East Coker Society Newsletter
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October
2006
Free Issue No 124
Chair: John Sugg 863435 e-mail
Newsletter Editor: Lesley
Lindsay 862868 e-mail
Secretary: Sarah Owen 862218
Treasurer: Keith Helliar 863700
FATHER CHRISTMAS
STOPPING IN EAST COKER!
Father Christmas will be
visiting the Christmas Bazaar on 18 November at East Coker Hall from 2.00pm
4.00pm. Entrance adults £1, to include a
cup of tea and a mince-pie, children free.
Many stalls to include Raffle, Cakes, Bric-a-brac,
Books and lots of lovely gift ideas.
See below for stall reservations.
VILLAGE
DIARY
The 2007 Diary is now at the
East Coker Post Office. Please could
village organisations put their forthcoming events in the Diary to avoid the
doubling up of these events. Thank you.
DON'T FORGET! British Summer time ends on
Sunday 29 October the Clocks go back!
RECEIVE THE
NEWSLETTER VIA E-MAIL
If in the future you would
like to receive the Newsletter via e-mail, please e-mail Lesley Lindsay with
your name and postal address so you can be removed from our delivery
lists. Your e-mail address will be
kept entirely private, with no cross-referencing of other people's e-mails. We greatly appreciate delivery by e-mail as
it saves money on our printing costs.
For those already receiving
the Newsletter by e-mail, please e-mail L.Lindsay@eastcoker.com if you change
your e-mail address.
CHRISTMAS
BAZAAR SATURDAY
18 NOVEMBER 2006, EAST
COKER HALL, 2.00PM - 4.00PM
Book early! Tables for the Christmas Bazaar are
available. The price is £1 a foot, for
4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 foot tables. Setting
up of tables will be from 12 30pm onwards.
Individuals or organisations
who wish to reserve a table should please fill in the form below, and send it
with either cash or a cheque, by 5 November at the latest, made payable to East Coker Society, to Carol Blackmore,
Pippins, Higher Burton, East Coker 862192.
This will reserve your stall.
%-------------------------%-------------------------%--------------------------%-------------------------%---------------------%
CHRISTMAS
BAZAAR SATURDAY
18 NOVEMBER 2006 STALL RESERVATION
Name of Organisation
...
Type of Stall
Contact Name and Telephone
Number
..
Size of table at £1 per
foot
.. I enclose £
.. Signed
...
......
%-------------------------%-------------------------%--------------------------%-------------------------%---------------------%
Village Clubs and Organisations
EAST COKER
ACTION MEDICAL RESEARCH
'3 Tarts and a Florist' 13 November
2006 East Coker Hall 7.00pm 7.30pm
Katherine Kear and Bob
Harris present a Christmas Spectacular.
A cookery and floral demonstration as you have never seen it
before! Katherine Kear and Bob Harris
are to flower arranging and cookery, what Hinge and Bracket were to music! Spontaneous, unabridged and on the edge
take some fresh food and flowers on to a stage, add some materials and a few
props, then sit back and watch as they delight all your senses. You will experience ~ a visual riot of colour
~ the scent of fresh flowers, mingling with the aroma of sizzling food ~
hilarious anecdotes and experiences interspersed with pearls of wisdom!
Tickets are £15, which includes a glass of wine and
canapιs, are available from Leigh Mead 863466
Summer 2007 Silver Jubilee Ball
Michaelmas Craft & Gift
Fayre
We are pleased to announce that we made £1,000. Thank you to all who came and supported us.
EAST COKER HALL CHARITABLE TRUST Appointment of Committee Members
Main Committee
Chairman J Hollis Vice-Chairman R AllwoodSecretary H Styles Treasurer C MurrellElected committee membersL Harwood G MeadRepresentatives
A Adams Parish Council R Smith Little Wheelers M Ashley Keep Fit M Smith British LegionD White Gardening Club S Owen East Coker Society N White The PlayersCo-opted members
M Weston J Cordwell C Mead
Details for hiring the Hall can be found on the East
Coker web-site, www.eastcoker.com
EAST COKER
WINE CIRCLE
For the second time this year competitions for
prestigious awards led to a nail-biting finish between East Coker Wine Circle's
Winemaker of the Year, Joyce Pryor, and former champion, Vince Wolny. At the August
Wine Festival Joyce won the major trophies, for most points in the festival and
best wine in the show, by a narrow margin.
