Monkton Matters

04/09/2024

Our friends at 'Village News' have produced the latest edition covering September and October: full of news, updates and information on clubs, groups, activities and events that are available to participate in locally. To read the latest copy of Village News online, or to download a copy, please use the link below:
https://westmonktonparishcouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/September-October-2024-compressed.pdf
**Volunteer Distributors Needed** If you are able to volunteer as part of the Village News distribution team, please contact Barry Gage = [email protected] or [email protected]

03/09/2024

Regular activities resume their timetable from this week onwards at the Brittons Ash Community Hall next to West Monkton Primary School

Our regular activities resume their timetable from this week onwards at the Brittons Ash Community Hall next to West Monkton Primary School: all FREE of charge - funded by West Monkton Parish Council & run by our wonderful volunteers, supported by our Parish Clerks! Including a brand new 'Snack & Chat' Youth Cafe for school years 7 - 11.
🧸FREE Stay & Play Wednesday Group: 12.30pm - 2pm
☕🫖FREE Community Cafe: Wednesdays 2pm - 4pm
💬🍿FREE 'Snack & Chat' Youth Cafe: Wednesdays from end of school to 5.30pm - aimed at school years 7 - 11.
🫶FREE Loss & Bereavement Group: Wednesday 2pm - 4pm (and every 1st Wednesday of the month
🧸FREE Stay & Play Thursday Group:10.30am - 12noon
♻️🪛FREE Repair Cafe: Wednesday 18th September 2pm - 4pm (and every 3rd Wednesday of the month)

28/08/2024

The latest from our community! Find out all the details you need to know ✅https://monktonmatters.co.uk/
📜🖊Monkton Community Plan - have your say in September
🏃‍♀️🥉Paralympian trains at Maidenbrook Country Park in defence of 2020 Tokyo Bronze Medal

25/08/2024

🐶🎪NEXT SUNDAY🐶🎪 FREE Dog Show & Fete with St Giles Animal Welfare at Maidenbrook Country Park on Sunday 1st September. See the posters for all you need to know!

21/08/2024

The latest from our community! Find out all the details you need to know ✅https://monktonmatters.co.uk/
🚌Number 12 Bus Proposed Timetable Changes - have your say
👨‍⚕️👩‍⚕️NHS GPs GP Collective Action - may affect services
💧💧Wessex Water Public Drop In Sessions at Taunton Library
⚠️Upcoming Road Closure for Drainage Works - Yalway Rd, West Monkton

14/08/2024

The latest from our community! Find out all the details you need to know ✅https://monktonmatters.co.uk/
🤝Parish Council - updates from the latest meeting
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Childcare Hours funding - are you registered?
🚌🚲New Transport Hub at former Bus Station - have your say
💬Council Tax Financial Support Scheme - have your say
👮‍♂️👮‍♀️Latest Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter
🐶🎪Fun Dog Show and Fete: 1st Sept at Maidenbrook Country Park

13/08/2024

🥪🍪🥤🍎DON'T FORGET - WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY🍎🥤🍪🥪 Summer Holidays Youth Cafe: Wednesdays & Thursdays throughout the school summer holidays. This is aimed at young people age 10 years upwards who might be out and about independently or with friends during the summer holidays - please see the poster below for all you need to know!

12/08/2024

🎼🎹🪗if you play an instrument we would love to hear from you.

12/08/2024

08/08/2024

https://monktonmatters.co.uk/news/transport-travel
⚠️Bridgwater Road ⚠️Red Hill ⚠️Greenway. Residents are being made aware by Somerset Highways of three road closures due to take place in our Parish this month - please see the above link for specific details of the roadworks and closures/ restrictions. Though works permits have a long open period, for each of these locations there are specific dates stated when these works will be carried out.

08/08/2024

⚠️🌳Overgrown Hedges impeding pavements and walkways - residents urged to take action🌳⚠️ Following several concerns that have been raised with the Parish Council about the condition of some of the hedges in the Parish we are writing to remind residents that it is imperative that where home owners have a boundary hedge that they are responsible for, these are kept clipped and tidy.

Many boundary hedges belonging to residents border pedestrian pavements and walkways, or directly face roadways. Overgrown hedges not only pose a problem for pedestrians, who may be forced into the road to pass, but can also impede driving sight lines. Overgrown hedging can be particularly dangerous at this time of year where thick brambles are prevalent.

There are also hedges where residents have done some cutting back, but not to a width or head height to allow pedestrians to safely pass by. Residents with responsibility for a boundary hedge should keep then trimmed back vertically from the inside edge of the path to a height of at least 2 metres. There are many incidences around our Parish where paths and pavements have ample clearance at ground level but effectively only half that, or often less, at head height as the hedge bulges out.

Residents who have gardens bordering footpaths and walkways are also urged to ensure that overgrowth from their properties do not hang over fencing and obstruct pedestrians - again this is most prevalent with bramble overgrowth.

