A year of fun, friendship and fundraising were the key themes highlighted at West Buckland WI’s annual meeting, held recently (May 13) in the village hall.

President Christine Wombwell welcomed a strong turnout and opened the meeting by introducing Paul Alway, chair and trustee of the local charity SURE (Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment).

Mr Alway said that the charity has a simple mission, which is to support the NHS in Taunton so that local people can access the best possible cancer treatment without having to travel miles to Bristol.

The charity is run by volunteers and 99.5 per cent of every pound goes directly to buying equipment and making the Musgrove Park Beacon Centre a clinical centre of excellence.

Following a year of fundraising President Christine was pleased to present Mr Alway with a cheque and an overflowing collection tin.

Mr Alway expressed his gratitude and said that donations from groups across Somerset were vital as the hi- tech radiotherapy equipment had to be replaced every 10 years.

Secretary Cheryl Bailey then presented an annual review of the year and reported 54 registered members. She said it had been a busy time with a full programme of informative speakers and social events, including a 60s and 70s themed evening. The WI also runs thriving and well attended sub groups focused on members’ interests.

Treasurer Carole Smith formally presented the annual accounts for approval.

The existing committee of Christine Wombwell, Cheryl Bailey, Carole Smith, Heather Bubb, Gillian McGoun, Sandra Featherstone and Enid Halliwell was then elected to serve for another year, along with new committee member Christine Warn.

Christine Wombwell was then re-elected as president, leading into West Buckland WI’s 90th anniversary year in 2026. She thanked all members for their support and looked forward to some exciting events to celebrate the 90th year.

Annual awards were then presented. The Elsie Purchase Cup for ‘going above and beyond’ went to Heather Bubb, the WIs most prolific cake maker!

Heather Bailey received the Bill Giles Cup for overall success in the monthly competition and Jean Morrish scooped the Kurling Trophy for best player.

Members then enjoyed tea, coffee and biscuits and an opportunity to socialise.

West Buckland WI meets at 7.30 pm on the second Tuesday of each month at the village hall, and new members are always welcome. The next meeting is on Tuesday, 10 June.

If you would like to visit or join West Buckland WI, contact Christine Wombwell on 01823 652863 or 07736 712273.

During May and June we venture out visiting local gardens to admire what other gardeners have created and to gather ideas for our own patches. This month we visited Postbox Cottage at West Bagborough, and what a treat it was.

Jill and Martin moved into Postbox Cottage in 2004 and have been creating and reshaping their one and a half acres ever since, and for the past few years have been opening their garden to the public to raise money for St Margaret’s Hospice.

The house, dating from around 1750, was once the village bakery and shop. Entry to the back of the house and garden is through a double barn door, large enough for a horse and cart to access. The garden itself faces south, slopes down away from the house, and is formed of a number of “rooms.”

The first section is a walled garden filled with flowering perennials, grasses and potted plants. The hosts were particularly attractive in their pots and amazingly free from any sign of slug and snail activity.

Clumps of persicaria purple fantasy with its attractive triangular leaves and purple markings were also noticeable; while its small pompon flowers appearing in summer are attractive to pollinators, as a member of the knotweed family, it can be a bit of a thug if left unchecked.

The vegetables and soft fruit area looked particularly productive; with some plants, such as broad beans, well advanced compared to members’ own efforts.

The remainder of the garden, leading down to a small pond, was made up of borders consisting of herbaceous flowers, shrubs and trees. Two shrubs of particular note were the Scilly daisy bush a beautiful shrub with its profusion of white flowers, and the Chilean fire bush displaying its tubular scarlet flowers.

Some of the trees were real specimens, most notably the wedding cake tree – a variety of cornus native to China, Korea, the Himalayas and Japan – with its multiple tiered branches, and the Bladdernut with its clusters of bell- or cup-shaped white flowers, which in the Autumn become two- or three-lobed bladder-like fruit.

The garden also contained plenty of seating which offered wonderful views of the garden and surrounding countryside. Just right to sit with a cup of tea and piece of delicious home-made cake, and take in the beautiful surroundings.

A quiz question for readers:

What is the connection between West Bagborough and Wellington? The answer is the Popham family: Bagborough House was built in 1739 by Thomas Popham and enlarged in 1820 and 1900, which the owners (Diana and Philip Brook-Popham) now offer as a unique wedding reception venue.

Further information on Sampford Arundel Gardening Club, the visits and its usual monthly meetings are available from Sue or Nick on 01823 672662.

Do you have fairies at the bottom of your garden? After the introduction of the new chair, treasurer and committee to the members unable to attend the AGM, this was the question posed by our speaker, Mr Brian Wright.

Preconceptions were severely shaken when Brian explained that fairies were not necessarily translucent beings with gossamer wings, but came in all shapes and sizes with very different characteristics.

They also have different names, depending on which part of the country they make their home. Brian’s amusing and informative talk was accompanied by some very good slides illustrating this fact.

It would appear that some fairies are helpful and accommodating, while others were spiteful and naughty and play nasty tricks.

For myself and one or two others, a highlight was a picture of an old fashioned Brownie (Guide) in the familiar brown cotton dress complete with leather belt and woollen beanie hat, standing beside the big spotted toadstool we used to dance around.

Oh, happy memories. Robbie thanked Mr Wright, and we hope he will come again to entertain us with another of his fascinating talks.

Next month’s meeting takes place on June 9 at the rugby club, commencing with coffee or tea from 10.15am. Please bring your own mug.

Residents and staff at Nynehead Court came together this week for a heartfelt and joyful VE Day celebration, filled with music, laughter and moments of quiet reflection. The afternoon paid tribute to a defining moment in history while offering the kind of warmth, companionship and community spirit that defines life at Nynehead Court.

The home was decorated for the occasion, with union flag bunting, vintage touches, and beautifully laid tables setting the scene for a traditional afternoon tea. Residents dressed in red, white and blue, many sharing their own memories of wartime and post-war celebrations.

A lively singalong of 1940s favourites brought everyone together in song, with “We’ll Meet Again” proving especially poignant. The music prompted conversations, smiles, and the occasional tear, as memories resurfaced and stories were exchanged.

The celebration was accompanied by a lovingly prepared spread from Nynehead’s kitchen team, featuring delicate sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, and homemade cakes, all served with a glass of Buck’s Fizz for a touch of sparkle.

Guests also took time to browse through wartime memorabilia and old photographs, with staff joining residents to reflect and reminisce. The event closed with a toast to absent friends and a moving rendition of the national anthem.

A RETURN visit to St Mary’s Charity and Coffee Shop, Hemyock, showed that it continues to go from strength to strength since it first opened in 2012 and a visit can certainly be recommend.

Held at the Church Room on the Hemyock to Dunkeswell road and running from 10am to noon every Tuesday and the first Saturday of the month, it is a popular meeting place for locals, walkers, holidaymakers, and those from the surrounding area.

The idea of the charity shop, which covers two rooms, came from Brian Samuels, a Wellington resident and bellringer at St Mary’s Church, after seeing a similar one while on holiday.

Its ethos is to donate 25 per cent of its annual profit, more than £1,000 in 2024, to three mainly local charities once a year, with the remainder going to the upkeep of the Church Room.

After having a good browse what could be better than enjoying a cuppa and delicious cake at the cafe run by the Friends of St Mary’s and chatting to friends old and new.

The volunteers who run the shop and cafe are warm and welcoming and would be delighted to see more visitors.