5 Jun

Town Unites to Save Its Trees

trees
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.

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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

poster

For further information, please contact;

Gareth Hughes

Community Centre Manager

Victoria Park Community Centre

07941896301

gareth@vpcc.co.uk

1 Jun

Sunday 2nd June is Bridgwater Docks Gala 2019

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Bridgwater Mayor Cllr Tony Heywood opens the Docks Gala 2019

Bridgwater Docks are a hidden gem and something we should all be making more of. Bridgwater and it’s waterways are obviously a wonderful focal point for our maritime history and our waterbound present. For several years now Patsy Robinson and the Inland Waterways Association have been organising a ‘Docks Gala’ which draws attention to our ancient port and it’s canal and riverside locality and all the opportunities therein. This years event was on Sunday 2nd June and lasted from 11am to 4pm with stalls and sideshows, music and boat trips, food, drink and bouncy fun (yes I was also  there).

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29 May

New Town Council Forum System Takes Shape

forumIn Roman times the ‘Forum’ was a place where citizens could come together to discuss the burning issues of the day-public speeches, criminal trials and gladiatorial  matches, all vied with commercial affairs, markets and politics. People would share their opinions and then do something about something. Invade Gaul for instance. However, in 21st Century Bridgwater the Town Council Forum system-although similar in concept and design -won’t (or at least ‘shouldn’t) have such a bloody end. These are Forums for the people of the town, their elected councilors, and experts, professionals and service deliverers to meet together in one place (in this case the Town Hall) and concentrate on key issues and then come up with a way forward. So much more than the usual ‘behind closed doors’ type council meetings. So this is what Bridgwater Town Council has planned and you (that’s you reading this) are welcome to come along and take part.

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18 May

Bridgwater Initiative to Expose Modern Slavery

sian
Sian Owen with her information booklet about ‘Modern Slavery’

In 1785 Bridgwater was the first town in the country to petition against the Slave Trade, one of the greatest organised crimes against a section of humanity on an industrial scale for vast profits. Today, modern slavery continues to exist in many forms from Labour exploitation to Domestic Servitude to Sexual exploitation and even organ harvesting. In 2017 an initiative was set up by the Church of England known as the Clewer Initiative. Their website is here. However, now in Bridgwater local people are taking up the cause to raise awareness. At ‘Raging Grace’, an event at St Mary’s Church 7pm on Sunday 19th May, there will be a presence of both national and local representatives from Hidden Voices.  On  3rd September the Town Development Forum will devote an entire meeting to this subject and raise the issues with the many partner groups and agencies in town to develop a local policy on the subject.

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