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Abbas & Templecombe MessengerSeptember 2026r Butterfly Conservation’s Butterflies and Moths to see in September Your butterfly-friendly gardening tips for autumn
Contacts & Useful Information Abbas & Templecombe Messenger Email: aatmessenger@outlook.com Templecombe Post Office 20 Westcombe, Templecombe BA8 0LH Open seven days a week 07:00-22:00 Bunters of Templecombe Michael Bird 07401 491741 01963 370472 01963 548088 Licensed café & bar 2 High Street, Templecombe BA8 0JB Sun/Mon/Tue-Closed Wed-09:00-14:30 Thurs/Fri/Sat-09:00- 14:30 & 18:00-22:00 Co-op Food Supermarket 01963 371597High Street, Templecombe BA8 0JA Open seven days per week 06:00-22:00 Member of Parliament Sarah Dyke 02035 452414 Email: sarah.dyke.mp@parliament.uk Abbas & Templecombe Parish Council Tina Chapman (Parish Clerk) Email: clerk@abbasandtemplecombe-pc.gov.uk Abbas & Templecombe Church School Templecombe Sports & Social Club Recreation Ground, Vine Street, Templecombe BA8 0JY 01963 370527 01963 370481 01963 370710 Doctors Milborne Port & Templecombe Surgeries 01963 250334 Web: www.milborneportsurgery.nhs.uk Milborne Port 08:00-18:30 08:00-18:30 08:00-18:30 18:30-20:00 Telephone Only 08:00-18:30 Closed Templecombe 08:30-15:00 Closed 08:30-15:00 08:30-15:00 Closed Mon/Tue Wednesday Thursday Friday Sat/Sun Wincanton Health Centre 01963 435700 01963 828444 01935 475122 Web: Wincanton Community Hospital Dancing Lane, Wincanton BA9 9DQ Yeovil Hospital Higher Kingston, Yeovil BA21 4ATwww.wincantonhealth.co.uk Wessex Water 0345 600 4600 Web: www.wessexwater.co.uk Power Cuts Electrical Emergency Call 105
Contacts & Useful Information Citizens Advice Somerset Advice Line Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00 Samaritans Monday-Saturday Somerset Council Social Services Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00 Saturday & Sunday Closed Out of hours Emergency Social Work Duty Team Email: adults@somerset.gov.uk 0808 223 1133 0330 094 5717 0300 123 2224 10:00-22:00 Sunday Closed 0300 123 2327 childrens@somerset.gov.uk CrimeStoppers 100% anonymous always Web: www.crimestoppers-uk.org First Bus (No.58 Wincanton-Yeovil) Web: www.firstbus.co.uk Berry’s Coaches (Wincanton-London) Web: www.berryscoaches.co.uk National Rail enquiries Web: www.nationalrail.co.uk CATbus Ring & Ride (Community accessible transport) Web: www.southsomersetringride.org.uk Taxis Terry’s Taxis 0800 555 111 0345 646 0707 01823 331345 03457 484950 01963 33864 07795 464492 07950 826962 01963 351725 Crabb’s Taxis Dimmer Household Waste Recycling Centre Dimmer Lane, Castle Cary BA7 7NR Mon/Tue 09:00-17:00 Wed/Thur/Fri Closed Sat/Sun 09:00-16:00 Web: www.somerset.gov.uk Sherborne Household Waste Recycling Centre West Mill Lane, Sherborne DT9 6EE Open seven days a week 09:00-17:00 Web: www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Charges may apply. 01305 221040 MISSING- little black and white female cat from the Yarn Barton area. Chipped and Neutered. Small in size. White stripe on the bridge of her nose, and black spot on her nostrils. Deeply missed- any sightings or info- Zoe-07592702151
TEMPLECOMBE SOCIAL CLUB Club Opening times: Friday 19:30—23.30 Saturday 16:00—23:30 Sunday 16:00 - 22:30 The club will also be open on other occasions when Pool or Skittles games are arranged. New members always welcome— £12.00 per yearly membership. Function Room hire. Tel: 01963 371354 Email: tsportssc25@gmail.com
Your butterfly-friendly gardening tips for autumn With autumn upon us, Butterfly Conservation shares its tips for what to do over the next few months to make your garden or outdoor space better for butterflies and moths. Many of us across the UK have experienced very dry conditions this summer, and while dry hot weather is great for adult butterflies, it isn’t always good for their offspring. Butterfly and moth eggs can die if they become too dehydrated, and hatching caterpillars need fresh green plants to feed on, but prolonged drought may mean that many of the plants that caterpillars rely on wither and die, sadly resulting in the caterpillars starving. Fewer caterpillars this year means the next generation of butterflies will be smaller. That’s why it’s so important to give butterflies and moths, and their caterpillars and eggs, a fighting chance, and there’s lots you can do in your own outdoor space to help!Create habitat hideaways Many different butterflies and moths spend the winter nestled down amongst leaf litter, usually in the form of a caterpillar or a chrysalis. These piles of leaves help shelter them from the elements, like cold, wet and wind, as well as helping them stay hidden from potential predators. If you have trees and shrubs, let fallen leaves stay where they are or rake them into piles at the edge of your garden or at the back of borders where they can be left for the winter. As well as leaf piles, you can create habitat hideaways using a mixture of logs, sticks, leaves and other nature materials. Woody stems can provide sturdy anchors for chrysalises to attach to, and old hollow plant stems provide a refuge for caterpillars. Nature doesn’t mind messy, so you can let your pile be a bit higgledy-piggledy. Place your habitat pile near to a patch of wildflowers or in a flower border to provide overwintering insects with a source of nectar when they emerge in spring, or you can even create a habitat pile on a balcony.