Despite fewer exhibitors this year due to holidays, the numbers of
entries were well maintained at close on 90.
The circle continues to have interesting and
entertaining speakers for the monthly meetings.
Former Minstrel, Ray Budd, brought a great deal of nostalgia to the
August meeting when he talked and sang his way through his life in show
business.
Former Chief Police Superintendent, Roy Jones,
humorously took members through his career in the police force, from his
training days at Chantmarle, through his experiences
on the beat at Taunton and Bridgwater, before a spell at Yeovil as Chief
Superintendent.
Outside trips included a visit to Sheppey's Cider in
September, and next June a group will be travelling to Brittany.
The October meeting will be a theme evening, 'Witches
and Wizards', when members will be making up a witch's brew of cocktails. There will also be a pumpkin sculpting
contest and an American Supper.
'Granny goes to Glastonbury' by Ann Cook, will be the
talk for the November meeting and in December there will be the traditional
wine tasting this time unusual French wines, presented by Alastair
Riley. There will also be a bread-making competition for both white and brown
loaves.
Guests are always welcome and membership inquiries
should be addressed to Secretary, Mary Horsley, 471072
EAST COKER
GARDENING CLUB
Club members had a variety of enjoyable activities during the
Summer. A few days after the excitement
of Founder Member, Kay Biggin's 100th Birthday, there was a
delightful afternoon meeting at Little Norton, on 13 July. It started with an exploration of the
semi-wild garden of the Mill, which, with its imaginative planting, winding
paths and secret pond is surprisingly mature after only eleven years of its
present ownership. A delicious cream tea
was had in the charming cottage garden of 'Popinjays'. On 11 August, the Club hosted a 'Gardening
quiz', with guests from the Chetnole, Halstock and Haselbury with North Perrott
Clubs. Chairman, Rachel Blow, with her
light touch, kept everyone at ease, with Chetnole the winner, the prizes being
gardening tokens.
Members were well represented at the East Coker Flower Show on 19
August, and carried off several trophies, including the one for most points in
the show, won by Mike Bayliss.
On Wednesday, 6 September, we went on a day trip to the National
Botanical Gardens of Wales, and Thursday 14 September was the monthly meeting
in the East Coker Hall, when Sally Gregson gave a very informative talk on
'Hydrangeas'.
The subject for 12 October is 'Bonsai' with John Trott, who has invited
members to bring along their own Bonsai to the meeting.
Autumn & Early Winter Programme
Thursday 9 November at 7.30pm A G M at the Quicksilver Mail, followed
by skittles and supper
Tuesday14 November at 6.30pm discount Christmas Shopping at Brimsmore
Garden Centre, with refreshments
Thursday14 December Marion Emery on 'A Victorian Christmas'
Thursday 11 January2007 Chris Smith on ' Ornamental Grasses'
Meetings are usually held on a Thursday, at 7.30pm in the East Coker
Hall. Visitors and new members are
always welcome. Enquiries to the
Treasurer, Stan Shayler, 420291 or Programme Secretary, Rachel Blow, 862849
EAST COKER
PAVILION FUND
Grants The
Football Foundation Grant has been sent off and we will wait with 'finger's
crossed'. Our grateful thanks to Emma
Trickey, who has worked so hard, and spent a lot of time on these forms. We are now in the process of working on a
lottery grant which has to be in by March 2007.
