C o n d u i t

Domestic and contract 

flooring specialists 

34 Princes Street, 

Yeovil, BA20 1EQ 

Tel: 01935 478100 

walterwallyeovil@hotmail.co.uk 

C o n d u i t 

Issue 180 February 2016 

The 

Magazine 

See inside for Snowdrop garden openings 

WIN 

2 Pairs of Tickets to 

YAOS 'Evita' 

See Page 32 

A Pair of Tickets to 

‘The Sons of Pitches’ 

See Page 31 

Good Luck! 

Cannot find a copy 

of us each month? 

then download us from 

www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

Special Features 

Antiques & Collecting - 26-28 

SSDC Food Trade Show - 22-23 

Regular Features on: 

Antiques - 27 

Art - 30-33 

Coffee Break Trivia - 24 

Fashion & More - 25 

Food & Drink - 18-23 

Finance - 35 

Gardening - 14 

History - 24 

Home & Interiors - 13 

Jewellery & Gems - 25 

Legal - 35 

Lettings Arena - 12 

Recipe of the Month - 18 

Online Marketing - 34 

Pet Health - 37 

Property - 10-13 

Pub Gigs - 17 

Restaurant Review - 19 

Save on Bills - 36 

Sports - 37 

Town News - 15-17 

Travel - 29 

Village News - 5-9 

Yeovil Ales - 21 

+ 

Bargain Hunters Corner - 39 

Call an Expert - 38 

Antigue Private Sales - 27 

What’s On in February - 2-4 

Front Cover Competition - 5 

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Serving Bruton, Castle Cary, Sherborne, Somerton, Wincanton, Yeovil & surrounding Villages 

To Advertise Remember in this Magazine to Call tell 01935 advertisers 424724 you saw or Email: it in info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

The Conduit Magazine!

What’s On 

* Free admission to all events 

marked with an asterisk 

Due to space restrictions if any event is already fully 

booked we no longer include them in our calendar. 

JANUARY 

29th-31st 

29th 

‘Cinderella’ panto, Davis 

Hall, West Camel, 

7.30pm (+ 2.30pm Sat) 

Energy and Sustainability 

for Community Buildings 

workshop, Hilfield Friary, 

Evershot,10.00am 

‘Smuggling in Dorset & 

Hampshire’ talk, 

Caryford Hall, 

Castle Cary, 2.30pm 

Yeovil Hospital Charity 

Quiz Night, Castle 

Gardens, Sherborne, 

7.30pm 

‘Amy’ film, David Hall, 

South Petherton, 8.00pm 

Alan Barnes, Bobby 

Wellins & Jim Mullen 

30th 

31st 

live, Ilminster 

Arts Centre, 8.00pm 

‘Pastels’ one day class, 

Digby Hall, Sherborne, 

10.00am-4.00pm 

‘Innominato Consort’, 

St Mary Megdalene’s Church, 

Barwick, Nr Yeovil, 7.30pm 

Kathryn Roberts & Sean 

Lakeman, Hornblotten 

Village Hall, 7.30pm 

Surprise Entertainment, 

Great Bow Wharf, 

Langport, 7.30pm 

Pennard Plants Potato Day & 

Seed Fair, Caryford Community 

Hall, Castle Cary, 

10.30am-2.00pm* 

Toy Collectors Fair, 

Bath & West Showground, 

Shepton Mallet, 

10.30am-2.30pm 

Cinema Italian Day, 

Wadham School, 

Crewkerne, 11.00am 

‘The Snow Queen’ ballet, 

Octagon Theatre, Yeovil, 

FEBRUARY 

1st 

2nd 

3rd 

2.00pm 

Vogler Quartet & Richard 

Hosford concert, 

Dillington House, 

Nr Ilminster, 2.30pm 

‘Suffragette’ film, The 

Exchange, Sturminster 

Newton, 7.00pm 

Performance Evening, 

David Hall, 


Sherborne Young 

Musician Competition 

Deadline 

‘The Art & Craft of the 

Pewterer’ lecture, 



‘Planning Spring Colour 

& Interest in the Garden’ 

talk, Methodist Church, 


‘The Drama of Salvation’ 

talk, Digby Church Hall, 

Sherborne, 7.30pm 

‘History of Sherborne’ 

talk, Langport Library, 

7.30pm 

Battens Legal Clinic, Balsam 

Centre, Wincanton, 

9.00am-12.30pm* 

Duke’s General Auction, 

Weymouth Avenue, 

Dorchester, 10.30am* 

‘New Hall Discoveries 

since 2000’ talk, 

Methodist Church, 


‘Life of a Chalk Stream’ 

talk, Caryford Hall, 


‘Legend’ film, The Queens 

4th 

5th 

Arms, Corton Denham, 7.15pm 

Sinfonia Classica and 

Tamsin Little, Octagon 

Theatre, Yeovil, 7.30pm 

‘Graffiti Classics - A 

Comedy Cabaret String 

Quartet’, Charlton 

Horethorne Village Hall, 

7.30pm 

‘Hostas, Heucheras & 

Hellebores’ talk, Mudford 


‘The Blues Band’, 


7.30pm 

‘Zulu Tradition’, The 



‘New Tricks for Old 

Gardeners’ talk, 

West Chinnock Village 

Hall, 7.30pm 

Lawrence Auction, 

(Books, Maps & 

Manuscripts), Crewkerne, 

10.00am* 

‘Snowdrop’ service, 

Sherborne Catholic 

Church, 11.00am 

‘Millennium Stained 

Glass Windows’ lecture, 



Gourmet Wine Evening, 

New Farm Restaurant, 

Over Stratton, 7.30pm 

‘The Unreturning Army’ 

talk, Holy Trinity Church, 

Yeovil, 7.30pm 

‘Messiah’ (Sherborne School 

Choral Society & Sherborne 

Girls), Wells Cathedral, 

7.30pm 

‘The Classic Rock’, 


MARCH 

ADVERT 

DEADLINE: 

MONDAY 

15th 

FEBRUARY 

January/February Exhibitions: 

Now-13th Feb 

15th-27th Feb 

29th Feb-19th Mar 

‘In The Mix’ Exhibition, Ilminster Arts Centre, 9.30am-4.30pm 

‘Schools Go Visual V’ Exhibition, Ilminster Arts Centre, 9.30am-4.30pm 

‘Two Tell Tales’ Exhibition, Ilminster Arts Centre, 9.30am-4.30pm 

2 To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

7.30pm 

‘Tales from the Bawdy 

Bardess’ talk, David Hall, 


Kathryn Roberts & Sean 

Lakeman, Compton 

Dundon Village Hall, 

8.00pm 

6th Produce Market, Market 

House, Ilminster, 

8.30am-12.30pm* 

ArtsLink Saturday Family 

Fun Day, St Pauls Church 

Hall, Sherborne, 

10.00am-12.30pm* 

Vickery’s General Sale, 

Ash, Nr Martock, 

10.30am* 

Charity Market & Table 

Top Sale, Merriott Social 

Club, 10.00am-1.00pm 

WI Jumble Sale, 

Bradford Abbas Village 

Hall, 2.00pm 

‘The Spy from Tisbury’ 

talk, Caryford Hall, 


Sean Lakeman & Kathryn 

Roberts, North Cadbury 


‘The Forbidden Door’ 

play, Sandford Orcas 

Church, 7.30pm 

Kieran Halpin, David Hall, 


6th-7th ‘We’re Going on a Bear 

Hunt’ play, David Hall, 

South Petherton, various 

times 

7th Charterhouse Auction (Classic & 

Vintage Motorcycles), Bath & 

West Showground, 

Shepton Mallet, 10.00am* 

Snowdrop Display, 

Mapperton Gardens, 

Nr Beaminster, 

11.00am-4.00pm 

8th Somerton Sings, 

West Street Church, 

Somerton, 10.45am 

‘Unplugged’ concert, 

David Hall, South 

Petherton, 8.00pm 

9th Battens Legal Clinic, 

The Shambles, Castle Cary, 

9.00am-12.30pm* 

10th ‘The History of Dorchester 

Prison’ talk, Jubilee Hall, 

Yetminster, 2.30pm 

Conduit Dinner Club, Truffles 

Restaurant, Bruton, 7.00pm 

‘Suffragette’ film, Digby 

Church Hall, Sherborne, 

7.30pm 

10th-13th ‘Alice in Wonderland’ 

panto, The Exchange, 

Sturminster Newton, 

2.30pm & 7.30pm 

11th 

12th 

13th 

13th-27th 

Valuation Day, Ilminster 

Arts Centre, 

10.00am-1.00pm 

‘Introduction to iPads’ 

workshop, Mudford 

Village Hall, 2.00pm* 

‘Herbs’ talk, Digby Hall, 


‘Plant Conservation’ talk, 

East Coker Village Hall, 

7.30pm 

‘Container Gardening’ 

talk, Queen Camel 


‘Trug Making, Gypsy 

Flowers and Besom 

Brooms’ talk, Seavington 

St Mary Hall, 7.30pm 

‘My Year as Lord Mayor’ 

talk, The Gryphon 

Conference Centre, 


‘Suite Francaise’ film, 

West Coker Hall, 7.45pm 

‘The Schmoozebergs’, 

Henhayes Centre, 

Crewkerne, 7.45pm 

Quiz, Whitelackington 


‘Glamorous Nights - From 

Hoagy Carmichael to 

Peggy Lee’, Ilminster Arts 

Centre, 8.00pm 

Julian Dawson, David 

Hall, South Petherton, 

8.00pm 

Chasty Cottage Antique Fair, 


9.30am-4.00pm 

Ukulele Workshop: 

Improvers Course, 

Dillington House, 9.45am 

West Country Fairs Valentine’s 

Flea Market, Digby Church Hall, 

Sherborne, 10.00am-4.00pm* 

Valentine’s Day Market, 

Martock Precinct, 

10.00am-1.00pm* 

Open Day, St Mary 

Magdalene’s Church, Barwick, 

Nr Yeovil, 10.00am-3.00pm 

Village Café, Sandford 

Orcas Village Hall, 

10.30am-12.00 noon 

‘Suffragette’ film, East 

Coker Village Hall, 

7.30pm 

Valentine’s Disco, David 

Hall, South Petherton, 

7.30pm 

‘Suffragette’ film, 

Hinton St George Village 

Hall, 7.30pm 

‘Blake’, Octagon Theatre, 


Bespoke Fabric Sale, 

Market Place, Somerton, 

9.30am-5.00pm 

13th Feb Snowdrop Display, 

Milterne Gardens starts, 

10.00am 

14th Charterhouse Auction 

(Classic & Vintage Cars), 


Shepton Mallet, 10.00am* 

Snowdrop Display, 

Mapperton Gardens, 

Nr Beaminster, 

11.00am-4.00pm 

Valentine’s Day Stroll, 

start Sherborne Abbey, 

2.00pm 

‘You Say Potato’ lecture, 



‘Monkey!’ puppet show, 

Cerne Abbas Village 

Hall, 4.00pm 

‘A Celebration of Marriage’ 

Service, St Mary Magdalene’s 

Church, Barwick, nr Yeovil, 6.00pm 

Valentines Opera Soiree, 

The Exchange, 

Sturminster Newton, 8.00pm 

15th ‘Suffragette’ film, Cerne 

Abbas Village Hall, 

7.30pm 

‘Suffragette’ film, 

Leigh Village Hall, 7.30pm 

‘Climbers and Wall 

shrubs’ talk, Village Hall, 


Jazz Jam Session, 

Ilminster Arts Centre, 8.00pm 

16th Battens Legal Clinic, 

Balsam Centre, Wincanton, 

© The publisher is The Conduit Magazine Limited. The layout, format, design and all other aspects of this magazine are an original idea and therefore copyright of 

the publisher. No part of the contents may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior permission in writing. Whilst every care is taken in compiling the contents 

of this magazine, the proprietor assumes no responsibility for mistakes and omissions. The views of our contributors is not necessarily the view of the publisher. 

The Conduit Magazine 

Higher Mudford, Nr Yeovil BA21 5TD 

01935 424724 

E-mail: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

Editor 

Franchesca 

Dening 

Editor’s Assistant 

Lauren 

Hill 

Chasty 

Cottage 

Antiques 

Saturday 

13th February 

9.30-4.00 

Entry £1 

Digby Hall, Hound Street, 

Sherborne, DT9 3AA 

Enquiries 01963 370986 

Enhanced 

What’s On Listing 

Your event is highlighted in colour 

and included in editorial for just £6! 

Call us now on 01935 424724 

See page 17 

Music Gigs 

VALENTINE FLEA MARKET 

Digby Church Hall, Sherborne 

Saturday 13th February 

10.00am-4.00pm 

Admission free West Country Fairs 01749 677049 

Graphic Designer 

Richard 

Scott 

MARCH DEADLINES 

News and Articles: 

Thursday 11th FEBRUARY 

Advertisements: 

Monday 15th FEBRUARY

9.00am-12.30pm* 

ArtsLink Arts Buffet, 


10.00am-12.00 noon & 

1.30pm-3.30pm* 

Lent Lunch, Trent Village 

Hall, 12.30pm-1.30pm 

Miles Travel & 1st Class 

Holidays Canadian Evening, 

Manor Hotel, Yeovil, 7.00pm* 

‘Dreamtime to Machine 

Time’ lecture, Caryford 

Hall, Castle Cary, 11.00am 

Valuation Day, Martock 

Primary School, 

11.00am-3.00pm 

16th-20th ‘Carousel’ musical, 

Piddletrenthide Memorial 

Hall, 7.00pm 

17th McCubbing & Redfern Auction 

(Fine Art, Antique & Collectables), 

Wells, 1.00pm* 

‘Cowboys and Aliens’ film, 

The Queens Arms, 

Corton Denham, 7.15pm 

Dillie Keane concert, 


7.30pm 

‘Snowdrops: A Personal 

Passion’ talk, North Cadbury 


18th Duke’s Auction (Fine Art 

& Specialist), Brewery 

Square, Dorchester, 

10.30am* 

’45 Years’ film, The 

Jubilee Hall, Ditcheat, 

7.30pm 

HMS Heron Volunteer Band & 

Yeovil Military Band, Martock 

Church, 7.30pm 

‘X+Y’ film, Milborne Port 


YCAA Matilda Temperley talk, 


7.30pm 

Martin Simpson, Octagon 


Elvis Tribute Night, 

Dillington house, 


19th Charterhouse Auction (Silver, 

Jewellery, Watches, Wine & 

Antiques), Long Street, 

Sherborne, 10.00am* 

‘Post Impressionism 

Painting in Europe 1880 

to 1905’ course starts, 


10.00am 

Elvis Tribute Act, The 



Armonico Consort, 


7.30pm 

Barn Dance/Ceilidh, 

Davis Hall, West Camel, 

7.30pm 

‘The Salt of the Earth’ 

20th 

21st 

22nd 

23rd 

film, The Jubilee Hall, 

Batcombe, 7.45pm 

‘Macbeth’ film, 



Nicholas McCarthy, 

Ilminster Arts Centre, 

8.00pm 

Big Butty Breakfast, 

Alweston Village Hall, 

9.00am-11.00am 

Table Top Sale, 

Whitelackington Village 

Hall, 10.00am-1.00pm* 

Vickery’s General Sale, 

Ash, Nr Martock, 

10.30am* 

‘Sunset Song’ film, 

The Parish Rooms, 

Somerton, 7.30pm 

Jamie Smith’s Mabon 

Band, David Hall, 


Book Sale & Coffee 

Morning, Holwell Village 

Hall, 10.00am-12.00 noon* 

‘Sacconi Quartet’ 

concert, Dillington House, 


‘The Magic Beanstalk’ 

show, The Exchange, 

Sturminster Newton, 

3.00pm 

Duo Teresa Carreno, 

Cheap Street Church, 


‘The Dublin Legends’, 


7.30pm 

Somerton Sings, 

West Street Church, 


‘Peonies and Iris’ talk, 

Parish Rooms, Somerton, 

7.30pm 

Battens Legal Clinic, 


9.00am-12.30pm 

Duke’s General Auction, 

Weymouth Avenue, 

Dorchester, 10.30am* 

Lent Lunch, Trent Village 

Hall, 12.30pm-1.30pm 

‘Painting and Drawing for 

all Abilities’ course starts, 


1.00pm-3.00pm 

‘A Walk in the Woods’ 

film, Jubilee Hall, 

Yetminster, 7.00pm 

‘Everest’ film, Caryford 

Hall, Castle Cary, 7.00pm 

‘Muchelney Abbey’ talk, 

Martock Primary School, 

7.30pm 

‘Square Metre Gardenin: 

Making the Most of a 

Small Space Garden’ 

talk, Tithe Barn, Merriott, 

7.30pm 

24th Coffee Morning, 

David Hall, South Petherton, 

10.00am-12.00 noon* 

Antiques Valuation 

Afternoon, Long Sutton 

Village Hall, 

2.00pm-5.00pm 

‘Illustrated History of the 

ten Dukes, Earls and 

Knights’ lecture, 

Methodist Church, 


‘Glorious Gardens’ talk, 

Holy Trinity Church, 


25th ‘Dessert Craft’ workshop, 

Ferne Animal Sanctuary, 

Wambrook, Nr Chard, 

9.00am 

‘Carry on Computing’ 

course starts, King 

Arthur’s School, 

Wincanton, 10.00am 

‘The Poldens Nature 

Reserves: What’s Going 

On?’ talk, Parish Rooms, 

Somerton, 7.30pm 

Floral Evening Society 

Workshop, 

Catholic Church Hall, 


‘Painting the Modern 

Garden’ talk, Digby Hall, 


25th-26th TakeArt’s ‘Spring 

Forward’, Octagon 


26th U3A Meeting, 

Edgar Community Hall, 


‘Songs, Satire & 

Sophistication: 

The History of Revue’ 

lecture, Dillington House, 


‘Trident, Yes or No?’ talk, 

Caryford Hall, Castle 

Cary, 2.30pm 

’The Third Man’ film, Davis 

Hall, West Camel, 7.30pm 

‘Two Days, One Night’ 

film, Wadham School, 


Cara Dillon & Sam 

Lakeman, David Hall, 


‘The Mike Collins 

Quartet’, Ilminster Arts 

Centre, 8.00pm 

26th-27th The Festival of Cards 

Show, Bath & West 

Showground, Shepton 

Mallet, 10.00am-4.00pm 

27th Sherborne Vintage Market, 

Digby Church Hall, Sherborne, 

7.30am-3.30pm* 

‘Top Ten Funding Tips’ 

workshop, Monk’s Yard, 

Ilminster, 10.00am 

‘Collagraph’ one day 

St Mary's 

Magdalene Church 

Barwick, Nr Yeovil 

Sat 30th Jan @ 7.30pm 

Innominata Consort Concert 

Tickets £5.50 + glass of wine 

Sat 13th Feb 10.00am-3.00pm 

Church History Open Day 

Sun 14th Feb @ 6.00pm 

A Celebration of Marriage Service 

with sparkling wine & cake 

BESPOKE 

Selwood House, 

Market Place, 

Somerton, TA11 7LX 

FABRIC 

SALE 

Sat 13th-27th February 

9.30-5.00 Mon-Sat 

Remnants, end of rolls, 

patchwork and dress fabrics 

01458 273970 for more details 

28th 

29th 

Details & tickets: 

01935475882 

course, Digby Hall, 

Sherborne, 10.00am 

‘Basket making’ one day 

course, Digby Hall, 

Sherborne, 10.00am 

Pennard Plants Potato Day and 

Seed Fair, Maiden Newton 

Village Hall, 10.30am-2.00pm 

‘The Martian’ film, Parish 

Hall, Martock, 7.30pm 

‘The Eolienne Quintet’, 


7.30pm 

Lee Nelson, Octagon 


Performance Night, 



Giant Flea Market, 


Shepton Mallet, 

10.00am-4.00pm 

‘Everest’ film, The 



‘The Simon and 

Garfunkel Story’, 


7.30pm 

SSDC Food and Drink Trade 

Show, Cricket St Thomas Hotel, 

nr Chard, 10.30am-3.00pm* 

Nicholas McCarthy, 


8.00pm 


Village News 

by Lauren Hill 

ALWESTON On Saturday 20th 

February from 9.00am to 11.00am 

at the Village Hall there is a 

Community Big Butty Breakfast in 

aid of Folke Church. There will be 

preserves and cakes for sale and a 

children’s activity table as well as 

a food bank collection for anyone 

wishing to contribute. A free 

children’s butty breakfast (up to 10 

years old) is available with the 

purchase of an adult breakfast. 

BARWICK St Mary Megdalene’s 

Church is a small late medieval 

grade 2* listed rural Church, last 

renovated during the 1800’s and 

now needs the roof urgently 

repairing. The Government is 

sponsoring around £25 million as 

a one-off grant fund for the repair 

of roofs on listed places of worship 

and this Church is currently making 

an application for this grant. They 

are holding some events to raise 

local awareness and funding to put 

as part of the application. On 

Saturday 30th January at 7.30pm 

listen to ‘Innominato Consort’, a 

Baroque group, who will play 

music by Vivaldi, Bach and Purcell. 

Tickets £5.50, includes a glass of 

wine on the door or beforehand 

from 01935 475882. On Saturday 

13th February from 10.00am to 

3.00pm there is an Open Day 

giving a chance to see the lovely 

Church with some special features 

including very fine, carved 

Jacobean pew ends. Everyone 

welcome and the Roof Appeal 

Team will also be available to 

discuss the plans. Coffee and 

cake will also be on offer 

throughout the day. On Sunday 14th 

at 6.00pm there is a special 

evening service called ‘A 

Celebration of Marriage’. They 

would like everyone who has been 

married in their Church over the 

last 60 years to come and bring a 

picture of themselves on their 

wedding day. They hope to have 

a photographer on hand to take 

another picture if wanted. So 

something for the scrapbook with 

sparkling wine and cake available 

afterwards. All events at St Mary 

Megdalene’s Church. 

BRADFORD ABBAS On Saturday 

6th February at the Village Hall from 

2.00pm there is a WI Jumble Sale. 

There will be the usual quality 

jumble, bric -a -brac, books, toys 

and household linens, refreshments 

will also be available. 

Admission 50p. 

Front Cover Competition 

Would you like to see your favourite photo, 

drawing or painting on our front cover? 

If so enter our competition now! 

Our Front Cover Competition is open to all our readers of any age. 

Whether you are a keen photographer or artist (amateur or 

professional) send in your entry as soon as possible. 

All pictures must be of the local area along the themes of: 

• Local landscape • People at work • Days out 

• Local wildlife • Make us laugh 

There will be a winner for our Competition which will be printed in our March 

issue. The winner will receive a £15 cheque. So look through your old photos as 

well as start snapping new ones and send them in to us by Monday 15th February or 

sooner for our next issue. 

1) Entry is free and open to professionals and amateurs of all ages. 

2) You may submit as many entries as you like as a 6 x 4 standard colour photograph 

by post direct to The Conduit Magazine or e-mail info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk but 

no more than 3 photographs at one time of no more than 1 MB per photo. 

4) Each picture of the month will be accredited accordingly and copyright 

protection respected. 

5) All images must be taken in our local area i.e. South Somerset & West Dorset. 

6) Mark on the back of the photo or in your e-mail whether you are amateur, 

semi-pro or professional. Please also put your full name, address and contact details. 

7) The Editor’s choice is final and no royalties or other payments other than above will 

be paid 

BATCOMBE The film society has 

‘The Salt of the Earth’ screening at 

The Jubilee Hall at 7.45pm on 

Friday 19th February. There is a 

licensed bar, free parking and 

wheelchair access. For more 

information call 01749 850304. 

See Movies Around the 

Villages & Towns. 

CERNE ABBAS On Sunday 14th 

February at 4.00pm Puppetcraft 

presents ‘Monkey!’ Using 

stunning string and antique 

shadow puppets and live music it 

tells the story of the birth and 

comic escapades of the much 

loved trickster and super-hero 

Monkey. Hatched from a stone 

egg the mischievous Monkey can 

fly on a cloud, turn invisible and 

transform into 

anything…! 

Monkey is the 

main comic 

character in 

China’s great 

classic story 

‘Journey into 

the West’. 

This is 

recommended 

for 4+. 

Tickets £6, 

under 18’s £5. On Monday 15th at 

7.30pm the film showing will be 

‘Suffragette’. Tickets £5 in 

advance from Shirley on 01300 

341839, Marion 01300 341375 

and Yvonne 01300 341421. 


Villages & Towns. Both events 

at the Village Hall. 

CHARLTON HORETHORNE On 

Thursday 4th February at the Village 

Hall from 7.30pm the first Take Art 

show of the year is ‘Graffiti 

Classics - A Comedy Cabaret 

String Quartet’. Graffiti Classics 

bursts the elitist boundaries of the 

traditional string quartet with its 

hilarious all-singing, all-dancing 

musical comedy cabaret show. It 

is a classical concert, a gypsy-folk 

romp, an opera, a stand-up 

comedy set and a brilliant dance 

show all rolled into one! From 

Beethoven to Bluegrass, Baroque 

to Pop, Mozart to Elvis and 

Strauss to Saturday Night Fever, 

there really is something for 

everyone and they never fail to 

get audiences laughing, clapping 

and singing along. Tickets £8 in 

advance from 01963 220911, 

the Village Shop or on the door. 

