2023 Raffle
Many thanks to everyone who bought a ticket, the raffle raised £800 this year
Winners drawn at the 10 parishes Street Fair
JLF Annual Prize Draw 2023 winners
1st Prize – £100
- Sue
2nd Prize – £50
- Lena (for JLF to regift to a youth group)
Joint 3rd Prizes – beers kindly donated by Exmoor and Nuttycombe Breweries
- polypin of Nuttycombe – David Patterson
- 8x bottles of Exmoor Gold – Mike K
- 2 packs of 6x bottles of Doonicans – Ian Austin and Caroline Denton
4th Prize – a voucher for a 60 minute therapeutic massage, kindly donated by Charlotte from Fitzhead
- Kay Weetch
Joint 5th Prizes – 9x bottles of wine kindly donated by JLF supporters
- C Hendy
- Abi Follet
- Dean Rotherel
- Jan (regifted to JLF Xmas raffle)
- Lloyd Gould
- Ken Brown
- Steve Comper
- Mr Welch
- Gibson
2021 Raffle
The raffle raised £600 this year. A huge thank you to everyone who bought tickets and donated prizes.
Winners drawn at the 10 Parishes Street Fair
1st prize Bev from Wivey
2nd prize Moria Higgins
3rd prize Julian Mellor
Christmas Quiz 2020
Thanks to everyone who bought a JLF Christmas Quiz. We’re delighted to announce that the winner was Aoife Kelly, a year 9 student at Kingsmead School. Well done Aoife! As well as giving Wiveyfolk something to do on the long dark evenings, the quiz raised £120 for the fund. Thanks again everyone!
Christmas Hamper Raffle 2020
£635 was raised by the sale of raffle tickets at The Larder. Many thanks to everyone.
Christmas tree chipping 2020
£114 raised towards Christmas Lights fund
Many thanks to Tom Sellick and The Bear Inn and all those who donated.
The Christmas Quiz was a huge success raising more money for The Christmas Lights Fund.
Many thanks to
JLF 2019 Raffle
Many thanks to these local companies for supporting our raffle in 2019
Woodlouse Conservation
The Wivey Larder
Mount Vets
O Smith Flooring
Day Lewis Pharmacy
Home Aerials
Cotleigh Brewery
Exmoor Ales
The winners of the 2019 JLF raffle were ;
1st prize – E.J Eastman from Milverton (£100),
2nd prize – Ian from Wivey (£50),
3rd prize – The Marchents from Wivey (Cotleigh & Exmoor beer)
New Wivey Link vehicle unveiled in Wiveliscombe Square
The Jim Laker Fund helps to fund the road licence for the fleet of Wivey Link vehicles
JLF 2018 Raffle
Many thanks to these local companies for supporting our raffle
Wiveliscombe Homeopathic Surgery
The High Tea Room Fudge
Day Lewis Pharmacy
John Blackmore Builder
Duende Restaurant
Carousel Pig
Mount Vets
Webbers Estate Agents
Thornes Butchers
Cotleigh Brewery
Exmoor Ales
Congratulations to the winners of the 10/20 Raffle in September
They were:
1st prize (£100) – John Liddiard
2nd prize (£50) – Graham Cook
3rd prize (2 cases of beer from Exmoor Ales and Cotleigh Brewery) – Phil Stone.
….and many thanks to all those who bought a ticket
The Event of the Year is approaching.
Raffle tickets are now available from committee members for the amazing first prize of £100. To be drawn at the 10 Parishes Street Market on September 17th.
20th JLF Annual General Meeting
Monday 23rd January
7 pm
The Bear Inn
Everybody welcome to this open meeting
Letter of thanks from Pulsford Lodge, 23 Nov 2016
Please convey our sincere thanks to the Jim Laker Fund for their donation to Pulsford Lodge Residents Comforts Fund.
The residents have chosen ‘White Christmas’ as their theme for their entertainment this year. A professional company will be providing entertainment, songs and sketches to reflect this theme.