Fund-raising As many of you will know, we had a very successful 'Village Picture
Treasure Hunt' on 16 September. 140
people walked the 5 mile ramble with lots of interesting pictures to get the
mind thinking. Halfway round there was
tea and cakes at ' Poplar's Farm' "Thanks Mum!" It finished at the Pavilion for a Barbeque
and prize-giving. Congratulations to
Peter Burrows and Sarah Owen, for coming first, finding all the clues without
walking the route, and the Taversham Family for winning on the day. Many thanks to all the stewards for making
the route safe, and to the Coker Cockerels for organising a great event and
raising £600.
Fashion Show On 22 September we held a Fashion Show at Yeovil Court. The fashions were provided by 'Mistral' of
Sherborne, 'White Pebble' of Yeovil and 'Sugar & Spice Lingerie' of
Crewkerne. It was a very successful
evening, raising £900. Our grateful
thanks to all who helped with the evening, and especially Yeovil Court, who
provided us with a delicious meal.
Race Night Saturday 21 October at the East Coker Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £10 to include a Fork Supper. We are looking to make up tables of ten
people. Please phone Robert 862972
Christmas Shopping Trip Saturday 11 November. It has
been decided to go to Cardiff this year.
The coach leaves the East Coker Hall at 8.00am and the return journey
leaves Cardiff at 5.00pm-5.30pm. Price
£12, to book please phone Bridget 863435
Village Cookery Books Although we still have some left, we feel we have exhausted most avenues for their sales. We would like to say a big thank-you to John and Chris Cooper for their generous donation towards the printing cost, which enabled us to make £1,270 profit. Anyone wishing to buy a Cookery Book (which would make a very good Christmas present at £5), please phone Bridget 863435
Finally, our thanks to Coker 400 Club for their kind donation of £500 to the fund.
EAST
COKER ACTION
GROUP (Pincushion Corner)
The Annual General Meeting of the East Coker Action
Group (Pincushion Corner) will be held on Wednesday 15 November, at Hymerford House.
Any items for the agenda should be notified to Heather
Snook, Darvole Farm, 474138, by 15 October.
EAST
COKER PLAYERS
The Players are proud to announce their Pantomime
'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' on Friday 1 December 7.30 pm and Saturday 2
December 2.30 pm & 7.30 pm.
Tickets will be on sale from Nora White 477897 from
the end of October. Prices
£5 adults, £4 children (under 16).
Hope to see you all there.
EAST COKER
POETRY GROUP
Tuesday 24 October East Coker Poetry
Competition. This year's subject The
Seasons.'
Tuesday 21 November 'A Knight at Arms', Sir Richard
Vickers presents poetry with a military theme.
Tuesday 12 December Christmas Meeting & Quiz
Clive & Anne Bingley. The quiz will be sent out with the November
Poetry News. Anyone not receiving this
can get copies from Anne Bingley 863036
All meetings are held at the Helyar
Arms, 7.30pm in the skittle alley.
Contact David Cloke 862623
or Joyce Best 862317
EAST
COKER SHORT
MAT BOWLS CLUB
Our club is a very sociable and competitive indoor
bowling club. It is held in the East
Coker Hall on Tuesday evenings, 7.00pm to 10.00pm and Friday afternoons 2.00pm
to 4.00pm.
We are looking for new members of any age, but younger
people would be particularly welcome to keep our club going for the
future. We are involved in friendly
matches with other local clubs and competitive bowling for the more serious
bowler. You do not need to have played
before to come along and give it a try.
For more information please give me a call George Dudden on 864222
EAST
COKER W.I.
We continue with a thriving group meeting on the last
Thursday of each month at East Coker Hall from 7.30pm with many interesting
speakers. Last month we had an
interesting open evening when a Call my Bluff event was held. A group of three people tried to convince
everyone that old farming instruments were used for many different purposes.
Our popular monthly Whist Drives have recommenced
after the summer break and are open to all visitors; the next one will be on
Thursday, 19 October at 7.00pm at East Coker Hall. A craft day is also arranged for Tuesday, 24
October when members will be continuing with different crafts under the
guidance of Ann Forrest.