Let it grow Long lawns are all-round brilliant habitats for butterflies and moths. Letting your grass grow long can boost garden butterfly numbers by up to 93%. Grass provides food for caterpillars for species like the Gatekeeper, as well as shelter and places for caterpillars to pupate. Long grass is also great for overly dry or overly wet gardens – it soaks up water and has a cooling effect in gardens. It’s important to keep your long grass uncut over the summer to leave any eggs undisturbed and allow the caterpillars which emerge to move closer to the ground, but you can give it a trim from September onwards. If you can, leave some areas of your lawn long all year round and just cut a path through. Embrace your Ivy Ivy is an often maligned and misunderstood plant, but one which has incredible benefits for butterflies, moths, bees and variety of other wildlife. In its juvenile stage, Ivy can provide shelter for adult butterflies and moths, bats and nesting birds. It is also a foodplant for the caterpillars of several moth and butterfly species, like the Holly Blue, which will lay its second generation of eggs on Ivy, and the Swallow-tailed Moth. As a mature plant, Ivy will begin to flower. This provides a vital source of nectar later in the year when other sources of nectar are limited. Once flowered, the plant will produce berries that ripen over winter, ready to be enjoyed by birds and small mammals during the colder months. Regular pruning prevents Ivy from reaching its mature stage where it is most beneficial to wildlife. However, if you do need to trim back excessive growth, or growth that might be interfering with gutters or structures, it’s best to do so lightly. Where possible, try pruning back your Ivy in patches, allowing different areas to grow and develop each year. The best time to prune is late winter to early spring, after the Ivy has flowered and the berries are gone. However, be careful to check for early nesting birds or sheltering insects.
Be a hedge hero Hedges can provide brilliant hiding places for adult butterflies and moths and chrysalises over the winter months. And, with the right hedge plants, hedges can also be home to overwintering eggs and caterpillars, helping keep them tucked away and providing vital nourishment when they hatch or re-emerge in the spring. You can plant a bareroot hedge from October – try choosing species that caterpillars will enjoy snacking on, like Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Dog Rose. Already have a hedge? The best thing you can do to help butterflies and moths this autumn and winter is to trim it less – try every few years rather than every year. Or trim different areas at different times. This helps keep some areas safe for the caterpillars and eggs that have already made their home there and is particularly important for butterflies and moths that like to lay their eggs on new growth. Plan for pollinators Late and early season nectar is particularly important for butterflies and moths, some of which fly into the autumn and winter and emerge early in spring. So, when considering what to plant, think about species that will flower at different times of the year. Letting your Ivy flower and including plants like Sedums is great for autumn fliers, and autumn is the time to plant spring-flowering bulbs like crocuses and Grape Hyacinth which will help the early emergers.
Create some shade With bareroot season on the horizon, now is also a good time to plan where you might be able to introduce trees to your outdoor space. Trees provide much-needed shade for suntrap gardens which give butterflies and people a place to retreat if the temperatures get too hot. Some trees can also act as flood defences for those who struggle with waterlogging in their garden – willows can help soak up water and are loved by lots of moths. Choosing trees native to the UK means they can also provide food for butterflies and moths, for example, 150 different moths and butterflies feed on birch trees! Make the most of the rain If you haven’t done so already, now is a good time to install some water butts ahead of any rain we get this autumn and winter. Water butts fill up fairly quickly with a good downpour, and although it might be a bit later for your watering needs this year, it puts you in good stead for next spring and summer and any hot, dry conditions we might face. A soakaway is also something to consider, as it captures rainwater from your gutters and channels it into a hole in the ground, usually filled with rocks and rubble, which allows the water to dissipate into the surrounding area at a gradual rate – this not only waters the garden, but also helps with any flooding, which can be a challenge when winter rains hit hard baked ground after the summer. Gardening with a changing climate in mind is just as important for our own enjoyment of the garden as it is for butterflies thriving in it, so think about how you might need to make changes for next year now. For more butterfly and moth friendly gardening tips, visit butterfly- conservation.org/gardening
Since writing the above update Pollyanna has exceeded the £2000 that she mentions but you can still give more. If you would like to give to this cause you can do so by scanning the code on the rightPollyanna Zollo 5 August 2026 at 12:33 Hello everyone. I DID IT! I wanted to say an eternal thank you to every single person who has supported me during this challenge. It was without a doubt one of the hardest, but most rewarding, experiences of my life and l am so proud of myself for completing it. That being said, I couldn't have done it without everyone cheering me on! We are so close to raising £2000 for the MND Association, for which I am extremely grateful. Thank you so much for the support <3 Pollyanna xx
The Council Meets at 7.15 pm every second Tuesday of the month If any Parishioner has any concerns or incidents of vandalism or anti-social behaviour, they can report them to Avon and Somerset Police Authority by either calling 101 or on their website www.avonandsomerset.police.uk All Parishioners are welcome to attend At Abbas & Templecombe Village Hall, School Lane, BA8 0HP
AT THE SOCIAL CLUBSATURDAY 8th of August 2026 10—1Forthcoming dates for 2026 8th August 12th September 10th October 14th November 12 DecemberthSaturday 12 of September 10:00-13:00th
T Birds Events Calendar September – December 2026 14th September 12th October 9th November 14 Decemberth Open your eyes to Abstract Art Skittles in Social Club Christmas Crafting Members only Christmas event Come along and meet us all – we really don’t take ourselves too seriously! Primarily we are a women’s group, although gentlemen are welcome to attend any of our talks. We meet on the 2 Monday of every month, in the Village Hallnd 7.30 – 9.30p.m. Refreshments available £3.50 for guests/non-members. Everybody welcome.
2Camelot Explorer Scout UnitMaria 07885 987350friends or just have fun, we have our meeting on aMonday evening between 7—9pmWe meet at 2nd Templecombe Scout Hut, behindTemplecombe Village Hall BA8 0HP Please contact:Looking for fun, adventure and challenges: We are open to any young person between the ages of 14 to 18 years old.Jason 07793433375If you want adventure, learn new skills, meet new
Contact jessmr91@aol.com https://www.facebook.com/daisychainbabytoddlers https://www.instagram.com/daisychain_toddlers
Our 5 Top Gardening Tips for Early Autumn From PlantWild at The Blooming Wild Plant Nursery Following the heat waves during the summer months, temperatures begin to drop and daylight hours decrease from September onwards, however there is still plenty to appreciate in the garden. During early autumn, a variety of Herbaceous plants and Ornamental grasses continue to enhance the garden, whilst pollinators and small mammals become increasingly dependent on gardens for pollen, nectar, and shelter. Below are our five recommended gardening tips for early autumn to ensure your garden is ready for the season ahead: 1.Plant New Perennials: Take advantage of the remaining warmth and moist soil by planting new perennials; prioritising varieties that flower later in the season and will continue to benefit pollinators. For example, Aster ‘Lady in Black’ provides simple, white daisy-like flowers with rosy-pink centres which are attractive to bees and butterflies throughout autumn. Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower) offers a valuable source of late nectar, with its purple, cone-shaped blooms particularly favoured by bumblebees and other pollinators. Similarly, Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Deamii’ (Black-eyed Susan) features deep-brown centres and golden petals, flowering from late summer into early autumn, adding visual interest to borders. Maintaining a diverse array of blooms extends food availability for pollinators well into the autumn. 2.Divide Existing Perennials: Lift and divide perennials that have finished flowering, such as Daylilies and Hardy geraniums as they enter dormancy during early autumn. Division will help to invigorate plant growth and improve flowering for the following year. Find out more at our beginner’s workshop at the nursery on the 26th September and we’ll share with you how to get started. It will be a great opportunity to learn how to divide plants in the Autumn. For full details read more on our website www.plantwild.co.uk. Book your place online at https://www.plantwild.co.uk/product-category/workshops/ or direct at the nursery. Any questions… just get in touch and we’ll be pleased to help. 01963 371060
4.Plant Spring Bulbs: Early autumn is an ideal time to plant spring bulbs such as Snowdrops, Daffodils, and Snakeshead fritillaries in pots, borders, and lawns. Planting in the autumn ensures a colourful spring display and supplies early nectar sources for pollinators. 5.Retain Food Sources for Birds: Leaving seed heads on plants such as Sedums, Teasels, or Sunflowers offers essential food for birds preparing for winter, while also contributing structural interest to the garden. Seed heads can look fantastic in autumn and winter particularly on misty or frosty mornings. 3.Incorporate Ornamental Grasses: Planting Ornamental grasses in early autumn allows sufficient time for plants to develop strong root systems ahead of winter. Their graceful plumes add colour and movement to the garden across the seasons. Consider combining grasses and perennials in drifts for a naturalistic effect. Choose suitable species for specific conditions—Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ or Festuca ‘Elijah Blue’ thrive in dry locations, while Chasmanthium latifolium being a deciduous grass provides autumn interest. Shorter grasses, like Pennisetum ‘Little Bunny’, offer structural interest at the border front, whereas taller grasses benefit from sheltered positions to avoid wind damage. These grasses also provide important cover and overwintering habitats for small mammals
A Summer of Success at PlantWild It has been an incredibly busy and rewarding summer for everyone at Plantwild, with several achievements and community events making it a summer to remember.We were delighted to be awarded a Gold Medal by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Badminton for our Pollinators' Sanctuary Pocket Garden. This special garden was created by Bristol based designer Darren Gillingham to highlight the importance of supporting bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects, while demonstrating how even small garden spaces can make a significant contribution to biodiversity. Adding to this success, the garden also won the People's Choice Award, making the recognition even more meaningful. We are extremely grateful to everyone who visited, supported and voted for the garden. The summer celebrations continued when we opened our nursery display gardens as part of the National Garden Scheme. We were thrilled to welcome so many visitors who came to enjoy the gardens, learn more about wildlife-friendly planting and support a worthwhile cause. Thanks to the generosity of our visitors, we raised £775 for charity, helping the National Garden Scheme continue its valuable work supporting a range of health and nursing charities. We look forward to welcoming you at PlantWild at the Blooming Wild Plant Nursery, where you can select your autumn and winter garden favourites from our range of Herbaceous perennials and Ornamental grasses, together with Native wildflowers. Our team is available to provide expert advice for all your gardening needs during our opening hours from Thursday – Saturday. Happy gardening The PlantWild team at The Blooming Wild Nursery
Space for Artists! Every Friday morning 10.00—13.00 Horsington Village Hall Time and space to draw, paint, relax and grow.Join us!Alison 01963 370866Templecombe Indoor Bowling Club (Short Mat)Horsington Village Hall Thursday mornings 10:00am —1:00pm 01963 364287 Or Terry Loader (Chair) terrence666@uwclub.netJoin us in the Village Hall Monday 2.00pm to 4.00pm Thursday 7.00pm to 9.00pm Please contact Chris Jeans (Secretary)Horsington Art GroupA friendly group who exchange ideas. Somemembers are very experienced and can give advice. New members are very welcome whether they are talented or beginners Come and join in for a no-cost trial session.John 07510 260457 Rhonwen 01935 389690 £3.00 for the evening
Sudoku looks complex at first glance, but the solving method is straightforward once you know what to look for. Each row, column, and 3×3 box must contain the numbers 1 to 9 exactly once, so the first step is to scan for “singles” — places where only one number can logically fit. From there, solvers use simple elimination: if a number already appears in a row, column, or box, it can’t go in any other cell that touches it. More advanced techniques involve spotting patterns, such as pairs of numbers that can only occupy two cells in a box, or identifying where a number must go because all other positions are blocked. The puzzle unfolds gradually, and the key is not speed but steady, logical deduction. With practice, even the trickier grids become manageable. How to Solve a Sudoku Puzzles Section Our Sudoku puzzles range in difficulty from levels 1 to 8 where 1 is the easiest Level One Level Two Level Three Level Four
Level Five Level Six Level Seven Level Eight Here are some little 4 x 4 puzzles
Autumn Themed Word Search For Abbas & Templecombe Messenger articles and advertising, please get in touch with Michael Bird Tel: 07401 491 741 Email: aatmessenger@outlook.com Cut off for submission is twelve noon on the 15th of the month Kindly printed by Thales UK, Templecombe Acorn Autumn Glow Harvest Mist Pine Ridge Sapling Shrub Toadstool Whirl Zone