RURAL VOICES with Dr Garry Phillipson, Astrologer

ASTROLOGY AND THE FUTURE RURAL

For many of us in the west today, astrology brings to mind the daily star-sign column — a light read over morning coffee. This however is a much simplified variant of a craft that has assumed many forms in different parts of the world and has fascinated humankind for millennia.

In May’s Rural Voices, Dr Garry Phillipson invites us to look again at this ancient craft and its relevance to rural life today. Drawing on vivid moments from the history of Western astrology, he’ll explore how people have long used the skies to make sense of change, uncertainty and the future.

Garry will also turn his attention closer to home, asking what astrology might reveal about the future of the Horningsham community— and how symbolic ways of thinking can open up new possibilities for imagining what comes next for small rural communities.

Dr Garry Phillipson is the author of Astrology in the Year Zero and earned his PhD for research into astrology with the University of Wales Trinity St David, where he now tutors in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology.

Expect a thought-provoking session that blends history, storytelling and fresh perspectives on how we navigate the times ahead.
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Please arrive promptly at 9am for breakfast, the talk will begin at 9.45am.

BOOK NOW! Tickets are £15 or £12.50 for Horningsham residents- All profits go to the Village Hall Regeneration Fund.

If you need any help with booking please contact events@horningshamvillagehall.com

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

10am -12 noon

Come and join us for tea, coffee and a chat with your friends and neighbours. All are welcome!

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

RURAL VOICES with TAMSIN WESTBROOK, Estates Manager at Vallis Farm

THE NEXT GENERATION OF LANDWORKERS

What will it take to grow food fairly, sustainably, and locally in the years ahead — and who will be skilled and supported enough to do it?

In this talk, Tamsin, Estates Manager at Vallis Farm, shares her vision for the future of learning on the land. Having transformed the farm through a thriving veg box scheme, biodiversity-led growing, and a dedicated apprenticeship programme, she now asks a bigger question: how do we train and empower the next generation of growers?

As Vallis Farm prepares to launch a new Community Interest Company, Tamsin is working to expand their accredited training opportunities for young people — from teenagers exploring their first steps in land-based work to young adults seeking a meaningful, hands-on career. Her aim is clear: to build a pathway into landwork that is skilled, respected, and fairly paid.

Drawing on the farm’s experience, she’ll speak candidly about the true cost of food and why cheap supermarket prices hide the human labour behind real, sustainable farming. Healthy soils, no chemicals, low food miles and hand-grown produce require more people, not fewer — and that means investing in training, wages and long-term learning.

In her own words:
“Everyone understands the human cost of fast fashion — but not of fast food. When you buy a veg box, you’re not just choosing chemical-free, freshly harvested produce; you’re supporting apprentices, paying fair wages, and helping young people build a future on the land.”

This session invites us to rethink not only how our food is grown, but who grows it — and how rural communities like ours can support the landworkers of tomorrow.

Expect an inspiring and grounded conversation about skills, stewardship, and building a resilient rural future from the soil up.
- - - - - - -
Please arrive promptly at 9am for breakfast, the talk will begin at 9.45am.

BOOK NOW! Tickets are £15 or £12.50 for Horningsham residents- All profits go to the Village Hall Regeneration Fund.

If you need any help with booking please contact events@horningshamvillagehall.com

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

10am -12 noon

Come and join us for tea, coffee and a chat with your friends and neighbours.

All are welcome!

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355

RURAL VOICES with NICK PATEL
Saturday 7th February 2026, 9am

REWILDING THE FUTURE: What Local Wildlife Can Teach Us About a Resilient Countryside 

As winter loosens its grip and the first signs of spring begin to stir, our fields, hedgerows and woodlands quietly prepare for a season of renewal. It’s a perfect moment to ask: what might the future of our rural landscapes look like if we gave nature the space it needs to thrive?

In this February edition of Rural Voices, lifelong birdwatcher and former nature reserve warden Nick Patel invites us to explore the extraordinary biodiversity on our doorstep and what it can tell us about building a healthier countryside for generations to come.

Nick has spent his life championing British wildlife, sharing the wonder of everything from overwintering birds to the first emerging insects and wildflowers of spring. Drawing on decades of field experience, he’ll offer an inspiring look at how these seasonal signals reveal both the fragility and incredible resilience of our ecosystems.

He will also introduce the pioneering work of Heal Rewilding, the 460-acre site where he now works, dedicated to restoring nature by allowing land to recover at its own pace. From scrub formation to the return of key species, Nick will show how rewilding can transform landscapes and what lessons such projects hold for the future of rural communities like ours.

How might we support wildlife on the land we live and work on? What could our countryside sound like, look like, and feel like if we embraced more nature-led approaches? And how can we read the early signs of spring - breeding birds, emerging insects, the first blooms - as clues to the health of our wider environment?

Join Nick for a hopeful, grounded and fascinating journey into the wild future that could be possible if we choose to care for the life around us.
Please arrive promptly at 9am for breakfast, the talk will begin at 9.45am.

BOOK NOW! Tickets are £15 or £12.50 for Horningsham residents- All profits go to the Village Hall Regeneration Fund.

If you need any help with booking please contact events@horningshamvillagehall.com

LUNCHEON CLUB

every Thursday, from 12 noon

for the over 60s

£5 for dinner, pudding and tea or coffee

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT

Margaret 01985 844756

or

Lesley 01985 211355