19 Aug

Covid Surge: Mayor says “Think of others and follow the guidance”

Mayor takes to the air waves to spread message ‘follow the guidance and stay safe’

With Sedgemoor now ranking second in the country in terms of rates of Covid cases, the Mayor of Bridgwater, Cllr Leigh Redman, has gone on BBC Radio urging people to ‘think of others and follow the guidance’.  Leigh continued “When i saw the numbers i started to ask the question myself. The numbers in Bridgwater seem amazingly high . Two thirds of the cases are young people between the age of 15 and 34 and Bridgwater has a relatively young population compared to the rest of the county. Things are opening up and there’s a higher level of social contact. I want to stress we’re all in this together so please follow the guidance. It would be horrible if due to a little slip , members of your family suffer, so please take care and follow the guidance. No one is breaking the law any more, the world is opening up and Bridgwater is going back to the vibrant place it was before, but we need to follow the guidance and consider everyone else. Get tested regularly, wear a mask indoors and all play our part. Everyone was expecting the cases to rise when we relaxed the rules so it’s not such a surprise. Previously we were very low but now we’re playing catch up. This delta virus is deadly and very easily spread, so follow the guidance , stay safe and we’ll get through this.”

Continue reading “Covid Surge: Mayor says “Think of others and follow the guidance””

17 Aug

Bridgwater’s Eco Festival ‘SEED THE DAY’ Set for September 11

Bridgwater Town Council and Vegan Fairs will once again host the popular event ‘SEED THE DAY’ on Saturday 11 th September in Bridgwater High Street, Town Hall and Engine Room. Stalls will be open from 10am until 4pm and will encompass a range of vegan food, products, talks and activities along with charity and community-based stalls with a focus on the environment. Councillor Kathy Pearce, Climate Emergency Portfolio Holder on Bridgwater Town Council says “The recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Meteorological Office predictions of rising sea levels locally, set out why we must take account of impact on our environment through the choices we make. Therefore, this event is part of Bridgwater Town Council’s Climate Emergency Strategy to promote amazing alternative produce and products which literally do not cost the earth and have some fun at the same time. We invite everyone to come along to enjoy the range of produce on offer, maybe try something new and find out how we can all make a difference.”

Continue reading “Bridgwater’s Eco Festival ‘SEED THE DAY’ Set for September 11”

8 Aug

Blue Heritage Launch on The Meads

The Meads -a little bit of the Somerset levels in the heart of the town

The Meads is a green wedge of mainly-low lying flood plain between the water courses of Hamp and Durleigh Brooks, overlooked by Robert Blake Academy on one side and St Matthews’ Field on the other.  Drainage ditches and willow trees divide the land.   Joe May, Project Officer from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, says “Come and join us at the Meads in Bridgwater on Sunday 15th of August from 10am to celebrate the launch of the Bridgwater Blue Heritage project. We will be based on St Mathews Field with a day packed full of nature-based activities (see below!).  This will also be a great opportunity to find out more about the Friends of the Meads and become a member!”

Continue reading “Blue Heritage Launch on The Meads”

31 Jul

Monitoring the Northgate Project:- August 2021

Lighting…will be fixed

We’re 4 months in to the Northgate project and councillors and residents have kept up the pressure on Sedgemoor and Wilmott Dixon to address issues of concern as promised. This months the lights went out. Residents weren’t happy. The solution? They’re getting them fixed and adding some extra bulkhead lighting for good measure. At this Friday’s meeting ward councillors met with Sedgemoor officers for a catch up.

Lights

There are 3 lights along the path by the Northgate school. All went out and have been out for some days . Sedgemoor confirmed that all the cables were  live, so they’re investigating what went wrong and the suspicion is that Western Power maybe pulled the wrong fuse from the feeder pillar. The upshot is they’re getting them back on but Wilmott Dixon cant do it so Western Power have to br brought back in. It may be dark over the weekend but at least it’s not winter darkness yet and there’s lighting coming from the school itself. Continue reading “Monitoring the Northgate Project:- August 2021”

13 Jul

A Credit to our Community

The Somerset Community Credit Union was formed in 2017 from the merger of Taunton Credit Union (established in 1996) and the Bridgwater Credit Union (established in 1998). It covers the whole of Somerset including North Somerset. But what exactly is a ‘Credit Union’?

A credit union is simply a community savings and loans provider. Traditionally, credit unions have been small, non-profit financial organizations set up by members with something in common, such as living in the same town, working in the same industry or belonging to a particular trade union.

They are controlled by an elected Board of Directors at the Annual General Meeting and all members are eligible to stand as nominees for the Board after their first 6 months of membership regardless of the value of their savings. By saving regularly with a credit union you also become eligible for a low cost loan (1.5% interest a month on the reducing balance, APR 19.6%) and all savings are eligible for an annual dividend which is usually about 1.5% so currently considerably higher than that offered by high street banks. Continue reading “A Credit to our Community”