One of the joys of being part of a small, but very active, rural community, is the opportunity it provides to take part in the many activities on offer, whether these be annual events, keeping up local traditions going back many years, or one-off specials that help to highlight the attractions of living within a rural market town, or a sleepy village nestled in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
By late spring, and on throughout the summer months, Ilminster and its surrounding villages are positively buzzing with action. It is a welcoming and diverse environment, actively embracing those who choose to make it their home.
One cannot help but get involved, as indeed I am with a number of local organisations in a variety of capacities (variety is after all the spice of life!), trying to juggle my time in order to attend as many events as I can.
As might be expected, in a climate of financial strain there is considerable focus on fund raising projects to boost limited resources. Additional funds are raised through quizzes, plant sales, book sales, competitions, musical entertainment, theatrical performances, literary festivals, flower festivals and coffee mornings. All of these take a considerable amount of time and effort (and many, many meetings!) on behalf of the organisers and their willing band of volunteers before everything comes together, almost magically, effectively quashing all the feelings of angst and the ‘will it, won’t it be successful?’ doubts… until next year.
At the beginning of May I was invited to be one of the judges for Ilminster’s Town Crier Competition, organised Town Crier Andrew Fox and his escort, Julie. In addition to my role of judging ‘diction’, other judges were required to consider ‘inflection’, ‘volume’ and ‘clarity’, and the splendour of the regalia, as 18 Town Criers from across the country did their best to outshine one another. I was thrilled that I had spotted the winner, Peder Nielsen from Bromyard & Winslow.
At the end of the month I was invited to attend the May Day celebrations at my local primary school. What a thrill it was on a bright, sunshiny day to see these youngsters tripping the light fantastic as they danced around the maypole.
For me, these very British traditions, going back hundreds of years, and these ambassadors of goodwill, embody all that it means to be British and proud of the community in which I live.
As a bystander, I find that I frequently get that warm fuzzy feeling; the inner glow that comes from belonging, being part of something that helps to restore some sanity in a world that much of the time seems to border on insanity.
By late spring, and on throughout the summer months, Ilminster and its surrounding villages are positively buzzing with action. It is a welcoming and diverse environment, actively embracing those who choose to make it their home.
One cannot help but get involved, as indeed I am with a number of local organisations in a variety of capacities (variety is after all the spice of life!), trying to juggle my time in order to attend as many events as I can.
As might be expected, in a climate of financial strain there is considerable focus on fund raising projects to boost limited resources. Additional funds are raised through quizzes, plant sales, book sales, competitions, musical entertainment, theatrical performances, literary festivals, flower festivals and coffee mornings. All of these take a considerable amount of time and effort (and many, many meetings!) on behalf of the organisers and their willing band of volunteers before everything comes together, almost magically, effectively quashing all the feelings of angst and the ‘will it, won’t it be successful?’ doubts… until next year.
At the beginning of May I was invited to be one of the judges for Ilminster’s Town Crier Competition, organised Town Crier Andrew Fox and his escort, Julie. In addition to my role of judging ‘diction’, other judges were required to consider ‘inflection’, ‘volume’ and ‘clarity’, and the splendour of the regalia, as 18 Town Criers from across the country did their best to outshine one another. I was thrilled that I had spotted the winner, Peder Nielsen from Bromyard & Winslow.
At the end of the month I was invited to attend the May Day celebrations at my local primary school. What a thrill it was on a bright, sunshiny day to see these youngsters tripping the light fantastic as they danced around the maypole.
For me, these very British traditions, going back hundreds of years, and these ambassadors of goodwill, embody all that it means to be British and proud of the community in which I live.
As a bystander, I find that I frequently get that warm fuzzy feeling; the inner glow that comes from belonging, being part of something that helps to restore some sanity in a world that much of the time seems to border on insanity.
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