Where overgrown and obstructive boundary hedging is not the responsibility of individual households, the Parish Council continue to put pressure on landowners and Highways to ensure these are dealt with - on your travels around the Parish, should you see overgrown and obstructive hedging that is not the responsibility of individual households, please do report these via [email protected]

(photos used as stock image examples to illustrate issues in the Parish)
https://monktonmatters.co.uk/council-news/overgrown-hedges-impeding-pavements-and-walkways-residents-urged-to-take-action

02/08/2024

The latest from our community! Find out all the details you need to know ✅https://monktonmatters.co.uk/
🤝Parish Councillor Vacancy - are you passionate about supporting your local community?
🌳Volunteer Coordinator Vacancy - 24hrs per week, Maidenbrook Country Park
🥳💷Lottery Grant of £188K for Maidenbrook Country Park

30/07/2024

🥪🍪🥤🍎Summer Holidays Youth Cafe: Wednesdays & Thursdays throughout the school summer holidays🍎🥤🍪🥪

🥪🍪🥤🍎Summer Holidays Youth Cafe: Wednesdays & Thursdays throughout the school summer holidays🍎🥤🍪🥪 This is aimed at young people age 10 years upwards who might be out and about independently or with friends during the summer holidays - please see the poster below for all you need to know!

26/07/2024

The latest from our community! Find out all the details you need to know ✅https://monktonmatters.co.uk/
🚫🚷Upcoming Road and Footpath Closures: Red Hill and Langaller Way
🌼⚠Help by removing invasive & injurious Rag Wort from your garden
🥳💷Lottery Grant of £188K for Maidenbrook Country Park
🙂 & Exmoor Coast Festival - all you need to know!

25/07/2024

Please help West Monkton Parish Council by removing Rag Wort from your own garden. The Parish Council is doing its best to remove ragwort across our local area because when it goes to seed, this harmful w**d spreads vigorously. To help with this, the Parish Council is calling on the local community to remove any ragwort that they may find in their gardens.

Ragwort is an injurious w**d under the Weeds Act 1959 and is harmful and poisonous to animals and can damage crops if it spreads. The Weeds Act 1959 requires landowners to remove harmful w**ds growing on their land to stop it spreading on to other land; particularly land used as agricultural land.
The best way to remove ragwort is by pulling or digging it out, and it is advisable to use gloves when doing so.

Please help us by working together as a community to avoid the spread of ragwort onto other land in the local area, particularly agricultural land. Many thanks.

https://monktonmatters.co.uk/council-news/help-us-by-removing-rag-wort-from-your-own-garden

17/07/2024

The latest from our community! Find out all the details you need to know ✅https://monktonmatters.co.uk/
🪣More Wonderful Graffiti Removal By our Community Volunteers
🚫Upcoming Road Closures: Park Mead and Langaller Way
📨Youth Survey: calling all 11 - 16 year olds
🥳Community Fridge Celebrates 2 Years and 72,000kgs of food saved from waste
👮‍♂️👮‍♀️Taunton Neighbourhood Policing latest newsletter

14/07/2024

🌳⚠️Developers propose removing Trees with Preservation Orders on Monkton Heathfield Development⚠️🌳 Please, please take the time to comment on their proposal and spread this message far and wide, only by voicing a strong objection will we have any chance of stopping this. ❌Help stop the developers putting profits before our precious wildlife.

14/07/2024

👏👏Thank you Volunteers - Not All Heroes Wear Capes!👏👏
West Monkton Parish Council would like to take this opportunity to recognise the efforts of two local volunteers who took it upon themselves to deal with the graffiti on Dyers Lane. It took them 13 hours and they paid for the materials out of their own pocket.
The Parish Council is developing a risk assessment for approval at the end of July meeting which will mean that volunteers can remove graffiti and the PC can reimburse for the cost of doing so and purchase equipment for them too.
We are truly lucky to have active volunteers like this in our community.
ℹhttps://monktonmatters.co.uk/crime-police/thank-you-volunteers

07/07/2024

The latest from our community! Find out all the details you need to know ✅https://monktonmatters.co.uk/
🐶Fun Dog Show & Fete at Maidenbrook Country Park with St Giles Animal Welfare, 1st September
🚴‍♀️Festival of Cycling at Brittons Ash Community Hall, 21st September
🐸Local Summer Holidays events from Somerset Wildlife Trust
⛪️West Monkton Church 100 Club ££ Prize Winners

01/07/2024

Are you following the roundbritain_erib challenge taking place this month into August as Monkton Heathfield lad Harry Besley takes on this epic eBoat endeavour?