COMPTON DUNDON On 

Friday 5th February from 8.00pm at 

the Village Hall TakeArt are 

hosting a concert with Kathryn 

Roberts and Sean Lakeman as part 

of their ‘Tomorrow Will Follow 

Today’ tour. Tickets and details 

www.kathrynrobertsandseanlakeman.com 

CORTON DENHAM The 

Queens Arms have their excellent 

Wednesday film night for the 

winter. Taking place in their 

function room they have a film 

deal at £12.50 which includes the 

film, main meal and a small glass 

of wine or pint of local ale. On 

Wednesday 3rd February they are 

showing ‘Legend’ based on the 

Kray Twins and on Wednesday 17th 

‘Cowboys and Aliens’. Both films 

start at 7.15pm. See Movies 

Around the Villages & Towns. 

DILLINGTON There are lots of 

interesting lectures at Dillington 

House, near Ilminster. On Monday 

1st February from 7.15pm the 

Neroche Decorative and Fine Arts 

Society host a lecture called ‘The 

Art and Craft of the Pewterer’ by 

Andrew Spira. He will describe 

what pewter is, the history and 

decorative techniques, every step 

of the manufacturing process and 

various national styles. Guests 

£5. On Friday 5th from 1.00pm 

there is a lecture called 

‘Millennium Stained Glass 

Windows’ by author, lecturer, 

curator and designer, Mike Hope. 

It is perhaps the least known 

aspect of the millennial 

celebrations, that the Church of 

England now plays host to 

the largest single outpouring of 

newly commissioned stained glass 

windows for probably the best 

part of a century. Not since the 

demand for the installation of 

memorial windows after the First 

World War, have so many 

windows been proposed, 

commissioned and placed into 

churches up and down the land. 

As a largely non-religious or 

celebratory act they have no 

precedent. This talk will introduce 

you to a representative range 

of these windows, which display 

an enormously wide range of 

styles and techniques. Tickets 

£22, includes three course lunch 

with coffee and a 50 minute talk. 

On Sunday 14th from 2.30pm there 

is a talk called ‘You Say Potato’ 

with writer, editor, lecturer and 

broadcaster David Crystal and 

actor, author and producer, Ben 

Crystal. Where do regional 

accents come from? How do they 

affect our lives? How are they 

changing? Why do people get so 

worked up about them? Actor Ben 

and linguist David explore 

the fascinating world of English 

accents that they describe in their 

new book. Tickets adults £12, 

under 18’s £6. On Friday 26th 

from 1.00pm there is a lecture 

called ‘Songs, Satire and 

Sophistication: The History of 

Revue’ with Dr Paul McDonald. 

One of the most popular and 

fashionable forms of entertainment 

in the 1920s and ‘30s was the 

revue, which provided humorous, 

Remember to tell advertisers you saw it in The Conduit Magazine! 

5

fast moving and sophisticated 

sketches and songs on topical 

themes. The early revues 

concentrated on music and 

spectacle; but gradually 

they became more intimate, 

emphasizing wit and style, as 

performers like Noel Coward 

joined-in. Come and hear what 

they were like in their heyday and 

find out what happened to them 

afterwards. Tickets £22, includes 

three course lunch with coffee and 

a 50 minute talk. 

DITCHEAT On Thursday 18th 

February from 7.30pm at the 

Jubilee Hall the film ‘45 Years’ will 

be showing. There is a licensed 

bar, tea and coffee available. 

Tickets £5 from Maryland Farm 

Shop, or on 01749 860444 or on 

the door. See Movies Around 

the Villages & Towns. 

EAST COKER On Thursday 11th 

February at 7.30pm at the Village 

Hall the Gardening Club have a 

talk called ‘Plant Conservation’ by 

John Twibell. For more details 

phone 01935 862447. On 

Saturday 13th at the Village Hall 

from 7.30pm see the film 

‘Suffragette’. Entry £6. See 

Movies Around the Villages & 

Towns. 

EVERSHOT On Friday 29th January 

from 10.00am to 4.00pm at 

Hilfield Friary Communities Living 

Sustainably (CLS) is hosting a free 

Energy and Sustainability for 

Community Buildings workshop. 

The workshop, which includes 

lunch, will cover how to manage 

resources in a community building: 

taking into account occupancy, 

fuel types, practical solutions for 

heating and insulation, and the 

latest funding situation for energy 

efficiency and renewable energy. 

Participants will also get the 

chance to see the solar panels, 

wood-chip boiler, and solid wall 

insulation installed at the Friary. 

The workshops will both be led by 

Chit Chong of Low Carbon Know 

How, they are hosted by CLS with 

support from the BIG Lottery Fund. 

Workshops are free but places are 

limited, so book now by contacting 

Emily Bullock on 07507 321954 or 

Emily@da21.org.uk 

HINTON ST GEORGE On 

Saturday 13th February at 7.30pm see 

the film ‘Suffragette’ at the Village 

Hall. Tickets £5 in advance from 

Personal Services Store and 

Dorothy’s Tearoom or £5.50 on the 

door. See Movies Around the 


HOLWELL On Sunday 21st February 

from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at 

the Village Hall there is a Book Sale 

and Coffee Morning. There will 

also be DVD’s, CD’s and hearing 

books available. Free admission. 

HORNBLOTTON On Saturday 30th 

January at the Village Hall from 

7.30pm see Kathryn Roberts and 

Sean Lakeman returning to their 

English folk roots as an acoustic 

duo. Four acclaimed albums and a 

‘Best Duo’ award at the BBC Radio 

2 Folk Awards have helped them 

cement a formidable reputation at 

the very forefront of British 

contemporary folk music. This 

concert is organised in 

collaboration with TakeArt. Food is 

available but take your own booze. 

Tickets £10. 

LEIGH On Monday 15th February at 

the Village Hall from 7.30pm 

‘Suffragette’ film will be showing. 

Tickets £6 in advance from Bridge 

Stores. More details Sue Eadon on 

01935 873699. See Movies 


LONG SUTTON On Wednesday 


2.00pm to 5.00pm the Somerset 

and Langport Area Branch RNLI 

host an Antiques 

Valuation 

Afternoon with 

Lawrences. 

Silver, pictures, 

jewellery, general 

and collectors 

items. Tickets £5, 

includes two items 

to be valued. 

(Extra items £3 

each). Tea 

available. For 

more details 

phone Mary 

Mullineux on 

01458 251057. 

MARTOCK On 

Saturday 13th 

February from 

10.00am to 

1.00pm at the 

Moorlands 

Shopping Precinct 

go along to the 

Valentine’s Day 

Market with 18 

stalls. Phone Fergus Dowding on 

01935 822202 to order any food 

from these producers or to ask for a 

stall at one of their markets. On 

Tuesday 16th from 11.00am to 

3.00pm at the Primary School 

Lawrences of Crewkerne will be 

holding a Valuation Day. There will 

be four valuers from Lawrences 

covering silver, paintings, jewellery 

and general and collectible items. 

Entry £5 for two items to be valued 

and £2 for each additional item. 

Light refreshments will be available. 

All proceeds will go to All Saints’ 

Church, Martock. On Thursday 18th 

at 7.30pm at the All Saints’ Church 

see HMS Heron Volunteer Band 

with Yeovil Military Band. This is 

the fourth visit by the ever-popular 

band from Yeovilton under their 

Musical Director, Band Colour 

Sergeant Iaian Scullion RM, fresh 

from their annual tour of Germany. 

They will be playing a programme 

of marches, classical pieces, swing, 

film and show tunes. Tickets £8 on 

the door or £7 in advance from 

Martock News, Martock Gallery or 

by phoning 01935 822706. On 

Tuesday 23rd from 7.30pm at the 

Primary School the History Group 

have a talk on Muchelney Abbey 

by curator Stephen Honey. That 

most mysterious of Dark Age 

religious island hermitages, almost 

a ‘squat, that grew to a powerful 

Abbey. Entry £2. On Saturday 27th 

at the Parish Hall from 7.30pm see 

‘The Martian’. Directed by Ridley 

Scott, about an astronaut (Matt 

Damon) stranded on Mars and 

using his ingenuity and wit to 

survive and return to Earth. Smart, 

thrilling and surprisingly funny. 

Refreshments available. Tickets £5 

in advance from Just for Pets in the 

Precinct or Martock Gallery or 

£5.50 on the door. See Movies 


MERRIOTT On Saturday 6th February 

at the Social Club between 

10.00am to 1.00pm there is a 

Charity Market and Table Top Sale. 

On Tuesday 23rd at the Tithe Barn 

from 7.30pm the Gardening Club 

have a talk on ‘Square Metre 

Gardening - Making the Most of a 

Small Space Garden’ by Claire 

Hart. Refreshments available and 

a raffle as well as seeds, plants, 

book and magazine for sale. Non 

members £2. 

MILBORNE PORT On Thursday 

18th February from 7.30pm the 

Village Hall presents ‘X + Y’. 

Tickets £5 in advance from Wayne 

Pullen Butchers, Crackmore 

Garage, the Post Office or £5.50 

on the door. See Movies Around 

the Villages & Towns. For more 

details phone Martin Lancaster on 

01963 251858. 

MUDFORD On Thursday 4th 

February from 7.30pm the 

Gardening Club have a talk called 

‘Hostas, Heucheras and 

Hellebores’. On Thursday 11th from 

2.00pm to 4.00pm there is a 

The Marston Inn 

Marston Magna 

01935 850138 

New owners and New Menu 

just launched including bar 

snacks & children's meals 

Sat 13th Feb - Valentine's Meal & 

Sunday 14th Feb - Valentine's Carvery 

Thursday - Curry Night 

Friday - Fish Night 

Sunday - Carvery £7.95 

(Sittings 12 & 2) 

Bookings advisable 

Open: Every Day 12.00 noon-late 

Food: 12.00 noon-2.00pm & 6.00pm-9.00pm 

‘Introduction to iPads’ workshop 

hosted by Get Up to Speed. Get a 

hands-on introduction to the world 

of iPads and their apps and 

discover how to take photos and 

videos, keep in contact with friends 

and family, improve organisation 

with notes, reminders and 

calendars and more! A limited 

number of iPads will be provided 

for the session but please feel free 

to take your own. To book a free 

place phone 0300 1231185. All 

events in the Village Hall. 

NORTH CADBURY On Saturday 

6th February from 7.30pm at the 

Village Hall multi award-winning 

husband and wife folk duo Sean 

Lakeman and Kathryn Roberts will 

be bringing their own acclaimed 

brand of folk songs in support of 

their best selling album ‘Tomorrow 

Will Follow Today’. (See 

Hornblotton for more information.) 

Tickets Adults £10, under 18’s £5 

on 01963 440735, 01963 

440705 or at the Village Store On 

Wednesday 17th from 7.30pm at the 

Village Hall the Gardening Club 

have a talk by Val Bourne on 

‘Snowdrops – a Personal Passion’. 

(See Gardening on Page 14 for 

more details.) 

PIDDLETRENTHIDE From Tuesday 

16th to Saturday 20th February at 

7.00pm at the Memorial Hall the 

Piddle Valley Players proudly 

presents Rodgers & Hammerstein’s 

‘Carousel’. The musical is an 

amateur production presented 

through special arrangement with 

R&H Theatricals Europe. Tickets 

£10, including refreshments, 

available from Old Chapel Stores, 

Buckland Newton and the PO. 

POYNINGTON The Village’s 

annual lecture in aid of the Church 

and Village Hall takes place in The 

Gryphon Conference Centre on 

Friday 12th February at 7.30pm. The 


talk by Sir Alan Yarrow, Lord 

Mayor of the City of London until 

November 2015, is entitled ‘My 

Year as Lord Mayor’. Tickets £12 

to include canapes and a glass of 

wine available beforehand from 

Mr Rodger (01963 220759), Mr 

Oliver (01963 220637) or 

Winstone’s Bookshop, Sherborne. 

QUEEN CAMEL Do not forget 

the Village Café takes place on 

the second Tuesday every month from 

10.30am to 12.00 noon. There 

are books and a jig-saw 

exchange, so go along and make 

new friends and enjoy a coffee 

and refreshments. On Thursday 

11th February at 7.30pm the 

Gardening club has a talk called 

‘Container Gardening’ with a 

speaker from Castle Gardens. 

There will be a raffle and 

refreshments. Entrance £2 for 

non-members. All events in the 

Village Hall. 

SANDFORD ORCAS On 

Saturday 6th February from 7.30pm 

at St Nicholas’ Church the Devil’s 

Violin presents ‘The Forbidden 

Door’. With their combination of 

live music and dynamic 

storytelling, The Devil’s Violin 

weave an enchantment of melody 

and mystery. Expect love, loss, 

drama, danger, horror, humour, 

twists and trials. For this tour 

virtuoso musicians Sarah Moody, 

Dylan Fowler and Oliver Wilson- 

Dickson are joined by 

extraordinary storyteller Dominic 

Kelly. Drawing on influences from 

Folk and World to Jazz and 

Classical, the music and story 

work as one, transporting you into 

a world of the imagination. 

Tickets adults £9, under 18’s £7, 

Family £26. Suitable 12+. For 

more information phone 01963 

220208 or 01963 220749. On 

Saturday 13th from 10.30am to 

12.00 noon the Village Café 

continues is success story at the 

Mitre Inn until the Village Hall reopens. 

Enjoy a warm welcome 

and coffee, tea, cakes and 

biscuits, a chat and a catch-up. 

All proceeds to the Village Hall. 

SEAVINGTON ST MARY On 

Thursday 11th February at 7.30pm at 

the Millennium Hall the Gardening 

Club has a talk on ‘Trug Making, 

Gypsy Flowers and Besom Brooms 

by Carl Sadler. Competition: 

Flower of the month. Visitors £2. 

For more information phone 

01460 249728. 

SOUTH PETHERTON On Friday 

5th February at 8.00pm at the 

David Hall hear ‘Tales from the 

Bawdy Bardess’ by Debs 

Newbold. Crafted for adults, 

these are three funny, frolicksome 

tales from Merrie Olde Europe - 

one English, one French and one 

Italian. A skilful and rollicking 

piece of ‘stand-up storytelling’ that 

Call NOW for our new 

2016 brochure 

or pop into one of our 

local offices 

A303 Cartgate Tourist Information & Gift Shop 

Cartgate picnic site, A303/A3088, Stoke sub Hamdon TA14 6RA 

01935 829333 

Yeovil Tourist Information Centre Petters House, Petters Way, Yeovil 

01935 462781 

Open: Monday-Friday (9-4) 

has audiences clutching their sides 

and reaching for the Canterbury 

Tales. Tickets £8. On Saturday 

13th from 7.30pm at the David 

Hall there is a Valentine’s Disco 

with music from the 1950’s to 

2000. Tickets £5. On Monday 

15th at the Village Hall at 7.30pm 

the Gardening Club have a talk 

called ‘Climbers and Wall Shrubs’ 

by Michael Pollock. Visitors 

£1.50 on the door. On Friday 19th 

from 8.00pm at the David Hall the 

Petherton Picture Show presents 

‘Macbeth’. Starring Michael 

Fassbender, Marion Cotillard and 

Jack Madigan. Tickets £5. See 

Art. On Wednesday 24th from 

7.30pm at the Methodist Church 

the History Group have a lecture 

from Barrington Court House 

Guides David Pearl and David 

James who will present a 

fascinating, illustrated history of 

the ten Dukes, Earls and Knights 

who from this former royal estate 

left their mark on some of the 

great events of British 

history. Visitors welcome £3. 

Also, on Wednesday 24th from 

10.00am to 12.00 noon at the 

David Hall there is a coffee 

morning. Pop in for a cup of real 

coffee and a chat. Look around 

the book and bric-a-brac stalls and 

hear some live music. Free entry. 

On Saturday 27th at 7.30pm at the 

David Hall go along to 

Performance Night. All styles and 

forms of performance welcome – 

not just music. If you wish to 

perform, please email 

folk@chriswatts.org with £1 

Performers and £2 Audience. (For 

films in South Petherton see Arts 

pages). 

TRENT On Tuesday 16th and 

Tuesday 23rd February go along to 

the Village Hall between 12.30pm 

to 1.30pm for a Lent Lunch. 

Home made soup, local bread, 

apple cheese, tea and coffee. 

Entry £5, in aid of the Refugee 

Crisis Appeal (Christian Aid) and 

The Hidden Needs Trust. 

Everyone is very welcome. 

WEST CAMEL On Friday 29th, 

Saturday 30th and Sunday 31st 

January at 7.30pm as well as a 

matinee on the Saturday at 

2.00pm see ‘Cinderella’, a 

sparkling production from the 

West Camel Theatre Group which 

promises to entertain you and 

keep you singing all the way 

home. For tickets phone Mary 

Gordon on 01935 851214. On 

Friday 19th February at 7.30pm at 

the Davis Hall there will be a barn 

dance/ceilidh with Hambledon 

Hopstep Band to raise funds for 

the much needed hall extension. 

The hall has become so popular 

since it opened for business in 

2001 that it has outgrown the 

space available for all the various 

activities that it now hosts. The 

hall committee decided to raise 

the money for a proper extension, 

the estimate was £17,500 and 

most has already been raised but 

there is still a shortfall. There has 

been generous support from the 

local community with funds and 

expertise/labour to make sure this 

new project is a success. The 

ceilidh with the popular and lively 

band is a fun and supportive way 

of raising more money. Go along 

and have a good time and dance 

those winter blues away. Tickets 

£9, family of four £20, includes a 

hot supper. For more details 

contact Rob and Mary Gordon on 

01935 851214. On Wednesday 

26th at 7.30pm the film showing is 

‘The Third Man’. Bar available. 

Tickets £5. See Movies Around 

the Villages & Towns. All 

events in the Davis Hall. 

WEST CHINNOCK On Thursday 


7.30pm the Gardening Club have 

a talk called ‘New Tricks for old 

Gardeners’ to hear Katherine 

Crouch (previous BBC Gardeners’ 

World Winner). Everyone 

welcome. 

WEST COKER The Gardening 

Club is invited to West Chinnock 

Village Hall to hear Katherine 

Crouch (previous BBC Gardeners’ 

World Winner) on Thursday 4th 

February. (See West Chinnock.) 

Car share available. For more 

information phone Marilyn 

McPhee on 01935 863176. On 

Friday 12th at 7.45pm at the 

Commemoration Hall the film 

showing is ‘Suite Francaise’. 

France 1940: As Hitler’s armies 

take control of Paris and bring 

total occupation to France, Lucille 

awaits news from her husband 

who is being held as prisoner of 

war. Living with her mother-in-law 

and struggling to cope with their 

ordeal, her life is turned upsidedown 

when a handsome German 

officer is posted to live with them. 

Tickets £5 available from the PO, 

The Garage or on 01935 

863176. See Movies Around 

the Villages & Towns. 

WHITELACKINGTON On 

Friday 12th February from 

8.00pm the Village Hall have their 

monthly quiz. Teams of up to four, 

£1.25 per person. Winning team 

gets half the team money. On 


1.00pm at the Village Hall it is the 

monthly table top sale. Free entry. 

YETMINSTER Every first 

Wednesday of the month go along 

to Coffee ‘n’ Cakes at the Jubilee 

Hall from 10.00am enabling 

villagers to meet on a regular 

basis for a good natter, coffee, 

juices and tasty cakes. All 

welcome. On Thursday 28th January 

from 7.30pm Artsreach present 

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. George 

Bailey, a desperate middle-aged 

clerk discovers the difference he 

has made to his family, his friends 

and his home town. This 

January a small touring theatre 


7

ased at the Farnham Maltings 

brings the struggles and joys of 

1940’s small town America to 

Yetminster. Using their own, 

inimitable style the company 

creates two hours of theatre that 

promises to warm the coldest of 

places through the long winter 

nights. It promises to be an 

excellent family show, suitable for 

ages 8+ and has had very good 

reviews. Tickets adults £8, under 

18’s £6 available from the Spar 

Village Shop. On Wednesday 10th 

February at 2.30pm at the Jubilee 

Hall the History Society have a 

talk on the history of Dorchester 

Prison from its beginning to its 

dissolution. On Tuesday 23rd from 

7.00pm the film showing is ‘A 

Walk in the Woods’. Comedy 

adventure based on Bill Bryson’s 

best-seller starring Robert Redford, 

Emma Thompson and Nick Nolte. 

Tickets at £6 available from the 

Spar and PO. See Movies 


All events at the Jubilee Hall. 

MOVIES 

AROUND 

THE 

VILLAGES 

AND 

TOWNS 

The Walnut Tree 

West Camel, BA22 7QW 

Elegant dining in a relaxed atmosphere 

Why not visit us and try our new week 

day menu or Sunday lunch 

A WALK IN THE WOODS 

(15) In this new comedy 

adventure, celebrated travel 

writer Bill Bryson (Robert 

Redford), decides instead of 

retiring to enjoy his loving and 

beautiful wife (Emma Thompson), 

and large and happy family, 

challenges himself to hike the 

Appalachian Trail - 2,200 miles 

of America’s most unspoiled, 

spectacular and rugged 

countryside from Georgia to 

Maine. The peace and 

tranquility he hopes to find, 

though, is anything but, once he 

Valentines Night 

Sunday 14th February 

4 courses with canapes 

£75 per couple 

(50% deposit required upon booking) 

+ Dinner, B&B package also available at: 

£190 - Classic room & £200 - Executive room 

Wednesday Film Nights 7.15pm 

3rd February - Legend: based on the Kray Twins 

17th February - Cowboys & Aliens 

2nd March - 007 in Spectre 

16th March - Suffragette 

30th March - Steve Jobs 

13th April - Bridge of Spies 

27th April - Hunger Games - Mockingly Part 2 

(See film reviews in 'Movies around the Villlages & Towns) 

Film meal deal £12.50 for main meal & small glass of wine 

or pint of local ale. 

* Normal Opening Hours: 8am – midnight and food is served 

breakfast 7.30am-9.30am lunch 12-3pm and dinner 6-10pm 

Corton Denham, Sherborne, Somerset, DT9 4LR 

Email: relax@thequeensarms.com 

www.thequeensarms.com Telephone: 01963 220317 

See online for our menu or ask about our 

Valentines' Specials 

Do not forget to book for 

Mothering Sunday 6th March 

www.thewalnuttreehotel.com 

01935 851292 

or email info@thewalnuttreehotel.com 

agrees to being accompanied by 

the only person he can find 

willing to join him on the trek - 

his long lost and former friend 

Katz (Nick Nolte), a down-on-hisluck 

serial philanderer who, after 

a lifetime of relying on his charm 

and wits to keep one step ahead 

of the law sees the trip as a way 

to sneak out of paying some 

debts and into one last adventure 

before its too late. The trouble is, 

the two have a completely 

different definition of the word, 

“adventure”. Now they are 

about to find out that when you 

push yourself to the edge, the 

real fun begins. (Showing at 

Yetminster) 

COWBOYS AND ALIENS 

(12A) It is 1873 in New 

Mexico Territory and a stranger 

with no memory of his past 

stumbles into the hard desert 

town of Absolution. The only hint 

to his history is a mysterious 

shackle that encircles one wrist. 

What he discovers is that the 

people of Absolution do not 

welcome strangers, and nobody 

makes a move on its streets 

unless ordered to do so by the 

iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde 

(Ford). It is a town that lives in 

fear, but Absolution is about to 

experience fear it can scarcely 

comprehend as the desolate city 

is attacked by marauders from 

the sky and abducting the 

helpless one by one. Now, the 

stranger they rejected is their 

only hope for salvation. As this 

gunslinger slowly starts to 

remember who he is and where 

he has been, he realizes he 

holds a secret that could give the 

town a fighting chance against 

the alien force. With the help of 

the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia 

Wilde), he pulls together a posse 

comprised of former opponents 

and townsfolk, Dolarhyde and 

his boys, outlaws and Apache 

warriors-all in danger of 

annihilation. United against a 

common enemy, they will 

prepare for an epic showdown 

for survival. Starring Daniel 

Craig and Abigail Spencer. 

(Showing at Corton 

Denham) 

EVEREST (12A) On the 

morning of 10th May 1996, 

climbers from two commercial 

expeditions start their final ascent 

toward the summit of Mount 

Everest, the highest point on 

Earth. With little warning, a 

violent storm strikes the 

mountain, engulfing the 

adventurers in one of the fiercest 

blizzards ever encountered by 

man. Challenged by the 

harshest conditions imaginable, 

the teams must endure blistering 

winds and freezing temperatures 

in an epic battle to survive 

against nearly impossible odds. 

(Showing at Sturminster 

Newton and Castle Cary) 


45 YEARS (12) Kate Mercer 

(Charlotte Rampling) and her 

husband Geoff (Tom Courtenay) 

had to cancel the party for their 

40th anniversary at short notice 

when Geoff underwent bypass 

surgery. The comfortably off, left 

wing, childless, provincial couple 

now have a week to go before a 

replacement party to celebrate 

their 45th anniversary. 

Theoretically, this week should just 

involve planning, dress purchasing 

and a bit of social fretting. This is 

not to be: shattering news arrives 

for Geoff from the Swiss 

authorities, explaining that the 

perfectly-preserved body of his 

ex-girlfriend, Katya, has been 

found, 50 years after she slipped 

into an Alpine crevasse. From the 

moment the news is received Kate 

can ‘smell Katya’s perfume in the 

room’ and her perspective on their 

marriage changes forever. 

