Wookey Hole Duck Race Sunday 9^th April midday

Come along to this popular Easter event in the Wookey Hole Caves car park.

Do you use the bus? Read on……

Can you help us by taking part in an online focus group about rural transport?
This is part of a research project funded by the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund. Its aim is to enable communities to participate in the development of transport solutions that will impact their daily lives.

We need bus users who live either in one of our Somerset villages or in one of the smaller Somerset market towns.

The focus group is scheduled for the early evening of Tuesday, March 21^st. The session will last for a couple of hours sometime between the hours of 15:00 and 20:00. Please let us know if there’s a particular time slot that suits you best (i.e. 15:00-17:00; 16:30-18:30, etc.). Or if you could make any time after 15:00 on the 21st.

Can you please email Somerset Bus Partnership ASAP if you would like to take part. Please let us know the village / town you live in - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

2 Bedroom Cottage for rent in Wookey Hole

If this might be of interest to you or someone you know drop an email to Chloe to find out more This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

Mothering Sunday service this Sunday 19^th March 11am at Wookey Hole Church

Everyone welcome and some background below on the origins of this special day.

Each year on the fourth Sunday of Lent, countries around the world celebrate Mothering Sunday. This typically involves lavishing Mums with gifts and attention and celebrating the women who have nurtured us throughout our lives. But with the day becoming increasingly commercialised, how many people are aware of its very different origins?

Here are some of the traditions that have shaped Mothering Sunday into the celebration recognised today:

The Journey to the Mother Church

In the 16th century, Mothering Sunday was less about mothers and more about church. Back then, people would make a journey to their ‘mother’ church once a year. This might have been their home church, their nearest cathedral or a major parish church in a bigger town. The service which took place at the ‘mother’ church symbolised the coming together of families. This would have represented a significant journey for many.

A day off to visit Mother

Another tradition was to allow those working in the fields on wealthy farms and estates in England to have the day off on the fourth Sunday of Lent to visit their mothers and possibly go to church too. This was a variation on the theme of visiting the 'mother' church and was a move towards a more family focussed occasion. Before the days of cars and roads, family get-togethers were far more rare, (and facetime was still a long way off). In some ways this tradition is still alive today as grown up children often visit their parents on mothering Sunday.

Simnel Cake

Simnel cake has a strong affiliation to Mothering Sunday as it is usually associated with spring and Easter. It resembles a Christmas fruit cake but should be slightly lighter in texture. The other difference is the two layers of marzipan. Yum. Simnel cake should have a layer of marzipan running through the middle like a victoria sponge and then another layer of marzipan on the top. Traditionally, you should also roll some marzipan into eleven eggs and place these on the top. The eggs are supposed to symbolise the disciples who followed Jesus – note that Judas is excluded.

The question is, do you boil or bake your simnel cake? Some say it’s necessary to do both because of an argument from folktale where two people could not agree on the correct way to cook the cake.

Here is a recipe to try if you would like to make your own Simnel cake

Traditions today

This Sunday, churches around the country will be sharing their own traditions, celebrating and giving thanks to the huge impact mothers have on each of our lives. The main service on Mothering Sunday in churches across the country is central to the life of the church.

The church recognises that the day may be difficult for some people and so it is common place for services to include prayers for those who don’t find the day particularly easy.

Families across the country will be preparing little presents and cards and in some churches flowers are blessed and handed out during the main service.

Families come together to have lunch, or children make breakfast in bed for their mothers, leaving all the mess to be cleared up later! It’s all about showing appreciation and many make a huge effort to make their mother feel special.

 

Trees

Saturday 26^th November 2022 at 2pm

A walk around village looking at the trees that were planted in 2000 and thinking about where to plant some more.  After the walk tea and home made cakes at the Club along with an opportunity to see some pictures and photos of Wookey Hole in times gone by.

Please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you plan to attend.

The tree planting event that had been scheduled for 3^rd December has been postponed until next year.  Once we’ve got a new date we’ll let you know.

Flower Arranging

Are there any ladies who would be interested in helping with flower arranging for St Mary Magdalene  Church, Wookey Hole. It would  entail being on the rota once or twice a year depending on how much time you could spare. We are a small friendly team and we do meet to decorate the church for Christmas , Easter , Patronal Festival and harvest. You don’t need to have any experience but we would be very happy to welcome and help anyone who would like to join us. Please contact Lyn 0749 671912 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Thanks Lyn

The Community Hall has closed What Next?

Very sadly, the Community Hall which has served the village well for the past decade has now closed.  Sincere thanks to Jenny and Alec Lewis and the Hall Committee who have put in much time and effort in managing this valuable village resource for all these years and also to the Caves who allowed and have supported its transformation from the Bowling Hut to the Community Hall.  An assessment of the amount it would cost financially to fix the building led to the conclusion that it was not financially viable.  Would you be interested in getting together with others in the Village to explore ideas of a new village space?  If so email Jo Plimmer This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thank you to those who ventured out on a wet windy night last Thursday to attend the WHRF AGM. The minutes of the meeting will follow in due course but a couple of things that we wanted to flag up now are:-

 

Wookey Hole Residents’ Forum Low Carbon Competition

At the WHRF AGM Joanna Davey suggested an idea for a competition to encourage villagers to reduce their carbon footprint.

At an early stage the broad idea is to run a competition seeking ideas for reducing our use of carbon either individually, or collectively, in our local area. There would be a cash prize to put the winning idea into action.

We are all aware of the damage human activity is having on our world; reducing bio diversity, increasing environmental degradation, and adverse climate change. All leading to a world that is more hostile to life; plant, animal and human.

We each have a part to play in finding solutions so we can live in greater harmony with our world. Many positive things are already happening; increasing use of renewable energy, (some generated by individuals and community groups) more bio-degradable packaging, more recycling, shifting to electric vehicles. There is much more we can do and the purpose of this competition would be to encourage us to do a little more by raising awareness, sharing ideas, and supporting everyone to play their part.

To put this idea into action WHRF is setting up a working group and we are seeking volunteers to help make it happen. We think this is a positive response to the challenges we face and expect broad support from our villagers. To find out more or volunteer to work on putting this into action, please contact Joanna Davey - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 01749 670425.

 

Items needed for Wells Food Bank

We continue to collect items for Wells Foodbank. The need is still great and all that is donated is very gratefully received. See list below of things most needed currently. There is a box in the porch at church so you can put things in there at any time. Sandy and David then take these gifts to the Food Bank on the last Wednesday of the month.

 

The Real Big Olive Podcasters Charlie & Kieran visit Sarah Davies at Wookey goat farm then ride on to Roger Wilkins at Wilkins cider farm.

Please click on the link below to view the podcast.

 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OwJU0PdLA8SKTGk4JG30D?si=J99QH75HRuOlbx1gvea7Ug&utm_source=native-share-menu