The Joy of Small Communities

One of the joys of being part of a small, but very active, rural community, is the opportunity it provides to take part in the many activities on offer, whether these be annual events, keeping up local traditions going back many years, or one-off specials that help to highlight the attractions of living within a rural market town, or a sleepy village nestled in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

By late spring, and on throughout the summer months, Ilminster and its surrounding villages are positively buzzing with action. It is a welcoming and diverse environment, actively embracing those who choose to make it their home.

One cannot help but get involved, as indeed I am with a number of local organisations in a variety of capacities (variety is after all the spice of life!), trying to juggle my time in order to attend as many events as I can.

As might be expected, in a climate of financial strain there is considerable focus on fund raising projects to boost limited resources. Additional funds are raised through quizzes, plant sales, book sales, competitions, musical entertainment, theatrical performances, literary festivals, flower festivals and coffee mornings. All of these take a considerable amount of time and effort (and many, many meetings!) on behalf of the organisers and their willing band of volunteers before everything comes together, almost magically, effectively quashing all the feelings of angst and the ‘will it, won’t it be successful?’ doubts… until next year.

At the beginning of May I was invited to be one of the judges for Ilminster’s Town Crier Competition, organised Town Crier Andrew Fox and his escort, Julie. In addition to my role of judging ‘diction’, other judges were required to consider ‘inflection’, ‘volume’ and ‘clarity’, and the splendour of the regalia, as 18 Town Criers from across the country did their best to outshine one another. I was thrilled that I had spotted the winner, Peder Nielsen from Bromyard & Winslow.

At the end of the month I was invited to attend the May Day celebrations at my local primary school. What a thrill it was on a bright, sunshiny day to see these youngsters tripping the light fantastic as they danced around the maypole. 

For me, these very British traditions, going back hundreds of years, and these ambassadors of goodwill, embody all that it means to be British and proud of the community in which I live. 

As a bystander, I find that I frequently get that warm fuzzy feeling; the inner glow that comes from belonging, being part of something that helps to restore some sanity in a world that much of the time seems to border on insanity. 

South Somerset MIND Coffee Morning Raised Over £1000

Photo left to right - Jennie Flory, Linda Vijeh, Ellie Crabb

You would think that deciding to hold a coffee morning on the day of the Royal wedding would be a disaster, with everyone, glued to their TVs, but not a bit of it. Local resident Ellie Crabb came up with idea, roping in loads of crafty friends, who turned up in hoards at The Minster rooms this saturday, to sell their wares, along with the opportunity to sample some scrummy cakes. 

Cllr. Linda Vijeh, who was accompanied by Jennie Flory, Chair of South Somerset MIND, said 'This was a really great event. Not only was over £1,000 raised for this important local charity but it has really helped to highlight the importance of mental health, particularly as we are all leading such stressful lives. Well done Ellie.'

Wedding wines for Harry's charity

Local councillor and WSET wine tutor, Linda Vijeh, doesn't like to waste time when it comes to seizing the opportunity to taste wines AND help others.

'With all of the excitement of the Royal Wedding it seemed like the perfect way to celebrate. I had a number of sauvignon blanc wines, from six different countries, that I was keen for us all to taste and compare them.

When I heard that Morrison's had devised a special wedding cake recipe to reflect the happy couple's choice of cake, with a combination of lemon and elderflower it seemed like a good idea. Getting the cakes was another matter though, which nearly ended in disaster, but thankfully duty managers Gary and Mark stepped in and even refunded our money. The event was kindly by Brenda Lake, Chairman of the Ilminster literary Festival, and we all had a great time, enjoying the fine weather, and raised £120 for Prince Harry's charity Heads Together. A super day all round.'

Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals

It was 10 years ago that, not having heard from my brother for several days, I travelled up to London to find that he had committed suicide; the second member of my family to do so, as my mother had also taken her own life in 1976.

