BRIDGWATER and District Civic Society is striving more than ever to protect the town's heritage.

This week the society is holding its AGM on Wednesday, April 12 at the Victoria Centre at 7.30pm where the guest speaker will be Nadja McDevitt, manager at Bridgwater Library.

In the past year the Civic Society has worked to try and get the town's oldest structure, Watergate on the West Quay open to the public, and has successfully protested the Eastover Hotel being developed without proper archaeological safeguards.

Dave Chapple, Civic Society chairman said: “More than ever in its 40-year history, our Civic Society is trying its best to reach out to all those people who value what is best in Bridgwater and its surrounding villages, fine buildings that we have inherited from past generations.

"However, we need many more members to be effective, especially more of our younger citizens. We must make people aware of our fine buildings’ heritage and where necessary, fight developers and planning authorities who wish to impose ugly new buildings on us.

"Guest speaker will be Nadja McDevitt, Bridgwater Library Manager, who will explain to BDCS members and guests some of the impressive new features and developments at our much-loved town Carnegie Library."

Individual membership of the Civic Society is £10, family membership is £15, and this year we are proposing a reduced membership of £5 for students and the unemployed. Please come along to our Annual General Meeting and join us!”

Refreshments will be available, and the meeting is open to all, and costs £3 for non-members.