News in Radstock

A local artist has been successfully shortlisted in an international open art competition organised by Wells Art Contemporary (WAC).

Now in its 9th year, Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) received a record-breaking number of entries from 50 different countries for its open visual art competition. Out of nearly 3,600 submissions, a shortlist of 128 pieces has been selected, including Sandra Porter from Norton St Philip.

The history, accomplishments and experiences of black people will be celebrated throughout October in Bath and North East Somerset as part of a national event.

Bath & North East Somerset Council is highlighting a range of activities and information that residents can access as part of Black History Month throughout October.

Bath-based Curo has announced it will work with South West housing associations Alliance Homes and Magna Housing to help speed up delivery of new homes in the region through its Strategic Partnership with Homes England.

The funding arrangement was secured jointly with Swan Housing Association last year.

As the microchipping of horses becomes compulsory in England this coming month, the RSPCA fears it will not be enough to prevent an impending horse welfare catastrophe - as the charity reveals that it dealt with 79 incidents involving horses in Somerset during the Covid crisis.

As the charity launches its month-long rehoming drive, Adoptober, it reveals that nationally the number of horses in its care is already three times what it was at the start of the last recession in 2009, and said it is braced for huge numbers of abandoned and neglected horses as the country plunges into an even deeper financial downturn.

Jacob Rees Mogg MP writes:

This week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer unveiled his Winter Economy Plan, which will provide assurances to workers and businesses who continue to be affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The council is warning of changes being made to the biggest and most central of Bath car parks.

Temporary changes are being made to both vehicle and pedestrian access to Charlotte Street Car Park in Bath next month, due to electricity works by Western Power.

It is not yet October - but the team at the popular charity Swallow Cafe in Radstock say that if you want to have one of their famed Christmas lunches better book soon.

They will be serving up a traditional Christmas lunch from November 17 until December 17, Mondays to Fridays from noon until 3pm.

There was one lone protest poster on the railings at the engineering work at the site of the new Hope House Medical Centre in Radstock today (September 28).

As you can see from these photos, work is moving on rapidly.

Local solicitors Thatcher+ Hallam have announced the expansion of their Family Law team with the appointment of Nicola Cable as a consultant with the firm. William Weller is the Managing Partner at Thatcher + Hallam and he is delighted at the appointment.

'Nicola is highly experienced and brilliant with clients and it is great to now have her as part of our Family Law team,' explains William. 'Even before the pandemic and the effects of lock-down , due to client demand we were always looking to expand our Family Law team. It was however important that we had the right candidate to join our already excellent team. We are fully confident that we have that candidate in Nicola.'

Radstock's Mayor Rupert Bevan offers his thoughts:

'Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosom friend of the maturing sun.' So wrote John Keats in the first stanza of his immortal poem, 'Ode to Autumn.'