Good morning, Mendips! It's Bonfire Night week, so the sky is about to get a lot noisier. Meanwhile there's a Gunpowder Plot talk at Gurney Slade today, a swimming pool refilling in Street, and Father Christmas already booking his December diary at the Bishop's Palace. It's also Issue 100, so thank you for reading, and welcome to a week that's packed with sparklers and cake.
What Shall We Do This Week?
It's Bonfire Night week, and we start with a bang, or at least a talk about one. The RAFA Mid-Somerset Branch meets at Mendip Golf Club in Gurney Slade today for a presentation by Baz Hamblin on The Gunpowder Plot, followed by lunch from the club menu. Members and ex-forces folk are welcome, and so are members of the public who like a good bit of history.
Also today, for anyone who fancies making something with their hands, the Spinning and Peg Loom Weaving Workshop at Paddington Farm Trust in Glastonbury is free. It's billed as the final workshop in a National Lottery funded programme, so it's your last chance to have a go. Booking is essential.
Thursday is Bonfire Night itself, and the big local night out is Illuminate the Night at the Bath & West Showground. The fireworks come with laser shows, a funfair, street food, LED robots and fire breathers, which makes it a good bet for families and for teenagers who think a bonfire and a sparkler is a bit last century.
Bath & West Showground - Illuminates the Night
Earlier in the day, the tiniest explorers get their own sparkle at Little Discoverers: Sparkle Jars at Glastonbury Abbey, a free session for under-5s and their grown-ups. And if you've been meaning to write that book, the Creative Writing Workshops with Will Terran start at Chew Magna on Thursday and run from 5 to 19 November. They're free, but you'll need to book.
Friday brings a family night out with a difference. The Crown Jules pops up for one night only at Petruth Paddocks Campsite near Cheddar, with campfires, cocktails from the bus, street food and live music from Ryan Haynes. It's free, and it suits anyone who thinks the best part of Bonfire Night is the bit where you stand around a fire holding something hot.
On Saturday it's Shepton Mallet's turn for fireworks, with the Shepton Mallet Rotary fireworks lighting up the playing fields in the west of the town. Bargain hunters can head to Walton for the Indoor Boot & Craft Sale (more on that below).
And if you're musically inclined and willing to travel to Frome, the Cheese & Grain has Hothouse Flowers on Thursday and The Bluetones on Friday.
Wrap up warm, bring a flask, and get out there. Today's and tomorrow's details are in What's On below, and the full list is at events.mendysguide.co.uk.
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🏊 Strode Pool In Street Is Filling Up Again
Good news for swimmers: the main pool at Strode in Street is being refilled after nearly three months of closure. Specialist contractors Triwater have been working on it, and the refill, plus checks on dosing and heating, should take two to three weeks. There's no reopening date yet, but swimming sessions and lessons will restart once it's ready.
⚽ Wells City Turn A Corner After A Tricky Summer
Wells City manager Steve Murray lost his assistant, first-choice keeper and captain over the summer, but the rebuilt squad is finding its feet. The newly promoted side have taken ten points from four games in the Western League Premier Division, including a 2-0 win over Tavistock with goals from Jake Brown and Doug Ponelo. Murray is aiming for mid-table this season, with Step 4 football possible within two to three seasons.
So today it’s the 100th edition of the ‘Docus! Whilst I reflect on my sanity, I’m quite chuffed to have kept up he daily output. I know that well over 2,000 of our current 3,400 subscribers open the newsletter every day - so maybe I’m doing something right. What do you think? It’s always good to receive feedback.
It’s onwards and upwards as this week we unveil Mendy’s Guide, https://mendysguide.co.uk Our new local directory where you’ll be able to find links to all the local businesses that keep our community supplied and employed. The site will grow steadily over the coming months - so if you want to put your local business in the spotlight just hit reply and I’ll tell you how to get your free listing.
And, as we run up to Christmas, I want to help challenge the Amazon monster with a regular SHOP LOCAL feature. Let’s discover and support the local traders who still offer the special touch you can’t find online. Reply and tell me what’s special about your business and I’ll help you spread the word.
Paul
English Lessons from the
Uxbridge English Dictionary
Adamant – The very first male ant.
Cormorant – An ant who likes a mild curry.
Faculty – Cockney for "there's no more PG Tips".
Lactic – A stopped clock.
Mutiny – A can of Australian cat food.
Stencil – A very still pencil.
Worth Planning For
Pop-up at The Crown Jules, near Cheddar – Friday 6 November
For one November night only, The Crown Jules pops up at Petruth Paddocks Campsite near Cheddar. The organiser promises crackling campfires, cheeky cocktails and drinks served from the bus, delicious street food, live music from Ryan Haynes and, if the mood takes you, a little dancing. It's billed as a proper family night out under the stars, so wrap up warm and bring the kids.
Petruth Paddocks as viewed by local artist Mike Jackson
It suits families after a Friday night that doesn't involve a screen, couples who fancy a campfire instead of a candlelit table, and anyone who finds the average pub a bit too sit-down. The practical bits: Friday 6 November, 5pm to 10pm, at Petruth Paddocks Campsite, Labourham Drove, Cheddar BS27 3FS. Entry is free. → More info
Indoor Boot & Craft Sale, Walton – Saturday 7 November
Walton WI is holding an indoor boot and craft sale at Walton Village Hall, and the stall list reads like a very good rummage: clothes and accessories, books and toys, homeware and decor, jewellery and bags, handmade crafts, gifts and cards, and plants. There will be outside pitches too, and the famous WI cafe will be serving tea, coffee and cake, which is reason enough to go.