New members are always welcome, for more information
please phone Jean Caunter on 863329
THE COKER 400
CLUB
The winners in the July draw were: £100 Miss C
Robertson; £50 Viscountess Montgomery; £40 Mrs C
Hughes; £30 Mrs K Privett; £20 Mrs B Chatwin; £15 Mr R Williams; £10 Mrs J Donnelly and £10 Mr D
Smith.
EAST COKER FLOWER
SHOW AND WINE
FESTIVAL
The entries were up and this year you certainly hit
the jackpot well done! A big THANK YOU
to all who entered as it made a wonderful display in the East Coker Hall. People must have put a lot of hard work into
their gardens and their homes last year.
There were 'new' names amongst the exhibitors and
prize winners well done. A donation of
£200 was made to the 'Air Ambulance'.
Very many thanks to all who helped and supported on the day. It is certainly a village tradition we would
not like to disappear.
Cup Winners
Maudsley Silver Challenge Cup for most points in Show Mike Bayliss
Archie Neville Memorial Cup for most points in Fruit
& Veg Mike Bayliss
League of Friends for most points in Flower Section Sarah Rashley
Ralph Eacott Plaque for best Vase of Dahlias Don White
Pittard Rose Cup for Five Roses D Carter
Mrs Newman Cup for Gladioli Don White
Jane Harvey Pot Plant Salver L Crisp
Molly Kettlewell Herb Cup Christine
Mead
Miss Keefe Cup for most points in Floral Art Heather Docking
Drake Memorial Cup for most points in Homecraft Gloria
Mead
Eileen Doye Memorial Cup for Best Jam Gloria
Mead
Christine Mead Cup for most points in Craft Section Marie Frith
Society Photographic Trophy David Pryor
John Whittock Memorial Challenge Cup Joyce
Proyor
East Coker Gardening Club Cup for Children Under 5's Ella Kearvell (5)
Gloria Mead Cup for Children 6-10 years Olivia Sugg
(8)
Miss E B Drake Challenge Cup Daniel Francis
(14)
EAST COKER ROYAL
BRITISH LEGION
Coffee Morning Saturday 21 October at the East Coker
Hall, 10.00am 12 noon. Cake stall;
Raffle; Christmas cards. Please come and
support your local branch.
Poppy Launch
On Thursday 26 October the Poppy Launch will take
place at Yeovil Town Football Club on the Astroturf Pitch at 2.30pm. The event coincides with the end of the
Club's half-term Soccer School, and we are taking this great opportunity of
involving the children in this. An
outline programme is as follows:
·
2.00pm V.I.P.'s and invited guests arrive for hospitality in the
Marquee
·
2.25pm Soccer School presentation completed
·
2.30pm March of the Standard Bearers
·
2.35pm Opening Ceremony begins
·
2.50pm A Beaver Aircraft will fly past cascading poppy petals on the
assembled crowd
·
3.00pm Ceremony ends with the Appeal being officially declared open,
followed by a cascade of poppy petals fired from two canons.
·
3.01pm Standard Bearers march off followed by the children. Each child will be presented with a bag of
Legion 'goodies'. Standard Bearers will
form up for inspection after which tea and coffee will be available for all.
Please encourage all your Branch members to attend
this very high profile event. It is
particularly important that as many Standard Bearers attend as possible.
Marilyn Smith
TIME TO SHARE
Would you care to share
your time with men and women members of this friendly group. Fortnightly meetings are held on a Monday, at
the East Coker Hall from 2.30pm 4.00pm.
Transport can be arranged if required.
On offer is a varied
programme of events such as informative and interesting talks, slide shows,
bazaars, bring and buy sales, craft exhibitions, day trips, theatre visits, tea
dances and the annual Birthday and Christmas party's.
A time to chat over a cup
of tea and cake finishes each session and you could even win a raffle
prize. Interested? Then contact Alison Charles 863137
Forthcoming
Events
16 October Craft
Competition and Exhibition 30
October Slides of East Coker
20 November Christmas
Bazaar 27
November Carol Service at St Michael's
11 December Christmas
Party
Young People
EAST COKER
SCOUT GROUP
We have vacancies in both
sections of our Cubs and Scouts. Boys
and Girls, aged between 8-14 years are eligible. Cubs meet Tuesdays, 6.30pm 8.30pm and
Scouts 7.00pm 9.00pm. For further information contact, Dave Webber, Group Scout Leader
474648.
