There was an unexpected surprise for Inner Wheel members and families when they recently visited Cheddar Chocolate Company – they went home with the chocolates they had been hygienically kitted up to make, plus a boxful bearing the Inner Wheel logo!

Formerly a flower wholesaler, Dean Sweet began the business fifteen years ago and gave members generous tastings before taking each through the individual chocolate making process.

Helped by his mother, Brenda Hooper, Dean’s is the only one of four companies countrywide that uses a particular style of personalised square packaging, mostly for 2,500 Indian restaurants, with favourite chocolate flavours being orange and mint made from pure oils from California and Brazil.

When they began, they daily made 7,000 chocolates by hand, but now, via a special machine, can complete 30,000 an hour. Customers can have any design and flavours and extra staff will be brought in for a special 1.6 million chocolate order for Christmas.

Rotary President, Ian Huxham was guest speaker at the start of Inner Wheel’s sixtieth anniversary year with Jacky Emm at the helm. He told members of his plans and how he would appreciate their involvement during his year in office. He also spoke about his dramatic escape with his young family from his farming life in Zimbabwe under President Mugabe’s regime, to start afresh with a new life in Great Britain.

Members have also enjoyed the Rotary Croquet and Pimms evening at Peasedown St John sports ground and a cream tea and bring and buy at Jacky and John Emm’s home.

Last month, a cheque was presented to the Potting Shed from some of the money raised during Heather Langridge’s presidential year. The Potting Shed is a small, friendly gardening project based in Ammerdown House’s kitchen garden in Radstock. It gives leisure and pleasure in pleasant surroundings to people who have been struggling with mental health issues, long-term illness, bereavement or loneliness, and the cheque will help towards the purchase of a new garden tool shed.

Tickets are now on sale for Inner Wheel’s 60th Charter Night Dinner Dance celebration at The Swan Hotel in Wells on October 28th, and Julie Harris will be speaking on ‘Knickers to Uganda’ at the club meeting at Kilmersdon’s Jolliffe Arms on September 27th. New members are always welcome. Please call: 01761 235873 or: 01761 416811.