Farmers urged to bid for grants to reduce flooding
TEENS TRY THEIR HANDS AT DATING... AND THEY HAVE A LOT TO LEARN
FARMERS in Somerset are being invited to bid in the county’s biggest ever auction for works to reduce flooding, boost productivity and improve the environment.
Organised by the Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group South West (FWAG SW) for Somerset Rivers Authority (SRA) and Bristol Water, the online system works by letting farmers pinpoint places on their land where they believe selected activities would get good results, then they bid for funding.
Now in its fourth year, a total of £60,000 – the largest sum yet – is up for grabs, with £40,000 coming from the SRA and £20,000 from Bristol Water.
Councillor David Hall, chair of the Somerset Rivers Authority, said: “This will be our fourth online auction and this year farmers are being offered a choice of up to 12 different measures, more than ever before.
“The aim is to help slow the flow of water down to vulnerable areas while delivering other benefits. Moves like grassland slitting and subsoiling, for example, don’t just aerate the ground and let more rain filter in, they also improve the soil.
“So farmers are being asked to think about win-wins. If there are simple things that can be done that benefit everyone, grants may be available.”
The auction will run online at somerset.naturebid.org.uk from Monday, March 1 to Monday, March 15. After the auction closes, bids will be checked by FWAG South West. Grants from the SRA and Bristol Water are given to the best, most competitivelypriced ideas.
The 12 measures for which grants will be given this year are: Grassland subsoiling, grassland slitting, maize management, hedge planting, hedge planting on banks, lines of tree planting, leaky dams, buffers to intercept run-off, winter cover crops, grass swales, filter fences and – only available in the Bristol Water areas – watercourse fencing to help improve water quality and livestock’s safety.
Bristol Water’s money is reserved for two areas. The first is within roughly four miles of Westbury-sub-Mendip and includes Chewton Mendip, Wookey, Wedmore and Cheddar.
The second is the Egford Borehole catchment north of Nunney near Frome.
Matt Pitts, catchment strategy manager at Bristol Water, said the company especially wants to reduce the amount of soil and nutrients running off into watercourses and reservoirs. “Cleaner water lowers reservoir treatment costs, and is healthier for wildlife,” he added.
“By working together, we can make a much more impactful positive contribution to the local environment.”
A successful bidder in previous auctions, Exmoor farmer Holly Purdey has been able to plant nearly 1,000 metres of new hedgerow for better field layouts at Horner Farm in the Porlock Vale.
Urging other farmers to participate, she added: “It’s now easier to manage rotational grazing, keep soil healthy and minimise water run-off.
“The online auction system is simple to use, with clear guidelines provided. Support from FWAG South West is available if you need it.”
DON’T be scared – this may be a teenage version of the nation’s favourite dating show, but these novice daters are not so cool once Cupid has slipped into their DMs.
It’s a daunting time for these 16 to 19 year olds, who have to contend with braces and spots as well as studying and staying on trend as they look for love.
What happens when your card is declined because your mum didn’t transfer the cash? or when your relationship history consists only of dating a girl for a week in Year 8?
What even is Year 8? Maybe Fred Sirieix knows.
First to arrive is 19-year-old art student Archie, a lover of camp culture who is looking for a muse.
Rocking a bright red sweater vest, he makes an entrance by teaching Fred what a slut drop is.
Yes, older viewers, should be prepared to learn something new.
His date is Eden, a 19-year-old musician who wants a real breakup trauma to inspire her songwriting. Well, at least she’ll have something to write about if it doesn’t work out.
Next in is sporty 17-year-old Denzel who is looking for an athletic, family-focused girl.
Watch Denzel’s chiselled jaw drop when fellow basketball player Mariam, 16, walks in.
Then there’s our self-confessed ladette Maddison, 18. She’s ‘one of the boys’ but wants a boy of her own. Will bricklaying apprentice Jacob, 17, win her over?
And 18-year-old Dom hopes that fate will seal the deal with his date, also called Dom. His parents met on a blind date and got engaged on their second… so no pressure then.