Monthly Archives: March 2017

“Wells to Win” – Support the Bid to be City of Culture 2021

“Wells to Win” – Support the Bid to be City of Culture 2021

Following February’s registration with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to enter the bidding to be UK City of Culture 2021, a Wells Steering Team has now been formed, with representatives from a variety of entities within the City working hard on developing the bid in time for the submission date in April.

Centred on the City of Wells and Mendip, the bid will include partnerships with the surrounding towns of Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Cheddar, Street, Bruton, Frome and Castle Cary along with the local rural area.  The strong traditions of the area will be celebrated and local institutions, businesses, events, artists, festivals and carnivals will be working together alongside the local councils to develop a fantastic programme for the bid.

This is a hugely exciting opportunity for Wells and Mendip to compete on a national level for the prestigious title and for the multi-million-pound investment that comes with it and the steering group are asking the people of Wells and the other towns to get behind the bid.

Andrew Webb, lead for the Steering Team said “We see this as a fantastic chance for Wells and Mendip to raise its profile nationally and internationally and to gain wider recognition as the amazing City we all know it is. Residents have long thought that Wells really does have it all, and the level of astounding culture available to all, in this, the smallest City in England, far surpasses what is on offer in some of the largest cities in the country.”

John Turner, CEO of Visit Somerset said, ” Wells is one of the jewels in the Somerset crown and the smallest city in England. The City has a really strong heritage and cultural scene and deserves all the publicity and potential exposure that the City of Culture would bring. Wells is so rich in its history & heritage and can reflect a really vibrant and dynamic cultural scene, that the City of Culture team will be sure to reflect in the bid proposal. I am really excited about the prospects that the bid will hold for Wells and the wider Somerset economy, hence the Visit Somerset team now officially supporting the project and throwing our full weight behind the bid team”.

 

 The City and surrounding area is already rich with all sorts of culture, including the sublime musical history of the Cathedral choir, the musical excellence of the Cathedral School and the fabulous new programme at the brand new Cedars Hall concert hall, the annual Festivals of Literature, Food, Contemporary Music and Contemporary Art which take place in October, (the Food Festival being a wonderful reminder of the richness of the area’s food heritage with particular emphasis on local Ciders and Cheddar Cheese!), the Somerset Schools Folk Dancing Festival and the annual Maypole dancing in the Market Place, the outdoor theatre seasons at The Bishop’s Palace and Glastonbury Abbey, the magnificent madness of Glastonbury Festival, the lasting legacy of the brilliant ‘Hot Fuzz’, the sheer scale of the amazing Carnivals, and the local ancient Somerset tradition of the January Wassail to secure the cider apple harvest to name but a few!

The programme for 2021 that will be proposed by the steering team will be ambitious and will seek to involve a wide range of audiences from the local area and beyond in innovative cultural activities that will draw on the traditions and history of the area.

Residents of Wells and the surrounding area can get behind the campaign in several ways: the Facebook page www.facebook.com/WellsCoC2021 or the Twitter page www.twitter.com/WellsCoC2021 or email info@wellscityofculture.com, and post comments, pictures, ideas and encouragement for the bid!

 

Bids for the 2021 competition must be received by 28th April 2017, after which they will be assessed by an Independent Advisory Panel. A shortlist of four cities will then be announced in June and the winning city will be announced in December.

Keeping you on the move during Bath Spa railway station works

Keeping you on the move during Bath Spa railway station works

Bath & North East Somerset Council is helping to keep people moving during the forthcoming improvement works at Bath Spa railway station. From 8th to 24th April Network Rail will be carrying out work to modernise Bath Spa station so that new, longer trains can be accommodated. The work will include making the platforms wider… Read More…

Topping out ceremony for new classroom block for Saltford school

Topping out ceremony for new classroom block for Saltford school

Construction of a £1.8m classroom block at Saltford C of E Primary School has reached a significant milestone. The six-room teaching block is to replace temporary buildings that are in a poor condition.  It will meet growing demand for school places in the area by providing more permanent classrooms at the popular 420-place school, which… Read More…

The online search habits of new mums

The online search habits of new mums

Will my baby….? Why is my baby….? Both common question starters entered into Google’s search bar every month by mums to be or new mums needing to fulfil their need for information. With Mother’s Day fast approaching, here at Search Laboratory we decided to dig a little deeper to find out just what mums were… Read More…

Bubble fun for all the family!

Bubble fun for all the family!

Children’s Hospice South West (CHSW) is bringing a brand new fundraising event to the people of Bath/Bristol this summer; the Bubble Rush! It’s taking place on Saturday 2nd September at Keynsham Memorial Park and is a 5k sponsored fun run. The whole family can take part in this event, which sees participants getting covered in… Read More…

The Roman Baths Foundation launches Sponsor a Tile

The Roman Baths Foundation launches Sponsor a Tile

The Roman Baths Foundation has launched a Sponsor a Tile appeal to support the Archway Project and future education and conservation projects at the Roman Baths. This is a unique opportunity for local residents and visitors to the Baths to make and leave their own individual mark and message of support on a virtual tile… Read More…

Road safety a top priority

Road safety a top priority

Three new speed cameras will be installed across Bath and North East Somerset in response to concerns from local residents about speeding and road safety. Work is set to get underway this month to install the safety cameras in Farmborough, Temple Cloud and in the Weston area of Bath. They are being installed in partnership… Read More…

First Swan Egg is Laid at Palace!

First Swan Egg is Laid at Palace!

Exciting news from The Bishop’s Palace – the first swan egg of 2017 has appeared in the nest! Wynn and Bryn have been busy preparing their nest alongside the Palace Moat for the past few weeks and the Palace have set up their world famous ‘Swan Cam’ in anticipation of some swan action. The first… Read More…

Team Grand Appeal

Team Grand Appeal

Ryan Carter can often be found lifting weights at the gym, but now he’s taking on a whole new kind of fitness challenge: running for The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital charity! Until recently Ryan hadn’t ever taken on a running challenge, but he wanted to push himself physically and mentally to say thank… Read More…

New trees for Bath Quays

New trees for Bath Quays

On Friday 10 March the new Bath Quays riverside park welcomed the first arrival of a collection of new trees that will result in a wider and greener riverbank on North Quay. The north river bank between Churchill Bridge and Green Park has been undergoing works to create an attractive landscaped park and reconnect the… Read More…

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