FESTIVE DINING

The lead-up to Christmas is always a special
time at Dillington House. Once again we open our diary for bookings to individuals and groups.
There is a choice of an excellent carvery lunch, or something a little more special - a superb festive dinner with all the trimmings.
A great choice of wines, by the bottle or the glass, is available to compliment your meal.
Not only will your meal be a great prelude to Christmas, but our spectacular Christmas tree and roaring log fire are guaranteed to put you in the festive mood.
We also have a few evening dates available for parties.
Reservations are now being taken so book early to avoid disappointment.

CARVERY LUNCH

Thursday 18th December
Friday 19th December

Pre-lunch drinks from 12 noon, lunch served at 12.30pm
Sweet Potato and Ginger Soup
or
Pressed Duck Confit and Smooth Liver Parfait
with Red Onion Marmalade and Brioche Toasts
~~~~~~~~~~~
Saffron Roasted Turkey Breast
with Chestnut Pâté, Sausage and Bacon Rolls
and Cranberry Gravy
or
Roast Sirloin of Beef served with
Beetroot Crisps with a Chasseur Sauce
or
Homemade Parmesan and Spinach Ravioli with a Herb Butter
~~~~~~~~~~~
Dauphinoise and Roast Potatoes
A selection of Seasonal Vegetables
~~~~~~~~~~~
Christmas Pudding
with Brandy Crème Anglaise
or
Whiskey Marmalade Bread & Butter Pudding
or
Red Wine and Honey Poached Pears
with Clove Scented Chantilly Cream
~~~~~~~~~~~
Coffee & Mints
£19.90 per person
VAT & service included

DINNER

Thursday 18th December

Pre-dinner drinks from 7.00pm, dinner served 7.30pm

Roast Pumpkin and Carrot Soup with Parmesan Crisp
or
Chicken Liver Parfait
with a Cumberland Sauce and a Herb Scone
or
Crisp Tart of Caramelised Beetroot and Goats Cheese
~~~~~~~~~~~
Roast Breast of Turkey with traditional trimmings
or
Slow Roasted Lamb Shank
with Winter Greens and Butter Beans
or
Salmon Supreme with a Crab Crust & Basil Velouté
or
Butter Nut and Leek Lasagne
with Aubergine Chutney
~~~~~~~~~~~
Dauphinoise and Roast Potatoes
A Selection of Seasonal Vegetables
~~~~~~~~~~~
Chocolate Tiramisu Terrine
with Home made Baileys Ice Cream
or
Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce
or
A Selection of West Country Cheeses
~~~~~~~~~~~
Coffee & Mints
£29.50 per person
VAT & service included

Overnight accommodation is also available.

Contact Sue Wrigglesworth
Tel 01460 258610
swrigglesworth@somerset.gov.uk

Why not stay over night and enjoy a full English
breakfast to complete the Dillington experience?
Great value at £50.00 per person!

CONFERENCE & MEETINGS IN DECEMBER

Book your meeting, conference or training event
during December and enjoy a sumptuous Christmas lunch.
We look forward to welcoming you to
Dillington House this Christmas.
For enquiries please contact
Jacinta Elliott Conference Manager
Tel 01460 258611
jelliott@somerset.gov.uk
Dillington House
Ilminster Somerset TA19 9DT
www.dillington.com

BANISH THE CREDIT CRUNCH BLUES – HAVE A HEN PARTY

WARD off the January blues in splendid surroundings. You and your business deserve it.

Christmas at Dillington House is always special and the diary gets pretty full with corporate dinners and country house parties for work colleagues. Some even manage to combine a meeting in the morning with a hearty Christmas lunch before heading off home mid-afternoon.

For Dillington, near Ilminster, Somerset, this is just part of the seasonal cycle and no sooner is everyone back from the New Year celebrations than everything changes gear and the diary entertains small teams of colleagues meeting to re-assess business performance and start preparing strategies for the new financial year.

The convivial privacy and charm of Dillington – which is not a hotel – offers the get-away-from-it-all atmosphere without breaking the budget.

