THE Dog Owners Coffee Mornings in Wellington are now to meet every week, instead of every other week, on Wednesdays at 10 am @ Coffee#1, Wellington. We will also be looking to start something similar in Taunton.

I may mention that we found a pub near Taunton called the “The Lamb and Flag” (Blagdon Hill, on the Blackdown Hills) which we shall shortly be visiting for dinner. We contacted the management, sending a photo of my Chihuahua dog called Flag, with one of his favourite cuddly toys, which happens to be a Lamb! I included a short bio of Flags amazing community endeavours and how he hopes to continue since we moved here from Torbay, raising money for local charities and putting smiles on people's faces.

Flag has an almost magical effect on people and when he went with me recently to Musgrove Park Hospital, for my cancer check up, the nurses and staff/consultants were very excited to meet him.

THE Friends of The Museum of Somerset (FOTMOS) were pleased to welcome Mike Motum to their May meeting to talk about the History of the Somerset Light Infantry. Mike is a former army officer, now regional secretary West for The Rifles, chair of trustees of the South West Heritage Trust, and a deputy lieutenant of Somerset since 2012.

The origins of this unit go back to 1685 when it was formed in order to defeat the Duke of Monmouth. In those days, regiments were known by the name of their colonel, so it changed its name many times from Huntingdon’s Regiment of Foot, right up to Pulteney’s Regiment of Foot, etcetera. Over the years, these changes of name have continued, together with mergers with other regiments, culminating in the formation of the Somerset Light Infantry in 1881.

The Regiment saw service in very many conflicts over the years: the Jacobite rebellions (1745), the West Indies (1790), and the Peninsular War (early 1800s). It was posted to India for 23 years (mid-19th century), during which time it was involved in the First Burma War (1824-26), and the defence of Jellalabad during the First Afghan War (1839-42), after which the name was added to the regimental badge, and subsequently the Burmese Cross erected in Taunton town centre.

There followed action in the Boer War, and of course the First and Second World Wars. Post-war, the Regiment was involved in the Malayan Emergency.

The Somerset Light Infantry in all its incarnations has given 274 years of service to the country. In 2007, it was merged with other Light Infantry and Rifle Regiments to form The Rifles. The next talk on Tuesday, June 16 will be on Nursery Rhymes – A Hidden History, at 7.30 pm at the Museum. If you would like to join us, please email [email protected]

DIVERSIONS had to be put in place after a tree fell near Chelston Park Nursing Home on Tuesday, June 2, blocking the A38 Wellington Relief Road.

Police initially attended the incident but the local authority and highways teams were able to remove the tree. A spokesperson from the home said the tree was removed relatively quickly and the road re-opened.

A COFFEE morning held in Bulford Community Hall, in Wellington, on Wednesday (June 3) was so well attended that more than £500 was raised for good causes.

The proceeds were shared evenly between the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance charity and the cost of operating a respiratory lung machine in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, with each receiving £265.10.

Thanks were expressed to everybody who supported the social event and helped to organise it, in particular the hall committee and Beryl Card, Mandy Parsons, and Wendy Parsons, who share the same name but are friends rather than relatives.

TAUNTON Deane Male Voice Choir is holding a Summer Sounds concert on Saturday, June 13, at Taunton Minster as part of their 80th anniversary year celebrations.

Special guests for the evening are Budleigh Salterton Male Voice Choir. Tickets are £12.50, available on 01823 432495, or via tauntondeanmvc.com or the Taunton Visitor Centre on 01823 340470.

The retiring collection will be in aid of Cancer Research UK, Taunton. Doors open at 6.30 pm for a start at 7 pm.

VOLUNTEER Sue Twose is being celebrated by Somerset NHS Foundation Trust for her continued work for the community.

Having spent nearly five decades in nursing, teaching and training large numbers of nurses in Somerset she is continuing to give back by supporting student nurses with her volunteer role through a structured placement programme, meeting them around once a week or fortnight as a group to coach and develop their skills. The role was created for her by the trust in 2022 so that her experience and expertise could continue to benefit students.

Sandra Webb, head of future workforce at SFT and a former student of Sue’s, said: “Sue Twose is a very well-known and respected figure at the trust. Sue worked as a nurse and midwife at Musgrove Park Hospital in a number of roles, and her career has also included international work and contributions to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a senior member of the fitness to practice directorate.

“We’re incredibly fortunate that Sue will continue supporting our nursing students and colleagues through her volunteering role, helping to inspire many more nurses in Somerset. We’d like to thank Sue, her impact has been far reaching in healthcare in Somerset.”

Trust nurse Rachel Adams added: “Sue taught both me and my husband, on the adult nursing course between 1998 and 2002. Even though it’s been 25 years, she made a lasting impression on us both.

“Sue made a huge difference to us. We are both still working as nurses within the trust today, and we’re incredibly grateful for the part she played in our journey.”

FOLLOWING the success of our 2025 Charity Day, when our Club donated £1000 to Devon Air Ambulance, we are delighted to announce the details of our 2026 Charity Day.

Members, young and not so young, will be giving up their time to provide visitors with the opportunity to experience the fun of silent flight with an experienced instructor, whilst raising money for this year's charities.

The 2026 Charity Day is taking place at home of Devon and Somerset Gliding Club at North Hill Airfield, Sheldon, Honiton, Devon, EX14 4QW on Friday, June 19.

Visitors can book either a winch launch (the exciting way to get into the air!) where our winch will launch the glider to around 1000 feet above the airfield, for a flight of up to 10 minutes. Or visitors can book an aerotow where our Eurofox tug aircraft will tow the glider to 2000 feet above the airfield - this will generally be a longer flight of up to 20 minutes and a more gentle way to get into the air.

The length of the flights will be dependant on the weather and depending on same our visitors may be able to experience ridge lift, soar in thermals (maybe with our local Buzzards or even the occasional Red Kite), or simply float gently back down to land back at the airfield.

Either way visitors will be able to experience the amazing sensation of silent flight, powered by nature itself, and at the same time help support the two charities benefiting from this year’s Charity Day. This year we again hope to raise at least £1000 to be split between the two nominated charities: Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and HospisCare.

THE environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy is appealing for passionate volunteers who are leading in the fight against litter pollution in the South West’s communities to become part of its national Litter Heroes Ambassador programme. There are currently 27 ambassadors located across the South West region and the aim is to increase that number even further.

Litter Heroes Ambassadors work across England, supporting communities to carry out year-round litter-picking activities to tackle more than two million pieces of rubbish that are dropped every day. They also encourage other pro-environmental activities, promoting and taking part in Keep Britain Tidy’s campaigns including the Great British Spring Clean and Buy Nothing New Month.

Keep Britain Tidy, which was originally established by the Women’s Institute in 1954, is looking for enthusiastic volunteers across Somerset who are passionate about eradicating litter. The charity’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: “Our amazing family of Ambassadors play an incredibly important role in tackling litter and protecting the environment, inspiring hundreds of others to take action.

“We warmly welcome applications from people of all backgrounds in the South West, particularly those from ethnic minority communities and people with disabilities or health conditions, whose voices and experiences are currently underrepresented. Your contribution will help make our work stronger, more representative, and more impactful.”

People can register their interest on Keep Britain Tidy’s website.