Benefice Newsletter 6th May 2022

Somerset Health and Wellbeing Updates

SWT Hardship Fund
SWT has provided a Hardship Fund of £50,000 for use as a means–tested benefit of up to £200.00, available for application by eligible low-income households residing in the SWT area.
During 2022/23, Taunton Citizens Advice and West Somerset Advice will use the fund to provide financial assistance to low-income households who are unable to pay for essentials due to lack of sufficient means (and have exhausted recourse to other support such as Local Assistance Scheme (LAS), Surviving Winter fund, foodbanks and any other scheme for which they may be eligible).
If you know someone who may be eligible for this financial help, please ask them to contact Taunton Citizens Advice or West Somerset Advice.

Celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with SWT
A party to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is being held in Taunton’s Vivary Park on Sunday 5 June. SWT is putting on the free event in the award-winning park fittingly referred to
as the town’s Jewel in the Crown. he Big Jubilee Lunch will run from 11am to 4.30pm with everyone invited to bring their own picnic, rugs, chairs and flags.
The event will be officially opened at midday by the Mayor of Taunton, Cllr Sue Lees, with outside broadcast support from Tone FM. There will be entertainment to suit all ages with theatre performances, games and activities.
Please click here to read the full press release.

Somerset Waste Partnership Services (SWP)
Due to the Bank Holiday Monday, all collections are a day later this week, with Friday pick-ups on Saturday 7 May.
For the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, changes start with the extra bank holiday on Thursday 2 June, whose collections move to Saturday 4 June, and Friday 3 June’s pick-ups move to Monday 6 June, so waste collections all that week are a day later, including Friday’s on Saturday 11 June.

New Council for Somerset
Election Results
The results of the Somerset County Council elections are as follows:
 Liberal Democrat: 61
 Conservative: 36
 Green Party: 5
 Labour: 5
 Independent: 3

SCC Highway Maintenance Update

Here is an IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT for users of the A39 between Porlock and Minehead on the hill at Venniford (the narrow section between the Wootton Courtenay junctions):
From Monday 16 May, the A39 will be closed at this point from 09.30am to 3.00pm.
This is to enable drainage and preparation works for the forthcoming (evening) resurfacing works towards the summer.
 16 – 20 May inclusive – Road closed from 09.30 to 3.00pm.
 Outside of the closure hours temporary traffic lights will be in use.
 School transport will be unaffected.
 Emergency vehicles will be escorted through the site.
 HGV transport (under 17 tonnes) delivering to Porlock etc within closure times
will need to use A39 Porlock Hill diversion if appropriate.

All vehicles over 17 tonnes or over 9.5m length accessing Porlock area are to
continue to holding areas – access will be granted between 1.00pm -1.30pm
(HGVs only)

West Somerset Food Cupboard (WSFC)
Launch of pantry scheme
The Minehead Area Local Pantry is opening on Tuesday 10 May. This is a membership scheme enabling local people to access fresh, chilled and non-perishable supermarket surplus food and other produce at very low cost.
Many people have contributed their time, skills, funds and resources (including locks, lino, tech-support and love!) to get this off the ground, and the WSFC is extremely grateful.
The provision of emergency free food for those in crisis will continue as it has for the past 15 years at the WSFC and, in additional to its normal provision, is currently helping support some Ukrainian refugees as they arrive here in our community.