News in Midsomer Norton and Radstock

RADSTOCK BRIEFING: Wednesday April 22

TODAY'S RADSTOCK: Sunrise 05:59 Sunset 20:19

The current deputy head of Norton Hill in Midsomer Norton is off to be head of the main school in Cheddar.

Dave Wiltshire will take over from Gavin Ball as the head of Kings of Wessex Academy .

In local business news:

L&F Jones the long-standing family-run foodservice operation based out of Norton Radstock has announced that it has sold its wholesale and butchery divisions to Devon-based foodservice supplier, RD Johns.

This business in Midsomer Norton has been a town landmark for over 35 years : for the past fifteen ably managed by the enthusiastic and still hugely positive, Helen Barnes.

When coronavirus arrived, for several weeks, with no business coming in, it was a worrying time for her, and her four faithful friends.

The coronavirus lockdown has presented big challenges to all of us, no more so than for Laura Kellaway, a residential property lawyer with local solicitors Thatcher + Hallam. Laura used to have to travel from her Somerset village near Frome to Midsomer Norton every day.

However, following the outbreak of COVID-19, she now has no option but to remain and work at home. Not only does Laura have to cope with a busy conveyancing workload, but she is also a single parent having to home school (and entertain) her 10 year old son at the same time.

MIDSOMER NORTON BRIEFING: Tuesday April 21

In case you missed it, Midsomer Norton Post Office is now only open from 10 am until 1pm Monday to Friday.

Cancer counselling charity We Hear You (WHY) have teamed up with Hunting Raven Books Books and award-winning children's author Michelle Robinson to host a short story competition for children aged five to 14.

Entries must be submitted by Friday 1st May. Stories can be on any topic, up to 500 words and will be judged in two age categories: five to nine and 10 to 14.

Cancer counselling charity We Hear You (WHY) have teamed up with Hunting Raven Books Books and award-winning children's author Michelle Robinson to host a short story competition for children aged five to 14.

Entries must be submitted by Friday 1st May. Stories can be on any topic, up to 500 words and will be judged in two age categories: five to nine and 10 to 14. The competition winners will receive a book/book token kindly donated by Winstone's Books, the parent company of Frome bookshop Hunting Raven Books, recent winner of The Bookseller's Independent Bookseller of the Year award.

RADSTOCK BRIEFING: Monday April 20

TODAY'S RADSTOCK WEATHER: Another fine and dry day tomorrow, albeit a little cloudier at times. Still breezy with an easterly wind. Clear and dry overnight.

In case you missed it, you have two more chances to see this string of strange lights perfectly aligned travelling from west to east across the sky.

No, not an alien arrival, but the SpaceX Starlink project - something it is hoped will eventually bring high quality Wifi to parts of the world which are remote, and find it challenging to get internet by conventional means.