Summer 2026 Council of Management Update
The Trust’s Council of Management (CoM) meets every two months to discuss issues around building maintenance, funding decisions, social events and communications. All meetings are recorded, with the minutes circulated and agreed at the next meeting. Sets of minutes are archived at Silver Street House, providing a record of CoM business and actions over the past 50 years.
Janet Repton
Our May meeting reflected on the very successful sale of art and books from the legacy of life member Janet Repton. The event raised over £675, which will fund an extended print run of the Town Trail. The meeting also discussed two proposals from local businesses.
The Hall
Several trustees had been invited to the Hall in Bradford on Avon to view its potential to attract visitors and engage with the wider community. We were introduced into the main sitting room, an impressive space with its Jacobean panelling and plaster ceiling but showing signs of deterioration due to age and exposure to light. The Hall had requested £24,713 (ex VAT) for redecoration, including curtains to protect the interior. The CoM unanimously agreed to award half the amount with the suggestion that more might be available in the future if the whole project delivered a noticeable benefit to the community.
A long-term vision for the town
Klas Hyllen’s proposal, ‘Dream the Dream’ presented a long-term vision of the town, one that would review infrastructure and use of space to ‘put people, heritage and community life at the heart of the town.’ The meeting unanimously agreed to grant the project £5,000 to garner ideas from the community, with the proviso that it is match-funded by the Town Council.
Iron Duke Festival
At our July meeting, it was decided to support the Iron Duke Festival, a series of community events, organised by The Avon Works, over the weekend of 18-20 September, when we hope to contribute to this celebration of Bradford on Avon’s industrial heritage (more on page 27).
Thanking our volunteers
We also confirmed arrangements for the social evening on 16 July in the West Barn – an opportunity to thank members who volunteer for the Trust: delivering Guardian Angel, contributing to the monthly conservation sessions and organising the wassail in January. Many thanks to everyone who attended the event in the West Barn, one of many, we hope – including a photographic exhibition of familiar Bradford faces, planned for early next year.
Join In Event
Trustees also participated in Join In, the first event at the newly reopened St Margaret’s Hall. Local volunteer and community groups were clearly excited to be back in the hall, and took every opportunity to network and reconnect with other groups. Promoting the work of the Trust is important to us and having updated the very popular Town Trail, we will be producing a leaflet outlining some of the many projects we have contributed to in Bradford on Avon –the latest being a bug hotel in Millie’s Garden!
