C HAIRMAN’S WELCOME

Let me start by congratulating the Town Council for purchasing two small pieces of land to preserve them for the long-term use by the town. These are the Fox and Hounds Nature Reserve, which is fast becoming a worthy natural addition to our facilities. My thanks go to the Fox and Hounds Lane Action Group (FAHLAG) who are slowly bringing the site back to safety for public use. The second is The Paddock, a small triangular piece of land behind St John’s Church. The future of this plot is currently under discussion; however, the Town Council are keen to put the land to good use and welcome organisations to put their ideas forward for future development of the site. Please contact Dawn Drury at townclerk@keynsham-tc.gov.uk if you would like to put a proposal forward. These two pockets of land, together with Keynsham Cemetery, are the only properties that the Town Council own, though it does lease other pieces of land from B&NES, like most of the Keynsham play areas and Manor Road playing fields.

The first day of March, I consider to be the start of Spring. I know some talk about March 21st, but who wants to have an extra three weeks of Winter? With climate change anyway, you are probably reading this in tee-shirt and shorts!

Spring is such a time of hope, joy and expectation. Tulips, cricket, apple blossom, and my birthday are a few events I look forward to at this time of year. I wonder what you are anticipating? It’s quite hard to be depressed as the days lengthen and the sun gains extra warmth. Still, I’m sure some of us have burdens that weigh us down even now. If that is the case, I hope you have the support you need. The Winter is retreating with, hopefully, no nasty Beast from the East to frustrate us.

So, what can we look forward to as a community?

The changes to Temple Street are now well under way and are expected to be complete by May 2023. Our first Spring Show takes place in the Scout

Headquarters behind the Ashton Way Car Park, on Saturday March 25th, something new for the town which I’m sure will add to our social calendar, together with the Music and Winter Festivals.

The Town Council Grant Award Scheme provides £38,850 to Keynsham community groups and charities, with £15,750 going to projects to support our Council’s commitment to reduce global warming. We do this to support the huge number of voluntary organisations we are lucky enough to have in the town. In the past, most applications have been successful. Keep an eye out for more information regarding dates for applications on the Keynsham Town Council Facebook page and website, or read more about it on page 26.

There is the last Annual Town Meeting of this Council on 20th April in The Space at 7.30pm. It is slightly earlier than usual because we have elections for both B&NES and the Town Council on May 4th (be with you). If that wasn’t enough, we have the Coronation of our King Charles III on Saturday May 6th, the Coronation Picnic in the Park on Sunday 7th May and an extra Bank Holiday on Monday 8th May. I think there is something for everybody to look forward to in this paragraph!

I wish you a great Spring and the Summer to come.

Andy Wait, Chair of Keynsham Town Council andy.wait@keynsham-tc.gov.uk