News in Midsomer Norton

Somerset Coalfield Life at Radstock Museum may still be waiting for the green light to re-open their doors to the public, but local supporters and residents in and around Midsomer Norton and the nearby villages can still get their regular fix of local history, stories and events.

For thirty-four years "Five Arches", the journal of The Radstock, Midsomer Norton & District Museum Society, has informed and enthused its readers on the history of life in the former Somerset Coalfield. Five Arches is published tri-annually and despite the outbreak of the coronavirus, has still managed to publish its Spring edition.

Pupils from two year groups were back at the local Midsomer Norton Primary today (June 1) with the headteacher reporting it was like a normal school day.

On their social media channel the school put out photos of some pupils from Year 1 hard at work.

The trusted local weatherman is warning Midsomer Norton residents to slap on the sunscreen - or even stay indoors - as UV levels shoot up new records.

Kilmersdon weather is predicting temperatures this weekend of 25-27C - but critically with very little cloud cover.

Some local jobs on offer right now.

In Twerton they are looking for a general foreman and an engineer to work on a flood defense scheme project on the River Avon for one of the UK's leading engineering contractors. The job involves an upgrade to the Twerton sluice gates. Details on how to apply here on Midsomer Norton Nub News on the right hand side of the page, job listings.

Mentoring Plus, a local Bath based charity helping young people across the county – deliver creative care packages this week and brought smiles to lots of faces. Thanks to funding from Quartet Community Foundation who helped fund the activity packs, each young person received a bag full of goodies, including seeds, a tennis ball, origami paper, pens and paper – the aim of which was to cheer them up during lockdown. Mentoring Plus staff delivered the packages and Humphrey one of the Practitioners said "it was great to see the children, after so long in lockdown – when I gave them their packs, their faces lit up and they couldn't wait to open them and see what was inside."

As a residential property lawyer who has always lived and worked in the Midsomer Norton area, Rebecca Robinson knows her local residential property market inside out. That personal knowledge has been gained whilst working as a key member of the conveyancing team at local solicitors Thatcher + Hallam LLP.

For much of the lockdown period, Rebecca has been working from home. Her husband is a designated key worker so what it has meant for Rebecca is that she has had to share her work responsibilities with looking after and home-schooling her two children, aged 6 and 3.

A group of residents in MIdsomer Norton have lodged a formal complaint over news that a planning application has been granted to build a gas generator.

Residents in and around the road closest to the development have also contacted the local MP Rees-Mogg for his support in challenging the decision made by B&NES.

There was widespread anger last week when B&NES announced that the recycling site in Welton would NOT be re-opening due to social distancing rules.

Today (May 27) the site in Keynsham re-opened at 8 am and just half an hour later the council appealed to residents not to visit unless it was essential.

In his latest column the Midsomer Norton MP Jacob Rees Mogg writes:

As a number of constituents have written to me about the Prime Minister's chief adviser, Dominic Cummings, I thought it worth setting out what happened as there have been so many stories flying around.

Good news! Dorothy House will be running more #DonationStations. Tomorrow the staff and volunteers from the hospice will be in Midsomer Norton between 10am and noon.

At ALL times, Dorothy House staff and volunteers will be following strict social distancing rules. If you or a member of your household have any COVID-19 symptoms, please do not donate until the end of your isolation period.