To set the scene, here’s a bit of context for what follows.

I scan the Mendip Times each month to see what is going on. You would have thought that after my major effort yesterday in Stanton Drew I would have had enough of writing, but that’s not the way it works with me. If I write a good piece then that stimulates me to write more, so in my search today Sunday we noticed a small entry announcing a cream tea and raffle in Priddy 2pm

The event was held in support of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance programme. When something catches my attention, I tend to respond instinctively — and more often than not, I come away with more than I anticipated, in the most uplifting and rewarding way. This occasion was no exception..  

At first glance Priddy appears to be a village devoid of any meaningful centre. We see a triangle of a green with a curious thatched structure on it (more later), an abandoned pub, and a few traditional houses well set back.

However, appearances are deceptive. The population of Priddy is only about 700, yet it manages to punch well above its weight with, for example, the Priddy Folk Festival held annually in July and many interesting activities listed in ‘The Pew’ a monthly publication serving Priddy, Easton (3 miles south), and Westbury-sub-Mendip (4 miles south-west). The genesis of The Pew could be the subject of another blog but the current editor Jayne Adams tells me that it started off as a church magazine.

The three villages between them boast a Knit and Natter group, Priddy Gardening Club, Priddy History Group, a Women’s Institute, a Friendly Society, The Monday Club, a food bank, a friendship group, the Westbury Wildlife Group, the Westbury Tree Group, the Westbury Society, Westbury Film Nights, and Westbury Dinner Nights and many others. See ‘The Pew’ for more details.

Can the three villages described above be regarded as one organic unit?

If you are fit, healthy, and mobile, there is plenty of activity to enjoy.

I got hold of the monthly community publication ‘The Pew’ in the local church of St. Lawrence, but I’m sure any communal facility will have copies available. Look out for it. If they can pack 52 pages of information and advertising in the holiday month of August then it will certainly be a burgeoning publication at other times of the year. 

Postal codes in this part of the world cover quite a large area so it was with some difficulty we discovered the place, as the signage to the Village Hall is not the best on the planet but what saved us was seeing balloons. In we went and parked our car.

We were warmly greeted by a member of the air ambulance team and ushered into the main hall. Inside there were meeters and greeters bustling around. We noticed that most of the tables were reserved, so clearly it was a popular event. We found a table at the end and plonked ourselves down. Before we knew it, we were being served with two scones, a generous amount of cream, and a small jar of strawberry jam, arguably over-generous, plus a pair of cheeky strawberries sitting on top, all of which were delicious.

Two youngsters came and served us with either tea or coffee; we could have as many fill-ups as we wanted. Apart from the basic cream tea, there was a substantial selection of cake of all types, and it looked like it was all homemade, so bless the people who went to the trouble.

very nice system of trust. You put money in the boxes provided.

The kitchen where the cream teas were produced

Dare I say, an overwhelming selection of cakes. I hope they get eaten. Probably, people will take any excess home (wild guess)

The enthusiastic lady who looked after us. She did a great job though the noise level made hearing each other difficult.

Was this a friendly gathering?

Francoise and I go to a great number of events together so we have plenty of background to judge from. We found that being seated was quite an inhibitor to making conversation with people, as we had done in spadefuls yesterday (see diary). 

We got the impression that a lot of other people knew each other and were catching up, perhaps not having met for some time, so having made allowances for this, we determined the atmosphere to be positive but a little bit cliquey. Having said that, we can’t expect everyone to greet us with open arms, and we felt our job was just mixing and enjoying the party.

The very jolly sellers of raffle tickets. Larger-than-life characters. Francoise is filling in her tickets.

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Next up, a visit to the Air Ambulance people

Selling various knitted objects to raise money.

I did a brief interview with the air ambulance lady, and this is what she said:

Me: I just wanted to get a feel of where the needs are really at the moment. You know, what’s the up-to-date situation with the ambulance?

Lady: We need a minimum of £11 million a year to keep going. The whole lot around Dorset and Somerset (not nationally). Each mission that we fly costs approximately £3,500, which is every time it takes off and lands for a patient, we get no government money.

We get no money from the National Lottery. It’s all funded through the people of Dorset and Somerset. It’s entirely independent.

Me: And is that a policy of the government not to give money or lots of the lottery?

Lady: That’s a policy we don’t get any money from either. Wow. And there are 36 air ambulances over the country, and they are all independently funded, except in Scotland, where the government pay for two (services) because of the islands and the remoteness.

The rest of it is all done by private donation.

In Dorset we fly 19 hours a day at the moment, so we do some night flying as well as during the day. We’ve got the lighting for that. For next year, we’re hoping to be running two helicopters, and we’ll be doing 24-hour flying.

Me: But they pay for the pilots? They don’t pay for anything else.

Lady: They don’t pay for anything at all.

Yes, we have to pay for the pilot. We fly with two. We need two pilots because our helicopter is bigger.

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A walk around the centre of Priddy

We heard that there was going to be a grand draw at 4:30 preceded by a talk so as it was only about 3:00 p.m. we decided to go and explore Priddy and see what was going on if anything. 

We came across this rather strange thatched wooden building not doing anything much. On closer inspection we found that it was a storage place for fencing to keep in sheep during fayre days. We were told by someone that the practice had ceased because the police had demanded £1000 a day to close the roads, and so the whole thing became uneconomical. That’s one way of getting rid of local traditions.

the best I could do to record this partly covered sign

and there is will sit for another few decades unless set on fire again. It does look strangely out of place or maybe just quirky.

We walked onwards and found remains of a pub now up for sale. 

I am sure it had its great times but what a massive property to pay rates, taxes, rent, etc. without much footfall. as the village does not lead anywhere. You have to make a deliberate effort to go there. Great at festival times, but that’s only once or twice a year. 

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Wandering along a lane we found another pub that had not succumbed to the times and was open for business even on a Sunday afternoon, normally serving food and the whole nine yards. It was the Queen Victoria Inn. I am sure they look after thirsty travelers.Anyway, we retraced our steps and arrived back about 4:15pm where we found the auction in full swing.

For such a small village, I was amazed to see the number of prizes on offer, presumably having been given by donation. Francoise had bought 3 tickets. We did not win anything, but everyone was enjoying themselves enormously, so that was a lovely thing to see. 

There were so many prizes; some people won two or even three.

You could definitely call this a full house.

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On a sentimental and nostalgic note, I did notice the large number of historical photographs attached or part of the wall in the entrance and I love this nod to history

Gathering of the great and good

A Christmas party in 1954. No TV then. There was a lot of poverty, so I guess everyone got together to celebrate.

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We decided to leave as the event was ending, but life had one more feature in store for us. We saw the church and realized we had not visited it, so we entered to find this old conservative but mystical place, which I believe has so many prayers in the walls that anyone who comes and sits down in a peaceful and reflective manner would benefit.

This is where I found the wonderful magazine ‘The Pew’. 

Strangely devoid of recent burial graves.

How I love stained glass.

Oh, to hear bells ringing. The days of nostalgia indeed. Such a simple font, almost puritanical.

Lovely to see visitors from all over the world.

If you’ve made it this far, either you’re very patient or very curious — either way, I’m grateful 🙂 

Reflections on Community Identity and Rural Resilience