1 Jul

‘Standing Up Against Bullying’ at The Engine Room on July 6

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Anna from the Engine Room

Anna Niedzielska from Bridgwater’s Engine Room has organised a public event to highlight the problems of and responses to the issue of ‘Bullying ‘  with the backing of community Group ‘Bridgwater Together’. The event would take place at the Engine Room in Bridgwater on 6th of July  from 11am to 5pm. The aims of Bridgwater Together are to promote & celebrate diversity within our (Bridgwater) community, to facilitate equality and community empowerment and assist towards removing barriers preventing equality & equal access to opportunities and facilities, to engage people in the diverse cultures, which exist in the Bridgwater area.

Continue reading “‘Standing Up Against Bullying’ at The Engine Room on July 6”

24 Jun

On This Day in History: July 12th 1990 the Victoria Anti-Poll Tax By-Election

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July 12th 1990 and Labour wins the Victoria By-Election with the backing of the Anti Poll Tax Union

In 1381 the Government brought in a ‘Poll Tax’. The people rose up, formed a peasants army, stormed London and executed the ministers responsible. Here in Bridgwater they did the same, storming the houses of the guilty, destroying the bond papers that held feudal Britain together (or at least the poor in their servitude) and dragged out the poll tax collectors, placing their heads on spikes on the town bridge. You’d have thought they wouldn’t be doing that again in a hurry. But they did. In 1990 Margaret Thatcher’s Tories had been in power for 11 long years and, having ‘changed the face of Britain’ (to their benefit) now wanted to put the final nail in the coffin of socialism  and decided a poll tax was just what was needed. The people fought back. And here in Bridgwater we fought back too.

Continue reading “On This Day in History: July 12th 1990 the Victoria Anti-Poll Tax By-Election”

17 Jun

Bridgwater’s First Climate Change Forum Launched at Town Hall

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Ecologist Jamie Kingscott with Climate Change councillors Li Gibson, Julie Cordiner and Glen Burrows at Bridgwater Town Hall

The latest Community Forum set up by Bridgwater Town Council was launched today and is to focus on Climate Change. Chaired by Cllr Julie Cordiner (Victoria) and assisted by Cllr Glen Burrows (Eastover) and Executive Portfolio Holder Cllr Li Gibson (Westover) the Forum met at Bridgwater Town Hall and was attended by members of the public and set out to develop a Climate Change Strategy for Bridgwater. Key speaker at this inaugural meeting was ecologist and wildlife release co-ordinator Jamie Kingscott from Secret World Wildlife Rescue, described by Cllr Cordiner as being ‘on the frontline of climate change’. Recommendations from the Forum will be taken forward by the Climate Change group of Town Councillors and put to the full council.

In the interests of openness and transparency  a full report of the meeting is recorded below. Continue reading “Bridgwater’s First Climate Change Forum Launched at Town Hall”

5 Jun

Town Unites to Save Its Trees

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Trees Please

Trees are an important conservation & amenity resource and should be preserved. If a tree has to be removed due to disease or danger then it should be replaced -maybe by twice the number. These were the key thoughts at last nights  Town Development Forum which looked particularly at the local authorities ‘tree policies’ through the eyes of the current Climate Emergency. Somerset County Council has a ‘duty of care’ to take reasonable steps to manage its tree stocks and so when the last avenue of historic cherry trees  became threatened in Bridgwater’s Hamp Green Rise, Bridgwater Town Council (which owns almost no trees bar a few in a couple of cemeteries) stepped in to set up a ‘Tree Summit’. A packed meeting of tree experts, members of the public and councillors thrashed out the issues and made recommendations  back to Town Council which would put pressure upwards on the Local Authority branches above it.

Continue reading “Town Unites to Save Its Trees”

3 Jun

Victoria Park Summer Fayre Sunday 9th June 2019

Victoria Park Community CentreThe 7th Annual Summer Fair of Victoria Park Community Centre’s 7th Annual Summer Fair is on this  Sunday 9th  June 2019. It will run 12pm – 4pm in Victoria Park Bridgwater – TA6 7AS. The event is Free to Enter  – with Free on site car parking in Victoria Park –which  can only be accessed from Lyndale Avenue / Coleridge Road entrance of the park.

Centre manager Gareth Hughes says “This year we are pleased to be again promoting recycling in Bridgwater with the help of Somerset Waste Partnership; the events main sponsor. Promoting recycling in Bridgwater. Many thanks also  to Bridgwater Town Council , Sedgemoor District Council,Wookey Hole caves , 1610 Leisure,Asda Bridgwater & Diversity Voice for supporting this event. The Summer Fair includes activities for all the family and people of all ages The event is being attended by the New Mayor of Bridgwater Councillor Tony Heywood and the New Chair of Sedgemoor District Council Councillor Peter Clayton. They are attending the fair for a walk about between 12pm &  12.30pm. “

Activities and attractions at the fair will include:-

  • Live onsite Broadcast and music from Sedgemoor FM – Bridgwater’s Own Radio Station
  • Children’s Fairground Ride , Owl Handling , Donkey Rides, Exotic Animal Handling, Face Painting, 1610 Bouncy Castle, over 20  Stalls, Bungee Trampoline , mini dodgem cars
  •  Café, Ice Creams ,  Candyfloss, Children’s 2 story funhouse
  •  Devon and Somerset Fire Brigade Fire Engine, Avon and Somerset Police Car ,
  •  1610 Leisure’s 25FT Climbing Wall, a giant inflatable slide
  • Diversity Voice will have activities celebrating international children’s day
  • All rides and attractions are a single price and are used by purchasing tickets from the central ticket tent

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For further information, please contact;

Gareth Hughes

Community Centre Manager

Victoria Park Community Centre

07941896301

gareth@vpcc.co.uk