CARHAMPTON Repair Café is back again by public demand on Saturday (November 8) from 10 am to 1 pm in the village hall, and not at the recreation ground.

A Repair Café is where people take things that are broken and volunteer repairers mend them if they can, with a donation requested, or advise where professional advice can be found, if they cannot.

Repairing is a superb way to both save money and keep waste to a minimum.

The volunteers even weigh each repaired article so they can keep a running total of how many tonnes are not being sent to landfill.

But possibly the most important part for some attendees is the café, where homemade cake, tea, and coffee is sold, at a suitable Carhampton low price, to support the Repair Café’s insurance cost and hall hire.

In fact, some people are known just go for the café.

Last time, every homemade cake and biscuit etc was eaten.

The Repair Café was initiated by the Carhampton Climate Group.

Repair cafés in West Somerset also operate in Watchet, which is the newest to open, Minehead, and Porlock, where the teams of volunteer repairers can ‘tackle most items’, and they also host Somerset Council’s Fixy van from time to time.

THURSDAY, October 30, marked the first anniversary of the creation of the West Somerset 20s and 30s Walking Group.

The Facebook-based group was founded to create an opportunity for young people to make new friends and enjoy exploring the local area.

Since its conception the group has an ever expanding online following with in excess of 400 members.

Walks are free to attend and the group is free to join.

It aims to put on a walk event every month, with the majority of the routes on Exmoor and the Quantocks.

The routes often include looking at interesting architecture, local history, and identifying flora and fauna.

Group founder Joseph Mallinson said: ‘‘It has been a truly life enriching experience creating and leading the group.

“I have made lots of great new friends and got to explore places that I have not walked in before.” Events are advertised on the group’s Facebook page - West Somerset 20s and 30s Walking Group.

It aims for walks of six to eight miles currently, but has plans for longer routes as well next year.

The group is always looking for new members and would be delighted to see them at one of its events.

AN entertaining concert was presented at Minehead Methodist Church on Friday, October 24, by Minehead Male Voice Choir, with guests Corby MVC, from Northamptonshire,, who were on tour in the Westcountry.

Musical Director Jackie Butterworth and accompanist Chloe Kingdon in her first concert with the choir were leading Minehead into its 26th year while Corby, who celebrate their 50th anniversary next year, were led by MD Jan Williams and Kate Bidwell.

A pleasant mixture of songs, ‘traditional’, ‘modern’, and ‘Songs from the Shows, formed the programme.

Both choirs were in good form in their own sections, Minehead setting the scene with ‘This Old Man’, but conveying it quite youthfully, and concluding with ‘Morte Criste’.

Corby included an interesting verse/chorus item of African origin, ‘Senzenina’, new to this reviewer, with a wandering soloist delivering the verses from around the church, timing his progress back to the chorus for the final note!

A sprightly ‘Rhythm of Life’ ended their programme.

The usual exchange of gifts was followed by two items sung jointly, the soulful ‘Working Man’ and the final song demonstrating to the enthusiastic audience the ethos and camaraderie of male voice choirs - Carousel’s ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’.

An enjoyable evening.

RG.

A WEBSITE for young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has been launched, giving SEND youth a voice and space to share their experiences.

‘The Unstoppables’ platform provides a full rundown about the youth group, such as how often they meet, joining details, what they have been working on, and many useful links.

The website gives its members a space to share and talk about the topics and concerns that are important to them, about their lived experiences, their successes, aspirations, and the changes to local services they have helped to shape.

Somerset Council hopes the launch will boost awareness of the group and help even more SEND young people in Somerset engage with and discover ‘The Unstoppables’ experience.

Unstoppables is open to all young people with SEND, aged 13 to 25 years, who live in Somerset, or who go to school or college in the county.

ON Friday, November 14, Watchet Community Cinema will be screening ‘Four Letters of Love’.

Nicholas and Isabel are made for each other, but fate does not always choose the easiest path to true love.

As destiny pulls them together, so do family, passion, and faith drive them apart.

Nicholas’ father, William (Pierce Brosnan), comes home one day to shatter his family's quiet life, telling them he is leaving and that they must fend for themselves.

Meanwhile, Isabel and her family live a charmed existence on a nearby small neighbouring island.

But, when tragedy strikes, Isabel’s parents (Helena Bonham Carter, Gabriel Byrne) decide in their grief to send Isabel to a convent school on the mainland.

The young lovers then embark on their own individual journeys of heartache and misplaced love, before fate contrives to pull the threads of their lives together.

This is a beautifully rendered and deeply emotional film that succeeds in capturing the complexities of love and longing.

It shines with its stunning cinematography, painting a picturesque backdrop of the Irish landscape which enhances the intimate and soulful journey of its characters.

The film is being shown at Watchet Community Cinema, Knights Templar School, with doors opening at 6.30 pm and the film starting at 7 pm.

Tickets at £4 are available on the door.

For more information call Anne on 07557 734795.

MINEHEAD Exmoor Masonic Lodge has given £500 to help maintain the defibrillator situated outside the Masonic Hall, in Bancks Street.

The masons purchased the defibrillator a year earlier and were very pleased to know that the unit had been called upon 31 times in the last year for public use.

West Somerset Citizen’s Advice received a £1,000 donation from Exmoor Masonic Lodge.

The manager, Ian Atkinson, came to address the masons in the lodge and gave a very informative and enlightening talk on the role they play in assisting local folks in so many ways.

The excellent work they offer is all funded locally, therefore the masons felt it was a pleasure to be able to assist in some small way.

BREWERS Hall & Woodhouse was giving to good causes 50 per cent of sales made on its annual charity day, which was on Tuesday (November 4).

The company owns the Old Ship Aground public house beside Minehead Harbour, and its 54 other pubs around the South of the country each of which joined in raising funds for good causes.

The donations were split with 25 per cent of sales made at each pub going directly to its own chosen charity partner.

The remaining 25 per cent of profits collated from all of H&W’s managed pubs will be donated to Lewis Manning Hospice Care.

The charity provides free specialist palliative care and support to people living with life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families and carers.

Hall & Woodhouse, which was founded in 1777 by Dorset farmer Charles Hall, has a collection of about 150 pubs which make up its managed house and business partner estate, stretching from Woolacombe, to Teignmouth, to London, and Brighton.

ST Margaret’s Hospice’s first-ever fireworks night will light up the skies over Taunton Racecourse on Saturday evening (November 8).

The brand-new event promises a spectacular evening of colour, music, and community spirit. Attendees can expect a fireworks display choreographed to music by award-winning Sonic Fireworks, plus food and drink stalls, merchandise, and free parking.

The special night will also celebrate 45 years of St Margaret’s Hospice supporting patients and families across Somerset.

Gates open at 5 pm, with fireworks starting at 7 pm, and tickets can be purchased on the night, at £12 for adults (18+) and £6 for children.

All proceeds will help St Margaret’s continue to provide free, specialist care for people across Somerset facing life-limiting illness.

AN illustrated account of the workings of the Minehead Lifeboat Station will be presented by Tony White on Wednesday (November 12) in the Methodist Hall, The Avenue, Minehead, starting at 2.30 pm.

The event is being organised by the West Somerset National Trust Association, tand he talk is open to all, with admission set at £4.