Author: Andrew Goddard

Project Beacon

Our wonderful church, St Michael and All Angels, has stood at the heart of East Coker for nearly a thousand years. It has been a place of worship, a marker of life’s milestones and a quiet witness to lives lived locally.

Project Beacon is now about opening up this remarkable place to everyone whilst protecting its heritage, strengthening its role in the community and ensuring it remains a living church for future generations.

Project Beacon aims to bring practical improvements to the church and its space  in the following ways:

  • Offering step-free access so everyone can enter through the same door;
  • A warmer, more welcoming interior with sustainable heating;
  • Better catering facilities;
  • Flexible space for events, talks, exhibitions and gatherings; and 
  • Improved interpretation of our history and stories.

Beautiful and historic churches like ours survive because each generation takes responsibility for them.  We are hoping that many of you will feel the same and get behind Project Beacon so that we can:

  • Protect our rare and internationally significant heritage;
  • Welcome new audiences and younger generations; and
  • Reduce environmental impact and runnings costs.

Here are the ways you can support:

  • Join the Friends of St Michael’s
  • Volunteering time or skills
  • Making a donation, large or small
  • Spreading the word to others who love heritage, literature, history and community life.
  • Attend the many and varied events that the Friends of St Michael’s will be hosting.  (Can be found in the Parish Council Calendar).

Find out more or get involved:  www.ecchurch.co.uk

The Grand Opening is Here

We are delighted to be able to tell you that we have managed to secure a grant of £1600 from SALC Community Health and Well-being. We will using these funds to create an afternoon of healthy fun for all the family to enjoy whilst also celebrating the opening of our new Pavilion.  There will be an Elton John tribute band playing all his greatest hits, a dog show with many unusual categories, delicious food, a cool bar plus bouncy castle for the younger parishioners.  So please put Sunday 30th August in your diaries, 3 to 7 pm and register your attendance by clicking the link in the banner above.

We always endeavour to secure grants for the benefit of our parish and its’ parishioners where we can.  Grants are very difficult to obtain so we very proud that we have been successful on this occasion and look forward to enjoying an afternoon of entertainment with you all.  Friends welcome too.  

Temporary Road Closure: ttro110191S – Darvole Road, East Coker

Please follow the link to view the above road closure;

https://one.network/?tm=GB149127753 and the link for the Notice 2:https://api-gb.one.network/downloads/tm/1111/03-notice-2_149127753_4148093_7cf254a745.pdf

The order becomes effective on 22nd July 2026and will remain in force for eighteen months. The works are expected to commence on 31st July 2026 and last for 5 days to enable Openreach to carry out pole replacement works

Saving Lives – Defibrillators

We are very lucky in the village to have two defibrillators should we need them.  They are located in the Village Cafe and Helyar Arms.  They come with instructions, but if you are worried and find yourself needing to use one, then upon calling 999, the emergency services will talk you through what to do.

ATTEND IF YOU WANT TO SAVE HALVES LANE

If it vitally important that if you DO NOT want the unnecessary development and destruction of the landscape at HALVES LANE being approved the Council, then please attend the hearing on Thursday 27th August 2026 at 10am. One is being asked to register ones attendance. You will not be turned away if you do not register but the advice is very much to do so, so that the council can recognise afterwards the turnout.


Thursday 27th August at 10 am, The Council Offices Brympton Way


The hearing will last two days Thursday 27th and Friday 28th August and their will be a site visit but no date has been publicised

North Coker Triangle

Highways have just advised us that the road works at the triangle have been postponed.  We do not have a new date for the proposed works or road closure.

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