A TEA party for the Minehead group of Amnesty International was hosted in the garden of one of its members who lives in Carhampton.

Lots of people went along to enjoy the garden, tea, and cake, and chatting with friends.

Amnesty-themed games and a quiz kept people busy and letters were signed about the treatment of women in Afghanistan.

The weather was perfect for the occasion and £420 was raised to help fund Amnesty’s research, reports, and campaigns about human rights abuses around the world.

More information about the group is available on its website at or by calling 01643 821209.

FOR a long time there has been a collection box for the Alzheimer’s Society on the bar in Watchet Town Football Club.

Club members Paul Clavey and Jessica Mills and their family have campaigned for dementia awareness since the death of Jessica’s grandfather Cedric Lewis from dementia.

This year, when the box was full, it was found to contain a very welcome £40, which has been forwarded to the Alzheimer’s Society.

Now, in memory of Cedric, the club has become a member of the Watchet and the Quantocks Dementia Action Alliance.

More information about activities for people living with dementia and other memory problems in this area can be obtained by calling Margaret Tatham on 07973638030 or emailing her at [email protected].

THE next Carhampton Climate Group public event is on Saturday, September 27, from 10 am to 12.30 pm in Carhampton Village Hall.

There will be two speakers to address the urgent topic of ‘plastic’ and what we can all do to reduce its usage - Peter Hoyland, from Plastic Free Exmoor and Surfers Against Sewage, and Keith Hunt, of Minehead eco shop Our Precious Earth.

The morning will include plenty of time for discussion as well as a break for tea and coffee and homemade cakes.

Entry is free but cash donations are invited.

More information can be obtained by calling 01643 821209 or emailing to [email protected].

THE community of Wheddon Cross and Cutcombe are recovering after a team of 18 villagers served up 148 breakfasts and raised more than £3,000 for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Devon Air Ambulance, and the Exmoor Search and Rescue team.

The fund-raiser took place on Sunday (September 7) and was organised in recognition of the vital services that the three organisations provide in times of crisis, including the tragic Minehead Middle School coach crash in July which occurred on the community’s doorstep on Cutcombe Hill.

One of the organisers, Sally Parish, said: “These heroic charities do not receive funding from the Government, yet the services they provide are just as important as the other emergency services.

“We hope that as well as raising cash we have also raised their profiles.”

A majority of the produce used for the breakfast was donated by producers and shops, with businesses and individuals giving raffle prizes and cash, which, when combined with breakfast sales and the raffle takings enabled the total profit to reach an astounding £3,051.

Organisers wished to thank the Moorland Hall and Recreation Ground board of trustees, Shearwell Data, Cremello, Tesco, Morrisons, Lidl, Minehead Co-Op, Central Convenience Wheddon Cross, Glenmore Bakery, DJ Miles Tea and Coffee, Edd’s Greengrocers, Kendle Farm, Lloyd Maunder Dulverton, Richard Little Butchers, The Somerset Farm House, Dunster Water Mill, Dean Barton Eggs, Cherry Tree preserves, Redhill apple juice, Fletcher Plumbing Services, the Rest and Be Thankful Inn, the Exmoor Hill Farming Network, and Beauty Next Door for their contributions, donations, and raffle prizes.

Ms Parish said: “It has been a real team effort, not just from Wheddon Cross and Cutcombe, but Exmoor, West Somerset, and beyond.

“The cause has touched so many people and we are incredibly grateful to everybody who helped raise this phenomenal amount.

“Huge thanks must go to our fabulous team of volunteers who cooked, served, and cleared up, especially our young team members Dolly, Holly, and Eliza, who attend Minehead Middle School and wanted to help for obvious reasons.”

SOMERSET Sight, a local charity supporting more than 3,000 blind or partially sighted people across the county, held a very successful and informative technology open day for its service users on Wednesday, September 3, at its office headquarters in Taunton.

The charity’s low vision therapist Julie Dyer helped many people with magnifiers and techniques to use them, while technology officer Jenny Forbes was able to help people with all their digital needs and devices.

Humanware, Touchpoint Vision, Optelec, and Professional Vision Services attended to demonstrate their amazing products which are designed to enable people with sight loss to read print more readily.

Somerset village and community agents from the Community Council for Somerset were also in attendance and were able to help many attendees.

The open day was a great success and was attended by 70 people who were able to try out a huge range of technological support that is available to assist the visually impaired.

Forty-five people, some of whom had attended the open day, were served with a delicious lunch at Dave’s Diner, one of Somerset Sight’s 12 monthly social groups, which are held across the county.

Anybody who would like any further information or knows of somebody with sight loss needing help should call 01823 333818.

THE September Amble is on Wednesday the 17th, meeting at 10.30 am in the carpark right at the far end of North Hill - follow the road until it comes to the end.

The views from North hill are just lovely, Porlock Vale , Bossington Beach, and, of course, across to Dunkery.

The heather and gorse is either out or just over and the smell is intoxicating, if there is sun.

Of course, if it is misty then there is a whole new set of gorgeous and subtle sights and smells.

Definitely a walk to be recommended.

There is also a specially designed wheelchair-friendly path, again highly recommended.

Amble not Ramble is a walking group specially designed for people with memory loss, lack of mobility and/or just loss of confidence or indeed anybody who enjoys a relaxed pace when walking.

The walk will be a maximum of one hour.

We are a very friendly group and always end the walk with tea and coffee.

Amble not Ramble walks are run by Minehead Dementia Action Alliance, which aims to help people and their carers live well with dementia.

We ask that vulnerable adults be accompanied by a carer.

For more information or directions to the start, call Emily on 01643 821756 or email [email protected] or just turn up.

We walk whatever the weather, see you there.

Emily Feldberg

WILDLIFE lovers are being invited to sign up for the RSPCA’s autumn active fund-raising event ‘Walk on the Wild Side’.

The event invites people to complete a walking challenge throughout October.

The fund-raising challenge comes at a critical time for the charity as it reveals that last October was its busiest month for hedgehogs in the past five years, and also marks the beginning of ‘seal pup season’,when the RSPCA’s wildlife hospitals also typically see a spike in grey seals admitted as orphans, or struggling to feed and are weak and underweight.

The challenge offers two distance tiers to be completed over the month - 60 miles (96.6 km) or an ‘Ultra Wild Challenge’ of 120 miles (193.1 km).

Participants have the flexibility to choose their own location for the challenge, and a fund-raising target of £100 is suggested per person.

RSPCA mass participation manager Olivia Williams said: “Every hour, a wild animal needs our care, and we know that so many animal lovers want to help.

“That is why we are thrilled to be launching ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ as a way for people to really make a difference and support our vital work.”

Already this autumn, the RSPCA’s specialist teams have been called to care for hedgehogs.

Two tiny hoglets were taken in last week by the team at RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre, near Taunton, after being found orphaned.

They are now receiving round-the-clock care, including being hand-fed.

Those who sign up to take part in the challenge will receive a welcome pack upon registration, which includes an RSPCA T-shirt, a miles tracker, and a wildlife spotting sheet.

Early registrants will also receive a limited edition dog bandana, and those who successfully raise £100 by October 31 will be awarded an exclusive ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ medal.

Registration is done by completing an online form to receive the challenge welcome pack.

Ms Williams said: “Every penny raised will directly contribute to the RSPCA's mission of caring for wildlife across England and Wales, and make a huge difference to animals.”

More information on fund-raising for the RSPCA is available on the charity’s website.