THE first baby born on Minehead Hospital Maternity Ward will open Minehead’s first Community Fair.

The first community fair is set to be held on the forecourt of the former hospital, on Friday, October 7, from 12 noon until 7pm, and will be opened by the first baby to have been born on the new top floor maternity ward, in 1953.

Community groups are being invited to book a space to promote their work to the public.

The fair is the brainchild of Philippa Buckley of TIME4 Events Ltd., and Bill Howard of Minehead Old Town Hall Investments Ltd (MOTHI).

Mr Howard will be available during the day to answer questions about future plans for, and lead tours of the building.

Mr Howard said: “Our vision for this iconic building has always been for it to become a community hub for Minehead and the surrounding area. The forecourt gives us the opportunity to begin to serve the community before the renovation work is complete.

“I know that a lot of people are curious about the project and am really looking forward to sharing our plans. I would also love to hear from any agencies that might be interested in space within the building, as restoration work progresses.”

The event is being organised by local volunteering charity, Engage.

Engage chief officer, Katrina Midgley said: "We are delighted to be part of this exciting new initiative for Minehead and are very grateful to Bill for the opportunity to publicise the amazing work that volunteers do in our communities.”

There will be a mix of groups present, with information about community services, as well as Engage’s Volunteer Centre, which carries details of many volunteering opportunities across West Somerset.

For more information or to book a space, people can contact Dan Cross at Engage on 01643 707123 or by email on information@engagews.org.uk.