THE Minehead Sailing and Watersports Club held a celebratory afternoon tea for club members on Sunday, May 31.

The occasion was to mark how 60 years ago, in May, 1966, the Luttrell family sold the land to the sailing club, where it is still based, on the harbour.

Club secretary Debbie Allum said: “It is really lovely to have something positive to celebrate, and to see the club getting back on track after a difficult couple of years.

“We have members in the club who have been here for many years, and also some new recruits.

“Looking back over historic papers and past club achievements in preparation for this event has been very interesting, and gives us much to look forward to for the future.”

FOLLOWING the success of last year’s event, the Xmoor-Rox Music Festival team has presented more than £3,000 to four local charities and community projects.

The funds raised have been shared between the Exmoor Rural Health Hub, Exmoor Hill Farming Network, All Saints and Dulverton School, and Cutcombe School’s swimming pool, supporting vital services and facilities across the area.

Building on the success, Xmoor-Rox will return on Saturday, July 11, at Coppleham Cross, Bridgetown.

Xmoor-Rox is a fun, family-friendly festival celebrating local music, food, and drink, with children’s entertainment provided by Home-Start West Somerset.

Popular highlights include a much-loved duck race, which delights children and adults alike, as well as a draw featuring many prizes.

The team will again be selecting local charities and community projects to support with proceeds from this year’s festival, continuing their commitment to giving back to the local community.

Tickets are available via the festival website.

PEOPLE across Somerset are being encouraged to ‘tell one person’ about Shared Lives this June, as Shared Lives South West joins a national awareness week celebrating one of the UK’s highest-rated forms of social care.

Shared Lives Week runs from June 15 to 21 and is led by Shared Lives Plus.

This year’s theme is ‘Shout about Shared Lives - care worth talking about’.

Shared Lives South West supports almost 500 people across Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall through carefully matched Shared Lives arrangements, where people who need support share home and family life with approved Shared Lives Carers.

Support can include short breaks or long-term support for people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, young people leaving care, and older people living with dementia.

Every arrangement is built around relationships and matching people based on shared interests, values, and lifestyles.

People have the opportunity to get to know one another gradually before moving in with their carer or enjoying a break.

Jerry and Helen Brimson, who live in Bridgwater, became Shared Lives Carers in June, 2023.

They made the transition from fostering when the young person they had been supporting turned 18 and still needed care.

After more than 16 years as foster carers, the move felt like a natural progression.

Helen said: “Shared Lives is amazing.

“It is completely different and much more relaxed.

“We get support from Shared Lives South West and do not feel alone.

“With fostering and children, they are very much in your bubble.

“With Shared Lives, you support adults, so you have to let them find their own way and make mistakes.

“It is a different mindset, but it is so much more relaxed.”

Despite supporting nearly 10,000 people across the UK, Shared Lives remains one of social care’s best kept secrets.

Shared Lives South West hopes the campaign will encourage more people to learn about the model and consider becoming a Shared Lives carer.

Shared Lives South West chief executive Dominic Spayne said: “Shared Lives is all about relationships, belonging, and helping people live good lives.

“We see every day the difference the right support can make, not only for the person being supported, but for carers and families, too.”

More information about Shared Lives South West and becoming a Shared Lives carer is available on its website.

SUNDAY morning worship over the bank holiday weekend in Minehead Methodist Church was led by Rev Andrew Vidamour as the church’s 150th anniversary was celebrated.

Mr Vidamour was minister in the church from 2008 to 2018, and while looking back with thanks, he encouraged the congregation to look forward to a future that is in God’s plan and purpose.

Memories and photographs in an exhibition in the church lounge were displayed alongside the original deeds, and the church elders thanked Free Press readers for their contributions.

Looking to the future, the building is well used by a variety of community organisations and events as well as church activities.

They include a thriving Little Fishes toddlers’ group which started in 2014, and a community warm space.

A spokesperson said: “May this work, worship, and witness continue to fulfil our mission in Minehead.

“Everybody is welcome.”

IT would be very hard to fault the performance of the Minehead Male Voice Choir in aid of the Porlock Church Spire Fund.

Too hard for me, anyway.

From start to finish, the choir gave a wonderful demonstration of control and skill.

Entries were confident, dynamics controlled, and the interplay of harmonies was an absolute joy. Furthermore, the varied programme gave the choir the opportunity to show what they can do.

None of this could have been achieved without the leadership of the conductor, Jackie Butterworth, as several choir members were keen to impress upon me, and in this performance, she was ably supported by the choir's regular accompanist, Chloe Kingdon.

As well as the wonderful choral singing, we also had the pleasure of light-hearted solo spots by Ray Coleing, Andy King, John Brooke, and Ivan Evans, as well as the jokes of our compere, Kerry Steele.

And I must give a mention to Toni Thornton, who provided the excellent refreshments.

Singing makes you hungry!

Martin Spence

RESIDENTS in Dulverton met local groups and volunteer organisations at Dulverton Live! on Saturday, May 30.

The morning event took place for the first time at the Parish Rooms, a civic asset gifted to the town by the Wills family in 1906.

Dulverton Live! is a 'freshers fair' to find out what is happening in the town, discover new groups to join, and organisations to volunteer for, and to get more out of life.

Initially started to help people get back into things after the Covid 19 pandemic restrictions, Live! helped groups find new members for music, drama, sports, yoga, politics, and encouraged people to offer their time by, for example, becoming a TA22 volunteer driver.

Bill Gash, chairman of the Parish Rooms Trust, said: “This was an exciting move, to open up this bright space for more groups to use and to connect with more people, many of whom were also in town for the farmers market nearby.

“We want to make more people aware of this amenity that belongs to them and is there for their use.”

As the event closed, Mr Gash thanked all those who took part and had supported it.

More details on the Parish Rooms can be found on its website.

LAST week there was a big party in the Esplanade Club, Watchet, as the Forget-me-Not Cafe members celebrated the 11th birthday of the Watchet and the Quantocks Dementia Action Alliance with tea, coffee, and a cake made especially for them.

Group leader Margaret Tatham said: “We are so grateful to the Esplanade Club for hosting us yet again and for providing our hot drinks.

“I also want to thank all our supporters over the years and the volunteers who keep the group going, and, finally, thanks to our cake maker Anne.”

Mrs Tatham stayed on the Esplanade with a stall in the town’s Wednesday market and raised £70 for group funds with a guess the weight of the cake’ competition and a small raffle.

More information about the Forget-me-Not Cafe for people living with dementia and their friends and family is available by calling Mrs Tatham on 07973638030 or emailing [email protected].

WEST Somerset Morris will be dancing next week on Thursday (June 11) in Stogumber next to the White Horse pub, starting at about 8 pm.

THE Minehead group of Amnesty International will be hosting a garden tea party on Saturday, June 13, to explain the charity’s work around the world.

It will be staged in the garden of Mayhill, Woodland Close, Carhampton, from 3 pm to 5 pm., when everybody will be welcomed to join for tea and cake and to enjoy the garden and view, and to just sit and chat.

The group is organising a book stall for the event, plus a raffle and a quiz, while cash donations in aid of Amnesty will be welcome.

More information can be found by calling Susan on 01643 821209.