In my first column I introduced my chosen charity for this year, the Taunton Opportunity Group, and on 6 June, I was delighted to be invited there to unveil a mural created for them by Aerosol Art.
The bright and colourful mural titled 'Grow Together' was made possible through a legacy left to the group.
The rain didn’t dampen our spirits as we enjoyed homemade cake, and it was lovely to meet some of the parents and young children who benefit from the organisation’s fantastic work.
Many of you will know 6 June as the anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, a pivotal moment in World War II.
Alongside the Royal British Legion, veterans and military service charities, I attended the annual wreath-placing ceremony at the Normandy Stone in Vivary Park, where Mayor's Cadet Bodhi placed a wreath on behalf of myself and Taunton Town Council.
This month it has been my pleasure to attend two events showcasing the talents of the young people in our town.
Each year Taunton College holds The Creative Arts Exhibition and this year the theme was Perspective 2026.
It was great to meet many of the students and view an incredible four floors of amazing artwork.
The TYCA (Taunton Youth, Culture and Arts) StageFest at The Brewhouse featured young people from The Space, Richard Huish, Bishop Fox, Kingsmead and Courtfields Schools taking to the stage.
Each thought-provoking short piece took me through a powerful range of emotions, and I congratulate them all on their professionalism, teamwork and enthusiasm.
The Big Green Week celebration, The Green Market, in partnership with the Taunton Independent Market, held on Castle Green, gave me an opportunity to catch up on all the climate and environmental projects that the town council are undertaking.
A key one being the Wildflower Recovery Strategy in partnership with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, who are creating wildflower corridors around our town.
It was lovely to see so many families and children taking part in the different activities and events, and I added my wish to keep our rivers clean to GoCreate’s environmental action poster.
Earlier this year, Taunton Bowls Club in Vivary Park suffered severe flood damage to their indoor rink.
As well as a successful application for a venue grant from Taunton Town Council, they are actively fundraising and recently hosted the Taunton Military Wives Choir for a wonderful evening of entertainment.
I went along by invitation of the choir, enjoying an uplifting evening of song; I even won a raffle prize!
My late dad in his younger years played crown green bowls which I understand is a bit different and more of a 'northern thing', but I was inspired nevertheless and I will definitely be back to have a go at one of their introductory sessions very soon.
Both the bowling club and the choir are always looking for new members, you can contact them on tauntonbowlingclub@gmail or 07731 402316 and taunton@militarywiveschoirs.org respectively.
Twenty-two June saw the start of Armed Forces week, getting off to a flying start as usual with the annual Flag Raising Ceremony at County Hall.
I joined representatives from Somerset Council and our armed services community along with Mayor's Cadets Molly and Esmé.
We’re very fortunate to also have Somerset Armed Forces Day to look forward to, on Saturday, 4 July in Vivary Park.
Somerset Armed Forces Day is a fantastic opportunity for our community to come together and recognise the dedication, service and sacrifice of our armed forces personnel, veterans, cadets and their families.
As Mayor of Taunton and the town council’s Armed Forces Champion, I am delighted that the town council is able to provide financial support for this much-loved event, helping to keep it free for everyone and secure its future in Taunton.
Events such as this strengthen community connections, inspire future generations and celebrate the valued role that the armed forces play in our town and across Somerset.
I hope many residents will come along and enjoy what promises to be a wonderful day of entertainment, activities and celebration.
And finally, as Armed Forces Champion I am extremely proud that Taunton Town Council were recently awarded the silver award in the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
This, along with the events I have attended in the short time since I became Mayor, help to further embed our links with our armed forces communities, and I look forward to continuing this important work during my mayoral year.
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