(Showing at Ditcheat) 

LEGEND (18) A British crime 

thriller adapted from John 

Pearson’s book ‘The Profession of 

Violence: The Rise and Fall of the 

Kray Twins’. The true story of the 

rise and fall of London’s most 

notorious gangsters, Reggie and 

Ronnie Kray, who captivated the 

public and once upon a time 

lorded over a criminal empire. An 

integral part of London’s East End, 

equally cruel Great War that will 

irrevocably alter Chris’ life. This is 

the tale of one woman’s progress 

against patriarchy – first 

represented by her father and 

then, after his death has left her 

owning the farm, by her first love 

Ewan Tavendale (Kevin Guthrie), 

who will also find himself 

brutalised by circumstances 

beyond his control. (Showing 

at Somerton) 

SUFFRAGETTE (12A) A drama 

that tracks the story of the foot 

soldiers of the early feminist 

movement when women who were 

forced underground to pursue a 

dangerous game of cat and mouse 

with an increasingly brutal State. 

These women were not just from 

the genteel educated classes; they 

were working women who had 

seen peaceful protest achieved 

nothing. Radicalised and turning 

to violence as the only route to 

change, they were willing to lose 

everything in their fight for 

equality - their jobs, their homes, 

their children and their lives. 

Maud (Carey Mulligan) was one 

such foot soldier. The story of her 

fight for dignity is as gripping and 

visceral as any thriller. It is also 

heart breaking and inspirational. 

(Showing at Cerne Abbas, 

East Coker, Hinton St 

George, Leig, Sherborne and 

Sturminstre Newton) 

documentary portrait of the 

Brazilian photographer Sebastiao 

Salgado made by Wim Wenders 

and Salgado’s son, Juliano. 

Salgado’s early years were spent 

on a Brazilian farm and he trained 

as an economist but took up 

photography after borrowing his 

wife’s camera. In his career he has 

travelled the world undertaking a 

range of projects, recording war 

zones, tribes folk, workers and has 

now turned to environmental 

activism. The film showcases his 

work and includes some truly 

stunning and memorable images. 

(Showing at Batcombe) 

THE THIRD MAN (PG) One of 

the great classics of British 

cinema. An out of work pulp 

fiction novelist, Holly Martins 

(Joseph Cotten), arrives in a post 

war Vienna divided into sectors by 

the victorious allies and where a 

shortage of supplies has led to a 

flourishing black market. He 

arrives at the invitation 

of an ex-school friend, 

Harry Lime (Orson 

Welles), who has 

offered him a job, only 

to discover that Lime 

has recently died in a 

peculiar traffic 

accident. From talking 

to Lime’s friends and 

associates, including 

the enigmatic Anna 

(Alida Valli), Martins 

soon notices that some 

of the stories are inconsistent and 

determines to discover what really 

happened to Harry Lime. 

(Showing at West Camel) 

X + Y (12A) In a world difficult 

to comprehend, Nathan (Asa 

Butterfield) struggles to connect with 

those around him, most of all his 

loving mother , but finds comfort in 

numbers. When Nathan is taken 

under the wing of unconventional 

and anarchic teacher, Mr. 

Humphreys (Rafe Spall), the pair 

forge an unusual friendship and 

Nathan’s talents win him a place 

on the UK team at the International 

Mathematics Olympiad. From 

suburban England to bustling Taipei 

and back again, this original and 

heart-warming film tracks the funny 

and complex relationships that 

Nathan builds, as he is confronted 

by the irrational nature of love. 

Also starring Sally Hawkins, Eddie 

Marsan and Jo Yang. 

(Showing at Milborne Port) 

and the iconic Swinging Sixties. 

The film takes us into the secret 

history of the 1960s, the 

extraordinary events that secured 

the infamy of the Kray Twins and 

their downfall and imprisonment in 

1969. Starring Tom Hardy, Emily 

Browning, Christopher Eccleston 

and Colin Morgan. (Showing 

at Corton Denham) 

SUNSET SONG (15) Based on 

Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s much 

loved novel of 1932, this is the 

story of Chris Guthrie (Agyness 

Deyn), growing up on a Scottish 

farm in the early 1900s, who has 

dreams of becoming a teacher but 

lives under the oppressive tyranny 

of her father (Peter Mullan). He 

dominates the household, 

thrashing his son and brutalising 

his wife, with his anger and 

violence foreshadowing the 

THE MARTIAN (12A) During a 

manned mission to Mars, 

Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt 

Damon) is presumed dead after a 

fierce storm and left behind by his 

crew. However, Watney has 

survived and finds himself 

stranded and alone on the hostile 

planet. With only meager 

supplies, he must draw upon his 

ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist 

and find a way to signal to Earth 

that he is alive. Millions of miles 

away, NASA and a team of 

international scientists work 

tirelessly to bring “the Martian” 

home, while his crewmates 

concurrently plot a daring, if not 

impossible, rescue mission. As 

these stories of incredible bravery 

unfold, the world comes together 

to root for Watney’s safe return. 

(Showing at Martock) 

THE SALT OF THE EARTH 

(12A) This is a moving but 

ultimately life-affirming 


9

Property, Home & Interiors 

Smoke Alarm Warning 

Households are being asked to 

test their smoke alarms every 

month in a campaign to prevent 

fire deaths. Only half of us who 

own smoke alarms regularly 

check that they are working 

properly according to the Home 

Office, which has recently taken 

on the responsibility for fire 

policy. Apparently you are four 

times more likely to die in a fire 

if you live in a house without a 

working smoke alarm, so make 

According to a study of 1153 people 

commissioned by solicitors, one in eight 

Britons who divorce after the age of 45 

blame the empty-nest syndrome, when 

adult children have finally left the home. 

Many of the so called ‘silver-splitters’ 

claimed to feel relieved, excited or more 

confident after the split. Also good 

news for the housing and flat market as 

the larger family house is sold and two 

smaller properties are bought. 

sure you get one fixed as they 

are not expensive and easily 

enough to install. 

Divorces help Property Sales 

Famous Five 

Hotel for Sale 

If you have just won the National 

Lottery Enid Blyton’s favourite 

seaside hotel, which is said to 

have inspired her classic ‘Famous 

Five’ adventures, has gone on sale 

for £15 million. The author would 

visit the remote Knoll House on the 

Isle of Purbeck in Studland, Dorset, 

several times a year. Other 

famous guests at the 84 room hotel 

included Winston Churchill, Roald 

Dahl and the Hollywood star 

Vivien Leigh. 

Dorset Water Centre Ltd 

Incorporating Water-wise of Sherborne 

for all your Water 

Softening needs 

• Block & tablet salt 

• Service & repairs 

• Kinetico dealer 

• 37 years experience 

Grove Trading Estate 

Dorchester 

DT1 1ST 

01305 265548 

www.dorset-water.co.uk 

Follow us 

on twitter 

@conduitmag 

for updates 

on events 

and news. 

Painter and Decorator with 

over 30 years experience 

Commercial & Domestic 

Inside & Out 

Dulux Select Decorator 

No VAT 

Special Offers for OAPs 

No job too small 

- general DIY also undertaken 

Call now for a free no obligation estimate 

01935 813923/07792 391368 

www.sherbornedecorators.com 


How to choose a 

shower? 

Shower systems can be confusing 

but whatever your water system, 

there will be a shower to suit it. 

Choice of a shower system is often 

bottom of the list when it comes to 

planning a bath or shower room, 

but many people spend more time 

in the shower than anywhere else 

in the bathroom. There are several 

things that you should carefully 

decide before putting in a new 

shower. Below is some help from 

Bathroom Inspirations. 

Water system: The first step is to 

find out what sort of hot water 

system you have so you can 

choose a shower to suit. You can 

find out from your plumber or use 

our online tool: 

www.aqualisa.co.uk/water-system-compatibility 

Gravity fed water systems are the 

most common in Britain, (typically 

a cold tank in the loft, hot water 

cylinder in an airing cupboard; the 

greater the drop from the bottom of 

the tank to the showerhead, the 

better the shower’s performance). 

A booster pump is often added to 

the water system to increase the 

shower’s performance. Most other 

water systems are combi-boilers 

which heat your water as you use 

it, or mains fed systems. Neither 

of these water systems are suitable 

for booster pumps. 

Showering experience: Think 

about what sort of showering 

experience you would like and 

who will be using the shower? Do 

you want a fixed drencher head 

for a spa experience or an 

adjustable shower for a quick 

splash before work and no wet 

hair? If you want both to suit 

different members of the 

household, a divert system (dual 

shower heads) might be the 

answer, or even a shower and 

bath fill combined system. Will 

children be using the shower? If 

so, an adjustable shower head is 

often the best choice, as are childfriendly 

controls that are easy to 

use. Make sure the shower you 

choose has an automatic shut-off 

should the cold water supply fail 

and a pre-set temperature limit to 

prevent scalding. 

Design: Do you want something 

sleek and contemporary or 

perhaps a more traditional style of 

valve? Many showers have been 

designed to complement other 

bathroom fittings and taps so think 

about integrating it with your 

bathroom décor. Choose a 

shower head or heads. If you are 

opting for an adjustable shower 

head, look for one with a range of 

spray patterns. 

Digital: Regardless of which water 

system you have, digital showering 

technology and systems are hard 

to beat for simplicity, performance 

and style. Digital showers indicate 

with flashing LEDs when the 

shower has warmed up to your 

perfect temperature to save you 

time and the water is blended 

precisely to the right temperature. 

Look for features such as push 

button technology, remote controls, 

digital divert (dual heads or 

shower head and bath fill), eco 

mode and timer functions. Your 

plumber will love it too as digital 

showers are super easy to install 

with minimal disruption to 

bathroom walls! 

Digital shower installation: Unlike 

a conventional shower, which has 

a valve that is either ‘buried’ in the 

wall or mounted onto the wall, a 

digital shower is controlled by a 

remotely sited small digital valve. 

This is connected to the shower’s 

control via a slim data cable, 

which can be concealed behind 

your tiling. 

Electric showers: These can be 

best and cheapest. If you are 

replacing an existing electric 

shower or fitting a shower in a 

guest room or second bathroom 

and do not want to make more 

demands on your hot water 

system. 

Mixer showers: These will blend 

hot and cold water precisely for 

safety and comfort. Many 

Aqualisa mixer showers include a 

factory set maximum temperature 

and all feature an automatic shut 

off function for extra safety, should 

the hot or cold water unexpectedly 

fail. Suitable for most domestic 

water systems including high 

pressure, gravity and combi, but 

not all valves are suitable for all 

systems. Though with the addition 

of a pump, most of them can be. 

All are available with exposed or 

concealed pipework. 

Finally, how can you tell a good 

quality shower from a lesser one? 

The answer is finish, weight, 

performance and materials used. 

Bathroom Inspirations has one of 

Dorset's largest showrooms and 

hosts a range of products from 

leading brands such as Villeroy 

and Boch, Vogue, Aqualisa, 

Victoria & Albert, Matki, Kohler, 

Imperial, Vado, Grohe, Laufen, 

Impey and more. 


11

Lettings Arena 

by Linda Bassett, MARLA 

Director of MPP Lettings & Management 

“How Many Should I See?” 

• Trade, Commercial and 

Domestic Waste disposal 

• All sizes of skips, 2-40 

cubic yard, roll ons, 

compactors and enclosed 

containers 

• Wait & load service 

• Waste transfer facilities 

and self-tip 

• Hazardous waste disposal 

and advice 

• Fast delivery & collection 

For a prompt & professional service call on 

01935 412211 

or visit our website www.yphwaste.co.uk email: info@yphwaste.co.uk 

yph waste management ltd. lufton park, artillery road, yeovil, somerset ba22 8rp 

An Abbey Manor Group Company 

For your comfort 

& independence 

• Walk-in Baths 

• Walk-in showers 

(low level & level access) 

• Wet Rooms 

• Product & installation guarantee 

• Waterproof wall panelling 

• Slip resistant safety flooring 

• Grab rails, shower seats & raised toilets 

• Local family business 

• Discounts for OAPs, 

Ex Service Personnel and SSAFA 

Call now to arrange a 

FREE survey & quote 

Yeovil 01935 609262 

Taunton 01823 729564 

info@ahminstallations.co.uk 

www.ahminstallations.co.uk 

Visit us at our showrooms: 

Blackdown Garden Centre, 

West Buckland, Nr Wellington, TA21 9HY 

Palmers Garden Centre, 

Bernards Way, Yeovil, BA20 2FH 

When looking to rent a 

property, it is natural 

to want to see as 

many properties as possible 

before making the "right" 

choice and common sense 

dictates that you should view a 

handful of alternatives before 

deciding which to rent. 

Our job as professional 

letting agents is to help tenants 

make decisions that are 

genuinely in their best interests, 

which, without our assistance, 

they might have difficulty 

making. So here are some 

pointers for those who might be 

struggling to balance the merits 

of the property with a new 

kitchen against the one with the 

better garden. 

First, there is a place for 

instinct and sometimes the heart 

should be allowed to influence, 

if not rule, the head. This will 

be your home after all. Ask 

yourself the obvious question, 

"could I be happy here?" 

However, sometimes you 

need your head to agree with 

your heart. Is your favoured 

property a significant 

improvement on where you 

already live or are you just 

being bowled over by a smart 

exterior or fashionable decor? 

Weigh up the important 

aspects of life: commuting time, 

school run, parking, 

entertaining space (although do 

you really entertain that much?) 

Satisfy these aspects first before 

allowing a lovely view or the 

extra storage space to sway 

you away from your real 

reason for moving. 

Finally, you can bet your 

bottom dollar that if you 

instinctively like a particular 

property, other tenants will as 

well. We usually find that a 

property that fills most people's 

basic needs, 

as opposed to 

their wants, 

will let very 

quickly. 

The more 

you see, the 

more difficult 

it becomes to 

make a 

decision at all. 

So our advice 

is: decide 

your minimum 

criteria with 

your head and once these are 

satisfied in a property, let your 

heart take it from there. Happy 

Hunting! 

Put YOUR Trust in MPP 

Missed our Deadline 

for Advertising? 

Call us now so 

you are ready 

for next month 

01935 424724 

www.TheConduitM|agazine.co.uk 


Oakleigh 

Plumbing 

& Heating 

Richard Oakleigh is the Director 

of Oakleigh Plumbing and 

Heating. He works mainly in the 

Sherborne, Yeovil and the 

surrounding areas and undertakes 

all plumbing work but not gas, oil 

or boilers in general. He prides 

himself on being a plumber that 

can be relied upon to do the small 

jobs and the big ones as many 

people find it hard to get a 

plumber for the smaller jobs. 

Richard will give you a quote and is happy to do all your plumbing jobs 

whether large or small. Just give him a call on 01935 584034 

MARCH 

ADVERT 

DEADLINE: 

Monday 

15th 

February 

Follow us 

on twitter 

@conduitmag 

for updates on 

events 

and 

news. 

Domestic - Commercial 

Venetian - Roman - Pleated 

Perfect Fit Blinds. 

Hundreds of fabrics and designs 

Verticles from £49 (Max 6'x6') 

FREE QUOTE FREE FITTING 

01935 584384 

www.outlookblinds.co.uk 

Conduit Magazine Online 

www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

Competitions, Restaurant Reviews, 

Up to date Calendar and much more... 

Want to get noticed ? 

Then look no further... 

You can have your 

company name here 

from as low as £30 

per month for this 

size advert! 

Call 01935 424724 Now 

Home & Interiors 

by Paula Young 

Child Safe Paint 

At my shop in South St 

Sherborne we 

welcomed this month 

the arrival of 'The Lazy Range ' 

which is the new range of 'No 

need to wax' chalk paint by 

'Frenchic' and it is heavenly! 

It has the same V.O.C free 

status as their regular chalk 

paint and the same rich silky 

texture but has been wax 

infused to make painting your 

furniture even easier. If you 

have used chalk paint before 

you will know how the waxing 

stage can seem a bit of a chore 

so I am sure this range will be 

very appealing to many of you. 

So far I have used the 

gorgeous 'Plum Pudding' on a 

little desk which brings a 

refreshing splash of colour and 

'Funky Dora' which is what I 

call a sludge colour which I 

know will be very popular with 

my customers. With ten 

fabulous colours in this range 

you have a good choice to 

start those new year projects. 

When I first discovered 

'Frenchic' Chalk and Mineral 

paint I was immediately 

impressed but when I used the 

wax for the first time I 

could not believe how 

different it was to all the 

waxes that I had used 

before, no nasty solvent 

smell which would often 

give me a headache and 

melts onto painted surfaces 

like butter! So if you do 

choose from the regular 

chalk paint range you will 

find that waxing with this 

wax is a whole new 

experience. The other 

brilliant thing about this 

range is that it is certified 

EN:71-3 toy/child safe 

and can be used if you are 

asthmatic or pregnant, so 

perfect for mums wanting 

to decorate the nursery. 

I have lots of new 

furniture in store as well as 

some lovely new ceramic 

and brass coat hooks and 

drawer knobs. If you are 

looking for something in 

particular I am very happy to 

source items for you and if you 

want something painted I can 

do that too. Please pop into 

the shop to have a look at the 

40 fantastic colours or for a 

chat about your requirements. 

I am always happy to talk 

interiors! 

I will be continuing with my 

furniture painting workshops 

and will be extending my 

10% off offer up until the 

end of February so If you 

would like to learn some of the 

decorative paint effects that 

can be achieved with chalk 

paint please get in touch. My 

workshops have proved to be 

very popular over the seven 

months since I opened and 

good fun too. I have been 

asked about holding them on 

Saturdays which I will now start 

doing. For dates please check 

my website or see the board 

outside the shop. 

Remember to tell advertisers you saw it in The Conduit Magazine! 13

February Gardening 

by Mike Burks Managing Director 

of The Gardens Group 

At the time of writing we 

have barely had a frost 

this winter. So many 

plants are ahead of themselves by 

a good number of weeks. My 

colleague Malcolm and I noticed 

that the Purple Leaved Plum at 

Castle Gardens started to flower 

some six weeks before it did last 

year, the daffodils have been in 

flower from well before Christmas 

and I had to mow the lawn twice 

not happen many seeds will just 

stay dormant. A number of 

perennials behave in this way 

including many delphinium 

varieties, which used to have on 

their seed packets the advice that 

seeds benefit from being in the 

fridge for two weeks in order to 

improve germination. 

Other plants that may suffer are 

those that need a good cold 

winter in order for flowers and 

Potato Days & Seed Fairs 

Pennard Plants are again holding their very popular Potato 

Days and Seed Fairs with one on Sunday 31st January at 

Caryford Community Hall in Castle Cary from 

11.00am to 2.00pm. They are then 

at Drimpton Village Hall, near 

Beaminster on Saturday 5th 

February from 10.30am to 

2.30pm; Saturday 14th at 

The Cheese & Grain 

Exchange in Frome from 

10.00am to 3.00pm and at 

Maiden Newton Village Hall on 


2.00pm. Admission to all these events 

are free, except Drimpton where there is 

a small entry fee. There is the 

opportunity of not only buying some 

unusual types of potatoes but also a range of other bulbs and plants plus with the 

seed swaps get some bargains and unusual seeds. For details of all Pennard 

Plant's Fairs go to www.potato-days.net or call 01749 860039. 

in December. The growth of the 

Clematis Freckles in my garden is 

well over 12 inches long and I 

even saw an apple in flower back 

in November. 

So is this something to worry 

about? There are certainly a 

number of gardeners who are 

muttering to themselves at the 

moment with a frown and a shake 

of the head and they may well be 

right to be concerned. Should the 

weather turn very cold then quite 

a number of plants will have soft 

growth that will certainly be 

damaged by any hard frosts. 

Most will shrug their shoulders 

and start again but it is not ideal. 

The problem with the growth at 

the moment is that we are 

consistently having high 

temperatures combined with the 

short days and relatively low light 

levels because of the sun being 

low in the sky. With night 

temperatures being high as well 

this will mean that growth is 

etiolated, which means long, 

leggy and soft. This is being 

demonstrated in our lawns where 

the growth tends to be thin 

because the plants are searching 

for light. 

It is a problem for other plants 

that need the cold of a winter 

before their seed is able to 

germinate. This seems odd but 

plants have adapted over many 

years and know that the time to 

germinate is when the weather 

warms up after a cold spell, 

which usually means the first 

spring after winter. To do so in 

the autumn, say in a nice spell of 

weather, would leave the young 

seedlings exposed to the winter 

weather when it does arrive and 

many would be killed off in 

normal conditions. Therefore, it is 

much safer for them to stay 

dormant until spring. 

So when the cold winter does 

fruit to set. A number of fruiting 

plants are in this bracket 

including blackcurrants and many 

bulbs, such as hyacinths, which 

also need a cold spell for flowers 

to be induced. So if temperatures 

stay at this high level we may be 

in for a less colourful spring. 

Pest levels will certainly be an 

issue as a long cold winter kills 

off a good number of plant pests 

giving our garden plants the 

chance to get started before pests 

start to become an issue again. 

Should the cold not arrive then we 

will need to be on our toes early 

to keep problems under control. 

However, it will not be all bad 

news as many of our tender 

plants will enjoy a lack of cold 

and should flourish in these 

conditions. It will not be the first 

time that such a winter has 

occurred and I am certain it will 

not be the last. The issue may be 

that these unusual weather events 

come around with a greater 

frequency. 

Potato Days & Seed Fairs 

Sunday 31st January 11.00am-2.00pm 

Caryford Community Hall, Castle Cary, BA7 7JJ 

Saturday 6th February 10.30am to 2.30pm 

Drimpton Village Hall, Nr Beaminster, DT8 3RF 


Cheese & Grain Exchange, Frome, BA11 1BE 


Village Hall, Maiden Newton, DT2 0AE 

FREE admission to all Fairs (except Drimpton) 

www.potato-days.net (01749) 860039 

Snowdrops Galore... 

Did you know 

that the 

common name 

Snowdrop first 

appeared in 

the 1633 

edition of John 

Gerard’s 

‘Great Herbal’ 

(in the first 

edition (1597) he described it as the 

‘Timely flowering Bulbus violet’)? 

Galanthus, the milk flower, is at 

its discreet peak from mid 

February, when these polite 

little plants carpet damp 

woodland and roadside banks. 

There are some fantastic local 

gardens where you can see a 

great display of these pretty 

early flowers. 

On Sunday 7th and Sunday 14th 


4.00pm Mapperton Gardens, 

near Beaminster will be open 

for their wonderful snowdrop display. 

Entrance fee is half price at £4.50 

and children are free. Proceeds from 

the day is towards the maintenance 

of the garden, Perennial and the 

National Gardens Scheme. The 

Sawmill Cafe will be serving teas, 

coffees and cakes but no lunches. 

Then from Saturday 13th onwards 

into March visit Milterne Gardens 

between 10.00am to 6.00pm to 

see their snowdrop display. Entry 

is two for one while the snowdrops 

last so £5 for two adults. 

On Wednesday 17th from 7.30pm 

at North Cadbury Village Hall the 

Gardening Club have a talk by Val 

Bourne on ‘Snowdrops – a 

Personal Passion’. Val is an 

award-winning garden writer, 

photographer and lecturer and 

writes for ‘The Daily Telegraph’, 

‘Saga’ and other publications. 

There will be a bar available. 

Tickets (limited) £8, refreshments 

included, available from the 

Village Shop or from 01963 

440973 or 01963 440929. 


Town News 

by Lauren Hill 

BRUTON At the Bruton 

Community Hall there will be the 

usual Saturday Charity Coffee 

Morning from 10.00am to 12.00 

noon. On Saturday 20th February 

from 10.00am to 3.00pm at the 

Unionist Club there is a Farmers 

and Craft market. 

CASTLE CARY On Friday 29th 

January from 2.30pm at Caryford 

Hall the U3A have their next talk 

about ‘Smuggling in Dorset and 

Hampshire’ by Bonny Sartin, back 

by popular demand. On Monday 

1st February at the Methodist Church 

at 7.30pm the Gardening 

Association have a talk called 

‘Planning Spring Colour and 

Interest in the Garden’ by Fran 

from Castle Gardens. Visitors 

welcome £1. Fore more 

information phone 01963 

350618. On Tuesday 2nd at 

2.30pm at the Methodist Church 

the Ceramics Group have a talk on 

‘New Hall Discoveries since 

2000’. For more information 

phone 01460 54117. Also on 

The Gallery Bar 

High Street, Castle Cary 

Live Music 

Wine & Cocktails 

sam@thegallerybar.co.uk 

07901671495 

Tuesday 2nd at 8.00pm at Caryford 

Hall Simon Cooper will talk about 

about the year in the life of a chalk 

stream and the secret world of its 

inhabitants and his new book 

entitled ‘Life of a Chalk Stream’ 

followed by any questions. Tickets 

£2.50, children free. On Tuesday 

9th and Tuesday 23rd from 9.00am 

to 12.30pm at the Shambles 

Battens Solicitors host legal clinics. 

On Tuesday 16th at Caryford Hall 

from 11.00am there is a NADFAS 

illustrated lecture entitled 

‘Dreamtime to Machine Time’. 

Entry £6. For more information 

call 01963 350527. On Tuesday 

23rd at the Shambles from 1.00pm 

to 3.00pm a five week course for 

‘Painting and Drawing for all 

Abilities’ starts. A class for 

beginners or those with experience 

can go along and experiment with 

a variety of media and techniques. 

For more information call 0330 

3327997. Also on Tuesday 23rd at 

Caryford Hall from 7.00pm see 

the film ‘Everest’. Tickets £5 

available from Bailey Hill 

Bookshop or from 01963 

350132. See Movies Around 

the Villages & Towns. On Friday 

26th from 2.30pm at the Caryford 

Hall the Camelot U3A hold their 

monthly meeting when Tim Hare 

will pose the question ‘Trident, Yes 

or No?’ ’ Tim served in the Navy 

for 37 years and for much of that 

time was in the submarine service, 

working with both Polaris and 

Trident. He ended his service as 

Director Nuclear Policy in the 

MOD and is now a defence 

consultant, broadcaster and 

commentator on nuclear policy. 