It's one for bargain hunters, anyone starting an early hunt for Christmas presents, and anyone who likes a chat over a slice of cake. The practical bits: Saturday 7 November, 11am to 3pm, Walton Village Hall, Meadow Lane, Walton BA16 9LA. Entry is free. Stallholders wanting an indoor table or outside pitch should contact Walton WI directly.
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Bangs, Bonfires and the Animals Who Didn't Buy a Ticket
As we share our home with five dogs, four cats, two horses and two donkeys we have a slightly different perspective on Bonfire week. Nobody wants to spoil the fun, but trying to explain to our four footed friends what all the noise is about doesn’t really work. Then there are all the farm animals and wildlife who are rarely spared a thought.
So, without appearing as a killjoy, I just wanted to offer some ideas for how to minimise the anxiety we could inflict without thinking.
Vets estimate that around 45% of dogs are frightened by fireworks. Horses are at real risk: since 2010 the British Horse Society has received about 1,030 reports of incidents involving fireworks, including 270 horses injured and 35 killed. Bonfire smoke can also briefly push air pollution to several times its normal level, especially on still nights.
Tommy was born deaf - so he’s not bothered. Daisy is not so sure!
There's a middle way: to enjoy the show, and look out for whoever's hiding under the kitchen table.
If you're having fireworks
Go to an organised display if you can. Bruton is on 6 November, and Shepton Mallet, Midsomer Norton, Street and Paulton are on the 7th.
Warn your neighbours, choose low-noise fireworks and point them away from fields.
Stick to the law. No fireworks after 11pm, except on 5 November, when the cut-off is midnight.
Build your bonfire on the day, so hedgehogs haven't moved in.
Dogs and cats
Walk and feed dogs before dark.
Give them a den to hide in, and let them stay there.
Close the curtains, put the lights on and turn up the TV. Comfort them if they come to you.
Check gates and fences, and clip the lead on before you open the door.
Leave dogs at home when you go to a display with a radio on and maybe at least one human companion.
If your dog has struggled before, ask your vet now about licensed calming medication. Do NOT use old-style sedatives such as ACP, which can leave a dog still frightened but unable to move.
Keep cats in after dark with a litter tray.
Horses
Keep to their usual routine, and ask local organisers for display times.
Choose stable or field for that particular horse, and make sure it's secure and well away from any display.
Leave the stable lights on, give plenty of hay, and play a radio placed safely out of reach.
Check them the next morning for injuries, and check the field for spent fireworks.
None of this means giving up the bonfire or the oohs and aahs, but the big organised displays are usually better anyway. Think twice before staging your own, local armageddon.
Over to you: What helps your dog, cat or horse through fireworks season? Reply and tell us, and we'll share the best tips.
Today – Monday 2 November
What's in a Name? at St Thomas's — 11am, St Thomas's Church, Wells. A Trio Paradis event. More info
RAFA Mid-Somerset Branch meeting — 11am to 2pm, Mendip Golf Club, Gurney Slade. A talk on The Gunpowder Plot by Baz Hamblin, a branch meeting, then lunch from the club menu. Public supporters welcome. More info
Spinning and Peg Loom Weaving Workshop — 2pm to 4pm, Paddington Farm Trust, Glastonbury. Free, but booking is essential. Booking
Cranmore Table Tennis — 7.30pm to 9pm, Cranmore Village Hall. Every Monday, £5 (less as more people join). All ages and abilities welcome, and bats and balls are supplied. New players wanted! Hit reply and we'll put you in touch.
Tomorrow – Tuesday 3 November
Exhibitions on now — Tom Winter at the Bishop's Palace, Wells (until 21 November, included with Palace admission); Roots, Routes and Resilience at the Shoemakers Museum, Street (until 15 November); and Wells – Then and Now Revisited at Wells & Mendip Museum.
A quiet day on the listings. Got something happening in your village? Hit reply and tell us.
🎬 This Week at Wells Film Centre
Ghosts: The Possession of Button House (PG) — Mon and Tue, 3pm and 7.30pm
Wicker (15) — Mon and Tue, 3pm and 7.30pm
Wildwood (12A) — Mon 3pm; Tue 7pm
Klara And The Sun (12A) — Mon 7pm; Tue 3pm
→ Full listings and booking at Wells Film Centre (this week's programme runs to Thursday 5 November)
🌡️ Wells BA5 Weather — Week of Monday 2 November
A mild week ahead, with sunny intervals and 11–12°C to start. Bonfire Night on Thursday looks dry, then it turns cloudier and a touch cooler for Friday and the weekend. Forecast read from the Met Office on Sunday 1 November. Days marked BETA are less certain.
Mon 2: sunny intervals, 12°C / 7°C, 30% chance of rain
Tue 3: sunny intervals, 12°C / 7°C, 20%
Wed 4: sunny intervals, 11°C / 6°C, 20%
Thu 5 (Bonfire Night): sunny intervals, 11°C / 6°C, 10%
Fri 6: cloudy, 10°C / 5°C, 30%
Sat 7: cloudy, 10°C / 5°C, 20%
Sun 8 (BETA): cloudy, 10°C / 6°C, 20%
Contact Mendy the Mendiplodocus
Paul Branston, Editor
Hi, I'm Paul Branston and I publish the Mendiplodocus every morning, Monday to Friday. Each issue goes out to a growing base of thousands of local residents who want to keep up to date with events and local news. If you have events or news to share or you have a local business to promote, please get in touch.
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