Roofing firm wins first Quaywest business awards

THE winner of the first Quaywest Business Awards, as voted for by listeners of West Somerset’s only commercial radio station, was Chapel Roofing and Building Services Ltd, of Carhampton.
The station received nearly 2,000 valid votes for the awards, which attracted 27 entries from all over West Somerset.
The award was presented to Jason and Emma Cobbett, of Chapel Roofing, at a special presentation evening held in Minehead Football Club, when local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger was the guest of honour.
The presentation evening was also one of West Somerset’s largest networking events for local businesses.
The occasion was compered by Quaywest presenter Drew Haddon, and a charity auction was conducted by auctioneer John Addicott which raised several hundreds of pounds to be shared between the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Devon and Somerset Air Ambulance, and the Somerset Fire Service benevolent fund.
Everybody who registered a vote for their favourite local business was entered into a draw to win a murder mystery evening with the West Somerset Railway, while guests on the night were in with a chance of winning a meal for two in Reeves Restaurant, in Dunster.
As well as the Quaywest award, Jason and Emma Cobbett also received a 30-inch plasma screen Panasonic television, a month’s free advertising on the radio station, and a year’s advertising on the boarding around Minehead’s football pitch.
Other businesses which entered the awards were Aquasplash Leisure Centre, Webberbus, The Lighting Company, Minehead Computer Services, Stuart Lowen quality butcher, Natalie Poat travel counsellor, Ekos Kitchens, Dunkery Beacon Hotel, Penny Pine Ltd, Glenmore Café, Blondies, Chives delicatessen, Alan Harman Car Sales, Morris Carpets and Beds, Minehead Glass, Babys First, Corner House Stores, Willows Café and Gifts, Friday Print, West Somerset Motors, Trenz, The Shoe Centre, Cream, Blue Anchor Bay Garage, Cornerstone Projects, and Antlers Pet Supplies.
Quaywest sales executive Gerry Baxter told The Crier: “It was a brilliant night and enjoyed by everybody, including the senior management from our parent company Laser Broadcasting who attended.
“The awards help to support the businesses we have here in the Quaywest 102.4 and 100.8 fm catchment area and they give some recognition to those which do well and are highly regarded by their customers.”

• Our photograph shows (front) MP Ian Liddell-Grainger flanked by award winners Jason and Emma Cobbett, with (left to right) Stuart Linnell, of operations director of Laser Broadcasting, and Chapel House Roofing workers Karl Priddle and Chris Thorne, and (rear, left to right) Quaywest presenter Paul Green, sales staff Gerry Baxter, Berny McLoughlin, and James Taplin, and station manager Dave Englefield. Photo by Mark the Photographer, ref TCP0059. Order image reprints online at www.tcpbymtp.co.uk.

Promises made for CLOWNS and HomeStart charity auction

AN auction of promises is to be held at Minehead Barbarians Rugby Club on Friday, May 18, to raise funds for West Somerset charities CLOWNS and HomeStart.
CLOWNS needs the funds to replace its aging blue playbus.
The auctioneer for the evening will be John Addicott, of Chanin and Thomas.
Some of the promises which have been donated include bull semen, a car wash, a day with an Exmoor Ranger, 12 months of advertising in The Crier, and an offer to sell a house without charging any commission.
CLOWNS provides a service for parents and/or carers and also children in rural isolation and areas of need within West Somerset.
A double deck bus has been converted for play and is used to offer recreational and educational facilities as it travels around the district.
There is also a smaller vehicle which takes equipment for Tumbling Toddler sessions to village halls and is used during the school summer holidays to run play schemes in villages and to take toys from the charity’s toy library to isolated communities.
It also collects clean, safe, salvaged materials from businesses for use in the CLOWNS Scrapstore.
The Playbus also carries information on a range of related services, and helps to maximise the impact of visits by working with other agencies which require rural community access.

• Pictured above at the Dunster Castle launch of the CLOWNS promises auction are (left to right) Kathy Morton, local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger, auctioneer John Addicott, and The Crier’s sales and marketing consultant Dudley Seale. Photo by Mark the Photographer, ref M030030. Order image reprints online at www.tcpbymtp.co.uk.

Unitary protest MP sells 'Somerset County Council' for charity

WEST Somerset MP Ian Liddell-Grainger (pictured) has sold off ‘Somerset County Council’ on eBay for charity.
A three-figure sum was raised by Mr Liddell-Grainger’s internet auction of the name
The stunt was organised to highlight opposition to the Liberal Democrat-run county council’s bid to become a unitary authority and take over all local government services in Somerset.
There was fierce bidding on eBay from across Britain and even abroad, with the reserve price exceeded in just two hours.
Mr Liddell-Grainger eventually accepted a private offer from a Bridgwater area man whose identity has not been revealed but whose initials were ‘DM’.
He said: “Every single penny will go to a local charity for the benefit of the people of Somerset.
“I do not own the name Somerset County Council, but now that the county council is determined to become a huge new unitary authority, this important piece of heritage could soon become redundant.
“So, I offered it on eBay on the strict condition that all the money raised would go to charity.”
Mr Liddell-Grainger said ‘DM’ shared his belief that the idea of scrapping Somerset County Council was ‘absolutely crazy’.
He said: “What will he get for his money? Just a name. But a name with a proud history that the current rulers of the county council seem quite happy to chuck on the scrapheap.”
Photo submitted.

CLOWNS auctions London International Horse Show tickets

TWO pairs of London International Horse Show tickets are being auctioned on eBay to raise money for West Somerset children’s charity CLOWNS.
The seats are within the Members’ Enclosure at Olympia and are for the 1 pm afternoon performance on Saturday, December 16.
The tickets have been donated by Tim Pilcher, chief operation officer of Clarion Events Ltd, Earls Court Exhibition Centre, via The Crier’s photographer Mark Stothard and his wife Sarah.
Money raised from the auction will go toward a fund to replace the CLOWNS blue play bus, which tours West Somerset to take play opportunities and health education opportunities to isolated communities.
The two eBay auctions can be found using the following links: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330061439653 and http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330061437077.
This year’s London International Horse Show features the Dressage Quadrille of the Hanoverian State Stud, a display by some of the most stunning Hanoverian stallions in the world.
The immaculate horses perform with amazing accuracy half-passes, flying changes, and other dressage staples, all set to beautiful music.
There is also the Metropolitan Police Activity Ride, which is a fast-moving display demonstrating high levels of skill and agility from both horses and officers.
Inch perfect timing, total commitment, professionalism, and complete trust is required for this ride, which demonstrates the abilities of a working police horse.
Visitors to the London International Horse Show can spend a whole day at Olympia, as the doors open at 9.30 am for afternoon performance and people can spend the morning browsing the shops or watching some of the morning events in the main arena before the performance starts at 1 pm.