year-old son, who is also called Nick
THE conservation and management of a reserve on the Somerset Levels will be under the spotlight at a talk next week. The event, staged by the Friends of Quantock, will feature expert Dr Pat Hill-Cottingham. The talk takes place at Holford village hall
FRUIT and veg have been on the menu at Minehead Middle School this week as part of the school's healthy eating drive. Local company Toucan Wholefoods visited the school to talk to pupils about healthy eating and the importance of whole foods in their
LONG-running Taunton police inspector Mike Ashwin has announced he is leaving his role leading the Taunton sector for policing. Insp Ashwin, who has working in Taunton for 11 years, five as inspector, is joining Somerset County Council to work on alcohol
GRANTS have been awarded to two community groups by Blackdown and Wellington East county council representative Ross Henley. The Community Budget Awards will go to Churchinford Pre School and to Wellington Toy Library. Both will receive £100. Cllr
FIRST-time house buyers on low incomes in West Somerset are to get practical help securing a home of their own. West Somerset Council has joined with Home2own, a government appointed agency for anyone living in the South West that provides affordable
AN ambitious project to recreate a lake village in the heart of Mendip is expected to be decided by a national television programme. A team at Mendip District Council is putting together a bid in support of the project as part of the Somerset-wide Waterlinks
FOSSILS and the Jurassic Coast were on the curriculum when a local author visited pupils from Blagdon Hill Primary School on Monday. Peter Davidson, author of Professor P and the Jurassic Coast visited children in classes one and two to read to them
A SURPRISE legacy has been left to the West Somerset Railway to enable restorers to finish work on an historic steam engine. In the biggest single legacy in the railway's history, Derek Stephens, an enthusiast from Bristol, left £174,000. The money
FOUR Taunton law firms are backing the charity for the deaf and hard of hearing, RNID, and are offering a free will writing service to people aged 55 or over. The scheme, launched in the town on Tuesday will run for five weeks and encourages individuals
POLICE are warning residents to stay vigilant after a spate of break-ins around the Staplegrove area of Taunton. Since December last year, there have been 12 break-ins around Staplegrove Road and Greenway Road, which police believe may be linked. In
THE owner of the former Country Rovers business, which went up in flames just after Christmas, has spoken of his devastation at losing almost 25 years of hard work. Peter Cox said he considered giving up on his business after a fire destroyed his workshops
TAUNTON Floral Art Club held its AGM recently. A presentation of a garden trough filled with spring plants was made to Jean Crocker who was retiring as treasurer after 14 years. Her husband Harry also received a similar one in thanks for all the help
RECENT cases dealt with by Taunton Deane Magistrates' Courts include: Brian William Chatwin, 37, of Roman Road, Taunton, possession of heroin, 15 months community order, £25 costs; possession of cannabis, 15 months community order. (G). Mark Anthony
A RECORD breaking 21 students at Richard Huish College have received offers from Oxford and Cambridge Universities this year. One student has been made a highly sought after matriculation offer' made to only a small handful of exceptional students each
STEVE Mitchell, who has for more than a decade been producing and directing plays at The Castle School, is clearly a man of remarkable imaginative talents. He can take any over-ridden nag of a play and turn it into something fresh, vital and entertaining
GALMINGTON travelled to Gloucester on Sunday for their Regional League Premier Division fixture against Hucclecote 2, whose first team play in National League Division One. Having won a closely contested match at home earlier in the season, Galmington
IN your letter columns recently we have read expressions of verbal support for Carers from our Liberal Democrat M.P. as well as from the Conservative and Labour candidates. They have expressed admiration for the millions of pounds being saved to the
A TAUNTON woman is backing calling for the NHS to fund eye treatment she believes could save her sight. Beryl Peters, 70, of Shakespeare Avenue, is supporting calls made by another Taunton resident 85-year-old Patrick Reyre. Last week the County Gazette
AROUND 15 young people from Wellington Baptist Church's youth group Shout fasted for 24 hours last weekend to raise money for World Vision's project work in Zambia. The youngsters went without food and slept over in the church hall on Saturday night,
CALLS for a speed limit in the parish of Sampford Arundel were made by chairman of the parish council and a Wellington councillor at a meeting of the Somerset County Council Executive board. Cllr Ross Henley, representing Blackdown and Wellington East
CONCERNS about the poor state of some of Wellington's pavements were raised at the town council meeting last Monday. Cllr Gloria Copley asked the council to write to Somerset Highways about the state of disrepair of some of the town's pavements, road