27/06/2024

It is always lovely when the volunteer distributed Village News drops through our letterboxes, but did you know that the Monkton Matters website always hosts a digital version? Always great if the dog has chewed yours! https://monktonmatters.co.uk/community/village-news-new-edition-available-online

18/06/2024

Here's your weekly round up of all things new
📲https://monktonmatters.co.uk/latest
📑WMPC Job Vacancy
⚠️Election: make sure you are registered,plus postal vote info
🚸Closing roads around schools at peak times - trial info
⚠️Gas canisters: disposal of and not causing waste services fires
🚗New road resurfacing schedule from Somerset Highways

15/06/2024

Following on from the recent DDAY 80 celebrations at Maidenbrook Country Park, this is sure to be another great FREE event!

💪🏆On 29th June at Maidenbrook Country Park 5 local parishes are coming together for a Tug of War competition, followed by an Open Mic and Music Event in the evening. Following on from the recent DDAY 80 celebrations at Maidenbrook Country Park, this is sure to be another great FREE event! 🙂Please book your FREE tickets here:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/tug-of-war-tournament-and-open-mic-and-music-event-tickets-873385067247
💪 Want to register a Tug of War team? Please email [email protected] as soon as possible!

10/06/2024

Did you know that West Somerset and Taunton Neighbourhood Policing produce a monthly newsletter for Taunton? It contains lots of useful updates, statistics and information about their work in our communities - as well as important contact details about how to get in touch for different areas of information and/ or concern - see the latest edition here:
https://monktonmatters.co.uk/crime-police/taunton-neighbourhood-policing-newsletter-june-2024

06/06/2024

Here's your weekly round up of all things new
📲https://monktonmatters.co.uk/latest
📑WMPC Meeting 11th June - details of topics and agenda
⚠️Upcoming Road Closure - Hestercombe Road
⛪️West Monkton Church Prizewinners

05/06/2024

**Urgent Road Closure: – ttro335396W(TD) - 620829 - Greenway**
Please be aware that Somerset Highways have received a notification of a TTRN (urgent) road closure at Greenway, West Monkton will commence on 5th June 2024 - 6th June 2024 (09:30 - 15:30) for a total of 2 days.
This will enable Kier to carry out jetting works on behalf of Somerset Council. The contractor has indicated that access for Emergency Services through the site is not permitted on this occasion.

For any further information about this closure please contact Somerset Highways on 0300 123 2224, quoting reference: ttro335396W(TD)

Please visit one.network https://one.network/?tm=139024756 where you will see the map of the affected area (in red), together with the supplied diversion route (in blue).

03/06/2024

This Sunday up in West Monkton village it is Open Garden afternoon - always a really lovely time had by all!

02/06/2024

🇬🇧🔥THURSDAY - BOOK YOUR FREE TICKETS ASAP!🔥🇬🇧 Have you booked your FREE tickets yet for Taunton Remembers D-Day 80 at Maidenbrook Country Park on 6th June? https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/taunton-remembers-d-day-80-tickets-873370634077

🇬🇧Join us as we honor the brave men and women who fought for our freedom on the beaches of Normandy 80 years ago. This in-person event at Maidenbrook Country Park will feature historical exhibits, live music, and a special beacon lighting ceremony to commemorate this significant day in history. We are looking forward to this shared event with our neighbours Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Council and Taunton Town Council.

Maidenbrook Country Park is the only local location for the UK network of Beacons, first erected as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Beacons all across the UK will be lit on 6th June as part of the nationwide commemoration of D-Day 80, and the beacon at Maidenbrook Park is planned to be lit at approx 9.15pm as part of this event.

Don't miss this opportunity to pay tribute to our heroes and learn more about the events that changed the course of World War II. See you there!

🇬🇧 🇬🇧 With no public parking on site, free shuttle buses will run to and from the event, leaving regularly from Castle Way (4pm) and the Gateway Park and Ride (from 4.30pm), which will remain open until 11pm.

Alternatively, parking is available at the Tacchi-Morris Arts Centre, approximately a 15 minute walk away; if you're parking here and leaving site late don't forget to bring a torch. 🇬🇧 🇬🇧



West Monkton Parish Council Kev Stratton Production Services Taunton Royal British Legion Branch County Gazette

23/05/2024

Don't forget to book your FREE tickets for this wonderful major event, see the article for all the exciting things happening and the link to book! https://monktonmatters.co.uk/community/taunton-remembers-d-day-80
🎼There is something for everyone, with a packed schedule of live music, with classics from Marion Music, Crystal Bliss bringing us Vera Lynn style nostalgia, the ever- popular Military Wives choir and a rousing Kings and Queens medley performed by young people involved in Scouting and Guiding as part of the Taunton Gang Show.
✈️There will be an exhibition of Military vehicles and subject to weather conditions, flyovers from a Spitfire and a Swordfish.
🔥As part of a UK wide mark of remembrance the beacon will be lit at 9.15pm. A firework display, scheduled to run for approximately 10 minutes will start at 9.45pm, bringing the evening to a close.

Taunton Town Council West Monkton Parish Council

Taunton Town Council is delighted to partner with West Monkton and Cheddon Fitzpaine Parish Councils to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day