This week: Bridport Food Matters, Bridport Civic Day, Next Week.

Bridport Food Matters

Last week I was invited to the Bridport Food Matters AGM. It was an extremely interesting evening , well attended and included an “open mic” session that was a great success in introducing potential networking opportunities, new and interesting ideas and imparted information about potential future projects. The general idea of creating a “Hub” that will bring individuals and groups under a common banner seems to be well received and a sensible way to utilise the knowledge and enthusiasm that exists in Bridport and the surrounding area. I have included some information by BFM that helps to explain their purpose and a link to their website where you can find more information.

Mission

To help create food security and a sustainable, affordable local food system in the Bridport area, building community, health, economic and environmental resilience.

Core Values:

• food is at the heart of community cohesion and resilience
• food should be healthy both for people and planet
• activities should be inclusive and accessible
• working collaboratively, co-creating, consulting local communities, building partnerships

We aim to:

a)    create spaces where people can come together to share ideas, information and skills, building          a local food partnership

b)     ensure that our local food system and our community is resilient in the face of climate change and economic instability

c)     enable everyone to have easy access to affordable, healthy and delicious, locally grown food

d)    ensure that everyone has a say in how we achieve these aims

For further information click here: https://www.bridportfoodmatters.net/newsletter/

Bridport Civic Day

On Wednesday this week we hosted our Bridport Civic day, an opportunity to showcase Bridport Town and our community to the Lord Lieutenant,  Mayors, Deputy Mayors and Councillors of Dorset. The weather was disappointing to say the least but we went ahead with a few adjustments to avoid our guests getting completely soaked!

Luckily we had an almost dry start to the day when meeting at Bridport Football Club car park and our guests were very impressed with our Town Crier in full regalia delivering his welcome “Cry” full of his own special brand of facts, poetry and humour.

Our first visit was to the Bridport Community Kitchen and on the way we took the opportunity to point out the commemorative arch over the path that was originally dedicated to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and has since been modified to include a tribute to King Charles 3^rd and Queen Camilla.

 

The Community Kitchen volunteers welcomed us all with teas, coffees and biscuits and cakes and Simon Batorski kindly explained the role the Kitchen was now playing in our local community. He explained the help they could provide from just a safe space, refreshments, food, conversation and extra facilities such as shower and a washing machine.

They do try to encourage and help people to move forward in their lives and have very close links with other organisations that offer support.

We then made our way (raining heavily by now) to Bridport Museum where we had a very entertaining time including a demonstration how rope was made in Bridport by hand before mechanisation was introduced. The visit included a guided tour of local fossil finds, Roman objects, ancient pottery and local history. I must admit it was my first visit to the Museum. I was very impressed and will have to go back as there was so  much more to see and the volunteers were knowledgeable. I was particularly interested in the “Ackerman Loom” which was invented by the father of one of our councillors and ex Mayor (on numerous occasions) Geoff Ackerman.  I was told that Geoff used to work on the Loom as a boy and has  offered to bring it back into working condition.

The museum visit was followed by lunch at the Town Hall where we also had presentations from Baboo, St. Michael’s Trading Estate and Bridport Town Council. My thanks to the Caterers and helpers who made lunch run so smoothly.

Our final visit was to another one of our local success stories, Bridmet. Gary Hedges started in 2005 as a “one man band” and has taken Bridmet forward to the success it is today. Our mixed group were very interested in everything we were shown on our guided tour and we were all fascinated by the laser cutting machines and automation of the processes involved in making the variety of products that Bridmet produce for clients around the world.

I was very impressed with the commitment Gary shows in training young people and his efforts to get our local schools to make young people aware of the opportunities to learn engineering skills at a local company. Utilising top of the range equipment, machinery and training, Gary is offering technical apprenticeships that equip young people with the skills we need for the future.

It is refreshing to know that there are a variety of opportunities on offer locally for young people. Bridport is not just a “Tourist Town” and we have a wealth of businesses that can offer a future for our young people. We just need to get the information out there and hopefully Bridport Town Council’s future project to introduce a “Learning Hub” locally will be instrumental in supporting local businesses in their efforts.

If anyone is interested in finding out more about Bridmet and what they can offer then please click here: http://bridmet.co.uk/

Next Week

I am taking this opportunity to highlight an event by the Bridport Community Kitchen at the Beacon Church, details below: