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West Somerset N.T. Association

So where are we

going this year?

See inside for

details of an

Organisation

offering outings,

holidays, social

events, and

friendship

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So what do we offer?

OUTINGS

PUB LUNCHES

HOLIDAYS

TALKS

SOCIAL EVENTS

The chance to meet a friendly, welcoming group of like-minded people and enjoy activities that help the National Trust

Membership open to all National

Trust Members & Volunteers

For full information visit our easy to use

website www.wsnta.btck.co.uk

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A typical year’s programme based on 2015 January: “Daily Ups & Downs at Dunster Castle” ~ an illustrated talk

Pub Lunch at The Valiant Soldier, Roadwater February: Outing to Hinkley Point March Illustrated Talk – “A Taste of Zambia”

Outing to The Merchant Venturers & The MShed Museum

A Mini-Break to Mid-Wales April Illustrated talk – Caring for the Coast St. Georges Day Celebration Dinner An Outing to Plymouth Citadel & King William’s Yard Holiday to Paris in Spring-time May Big Breakfast - Porlock

Outing to Sherborne Town and Castle June Outing to Tetbury & Rodmarton Manor

Holiday to Waterloo & The Western Front

Outing to Stourhead July

Outing to Bennetts Watergardens August

Car Treasure Hunt

Holiday to Scotland September Outing to Tiverton Castle & Killerton Guided walk around the Holnicote Estate October

Illustrated Talk

Outing to “Sculpture in the Park” – Dorset November

Illustrated Talk

Outing to “Country House at Christmas” with meal December

Illustrated talk Carol Concert Christmas Lunch

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ILLUSTRATED TALKS

During the Winter months we have monthly illustrated talks from a variety of entertaining & interesting speakers. All talks take place on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at the Methodist Church Hall, The Avenue, Minehead. Examples: A Taste of Zambia Caring for the Coast - The next 100 years

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Twice a year we organize

Pub Lunches For example in January: We went to The Valiant

Soldier Inn, Roadwater, Watchet,

There’ll probably be another in the Autumn

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We have a full programme of coach & own transport outings, plus a number of social events: In 2015 these include

Outing to

HINKLEY POINT

in February

in March to MERCHANT

VENTURERS & THE

“M” SHED

One of the displays at the “M” Shed

Merchant Venturers in Clifton

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APRIL

ST. GEORGE’S DAY

CELEBRATION DINNER

Our Annual “Posh” Do – a splendid meal has

been arranged for members at the newly

refurbished Beach Hotel, Minehead.

Outing to:

PLYMOUTH ~ CITADEL & ROYAL WILLIAM YARD

.

Royal William Yard Harbour .

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In MAY

The Big Breakfast

Porlock Village Hall

Outing to:

SHERBORNE & SHERBORNE CASTLE

The magnificent Sherborne Abbey

& the “new” castle

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June Outings to

Tetbury and Rodmarton Manor Rodmarton Manor

Tetbury Market House

and

STOURHEAD HOUSE & GARDEN

Including a guided walk with the

Head Gardener

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JULY ~ Outing to Bennetts Water Gardens

August ~ Car Treasure Hunt

SEPTEMBER

–Tiverton Castle & Killerton

and A Walk around the Holnicote Estate

OCTOBER – Sculpture in the Park, Pallington Lakes

And a full programme of Christmas festive

events

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HOLIDAYS

As if all this wasn’t enough ~ we also organise wonderful short

holidays – here is what we are offering this year

Mini- Break in Mid Wales ~ 3 nights in March Includes Tintern Abbey, Brobury House Gardens, Llandrindod Wells, Powis Castle, the Elan Valley Visitor Centre, Welsh Royal Crystal, the Red Kite Feeding Station, the Royal Welsh Showground, and Tredegar House

Tintern Abbey CADW

Powis Castle NT Elan Valley Red Kite Feeding Station

Paris in Spring-time or A French Affair! In April ~ 5 nights

Chateau de Montvillargenne – our hotel!

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Includes half-day guided coach tour, optional visit to Opera Garnier, boat trip to see the sights from the river, free time to explore all the sights – Eiffel

Tour and the Louvre; visit to the delightful medieval town of Senlis, for a

guided tour then spend the rest of the day at the stunning Domaine de

Chantilly, a magnificent chateau which has one of the finest art galleries in

France.

Opera Garnier

Domaine de Chantilly

WATERLOO &

THE WESTERN

FRONT 5 Nights in June

A commemorative visit on the

bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, combined with a visit to Flanders to

remember WW1. Includes, Lion Mount and the Wellington Museum, stay

in Leuven, then on to Brussels, visit Waterloo for the Sound and Light Show;

visit Chateau de Beloeil, then an evening renactment at Waterloo. Visit

Mons, then Ypres and attend the evening ceremony at the Menin Gate

Memorial to the Missing.

Chateau de Beleoeil Menin Gate Lion Mount Waterloo

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SCOTLAND & ISLE of MULL 8 nights in September

Includes Inverary Castle, the gardens at Arduaine, An Cala (a garden on Seil Island), Oban, ferry to Mull and visit lovely Duart Castle, Iona Abbey, optional boat trip to Staffa to see Fingles cave, Tobermory the capital of Mull.

Duart Castle, Isle of Mull Iona Abbey

Tobermory Inverray Castle

~~~~~~~ Missed some events you would enjoy?

Never mind, each year we try to put together a varied, interesting programme – this is just an example of what we offer our members.

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What we have achieved We are a Supporters’ Group for the National Trust – and our activities aim

to raise funds to help projects at various properties. We democratically

decide what to support at our Annual General Meeting – ideas are submitted

to us on a “wish list” by the staff of N.T. properties.

Amongst projects we have funded in recent years are:

Picnic tables at Dunster Castle

A dozen seats for Dunster Castle ~ we are still

adding to them

Safe ladders for the gardeners at

Dunster

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Lighting for the leather

gallery at Dunster

Castle

Seat at Coleridge Cottage

Prop box for Coleridge Cottage

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Tyntesfield – set of picnic tables

Tramper for Dunster Castle

Handpainted mural of Holnicote Estate

at the shop at Selworthy Green

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Large no of picnic tables for the Periwinkle

Tea Rooms at Selworthy

And all this achieved whilst we were enjoying ourselves!

So I’m convinced – what do I

have to do, and what will it cost?

Visit our website: www.wsnta.co.uk for more information and to download

a membership application form.

If you do not have computer access, contact our Membership Secretary,

Mrs. Rosemary Ball, Mole End Cottage, 8 Redway, Porlock, TA24 8QG.

for an application form – please enclose an A5 stamped address envelope to

keep down our costs. An application form is also included in each newsletter

(published 4 times a year) – so if you know any members, they could let you

have one. The current (2015) membership fee is only £7 per person.