The crisp country air and the perfect parkland setting of a former Prime Minister's country retreat contrast with the roaring log fire in the Hall and the warm-as-toast comfort of the bedrooms which, this January, is supplemented by a stunning new contemporary accommodation building that overlooks Rosie Boycotts’s walled garden and the River Isle floodplain…this is Somerset after all.

After the financial trials and tribulations of 2008 let 2009 be a year of renewal and growth and let the wonderful Dillington House be a part of how you achieve your business aims.

In full flight Dillington, and its high-tech, free broadband connections, is one of the West country's premier conference and training venues – Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth and South Wales are all within easy reach, just an hour or so away - but it is equally suitable for working on a much smaller scale.

The food is all homemade from quality ingredients – the kitchen takes 650 eggs from Rosie’s hens each week! – and the facilities and equipment are as you’d expect in a professional working environment. The amazing collection of art is a bonus…as is being able to borrow books from the library.

Take an invigorating walk through the Secret Garden and fresh, new ideas are sure to flow

Dillington House: 0146052427
www.dillingtonhouse.com
For more information or photographs, please call:

Wayne Bennett or Carol Crocker on 0146052427
Issued by prone www.prone.biz 0208 1333016

Organising a Conference

Big or small, conferences take a lot of managing and if you’re new to the role, then planning one can seem a daunting task.

Essentially you need a clear vision of what is required, according to Wayne Bennett, the manager of Somerset’s flagship residential business conference centre, Dillington House.

Set in acres of parkland near Ilminster, the beautiful historic house has been awarded a five star rating by VisitBritain, the official website of the British Tourist Authority.

“Dillington House is an amazing venue for business,” says Wayne, who is delighted with the award.

“A wide range of rooms and settings together with all the latest technology and customer support make any meeting away from the office a complete breeze.

“It is a creative place where colleagues can work together and get things done without the usual distractions.”

Dillington House provides conference facilities for up to 160 delegates and the
type of conference staged here vary enormously from high-profile events involving government ministers to meetings involving a few colleagues who want somewhere quiet where they can think creatively about their business.

“There have been top-secret meetings lasting several days dealing with military procurement as well as more zany conferences featuring clowns and drumming!” says Wayne.

He imparted a few of the basics when it comes to organising your own event.

*Securing the date in the dairy is the first thing.
*Is it residential or non-residential?
*What other rooms are to be required and what equipment is needed?
*Does the event need technical assistance of any sort?

The diverse range of venues in Somerset, from historic country houses such as Dillington to purpose built centres, attracts organisations looking for an easily accessible location.

For a list of venues go to www.visitsomerset.co.uk/conferences
Contact Dillington House on 01460 52427; www.dillington.com
We would like to thank Somerset Life magazine - this article appears in the November issue

WIND IN THE WILLOWS

TOAD and his pals will be doing their best to promote the National Year of Reading when they arrive at Dillington House, Ilminster, Somerset, on Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 October 2008.

The Wind in the Willows characters are a little peeved that many British youngsters spend large amounts of their time on their computers, yet so little reading.

So they are stepping out of the pages of Kenneth Grahame's classic children's novel which is 100 years old this year.

Hundreds of youngsters from Somerset's schools have been invited to Dillington, the county's leading conferencing and adult education centre, to enjoy two days of events to promote the enjoyment of reading, the use of libraries and encourage volunteers to come forward to read to children.

Toad, arrogant as ever, will have the use of a limo from Hayne's Motor Museum, along with a replica of a Romany caravan.

Fox, Mole and Ratty will chat to visitors in Dillington's gardens and woods.

The event is funded by Somerset County Council, and its staff will be helping the characters run it.

Sarah Cook, senior primary literacy consultant for Somerset county council said:

“The aim is to promote the fun and enjoyment in reading. So many youngsters now turn on their computers and enjoy the visual aspect of that, which is fine. But there is so much to be gained from reading too.