Autumn Jumble Sale to be held at East Coker
Hall on Saturday 14 October at 2.00pm.
All donations of jumble gratefully received. REMEMBER WE WILL COLLECT. Contact Max Bugler 862186
Newspaper Collections: Saturday 28 October, 25 November & 30 December
Beetle Drive Friday 17 November at the
Scout Hut, 7.00pm. Come along for a
fun-filled evening with the family and help to raise funds for our Scouts
selected to go to the World Jamboree next year.
Tickets available from Max Bugler 862186 Adults £2.50, children £1 to
include light refreshments.
MY USA TRIP
In August,
myself and six fellow Scouts headed off for a trip of a lifetime to the United
States of America. We were going to
visit a Scout Troop in Durham, North Carolina.
It was great to spend time with scouts from another country. I made lots of new friends. We went camping by lakes and made
water-slides and did some canoeing. We
visited a Cherokee village in the mountains, and went to Niagara Falls, they
were huge! On our way home we went to
Washington and saw the White House, then New York, where we visited Ground
Zero. I shall never forget my wonderful
holiday. Thank you, to Gary Beales and
Steve Moysey, our leaders, who looked after us all.
Ashley Glover,
East Coker Scout
EAST COKER PRE-SCHOOL
PLAYGROUP
Craft Fair, Sunday 12
November, 10.30am 4.00pm
East Coker Pre-school Playgroup will be
holding its annual Craft Fair at East Coker Hall on Sunday 12 November from
10.30am to 4.00pm. There will be a wide
range of stalls from local craftspeople, displaying jewellery, textiles,
handmade sweets, floral arrangements, painted glass, house plaques, cards and
many tempting gifts.
In the morning, there will be a portrait photographer
(please book beforehand) and in the afternoon a Pot Doodles paint and go
stall, face painting and a childrens Christmas Craft workshop (sponsored by
SWAP).
Delicious refreshments and home-made cakes
will be on sale all day, with light lunches too. Why not make a day of it and do some early
Christmas shopping!
Admission £1, children
free. For further
details, call 864405.
The Churches
ST. MICHAEL'S
CHURCH
Sunday
1 October 10.00am
Harvest Festival. 6.00pm Harvest
Evensong
Wednesday
4 October 7.00pm for 7.30pm
Harvest Supper, East Coker Hall
Sunday
15 October 10.30am
Confirmation at Tintinhull
Sunday
22 October 6.00pm One
World Week (M Whipp)
Sunday
29 October 10.00am Sung
Matins
Saturday
4 November Bonfire &
Firework Party at the Vicarage
Sunday
5 November 10.00am M Whipp speaking at the service. All Soul's Service 6.00pm
Sunday
12 November 10.50am
Remembrance Service
Sunday
19 November 4.00pm
Evensong (first one of the trial time)
Monday
27 November 2.30pm Time to
Share Carol Service
Sunday
3 December 10.00am
Children's Surprise Presentation
Sunday
17 December 6.00pm Seven
Lessons and Carols
Monday
18 December 7.00pm Carol
Singing from Burton Cross-roads
Christmas Eve 8.00am
Holy Communion 10.00am Sung Eucharist 4.00pm Evensong 11.00pm Midnight Mass
Christmas
Day 10.00am Holy
Communion
New
Year's Eve 8.00am
Holy Communion 10.00am sung Matins 4.00pm Evensong
7
January 2007 8.00am
Holy Communion 10.00am Family Service 4.00pm Evensong
Service
For Those We Have Loved But See No Longer
Our annual service at St
Michael's will be on 5 November at 6.00pm.
If you would like the name of a loved one read out, please let me have
it by 29 October. As the list tends to
be fairly long we do just prefer to use just one Christian name for each
person.