This promises to be an interesting 

afternoon, especially as we now 

face so many decisions regarding 

our defence. Tim assures us he 

welcomes questions from both 

sides of the debate and hope his 

talk will leave you better informed 

about this difficult topic. 

CREWKERNE On Sunday 31st 

January from 11.00am at Wadham 

School go along to the Community 

Cinema Italian Day where they will 

be showing the ‘Bicycle Thieves’ 

before lunch. A celebrated 1948 

black and white classic film when 

a boy and his father frantically 

search the streets of Rome for the 

father’s stolen bicycle. Both know 

that without it the father cannot 

continue in his desperately needed 

job. After lunch, ‘Il Postino’ will be 

showing, a popular film from 

1994 set on an island in the Gulf 

of Naples. A postman learns to 

love poetry whilst delivering mail 

to the famous exiled Chilean poet, 

Pablo Neruda. Subsequently he 

uses poetry to woo the local 

beauty. Tickets Adults £8, 

Children £4. For more information 

phone 01460 271215. On Friday 

12th February at the Henhayes 

Centre from 7.45pm see ‘The 

Schmoozenbergs’. Tickets £12, or 

£20 including supper beforehand, 

available from 01460 74340. On 

Friday 26th from 7.30pm at 

Wadham School see the film ‘Two 

Days, One Night’. Thoughtful and 

compelling Belgian drama about 

one woman’s fight to keep her job. 

Magnificent central performance 

from Marion Cotillard. 

ILMINSTER Every second Tuesday 

of the month at 7.30pm the Valley 

Flower Club meet to promote and 

practise the art of flower 

arranging. The Club holds 

demonstrations with Area and 

National demonstrators. Visitors 

free for the first meeting and £5 

for two visits afterwards. If you 

wish to join you will only need to 

pay £16 towards the £26 

members fee. For more 

information contact Mrs Catherine 

Bacon on 01460 72665. Every 

Thursday from 2.00pm to 5.00pm at 

the Parish Hall the Bridge Club 

meets. Entry £2. For more 

information phone 01460 54405. 

On the first and third Monday of the 

month at 8.00pm at The George 

the Lions Club meet. On the third 

Tuesday of every month at the 

Minister Rooms from 7.30pm the 

Music Club meets to listen to 

someone (member or visitor) 

present a selection of discs 

(occasionally tapes or records), 

mainly of classical and light music, 

and talk a little about each piece. 

Tea/coffee biscuit break half way 

through. Visitors welcome £2 per 

visit (first visit free, to see if you 

like them). New ‘just listeners’ 

very welcome, new potential 

presenters even more welcome!’ 

On the first Wednesday of each 

month at the Minister Rooms from 

7.30pm the WI meet. For more 

information phone 01460 55587. 

Every Thursday at Muchelney House 

from 7.30pm the Serenade Choir 

meet. If you enjoy singing then this 

is the choir for you! The choir has 

30 members, both men and 

women, who sing a range of 

material including world music, 

folk, and pop standards. Songs 

are often sung in four-part 

harmony, but do not let that put 

you off, you do not have to be 

able to read music you can always 

learn by ear. For more information 

phone David Sutcliffe 01460 

281440. On Saturday 6th February 

from 8.30am to 12.30pm at the 

Market House there is a Produce 

Market. This is for local groups 

and producers to sell their goods 

locally and support the projects 

that are in need of support from 

the forum. If you are interested in 

having a stall please contact 

01460 259934. On Thursday 11th 

at the Ilminster Arts Centre 

between 10.00am to 1.00pm 

there is a Valuation Day. Take 

along your family heirlooms or 

YEOVIL & SHERBORNE 

FENCING Co. 

overlooked treasures for a free 

valuation with the experts from 

Bearnes, Hampton and Littlewood 

of Exeter. On Saturday 27th from 

10.00am to 2.00pm at Monk’s 

Yard there is a ‘Top Ten Funding 

Tips’ workshop. This is free and 

aimed at the voluntary and 

community sector with advice and 

coaching on all things 

‘fundraising. To register please 

contact Marsha Miles MINSFT 

(DIP) on 07850 680027 or 

marshacmiles@outlook.com 

LANGPORT On Saturday 30th 

January at 7.30pm there is Surprise 

Entertainment at the Great Bow 

Wharf in aid of BIBIC, helping 

children receive life changing 

therapy. Tickets £40 per person 

with a three course meal and 

award winning entertainment. 

Book your place on 01458 

253344. On Monday 1st February 

at the library from 7.30pm the 

History Society have a talk on the 

‘History of Sheborne’ with speaker 

Rob Curtis. Non-members £2. For 

more details call 01458 259310. 

SHERBORNE On Friday 29th 

January from 7.30pm at Castle 

Gardens Yeovil Hospital has a 

charity quiz night. Tickets £3 per 

person with teams of up to six. 

There is a prize for the winning 

team. To register please phone 

01935 383020. On Saturday 30th 

from 10.00am to 4.00pm at Digby 

Hall ArtsLink hold a one day class 

with Keith Stott on ‘Pastels’. Keith 

is a hugely experienced tutor and 

pastel painter who will help you to 

develop your own style in this 

medium. This relaxed day will 

include demonstrations and 

MARCH 

ADVERT 

DEADLINE: 

Monday 

15th 

FEBRUARY 


15

Free initial consultation 

A personal and friendly approach 

to business that will work for you 

www.chalmersaccountants.co.uk 

info@chalmersaccountants.co.uk 

Offices at Yeovil, Crewkerne & Langport 

01460 279000 

individual guidance and is suitable 

for all levels. The class costs £58, 

please book in advance on 01935 

815899 or download a booking 

for: www.sherborneartslink.org.uk 

On Monday 1st February from 

7.30pm at Digby Church Hall the 

Sherborne Abbey Insight 

Programme have a talk about ‘The 

Drama of Salvation’ by Canon Eric 

Wood.. Tickets £8 from 01935 

812452 (office hours only). On 

Friday 5th from 11.00am at the 

Catholic Church it is the 

‘Snowdrop’ Service of 

Remembrance and Thanksgiving. 

This event has grown over recent 

years to include Weldmar Hospice 

Care Trust (originators of the 

initiative) Marie Curie and 

Yeatman Community Hospital. In 

bringing together all three 

organisations it is a wonderful 

example of services working 

together in supporting bereaved 

people. Refreshments available. 

On Saturday 6th from 10.00am to 

12.30pm at St Pauls Church Hall 

ArtsLink hold a Saturday Family 

Fun Day. Based around a theme, 

these activities are designed 

primarily for 5-9 year olds, but all 

ages welcome in your family 

group. Book now on 01935 

815899 - spaces limited to eight 

families. On Thursday 11th at 

2.30pm at Digby Hall the 

Gardeners’ Association have a talk 

on ‘Herbs’ by Becky Groves, the 

owner of Little Groves Nursery. 

Visitors £2. On Saturday 13th from 

9.30am to 4.00pm at Digby Hall 

it is the monthly Chasty Cottage 

Antique Fair. Entry £1. Lots of 

interesting items to browse through 

and buy. For enquiries phone 

01963 370986. Also on Saturday 

13th from 10.00am to 4.00pm 

there is a Flea Market in Digby 

Church Hall. Free entry. On Sunday 

14th from 2.00pm outside 

Sherborne Abbey Blue Badge 

Guided Tours will be having a 

Valentine’s Day stroll led by Cindy 

Chant. On Tuesday 16th from 

10.00am to 12.00 noon and 

1.30pm to 3.30pm at Digby Hall 

ArtsLink host an Arts Buffet. Art 

and craft fun for under 12’s and 

their families. From Friday 19th at 

10.00am to 12.30pm at the Digby 

Hall ArtsLink hosts a four session 

course each Friday called ‘Post- 

Impressionism Painting in Europe 

1880 to 1905’ with Julian Halsby. 

An exploration of the work of the 

major post-impressionist including 

Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gauguin 

and the Pointillists. Julian will 

examine how these artists and the 

symbolists reacted against the 

realistic creed of impressionism. 

This course costs £62. On Sunday 

21st from 3.00pm at Cheap Street 

Church the international musicians 

Duo Teresa Carreño will be giving 

a charity fundraising concert for 

Sherborne Douzelage. The duo 

are award winning pianist Ana 

Laura Manero from Cuba and her 

husband the renowned cellist 

Arturo Serna from Venezuela. Ana 

has won many top awards in 

Cuba, Venezuela and USA and 

Arturo is also a renowned 

conductor of many local groups 

and orchestras, including Wessex 

Strings. The concert will include a 

selection of popular pieces from 

Villa-Lobos, Mendelssohn, Fauré, 

Rachmaninov, Schubert, Granados 

and Saint-Saëns. Tickets £8, 

including afternoon tea, available 

from Sherborne TIC, Winstone’s 

books and Mary at 01963 

251255 or on the door. On 

Thursday 25th at the Catholic Church 

Hall from 7.30pm the Floral 

Evening Society have a workshop. 

Also, on Thursday 25th at 7.30pm at 

the Digby Hall the ArtsLink Spring 

Lecture is ‘Painting the Modern 

Garden’. Julian Halsby considers 

the major exhibition at the Royal 

Academy looking at the garden 

paintings of Monet, Caillebotte, Le 

Sidaner, Matisse, Nolde, 

Liebermann and more. He 

examines how artists designed, 

planted, tended and painted their 

own gardens, which came to play 

a major part in their work. Tickets 

£9, includes a complimentary 

drink, available from Sherborne 

TIC or on the door. On Saturday 

27th from 10.00am to 4.00pm at 

Digby Hall ArtsLInk has two new 

SALE 

SALE ENDS MONDAY 29 th FEBRUARY 

34 Market Place 

Sturminster Newton 

Tel: 01258 472564 

Marsh’s 

www.EBMarsh.com 

59 Cheap Street 

Sherborne 

Tel: 01935 389665 

16 

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

MARCH ADVERT DEADLINE: 

Monday 15th February 

one-day classes: Collagraph with 

Annabel Wilson and Basketmaking 

with Paul Windwood. Collagraph 

is a simple way of relief 

printmaking using a cardboard 

plate on which you stratch, cut, 

stick, layer or draw. A brilliant 

way of making your own prints at 

home. All materials included, 

suitable for all levels. Places limited 

to eight. The course costs £58. 

Paul makes traditional, quality 

baskets and is a very experienced 

tutor. Go along and learn the 

essentials of this craft and take 

home your own, unique Somerset 

willow bowl. All materials and 

specialist equipment included. 

Places limited to six. The course is 

just £70. 

SOMERTON On Monday 8th and 

Monday 22nd February from 10.45am 

to 12.00 noon at West Street 

Church Somerton Sings are 

meeting. Purely for fun and for all 

ages and abilities. They sing 

anything well known, songs from 

the shows, old English melodies, 

and songs from the 30’s up to date. 

£1 a session including coffee and 

biscuit. Further information from 

Anna Creed 01458 272750. 

From Saturday 13th to Saturday 27th 

February there is a fabric sale at 

Bespoke in the Market Place 

between 9.30am to 5.00pm. 

Remnants, end of rolls, patchwork 

and dress fabrics. This is an ideal 

time to find some bargains. On 

Saturday 20th at The Parish Rooms 

from 7.30pm see the film ‘Sunset 

Song’. Tickets £6 available from 

Cobbs, Brunel Precinct. There is a 

licensed bar. For more details call 

Susan Deane on 01458 273265. 

On Monday 22nd from 7.30pm at the 

Parish Rooms the Green Gardeners 

welcome Susannah Applegate back 

for her talk on ‘Peonies and Iris’. 

Visitors £2. On Thursday 25th from 

7.30pm at the Parish Rooms the 

Somerset Wildlife Trust Heart of the 

Levels Group host a talk called ‘The 

Poldens Nature Reserves: What’s 

Going On?’ by Tim Youngs. The 

SWT Reserves Manager, will 

introduce the Heart of the Levels 

extensive reserves and talk about 

their management development 

and access. Non-members £3. 

On Friday 26th from 10.00am at the 

Edgar Community Hall the U3A 

have a meeting then a talk by their 

guest speaker. Non-members 

£1.50 and all welcome. 

WINCANTON On Mondays 

between 6.00pm and 7.00pm 

Wincanton Choir meets at the 

Balsam Centre. No audition or 

previous singing experience is 

necessary. They are a friendly 

group who just want to sing. 

Every Friday afternoon join the 

‘Feel Better with a Book’ reading 

group from 3.00pm to 5.00pm. 

This is a weekly social reading 

group held at the Balsam Centre 

and everyone is welcome. On 

Tuesday 2nd and Tuesday 16th 


12.30pm at the Balsam Centre 

Battens Solicitors hold legal 

clinics. On Thursday 25th from 

10.00am to 12.00 noon at King 

Arthur’s School a five week 

course starts on ‘Carry on 

Computing’. Build and develop 

your current IT knowledge by 

exploring programmes in greater 

depth. Entry £50, concessions 

£25. For more information 

phone 0330 332 7997. 

YEOVIL On Friday 5th February 

at the Holy Trinity Church from 

7.30pm the Yeovil 

Archaeological & Local History 

Society have an interesting talk 

by David Gordon on ‘The 

Unreturning Army’. He will talk 

about his father’s WW1 

experiences in France in 1917- 

18. Visitors £2. On Thursday 18th 

at 7.30pm at the Octagon 

Theatre Matilda Temperley will 

be talking about her work on the 

Somerset Floods and her life as 

an award-winning photographer 

for the YCAA. Tickets £5 from 

01935 422884. On Wednesday 

24th from 7.30pm at the Holy 

Trinity Church the Floral Society 

have a floral demonstration 

called ‘Glorious Gardens’ by 

Gretchen White. Visitors £5. 

Do not forget to start getting into 

training and to register for the 

Yeovil Half Marathon, which 

takes place Sunday 20th March. 

ARE YOU SECRETARY FOR A LOCAL 

CLUB OR ORGANISATION? SEND IN 

YOUR CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND WE 

WILL TRY AND INCLUDE YOUR DETAILS 

EACH MONTH. 

Pub Gigs Around Town 

All Music Gigs are free entry unless mentioned. 

January 

29th 

30th 

February 

‘The Defibrillators’, Rock, The Foresters Arms, East Coker, 8.30pm 

‘The Transitions’, Various Genres, The Globe Inn, Somerton, 9.00pm 

‘Turnette Doone’, Covers, The Royal Oak, Ilminster, 9.00pm 

‘60’s Revisted’, Covers, Yeovil Labour Club, 8.30pm 

‘Verena Chantal’ and ‘Loose Connections’, 69 Club, Yeovil, 9.00pm 

‘Grouvecat’, Acoustic Rock, The Westminster, Yeovil, 9.00pm 

‘K’fuffle’, Rock/Pop, The Armoury, Yeovil, 9.00pm 

‘D-State’, Covers 70’s-present, The Bell Inn, Yeovil, 9.00pm 

Ross Kirk, Rock Covers, The Bell Inn, Ash, 9.00pm 

‘One Tree Hill’, Acoustic, Merriott Social Club, 9.00pm 

5th 'Powercut', Acoustic/Electric Rock/Pop, The Foresters Arms, 

East Coker, 9.00pm 

6th 'Outrage 60's Band', Rock and Roll, Yeovil Labour Club, 8.30pm 

'Medicine Hat' Blues/Soul, Gallery Bar, Castle Cary, 8.30pm 

'The Link', Alt Rock, Cross Keys, Sherborne, 9.00pm 

'Forever Free', Free and Bad Company Tribute Band, 

The Westminster, Yeovil, 9.00pm 

Planned Accidents, Rock Covers and Original, The 94 Club, 


'We R 4', Pop/Rock/Acoustic, The Bell Inn, Yeovil, 9.15pm 

12th 'Twenty Flight Rock, Yeovil Labour Club, 8.30pm, £7 

'Fly Yeti Fly', Folk/Country, Gallery Bar, Castle Cary, 8.30pm 

'Livewired', Rock Covers, Yeovil Labour Club, 8.45pm 

'One Tree Hill', Acoustic, The Foresters Arms, East Coker, 9.00pm 

13th Mercy Lounge, Harmonica/Blues/Rock, Gallery Bar, 


'Hundred Days'. Rock, The Beach Cafe Bar, Yeovil, 9.00pm 

'The Stand Alone Empire', Acoustic Covers, The Rose and Crown, 

Martock, 9.00pm 

Chris Banderas, Classic Rock, The Swan Hotel, Crewkerne, 9.00pm 

14th Louise Jordan, Soul, Gallery Bar, Castle Cary, 8.30pm 

16th 'Loose Connections' and 'Verena Chantal, The Piddle Inn, 

Piddletrenthide, 9.00pm 

19th Tom Toomey, Duo Rock, Gallery Bar, Castle Cary, 8.30pm 

'The Phoenix Band', Cover's 60's-present, Rose and Crown, 

Longburton, 9.00pm 

'Chill', 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, The Royal Oak, Ilminster, 9.00pm 

20th 'The Mildrod Ends', Yeovil Labour Club, 8.30pm 

Steve Payne, Blues/Soul/Rock, Gallery Bar, 


'Loose Connections' and 'Verena Chantal', 

Milborne Port Social Club, 9.00pm 

'D-State', Cover 70's-presents, The 94 Club, Yeovil, 9.00pm 

'Freak Circus', Rock Covers and Original, The Beach Cafe Bar, 


25th 

Ross Kirk, Singer/Songwriter/Guitarist, Dolphin Hotel, 

Wincanton, 8.00pm 

26th Sam Welbourne, classic guitar, Gallery Bar, 


'Daytona', Rock/Pop, Cross Keys, Sherborne, 9.00pm 

27th 'The Tracks Band', Pop/Rock, Yeovil Labour Club, 8.30pm 

Karaoke, Merriott Social Club, 8.30pm 

Vlad Miller Jazz pianist, Gallery Bar, Castle Cary, 8.30pm 

'Wise Intentions', covers and original, The Swan Hotel, 


'Loose Connections' and 'Verena Chantal', The Piddle Inn, 

Piddletrenthide, 9.00pm 

'New Ocean', Rock Covers, The Globe Inn, Somerton, 9.00pm 

'The Phoenix Band', cover 60's-present, The 94 Club, Yeovil, 9.00pm 

'Rexes Hollow', Rock/Blues/Ska/Pop, The Beach Cafe Bar, Yeovil, 9.00pm 

Ross Kirk, Rock Covers, The Bell Inn, Ash, 9.00pm 

29th 

30th 

‘Turnette Doone’ live, The Royal Oak, Ilminster, 9.00pm 

'Loose Connections', Music/Comedy, Uncle Tom's Cabin, 

Wincanton, 9.00pm 

'Loose Connections' and 'Verena Chantal', The 94 Club, 


If you would like to advertise your pub or club events here send in your 

details. This will also appear on our website. We can also put your event 

in bold and yellow to stand out. This is just £6 per event or free if you 

advertise with us! Call 01935 424724 or e-mail us. 

Woods Wine Bar 

70 Middle Street, Yeovil, BA20 1LU 

Yeovil's Premier Live Music Venue. 

See above for this month's Gigs. 

Every Tuesday - Karaoke Every Wednesday - Open Mic Nights 


17

Recipe of the Month 

by of Stalbridge 

One of the compliments 

we often receive from 

customers is how well 

we stock our spices and 

condiments section. 

Here at our Stalbridge store we 

have many different oils, vinegars, 

types of salt and herbs, as well as 

an amazing array of less well 

known spices and blends - from 

pink peppercorns or Zaatar from 

Wilton Wholefoods to Sambhar 

Powder, Kashmiri Chillies and Sri 

Lankan Curry Powder from 

Seasoned Pioneers. 

We also have traditional 

ingredients for winter game such as 

juniper berries and ground mace, 

and over 50 sorts of gravy and 

stocks, from cubes and powders to 

ready-made gourmet gravies from 

Atkins and Potts. 

Why do we have all of this? 

Because our customers have 

become increasingly experimental 

over the years, thanks to them 

travelling more widely, chefs such 

as Nigella Lawson and Jamie 

Oliver and inspiring TV 

programmes such as Masterchef. 

A wonderful aromatic winter 

warmer is this moist and succulent 

Tagine, a slow-cooked North 

African stew named after the 

earthenware pot it is traditionally 

cooked in. You can order all of the 

ingredients for delivery to your 

door - visit www.dikes-direct.co.uk 

to check if we cover your postcode. 

Moroccan Lamb & 

Apricot Tagine 

This Moroccan lamb stew has lots 

of ingredients but do not be put 

off, as it is quite easy to cook and 

once you have all the spices in 

your cupboard, you will want to 

make it over and over again! 

Preparation time: 20 mins. Cook 

time: 2 hours. Feeds 4 people. 

Ingredients 

• 800g stewing lamb (shoulder 

or neck), diced into 3cm chunks 

• 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 

• 1 large onion, chopped 

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled 

and crushed 

• 1 tsp ground cumin 

• 1 tsp cinnamon 

• 1 tsp turmeric 

• 1 tsp paprika 

• 1 tsp coriander 

• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 

• 1 can chopped tomatoes (400g) 

• 1 can of chickpeas, drained (400g) 

• 500ml stock (lamb, vegetable 

or chicken) 

• Sea salt and black pepper 

• 75 g dried apricots, chopped 

• Handful of flaked almonds 

• 1 bunch of fresh coriander 

Method 

Heat some olive or rapeseed oil in 

a heavy casserole and brown the 

lamb for a few minutes. Put it to 

one side when done. 

Fry the onion in oil until soft, 

then add all the spices and cook 

through, stirring, for another 

minute or so. Add the tomatoes 

and let it bubble up a bit. 

Add the stock, bring to the 

boil, and then return the lamb to 

the casserole. Season with salt 

and pepper, cover and simmer 

for 1 hour. 

After an hour, add the 

chickpeas, apricot and almonds 

and continue to simmer covered, 

gently for another hour until the 

meat is tender. If it’s looking at all 

dry, add some more 

water or stock to give a 

rich sauce. 

Sprinkle with chopped 

coriander before serving 

on a bed of warm cous 

cous with a handful of 

rocket and watercress 

and some warm pitta 

bread. To dress it up a 

bit more, you could add 

a side salad of 

cucumber, yoghurt and 

mint and serve with little 

dishes of chutney. 

The Conduit Dinner Club 

Why not join The Conduit Dinner Club? 

The meals are informal and there is 

no joining fee. There are normally 

25-40 people and the Club has a 

cross section of ages. The 

evenings are a good way to get 

out and about to meet new people 

as well as try new restaurants – 

often with some great deals! Due 

to numbers we nearly always have 

a set menu and although everyone 

is asked for comments on their 

meal this is not for food critics. 

We had a great meal at The 

Orchard Inn (see Restaurant 

Review) and on Wednesday 10th 

February we are going to Truffles 

Restaurant in Bruton. If you are 

interested in coming to any of our 

evenings or would like more details 

e-mail info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

and details will be sent. Remember 

if you know a Restaurant that 

would like a review and for the 

Dinner Club to visit do contact the 

Editor, Franchesca Dening. 

TRUFFLES BRASSERIE 

95 High Street, BRUTON BA10 0AR 

OPENING HOURS - WEDNESDAY-SATURDAY 9AM-11PM 

SUNDAY ROAST NOON-3PM 

CAFÉ MENU, PRIX FIXE LUNCH & À LA CARTE 

Bookings call: 01749 812180 or email: trufflesbruton@gmail.com 

www.trufflesbistro.co.uk 

Like us on 

Facebook 

Check out our new page. We are 

keeping it up to date with local 

news and events taking place. 

Baking Classes for 

Charity 

Ferne Animal Sanctuary in 

Wambrook, near Chard are inviting 

everyone, whatever their ability, to 

go along and learn how to bake 

bread with their resident chef, 

Richard Kingdon. 

Participants will learn how to 

prepare and cook varieties including 

Irish soda bread, focaccia and 

gluten free bread. Chef Richard 

said: “I’m really looking forward to 

running these cookery classes. It’s a 

new and educational activity which 

should also be great fun for all 

involved.” 

Sarah Jackson, event organiser 

said: “The cookery classes are 

aimed at adults which add a new 

and different element to our 

programme of events here at Ferne. 

This is a great opportunity to learn 

and our chef Richard will teach 

participating bakers how to get their 

dough to rise to the occasion.” 

The first event is at the end of 

January. The second is planned for 

Thursday 25th February. This will be 

‘Dessert Craft’ where participants 

will learn how to create restaurant 

quality desserts. This workshop will 

be £30 per person inclusive. The 

classes will help raise money for 

Ferne Animal Sanctuary to care for 

the animals they have on site. All 

cookery workshop bookings should 

be made direct on 01460 67587 or 

by email to frm@ferneanimalsanctuary.org 


Restaurant Review 

by Franchesca Dening 

The Orchard Inn 

Situated on the A359 

between Sparkford and 

Castle Cary this 

traditional Village pub in 

Galhampton has undergone 

many changes including its name 

but was warm and welcoming on 

a cold night when we visited. 

Until last summer called 'The Old 

Pub' it has now re-opened under 

the new name of 'The Orchard 

Inn' reflecting the history of the 

village which was founded on 

local cider production. Landlord 

Darren Brown and chef Matthew 

Haggett have 25 years of 

experience between them and 

recently ran the very successful 

'Crown' at Marnhill and 'The 

Bell' at Standerwick but when 

the opportunity of a freehouse 

came up they grabbed it with 

both hands. 

