Dunster Benefice Newsletter 21st May 2021
Author: Lesley Webb
Free Adult Education Courses
Learnyay helps adults find free education courses and training. By connecting them with ESFA and local authority funded colleges, schools and training providers in their area.
With many people furloughed and self-isolating, we feel it’s more important than ever to raise awareness about free education courses and training. Home learning will help people make the most of their time and cope better with self-isolation. It will also improve their employment prospects at a time when many jobs are a risk.
For more information see https://www.learnyay.co.uk

Updates
NO MOW MAY
You might have noticed more wild flowers than usual adorning the grassy areas around the village. This is not an accident! A national project called No Mow May is encouraging us all to leave our mowers in the shed for the month of May, to give our native flowers a chance to bloom. (You can find out more about this at: www.plantlife.org.uk )
Timberscombe Parish Council is trying out a new policy of sensitive and selective mowing, not just in May but throughout the summer, to promote the growth of wild flowers that support bees and other insects. We have also planted ‘bee bombs’ – balls of seeds of plants particularly favoured by bees and other pollinators. On recent walks around the village the following flowers have been spotted: primroses, celandines, dandelions, bluebells, stitchwort, early orchids, violets, daisies, cow parsley, buttercups, ragged robin and forget-me-nots (and this doesn’t include all the ones we couldn’t name!). There are also some stunningly beautiful cottage gardens that are a mass of blossom and wild flowers this spring.
The Parish Council is an enthusiastic signatory to the Climate and Environmental Emergency Declaration that has been embraced by County and District Councils across the UK. The Council is delighted to announce that we have recently been awarded a grant from Somerset County Council’s Climate Emergency Community Fund to run a biodiversity survey in the parish – news about this, and how you can take part, will follow shortly.
Roadworks update
We have negotiated with the contractor to open up the road between Timberscombe and Dunster (under traffic lights) from 4pm each day right through to 9am in the mornings to allow travel to work and school bus access.
The road will also be open under traffic lights from 4pm on Fridays to 9am on Mondays to allow for weekend tourist/local access.
Frances Nicholson
Somerset County Councillor for the Dulverton & Exmoor Division.