My brother had been plagued by depression for many years, and was also an alcoholic, so whilst it was distressing, there was a sense of inevitability about what happened. I was very close to my brother but what I was not aware of, until as his next of kin it was left to me to sort out his affairs and arrange the funeral, was his gambling addiction. I knew that he liked the odd flutter but had no idea that he had run up something in the region of £60k of gambling debts, mostly through online activity, and largely through credit arrangements with bookmakers.

Earlier this year I was prompted to start to campaign against the advertising of online gambling sites, via a petition set up through the organisation 38 Degrees. My reason for doing this was that over a period of time I had noticed that these sites were often advertised on TV at a time when vulnerable people would be watching, and were endorsed by celebrities, which appalled me.

The announcement this week by the government that they were going to restrict the amount that people could gamble on fixed term betting sites by lowering the limit from £100 to just £2 is to be welcomed. However, I was disappointed to see that when the Secretary of State, Matt Hancock, was interviewed it became clear that there is no plan, or timescale in place, for this to be actioned. Much has been made of the process of adjusting these terminals to the new lower amount, but I believe this a a red herring. 

What has also not been considered it that whilst gambling, just like other addictions, such as drug and alcohol abuse, is a problem in itself, this destructive behaviour is often a manifestation of other, deeper, underlying issues. frequently linked to mental health. 

Organisations such as Samaritans and South Somerset MIND take calls on a daily basis from those who have been affected in such a way, from those who suffer from addiction, and also their loved ones, for whom it can be equally painful with severe and far reaching repercussions. 

It is this that we need to address most of all. Yes, these new measures, when they are finally put into place, will help, but as with other forms of addiction the addicted gambler will just go elsewhere for their fix.

Beautiful Bountiful Bluebells

There can be few more tranquil settings than the peace and quiet of an English country church on a bright spring morning. Dappled sunlight flooding through the stained-glass windows, settling on empty pews. Sadly, all too frequent, if falling church attendance is anything to go by. Once at the heart of the community, the presence of the church in our daily lives has now largely been side-lined by our worship at the altar of consumerism. We are all too busy being busy, except when the chips are down. It is then that we turn, almost as a last resort, to God in the hope that he will sort it all out.

Whilst I have been a ‘regular’ church goer for some years now, I freely admit to taking a pick and mix approach to my own attendance; variety is after all the spice of life. I particularly enjoy those ‘special’ services held at certain times of the year, expanding the concept of faith and belief beyond the usual boundaries of prayer and worship.

Thus it was that over the Bank Holiday weekend, I found myself part of a bustling group of 70 or so from the surrounding villages, gathered together at Cudworth church. All of us milling around with bacon or sausage baps in hand, gearing ourselves up for what proved to be rather a long walk, for me at least.

I was surrounded by people of all age groups, from tiny tots to tottering oldies, landed gentry and local farming folk, newcomers and old stalwarts, and everything in between. We are all equal in the eye of God. There was a very fetching line in walking sticks, walking boots and wellies, with khaki being the colour of the day, along with a Heinz variety of well-behaved pooches in tow. Not your average church service then.

Many of this merry bunch, including me, had been transported, by horse trailer, packed in like sardines, perched precariously on haybales (Health and safety? What health and safety? More fun than a fairground ride) from nearby Chillington to take part in the annual bluebell wood walk across the fields of neighbouring farms.

But first the serious stuff, a short (very short) Rogation service conducted by the affable Rector, Rev. Geoff Wade., as we gave thanks for all of the good things that the soil, with a little help from nature, nurtures us with. It was standing room only; barely space for the wagging of doggy tails in time to ‘Morning Has Broken’ and ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter’.

As I observed my fellow congregants, the thought occurred to me that yes, organising such activities takes up a lot of time and energy, and is reliant upon a willing band of volunteers to bring it all together. But, if this is what it takes to fill our churches, then bring it on.