The focus is now on serving 

great value, quality, homemade 

pub food with national and 

locally sourced cask ales in a 

friendly environment. A small 

glass of house white wine is just 

£3 and a large glass £5.75. 

The decor is traditional but 

tastefully done with a cosy feel 

and as you enter there were two 

fireplaces with the bar in front of 

you. To the right there are 

comfortable leather seats and to 

the left a selection of tables. 

They have tiled and wooden 

floors. A conservatory has been 

added at the back which 

interestingly has a covered old 

well in the floor and can seat up 

to 25 people comfortably. The 

décor is attractive with poppy 

blinds and a large tapestry on 

the wall. If you are looking for a 

venue for a private party this 

area is ideal. There is plenty of 

car parking to the side and at 

the rear is a secure grassed area 

to sit out when warmer. 

Matthew has produced an 

interesting and reasonably 

priced menu with great care 

being taken to use only the finest 

local produce. Chef's 

recommendations were a 

venison steak at £14.50 and 

chicken breast topped with 

Serrano ham with mushroom, 

garlic and parmesan cream 

sauce at £13.95. Their 

lunchtime menu included a range 

of sandwiches as well as many 

traditional dishes including 

chicken, ham and stilton pie with 

homemade short crust pastry at 

£12, braised pork fillet at 

£13.95 and stuffed mushrooms 

for £11. The menu is seasonal 

so does change. They also 

have a children's menu from 

£4.50. On Wednesday they 

have a Curry Night and on 

Sundays they have a Carvery 

with a choice of meats for £9.95 

or a small portion for £6.50 with 

a children’s option for £4.95. 

On the evening the Dinner 

Club visited we were 24 and we 

had pre-ordered from two 

courses at £17.50 or three 

courses at £22.50. They had 

jugs of water on each table and 

were efficient with the service. 

The choice of starters were: 

Home made pork and bacon 

pate served with apple chutney, 

crisp salad and crusty bread; 

Smoked salmon bruschetta with 

cream cheese served on fried 

bread with a Balsamic glaze; 

Salt beef salad cooked in house 

and served with a wholegrain 

mustard dressing; Creamy garlic 

and Parmesan mushrooms 

served on a crouton with fresh 

crisp salad. The most popular 

choice was the smoked salmon 

which was excellent. The pate 

was well presented, smooth and 

well flavoured going well with 

the chutney. The garlic 

mushrooms and the salted beef 

were enjoyed too. 

The main courses included: 

Steak and ale pie topped with 

homemade short crust pastry, 

served with chips 

and vegetables; 

Mushrooms stuffed 

with goats cheese 

and topped with 

red onion 

marmalade, served 

on saute potatoes 

and fresh 

vegetables: Fresh 

scampi breaded in 

house served with 

chips, petit pois 

and tartar sauce; 

Chicken breast 

served on roasted 

vegetables and 

herb crush potato 

topped with a 

creamy garlic 

mushroom sauce 

and fried Serrano 

ham. The scampi 

was beautifully 

cooked and the 

chips were crispy 

but not hard and 

had great reviews 

from everyone! I 

personally could have done with 

a bit more garlic with the 

chicken but it was a very 

generous portion. The pie was 

described as ‘excellent’ and the 

mushroom was also tasty. All the 

dishes were nicely presented. 

The desserts were: Coffee and 

walnut cheesecake; Apple and 

raspberry crumble; Chocolate 

and caramel crunch; Cheese 

and biscuits. All the desserts 

were complimented on. The 

chocolate and caramel crunch 

was described as 'beautiful' , the 

crumble was piping hot and a 

very good portion and the 

cheesecake was well presented 

and 'absolutely delicious'. We 

were all offered coffee or tea 

with a mint after the meal 

included in the price. 

The pub is open from Tuesday 

to Thursday 11.30am to 3.00pm 

and 5.30m to 11.00pm, 

(Fridays until 12.30am), 

Saturday all day from 11.30am 

to 12.30am and Sunday from 

11.30am to 11.00pm. 

The Conduit Dinner Club members 

received a good pub meal with 

friendly and good service. 

We were made very welcome. 

Go along, have a drink or meal 

and see what you think? 

To reserve a table call 01963 

440751 and do not forget to 

mention The Conduit Magazine. 

Quinoa benefits 

Once called 'the gold of the Incas', quinoa is not 

nearly as common in British kitchens as it should 

be. Full of protein, amino acids (all of them), 

magnesium, iron and copper, this grain is 

thought to help people who suffer from migraines 

and diabetes. It is particularly good in salads 

and, because of the protein, will make you feel full up for longer. 

Fuschias you Eat! 

British horticulturalists may have created the next super 

food after breeding a strain of fuchsia that has sweet, 

vitamin-rich berries. The plant is known for its pretty 

flowers but produces berries that are rich in Vitamin C 

and antioxidants but very bitter. Thompson and Morgan, 

a Suffolk-based seed company, has now made them tasty enough to eat. It 

says that the flavour is somewhere between a fig and kiwi. 


19

The Quicksilver Mail 

Hendford Hill, Yeovil 

Best Value 

Lunch Menu 

in Town 

10 Different Hot choices @ £5.75 

Food served: 11am-2.30pm 

& 6pm-9.30pm 

Sundays 12.00 noon-3.00pm 

Function Room for up to 

250 is available for parties, 

weddings, training days & 

business meetings 

01935 424721 www.Quicksilvermail.com 

Products to help you Slim 

Green tea, red wine and coffee are 

said to help you become slimmer. 

These are called sirtfoods and they 

are particularly rich in special 

nutrients so when we consume them 

it activates the ‘skinny gene’ known 

as sirtuins. 

The sirtfood diet has been clinically 

proven to achieve a weight loss of 

7lb. This includes maintaining or 

increasing muscle and 

programming the body for lasting 

weight-loss success, all without 

severe calorie restriction or gruelling 

exercise. 

Red wine is the original sirtfood 

with the activating nutrient being 

‘resveratrol’. Pinot Noir is the 

number one grape choice because 

it contains more resveratrol than 

other wines. The activating 

ingredient in coffee is caffeic acid 

and chlorogenic acid and research 

shows that coffee is a treasure trove 

of fantastic plant compounds with 

health benefits. It is said that coffeedrinkers 

have significantly less risk 

of certain cancers and diabetes. 

Matcha green tea is the best green 

tea to have as the matcha is grown 

in 90% shade while common green 

tea is usually grown in bright 

sunlight. Unlike common green tea 

which is drunk as an infusion, when 

matcha green tea is consumed the 

finely ground leaves are dissolved 

into water and ingested giving 

greater intakes of epigallocatechin 

gallate (AGCG). 

Cross Keys at 

Lydford wins Award 

Congratulations to the Cross Keys 

Inn at Lydford on Fosse who 

recently won a highly commended 

award in the category ‘pub of the 

year’ in the South West Tourism 

Awards. The award 

scheme received a 

record 490 entries, with 

93 finalists and 13 

highly commended 

businesses being 

chosen. 

This was the first time 

that the Cross Keys Inn 

entered and was the 

only Somerset Pub 

chosen to win an award. 

The judge’s comments included 

‘cracking pub’, ‘local sourcing at 

its best’ and ‘good customer 

service comes from the top. Well 

done to all concerned. 

Food & Drink Labels 

Public heath experts have said 

that drinks and snacks should 

have labels that tell people how 

much exercise they would need 

to do to burn off the calories. 

According to the Royal Society 

for Public Health, telling shoppers 

it would take a half an hour jog 

to compensate for the calories in 

a muffin, bag of peanuts or 

mocha coffee would discourage 

them from overeating. Two thirds 

of people back the idea saying it 

would encourage them to pick 

healthier options and do more 

exercise. Packaged food 

already has nutritional 

information such as calorie 

content and many have ‘traffic 

light’ labels that warn if the 

product is high in salt, sugar or 

fat. The society says people find 

this confusing and that graphics 

to explain the meaning of calorie 

counts would be better. For 

example, people considering 

buying a packet of crisps would 

see that they need to swim for 13 

minutes or cycle for 23 minutes 

to burn off its 171 calorie! A 

bar of chocolate might warn that 

eating it would mean a 46 

minute walk or 22 minute run to 

use up its 229 calories and for a 

bowl of cereal you would need 

to do a 16 minute run. 

The chief executive of the society 

says that although food and drink 

packaging has improved, it is not 

working as well as it could to 

support the public in making 

healthy choices. 



6 Union Street, Yeovil, BA20 1PQ 

Taste the Caribbean in our newly opened restaurant. 

Fantastic food & great drinks! 

Lunchtime Takeaway 10% discount & Kids Menu just £5 

Tuesday: Kids eat free with every main meal. One child per adult. 

Wednesday: 2 courses for £9.99 (starter & main/main & ice cream) 

01935 411079 

Open: Tues -Wed: 11.00am-5.00pm 

Thurs-Sat: 11.00am-4.00pm/6.00pm-11.00pm 


The Mitre Inn 

Sandford Orcas 

Nr Sherborne, DT9 4RU 

01963 220271 

FREEHOUSE 

Allen & Cheryl welcome you with a cosy bar & great food. 

Saturday 14th Feb - Valentine’s Night 

Wed to Fri - Senior Citizens 2 course lunch £9.50 

Sunday Roast - £9.75 (£8.75 for smaller portion) £6.25 children 

2 En-suite double rooms now available 

Tuesday - Saturday 11.30 - 2.30, 7.00 - 11.00 

Sunday 12.00 - 3.00, 7.00 - 10.30 (Monday drinks only 7.00 - 11.00) 

www.MitreInn.co.uk 

Gourmet Wine Night 

On Friday 5th February at 

7.30pm New Farm 

Restaurant will be 

showcasing one of their 

vineyards with a Gourmet 

Wine Night with wines 

from Furleigh Estate in 

Dorset and a talk from 

owner, Rebecca. This 

promises to be a fun and 

informative evening and 

interest is already being 

expressed and bookings taken. 

A great opportunity to taste the 

wines from this award winning 

vineyard and find out why 

English wines are so "of the 

moment". Also, possibly a 

good time to buy some of 

their delectable sparkling rosé 

in time for Valentine's Day. 

They will be serving a 

romantic feast at lunchtime 

and in the evening. 

The Rising Sun Chinese takeaway offer delicious traditional 

Chinese cuisine freshly cooked to order for collection or 

delivery*. Using the very finest ingredients and setting the 

highest of standards. Please visit our website for our full menu. 

We look forward to seeing you. 

Monday – Thursday 5.00 pm – 10.00 pm 

Tuesday 

CLOSED 

Friday – Saturday 5.00 pm – 10.30 pm 

Sunday 

5.30 pm – 10.00 pm 

* Conditions apply for delivery service 

Yeovil Ales 

by Rob Sherwood 

With Christmas now a 

distant memory love 

is in the air this 

month, and we really do love 

our beer!! In fact it is a bit of 

an obsession for us and trying 

to ensure that you love our 

beer as much as we do is a 

constant challenge. Our latest 

endeavour to find the perfect 

beer is brought to life by 

YOLO#8 a 4.2% New 

Zealand Pale Ale made with 

lots of Maris Otter pale ale 

malt with Munich and 

Caragold malts for body and 

depth and torrified wheat for 

head retention, all balanced 

with Waimea and Rakau hops 

from New Zealand that will 

impart a uniquely tantalising 

earthy citrus flavour with subtle 

hints of pine. This is very 

exciting for us beer geeks as it 

is the first time Yeovil Ales has 

specifically used solely New 

Zealand hops at the late 

hopping stage to give an 

exclusive flavour and aroma 

that we hope you will all enjoy. 

Valentine’s Day brings the 

eternal issue of how to show 

your loved one your esteem, so 

if you are struggling to find 

that perfect gift we have a 

range of beers, gift vouchers, 

merchandise and even tickets 

for Yeovil Beer Festival 

available on our website or the 

Yeovil Beer Festival website. 

The aphrodisiacal properties of 

beer have long been discussed 

and we are by no means 

experts in this specific aspect 

but experts seem to agree that 

one or two pints can help with 

nerves and relaxation but any 

more than four pints and you 

could risk some unwanted 

negative side effects in the 

romance department, more 

than seven pints and even the 

infamous beer goggles could 

become a risk! 

Lastly it is probably time to 

mention that tickets for the 

2016 Yeovil Beer festival are 

selling fast so to avoid 

disappointment it would be a 

good idea to order yours now 

at www.yeovilbeerfest.com 

Bofors Park, Artillery Road, 

Lufton, Yeovil, BA22 8YH 

Opening Hours: Monday to 

Friday: 8.30am to 5.00pm 

Late Friday Opening Times 

until 5.30pm. 

Please call the Brewery as we 

regularly accommodate special 

late collection of beer orders on 

01935 414888 

61 Princes Street, Yeovil, BA20 1EE • Tel. 01935 476184 

www.therisingsunyeovil.co.uk 

Carrots & Spinach 

good for Eyes 

Despite the mis-information 

during WWII about carrots 

making you see in the dark it has 

now been found this actually 

might not be so far from the truth! 

A study led by Harvard 

University has found that carrots 

really can help your eyes. 

Carotenoids, which give carrots, 

peppers and spinach their 

colours, can slow the onset of 

age-related macular 

degeneration. The team looked 

at data tracking 100,00 over 

50’s for 25 years and found that 

those who ate the most 

carotenoids had a 40% lower 

risk of the condition... 




21

Food & Drink Trade Show 

On Monday 29th February from 

10.30am to 3.00pm South 

Somerset District Council’s 

Economic Development team 

will once again host a free 

showcase event featuring some 

of our best local food and 

drink producers from South 

Somerset and the surrounding 

area at Cricket St Thomas 

Hotel near Chard. 

There will be stallholders from 

Somerset, Devon and Dorset 

offering a wide range of 

produce to taste, buy and 

order. Somerset is at the 

forefront of the food and drink 

industry, with an established 

reputation for high quality 

produce. It is a buoyant 

£500million plus sector, with a 

dynamic and dedicated network 

of over 8,500 farmers and food 

producers - the highest number 

of food producers in any UK 

county. This is a supportive and 

collaborative industry, where 

food and drink businesses can 

prosper thanks to a thriving 

local food culture. 

The free event is open to 

anyone with an interest in local 

food and drink. SSDC is 

particularly keen to attract local 

traders from the 

food and drink 

industry to the 

show, especially 

hotels, 

restaurants, 

B&Bs, farm shops 

and cafés. 

Rebecca 

O’Neill of the 

District Council’s 

Economic 

Development team said: “We 

are excited to be showcasing 

the excellent local food and 

drink producers of South 

Somerset and surrounding 

areas. I hope that as many 

hospitality, retail and catering 

businesses are able to attend to 

check out the wonderful 

products on display and make 

connections with the producers. 

Do not miss out on this 

opportunity to source local food 

and drink from cider to chutney 

and from freshly baked bread 

to meat from stock reared on 

local pastures” 

It is anticipated that in 

excess of 300 people will visit 

the event during the day and 

the BBC Somerset Bus will be 

presenting their mid-morning 

show with Ben McGrail from 

9.00am-12.00 noon on 

the day. 

The event is primarily aimed 

at the local food and drink 

trade and the venue has a 

strictly over 18s policy. If you 

are interested in attending or 

would like more information, 

please contact the Economic 

Development team on 01935 

462444 or email them on: 

econdev@southsomerset.gov.uk 

& More Details on 

some of the Stands... 

Fussels Fine Foods was 

started by Andy 10 years ago 

because he is passionate about 

farming, quality local produce 

and the amazing product that is 

Rapeseed oil. He grows the 

seed and single cold presses it 

on the farm to produce a high 

quality Extra Virgin oil with 

amazing properties. It has half 

the saturated fat of olive oil, 10 

times the levels of the essential 

fatty acid Omega3 and it cooks 

to a higher cooking 

temperature, making it a 

versatile oil suitable for all your 

cooking requirements. He also 

use it for his amazing range of 

dressings, sauce, mayonnaises 

and flavoured oils that really 

give a meal a lift out of the 

ordinary. This Spring they are 

opening their new 

demonstration kitchen and they 

have big plans for events that 

you can sign up for, so watch 

for details on the website. 

Fussell Fine Foods will be 

exhibiting at Show or you can 

order direct from their website. 

South Somerset District Council 

Local Food Trade Show 

Monday 29th February 10.30am-3.00pm 

Cricket St Thomas Hotel, Chard, TA20 4DD 

Come along to this FREE event featuring our best local food and drink products. 

This is an opportunity to 

network, gain invaluable 

business advice and 

order for your business. 

For more information call 01935 462444 

Meet the owners, taste their delicious produces 

and buy some of the area's best produce. 

or e-mail econdev@southsomerset.gov.uk 

The venue operates a strict over 18s policy for all persons entering the premises. 


Gyles59 is situated on the 

Somerset/Devon/Dorset border. 

This quirky micro-brewery 

makes beers that are produced 

with flavour in mind. 

Imaginative use of the finest 

ingredients, including hops from 

around the globe, and their own 

spring water, give them results 

which they think are rather 

special. Their products can be 

naturally hazy as they retain all 

the goodness of the ingredients 

and have not been fined, 

making them suitable for 

vegans, vegetarians and 

omnivores alike. From Porters 

to Session Ales, IPAs to wheat 

beers, They produce beers in 

cask, keg and bottle to suit 

every taste. Visit their Bottle 

Shop at the Brewery from 

Monday to Friday 9.00am until 

5.00pm, go on a Saturday 

11.00am to 4.00pm when the 

bar is selling a range of beers 

and see them at the Show. 

Baboo Gelato was set up in 

2015 by Annie Hanbury, a 

trained gelatiere, in Salway 

Ash, near Bridport. The focus of 

the company is entirely on 

producing delicious flavours of 

ice cream, whether in tubs, 

scoops, lollies, or their bite 

sized chocolate covered ice 

creams. To achieve this they 

use the best ingredients, such as 

organic milk from a farm in 

Toller Porcorum and specially 

selected seasonal fruit, not least 

their own raspberries from their 

rambling fruit garden. They 

make their ice cream in the 

Italian way. To be clear, gelato 

is not simply the Italian word for 

ice cream. Gelato has a lower 

fat content than traditional 

English ice cream and has less 

air in it. This makes it denser 

and less fluffy. Importantly, it 

should be served at a warmer 

temperature which allows the 

taste buds to be more receptive. 

This makes the flavour of gelato 

much more intense. They 

recommend taking their gelato 

out of the freezer 10 minutes 

before eating and putting it in 

the fridge. They will start selling 

in West Bay this summer through 

a kiosk, and they are looking to 

sell through restaurants and 

other food service outlets that 

share their passion for delicious 

ice cream. Look out for more 

details in the coming months or 

see them at the Show. 


23

History 

by George Tatham 

Weight Watchers 

The recent remedial 

work on the 

deteriorating 

condition of the Sherborne 

Public Weigh Bridge House 

in front of the Abbey has 

highlighted and conserved 

a valuable industrial 

archaeological structure. 

The work involved repairs 

to the brick and stonework 

and the replacement of the 

roof with rolled lead 

sheeting. The Town 

Council and Oriel 

Architecture are to be 

congratulated for their 

sympathetic approach to 

the project. The further 

restoration of the door to 

its original design of 

opening in two halves 

would allow unfettered 

access to the scale mechanism 

for future conservation. 

The weighing of heavy loads 

began in the 18th century with 

apparatus involving steelyards, 

whereby the whole cart was 

suspended by chains while 

weighing took place. In 

response to the Turnpike Act of 

1741, which empowered the 

Trustees to erect ‘any crane 

machine or engine for the 

weighing of carts, waggons or 

other carriages on payment of 

an extra toll,’ John Wyatt (1700- 

1766) master carpenter of 

Birmingham, invented, in 1744, 

a platform weighing machine 

flush to the road, whose 

principles are still used today. 

The Sherborne and 

Shaftesbury Turnpike Act dates 

from 1753 but in the subsequent 

auctioning of the toll houses, 

weighing machines are not 

included, unlike neighbouring 

towns, including Yeovil and 

Wincanton. The first mention, 

so far, of a Sherborne weighing 

machine is in an advertisement 

for the sale by auction of the 

Castle public house (Long Street) 

appearing in the Sherborne 

Mercury dated 20 August 1787. 

Included in the sale is the lease 

of the Patent Weighbridge in the 

Market place. Both properties 

were owned by a Mrs Boutcher. 

Weigh bridges appear on the 

town plan, drawn by Edward 

Thomas Percy in 1834, and the 

accompanying terrier. Two 

‘weigh engines’ are identified: 

one outside the Abbey (featured 

above) owned by James Percy 

and the other next to the 

Terminus Inn at the bottom of the 

Bristol Road, where the Old 

Glove Factory now stands, 

owned by James’s wife, 

Elizabeth Percy. James’s father, 

John Percy, auctioneer and 

surveyor, died in 1831 and his 

will mentions ownership of the 

‘weighing engine.’ James died 

in 1852 and his will also 

contains mention of a ‘weighing 

engine and appurtenances 

situate in the pig market in 

Sherborne’, which identifies the 

location as in front of the Abbey. 

An earlier newspaper reference 

(1802) records the weighing 

and subsequent sale of 100 

piglets in the Sherborne pig 

market. The Dymond map of 

1852 (a copy hangs in the 

Council Offices in Newland) 

also shows both weigh bridges 

in situ. 

It would appear that the 

Sherborne weigh bridges were 

owned or leased by individuals 

rather than let on an annual 

basis and their potential value is 

reflected in the Percy family’s 

long association with them. A 

photo, taken in 1941 and held 

by Historic England, shows the 

platform and weigh bridge 

house outside the Abbey. The 

present internal machinery bears 

the name of W. & T. Avery, who 

only manufactured their first 

weigh bridge in 1876, so when 

was it installed in Sherborne? 

As a prominent landmark in 

the town, it was this weigh 

bridge that the local football 

and cricket teams of the 1930s 

and 1940s used as a meeting 

place, and now a modern weigh 

bridge at the Sherborne 

Household Recycling Centre in 

West Mill Lane provides a 

tangible link with the past. 

If you have a history story 

please contact: 

info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

Latin Crossword 

Cruciverbalists will now have to 

find an extra mental challenge in 

the form of a weekly Latin 

crossword. This has been a long 

time coming since 'The Times' 

published a one-off Latin crossword 

in 1930, a month after the first 

appearance of an English 

crossword. The new Latin 

crossword is a mixture of straight 

and mildly cryptic clues, mainly in 

English, with all the answers in 

Latin. Some of the clues can be 

easily solved by those with a basic 

grounding in the language. Latin is 

Coffee Break Trivia 

This month can you replace the asterisks by letters 

to reveal the names of five birds: 

Find the Bird 

a) *URNS**** b) *WALL** c) *EDWIN* 

d) **SKIN e) **THAT** 

Answers to find word synonym for both pairs of words in January. 

lean; leave; sound; craft 

Like us on 

Facebook 

Check out our new page. 

We are keeping it up to date with 

local news and events taking place. 

Volunteers for 

Historic House 

If you are looking for something 

different to do with a historic angle 

then look no further. 

Mapperton House, just outside 

Beaminster, is opening to the 

general public and specialised 

groups from Easter to the end of 

October for the first time from 

12.00 noon to 4.00pm Sunday to 

Thursday. Mapperton House, 

which is a Jacobean manor with 

Tudor and Georgian features, has 

growing in popularity as it is taught 

in more than 700 state schools and 

450 independent schools - twice 

the number in 2000. A quarter of 

the 50,000 pupils that start to learn 

it each year take it at GCSE. 

recently featured in the film 'Far 

from the Maddening Crowd' so 

has received a lot of publicity 

recently. 

They want to expand their 

present team of volunteers to act as 

guides to visitors around the 

house. Volunteers do not need 

qualifications but you will need 

patience and understand of 

people's needs, including the 

young, elderly and disabled. 

Those who prefer not to be guides 

are still able to act as stewards 

and back up other volunteers. 

Volunteers receive travel expenses 

of 45p per mile and light 

refreshments in the Sawmill Cafe 

for each visit. If you are interested 

contact Anthea or Claire on 

01308 862645. 


Jewellery & Gems 

by Anthony White FGS FGA, PSJ Princes Street Jeweller 

Everybody Loves a Diamond 

(or two)... they have always 

been irresistible! 

The notorious Hatton 

Garden Heist robbers in 

May 2015 stole around 

£200m worth of diamonds and 

jewellery - possibly "the largest 

burglary in English legal 

history" much of which has just 

"disappeared". In just two 

decades, the loss of over 

$500m diamonds and jewellery 

amounts to quite an impressive 

total, much of which has never 

been recovered. 

In February 2013 Brussels 

airport was the scene of a 

daring theft of diamonds from a 

Zurich bound plane. Diamonds 

worth $50m were delivered by 

van from Antwerp in 130 bags 

to be loaded from the tarmac 

directly into the plane. Eight 

armed robbers in a white van 

and an Audi car raced across 

the airfield and stopped in front 

of the plane. Passengers were 

already boarded and waiting 

with seatbelts fixed, while the 

bags were being stolen. They 

remained blissfully unaware of 

what was happening outside 

during the 15 minutes it took to 

throw 130 bags into the car 

and race off. 

In February 2008 the 

Dominiani showroom in Milan 

was raided, where $20m of 

jewellery were stolen. Only a 

year earlier diamonds worth 

$28m were stolen from the 

ABN Anro Bank in Antwerp by 

a sophisticated con-man. Using 

a false identity he developed a 

high level of trust with the bank 

over a period of a full year. 

Then over a weekend he 

gained access to the strong 

PRINCES STREET JEWELLER EST. 1937 

room and removed 120,000 

carats of diamonds from their 

deposit boxes. They were never 

recovered. 

