16 Oct

Hidden Voices at Bridgwater Library

Mayor Liz Leavy with Sian Owen from Hidden Voices at Bridgwater Library

Hidden Voices is a pressure group devoted to raising public awareness about the existence of modern slavery. This week they have an exhibition at Bridgwater Library from 15 to 22nd October which is freely available for the public to drop in and learn more about the campaign through the medium of art inspired by opposition to modern slavery. On Saturday 15 October , Mayor of Bridgwater Cllr Liz Leavy and a group of town councillors attended the launch. HV points to the existence of labour exploitation, the sex trade, child sexual exploitation, domestic servitude, forced marriage, organ harvesting and drug trafficking, specifically the ‘county lines’ variant whereby people from large cities are sent to smaller towns to sell drugs. A booklet produced by Hidden Voices claims ‘there are over 40 million people held in modern slavery around the world ‘ and is therefore a ‘global problem’. The booklet is available at the Library exhibition.

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14 Oct

The Car Parks They Are A Changing

Cllr Smedley has a look at some car parks

Eagle-eyed residents, visitors and shoppers in Bridgwater may have noticed new signs in the old Northgate Car park. With the opening of the new Northgate Yard complex approaching and to help avoid confusion the old Northgate car park is now called West Quay Car park. Which is a welcome development because the actual ‘North Gate’ of the town was nowhere near there.  If you need to find it then it’s just at the end of Angel Crescent before you hit Mount street. So West Quay car park (the big one by the job centre) (now called ‘The People’s Emporium of Employment Opportunity’) has some new machines in it and sign posts that tell you where the Council think you are. Meanwhile, changes are also happening in Blake Car park. (this is the one next to Northgate primary school and Aldi) (but not the actual Aldi car park) .With effect from 17 October Blake car park will become a pay and display car park rather than permit only. And theres signs there telling you this. As well as paying with cash or card, all SDC car parks operate a pay by phone option.

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3 Oct

Bridgwater Town Council Launches Community Drop Ins

First there were Food Banks and now there are ‘Warm Banks’. In light of the cost-of-living crisis currently devastating the UK, councils are preparing to open “warm banks” to help out. Energy bills – double what they were at the start of the year – are becoming a major problem and mean millions of people will be unable to put on their heating when temperatures plummet this winter and so dedicated refuges are being set up to cope with potential demand. Bridgwater Town Council has agreed to play its part in this and is opening up some of its public buildings to the community with its own version of a warm bank. Community Portfolio Holder, Cllr Liz Marsh (Victoria) is working with Town Council officer Ann Marie Gould to launch Community Drop ins. Ann Marie says “From Tuesday 18th October Bridgwater Town Council will be holding a weekly Drop-in session at the Town Hall in the Charter Hall from 10 am to 4 pm. All members of the community are invited to pop in for a free cuppa and a chat. We will have hot drinks and biscuits, newspapers, and books to read, puzzles and board games to share as well as lots of leaflets and info on local support in the community to help us all stay well and warm throughout the coming winter.”

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23 Sep

Bridgwater Charities to Benefit from Westover Filming

Castle street and Kings Square have been transformed into a 1960’s street scene as film crews are using the location for part of the new eight-part drama series ‘Black Cake’. Production company CBS VIACOM, are filming in partnership with Hulu which is an American streaming service with over 46 million subscribers. Its original series include The Handmaid’s Tale, How I Met Your Father, and Castle Rock. Black Cake is based on Charmaine Wilkerson’s debut novel which was published this year . Town Councillor and former Mayor Tony Heywood’s King Square home is being featured prominently in the shoot and local charities will be given donations from the company including the Bridgwater Arts Centre, Somerset Film and Video, Bridgwater Food Bank and the Nelson Trust, all based in Westover.

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12 Sep

On This Day in History -11th September 2022 – Charles III is Proclaimed King

Proclamation Day in Somerset. Outside the Market House.

Of course, Charles Prince of Wales has been King since his mother Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday 8th September 2022, but it wasn’t until Sunday 11th September that the news reached Bridgwater. A proclamation was read out next to the Market House in Taunton at 1pm and then again at Bridgwater’s King Square at 4pm. In the olden days that’s how the news would travel. In Taunton the high and mighty from across the County gathered in Mayoral robes and ‘I’m a Councillor’ badges, accompanied by the military, horse-backed Police, a few sailors, and a musical accompaniment for a singing of the National anthem….sounding awkwardly like ‘God Save the Quing’, from the 500 or so in the crowd. The proclamation was read by (for those who didn’t realise we had one) the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset. Now, this is a lady called Annie Maw and don’t worry if you don’t remember voting for her because these aren’t elected posts, the Monarch simply chooses them. Then the proclamation was sent around the county to be read again. In Bridgwater it was down to Sedgemoor District Council, whose Chairman Alan Bradford was at the microphone, read the proclamation, possibly accidentally declared Lord Charles, as King at one point, and then led everyone in a very passable rendition of the National Anthem sung by himself into said microphone. That’s what happened in 2022 in Somerset. But what have we done in the past? Bridgwater historian Dr Miles Kerr-Peterson has produced a web page devoted to his research on the subject which reveals some interesting historical facts regarding our town and its attitude to the Royals and Royal occasions. Continue reading “On This Day in History -11th September 2022 – Charles III is Proclaimed King”