May I on a personal and professional level thank the Jim Laker Fund for making things better for our residents, your contribution and goodwill has made such a difference to enable us to buy Christmas gifts and book additional entertainers.
My personal thanks to you all for thinking of us.
May I wish you all good health and happiness for the future and again thank you for your hard work and dedication to those who need help and assistance in the community.
With grateful thanks and best wishes
Sonya Matthias
President’s Day Lunch
A fine time was had by all on November 20th at The Bear with a delicious menu provided by Millie and her team. No JLF funds were involved !!
Congratulations to the winners of the raffle 2016
£100 cash Edwina Pirie
£50 cash Becky Jones
Bottles of Beer Katy Smith
Cake Anthony James
Many thanks to everyone who purchased a ticket
And here’s the complete raffle prize list……….
Messenger article – August 2016.
JIM LAKER FUND
The Jim Laker Fund committee members and friends had a very successful Saturday morning in July cleaning some of the Wiveliscombe Heritage Arts Trail plaques (WHAT). The plaques were originally produced to celebrate the towns brewing industry and they were funded jointly by many organisations and individuals. They were designed by local artists and the trail also includes the gateway sculpture on Taunton Road as well as the seats and gates in Jubilee Gardens. The plaques are now looking as good as new after a lot of hard work as you can see from the photographs. Leaflets about the WHAT plaques can be found in the Wivey Larder and also Wivey House if you would like to explore the trail, it will be a worthwhile walk as the art work and attention to detail is quite exceptional. The trail is another really good example of how amazing the town of Wiveliscombe is when it comes to community projects.
Our music night at Cotleigh Brewery featuring local bands has been postponed to next year, details will be advertised. To contact us or find out more visit our website https://www.jimlakerfund.co.uk for news and application forms.
Rachel Pearcey
Saturday 2nd July
You may have noticed the Pub Plaque Trail in Wivey (some people havn’t even though, since 2003, the artworks have been on the walls of buildings that used to sell alcohol). Well…. on 2nd July the JLF are going to take them all down…… and inspect and clean them in the Square, starting at 9.30 am.
This housekeeping event will be enhanced by a certain (uncertain) amount of entertainment provided by friends of JLF so please do come along and examine the artworks and enjoy the music.
Raffle 2016
Following the great success of last year………..
Raffle
Our Coming of Age raffle 1st prize winner, Maggie Watkinson, has very kindly sent us a note:
“Thank you for the £200 first prize money from the Jim Laker Fund raffle; I was gleeful to have won it and the money has gone towards the building of my extension. The contributions of the business people will therefore help a small bit of Wivey be more attractive and I hope the JLF benefited as well in view of the great work they do in the 10 Parishes. Thanks again.
Maggie Watkinson.”
…. and who is this enjoying a hot dog after supporting us by buying raffle tickets at the street fair?
….the Lady Mayor
Coming of Age raffle: record of prize winners 2015
| Prize | Name of winner |
| 1. £200 cash donated by local businesses | Maggie Watkinson |
| 2. Beer from Cotleigh and Exmoor, donated by breweries | Daniel Pearcey |
| 3. 18 half pints of beer from The Black Bear Brewery | Connie Holmes |
| 4. Birthday cake from Doreen Orton | Paul Hartland |
| 5. £5 voucher from Thorne’s Butchers | Annette Giles |
| 6. £10 voucher from Whelan’s Cafe | Georgina Harvey |
| 7. Lap tray from Wivey Hardware | George Green |
…and here is that wonderful cake baked by Doreen Orton especially for the JLF 18th birthday raffle.
Jim Laker Fund 18th birthday raffle
Have you bought your tickets yet? For £1 you can join the ‘Coming of Age’ raffle, to be drawn during the afternoon of the 10 Parishes festival on Sunday 6 September. All prizes donated by our generous supporters – 1st prize £200 cash, 2nd prize 18 bottles of beer from Cotleigh and Exmoor Breweries, 3rd prize 18 half pints from the Black Bear Brewery at the Bear Inn, 4th prize 18th birthday cake from Doreen Orton. Tickets available from The Larder, the Community Office or see us at the Jim Laker stall at the festival. Good luck!
JLF at the Ashbrittle Arts event on 9th May
The JLF was invited to take a stall at the Ashbrittle Arts event on 9th May and Marian is shown below peddling our goods and raising our profile in one of the 9 parishes outside Wivey.
Our dear leader at Ashbrittle
The Jim Laker Fund is 18 Years old this Year
To celebrate its coming of age, The Jim Laker Fund is holding a grand raffle which will be drawn during the afternoon of the Wiveliscombe Street Fair on 6 September. Prizes, as ever donated by generous supporters, are £200 cash, 18 beers from each of Cotleigh, Exmoor and the new Black Bear breweries and an 18th birthday cake by Doreen Orton. Tickets are £1 each available on JLF stalls at local events and from committee members. Following the success of the Understairs evening in January, another fund raising gig with the popular band Castletown who had everyone dancing at last year’s Wivfest, will be at Cotleigh brewery at 7pm on Friday 3 July. You can also support the JLF’s work of financing groups that benefit the community by buying one of the new polo shirts with the sought after ‘Where in the World is Wiveliscombe?’ logo on the back. These are now available in the Larder as well as the community office for £12.50, as are JLF cotton shopping bags at £3.50 including a 50p donation to Wivey Link.
JLF New Year Gig
Cotleigh Brewery was rocking to the Understairs at the Jim Laker Fund’s first event of the year in January. The fundraiser was a sell-out, and a thoroughly good time was enjoyed by all. Thanks as ever to the people of Wivey for supporting the JLF in raising money for the community, and to the band and support act Jaysonjohn Acoustic.
The Understairs with Marian Mann JLF chair celebrating at the end of a very successful evening.
From left:
Billy Beale – Guitar, Dan Fudge – Drums, Stuart Lloyd – Vocals/Blues Harmonica, Marian Mann – JLF Chair, Jayson John Pearson – Jaysonjohn Acoustic, Jason Weetch – Bass, John Ray – Vocals/Guitar
A sad loss, but a new beginning for the JLF committee
It was with sadness that the JLF committee learned of Bev Greenbank’s decision to retire at this year’s AGM, reached after what she described as an ‘emotional journey’. Following Richard Oliver’s retirement in 2014, Bev had been the sole remaining founder member. The Jim Laker Fund was formed in 1997 by friends and business colleagues to perpetuate the memory of the man who had been the inspiration behind WestFest, Wiveliscombe’s beer and music festival. Bev was delighted to be presented with an enlarged framed photo of her with Jim taken at a friend’s wedding in 1994. Bev is not leaving the JLF entirely however. She has accepted the ex-officio position of President in Perpetuity, created in recognition of her 18 years’ commitment and dedication to the Fund.
The committee was pleased to welcome new members elected at the AGM: Victoria Hartland-Cable, Heather Harvey and Charlotte Harvey. Elected officers are: chair Marian Mann, secretary Rachel Pearcey and treasurer Chris Howe.
Jim Laker and Bev 1994
Christmas Quiz:
The Jim Laker Fund’s traditional Christmas quiz was a really successful and enjoyable Sunday evening at the Bear Inn. Congratulations to newcomers Happy Talk, a team of just two who were the winners, and to Cryptix and Jingle Bells who took second and third place. The raffle was the best yet, our grateful thanks as ever to our many generous supporters who donated such superb prizes.
Christmas Quiz:
14th December in the Bear at 7.30
Wivfest raffle: record of prize winners 2014
Three cheers for Wivfest
Wivey did itself proud on Saturday 9 August at Wivfest, the Jim Laker Fund’s event at Cotleigh brewery. Several hundred people attended and the atmosphere was fantastic with family fun during the afternoon; children’s entertainment, ‘Bring me Sunshine’ bell ringers and the Wivey choir followed by Flying Folk. Talented students from Kingsmead gave tremendous performances, ably assisted and encouraged by Johnny Mars. The Hot Pink Flowers, Spencer and the Black Hole of Daisies took us into the evening, along with a moving reading by Graham Gibbon of a surprisingly contemporary original poem by Jim Laker. To everyone’s delight Wes Bird picked up his violin and took some time out from the mixing desk to accompany John Burns on his guitar. John Ray with Stuart Lloyd and the All Stars went down a storm, and the rain towards the end of the evening wasn’t enough to dampen the spirits of the crowd happily dancing along to the headline band Castletown. Our two breweries Cotleigh and Exmoor along with Annie’s Shepherd’s Hut kept everyone sustained throughout, and the local stalls helped to make it a real community event. Over £1,500 has been raised, all of which will go back into the community through application to the Jim Laker Fund. Huge thanks go to all of those who gave of their time freely to make the event such a success, including the scouts who generously donated their marquees. Thanks to all the people who came and to everyone who supported the raffle and made a guess at the weight of Doreen Orton’s amazing Wivfest cake.
The Jim Laker Fund exists to raise funds in support of local community groups, more information on our website www.jimlakerfund.co.uk . Application forms for financial support are available at Wivey House.
Sweet Tooth!!
The remarkable cake shown below (and it is an edible cake) is the prize in the ‘Guess the weight of the cake’ competition at WivFest on the 9th August. It was created by the renowned sugar craft expert Doreen Orton and for 20 pence a go you will have the chance to take it home – to share with your family and friends and their friends and their friends and their friends……………………….
Messenger Article June 2014
Planning for WivFest on Saturday 9th August is getting more exciting. During the day we have many musicians to suit all ages. Bands will perform in marquees kindly lent by the scouts and there will be a host of stalls and children’s entertainment. Our WivFest raffle is selling well and prizes now include 2 three course meals. Annie Phillips will be providing delicious food throughout the event and our local breweries Cotleigh and Exmoor will serve 10 different real ales. Entry is free from midday until 5pm, then £5 for adults and £2.50 for under 18s, free for under 11s.
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Since the last Messenger the JLF held a Quiz Night at the Bear Inn. We would like to thank quiz masters Chris Howe, Sam Nash and local businesses who donated prizes for the raffle.
The JLF is proud to announce the website is now up and running. Check out https://www.jimlakerfund.co.uk . Here you will see application forms for funding, news and information about us and our events as well as photographs of our committee members (not pretty). We now do internet banking as we will be 18 next February, so need to join the grown-ups!
Join us at WivFest on 9th August at Cotleigh Brewery, Ford Road, Wiveliscombe – GOOD BEER, GOOD MUSIC, GOOD FOOD and our raffle will be drawn before our last band Castletown takes to the stage.
Bev Greenbank
President
WivFest is coming!
Come to Cotleigh Brewery, Ford Road, Wiveliscombe on Saturday 9th August and join in the fun of WivFest. We have plenty of acts confirmed to entertain all ages and tastes and the action will start at noon with the Wivey Choir, Bell Ringers, Flying Folk, Kingsmead students, Hot Pink Flowers and Spencer. Starting the early evening sessions will be Zac, Black Hole Daises, Stuart Lloyd All Stars and our headline band Castletown will then continue to about 11pm. The Fund will announce the Grand Draw results before our last act comes on stage. The prizes are a complete picnic hamper worth in excess of £200, signed DVD and CD donated by Show of Hands, packs of bottled Exmoor and Cotleigh Ales, a very large cuddly teddy and other prizes to be announced. The draw tickets can be purchased for £1 each from Wivey House or from any of the Jim Laker Fund committee members. Proceeds from the raffle will help to fund our great summer event.
Our summer quiz has been organised for Sunday 22nd June. This will be held at the Bear Inn at 7.30 p.m. It costs £1.50 to enter and all monies are handed back in prizes. There will also be a large raffle with goods from local businesses.
Bev Greenbank
President