The Grub Club at Callington Methodist Church was held on three Thursday lunchtimes during August offering food and companionship.

As well as hot food on a Pay As You Want basis there were various games, toys and creativity for all ages to join in. Thanks to everyone who helped or came to support us.

The Dunheved Flower & Garden Group, our August Coach Trip was a day at Hestercombe Gardens near Taunton.

With good weather members were able to explore the Georgian Landscape Woodland Trees and Shrubs with four ponds along the valley with its paths winding around features such as Sibyl’s Temple, it’s Gothic Alcove, Mausoleum, Chinese Seat & Bridge, Pope’s Urn, Octagon Summerhouse, the Charcoal Burners Camp and the Witch House complete with a spooky cat and other wall art, Hestercombe is famed for their protected Horseshoe, Pipistrelle and Brown Long Eared Bats Summer Maternity Roost.

A swan and some ducks were making the most of the ponds as little or no water ran down the cascades, but the gardeners had the opportunity to clean out the water channels leading to the two watermills which had for over 200 years been grinding corn into flour, crushing cider apples and a three foot blade saw making floorboards, they held a Waterwheel 11 feet in diameter and four feet wide replaced in the Dynamo House, June 1895 by a Gilkes Double Vortex Turbine to provide electricity.

January 1897 a ball “of a most complete and sumptuous character” was held to celebrate the new illumination, dancing for the 200 invited guests did not conclude until 4am. These buildings hold display’s full of machinery items used on the estate in the past. Passing through the Dutch Garden and down the Grade l Listed Steps and 17th century Orangery, you can admire the view, this is now sometimes used for Weddings.

The Victorian Terrace and Edwardian Great Plat with Pergola, it’s decorative path work designs and Garden Flower Beds, normally full of colourful plants now needing water from the gardening team to keep them growing, give style to this long standing 16th century House, with the first written Anglo-Saxon Estate Charter recorded in 682. Acquired by different Families over time, part of the grounds were used as Army Barracks in Wartime and later as a Somerset County Fire Brigade Control Centre, the present Hestercombe Garden Trust, bought for £1 in 2013, now struggle to keep pace with costs.

This Grade ll Listed House with an Italianate Seigneurial Tower and Chimneys also features some splendid rooms inside to look around, with a massive Hall and Stairway, Victorian Tile Patterned Floors and Plumbing, Marble Pillars, Decorative Ceilings with Family Pictures and Paintings complementing the Garden Views out of the windows.

John Ellacott chairman, thanked Hestercombe staff and Hills Coaches, along with our supporting trip Members, making this a very enjoyable day out.

Twenty five members of the Lezant Lunch Club were welcomed by Ken Scoble at Trebullett Hall on Wednesday, August 27.

Members enjoyed a delicious meal of roast chicken breast stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon. It was served with brocolli, dauphinoise potato and roast tomatoes.The desert was apple crumble and custard. A vegetarian alternative was available. The caterers were Emma and John Morley, and Julie Dinnis.The servers were Cynthia Jewell, Helen Judge and Janet Lyle.

During coffee, members were entertained by a sports themed quiz presented by Angela Morrison.

The Lezant Lunch Club meets on the last Wednesday of each month. The next meal will be held on Wednesday, September 24. The cost to members will be £5 for two courses plus coffee. Please phone Ruth on 01566 782286 to book a place.

This was our 52nd Flower Festival held over a blue sky weekend, with so many people attending.

The theme this year was Peace and Tranquility and all the arrangements depicted great thought and variation.

The 2025 Flower Festival at the Parish Church of St James the Great over the Bank Holiday weekend was a great success. The theme this year was 'Circus Festivals and Fairs'.

Many people from the Village and beyond came and went in the days leading up the the event, with the Church by the Friday looking stunning, from one end to the other, there were twenty five displays.

On the Friday morning at 10am the Church bells rang out, declaring the Flower Festival open. Refreshments were available throughout and there was a prize raffle.

The displays were: Mardi Gras; Clowns!; Boardmasters; Carnival Masks; All the Fun of the Fair; Carousel; Test Your Strength; Benefice Feast Days; Maypole; Sea Shanty Festival; The Feast of Pentecost; Acrobats; Oh! The Fun of the fair; Fairground Big Wheel; Circus!; Clowning Around; Candlemas; Notting Hill Carnival; Easter Festival; Scarborough Fair; Christmas Tree Festival; Folk Festival; Afternoon Tea at the Village Fair; Sheep Fair; and VJ Day.

Thank you to the many people involved with the displays and to those who have spent months planning the event. Thanks also to all who provided and served refreshments, those who manned the door and sold raffle tickets and those who kindly took away the rubbish!

On the Sunday morning the Church bells rang out once again, prior to the service of Morning Prayer which was led by Ian Mason. Kevin McGrath read the Old Testament reading and Ian read the Psalm and the Gospel reading.

Ian thanked everyone involved with the Flower Festival and there was a round of applause to all who have made the Church look so bright. Ian mentioned it would be like the 'Christmas is over feeling' the following week, when the displays are cleared away.

With our organist away on a well earnt holiday, hymns were led by backing tracks and the Choir of St James, with the hymns being: ‘All creatures of our God and King’, ‘All things bright and beautiful’, ‘Morning has broken’, ‘How great thou art’ and ‘I, THE Lord of sea and sky’.

The collection was taken by Lyn Ward-Smith and Jenny Reed.

After the service a hot pasty lunch was served, followed by delicious desserts, teas and coffees.

Another stream of visitors enjoyed viewing the flower arrangements throughout the afternoon.

There were no charges made for admission or refreshments but donations were gratefully received. Thank you to everyone who supported the 2025 Flower Festival in any way.

Bridgerule has recently had its Summer Show held at the village hall and those organising it were pleased with the number of entries and so nice to see people come along later to inspect the various classes and enjoy a cream tea.

The various classes included Baking, Art, floral craft, needlework, photography etc. plus a section for children. There were more vegetable entries than usual despite the drought and a new class 'Look what an insect did to my vegetable' proved both very amusing and also amazing. Sadly the baking section was a bit down as were the children's entries but on the whole the people of Bridgerule put together an interesting show of items to be proud of and hope to do it all again next year.

Thanks go to Sheila Cholwill and Audrey Bewes for organising the refreshments and others who made the event possible.

Our Church St Bridget's is planning a History Day to be held at the church over the weekend September 13 and 14 which will be of interest to many including a lot of church information plus sepia photos of the village and folders containing past events and people - look out for details about this forthcoming event.

Just a week later there is to be another History Day to be held at the village hall on September 20 and 21 — this will include past Revel Week photos plus old maps and information on our famous lady Elizabeth Veale — born at Lodgeworthy 1766 and who sailed to Australia becoming famous for her Merino sheep, the Australian wool industry and the export of wool. Plenty to see and lots of information, photos and research on view plus there will be refreshments served on the Saturday.

Our village shop is doing really well - at its recent first anniversary it had sold nearly 52,000 items and not only sells the items we all need but is a hub for meeting new people and enjoying a chat with a coffee/tea as there are tables there to encourage people to stop. Always pleasing to see cyclists and workmen using the shop plus people who are in the various holiday accommodation in the village.The shop is doing so well the committee have now been able to employ a paid part-time manager and thanks must certainly go to the many volunteers who have tirelessly kept the shop going with a friendly and fun attitude and still do - our shop is a real asset for our lovely village.