In February 2005 at Schiphol 

airport $118m of rough 

diamonds were stolen by two 

armed men dressed 

in KLM uniforms. In 

a stolen KLM truck 

they were able to 

drive up 

unquestioned to the 

security van loaded 

with the diamonds on 

the runway, forced 

the guards out at 

pistol point and 

rapidly drove off. 

The stones had been 

destined to be flown to Antwerp 

for cutting and polishing, but 

never made it and have never 

been found. 

In February 2003 gang 

leader Leonardo Notarbartolo 

was arrested and accused of 

breaking into a vault two floors 

beneath the Antwerp Diamond 

Center. He made off with at 

least $100 million worth of 

loose diamonds and jewellery. 

Despite the protection of 10 

layers of security they were 

successful and none of the loot 

was ever recovered. 

All these events might 

suggest that February is a risky 

month for diamond owners! In 

any case, you might do well to 

take a look at your jewellery 

valuation and insurance. It can 

so easily be overlooked as 

shown by a customer recently 

contacted us whose valuation 

was 25 years old and gold has 

almost doubled since then! 

Precious metal and gem 

prices can change quite 

markedly over even a few 

years, so if you really care 

about your personal jewellery, 

do let us advise you at PSJ in 

complete confidence. Please 

ask any of our qualified staff at 

PSJ for advice (01935) 

475936 and to make an 

appointment with our Guild of 

Valuers professional. 

7 HIGH STREET, YEOVIL, SOMERSET, BA20 1RE 

TELEPHONE: 01935 475936 www.psjyeovil.co.uk 

Fashion & More 

by Thelma Drabik, Melbury Gallery 

Out of Hibernation 

It is time to bring your wardrobe 

out of hibernation again as our 

Spring Summer 16 collections 

are arriving thick and fast here at the 

Melbury Warehouse. Pricing, 

hanging, steaming and generally 

preparing every single piece that 

arrives here with a precision and 

passion. All the behind-the-scenes 

mad scramble, to present our 

customers with perfect ready to wear 

collections. 

Each new season at Melbury is a 

reinvention, our customers appreciate 

good quality more than ever and 

continue to crave products with a 

one-off unique feel. With a little bit 

of Melbury magic you can turn your 

wardrobe from ordinary to 

extraordinary. 

Spring trends include feminine 

embroidery, embellishments, sparkle 

and shine, which is music to our ears 

as we have always looked for pieces 

rich in texture and feeling. Comfort 

is key. The pieces we sell have to 

have that certain something that pulls 

them out of the ordinary but, comfort 

should never be compromised. We 

are looking for fabrics that move with 

you, flow and drape where they 

should and fabrics that are easy care 

- we are busy people with lives to be 

lived - wash and wear we say. 

Braintree Clothing has been 

championing eco-fibres since they 

launched the company back in 

2001. An ethos that has remained 

with the company offering affordable 

stylish and timeless fashion whilst 

caring for our skins and the 

environment. We love the fact that 

they use breathable bamboo, hemp 

and organic cottons. This season 

they have been inspired by beautiful 

hand drawn botanical engravings 

and have produced a collection of 

stunningly detailed floral prints. 

The first wave of Adini is here and 

the styling is very chic, quite vintage. 

They have been inspired style wise 

by the seventies, but viewing the 

collection, I would say very early 

seventies. Dresses are to the knee or 

just below, with lovely wide shoulders 

straps that conceal rather than 

display your lingerie and colourful 

co-ordinating cotton jersey separates 

to provide warmth and coverage on 

your arms as we hopefully build up 

our summer sun-kissed skin! 

Oska has arrived with a first 

collection called ‘Indigo’. Textured 

blue fabrics worked into silhouettes 

which are strikingly individual, 

always bucking against the grain of 

mainstream fashion. Once an Oska 

fan, always an Oska fan. The high 

technology cutting which is actually 

based all around the following letters 

… O, H, A and V to achieve the 

shaping. Quality fabrics and stitching 

which will literally last years and 

years. 

By next month we will have 

received Masai Clothing, our 

layering experts, and Sahara London 

for styles and fabrics to suit a variety 

of shapes, skin tones and ages. 

Nobody is exempt from Sahara and 

that is just the way it should be. No 

limits, no boundaries. Beautiful 

clothes for beautifully individual 

people. 

To accompany these gorgeous 

new collections we have launched 

our first ever loyalty programme, 

which has had a fantastic reception 

so far. Complete the card and you 

can treat yourself to a wonderful 

reward of £25 off you next 

purchase. Just giving back and 

rewarding our customers for their 

loyalty and for sharing our passion. 

MELBURY GALLERY 

Half Moon Street, Sherborne 

10-11 Tudor Arcade, South Street, Dorchester 

www.melburygallery.co.uk 


25

Antiques & Collecting... 

Welcome to our new antique and collecting section which will cover local sales and auctions in the area as 

well as antiques fairs and events. We will also have lots of advice from dealers and experts on different 

topics as well as private antique and memorabilia sales. If you are interested in this and have some items to 

sell or run an antique or restoration business then do contact us for our March issue. 

Auctions, Fairs & Sales 

There is a Toy Collectors Fair at the 

Royal Bath & West Showground on 

Sunday 31st January from 10.30am to 

2.30pm. This is one of the biggest 

events of its type in the UK and over 

the years it has grown in size from 

40 to over 300 stalls. Catering for 

all collectors, you can walk around 

looking for those elusive models that 

you have always wanted. Entry 

£3.30 (early bird entry from 8.30am 

at £10.) 

Duke's in Dorchester have a 

General Sale at Avenue Auctions, 

Weymouth Avenue on Tuesday 2nd 

February from 10.30am. Catalogue 

available online. 

Vickery's Auctions at Ash, near 

Martock have a General Sale on 

Saturday 6th from 10.30am onwards. 

These auctions have household 

clearances as well as a wide range 

of items for sale every fortnight. 

Viewing is on the Friday before the 

sale from 2.00pm to 7.00pm. 

Lawrence Auctioneers of 

Crewkerne have a Books, Maps & 

Manuscripts Auction on Friday 5th from 

10.00am. Full catalogue is online. 

Viewing from Tuesday before sale. 

Charterhouse Auctioneers has a 

Classic & Vintage Motorcycles 

Auction on Sunday 7th at The Royal 

Bath & West Showground, near 

Shepton Mallet from 10.00am. Full 

catalogue online. 

Chasty Cottage Antiques has the 

Sherborne Antique Fair at Digby 

Road, Hound Street on Saturday 13th 

February from 9.30am to 4.00pm. 

Lots of stands and entry just £1. 

West Country Fairs have a 

Valentine's Flea Market at Digby 

Church Hall in Sherborne also on 


4.00pm. Admission is free and there 

will be a collection of craft as well as 

antiques for sale. 


Classic & Vintage Cars Auction on 

Sunday 14th at The Royal Bath & West 

Showground, near Shepton Mallet 

from 10.00am. Full catalogue online. 

McCubbing & Redfern in Wells has 

a Fine Art, Antique and Collectables 

Auction on Wednesday 17th from 

1.00pm. Viewing days are the day 

preceding the sale (10.00am to 

7.00pm), the Monday (10.00am to 

5.00pm) and on the morning of the 

sale from 9.30am. All lots are on 

their website. 

Duke's in Dorchester have a Fine 

Art and Specialist Auction at Brewery 

Square on Tuesday 18th from 

10.30am. This is on Ceramics, Glass 

and Asian Art, Furniture and Works 

of Art. Catalogue available online. 


Silver, Jewellery, Watches, Wine & 

Interiors Auction on Friday 19th at their 

Long Street Salesrooms in Sherborne. 

Full catalogue online at 

www.charterhouse-auction.com 

Vickery's Auctions at Ash, near 

Martock have a sale on Saturday 20th 

from 10.30am onwards. Viewing on 

the Friday 2.00pm to 7.00pm. 

Duke's in Dorchester have a 

General Sale at Avenue Auctions, 

Weymouth Avenue on Tuesday 23rd 

from 10.30am. Catalogue available 

online. 

The Festival of Cards takes place at 

the Royal Bath & West Showground 

from Friday 26th to Saturday 27th from 

10.00am to 4.00pm. This popular 

event is the largest postcard show in 

Europe with people flying from all 

over the world. There are 140+ 

dealers offering postcards, cigarette 

cards, autographs, printed ephemera 

and accessories. Entry is £4 on 

Friday and £2 on Saturday. 

On Saturday 27th from 8.30pm to 

3.30pm at Digby Memorial Hall the 

Sherborne Vintage Market takes 

place. Over 25 friendly sellers of 

quality vintage antiques, jewellery, 

silver, ephemera, furniture, soft 

furnishings, books, ceremics, 

traditional tools and print and 

collectables. For more information 

phone 07809 387594. 

There is a Giant Flea Market at the 

Royal Bath & West Showground on 

Sunday 28th from 10.00am to 4.00pm. 

This Flea Market has 200+ stands 

inside and up to 200 outside with 

everything for sale from toys to 

ornaments and future. Entry is £4.50, 

children free. More details on 

01278 784912. 

Lawrence's of Crewkerne have 

General Sales every Wednesday 

from 10.00am. 

Crewkerne Antiques Centre 

16 Market Street. A large Centre with 30 traders 

We buy and sell Quality Antiques Vintage Jewellery and Collectables 

New space and Cabinet just become available 

Enquiries: 01460 77111 Open: 9.30-4.30 Monday to Saturday 

Crewkerne's Trio of 

Antique Shops 

There are now three Antique 

venues on Market Street within 

yards of each other and along 

with Lawrence Auctioneers and 

several other shops, Crewkerne 

has become a 'destination town' 

for those interested in antiques. 

The Crewkerne Antique Centre 

has been established for over 25 

years and has 32 traders on two 

floors. It has a large choice of 

quality antique furniture, 

ceramics, pictures, paintings, 

jewellery, vintage clothing, lamps 

shades and textiles. Outside 

there is a large garden area with 

stone plant pots, ornaments, 

salvage garden furniture and so 

much more. 

Next door at Dekorative 

Kollective there is a group of 

established antique dealers and 

interior designers selling English 

and French country furniture, 

architectural and industrial items, 

lighting, upholstery, statuary 

decorative items, paints and 

pictures. 

Now there is also the new Attic 

Antiques Market which opened 

its doors in December and has a 

specialist in militaria and the 

tribal arts. Designer and vintage 

clothes, textiles, antiques and 

pictures can all be found at this 

exciting new venue and again 

only yards from the Antique 

Centre. Parking is free on the 

main streets for one hour and 

only £2 for the day in the car 

parks. 

So enjoy a warm welcome to 

Crewkernes' Antique scene...not 

forgetting Millys Antiques in the 

precint and the large Antiques 

Bazaar on South Street. 

WARDON HILL 

TRADING POST 

ANTIQUES 

VINTAGE 

COLLECTABLES 

A37 between 

Dorchester 

& Yeovil 

(Clay Pigeon Site) 

DT2 9PW 

Tues-Sat 9-5 

& Sun 9-4 

01935 83069 


Antiques 

by Acreman St. Antiques, Sherborne 

We are delighted to welcome Acreman St. Antique Centre in 

Sherborne as a new contributor on antiques and collectables over 

the following months. I do hope you will find it interesting. 

A 1964 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud III £25,000-28,000 

February Auction Dates 

Sunday 7th Classic & Vintage Motorcycles 

Sunday 14th Classic & Vintage Cars 

Friday 19th Silver, Jewellery, Watches 

& Interiors with a Selection of Wine 

We are accepting items for these and 

other specialist auctions 

Further items may be delivered to the salerooms 

or contact Richard Bromell for a home visit 

The Long Street Salerooms Sherborne DT9 3BS 

01935 812277 www.charterhouse-auction.com 

Opened at the 

top of 

Acreman 

Street in Sherborne 

at the end of 

October the Antique 

Centre has gone 

from strength to 

strength with over 

45 dealers offering 

a huge range of 

antiques and 

collectables over 

4,500 square 

footage and two floors. They 

have a wide range of dealers with 

specialists in books, jewellery, 

silverware, retro antiques, 

pictures, kitchenalia, painted 

20th century chairs there is really 

something for everyone. 

They are also not just about 

selling antiques as there is a 

jewellery repair and re-threading 

February Valuation Days 

There are several Antique 

Valuation days taking place. 

Ilminster Arts Centre on Thursday 

11th from 10.00am to 1.00pm. 

Martock Primary School on 

Tuesday 16th from 11.00am to 

3.00pm. Long Sutton Village 

Hall on Wednesday 24th from 

2.00pm to 5.00pm. See 

Village News for more details. 

P R I VA T E S A L E S 

You can advertise your private antique sales for any value here 

with a short description for just £12 just send in the post with 

ppaymet or e-mail us at: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

Willow Pattern China 

Teaport, basin, jug, 

6 med plates, 5 tea 

plates, 5 fruit dishes 

4 cups & 6 sauces. 

All A8025. 

Plus plates by 

Booths. 

£30 for all. 

01935 814067 

Fishing Boats Painting by H Koekkoek 

Old Frame regilded. Attractive 

bevilled 

glass copy 

£80 ono. 

01935 

421389 

Dutch Boat Rescue Painting 

by H Koekkoek 

Attractive 

bevilled 

glass copy 

£80 ono. 

01935 

421389 

Piano stool 

Edwardian 

Wooden 

stool. £30. 

01935 

424724 

furniture, country oak and pine. 

Outside they have for sale garden 

furniture, statues and pots. 

Within the centre you can have 

a great time exploring and 

rummaging with items such as old 

comic books, interesting lamps 

and side tables and unusual items 

such as a small needle case from 

£5 to a walnut table from 

£1,000. Along with a wide 

range of furniture from a comfy 

leather armchair to Georgian 

period oak and Victorian and 

Edwardian pieces through to 

service, a furniture restorer, 

vintage light repair and re-wiring 

service. If you have any items 

you wish to sell do just pop in 

and ask as one of the dealers 

might be interested in buying 

your items. 

They are open seven days a 

week and the light and spacious 

building (formerly King's) has 

customer parking as well as Cafe 

121 inside which serves coffee, 

teas, homemade cakes, soup and 

light lunches. Why not pop in 

and see what you think... 

ACREMAN ST. 

ANTIQUES CENTRE 

SHERBORNE 

Mon-Sat 10am-5pm & Sun 11am-4.00pm 

121 Acreman Street, Sherborne, DT9 3PH 

01935 508764 www.acremanstreetantiques.co.uk 


27

Antique & Collectable 

Framing 

Gary Pyner Frames (GPF) is a 

new Yeovil based business that 

specialises in framing antique 

prints, memorabilia, oils, water 

colours, prints, stretched canvas 

paintings and fabric tapestry. 

The techniques and materials for 

this type of framing are varied 

dependant on the piece and the 

needs of the client. Recent 

framed works have included 

Victorian and Edwardian Punch 

Illustrations, Victorian Legal 

Indenture documents (great 

decorative pieces), Audubon 

Folio prints and Redoute’s Roses 

prints. 

GPF have also developed a 

quirky range of children’s Beano 

and Dandy magazine frames, 

and frame rare comic books - 

one recent example being a 

1974 ‘Escape the Planet of the 

Apes’ which includes a 7” vinyl 

single containing sounds to 

“enhance” the reader’s 

experience (those were the 

days!) In fact, GPF is always on 

the lookout for unusual subject 

matter, making each frame a 

conversation piece as well as a 

stand-alone work of art. All of 

these ideas are rooted in giving 

these artworks and publications 

a new breath of life by putting 

them on the wall, rather than 

buried in the back of a wardrobe 

or, even worse, the bin! 

All framing techniques are in 

accordance with the Fine Art 

Trade Guild to a Commended 

Level, ensuring an outstanding 

finish using materials that will 

minimise the impact of pollutants, 

using mouldings which are fit for 

purpose with top quality mount 

board and all tapes used being 

PH neutral. 

GPFM exhibit at the Wardon 

Hill Trading Post, a new 

Emporium on the A37 between 

Yeovil and Dorchester housing a 

range of exciting exhibitors. Do 

visit them or give Gary a call on 

07939 190900 to discuss your 

framing needs or visit his stand. 

We are always keen 

to buy antique silver 

and old Sheffield plate 

at current prices 

Please telephone or call into the shop 

38 CHEAP STREET, SHERBORNE 

DORSET DT9 3PX 

01935 816828 

enquiries@henrywillis.co.uk 

www.henrywillis.co.uk 

A 1930 Rolls Royce, from a 

deceased estate near 

Crewkerne, is entered into the 

Chaterhouse auction of Classic 

and Vintage Cars taking place 

at Exmoor Hall at The Bath & 

West Showground, Shepton 

Mallet on Sunday 14th February. 

“It had a particularly striking 

aluminium and fabric body which 

replicates the Sluggard built in 

1911 by Rolls Royce to perform 

speed testing at Brooklands and 

managed just over the magic 100 

mph” commented Matthew 

Whitney. “It is an imposing motor 

car with the classic Rolls Royce 

chrome radiator topped off with a 

Spirit of Ecstasy mascot and ending 

in an aerodynamic tapered body.” 

Missed our 

Deadline for 

Advertising? 


you are ready 


01935 424724 

www.TheConduitMagazine.co.uk 

Racy Rolls Royce at Charterhouse 

Estimated at £18,000-£22,000, 

this Rolls Royce comes to the 

Charterhouse classic car auction with 

other vehicles from the same Somerset 

estate including a 1960 Rolls Royce 

Silver Cloud II for £28,000-£32,000, 

a 1975 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow 

£3,000-£5,000, a 1995 Bentley 

Turbo RL £9,000-£11,000 and a 

1952 Allis Chalmers Model B tractor 

at £1,800-2,200! 

The Market House, Castle Cary 

- Now available 

for Weddings! 

Castle Cary’s historic Market 

house is now licensed to hold 

weddings for up to 50 guests 

and provides an ideal venue for 

an intimate, individual and 

atmospheric wedding. 

The striking combination of the 

historic Cary stone exterior with 

its stately columns and beautiful 

arched windows and the 

recently modernised interior will 

provide a stunning background 

for your special day. Personal 

touches can be added. The 

unique design of the room 

allows you to choose a layout 

for your ceremony to suit your 

preferences; you will love the 

natural light pouring from the 

glass ceiling, the beautiful 

arched wooden window frames 

and the great timber doors 

which make possible the grand 

entrance that every bride 

deserves. 

You may also wish to use our 

covered outside space - ‘The 

Undercroft’ - to let your guests 

mingle and toast the happy 

couple after the ceremony, 

whatever the weather. You 

may also wish to host your 

reception here. The Market 

House is an ideal venue for 

those wishing to create their 

own bespoke wedding 

celebration. 

The picturesque streets of 

Castle Cary play host to the 

cobbled Pitching, the intriguing 

Round House and stunning 

views from Lodge Hill, perfect 

for those memorable 

photographs. 

Alongside this exciting new 

venture for The Market House, 

we still have plenty of other 

activities for all tastes. The 

building is available to hire for 

meetings, exhibitions, music 

recitals, coffee mornings and 

more. Castle Cary has an 

inspiring adult education 

programme under the name 

‘Learning at the Market Place’ 

(LAMP) and their bustling 

Tuesday Market takes place from 

9.00am to 2.00pm every week, 

come rain or shine! For more 

information about The Market 

House please contact 01963 

351763 or see 

www.castle-cary.co.uk/the-market-house 


Travel 

Heather Muir - Manager Yeovil Branch 

Miles Morgan Travel 

Discover the Sensational 

Scenery & Natural 

Wonders of Canada 

Canada is always a firm 

favourite with our 

customers here at Miles 

Morgan Travel in Yeovil, with 

its breath-taking landscapes 

and dramatic coastlines and 

natural wonders. It never fails 

to inspire and delight in equal 

measure. Snow-capped 

mountains and rich forests are 

reflected in perfectly still, 

piercingly blue glacier lakes. Bears 

prowl fast-flowing rivers in search of 

fish and mighty whales breach the 

waters close to shore. 

an Alaskan Cruise and enjoy some 

up-close encounters with some of the 

wildlife of this great land. If you are 

thinking of a trip either now or in the 

future then do not miss this event. 

Complimentary tickets are 

available now for what is already 

proving to be very popular evening. 

Pop into our Yeovil branch or call us 

today on 01935 428488. 

Do not forget that our experienced 

team of Travel Specialists are here to 

assist you with all your travel needs 



DORDOGNE, FRANCE 

COTTAGE FOR RENT 

Pretty listed 18th 

century Farmhouse 

to rent - 2 cottages 

next to one another 

each sleep up to 5 

with 2 bedrooms. 

Easy reach of Bordeaux, Bergerac and Limoge from 

Bristol or Exeter airports. 

Enjoy the sunshine and great food at great prices! 

More details: 01935 421389 

Prices from £240pw to £410pw 

Bookings now being accepted for 2016 

You can see Canada from some 

spectacular perspectives including 

luxurious cruise ships and panoramic 

train carriages or unwind in stunning 

cities with superb shopping and a 

vibrant dining scene. The only 

problem that you may have is 

choosing which area to visit first. 

That is where Miles Morgan Travel 

can help. 

Why not join us at our event with 

Canada Specialists 1st Class 

Holidays, when they come on a rare 

visit to Yeovil on 

Tuesday 16th February 

at The Manor Hotel 

at 7.00pm. We 

have an event 

entitled “Discover 

Canada” and we 

are joined by 

Jonathan Whiteley 

who is a Canadian 

Expert and will 

provide us with the 

very best insight into 

how you can make 

the most of your visit 

to this amazing 

destination. 1st 

Class Holidays offer 

a huge selection of 

packages covering 

the length and 

breadth of this 

stunning and diverse 

country. Hear more 

about a trip on the 

famous Rocky 

Mountaineer and 

enjoying some of the 

planet’s most 

spectacular views or 

so call in or contact us today. We 

very much look forward to seeing 

you soon. 


29

VISUAL ART 

Art 

by Rachel Mowbray 

Local Theatre Box Office Contact Numbers: 

David Hall, South Petherton 01460 240340 

Octagon Theatre, Yeovil 01935 422884 

The Exchange, Sturminster Newton 01258 475137 

Ilminster Arts Centre 01460 54973 

Dillington House 01460 258648 

Due to space restrictions we no longer list events which are fully booked. 

From now until Saturday 13th 

February at the Ilminster Arts 

Centre there is a new exhibition 

called ‘In The Mix’. A profound 

love of the natural world unites 

this collection. Pigment and 

brush, bling, graphite and ink, 

metal and other elemental 

richness will be obvious in this 

show. Then from Monday 15th to 

Saturday 27th see the exhibition 

‘Schools go Visual V’. This is the 

fifth consecutive exhibition of the 

work of young people from three 

local schools showcasing their 

creative achievement in art. 

This gives many young people 

the first experience of seeing 

their work on display. For many 

visitors too, it is one of our most 

popular exhibitions. As it covers 

the half term break it allows the 

young artists to visit as well as 

members of their families, friends 

and teachers. Go along and 

be amazed at the high standard 

of work at all levels, produced 

by the students in this part of 

Somerset. Then from Monday 29th 

to Saturday 19th March see the 

‘Two Tell Tales’ exhibition 

showing the colourful art of 

Coldwell & Coldwell. On 

Monday 29th February meet the 

artists from 5.00pm to 7.00pm 

for the exhibition preview. 

MUSIC 

On Friday 29th January at the 

Ilminster Arts Centre from 8.00pm 

see Alan Barnes, Bobby Wellins 

and Jim Mullen. This concert will 

feature the combined talents of 

multi-award winning saxophonist 

Alan Barnes, legendary sax 

player Bobby Wellins and top 

jazz guitarist Jim Mullen. The 

Craig Milverton Trio will also be 

playing an absolutely top-notch 

modern mainstream jazz. 

Advance booking is strongly 

recommended. Tickets £20. 

On Sunday 31st from 2.30pm at 

Dillington House, near Ilminster 

there is a concert with the Vogler 

Quartet and Richard Hosford. 

The internationally renowned 

Spare seats at 

your event? 

Why not advertise with us.... 

most other local events do. 

Rates start from £6 for an Enhanced Listing 

Display adverts from £15. 

Call 01935 424724 

or e-mail: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

Vogler Quartet perform with a 

programme of glorious music. 

Their repertoire covers both the 

classical works for string quartet 

from Haydn to Bartók and the 

Second Viennese School, as well 

as lesser-known and brand new 

works, giving them an unusual 

range. Modern compositions 

have been written for them by Ian 

Wilson, Gerald Barry, Frank 

Michael Beyer, Jörg Widmann 

and others. The Quartet’s 

versatility and openness is also 

reflected in their regular cooperation 

with other well-known 

musicians, where their spectrum 

ranges from a quintet featuring a 

piano, clarinet, viola or cello, to 

works scored for an octet. Tickets 

adults £16, under 18’s £8. 

On Wednesday 3rd February at the 

Octagon Theatre in Yeovil from 

7.30pm Sinfonia Classica and 

Tamsin Little will be performing 

works by Vivaldi, Mozart, Liszt 

and Haydn. Tickets £20 to £23. 

On Thursday 4th at the Octagon 

Theatre in Yeovil from 7.30pm 

see ‘The Blues Band’. Formed in 

1979 by five seasoned 

musicians, the band are 

celebrating 35 glorious years as 

Britain and Europe’s leading 

exponents of one of the greatest 

musical traditions of all time. It 

began with a phone call by Paul 

Jones, actor, singer, musician and 

radio presenter, who was no 

stranger to the pop charts 

throughout the 1960s as front 

man for the hugely successful 

Manfred Mann. His fellow 

Manfred Tom McGuinness shared 

the same love of the music and 

they knew the right people to 

make their idea for a band just to 

play the blues work. 