As we trooped off into the countryside, across the verdant undulating landscape, avoiding the odd muddy puddle (note to self, wear wellies next time), with nothing but the bleating of sheep to interrupt our thoughts, I felt refreshed and uplifted. A feeling no doubt aided by the unaccustomed exercise.

Unused to anything but the most gentle form of exertion, I did avail myself of the trailer for some of the return journey, noting that my fellow occupants were almost exclusively youngsters. Clearly the younger generation is without the stamina of the octogenarians, who ploughed on gallantly, unhindered by aching hips and knees.

Homemade cake was our reward on arriving at Chillington, which along with the raffle raised several hundred pounds; not to be sniffed at.

A townie by birth, living in Somerset, still largely a rural county, I treasured this opportunity to reflect upon this brief interlude. A moment of tranquillity and collective harmony in an otherwise troubled world is something that we can, and should, all give our heartfelt thanks for.

Linda Piggott-Vijeh

Combe St. Nicholas

Why Service Really Does Matter

With everything we do in life, whether as providers of a service, or as consumers, there is always the tricky balance between expectation and delivery. As a professional hotel and restaurant inspector, I am trained to be objective, not allowing my own personal preferences to get in the way of making a judgment, especially when it comes to making recommendations for awards. In the current climate, where social media and sites such as TripAdvisor can play such a key part in influencing our buying decisions, I find that the ability to take an unbiased view is a valuable asset; at the same time acknowledging that individual experiences are subjective.  

Whilst it is always a bonus to be on the receiving end of excellent service and great food, my eye is always on what I have received in relation to what I was promised. In times of tough competition in the hospitality industry there is always the temptation to lure customers in by promising the earth. When advising my clients, I always urge them to ‘under promise and over deliver’. Over the last 25 years, having visited thousands of hotels, restaurant, pubs and B&Bs, both in a private and professional capacity, the ones that stick in my mind are those where unexpected moments have brightened the experience. As with most things in life, it is the build-up of small incidents that can make or break a visit.

All too often, especially when times are hard, we tend to make many of our buying decisions based on price. The adage ‘You get what you pay for’, whilst not always true, does hold a high degree of truth. Any time we are enticed into taking advantage of the 2 for 1 meal deal, or the 2 steaks and a bottle of plonk for £20, we must take into account the quality of what will appear on the plate, the initial cost of the ingredients and the skill and time taken to prepare it. I can eyeball any plate of food and tell how much it cost to produce. There really is no such thing as a free meal.

I find it tiresome when tight budgets or a lack of staff are cited as the reasons for not providing that ‘something extra’. It is not always about the money; it is about attitude, and an acknowledgement that although the customer may not always be right, you forget at your peril that it is the customer that pays the bills.

Add into the mix the fact that we are all individuals, with different preferences, and it is easy to see that the potential for disaster looms around every corner. Our own behaviour may have an impact on the mood of our customers, but in general this is beyond our control, especially if they arrive tired and irritable after a long journey in the pouring rain, and getting lost in the process.

Particularly tricky are those couples who have clearly had a row and are determined not to enjoy themselves despite your best efforts, or the ‘show-off’, out to impress their mates by complaining about everything.

Stuff happens. It is not the accumulated daily disasters that befall an establishment that bring about success or failure, it is the attitude and swiftness of those responding that can salvage the situation. All too often staff shortages mean that those on duty are juggling more than one role, doing neither job well due to lack of training or supervision. Or, worst case scenario, given the responsibility, but not the authority to make decisions, and deal with whatever crops up.

At a time when individuality is on the wane, and as the money-grabbing international conglomerates aim to dumb everything down to the lowest common denominator, purely in order to boost profits, it will in future be those who are willing to listen and engage with their customers, in a meaningful way, that will survive and prosper.

Happy customers do our job for us. There is no better marketing tactic than word of mouth. When someone is dissatisfied, in almost all cases it boils down to poor management practices, untrained staff and above all else, a poor attitude. It costs nothing to go the extra mile. That is why, when to comes to hospitality, service really does matter.