“We hope the two days in a beautiful location, with the characters an workshops will also help spread the word about the wonderful library system which is available to all and encourage people to sign up as reading volunteers because so many children don't have adults at home to read to them which deprives them of so much .”

OPEN DAY

It’s Open Day at Dillington House on Sunday 7 September from 12 noon to 5.00pm and entry is free. There will be lots to see and do – live music performed by the Wincanton Silver Band, Isle Abbots Choir and concert pianist Jack Lambert. Other events include Appalachian Clog dancers and a display from The Taunton Garrison as well as demonstrations of weaving, flower arranging and lace-making. There will be horse-drawn carriage rides and a display of wedding cars. You will get a chance to take part in a choice of free mini courses on subjects such as painting, writing and family history as well as the opportunity to chat to some of our tutors. Explore the house and gardens, find out about the intriguing history of the house and get a sneak preview of the developments of the new building. Buy some plants or produce from local suppliers, meet the pigs and chickens down at Dillington Nurseries, say hello to an owl and make friends with a Llama. Come and enjoy a BBQ lunch and treat yourself to ice cream or afternoon tea with home-made cakes. Other light snacks and refreshments will be available. So why not bring your family and friends along for a great afternoon out?

For more information or for a free copy of Dillington’s programme of courses and events call 01460 52427 or visit the website on www.dillington.com

HOUSE AT NIGHT

NEW VIEWS OF DILLINGTON

DILLINGTON BEST IN BRITAIN

DILLINGTON HOUSE WINS TOP ACCOLADE
And Somerset soars up the league...

DILLINGTON HOUSE, Somerset’s flagship residential business conference centre, has been awarded a unique five star rating by VisitBritain, the official website of the British Tourist Authority.
Guest accommodation at the beautiful hamstone country house set in acres of parkland near Ilminster, was judged as “exceptional, with a degree of luxury.”
The former home of George III’s Prime Minister, Lord North, Dillington came top of a list of 36 college and universities in the campus section; the only one awarded a five-star billing. The website is viewed by tens of thousands of potential visitors every year.
It was a good day for Somerset. The county itself soared to second in the VisitBritain league of “most visited” destinations. In fact it topped everything bar Yorkshire.
VisitBritain, impressed by the quality their independent assessors found at Dillington, said people were looking for somewhere different to visit and had woken up to the ancient charms of Somerset. It was now providing competition for its Cotswolds’ neighbours.
Dillington House, while providing first class conference facilities for up to 160 delegates, is also the county’s prestigious seat of adult residential learning.
It is an ideal base to explore the region’s great attractions. And, said VisitBritain, at a surprisingly reasonable cost.
“This house is a true gem in a jewel of a county. Both are well worth discovering,” said a spokesman. “People are now looking for somewhere different to go and Dillington and Somerset are providing fresh, exciting locations for the discerning traveller.”
The Mendips, Wells, Glastonbury, West Somerset, Bath and Bristol, Dorset’s Jurassic coastline, Plymouth and access to Devon and Cornwall, Stonehenge and Avebury, and the region’s famous gardens are all within easy reach of Dillington House.
“Dillington is perhaps unique in offering wonderful accommodation and conference facilities, while not losing its charming, homely atmosphere, whether for the business guest or student.”

General Manager Wayne Bennett is delighted with the award.
“Dillington House is an amazing venue for business. A wide range of rooms and settings together with all the latest technology and customer support make any meeting away from the office a complete breeze.,” he says.
“It is a creative place where colleagues can work together and get things done without the usual distractions. “Come and see us and you will be hooked from the moment you arrive.”
Dillington’s home-cooked cuisine, much from the estate’s walled garden run by former Fleet St editor and organic grower Rosie Boycott, is a mouth-watering favourite with all who venture inside this classic country house.
But alongside the old something amazingly contemporary is emerging. At the end of the year the historic buildings will be complimented by a new building adding two large studio rooms and fifteen bedrooms complete with stylish wet room facilities.
Wayne adds: “Our approach has been to create the ultimate sense of warmth and privacy. Taking in the amazing views towards to the Brendon Hills and The Quantocks, the new bedrooms will provide quiet rooms in which to think and dream.”
Dillington House is blending the old with the new in ways that bridge the divide between the best of the past and the world in which we live today.

