Thursday 16th October

Thursday, 16 October 2025 06:00

By Steve Haigh

Two mothers in Chard are calling on carnival organisers to make carnivals more accessible to children with special educational needs. 4,000 people have been put on a waiting list at a new NHS dental practice in Somerset. Channel 4’s ‘Love It or List It’ is looking to feature properties in Somerset in a new series... and more

Two mothers in Chard are calling on carnival organisers to make carnivals more accessible to children with special educational needs. Belinda Bishops-Parsons and Livvy Brown want quiet zones and sensory tents provided on all carnival circuits. They claim carnivals are not considerate of SEND children, with noise from floats at “dangerous” levels. They’re also concerned about a lack of barriers to protect children, coin throwing, and lack of accessible toilets and parking. Both say they want to work with carnival committees to make the experience of watching carnivals more welcoming for all.

4,000 people have been put on a waiting list at a new NHS dental practice in Somerset. Wellington Dental Care opened this week and had to close its waiting list due to the high number of requests for appointments.

A road in Combe St Nicholas will close to traffic next week. Ham Farm Lane will shut for 3-days beginning on Monday for Openreach to carry out ducting work.

Lib Dem Somerset Council member for Ilminster, Councillor Val Keitch, has been granted leave of absence from attending meetings until April of next year due to ill health. Councillor Keitch will still be handling casework and can take part in meetings virtually. It’s the second time in less than 2-years that Councillor Keitch has been granted leave of absence on health grounds from attending Somerset Council meetings.

Smokefree Somerset is in Chard today hoping to persuade local people to sign up to its ‘What’s Your Why’ pledge to quit smoking. Smokefree Somerset offers support to people to take the first step towards a healthier, smoke-free future. Today’s session is being held at Tesco on Tapstone Road in Chard up to midday.

Channel 4’s ‘Love It or List It’ is looking to feature properties in Somerset in a new series. Production company, Raise the Roof, says it wants to hear from homeowners facing the dilemma of renovating their home or putting it up for sale and moving to a new home. To apply to be in the new series of Kirstie and Phil’s ‘Love It of List It’ go the Channel 4 website.

The Newt at Bruton has been named in a list of the UK’s top fourteen hotels. In the new edition of the Michelin Guide, the Newt was commended for its architecture and interior design; overall personality and character; quality and consistency of service.

More from News

Friday 13th March

The first of the new medium lift helicopters being built by Leonardo in Yeovil for the RAF will be delivered in 2031. Somerset Council has launched a public consultation on planned new charges at its two hundred public car parks. More women in Somerset are said to be taking up walking football... and more
Thursday 12th March

A Yeovil headteacher says he’s concerned about plans to stop giving school holiday food vouchers to families on low incomes. The owner of Yeovil Town is calling on fans to be patient as he continues his overhaul of the National League side. A high voltage fault is being blamed for plunging 1700 homes into darkness in the Ilminster area... and more
Wednesday 11th March

Plans have been submitted to convert two properties in Yeovil into houses of multiple occupation. A new court date has been announced for a Yeovil man charged with attempted murder. An engineer who has worked at the Leonardo factory in Yeovil for 40-years has won a top industry award... and more
Tuesday 10th March

Police say a fire at the former Oscar Mayer food factory in Chard was started deliberately. Yeovil College says it would have been adversely affected had Leonardo not won the contract to build new medium-lift helicopters. A seven-foot dragon will be visiting towns and villages in our area during the next few weeks to promote Somerset Day... and more
Monday 9th March

Two Wildcat helicopters from 815 Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton have arrived in Cyprus to help protect RAF Akrotiri from further Iranian drone strikes. New figures show that 40 people were killed on Avon and Somerset’s roads in the last 12-months. A Somerset man has been recalling the day 60-years ago when he was a passenger on the last train on the Somerset and Dorset Railway... and more
Friday 6th March

Defence Minister Luke Pollard has been explaining why it took the government so long to confirm a contract for the Leonardo in Yeovil to build new medium lift helicopters for the RAF. Police are investigating a break in at a pet shop in Ilminster. Somerset Council is to stop using red ink on council tax reminder letters... and more
Thursday 5th March

Two military helicopters from RNAS Yeovilton are being sent to Cyprus to help bolster UK’s defences amid the US-Israel war with Iran. Yeovil Town Council is seeking legal advice over the closure of the hyper acute stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital. Flood warnings have been lifted on the Somerset Levels... and more
Wednesday 4th March

A man has died in a fire in Wincanton. Somerset Council is planning further cuts of twenty-one million pounds to help balance its books. A campaign to raise £30,000 for a minibus has been launched in Chard... and more