Monica 862834
St Michael's Bookstall
Mr Michael Farr's illustrated talk on Herge's
'Tin-Tin' at Coker Court was attended by over sixty people who enjoyed a glass
of wine and a fascinating hour of stories and commentary with pictures. £150 was raised which will be donated to the
Tower Restoration Fund.
ALL SAINTS'
CHURCH CLOSWORTH
Remembrance Service Sunday 12 November 6.30pm
Advent & Christmas Carols Sunday 10 December
6.30pm
Christmas Eve
We have a new surprise author for the Nativity play
and it will put a modern slant on the Nativity story. The service begins at 4.00pm and will last
about 30 minutes. There will be the
usual carols and we hope the children will come dressed as Angels, Shepherds
and Kings, or in more modern dress. We
welcome young as well as those who are older.
It is all very informal. For more
details phone Monica 862834
Christmas Day 9.00am Holy
Communion
ALL SAINTS
CHURCH SUTTON BINGHAM
Services
Sunday 15 October, 11.30am Holy Communion
Wednesday 1 November,
6.30pm, All Saints' Day, Holy
Communion
Sunday 5 November, 9.00am Holy Communion
Sunday 19 November, 11.30am Holy Communion
Sunday 3 December, 9.00am Holy Communion
Sunday 17 December, 11.30am Holy Communion
Tuesday 19 December, 6.30pm Christmas Carol Service
Christmas Day, 11.30am Holy Communion
Sunday 7 January 2007,
9.00am Holy
Communion
Sunday 21 January, 11.30am Holy Communion
Churchwardens Mrs H Snook
474138 and Mr A Denning 474294
EAST COKER CHRISTIAN
FELLOWSHIP
A warm welcome awaits you at the end of Burton Lane.
Services are as follows:
Sundays The Lord's Supper 11.00am. Prayer and Bible Study 6.30pm.
Monthly Family Service on the 2nd Sunday at 11.00am
when The Lord's Supper takes place at 6.30pm instead of the Bible Study. Other events announced weekly.
Contact us on 422594 or 863735
THE MILL
CHURCH
There is a service held at 10.30am each Sunday at East
Coker County Primary School. Our worship
tends to be informal in style. You are
very welcome to join us.
Little Wheelers is a well established Parent and
Toddler Group that runs each Tuesday morning in term time at East Coker Hall,
commencing at 10.30am. It is a chance for
parents to relax and socialise, while their children play. We run Little Wheelers with help from other
churches.
Bridges is a midweek group for teenagers. It is an opportunity for food, friendship and
exploring together the good news of Christianity. There is also a sailing club for young
people, called 'Broadreach'.
We have other groups and activities for adults and for
young people. Up to date information on
all of these events can be found on our website www.millchurch.org.uk which
includes a weekly news-sheet or you can telephone the church office in West
Coker on 864136.
BIBLE MID-WEEK
MEETINGS
Wednesday 18 October, 7.00pm Andrew Reynolds,
Yateley Baptist Church
Wednesday 15 November, 7.00pm Nigel Wilson-Brown,
Chaplain, King's School, Bruton
Monday 11 December, 7.00pm, Carol Service Bishop
Wallace Benn
Wednesday 17 January 2007, 7.00pm, T.B.A.
These meetings will take place in the East Coker
Hall. Do join us and bring your
friends. Refreshments are served after
each meeting.
Roy Hodder 862519
Village News
FLOWER ARRANGING
FOR CHRISTMAS
A course for Christmas Decorations is being run for
six weeks from Thursday 16 November to Thursday 21 December, in the Dampier
Room, East Coker Hall, from 2.00pm 4.00pm.
If anyone is interested, please phone Sue 891400
HELYAR ARMS MACMILLAN COFFEE
MORNING
Michelle Lesch, manager of the Helyar Arms, organised the
Macmillan Coffee Morning at the pub on Friday 29 September, with the help of
the rest of the team. Guests enjoyed
cafetiere coffee, fresh cream sponge cake, fruit loaf, newly-baked scones and
home-made jam. The event attracted about
50 people and raised £513 from the £2.50 entry, a raffle and some very generous
donations.
