Good causes benefit from Cutcombe Show proceeds

MORE than £2,500 has been distributed to local good causes following this year’s Cutcombe Horse Show and Gymkhana.
Show treasurer Nigel Dobbins said the accounts presented a rosy picture as several areas of the annual event had shown an increase in takings this year - and that was after the 2006 show was considered to have seen a good result - and the dog show and terrier shows also continued to go from strength to strength with large entries.
Show secretary Di Stevens said the resounding success was due to the help and support received from sponsors, competitors, supporters, and the many helpers, such as the work party who set up the show and the team on the day who made sure all jobs were covered, and those who cleared up afterwards.
Mrs Stevens said: “We had a dry day, entries were excellent, and there was plenty for spectators to enjoy around the rings, including the wonderful fancy dress competition which had lots of colourful entries.
“There was plenty of home made food for sale, plus a barbecue and a licensed bar, and Styles Ice Cream had a van supporting us to keep everybody cool, while the Minehead Harriers gave a superb display in the main ring.”
Mrs Stevens said the show was started for two reasons, firstly to provide children who did not have ‘show’ ponies with an opportunity to enter their little ‘hairy’ and be in with a good chance of winning a rosette, and secondly to raise funds to be shared between Cutcombe First School and other village amenities.
This year’s funds were distributed as follows: £600 each to Cutcombe School and Cutcombe Church, £100 to the pre-school nursery, £50 for the parish party fund, a £250 donation to CLOWNS, £400 for the Moorland Hall, and £500 plus £15 collected in a bucket for the Devon Air Ambulance.
Mrs Stevens said: “We would like to thank everybody who helped in any way to make this fantastic outcome possible.”

• Our photograph shows Mrs Margaret Hawker (left) presenting the http://www.selfdriveyourhorse.com/ Cup for the best turned out rider, a new award, to Fay Reed, on Pollyanna. Photo by Mark the Photographer, ref CUT070040. Order image reprints online at www.tcpbymtp.co.uk.

Community is creating stained glass window

WORKS of stained glass by people living on Exmoor have been on public display in the Moorland Hall, Wheddon Cross.
The mini exhibition was part of a Creative Communities project for some of the rural villages of Exmoor which is being run by West Somerset arts consortium ARTlife.
ARTlife has received funding from the Arts Council England South West to run Creative Communities and the stained glass project is the first to be held.
For several months, 27 local people have been joining stained glass worker Avril Silk in the Moorland Hall to learn how to make their own small pieces.
They have also started to plan a final, larger piece which will be a stained glass window for the recently refurbished village hall.
The exhibition gave people an opportunity to view and comment on the proposed design for the hall window. Coffee and mince pies were also on offer.
Project co-ordinator Jan Ross said: “We have been delighted with the response from so many members of the community.
“Young people have been involved, as well as some of the more senior members of the village.
“They have had to work hard on their designs and, during the making, getting to grips with the art of cutting glass and soldering.
“It is an art form that has appealed to so many, and some of the participants will be helping Avril in making the final piece, too.”
ARTlife has worked in partnership with West Somerset Council during the past six years to develop an arts service run for and by the people of the district, working in many different ways.
The Creative Communities project is a new and exciting stage of its development, by offering a community arts development service for the area.
Further information about Creative Communities is available from Jan Ross by telephoning 01398 323818 or emailing janaross2003@yahoo.co.uk.

• Our photographs show stained glass pieces made by (left) Sean Kendall and Matthew Fowler and (right) Dan Matravers and Alex Sparks. Photos by Mark the Photographer, ref M1218008 and M1218010. Order photo reprints online at www.tcpbymtp.co.uk.