A mother from Chard has praised the work of medics who detected a heart defect in her unborn baby. Somerset residents are being encouraged to take part in a "test-a-thon", raising awareness of high blood pressure. Ferne Animal Sanctuary is looking for volunteers...and more
A mother from Chard has praised the work of medics who detected a heart defect in her unborn baby which could have killed him. Stacey Davies found out at her twenty-week scan that her son had transposition of the great arteries or TGA, but it meant doctors were ready to operate right after he was born. Jon Arnold's daughter had the same condition which led him to set up the charity Tiny Tickers which supports families like Stacey's.
Meanwhile, Somerset residents are being encouraged to ‘take the pressure off’ as a 24-hour test-a-thon takes place in the county to raise awareness of high blood pressure. Checks will be available on September 5th in Yeovil’s Quedam Centre between 11 am and 2 pm, alongside sessions at workplaces across the region. The campaign started in March and has provided over 2,000 free checks since its launch. The organisers remind us that high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart attacks and strokes, with many people unaware they have it.
Ferne Animal Sanctuary is looking for volunteers at its premises near Chard. If you’re an animal lover, there are opportunities to help care for the animals, fundraise and guide visitors around the centre. You could also help the charity raise money by volunteering in one of its shops. Full details, along with a list of roles, can be found at their website.
And it’s less a case of green and white but more red-faced at Yeovil Town after fans discovered their team’s name had been misspelt on the packaging of the club’s new merchandise. A video has gone viral online, showing two letters missing from the branding. The club blames human error.
A Yeovil man has been arrested on suspicion of engaging in sexual communication with a child. A Community Fridge in Shepton Mallet says it saved ten tonnes of unwanted food from going to landfill in the run-up to Christmas. Somerset Council has started collecting empty toothpaste tubes for recycling at the kerbside for the first time...and more
Police are appealing for witnesses after two people died in a car crash near Shepton Mallet. A new passing loop could be introduced on the rail line between Castle Cary and Yeovil Pen Mill stations. St Margaret’s Hospice has thanked the public for making this year’s Christmas Tree Recycling project their most successful ever...and more
Plans to build forty-six new homes in Castle Cary have been rejected for a third time. Yeovil MP Adam Dance says he has no plans to step down from his dual role as a member of Somerset Council. Rug Ratz in Yeovil is closing permanently today, leaving the town without a children's soft play space...and more.
Yeovil Hospital has declared a critical incident due to a sharp rise in flu admissions putting pressure on bed spaces. Yeovil MP, Adam Dance, joined campaigners and colleagues in Downing Street this week to hand in a petition calling for action to tackle the shortage of NHS dentists. Yeovil's Marlie Packer has been replaced as England's Red Roses captain for 2025 season... and more
Police say three children, missing from their home in Essex, have been found safe and well in Wincanton. Yeovil Hospital is asking visitors to A&E to wear facemasks to help avoid the spread of infection. Long traffic queues can be expected in Chard over the next nine months. A new arts and music performance space has opened in Crewkerne...and more.
Police are appealing for witnesses to a hit-and-run accident in Yeovil. Somerset Council says it's monitoring the weather closely following a Yellow Warning of snow across the County. A public inquiry is to decide the future of a Somerset shopping centre. Plans to build 30 new homes in Keinton Mandeville have been turned down.
Firefighters have used a boat to rescue a man trapped in a submerged van in floodwaters at Isle Abbots. Businesses in Somerset say there was a return to High Street buying over Christmas. The search is on locally for places where new homes and business premises could be built. Astro-tourism took off in Somerset last year, with hundreds coming to the County to view the Northern Lights...and more.
Police are treating, as deliberate, a fire at the former Oscar Mayer factory in Chard. The owner of an American diner says her takings are down 75 percent since the opening of the new dual carriageway between Sparkford and Ilchester. Yeovil-born England women’s rugby union team captain, Marlie Packer, says she’d like to captain the national side at this year's World Cup series...and more.