Author: Lesley Webb

Timberscombe School Friday News 13.05.22

Benefice Newsletter 13th May 2022

Somerset Health and Wellbeing Updates Including vaccination centres, Mental Health Support and Dementia Help

SWT Hardship Fund

SWT has provided a Hardship Fund of £50,000 for use as a means–tested benefit of up to £200 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.

Roadworks

Announcement for users of the A39 between Porlock and Minehead on the hill at Venniford (the narrow section between the Wootton Courtenay junctions):

Works to undertake important drainage work on the A39 between Minehead and Porlock have been temporarily postponed.  These works will need to take place prior to the resurfacing planned in the summer and an alternative schedule will be shared with the community and road users as soon as it becomes available.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Are you eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme from April 2022?

On 23 May 2022 a new grant scheme for homeowners upgrading from gas boilers to either an Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) or a biomass boiler may be eligible for a grant of £5,000, or £6,000 if upgrading to a Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP).

 The government will provide grants to encourage property owners to install low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps, through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). These grants will help property owners overcome the upfront cost of low carbon heating technologies.

The scheme will be open to domestic and small non-domestic properties in England and Wales. It will run from 2022 to 2025.

Please click here to find out more.

Avon and Somerset Police (ASP) UK-wide Firearms surrender campaign

ASP are appealing for people to hand in any unwanted guns during a two-week surrender of firearms and ammunition which started on Thursday 12 May.

Many firearms are held in innocence and ignorance of their illegality or are overlooked and forgotten in people’s homes. Others are acquired and distributed by criminal networks to harm, threaten or intimidate.

This surrender, which is being co-ordinated nationally by the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and The National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS), gives people the chance to dispose of firearms or ammunition in a safe place and will be held for two weeks, running until Sunday 29 May.

During the fortnight, those surrendering firearms will not face prosecution for the illegal possession upon surrender and can remain anonymous.

Surrendering unwanted, unlicensed weapons stops the risk of them falling into the wrong hands and being used to commit criminal offences.

Firearms can be surrendered at any police station – ASP encourage members of the public to click on this link for more details of station locations and full opening times.

Reminder – StreetSafe

Did you know that you can now use the StreetSafe online tool to anonymously report locations where you feel unsafe? These reports provide insight that help to shape local policing and make the streets safer for everyone.

StreetSafe is a pilot service for anyone to anonymously tell the Police about public places where you have felt or feel unsafe, because of environmental issues, e.g., street lighting, abandoned buildings or vandalism and/or because of some behaviours, e.g. being followed or verbally abused.

To find out more or make a report, click here.

For further Neighbourhood Policing Updates…

For regular updates on events/campaigns and what is happening in your area, please keep an eye on the relevant policing Facebook pages detailed below:

• Minehead and West Somerset Neighbourhood Policing

FORTHCOMING EVENTS – for all details see www.regaltheatre.co.uk    Friday, 13th May 2022 – 7:30pm SHERLOCK’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE:  One Star Theatre Company Saturday, 14th May 2022 – 7:30pm THE DIME NOTES  – 1920s jazz – small band: huge swing! Tuesday, 17th May 2022 – 7:30pm Film: OPERATION MINCEMEAT (Cert 12A) Thursday, 19th May 2022 – 7:15pm SWAN LAKE:  live screening from Royal Opera House Saturday, 21st May 2022 – 3:30pm CHANCE ENCOUNTER – THE JOURNEY GOES ON… Rock ‘n Roll Spectacular supporting Hope for Tomorrow Tuesday, 24th May 2022 – 7:30pm PISSARRO: FATHER OF IMPRESSIONISM – Exhibition on Screen Sunday, 5th June 2022 – 3:00pm PONGO’S PARTY – You are invited to Marty MacDonald’s Farm for…PONGO’S PARTY!  Tuesday, 7th June 2022 – 7:30pm Film: THE COUNTY Friday, 24th June 2022 – 7:30pm MUSIC FOR UKRAINE – something for everyone…  Tuesday, 28th June 2022 – 7:30pm Film Society – end of season gala – tba  Friday, 8th July 2022 – 7:30pm BROADWAY & BEYOND: Music & Song from Brioadway shows  Friday, 15th July 2022 – 7:30pm ROCKNEY – a Chas and Dave tribute  Mon. 25th, Wed. 27; Sat. 30th July – 7.30pm MINEHEAD MUSICAL FESTIVAL for more details & more events see www.regaltheatre.co.uk

Results of Timberscombe Parish Council Election 5th May 2022

Unfortunately, there was no election for Timberscombe Parish Council, as only 6 people put themselves forward for election for the 7 available places.

This means the election was uncontested and those 6 people are duly elected.

Subject to their acceptance, your Parish Councillors will, therefore, be: 

Peter Pilkington (current chairperson)

Caitlin Collins

Kathy Walker

Sarah Campbell

Allan Sutton

Katherine Attwater

We have one vacancy to fill. Under the regulations we can co-opt another person, so if you are interested in joining us come along to our May 23rd meeting at 7.30pm at the village hall or, if you would like further information on becoming a councillor, contact our clerk at: 

timberscombepcclerk@gmail.com

Peter Pilkington

All electors are invited to attend the

Annual Parish Meeting on 23rd May 2022

starting at 7.30pm at Timberscombe Village Hall.

This will be followed by the Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council

1st Anne Stamford £25
2nd Dave Moon £15
3rd Kathy Blomfield-Richards £10

Note from the Bell ringers

Wednesday 11th May there will be a group of ringers from the Dunster Branch of bell ringers ringing in our tower from 10am until 11.30am. It is called an improvers practice and they go to a different tower each week.

Somerset Waste Update 2022 05 MAY

Drop in Vaccination TODAY

Police Appeal Detectives leading the search for missing 15-year-old girl Madison are appealing for anyone with information about her whereabouts to contact police urgently. Madison, known as Maddie, has not been seen or heard from since Tuesday (26 April). She left her foster parents’ address in the Southmead area of Bristol saying she was going to the shops but never returned. Detective Inspector Stuart Toms said: “It’s been 11 days now since anyone has heard from Maddie and we’re increasingly concerned for her safety. “Maddie is known to use social media to meet new people who provide her with money and a place to stay. “She’s a vulnerable teenage girl who is at risk of being exploited and we urgently need the public’s help to locate her and make sure she’s ok. “Maddie – if you see this please let someone know you’re safe and well. Your family, foster parents and friends are worried about you.” DI Toms added: “This is our third public appeal for information. Our previous appeals have not generated a great deal and so we’re asking people to share this appeal far and wide so we can reach as many people as possible. “Maddie is very active on social media but she changes her accounts frequently. As well as appealing to anyone who might see Maddie to contact us, we’re also keen to hear from anyone who sees her online to get in touch.” Madison is white, about 5ft tall and of average build with shoulder length brown hair. Anyone who sees her is asked to call 999 and provide the call handler with the reference 5222098703. Anyone with information about where Maddie might be or who sees her online should call 101 quoting the same reference. If you can help, please complete our online appeals form. Attachments: madison-web-744×374.jpg

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.