A ‘BREAKFAST for Heroes’ organised by Wheddon Cross and Cutcombe communities will be held at Wheddon Cross’s Moorland Hall on Sunday, September 7, to raise funds for rescue organisations involved in the Cutcombe Hill school coach tragedy.

The nation was shocked by the horrific events of July 17 resulting in the death of a 10-year-old pupil and 21 other casualties.

Proceeds will be shared between three charities: Devon Air Ambulance, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, and Exmoor Search and Rescue Team, which all rely on donations.

Breakfasts will be available between 8 am and 12 noon, and will cost adults £12 and children £5, on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Local businesses are being asked to provide or sponsor breakfast ingredients and anybody wishing to help should email [email protected].

EXMOOR farmer and rural campaigner James Wright has launched a national campaign to protect local Post Office services, warning that Labour’s plans could devastate rural communities and small businesses.

Labour’s recently published Future of the Post Office Green Paper proposes removing the statutory minimum of 11,500 branches and reviewing the last-mile access protections that guarantee every community a local Post Office.

The paper itself admits that nearly half of branches are not profitable for postmasters from Post Office business alone, and instead of strengthening support, Labour’s plan to remove safeguards risks opening the door to widespread closures.

Mr Wright said: “Post Offices are vital.

“It is not just about parcels and letters, they are part of our social fabric.

“Labour’s plan to scrap the branch minimum would hit the elderly, small businesses, and rural families the hardest.

“In places like Exmoor and West Somerset, the Post Office is often the last shop in the village.

“If these doors shut, they do not reopen.”

The campaign, which will see motions tabled in councils across the country, calls for binding safeguards to defend small and remote branches, and urges planning authorities to link Post Office investment to wider regeneration of high streets and village centres.

It also argues that while new services such as parcel lockers should be embraced, they must complement rather than replace staffed counters, and that expanding banking hubs in rural towns which have lost their banks would be one of the most effective ways to secure the long-term viability of local branches.

Mr Wright said: “Labour talks about modernising services, but in rural areas ‘modernisation’ too often means closure.

“My campaign is clear, rural communities must not be left behind.

“We need to strengthen the Post Office network, not dismantle it.”

The consultation on Labour’s proposals closes on October 6, and Mr Wright is urging residents and businesses to make their voices heard by signing the open letter on his website www.whatlaboursaid.com/save-your-post-office.

PLANS to introduce on-street electric vehicle (EV) charge points, and expand Somerset’s overall EV charging network, have taken a significant step forward.

Somerset Council has been allocated £3.7 million in capital funding from the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to support the installation of electric vehicle charge points in urban and rural areas in Somerset.

The council is now in the process of appointing a contractor.

The LEVI fund is designed to help local authorities in England with planning and delivering predominantly low-powered charging infrastructure, particularly for residents without access to off-street parking.

In Somerset, more than a quarter - around 27 per cent - of properties lack off-street parking, making this funding a real chance to help many more people move from petrol and diesel vehicles to electric alternatives.

The contract will deliver a minimum of 1,606 lower-powered (up to 7kW) charge point sockets, ideal for overnight charging.

Where feasible, the existing low-voltage lamp column cable network will be used to reduce installation costs and disruption.

To ensure community involvement, the council plans to ask residents for suggestions on charge point locations via its website – details will be confirmed as soon as they are available.

Importantly, Somerset Council is committed to ensuring rural communities are not left behind.

At least 25 per cent of the charge points will be installed in lower-demand areas to support equitable access across the county.

Cllr Richard Wilkins said: “By adopting this delivery approach, we can ensure that rural communities are not left behind in the transition to electric vehicle infrastructure.

“Without LEVI funding, the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in more rural, lower-demand, and commercially less viable areas of Somerset would be unlikely.

“We are committed to allocate 25 per cent of all charge points to these locations, to help meet the needs of all residents.”

Under the proposed 17-year concession contract, the council will receive an annual income from the charge point operator to cover the revenue costs of administering the scheme.

The operator will also fully fund the installation of up to 20 rapid (50kW+) charge points, further boosting Somerset’s EV infrastructure.

Research shows that charge point operators prefer a minimum contract term of 15 years to ensure commercial viability.

Extending the term to 17 years provides greater assurance of return on investment and long-term sustainability.

VILLAGERS in Timberscombe have been thanked for donating their old ink cartridges which in July helped to raise £33.75 for the Timberscombe Play Area.

Any empty or unwanted, original ink cartridges can be donated to the Timberscombe Playing Field by leaving them in the collection box in the Post Office.

Old cartridges are worth a surprising amount of money when sent off to recycling companies and they are helping Timberscombe Playing Field to raise much-needed funds.

The cartridges must be original branded ones, such as HP, Cannon, or Brother, and not ‘compatible’ ones, but ndearly all makes are worth something, although laser cartridges are not accepted.

They just need to be dropped off in the box in the Post Office and they will be sorted.

AS a fitting tribute to actor Terence Stamp, who died last week, Wootton Courtenay Film Club has decided to arrange a special screening of ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’, on Tuesday (September 2).

This is a beautifully scenic film enhanced by some of the finest actors, and Stamp’s Sergeant Troy is unforgettable.

A spokesperson said: “We hope you will join us to show an appreciation of one of our finest actors.”

DEVON and Somerset Fire and Rescue’s (DSFR) next ‘Community Conversations’ event will be on September 10 at 12 noon and the topic will be focused on road safety.

People can join through the link on the DSFR website.

It does not matter what a person’s background or experience is, whether they represent an organisation or are speaking as an individual, they will be very welcome.

A spokesperson said: “If there is something you would like to find out about, you can share your questions in advance by emailing [email protected].

“If you are having a problem joining, please call 01392 719999.”

HUNDREDS of National Trust properties and thousands of in-person events around the country will be free to enter from September 12 to 21.

The trust is holding its annual Heritage Open Days, which is England’s largest festival of history and culture with a packed programme of events and historic places to explore and a wealth of hidden places and stories to discover.

It is supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and delivered locally by a large range of organisations, including civic societies, heritage organisations, local councils, community champions, and thousands of volunteers.

The theme for Heritage Open Days 2025 is ‘architecture’.

A spokesperson said: “From follies, grand homes to garden greenhouses, there are so many stories to tell of the structures that surround us, the makers, the menders, the materials, and more.

“There will be plenty to explore with free entry, including collections of art and objects, historic gardens, and walks through wild landscapes.

“We have helped to manage this festival since 2011, and it is an important part of how we highlight the history, heritage, and culture of not just the places we care for, but of places and communities across the country.

“Thanks to over a decade of support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery and the help of more than 33,000 volunteers.

“It is England’s contribution to European Heritage Days, taking place across 50 countries.”

A ‘ROMAN Feast’ is being planned for October 18 in Wootton Courtenay Village Hall to raise funds for St Margaret’s Hospice

Costumes are optional, said the organisers.

Last year, many villagers who wore costumes for a ‘Medieval Feast’.

During the Roman occupation of Britain, the local Dumnonii tribe inhabited the area so residents may want to dress Celtic style to represent their ancestors.

Ahead of the feast, Timberscombe’s St Petrock’s History Society has a talk on September 15 by Exeter University Professor Stephen Rippon on Iron Age, Roman, and early medieval settlement in Dumnonia.