For further details please contact:

Adult Education: Jane Harrison - 01460 258613 jtharrison2@somerset.gov.uk
Conference/Training: Jacinta Elliott - 01460 258611 jelliott@somerset.gov.uk
www.dillington.com

Issued by prone on behalf of Dillington House, Ilminster, Somerset, TA19 9DT

www.prone.biz

0208 1333016/0044(0)7956 909415

VALERIE SINGLETON GOES BACK TO SCHOOL

THERE’S excitement and expectancy in the air, just like the first day of term at a new school.
‘Pupils’ are animated as they chat enthusiastically to fellow classmates over organic coffee in front of a welcoming log fire; toasting themselves gently on a chill winter-moving-into-spring morning; readying themselves for the day of learning ahead.
First lesson of the day: If you are going to have soya milk with your brew, you must put it in first. Added last it will curdle. Amazing what you can glean before you’ve even taken your seat in class.
These students are part of the New Labour dream. ‘Education from the cradle to the grave,’ bellowed David Blunkett, heralding a fresh chapter in the life of the nation’s text books and teachers.
And nowhere plays its role better in that fine scholastic and nurturing ideal than historic Dillington House, a short walk through the woods from Ilminster in the shiny Somerset countryside.
Outside in the beautiful walled gardens of this Ham stone gem is the sans-pesticide micro farm run by one time Fleet Street editor and leader of Liberation, Rosie Boycott, now a cutting edge columnist and fully-fledged farmer who writes her stuff these days with soil under once manicured talons.
So celebrities are nothing new in the life of Dillington, for many years a unique leader in the field of adult education, and also a masterful, mindful mein host for the many residential business conferences and seminars held in the discreet environs of the old house with its mature malt whiskey-walls and inviting interior full of understated art. Stuffy it is not. Clubby in a comfortable, inclusive way.
That’s why is attracts such a quirky, colourful cross-section of customers from every walk of life and livings. You’d be surprised. Very surprised.
Lords and ladies, not totally undercover – what’s the point in being landed if no-one knows it? – mix easily with builders and bank managers, housewives and helicopter pilots or simply the relaxed and retired from a myriad of occupations who want to expand the breadth of their knowledge with a few courses in these stimulating surroundings.
Why, you might even find yourself sitting next to the mother or father of a rock star. They come a little more covertly to the gatherings. But it has been known.
This part of the world is the new showbiz golden triangle, on the apex of the Somerset – Dorset – Devon borders, a location, location, location must, far away from the madding crowds of the Cotswolds, “so yesterday darling.”
There’s a bit more of a buzz today than usual over the home-made cakes and cookies.
Gentle, whispered conversations. Eyes averted. Don’t look now but…
It isn’t is it? It can’t be! It’s her. What a member of the royal family? No. No. Not quite. Oh yes I think you‘re right. I bet it is. What, here?
A gentleman in his middle –age, old enough to remember the flickering black and white screen fired up by an energy-guzzling cathode ray, displaying grainy live broadcasts featuring incontinent elephants and flirty ferrets, proffers his right hand and a nervous smile and asks quietly, so that only she can hear: : “Excuse me, but are you Valerie Singleton?”
“I am and you can call me Val,” responds the crowned head of British television through the swinging sixties and slightly svelte seventies. As presenter of arguably the nation’s favourite show watched in every household by every child, Blue Peter, she was one of the first stars of the screen.
Of course it’s an answer she made earlier. Being Valerie Singleton puts you in a small, select band of televisual celebrities who is always recognised everywhere, and like a good girl scout, is prepared.
Our Valerie Singleton was the undoubted Queen of TV, the most known female face in the British world, rivalling that the monarch herself.
And, at first, shaking hands with such an iconic figure is a little like kneeling on bended knee before Her Majesty, waiting for the tap of Sheffield-steel on the shoulder, while being told: “Call me Liz.”
