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Grabbist Benefice Bulletin August

Just a little reminder for anyone able and willing to help us maintain our beautiful village churchyard – the next monthly Saturday morning session for all volunteers is 2nd August between 10am and 12 noon. All ages and abilities welcomed, for whatever time you can manage between these times, when there will be others to help and advise you. Simply bring your gardening gloves and any tools you wish to use. We remove the green waste for you.

Thank you! Kate and Marion

Please find below a statement from the parents of Oliver Price, who sadly died after the coach collision on the A396 on Exmoor earlier this month: Lucy and Matthew said: “As Oliver’s parents we have seen first-hand the incredible response from the community after the awful collision earlier this month. “We are so very grateful to all the many emergency service workers who responded initially and those who continue to provide support in the aftermath, through the police investigation and the hospital teams who continue to look after those who were injured. “We would also like to thank the team at the Rest and Be Thankful pub in Wheddon Cross for opening their doors to everyone that afternoon, without a moment’s hesitation, and for making sure everyone was well looked after and providing a meeting place for parents. “We send our best wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery to the other children and staff on the bus, particularly those who are still in hospital. You are all in our thoughts. “The support we’ve received from our amazing community has been overwhelming. To those who left kind messages, or flowers outside the school, we want to say thank you. “We are also grateful beyond words for all the staff and parents at the wonderful Minehead Middle School and for the love we’ve been shown by all our family and friends. We truly do appreciate you all. “Finally, we would also like to pass on our thanks to the police investigation team for their support and ongoing hard work. We know this is a complex and emotive investigation but we appreciate their regular updates and continued efforts.”

I am writing to let you know that we will soon be starting timber harvesting work at Croydon Hill North. We expect to start working on the first week of September 2025 for approximately 6 Months.

We will be thinning the whole woodland including 2 clear -fell sites where we will be removing all the trees. We are happy to provide you with a map if you wish.

As part of our harvesting operations we are working closely with our ecologists to improve the conservation value of the area. The operation will also ensure that the woodland is safe to visit for all visitors. All public rights of way will remain open but we will ask visitors to follow any signs for their own safety.

There is more information about this work on our website at Forestry operations at Croydon Hill | Forestry England

We understand that residents may not be familiar with sustainable forest management and are keen to explain how this planned work supports the long-term health and resilience of the forest.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or refer queries from local residents to westengland@forestryengland.uk.

Kind regards
Tara Maxamed
Community Ranger,
Forestry England

tara.maxamed@forestryengland.uk

I am writing from Somerset Sight, a local charity that supports visually impaired people in Somerset. Our Mobile Advisory Service is a mobile shop that visits a different town or village in Somerset every day. It is stocked with various gadgets and resources that can assist the visually impaired. People are welcome to visit the MAS if they wish to buy anything or are simply seeking advice and guidance. No appointment needed

Please find HERE   the upcoming August and September dates for when the MAS is going to be in your area.

Kind regards, Alex Finlayson, Administrator, Somerset Sight

Tel: 01823 333818