The event was so successful that the Helyar Arms team has
decided to hold a Coffee Morning on the last Friday of every month from 10.00am
- 12 noon. A different charity will
benefit each time and nominations from the village are welcome.
Michelle and the team are also running a charity car wash at
the pub on Saturday 4 November from 10.00am 3.00pm in aid of Cancer Research
UK. £3 for a car wash; £5 for a wash and vacuum.
KAY BIGGIN'S 100TH BIRTHDAY
Kay would like to thank everyone for their generosity
and for all their cards and good wishes.
A total of £2,059 was raised for the Yeovil Hospice during Kay's
birthday celebrations last July.
EAST COKER POST
OFFICE & STORES CHRISTMAS
DISPLAY
Steve and Lisha would love to see you at this year's
Christmas display on Wednesday 1 November and Thursday 2 November. Come along and get your presents and gifts
for Christmas. All welcome
NOTES FROM
THE OBSERVATORY
Autumnal
Equinox, 23 September 2006
Although Autumn begins
officially today, the mild, almost summery, weather continues. Our hot spell began at the end of June and
continued well into July, which was reputed to have been the hottest July for
many years. A spell of 17 consecutive
days when the shade temperature exceeded 21ΊC (70ΊF) began on 12 July. The village's warmest day was on the 19 July,
when the shade maximum reached 31.8ΊC (89.2ΊF).
This warm weather continued into August for a further week, but that
holiday month was rather disappointing.
Cool, cloudy days followed with some heavy showers on the 17/18 & 19
August. To make up for that poor weather
September has been warm and bright so far, with a few light showers to revive
the lawns. Rainfall, so far, this year
has been only 381mm (15 inches), compared with last year's figure of 435mm (17
inches), and 2004's figure of 635mm (25 inches), for the same period.
Although I have received
reports of plentiful butterflies in other parts of the village, my sightings
have been very low. While Large and
Small Whites have been the most numerous species, I have seen only single
specimens of Small Tortoiseshells (12 July), Red Admirals, Peacocks and
Commas. Meadow Browns and Speckled Woods
appeared in the hot weather, while the less common Pale Clouded Yellow flew on
7 August.
Wood pigeons seemed to enjoy
eating elderflowers and later tucked into the ripening elderberries. A correspondent reported a buzzard coming
down to attack a young pigeon squab and being driven off by the parent. I received a report of low flying and honking
Canada Geese flying over in late August.
The usual common garden birds, which deserted the garden in late spring,
began to return in September. Starlings,
Blackbirds, Greenfinches, Robins, Wrens and Tits appeared in early September,
but ignored food put out for them.
After welcome showers,
snails appeared. One fully grown
specimen moved up my window-pane at a speed of 5 inches per minute. I have no idea if this is a normal speed for
a snail but it would take almost nine days to cover a mile!
The few damp days in August
also brought forth many spiders. The
usual large house-spider Tegenaria, usually found in the bath and lurking
in dark places, seems to be giving way to the smaller, but long legged Pholcus, that spin rather tangled, disorganised
but numerous webs indoors. In the garden
the large webs of the garden spider are showing up in the cool September
mornings. A count of the number of
spirals in one web, gave about 40 turns supported by the same number of
radials.
The coming months will show
no great features in the night sky. Most
of the planets will be in unfavourable positions for evening viewing. Saturn will be an early morning planet in the
S.E. while Venus will be low in the S.E before sunrise for a few weeks. The constellation of Pegasus, (the Winged Horse)
will be in the evening sky to the South, moving slowly westward in October and
November. Below the Square of Pegasus is
Aquarius, (the Water Carrier) with Pisces, (the Fishes) to the East of Pegasus.