But of course, it is not the same thing at all. Val Singleton was and remains, the ultimate icy cool professional, unflappable and unflustered, a flawless diamond of the early age of broadcasting who went on to present a plethora of heavyweight radio and televisions shows. But in real life, she’s approachable and affable with few airs and graces who has found a new lease of life in the West Country after finally uprooting from London.
Her excitement with this fresh start is barely concealed as she chatters away like a schoolgirl with a new circle of friends.
“People do come up to me and ask if I am who they think I am,” she explains, “I say I am and that’s that. It isn’t mentioned again and we just get on with things, like normal people do. I don’t mind at all.
“It’s a friendly inquiry and I do understand that Blue Peter was a big part of people’s lives and millions grew up with it. We were in their homes every week for a long, long time, and the show still runs today.”
It was comic and social commentator Stephen Fry who said of celebrity: “I have been pondering this business of fame since I was young enough to know Valerie Singleton from the Queen. For Americans and foreigners I should explain: One is a remote, god-like, autocratic woman endowed with powerful charismatic charm and the other is a constitutional monarch recently played by Helen Mirren.”
Val, now an extremely youthful-looking 70, with classy dark tips to her, designer cut hair, laughs. “I really keep meaning to email him about that, it’s quite flattering, although I’m not sure about autocratic.”
Today Miss Singleton, who remains romantically-positioned as her surname suggests, reveals she has boyfriends, often much younger than herself, and a lust for learning, travel and her new love, digital photography. She has just fronted a successful Money Programme which may lead to more, is an energetic published writer about her journeys and is pleased to report work offers still arrive regularly.
She taps a forefinger to her head and says: “Age is all up here. It’s not about the number of years. If you are fortunate enough to be able to be fit and well, age should not limit us in any way.
“If the attitude is young and go-for-it, that’s all that should matter. I want to learn about digital photography, but sadly all the courses are booked up well in advance, but after hearing about Dillington I realised they have a lot of exciting courses and when I came here for the first time I fell in love with it.
“I have been thumbing through the brochure for new courses, but what I have done so far are Reputations: Alfred the Great and the ‘Evil’ King John.
“From Muhammed to Osama: A survey of Islam and its politics through the ages.
“I loved The Origins of Humanity…and the Wonderful Temples of Ancient Egypt, because I am fascinated with travelling.”
Her report book is blotted today however. The star pupil missed the morning session of Mummification and Afterlife in Egypt after a late arrival back from London the previous night.
“I know a bit about mummification already,” she jokes. “I did some courses in London in the early days of Blue Peter, on antiques and porcelain and wine, but I have never come across such amazing, interesting and varied courses as the ones at Dillington.
“It’s hard to believe a council is running it! The brochure is beautifully set out and the setting is fabulous. Inside it is lovely and incredibly relaxing…and the food superb. The courses attracted me, the rest was a bonus. In winter the old hall and the real log fire make it enclosing and peaceful and I think sitting out in the wonderful gardens in the summer will be heaven.”
Val reveals she was far from an ideal pupil when she went to school and left for RADA hoping to become a dancer with little formal education or qualifications.
“I couldn’t concentrate at all,” she remembers. “I would get on everybody’s nerves by kicking the desk absent-mindedly.
“So my learning left a lot to be desired and I doubt now if I tried to get into television that I would be given any kind of a job because I had very little in the way of passes in exams and didn’t go to college or university.
“It is so heartening to see so many people of a certain age at a time of life when it would be all too easy to say, ‘Why bother, how am I going to need or use this information?’ instead being so enthusiastic to learn.
“And they come from so far away, I’m sure so many new friendships have been made. I haven’t stayed myself because I don’t live too far away, but I’m sure that is a delightful way to spend your time, relaxing in beautiful surroundings and learning something fascinating.”
With that Valerie Singleton heads for the afternoon session on Mummies, just one of the gang.