The Midsummer Fayre in photos
Hot off the digital press… a gallery of photographs from this weekend’s Wellington Midsummer Fayre, plus some thank yous to those who made it happen. The sun shone, the churchyard was filled with… Continue reading
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Ten days to go and ten things to do at the Midsummer Fayre
Just ten days to go until our annual Midsummer Fayre – I hope you’re coming. If you are – or if you still need some encouragement – here’s a check list of ten… Continue reading
Chartism Part II: the Summer of Discontent
Last week, I posted about the Chartist demonstration on The Wrekin which took place in May 1842, and which had the authorities on the edge of their seats. But Shropshire’s brush with Chartism –… Continue reading
May 1842: Radicals on The Wrekin
A few years ago, deep in the National Archives at Kew, I came across a box of letters. Submitted weekly to the Home Office, they had all been written over the course of just a few months… Continue reading
Dothill, Downing Street and the dead man who built a Cambridge college
In the run-up to the Midsummer Fayre in June, we’re taking a break from the future of Wellington and getting a bit historical for a change. A version of this article appears on… Continue reading
Wellington’s Top 40: events to look out for this summer
It’s out – the Wellington Summer Revels Guide 2013, bringing you details of 40 markets and fairs, concerts and carnivals, fetes and festivals going on between now and September around Wellington. Download your… Continue reading
Is it time to bring village life back into town?
We all know that nationally, high street retail is in retreat – that’s partly a consequence of a spluttering economy and thus (hopefully) temporary, but it’s also long term and structural. The fact… Continue reading
Scenes from Charter Day
Wellington was bathed in glorious sunshine when the crowds gathered this morning for Charter Day, our annual nod to the occassion when our lord of the manor was granted a royal charter for the holding of markets and fairs, back… Continue reading
Well-made in Wellington: a real ale treat this Saturday
A trip to Pete and Liz Arden’s excellent Wrekin Tap at The Cock Hotel is always a pleasure. The beer, from around Shropshire and beyond, is always brilliantly kept; the staff are friendly; your fellow-drinkers are… Continue reading
Coming Soon: Charter Day 2013
Saturday 2nd March sees the second annual Charter Day, marking the earliest known market charter granted to Wellington on the last day of February, 1244. This year, it’s even more historic than usual,… Continue reading
Thanks for the memory: football, friendship and fighting dementia
Today’s post comes from Pete Jackson and our friends at the New Bucks Head Stadium. It’s about a ground-breaking project that pulls together football and history as part of a community-based response to supporting people with… Continue reading
Vive la Resolution!
It’s a new year, so what should we be resolving for Wellington in 2013? Here are some new developments to look out for… 1. The Big Clifton Revival Potentially the most exciting project we’ve seen… Continue reading
Sub-divide and conquer: an uninspiring future for Edgbaston House?
Edgbaston House – a row of three buildings in Walker Street aged between two hundred and seven hundred years old. It’s the place I’ve written most about since starting this blog a year… Continue reading
Ten steps to running your own Ideas Farm
A fortnight ago, fifty people turned up to the Wellington Ideas Farm to talk about projects they thought could brighten up the town. It went down really well, and as we speak new projects… Continue reading
Carry on Farming
It was energetic. It was busy. It was simple. Last week’s Ideas Farm showed us what Wellington is made of… Local resources. What are they? When councils talk about resources, they usually mean… Continue reading
Wellington postcard from the future [No.2]
A second postcard from the future – this one promoting the Horner’s House exhibition space that’s been set up on Walker Street. Maybe you’re one of the volunteers who helped to make it… Continue reading
Wellington Postcard from The Future [No.1]
With the Ideas Farm less than two weeks away, everyone’s talking about the ideas that could electrify our town. Just today, I received a postcard to chivvy us along. It’s from the future –… Continue reading
Make a date with H2A’s new stocking-filler…
…And enjoy a bit of Wrekin on your wall in 2013. As of yesterday, H2A’s 2013 Round The Wrekin calendars are in the shops – or rather, the shop (the very accomodating Ken… Continue reading
Wellington H2A: Autumn Update
You can download this blog post as a PDF by following the link: H2A Autumn newsletter_2012 With the Midsummer Fayre, Wrekin Barrel Race and Sounds in the Square behind us, our volunteers’ busy… Continue reading
You know you’re in Wellington when…
How would you finish that sentence, jokes aside? And how would you LIKE to be able to finish it? In other words what, ideally, would be the things that mark our town out… Continue reading
Trading up… new farmers’ market a big success!
This Saturday saw the second outing for Wellington’s revived farmers’ market. The first, last month, had been short on stalls – the clash with Shifnal’s market didn’t help, and one stall holder who’d booked three whole pitches didn’t show. But… Continue reading
So Wellington, what’s the big idea? Tell us down at the Ideas Farm…
The power of volunteers Last week, I joined my mate Alex Di Donato – another London-dwelling son of Wellington – to watch some Olympic basketball in Greenwich. All around the Games venues in… Continue reading
Market Forces: the return of the Wellington Farmers’ Market
So. Apparently the Jet Stream is back on course and a dry weekend awaits us in Wellington. And what better way to enjoy it than wandering down into Market Square on Saturday to enjoy not only Three in… Continue reading
Fayre comment: the stars of this weekend’s show
I’ve said enough about the Midsummer Fayre in the last few weeks – in press releases, on the radio, and on this blog, not to mention in acres of emails. But it is a… Continue reading
The Midsummer Fayre cometh…
This weekend the bunting’s out for the Jubilee – but just one week later, Wellington will be out in force again for the most colourful day in our calendar. Come and join us!… Continue reading
An update from your friendly local ale taster
Jerry Baily was appointed Wellington’s ale taster earlier in the year. During his two year term, he’ll be promoting local food and drink – that means encouraging the town’s businesses to stock it and we… Continue reading
Still simmering…
Hi everyone. You might have noticed the soup’s been bubbling less vigorously these last few weeks – I’ve been moving house and also getting into some serious Midsummer Fayre planning. But there will… Continue reading
‘Events, dear boy, events’…
…That’s what prime minister Harold Macmillan famously told a journalist who asked what he most feared for his government. But he might just as well have been asking the question ‘What makes Wellington… Continue reading
New York…Amsterdam…Wellington? How grassroots projects are putting us on the map
If you visit one new website today, make sure it’s the Community Lovers Guide to the Universe. It’s an inspiration. On the front page you’ll see a grid featuring dozens of world cities – from… Continue reading