Tickets from £20. 

On Friday 5th at the Octagon 


see ‘The Classic Rock - Top 20 

Greatest Guitar Riffs Of All Time, 

Part 2’. Celebrating their sixth 

year, this critically acclaimed 

show will toast the occasion in 

the best possible fashion, with 

some of the greatest moments in 

rock guitar history. 

Tickets £22.50 or £27.50. 

Also on Friday 5th at 7.30pm 

Sherborne Schools’ Choral 

Society and Sherborne Girls are 

performing Handel’s Messiah at 

Wells Cathedral. Conducted by 

John Jenkins the Soprano is 

Rebecca Outram, Mezzo-soprano 

is Louise Innes, Tenor is Russell 

Painter and Bass is Daniel 

Roddick. Tickets £10 to £15 

available from 01935 818212, 

01935 810518 

or 01749 671770. 

On Saturday 6th from 8.00pm at the 

David Hall in South Petherton see 

Kieran Halpin. Kieran is an Irish 

singer and songwriter and has 

written a string of hit songs - many 

recorded by major artistes on the 

acoustic and folk scene, including 

Vin Garbutt, The Battlefield Band 

and Dorores Keane and more. 

Dorset’s Louise Jordan is the 

supporting act, who fascinates and 

entertains, mixing hope with 

heartbreak through her acute 

observations of the everyday and 

extraordinary. Tickets £13. 

On Monday 8th at 8.00pm at the 

David Hall in South Petherton 

Holcote Productions presents 

‘Unplugged’. Students from Yeovil 

College Music Department will be 

presenting acoustic arrangements 

of original and well known 

material. Tickets £4.50. 

On Friday 12th from 8.00pm at the 

Ilminster Arts Centre see 

‘Glamorous Nights – from Hoagy 

Carmichael to Peggy Lee’ from The 

Kate Daniels Quartet This has a 

vocal quartet of supreme quality 

with more than just a hint of the 

John Dankworth legacy with 

enchanting jazz vocals. Kate’s 

wonderful voice has a distinct 

similarity to the late Sir John’s wife, 

Cleo Laine. Alec the bassist is, of 

course their son, and is one of the 

top three or four bass players in 

the country. John Horler played in 

all the various Dankworth bands 

for nearly 30 years and always 

features in the UK jazz awards. 

Joining them is Graham Pike who 

plays trumpet, chromatic 

harmonica, piano and guitar and 

is a highly rated, incredibly 

characterful musician. 

Tickets £15 (£28 with pre-booked 

supper at 7.00pm). 

On Friday 12th at 8.00pm at the 

David Hall in South Petherton see 

Julian Dawson. Julian is wellknown 

in North America and 

especially in Germany, where he 

has had many chart successes. He 

is a world-class harmonica player, 

at home in classic UK pop, folk, 

country and blues music circles. 

He will be playing songs from his 

new CD ‘Living Good’, as well as 

favourites from his huge range of 

original songs. Tickets £13. 


‘The Sons of Pitches’ 

On Wednesday 8th June the 

Naked Choir winners 

‘The Sons of Pitches’ will 

perform in Yeovil as part 

of their UK tour. They 

are a multi-award 

winning British Vocal 

Group combining 

soaring solos, 

impeccable harmonies 

and sensational beat 

boxing to stunning 

effect. Since their 

formation in 2010, ‘The 

Sons’ have captivated 

audiences with highly 

creative vocal gymnastics 

and a programme of inventive pop 

covers, original numbers and 

entertaining improvised songs. 

Recent highlights include tours 

across the UK, USA and Asia with 

headline performances at the NEC 

Birmingham, Vale Fest and the 

Hong Kong International A Capella 

Festival together with a sell-out 

debut run at the Edinburgh Fringe 

Festival. Tickets are now on sale at 

the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil and 

they have attracted a lot of interest, 

following the recent BBC 2 series 

headed up by Gareth Malone OBE. 

Competition 

To win a pair of tickets to 

see ‘The Sons of Pitches’ 

answer the following question: 

What music contest did 

‘The Sons of Pitches’ win? 

Send your answer with address by postcard to: 

The Conduit Magazine (address on page 3) 

or e-mail the answer to: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

by Friday 11th March. Good Luck. 

Thomas who will be performing 

works by Purcell and Pergolesi. 

One of the world’s leading 

Baroque voices, Elin Manahan 

Thomas, performs the role of 

Belinda in in this stunning and 

dramatic concert performance of 

the first masterpiece in English 

opera. The epic tragedy of a 

queen, a soldier and an illicit 

love is told through a 

spectacularly rich array of music. 

Tickets from £16.50. 

Finally on Friday 19th from 

8.00pm at the Ilminster Arts 

Centre Nicholas McCarthy will 

be playing classical piano. 

Tickets £15. 

On Saturday 20th at the David Hall 

in South Petherton from 8.00pm 

see one of the most highly 

accomplished and critically 

acclaimed bands in Britain today, 

Jamie Smith’s Mabon Band, who 

have built their reputation on 

outstanding original compositions 

and virtuoso performances. They 

are hailed as one of Britain’s 

‘must see’ live acts as their music 

travels beyond borders to explore 

the forms and styles of the Celtic 

traditions. The release of their 

highly anticipated fifth album, 

‘The Space Between’, sees the 

band take to the stage with a 

refreshed set, performing 

favourite tracks alongside new 

material. Tickets £16. 

Abbey 

Bookshop 

Cheap Street 

Sherborne 

Wide selection of Magazines, 

Periodicals and DVDs in stock. 

New Naxos Classical CDs 

Have your daily 

paper delivered. 

Ask in store for details. 

01935 812367 



see the Sacconi Quartet concert. 

This award-winning quartet will 

perform a programme of 

wonderful music featuring works 

by Mozart, Sibelius and 

Schubert. The quartet performs 

with style and commitment and is 

known throughout the world for 

its creativity and integrity of 

interpretation. Tickets £16, under 

18’s £8. 

Also on Sunday 21st The Dublin 

Legends 2016 will be at the 


7.30pm. The Dubliners are true 

legends of Irish Folk music. 

Sadly, however, they suffered a 

On Saturday 13th at the Octagon 

Theatre in Yeovil from 7.30pm see 

Brit Award winning harmonisers, 

Blake. They are back with a new 

album, new songs and their most 

uplifting live show yet. Fresh from 

tours to the USA, Russia, Korea 

and China, expect their famous 

and lively audience banter to 

feature some hilarious new stories. 

Tickets from £19. 

On Wednesday 17th at the Octagon 

Theatre in Yeovil at 7.30pm Dillie 

Keane takes a short break from 

her Fascinating Aïda pals to 

present her first solo show in 57 

years. With brand new tunes, 

grand old favourites, gorgeous 

songs of love and hilarious songs 

of utter wickedness, Dillie will 

break your heart, mend it again 

and have it sent to the cleaners for 

pressing. Tickets £21. 

On Thursday 18th from 7.30pm at 

the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil see 

Martin Simpson. Nominated for 

Musician of the Year and for Best 

Album with Vagrant Stanzas BBC 

Radio 2 Folk Awards 2014. 

Widely acknowledged as one of 

the finest acoustic and slide guitar 

players in the world. Martin’s 

interpretations of traditional songs 

are masterpieces of storytelling. 

His solo shows are intense, 

eclectic, spellbinding and deeply 

moving. Tickets £15 or £16. 

On Thursday 18th from 8.00pm at 


there is an Elvis Tribute Night. 

Elvis fans will love this tribute to 

the King by Barry Paull. Rock the 

night away in your blue suede 

shoes as Barry performs some of 

Elvis’ greatest hits. Tickets under 

18’s £12, includes burger and 

wedges. 

On Friday 19th from 7.30pm at the 

Exchange in Sturminster Newton 

see an Elvis tribute act. This 

promises to be a truly entertaining 

show that caters for any occasion. 

Garry J Foley has been 

performing as an Elvis tribute 

artist throughout the UK for a 

number of years and he wows the 

crowds time and time again with 

his fantastic tribute to Elvis. 

Tickets £12.50. 

Also on Friday 19th at the Octagon 


see the Armonico Consort 

together with Elin Manahan 


31

ody blow with the sudden tragic 

death of founding member Banjo 

Barney McKenna. Quite 

naturally this meant that the 

remaining members chose to sit 

down and decide upon the 

band’s future. John Sheahan, 

after 48 years of touring, 

decided it was time to step off the 

tour bus and it was agreed that 

The Dubliners, as a touring band, 

would come to an end. The 

Dublin Legends were born. 

Tickets £21. 

On Thursday 25th and Friday 26th at 

the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil 

from 7.30pm the multi-talented 

musician, singer and songwriter, 

Ben is Elvis. Ben had Elvis’s 

DNA in his blood from an early 

age. His father was an avid fan 

and Ben grew up on a diet of 

Elvis songs. Having honed his 

musical talent he started his 

journey as an Tribute Artist in 

2005 when he formed the Taking 

Care of Elvis band. Tickets £23. 

On Friday 26th from 8.00pm at 

the David Hall in South Petherton 

see Cara Dillon with Sam 

Lakeman. Cara has won every 

folk award going and makes 

music that reaches beyond the 

constraints and limitations of 

tradition. The support is Phil 

King who is performaning ahead 

of his release of his new studio 

album out in April. Tickets £20. 

Also, on Friday 26th at 8.00pm at 

the Ilminster Arts Centre see ‘The 

Mike Collins Quartet’ playing 

vibrant contemporary jazz. They 

play a distinctive blend of 

originals, less played 

compositions by great writers 

and a sprinkling of standards. 

Comprising piano, bass, drums 

and saxophones, this band has a 

light, relaxed style of playing 

with a distinctly contemporary 

feel to it, without going into 

territory that might be described 

as futuristic. Tickets £12 (£25 

with pre-booked supper at 

7.00pm). 

On Saturday 27th at 7.30pm at the 

Ilminster Arts Centre see ‘The 

Eolienne Quintet’. Entertaining 

and accessible classical music 

from a young award-winning 

woodwind ensemble. Their 

programme, carefully chosen to 

entertain, will include Malcolm 

Arnold’s catchy and humorous 

arrangement of Sea Shanties. 

Tickets £12. 

Also on Saturday 27th from 

7.30pm at the Octagon Theatre 

in Yeovil see Lee Nelson. He 

headlined Glastonbury with 

Kanye West and is extending his 

sell out tour. Tickets £20. 

On Sunday 28th from 7.30pm at 

the Octagon Theatre see ‘The 

Simon and Garfunkel Story’. A 

brand new show for 2016, direct 

from its success in London’s West 

End with a sold out UK tour and 

standing ovations at every 

performance. Using huge 

projection photos and original 

film footage, this 50th 

anniversary celebration also 

features a full live band 

performing all the hits including 

Mrs. Robinson, Cecilia, Bridge 

over Troubled Water, Homeward 

Bound and many more. 

Tickets from £16.50. 

On Friday 29th at 8.00pm at the 

Ilminster Arts Centre Centre 

Concerts in the West presents 

Nicholas McCarthy, with a piano 

recital of left-hand only 

repertoire. Tickets £15 (£28 

with pre-booked supper at 

7.00pm). 

PERFORMANCE 

On Sunday 31st January from 

2.00pm at the Octagon Theatre 

in Yeovil join Ballet Theatre UK in 

their beautiful re-telling of Hans 

Christian Andersen’s classic 

fairytale ballet, ‘The Snow 

Queen’. This spectacular 

production follows the story of 

Gerda and her quest to find her 

friend Kay, whom the Snow 

Queen has placed under an evil 

spell. Gerda’s fantastic 

adventure takes her on a journey 

across the frozen North where 

she encounters a band of 

gypsies, enchanted reindeer and 

YAOS's Production of 'Evita' 

From Monday 8th to Friday 19th March 

the Yeovil Amateur Operatic 

Society are delighted to present 

‘Evita’, a musical by Andrew Lloyd 

Webber and lyricist 

Tim Rice, which began 

life as a rock opera 

concept album 

released in 1976. Its 

success led to awardwinning 

productions 

in the West End, with 

Elaine Paige, David 

Essex and Joss 

Ackland and then on 

Broadway, where it 

was the first British 

musical to win a Tony 

Award for Best 

Musical. ‘Evita’ was made into a 

film in 1996 which starred 

Madonna and the show has just 

finished an extensive UK tour. 

‘Evita’ tells the story of Eva Duarte 

(Jenny Holland-Brewer), following 

her journey from illegitimacy and 

a mysterious and reclusive 

Lapland woman. Only Gerda’s 

love for Kay can release him 

from the spell and break the 

Snow Queen’s curse of eternal 

winter. Ballet Theatre UK’s 

renowned company of 

international dancers, beautiful 

costumes and glittering stage sets 

combine to create a magnificent 

spectacle, all set to a glorious 

and magical score. Tickets 

£12.50 to £16.50. 

On Thursday 4th February from 

7.30pm at the Exchange in 

Sturminster Newton see ‘Zulu 

Tradition’. From KwaZulu Natal 

to the world’s stage, Zulu 

tradition are rekindling the spark 

of Zulu culture and heritage 

through traditional drama, song 

and dance. With a heady mix of 

African harmonies, high energy 

athletic dance, drum rhythms and 

authentic costumes, expect an 

exciting, entrhalling and hugly 

entertaining journey. Tickets 

£10, under 18’s £7. 

From Wednesday 10th to Saturday 

13th at 2.30pm and 7.30pm at 

the Exchange in Sturminster 

Newton the SNADS 2016 

pantomime is Lewis Carrol’s 

fantastical ‘Alice in Wonderland’. 

childhood poverty through to 

extraordinary wealth, power and 

iconic status which ultimately led 

her to be heralded as the ‘spiritual 

leader of the nation’ 

by the Argentine 

people. An icon both 

loved and hated in 

her own country. The 

show opens with the 

announcement of her 

death on 26th July 

1952 at the age of 33 

and the story is told 

and commented on by 

the narrator Che (Luke 

Whitchurch). The 

story includes several 

love affairs, Eva’s 

determination to rise to the top, tells 

us about the changing political face 

of the wealthy country of Argentina 

and the fight for ‘A New Argentina’ 

as well as filled with songs along 

the way. Tickets are available from 

the Octagon Theatre. 

Competition 

To win two pairs of tickets to see 

‘Evita’ at the Octagon Theatre 

answer the following question: 

Who is the main character in Evita? 

Send your answer with address by postcard to: 

The Conduit Magazine (address on page 3) 

or e-mail the answer to: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

by Wednesday 24th February. Good Luck. 

A delightful panto featuring 

many of the well known 

characters such as The White 

Rabbit, Tweedle Dum and 

Tweedle Dee, The King and 

Queen of Hearts, The 

Caterpillar, Cheshire Cat and 

more. Tickets £7 or £8. 



Newton enjoy a night like no 

other with Valentines Opera 

Soiree. This special night 

promises wonderful light, 

operatic entertainment from The 

London Festival Opera ensemble 

that is simply breath taking and 

will leave you with an evening 

to remember. There will be 

canapes and drinks beforehand. 

Works will include an ensemble 

piece from La Traviata, The 

Birdcathers song from the Magic 

Flute, Habanera from Bizet’s 

Carmen and A piece from La 

Boheme. Tickets £25. 

On Sunday 21st at 3.00pm at the 

Exchange in Sturminster Newton 

the Light Company presents ‘The 

Magic Beanstalk’. Jack, his 

mum and their cow, Daisy, are 

in trouble. Their house is 

leaking, the phones cut off, 

there is no food in the fridge 


and they have got nits! 

Something has got to change. 

With beautiful hand carved 

puppets, illusion and amazing 

experiments, the classic story of 

Jack and the Giant are brought 

to live for an exciting adventure. 

Suitable 5+. 

Tickets £6, under 18’s £5. 

On Wednesday 24th at the 


7.30p Take Art’s annual county 

youth dance platform ‘Spring 

Forward’ returns for the 6th year 

and as ever brings together 

young, inspiring dancers from 

across Somerset. 

FILM 

On Friday 29th January at 8.00pm 

at the David Hall the Petherton 

Picture Show is showing ‘Amy’. 

A powerful biography on the 

story of Amy Winehouse in her 

own words with unseen archival 

footage and unheard tracks. 

Tickets £5. 



Newton see the film 

‘Suffragette’. Tickets £4.50. 



On Wednesday 10th February at 

Digby Church Hall, Sherborne 

from 7.30pm ArtsLink Flicks 

presents ‘Suffragette’. Tickets 

£6 in advance from Sherborne 

TIC on 01935 

815341 or on the 

door. See Movies 

Around the 


On Friday 19th at the 

David Hall in South 

Petherton at 8.00pm 

in South Petherton 

see ‘Macbeth’. 

Macbeth, a Thane of 

Scotland, receives a prophecy 

from a trio of witches that one 

day he will become King of 

Scotland. Consumed by 

ambition and spurred to action 

by his wife, Macbeth murders 

his King and takes the throne 

for himself. This is Australian 

Director Justin Kurzel’s stunning 

version of the play with Michael 

Fassbender and Marion 

Cotillard. 

Tickets £5. 



Newton see the film ‘Everest’. 

On the morning of 10th May 

1996, climbers from two 

commercial expeditions start 

their final ascent toward the 

summit of Mount Everest, the 

highest point on Earth. With 

little warning, a violent storm 

strikes the mountain, engulfing 

the adventurers in one of the 

fiercest blizzards ever 

encountered by man. 

Tickets £4.50. 

FOR CHILDREN 

On Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th 

February at the Octagon Theatre 

in Yeovil see ‘We’re Going on 

a Bear Hunt’. Direct from a 

smash hit West End and 

international tour, Michael 

Rosen’s award-winning book 

‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ is 

brought vividly and noisily to 

the stage in Director Sally 

Conduit Magazine Online 

Competitions, Restaurant Reviews, 

Up to date Calendar and much more... 

Visit: www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

Visit our website for up to 

date information. We have 

News Stories, Competitions 

and previous restaurant 

reviews, which are very 

popular. On the 

Competitions Page you can 

see all our monthly 

competitions. For events, 

advertising starts as low as 

£12pm on our front page and 

£6pm on the What's On Page 

- now that is great value! 

With our new website we are 

now able to add events and 

advertisements at any time, 

including recent stories, which 

have missed our hard copy 

deadlines. Do submit details 

of your club, charity or 

voluntary organisation free of 

charge. We have included 

our Twitter Feed as well so 

you can see our regular 

tweets. Take a look and enter 

our various competitions. It is 

not a replica of our magazine 

but we hope you will agree, 

complements it. 

Enter Sherborne Young 

Musician Competition 

Following on the success of the 

Sherborne Young Musician and 

the M4EU programme in 

Sherborne in 2014 Sherborne 

Douzelage and Sherborne Abbey 

Festival, in conjunction with 

Sherborne Schools, are organising 

the events again in 2016. 

However, hurry as applications 

close on Sunday 31st January. 

The competition will take place on 

Saturday 12th March in the Music 

School at Sherborne School. 

Teenage solo musicians in 

Woodwind, Strings, Brass, 

Keyboard and solo vocal will each 

be asked to present a piece or 

pieces of music of not more than 

10 minutes long. 

Follow us on twitter 

@conduitmag for updates 

on events and news. 

Cookson’s adaptation set to 

Benji Bower’s versatile, lively 

score. Expect catchy songs, 

interactive scenes and plenty of 

hands-on adventure - plus a few 

special surprises. Contact the 

Octagon for show times. 

Tickets £11. 

OTHER 

On Sunday 31st January and 

Saturday 27th February from 

7.30pm at the David Hall in 

South Petherton it is 

Performance Evening. All types 

of performance are welcome 

and all have the opportunity to 

deliver for 10 to 15 minutes 

with full PA and lighting system. 

Suggested contribution is £1 for 

performers and £2 Audience. 

Please pay on the door. 

On Saturday 13th from 9.45am 

at the Dillington House there is 

a one day Ukulele Workshop – 

Improvers Course. This is ideal 

for anyone who has already 

started getting to grips with 

their ukulele and knows a 

handful of chords but would 

like to improve their technique 

and expand their repertoire. 

With a special focus on 

- A panel of judges will select 

the best in each discipline. 

Each participant will receive a 

certificate, as will discipline 

winners. The best in each 

discipline will perform in an 

evening concert on the same 

day to select the Sherborne 

Young Musician of the Year, 

who will also receive a trophy 

and cash prize. 

- The five winners will be given 

the opportunity to take part in a 

European Festival of classical 

music and song which is being 

held with teenage musicians from 

10 towns across Europe. This will 

happen in Zvolen, Slovakia from 

6th-11th July. 

To take part you must be a British Citizen and resident, or in full time 

education, within approximately 10 miles of Sherborne, which includes 

Yeovil, Ilchester, Castle Cary, Wincanton, Sturminster Newton and 

Cerne Abbas. Participants must be 13 to 19 years of age on 6th July 

2016. You should have achieved ABRSM grade 6 or equivalent. You 

must submit a copy of your certificate or a letter from your teacher that 

you are of the appropriate standard, together with the application form. 

Please ask your music teacher for an application form or for details and 

application forms contact Kevin Waterfall by e-mail 

kevin.waterfall@btinternet.com, or call 07825 152251. 

strumming patterns and chord 

transitions this course 

promises to build on the skills 

you have already developed. 

Course £50. 

On Monday 15th from 8.00pm at 

the Ilminster Arts Centre go 

along to the regular jazz jam 

session. If you play an 

instrument and have an interest 

in jazz and a yen to try 

improvising around jazz 

standards and other well-known 

tunes then this is for you. It is 

£2 to perform or to listen. 

ALSO SEE Village News 

& Around The Towns 

& Villages FOR MORE 

MUSIC & FILMS. 

Remember to tell advertisers you saw it in The Conduit Magazine! 33

Web Design & Online Marketing 

by Marc Osborne, Gromedia.com 

A Guide to E-commerce 

Online retail has boomed in 

recent years thanks to the many 

benefits it offers the general 

public. In fact, by 2017, it is 

predicted that e-commerce will 

Why is E-commerce So Popular? 

It is no secret that online retail 

is now a dominant force with 

brands such as Amazon and 

John Lewis leading the way. The 

shopping experience that these 

websites offer is extremely 

convenient meaning the public has 

taken to purchasing online like a 

duck to water. 

Purchasing your desired 

products can now be done from 

the comfort of your own living 

room with a glass of wine in 

hand. There are also savings to 

be made as products are often 

cheaper online than in high-street 

There are now many 

options available to 

retailers looking to set up 

an e-commerce store. 

The first option is to use an 

“off-the-shelf” e-commerce 

package such as 

WooCommerce, Shopify or 

Magento. These open-source 

packages offer a very 

reasonably priced way to set up 

an e-commerce store and include 

all the standard e-commerce 

features that the public has come 

to expect such as secure 

checkout with PayPal, search 

function, featured products, 

discount codes, customer login 

and many more besides. 

account for 15% of the British 

economy. So what is the key to 

its success? How can your 

business take advantage of this 

prosperous opportunity? 

shops. So what are the 

advantages of e-commerce to 

retailers? 

Firstly, e-commerce offers a 

potentially global audience for a 

retailer. The ability to reach a 

target audience in their own home 

should not be underestimated. 

Secondly, the cost of running an 

e-commerce business is very low 

when compared with running a 

physical store. There is no rent to 

pay on expensive premises, 

business processes are simplified 

and less man-hours are required to 

run it smoothly. 

How to Start Your E-commerce Venture 

If your needs are a little more 

bespoke, then it may be worth 

looking into having a bespoke 

system developed. Whilst this 

will almost certainly cost more, it 

does offer a higher level of 

control over the features and 

functionality of the website. 

Either way, it is important to do 

your research. What features do 

you require? What are the initial 

setup costs? What are the ongoing 

costs? How will you 

promote your e-commerce 

business? 

If you have a project that you 

would like to discuss then please 

call me on 01935 420780 or 

email info@gromedia.com 

2016 Technology to Watch 

Technology is advancing at a 

massively fast rate and this 

will continue in 2016. 

The world’s biggest 

technology companies have 

slickly designed virtual reality 

headsets. Facebook’s Oculus 

Rift will be the first to arrive 

costing £200 followed by 

PlayStation VR formerly known 

as Project Morpheus going on sale 

before the end of June. Microsoft 

will bring a prototype of HoloLens - 

its mixed reality goggles that overlay 

virtual screens on real ones. 

Video gamers are the target 

market and several 'immersive' 

games are being developed. A few 

hospital surgeons have used 

prototype headsets to conduct 

virtual operations and in the future 

the devices are planned to be used 

to put viewers in the middle of a 

sports stadium or in the middle of a 

realistic virtual battle. Industry 

analysts predict that the VR market 

as a whole will be worth £100 

billion by 2020. 

Virtual assistants are also 

becoming popular where they 

collect information about us to help 

us make decisions. The main 

proponents are Apple’s Siri, 

Google’s Now and Microsoft’s 

Cortana. This year brings 

Facebook’s M which has the 

advantage of being plugged into 

the goldmine of personal 

information of Facebook. All the 

assistants use ‘machine learning’ to 

discern our characters from the 

information that their corporate 

owners collect then use algorithmns 

to learn how to act upon this date to 

help us through the day. 

