In 2002, I Joined the Parish Council to See If I Could Be of Any Use I Suppose and in 2005

Foster bio

Having retired early from a career in public relations, I felt ready to use learned skills to help my community, Chilcompton where I have lived since 1985. I was ‘gently encouraged’ to join the Chilcompton Society by Marlene Pickford and in a short time, found myself chairman and editor of the twice-yearly Chilcompton Newsletter which I wrote, compiled and published for three years.

In 2002, I joined the Parish Council – to see if I could be of any use I suppose – and in 2005 brought my organisational skills to bear with the first Chilcompton Celebrates! Here I acknowledge Helena Softley who brought live music on board. Celebrates! has contributed to many other Chilcompton projects helping in the formation of several initiatives. We’ve held a Celebrates! most years since then but haven’t for the last two years – fingers crossed for one next year!

As a member of the PC, I’ve attended many district planning board meetings and appeals and spoken at some; I’ve been on the footpaths sub-committee for years, and I worked with Paul Jevons from 2007-2009 in getting funding and organising the clean-up of Street ponds. I’ve also had a ‘casual’ job for some years as announcer of the winners at the Annual Flower Show in September as well as impromptu announcer when needed at the November Dorothy House Sale (as a young woman I was trained to ‘project’ by Dame Sybil Thorndike’s son!)

I was on the small sub-committee that organised the Chilcompton Exhibition at Radstock Museum last year which, though successful, didn’t make anything like the impact that the subsequent show at our own Village Hall did.

I’m one of the founders of Friends of the Redan, formed to register it as a community asset to save it from becoming a development site – now thank goodness it’s soon to be opened and is safely still a pub. I’m one of the three people on the Neighbourhood Dog Watch (trying to eliminate dog poo - I get all the best jobs!) and I’ve also organised Carols around the Tree at the village hall for several years (sadly now defunct through lack of support).

Nothing to do with the Parish Council but I’m also Chairman of Mendip Dance Club who meet at Chilcompton Village Hall every Tuesday from 2-3.30pm. Come along; we do contemporary, street and jazz dance and all sorts of styles led by professional tutors. (I’m taking this opportunity to give it a plug....)

I thank all those who voted for me in the May election and I promise to continue to represent all villagers to help Chilcompton stay a marvellous place to live. Please do not hesitate to raise any issues that I might be able to help with.