PROBLEMS with take-away rubbish strewn around Wellington's streets have prompted calls for more bins from members of the town council. Councillors Steve Palmer and Andy Govier asked at the council meeting last Monday for members to consider providing
Somerset County League Division 1: Bishops Lydeard 4, Shepton Mallet Res 1 BISHOPS Lydeard ended their poor run of form with a comprehensive victory at home to Shepton Mallet Reserves on Saturday. In one of only two games to be played in division on
IT was in 1898 that Marie and Pierre Curie discovered Radium, H.G Wells published War of the Worlds and New York City was consolidated. It was also the year that 109-year-old Wellington woman Doris Millbank was born. On Sunday Doris, or Nan, as she
LOCAL construction and development company the Gadd Group have strengthened their team by appointing Melissa Barber as group marketing manager. Melissa, who has worked in the construction industry for five years, joins Gadd from Rok where she worked
A PUFFIN crossing is being installed on the A38 at Brittons Ash, in Bathpool, to make crossing the road easier. The new equipment, which replaces the existing Pelican crossing, will improve safety for pedestrians, including scores of schoolchildren,
BillowenSG7 tomwoenSG7 TO the nation he was the loveable rogue Compo - but to Tom Owen, he was Dad' For 27 years Bill Owen charmed audiences of all ages throughout the world as Compo in the world's longest running television comedy series Last
THE newly-formed Girl Guides unit at St Peter's Church, in Eastwick Road, Taunton, is holding an open evening at 7pm on Thursday. Girls aged ten to 14 interested in joining should attend with a parent or guardian. Meetings take place from 6.30-8.30pm
FROM the creator of the cult favourite Poetry Boyband Luke Wright, will be stopping off at The Brewhouse in Taunton next month as part of his UK tour. Following a stunning run at the 2006 Edinburgh Fringe, Luke now takes his campaign for nobility and
ORGANISERS of a major event taking place in Wellington this summer, are looking for one more rock band to complete the line up. The Wellington Ten, a ten-mile or ten kilometre road race will take place at Court Fields Community school on Sunday July
A GROUP has been established to ensure locals have a say in a development of hundreds of new homes in Monkton Heathfield and Bathpool. West Monkton Parish Council's Community Engagement Panel is the first body of its kind set up by a Somerset parish.
TAUNTON St Andrews are optimistic of a successful season in the West's top division after recruiting new Somerset pacemen Ben Phillips and Mark Turner. During the winter the West of England League Premier One club has lost its pace pairing of Rhys Williams
A COACH driver has told of the terrifying moment someone hurled an object at his vehicle. Andrew Cridland, who had just dropped off around 50 children, believes a rock was probably responsible for smashing a large window and damaging the bodywork of
A REQUEST to extend the 30mph speed limit at Burchills Hill has been backed by Wellington Town Council. Cllr Steve Palmer suggested that the speed limit, which begins on the eastern side of the river bridge by Weavers Reach housing estate, should be
STURM'S in Hammet Street, Taunton has entered a national karaoke competition in the hope of finding the winner among its customers. The sportsbar has entered Pub Stars, which last year saw nearly 700 pubs enter the competition and more than 20,000 people
MEMBERS of Wellington Town Council have agreed to spend more than £1,300 to provide additional plots at the Basins Allotments. At a meeting of the town council last Monday councillors voted to accept a quote of £1,350 from the Basins Allotment Holders
THE famous kissing gate on Station Road in Hemyock is to stay in the village, the parish council has reassured residents. Back in December Mid Devon District Council said it would be replacing the gate with a more modern and accessible barrier system
A TAUNTON charity is celebrating this week after reaching a £1/2 million mark in its fundraising. The Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment (SURE) has been fundraising since 2000 to help equip a new haematology and oncology centre, which is due to
TENANTS of a West Somerset housing association are being offered up to £200 in a competition if they stay up to date with their rent. Tenants who are behind with their rent could also win the money vouchers if they agree to stick to a rent arrears payment
IT won't be your average evening out, but if you like being entertained in an unexpected way, a night with Howard Matthew may be right up your street. In addition to being an artist, Howard Matthew is a member of The Institute for Perception, Action
THERE were plenty of laughs in the Old Market Centre, Taunton, when locals had the chance to tell a few jokes. But most of the would-be stand-up comics would be well advised not to give up the day job. Shoppers were stopped and asked to put on a mini
WELLINGTON'S council tax remains unchanged for the eighth year as the town council approved a precept for the next financial year of £75,506 and fixed its council tax at £16.50 for Band D properties. The last increase was in 1999 when it was raised from
ANTI-social behaviour in Wellington could soon be a thing of the past with another relocatable CCTV camera in place. Wellington Town Council has agreed to include £11,000 in its budget for 2007-08 for a new camera. Currently the council owns one CCTV