Wearables have been introduced 

but are not popular. The Apple 

Watch did not live up to the hype 

and nor did Google Glasses, the 

computer powered spectacles, which 

were cast aside by the company last 

year. Both will return with slicker 

designs along with other offerings 

from fitness band makers such as 

Fitbit. Analysts now expect smart 

phone owners to buy their first 

wearable device this year. 

Pulse tracking tattoos, implanted 

microchips and ‘smart’ contact 

lenses also may enjoy greater 

mainstream use. 

Finally, but not least, it is expected 

that cyber-attacks are likely to 

increase as it is said we are years 

behind the hackers - so be warned! 

Delivery to your home around 

Sherborne & Yeovil 

Although we still remain a pick-up 

magazine, we are now also 

offering delivery direct to your 

home in certain villages through 

Beckley News, who also deliver 

morning newspapers and other 

magazines. This is a facility we 

are offering particularly for those 

villages who do not have a village 

shop or pub. 

Beckley News delivers to: 

Blackford, Bradford Abbas, 

Chilton Cantelo, Corton Denham, 

Compton Pauncefoot, 

Galhampton, Little Weston, 

Marston Magna, Mudford, Nether 

& Over Compton, North & South 

Cadbury, Queen Camel, North 

Barrow, Poynington, Rimpton, 

Sandford Orcas, Sparkford, Sutton 

Montis, Trent, West Barrow, 

Western Bamflyde and West 

Camel. 

If you would like to have The 

Conduit Magazine delivered direct to 

your home then let us know at: 


and we will pass your details on. 



Ageist House of Lords 

Did you know that the 

average age of peers 

in the House of Lords 

has dropped from just 

over 70 in October 

2014 to a sprintly 69. 

There is still some way 

to go however as 

figures released 

recently show there are 

146 peers above the 

age of 80 and just two 

under 40! Time for 

reform maybe? 


Legal Matters 

by Lesley Powell, Associate Solicitor 

at Battens Solicitors 

Counting the Cost 

of Divorce 

ASomerset law firm has 

warned that divorced 

couples may have to 

return to court to renegotiate 

their financial settlements 

because of a glitch on a 

Government website. Battens 

Solicitors, which is 

headquartered in Yeovil, says 

the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) 

software error shows why 

having a specialist family 

solicitor is so important. It 

means that couples who used 

forms on the MoJ’s website may 

well have reached financial 

settlements based on flawed 

calculations. 

Associate Lesley Powell, a 

newly appointed family law 

expert at Battens, said: “The 

Court requires each of the 

parties to fill in a 

comprehensive means form, a 

Form E, to settle financial 

matters in divorce proceedings. 

It appears that in some cases 

where Form E on the website 

has been relied upon to 

undertake automatic 

calculations, these calculations 

have been flawed. This may 

well have led to some incorrect 

settlements.” 

The software blunder meant 

that some debts and other 

liabilities were not taken into 

account in calculations of 

property values in divorce 

cases. This could mean a 

return to court for couples to 

renegotiate the financial terms 

of their settlement. Lesley, who 

has worked extensively in 

family law for the past 15 

years, added: “This problem 

highlights the danger of ‘DIY’ 

divorces and the reliance on 

online forms and calculators. It 

emphasises the need for 

divorcing couples to obtain 

specialist legal advice and 

assistance, something our 

Family Team can help with. At 

Battens we offer a specialist 

personal service 

and the forms we 

use are not 

affected by this 

glitch. “Our 

specialist Family 

lawyers go the 

extra mile and 

check the forms 

before sending 

them to our clients 

for approval and 

so any existing 

client should not 

be worried.” 

Battens faces a 

customary rise in instructions 

from separating couples after 

the festive period. 

The law firm ensures that a 

qualified mediator is on hand 

and ready to help at each of its 

offices in Yeovil, Sherborne, 

Dorchester and Weymouth. 

Lesley, who is based in 

Battens’ office in Yeovil, is a 

member of the Law Society's 

Family Law Panel and a 

member of Resolution. Anyone 

who has used the online form 

or concerned that their financial 

settlement may have been 

based on flawed calculations 

can contact Battens’ Family 

Team on 01935 846000. 

As well as our offices in 

Yeovil, Dorchester and 

Weymouth, Battens is 

available in Castle Cary: 

Every Tuesday morning at The 

Shambles, Market House, 

Castle Cary between 9.00am- 

12.30pm 

To make a Tuesday 

appointment please call: 

01963 834477 

01935 846000 www.battens.co.uk 

OFFICES IN SHERBORNE, YEOVIL, DORCHESTER and WEYMOUTH 

Financial Planning 

by Andrew Fort B.A.(Econ.) MIFP Dip PFS CFP 

As I pen this article stock 

markets around the 

world have begun the 

New Year with considerable 

uncertainty. This uncertainty 

reminded me of an article that I 

read a few months ago, written 

by an American financial 

adviser. Although it relates to 

the US stock market, the 

powerful principle that it refers 

to is equally relevant to UK 

investors. 

It’s Back to the Future Day 

today - 21st October 2015 was 

the futuristic setting from the 

sequel, where Marty and Doc 

have to travel to set things right. 

However when they get to 2015 

from 1985, a leap of 30 years, 

they arrive in a dystopia in 

which Marty’s nemesis, Biff 

Tannen, is rich and powerful. 

As Biff had purloined a sports 

almanac from the future and 

used it to gamble knowing the 

results beforehand. Ironically, 

he could have simply bought 

into the US stock market and 

skipped all the sports betting: 

- Every dollar invested into the 

US stock market in 1985 

would currently be worth 

more than $25 

- $10,000 invested in the S&P 

500 on 1st January 1985 is 

currently worth $255,000 

- $100,000 would be 

$2.55 million 

This includes dividends and 

assumes maximum patience 

without any selling over the last 

three decades. The return 

clocks in at a 12.93% yearly 

average and a cumulative 

annual growth rate (CAGR) of 

11.4%. Not as exciting as 

calling every Super Bowl in 

advance, but not too shabby 

either. 

Now, bear in mind, it would 

not have been easy. Two years 

after an October 1985 stock 

market investment, Biff would 

have had to live through the 

Crash of 1987, which would 

have reduced his original 

principal by 23% in a single 

day. He would have been back 

in the black within a few 

months, but it would have been 

impossible to know this at the 

time. Biff would have also 

suffered through the savings and 

loan crisis a couple of years 

after that and then a series of 

other stuff virtually every year 

thereafter. The S&P 500 had a 

standard deviation of over 17 

during this period of time, which 

means he would have had to 

accept quite a bit of volatility to 

earn these returns. However 

had he stuck it out and 

continued to invest, Biff Tannen 

would still have been a big shot 

by the time 2015 rolled around. 

The S&P 500 was trading at 

186 in October of 1985 versus 

2032 today. Biff did not need 

the sports almanac, nor did any 

other enterprising young person 

back in 1985. All he needed 

was the courage and foresight 

to invest in American prosperity 

and hang on through the wars, 

recessions, threats, crashes, 

corrections and scares that are a 

permanent feature of the 

investing landscape. Easier said 

than done! 

Here at FFP we help you 

understand how the market 

works so that at times of market 

exuberance or panic, you focus 

on the long term strategy and 

stay calm. 

Authorised & Registered by the Financial Conduct Authority 


35

At least we have some 

good news about one of 

life’s essentials. So far 

we have got the results of seven 

small business savings that have 

had a free water check and the 

average saving has been a 

useful £900 plus per site. 

Bigger savings are expected 

when users can change supplier 

in July 2016. 

Domestic users will also be 

able to change supplier. We 

have not found anyone who will 

carry out free water checks for 

them, but, Wessex Water 

provides useful information on 

request. (Tel 0345 600 4600) 

Scale in boilers is the biggest 

cause of waste for domestic 

users and the dual action 'Scale 

Manager', is the best we have 

found to eradicate this. 

NPower has been fined £26M 

for bad energy service and we 

have almost as many complaints 

about Scottish Power. It is 

prudent to check the amount the 

bill states: what you have used; 

you are on the right tariff and 

that the correct price is on the 

bill so it is simple arithmetic. If 

you have changed energy 

supplier in the last 6 years, 

check from the old supplier that 

they are not hiding a credit 

balance. Several firms do not 

give you your money back 

without being asked. Natural 

gas prices are now much lower 

because of the world surplus. 

An interesting development is 

that Dual Energy, hitherto 

providing electricity only, is now 

entering the gas market and they 

provide “Smart” Meters. 

LPG bulk prices continue to 

Save on Bills 

by Edward Covill, Ten Go 

Water, Water everywhere 

tumble. We are regularly 

quoting 34p per litre and in 

some cases have got down to 

32p. Extra Fuel ‘s current price 

is 29.9p per litre, but since they 

do not operate a telemetric 

system and delivery is longer, 

you have to be alert to avoid 

running out of LPG. 

Online Fraud is on the 

increase. Crooks find it easier to 

'con' you rather than steal a van, 

find an unprotected target, risk a 

shootout and a lengthy spell in 

jail. One doing the rounds is 

from an individual who pretends 

that your computer is being 

protected by him and requests 

payment to renew the nonexistent 

virus protection. 

Credit card companies are 

fighting for your business. Now 

is an excellent time to shop 

around and perhaps save 

£100's. Call from 5.00am daily 

or email for further information. 

WITH 

SAVE FUEL & 

OTHER COSTS WITH 

TenGo 

Domestic and Business 

service TenGo has been 

operating for 16 years. 

Our services are free & we 

are entirely independent 

of all suppliers. 

Call 01935 873 514 from 5am daily 

or email Covill.tengo@btopenworld.com 

70 Clovermead, Yetminster DT9 6LR 

http://www.tengo.uk.com 

Missed our Deadline 

for Advertising? 

Call us now so you are 

ready for next month 

01935 424724 

www.TheConduitM|agazine.co.uk 

INVESTORS WANTED 

Are you interested in dabbling in the Stock Market in 

a fun way and have £1,000 that you would like to 

invest? A socialable investment club, who meet 

locally once a month on a Monday and have a meal 

afterwards, has space for one or two new members. 

If you are intersted and would like to discuss further 

call Mary Gordon on 01935 850898. 

S.A.D. or Just Plain 

Old Sad? 

Seasonal Affective Disorder or 

SAD is a form of depression 

most commonly experienced by 

an estimated 1 in 10 people 

living in northern climes, during 

the winter period when the days 

are short and there is very little 

sunlight. Typical symptoms 

include low energy, 

concentration and sleep 

problems, sadness, anxiety, 

stress, panic attacks, mood 

changes, relationship problems, 

alcohol or drug abuse and stress 

eating. 

The jury is still out as to the 

actual causes of SAD, but 

research suggests it may be the 

result of low serotonin levels (the 

mood regulator), high melatonin 

levels (the sleep hormone), 

disrupted circadian rhythm 

(body clock) and insufficient 

vitamin D levels. It is thought 

that SAD can also be triggered 

by a traumatic life event or 

serious illness. 

The one common factor is the 

feeling of depression or 

sadness. This provokes the 

question: Are those people who 

are feeling down and depressed 

in the winter months suffering 

from SAD or are they genuinely 

depressed and, therefore, more 

likely to be diagnosed as having 

SAD? 

The post-Christmas period can 

be challenging for most people 

unless they have the wherewithal 

to jet off to the ski slopes or 

south of the Equator for a couple 

of weeks. Most people are short 

of money; the weather 

(especially this year to date!) is 

bad; social events are limited 

and unexpected bills seem to 

land on the doormat. 

There are a number of things 

we can do to help ourselves, but 

sometimes it is challenging to 

find the motivation to begin the 

process when we are feeling 

low. Here are my suggestions: 

• Begin by telling someone you 

trust how you are feeling, 

and ask them to help you get 

started. (Do not choose 

anyone who is feeling depressed!) 

• Spend as much time as you 

can outdoors, especially on 

brighter days, preferably late 

morning/early afternoon. 

Notice how much better you 

feel after a brisk walk. 

• An energetic workout in the 

gym or a swim 2-3 times 

weekly, ideally followed by a 

sauna, will leave you feeling 

a lot brighter. 

• Join a dance or singing 

group; go and do Pilates 

or yoga. 

• Avoid sugar and carbohydrates 

as these will actually make 

you feel worse. Instead eat 

a healthy diet with lots of 

fresh vegetables. 

• Invest in a sunrise alarm clock 

to wake you up early each 

morning gently and naturally. 

Staying late in bed is 

definitely not the answer! 

• Take a daily dose of a good 

quality D3 and a multi B 

supplement. My favourites 

are Vitamin D3 High Potency 

Tablets and Multi B Extra 

from the highly reputable 

British company Cytoplan: 

www.cytoplan.co.uk 

(01684 310 699). 

Quote ‘Niki Cassar CN10’ 

for a 10% discount on 

all supplements. 

• Still down? Get help! 

Hypnotherapy can be very 

effective in permanently 

neutralising sad and 

depressed feelings. 

Please call Niki Cassar for a free 

confidential chat on 01963 

371695. Quote 'The Conduit' for a 

£10 discount on your first session in 

Horsington (Templecombe) or The 

Sherborne Rooms, 56 Cheap Street, 

Sherborne. 


Pet Health 

Matt Saunders BVetMed MRCVS is a Director at the 

Newton-Clarke Partnership with surgeries in Yeovil and Sherborne 

A fresh start 

There is no 

doubt my 

patients and 

cases are interesting, 

rewarding and 

sometimes 

frustratingand, on 

occasion all at the 

same time but the 

fact that every pet 

has an owner means 

I deal with many 

different people on a 

daily basis and it is 

these interactions 

which hold some of 

my favourite 

memories. 

Rather than 

lingering over old 

memories I suppose it is that 

time of year to once again look 

forward and consider the New 

Year. For many the fresh start 

brings some focus to life and 

these thoughts often turn to diet 

and exercise, perhaps making 

up for holiday overindulgences, 

but there is more to consider 

when it comes to our pets. 

A regular visit to your vet is 

the best way to stay ahead of 

potential problems. At our 

surgeries a thorough clinical 

exam is always part of your 

pet’s annual vaccinations. 

Having a good baseline of 

information about your pet also 

gives the vet something to 

compare to when determining 

exactly what is wrong. 

Regular exercise has the 

obvious health benefits, but it is 

also a great time to bond with 

our pets. A simple daily walk 

helps a dog learn manners, 

provides some good quality 

time together and does 

wonders for the human 

counterpart too! Keeping pets 

at their correct body weight 

reduces the risk of heart and 

joint problems, diabetes and 

many other illnesses. 

Like humans, pets that eat 

poor quality food are just not 

as healthy as those that are fed 

a good balanced diet. Poor 

skin, coat, muscle tone, dental 

disease and obesity problems 

can all be a result of an 

inadequate diet. Also, pets are 

not humans and a diet rich in 

table scraps is not a healthy 

one. 

No one wants to be around a 

pet whose skin crawls. 

Constant itching, for example, 

can be extremely debilitating 

for pets and owners alike. 

Regular internal and external 

parasite control is essential. 

Not only does it make your pet 

more pleasing to be around but 

it is much healthier for them. 

At our Yeovil and Sherborne 

surgeries we are always 

available to help with your 

pets’ New Year’s resolutions; 

whether it is the right parasite 

protection or diet advice for 

your new puppy or kitten and 

finally we would like to take 

this opportunity to wish you all 

a happy and prosperous New 

Year. 

Sport 

by Gary Shackle Sherborne Sports Centre Manager 

Sherborne Sports Centre 10k Run 

After the phenomenal 

success of the previous 

two years, we are 

delighted to be bringing back 

our 10K Run on Sunday 13th 

March. This year’s route will 

again start and finish at 

Sherborne Sports Centre, 

taking in sights of Sherborne 

Castle, The Abbey and 

wonderful surrounding 

countryside on the way. 

We are always delighted to 

welcome a diverse mix of ages 

and abilities to our events and 

the 10k is no different. May be 

you are a keen runner and 

think you can beat our course 

record of 34 minutes 57 

seconds set by Tom Scott in 

2014? Alternatively, you may 

be new to running and always 

wanted to try an event like this? 

If so, we have various ways to 

help you. You can email Matt 

Ward on 

mward@sherborne.org (event 

co-ordinator and Personal 

Trainer) or call him on 01935 

810548. Matt can give you 

tailored knowledge and 

training advice or you could 

join our popular “RUNFIT” 

class on a Tuesday 6.00pm- 

7.00pm. This indoor training 

class is aimed to make you 

fitter, stronger and more 

adaptable for all your running 

needs. 

The entrance fee is once 

again set at £10 per person. 

In addition, we are also 

offering an early bird special! 

Register by 17th February and 

you can bring along a friend 

for half price! So sign up 

today! Visit our website 

www.sherbornesports.co.uk/10 

k for run details and 

registration. 

Take the risk out of advertising 

Call us now 

01935 424724 

Want to get noticed ? 

Then look no further... 

You can have your 

company name here 

from as low as £30 

per month for this 

size advert! 

Call 01935 424724 Now 

Blackmore Vale 

Trophies 

& Engraving 

Fast reliable service 

for all your trophy 

and engraving 

requirements. 

Delivery possible 

on larger orders. 

Customer satisfaction guaranteed 

Call Alan on 

01258 821670 


37

Business 

Opportunities 

Part Time Advertising 

Sales Person 

required for The Conduit Magazine 

Advertising person needed to promote our 

magazine and website due to illness. 

Previous experience useful but not essential as 

training will be given and lots of help. We are 

a friendly team and this would suit anyone who 

likes talking to people, who is organised and 

wants to earn extra income. Car essential but 

mainly working from home. 

There is generous commission for the right person. 

Send your CV to: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk 

or phone 01935 424724 

Do you want to earn some 

extra cash each month? 

The Conduit Magazine is after one 

or two reliable people 

who can help each 

month with the 

delivery of this 

magazine into our 

distribution area. 

The 

C o n d u i t 

Magazine 

Own car essential. Good renumerations. 

01935 424724 

Call an Expert 

For all your I.T. solutions 

Motoring 

and Cars 

Got a car to sell? 

For just £10 you can 

sell your car here 

with description 

and picture. 

Call 01935 424724 

for details 

Computer 

Doc or 

BREWERS 

GARAGE LTD 

MOT 

SERVICING 

REPAIRS 

AIR CON SERVICING 

CAR DIAGNOSTICS 

TYRES 

Western Ways Yard 

Bristol Road, Sherborne 

Dorset DT9 4HR 

01935 812720 

NO CALL 

OUT 

CHARGE 

• Software/Hardware Fault Diagnostics 

• On-site Computer Problems Solved 

• Internet/Broadband Installation 

• New Computers Built to Order 

• Wireless Internet 

• Virus Removal 

17 Sherborne Road, Yeovil, BA21 4HD Tel: 01935 411226 

enquiries@computerdoctor-online.co.uk www.computerdoctor-online.co.uk 

Follow us on twitter 

@conduitmag 

for updates 

on events 

and news. 

PC & Mac solutions 

Dry Stone Walling and Paving 

All types of stone walling undertaken 

www.yenstonewalling.co.uk 

01963 371123 

Patrick Houchen - DSWA member 

Professional and reliable service 

Missed our 

Deadline for 

Advertising? 


you are ready 


01935 424724 

www.TheConduitMagazine.co.uk 

BUSINESS 

OPPORTUNITY 

Working from home an 

opportunity to earn a p/t 

income or supplement your 

income through telesales 

and the internet. 

Website knowledge essential. 

Enquire in the first instance to: 

Box 1012 and send to: 


This magazine covers 

both Dorset & Somerset 

with over 40,000 readers 

split between the counties 

Make sure you reach all 

your potential customers! 

Call 01935 424724 

to book your advert now. 

38 


Bargain Hunters Corner 

Free Private Sales – Got something to sell – then let us know! 

If you have something to sell send details in the post, 

e-mail us at info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk or phone 

01935 424724. Also now see Private Antique Sales. 

Some things are 

just not that 

easy to reach.... 

This section is free of charge, however, does have some restrictions. You must be a 

private seller. The item cannot be valued over £200. Alternatively you can 

advertise items over £200 in a box for just £6. The Conduit Magazine reserves the 

right to decline unsuitable items. 

Home & Garden 

4 Winter Tyres on steel wheels. 

Wheels 6J x 15H2 g.c. Tyres 

Continental Contiwinter. 

195/65r15. Ready to fit to car. 

£199. 01935 862678 

Brass standard lamp; twisted stem 

with 2 lights with pretty glass 

shades. 62” tall. vgc. £10. 

01935 872217 

Pair of matching pine bolt together 

single beds with flatted base, plus 

mattresses. £30 each. 

01458 448207 

Flat pack double door wardrobe 

with shelf and hanging rail. £25. 

(Street). 01458 448207 

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet - 

16GB - dark grey. vgc. £185 or ono. 

07961 890956 

Sony Stereo System. Radio, CD, 

Tape, Record deck + speakers. £25. 

01935 389206 

Curtains MultiYork professional made 

and lined. Traditional jacquard 

weave soft colours, recently cleaned. 

3 matching pairs vgc 75" (182cm) 

drop £20 per pair. 01963 220538 

Curtain Poles. 6 metal adjustable 

length, antique style complete with 

all fittings, finals and hold backs. 

£60 for the lot. 01963 220538 

Square mahogany style telephone 

table with seat. £45 ono. 

01935 476815 

Dustbin. Heavy steel with lid. £6. 

01935 478082 

Kenmaster Chef with mince 

attachment, cook books, instructions 

etc. As new, used only 3 times. 

Need the space. £100 ono. 

01935 389790 

Double glazed exterior door +4 

keys. Size: 77.5'' x 30''. vgc. £50 

ono. 01935 479173 

4 burner gas hob, with electric 

ignition. Size: 60cm. vgc. Genuine 

reason for sale. £25 ono. 

01935 479173 

Ironing Board. Metal. £6. 

01935 478082 

Three seater setee in red leather. 

Poltroarredo made in Italy. £199 

ono. 01935 413554 

Oval wooden wine rack (10 

bottles). 38" H x 18" W. £20. 

01935 389206 

LCD TV 46" Samsung series 5. For 

wall mounting, full working order 5 

years old. Can deliver £199. 

01460 242071 or 07834 550899 

1960 Oak Dressing table with 3 

mirrors. £30; Large pine wardrobe 

£25; Oak oblong table 66" L x 26" 

W & 4 chairs. £45. For sale due to 

moving. 01935 816320 

Single wooden bedframe with 

headboard £35 ono. 01963 

250892 

Baby Walker as new £20. 01963 

250892 

NB Antique brass chandelier: Will 

the lady who bought the chandelier 

please collect the matching brass 

decorative ceiling rose. 

01935 872217 

Sports & Leisure 

Matt Hayes Match fishing rod 12'. 

New not used. £15. 

01458 223977 

Circular Saw JCB. 500 watt HD 

184mm diameter blade. £20. 

01963 220538 

Table tennis net and post with 2 

bats. Never used. £10 ono. 

01935 424724 

Compound Mitre Saw Rexon. 1800 

watt, 255mm diameter blade. £30. 

01963 220538 

Bench Tile Cutter. Ferm 600 watt 

water cooled, cuts tiles up to 22mm 

thick. £20. 01963 220538 

Gold's Gym Swivel Skipping Rope. 

Get fit cheaply! Brand new. £5. 

01935 421389 

Golf Balls. Maxfli MD90 Max 

distance 3 new golf balls + pack of 

Arnold Palmer Training balls + odd 

golf balls, score counter and 3 

packs of tees. All for £8. 

01935 421389 

Demijohns. Brew your own wine or 

beer! Large & clear. £3. 

01935 421389 

Wine making equipment. Lever 

corking machine, recipe books, 

gravity tub, fermenting locks, corks, 

etc. £20 ono. 01935 421389 

Long Handle Axe. £8. 

01935 478082 

Richa ladies leather motorcycle 

jacket size D40/12, with 

removeable waterproof liner and 

body warmer. No accidents. £50. 

07742 888212 

Set of Taylor Lignoid Bowls size 4 

medium £55 ono. 01963 250892 

Miscellaneous 

56lb Castiron square weight. £5. 

01935 478082 

2 box sets of 4 DVDs. WWI Battles 

& True Stories. £10 each. 

01935 414928 

Free Cardboard Boxes. Suitable for 

packing and storage. 

01935 424724 

Wooden Pallets. For dog bed, 

compost box, furniture. Solid wood. 

Bargain at £3 each. 

01935 424724 

Folding Black Metal Dog Cage 

30”x 20”x 20”. Good condition. 

£20. 01935 389165 

but with The Conduit 

Magazine we reach local 

customers quickly and 

easily in Bruton, Castle 

Cary, Crewkerne, 

Ilminster, Langport, 

Sherborne, Somerton, 

Yeovil, Wincanton and 

most of the surrounding 

villages. 

To advertise with us call 

01935 424724 

Wanted 

TOP PRICES PAID FOR OLD TOYS 

- any condition 

Trains, cars and lorries, soldiers, etc 

Britains, Dinky, Corgi, Hornby, 

Meccano, Tri-ang, etc 

01935 816072 (07527 074343) 

Pastimes of Sherborne, 3 Westbury 

(in front of the Abbey) 

HARDWOOD LOGS 

FULL & HALF LOADS 

07977 668848 

Seasoned 

Hardwood Logs 

Small & Large Loads 

07973 871708 

01935 825506 (eve) 

MARCH 

SMALL AD 

DEADLINE 

THURSDAY 

11th 

FEBRUARY 


39

Bellissima 

WE HAVE MOVED AND ARE NOW NEXT TO WAITROSE 

17 Cheap Street, Sherborne 

tel: 01935 813812 

email: jane@bellissimalingerie.com

C o n d u i t

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