Francis Cloke 862496
EXHIBITION &
PRESENTATION ON FLAX
& HEMP BASED
INDUSTIRES
This is an advance notice
that on Friday 2 February, in the evening, and on Saturday 3 February, during
the day, in the East Coker Hall, there will be exhibitions, discussions and
presentations on the Flax Industries based in and around East Coker and
Wessex. Flax has been grown for around
700 years and was an important part of the life of the villagers of East
Coker. Please see next January's
Newsletter for more information.
RSPB COFFEE
MORNING
This will be held on Saturday 28 October, in the East
Coker Hall, 10.00am 12 noon. Entrance
50p including refreshments. Come and buy
your RSPB Christmas cards, calendars and gifts.
There will be a cake stall, bring & buy and a raffle. For further details or offers of help contact
Lorna Doyle 862439
EAST COKER PARISH
COUNCIL
Following the distribution of the Rights of
Way maps, it was discovered that one footpath had been missed off the County
Council Mastermap, which was not noticed before we went to print and
delivery. Apologies for this! Below is the route of the omitted path. It runs from the Cemetery to Moor Lane and is classified as Y9/29. All later maps have been amended, but please
add the detail (in red) to your own copies:
The Parish Council
and the Lengthsman are hoping to sort out the drainage problem at the top of Back Lane (Y9/41), which has left the
surface wet, even during this dry summer. Please be aware that a mini digger
may be working on the lane this autumn.
Plans are under way for repair work to the Cemetery Chapel and the Lychgate.
Some remedial work may also have to be done to the Cemetery wall,
adjacent to the road, which will involve the use of traffic lights on Cemetery
Hill.
Plans have been accepted to enlarge the parking area at the Pavilion.
Children are still climbing on the Pavilion Roof and vandalizing the
pavilion area. Please make sure they are
not YOUR children!
Parish
Events - please check the Village Diary at the village shop to avoid
clashes when organising events in the village.
This will hopefully give maximum support for every organisation.
WHERE
NEXT? It was noted on the new Rights of Way map
that the Cockerel had been transposed during printing now facing to the right
instead of the left. He also seems to
have had a bit of a facelift! Is this
Slick-Chick, perhaps, marching on to the future, rather than looking back..?
'MY VILLAGE'
I
live, with my husband, and family, in an old cottage, which we are restoring,
in the village of East Coker, near Yeovil, in Somerset. As I lie in bed anticipating the day ahead,
and all there is to do, I see the condensation on the window in the early
morning light, looking as fine as an old piece of lace. Heat from the radiator under the window has
already cleared a small oval shape, which affords me a miniature view of the
village.
T
S Eliot is only one famous person to immortalise its beauty, others may not
have been well-known, but have been stirred enough to put quill-pen or 'biro'
to paper recording their feelings. In
the present 20th Century, East Coker holds its own. Gone is the squire and his family, and with
them their large gracious houses, now divided into small units for today's
people. Along with the squire, has gone
the sight of men toiling in the fields, horse-drawn vehicles, the old webbing
factory, saw-mills, bakers, boot-maker and many other old trades. However, the Church and Chapel remain, and
sheep may safely graze, even if it be to the accompanying noise of the motor
car, aeroplane, telephone, and all that constitutes the way of life today.
Our
school flourishes, and there are plenty of happy, healthy children to fill
it. Small factory units now replace the
saw-mill, and provide employment; there is a garage, and public houses. Our new 'village hall' encourages and
shelters may social gatherings, among the regular clubs are Time to Share, for
the elderly, Keep Fit, Wine Circle, Toddler's Playgroup, Line Dancing, Badminton,
Short Mat Bowls and the W I, which along with the Flower Show have withstood
the march of time, and continues with its structure intact.
As
the heat from the radiator melts the last of the condensation, East Coker, in
all its beauty is revealed.
Flora
Duley about 1984
NEXT ISSUE
The next issue of the
Newsletter will be in January 2007.
Copy, please, to Lesley Lindsay, Little Meadow, Coker Marsh, East Coker
or e-mail Lesley Lindsay or to the East Coker Post Office & Stores by 4
January 2007.