The May/June 2025 issue of The Spark Magazine is our 1st Anniversary Edition and
we would really like to thank all our contributors for their support. Also, many thanks to our readers for your positive feedback over the last year.
In this issue, we visit the Willow Vale Animal Experience run by Neil & Alison Allen and
delve into the world of antiques at The Curious Cow, Mudford who were visited by the BBC’s ‘Antiques Road Trip’ this year with expert James Braxton.
It’s 90 years since the Amateur Players of Sherborne performed and we celebrate their success in this edition.
In the March/April edition of The Spark Magazine, we have added more ‘Events’ which will keep our readers informed of things to do over the next two months.
Dave Dale is one of our regular postmen and we delve a little into his time with Royal Mail in this edition. The new Sparkford stone sign at the entrance to the village has been installed and our front cover shows this bespoke sign which has been beautifully produced by Hadspen Quarry with local Ham stone.
In our January/February 2025 issue we have a heartwarming story of a trip down Memory Lane for a dementia sufferer who lives in Grovelands Care Home, Yeovil.
We also feature another talented fabric artist called Angela Knapp who combines her love of birds, painting and stitch in her artwork.
The Creamery in Castle Cary was officially opened on the 1st November 2024 by Lord Hendy, former Chairman of Network Rail and Minister of State at the Department of Transport and we have published some lovely images of the event in this issue.
In our November/December issue we enter the artistic mind of Ian Weatherhead, a local retired architect and painter extroadinaire! His artwork is exhibited in many museums and can be viewed in his studio in Queen Camel.
We also feature a unique Creamery which has been renovated by the train station in Castle Cary – a contemporary new high-end restaurant/shop for the local area.
In our September/October Issue, we delve into the history that surrounds Hazlegrove School, Sparkford. The school dates back in time to 1519 during the reign of Henry VIII. We also get to know a little bit about Sam Nixon a former professional rugby player and also Bernie Peachey’s wonderful life-sized characters that sat on her bench in Queen Camel.
We include an article by a Somerset farmer about her sustainable farm in Pensford. Also an article about Gemma Ruegg who is a professional boxer and fitness instructor. Gemma, who lives in Sparkford, also promotes her sportswear called ‘Combat Dollies’ and runs fitness sessions in The Sparkford Village Hall.
This is our launch Issue where we highlight Sparkford’s very own new organic market garden run by Camilla Mays. We also include local Planning Applications and publish South West Coaches new timetable for 2024. We’ve included a lovely ‘easy supper’ recipe (which we hope to update each month) and Sudoku completion to win dinner for two at The White Post in Rimpton. This was won by Cherry Toop, South Cadbury.