Who can believe Summer has come to an end? Here in Shepton we’ve had quite a summer, with the amazing Collett Festival and the Charles Chipperfield Circus, and earlier great events including the very successful Festival of Dogs, the Mid Somerset Show and the ongoing season of Collett Café events, and of course, our expanding Sunday Markets.

 Looking ahead, the Snowdrop Festival is inviting local residents to the Cider House in Kilver Street between 5pm and 8pm on Wednesday, 26th September to have their say on the future of this now well-established annual event. Tens of thousands of snowdrops have already been planted that pop up each year to herald Spring all round town. The event celebrates the life and legacy of local man, James Allen, who bred and hybridised new snowdrop variants. It’s fantastic that we are now able to celebrate this remarkable man’s love of horticulture. We have to thank the Shepton Horticultural Society and their “growing” team of volunteers for all their tireless efforts.

 

Last week it was great to hear that so many of Shepton’s young people had achieved impressive GCSE grades. They have laid the foundations for their future careers, and I wish them every success. My one piece of advice to this up and coming generation is to take every opportunity on offer to achieve your dreams.

 With the end of the summer, we have another Town Council tradition: the annual allotment competition. As a gardener myself, I have every sympathy with our dedicated allotment holders. This hot, dry summer made growing anything really challenging. Despite this, our allotment gardeners made great strides in producing some amazing crops.

The Town Council has earmarked money to help residents to take part in community ‘Speed Watch’ schemes. We know that fast traffic and dangerous driving is a major concern for many people. The Council is fully committed to helping volunteers from the community who want to make our streets safer.

St Marher realised way back in 1225 that “time waits for no man”, and Shepton is no exception. The town is exhibiting a new-found confidence: whether it’s in education where our students are achieving fantastic results, or in the community where many groups are organising great events, or in the arts with the inventive Rubbish Art Project in the HSBC building, or in business with traders like “Loaf” opening on Town Street. There is real momentum in Shepton today that the Town Council will do all it can to continue to encourage in order to deliver a thriving, healthy and safe society.