News in Shepton Mallet

Shepton Mallet Town Council has launched a campaign to raise awareness of resources available during the coronavirus crisis.

Posters will start to appear in Shepton and surrounding villages to tell people of the resources available both locally and nationally.

A holiday park can now be built on the edge of Shepton Mallet after a planning application for 30 lodges was given the green light by Mendip District Council.

The planning application had been submitted by Mrs S Crockett for the change of use of land for the siting of 30 mobile lodges for use as holiday accommodation at Cannards Grave Farmhouse, Whitstone Hill to Fosse Way, Shepton Mallet.

A popular Chinese takeaway in Shepton Mallet will re-open later this week after closing due to the coronavirus crisis.

Sunrise Chinese Takeaway in Commercial Road will be open again for takeaway orders on Friday (April 24) for limited hours at first and with measures in place to prevent any spread of coronavirus.

The Shepton Mallet company which launched the UK's first craft cider subscription box is experiencing mixed fortunes in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.

Retail sales of Crafty Nectar's own brand to pubs and restaurants have now come to a grinding halt.

Staff at the Mendip School, near Shepton Mallet, recorded fun video clips to stay connected with pupils and raise spirits during the Easter break.

The footage was sewn together by Alisa Creaser, assistant principal in charge of primary at the specialist school for children with autism and speech and language communication needs.

A chef from Shepton Mallet has launched a new Facebook page to share top culinary tips and home cooking videos to help families during the coronavirus lockdown.

Sean Boyle, aka Sean the Chef, has already attracted almost 600 followers in just eight days since setting up this page.

Shepton Mallet residents will be able to spot Elon Musk's Starlink satellite train tonight (April 20).

Elon Musk's satellites have been spotted all over Western Europe, with many saying they looked like "Santa's sleigh".

News from the front... I was sitting in the garden with a cup of tea and it was so silent and for some reason I thought of Simon and Garfunkel's song, The Sound of Silence, with the haunting opening lines of "Hello darkness, my old friend".

Thinking about music, I recalled reading an article about the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping through New York City, where apparently the soundtrack of this dreadful virus is the sound of sirens.

The Somerset Coronavirus Appeal, launched by the Bath and West Showground-based Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), has grown to more than £450,000 since its launch just a month ago on Thursday March 19.

The appeal raises money to fund local charities and community organisations supporting those in most urgent need during the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, and donations have come from local individuals, charitable trusts and businesses.

Shepton Mallet residents are being warned against buying unapproved coronavirus antibody testing kits.

The tests - designed to detect if people have had coronavirus and are now immune - are a key part of the Government's strategy to boost testing capacity to protect the vulnerable, support the NHS, and ultimately save lives.