Monday 21st October

Monday, 21 October 2024 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Unmarked police vans will be in use across the Avon and Somerset force area this week aimed at catching persistent speeding motorists. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance, says progress is being made on a potential order for Leonardo to build a new medium-lift helicopter for the RAF. Chard ladies rugby team members have raised £5,300 by completing the Three Peaks Challenge...and more.

Unmarked police vans will be in use across the Avon and Somerset force area this week aimed at catching persistent speeding motorists. Equipped with 360-degree cameras and long-range detection, they’ll be spotting offences like speeding, seatbelt violations and illegal mobile phone use.

Yeovil MP, Adam Dance, says progress is being made on a potential order for Leonardo to build a new medium-lift helicopter for the RAF. Following a meeting with the Minister for Defence Procurement, he's had it confirmed that the Leonardo bid is the only one on the table for the £1.3 billion contract. In her written reply, the Minister says Leonardo’s bid is being examined to ensure it represents value for money, and that placing the order will not be delayed by the new Strategic Defence Review.

Members of Chard Ladies rugby team have raised £5,300 by completing the Three Peaks Challenge. In Scotland, they scaled the thirteen hundred meters of Ben Nevis, in Wales the eleven hundred meters of Snowdon, before travelling to the Lake District to climb the one thousand meters of Scafell Pike. The money has been divided equally between Chard Community Hub and Chard Rugby Club.

Organisers of this year’s Chard Christmas Present Appeal are hoping it will be their most successful for donations ever. They’re asking for donated toys and books suitable for children aged 0 to 16. The items will be given to children who might otherwise not receive any gifts this Christmas. Donations, including cash gifts, can be made through the Forefront Community Centre, South Chard Hub and Chard Community Hub. A spokesperson says donating just one toy will bring a smile to a child's face. The deadline to donate is November 15th.

More from News

Tuesday 18th November

Somerset Council has set up a task force to help identify land for a permanent traveller’s site in the county. Police are appealing for information after a charity shop in Martock was targeted by burglars. A Somerset woman is seeking individuals with a connection to the armed forces to join a new amateur rowing club...and more.
Monday 17th November

Workers belonging to the Unite union at Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil are threatening further strike action. Dunelm says its Yeovil store in the Quedam will reopen on Tuesday, December 16th. A nurse working at Yeovil Hospital has won a place in the final of Miss England...and more.
Friday 14th November

Yeovil Hospital has introduced a new system for handling patients at its A&E department aimed at cutting waiting times. It’s claimed that an Iron Age settlement preserved under Somerset's wetlands for 2,000 years is facing erosion due to climate change. Montacute Road in Tintinhull will be closed for five days next week for repairs to a gas main.
Thursday 13th November

Workers at Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil are taking part in a second day of strike action in their dispute over pay. Lloyds Bank has closed its branch in Chard permanently. A week-long programme of tree planting will be held at Ham Hill later this month to mark National Tree Week...and more
Wednesday 12th November

Workers belonging to the Unite union at Leonardo Helicopters in Yeovil begin a two-day strike today. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance, has been speaking in a parliamentary debate on improving dyslexia support in schools. South Western Ambulance Service is inviting applications for positions on its governing council...and more
Tuesday 11th November

Somerset residents are being urged to get a flu jab as cases of flu continue to rise. Seven horse saddles have been stolen in a break-in at a riding school in Queen Camel. Donations of children’s toys are needed for this year’s Chard Christmas Present Appeal...and more
Monday 10th November

It’s claimed Somerset Council has lost nearly £5 million selling the Marks and Spencer building in Yeovil. A car has been set on fire in a suspected arson attack in Shepton Mallet. A Crewkerne man says night-time noise from the town's Waitrose store is causing him and his family "sleep disturbance" ... and more.
Friday 7th November

A man from Yeovil has been jailed for eight years after being convicted of three counts of rape. Smoking rates in Somerset remain higher than in many other parts of the UK. Students at three schools in Yeovil have created a new shoe design for Clarks.