News in Wells

Wells Moat Boat Race will be back with a splash this year!

The last two years have seen the Bishop's Palace moat uncharacteristically quiet over the August Bank Holiday weekend, since Covid forced the cancellation of the annual event.

The Wells Vaccination Centre has proved to be such a success that it is extending its opening hours.

On the first week of opening 90 vaccinations were administered, the second 160 and 220 on April 1. Now more volunteers are needed to help with marshalling as the demand for the service is so great.

Less than two weeks after launching their fundraising appeal for war trauma kits, Festival Medical Services volunteers have sent the first batch to Ukraine and upped their cash target to £20,000.

Volunteers from the Mendip-based charity were originally collecting £15,000 to pay for boxes of hospital-grade items to treat people with war injuries, such as embedded shrapnel, severe bleeding and blocked airways.

Would you like your art to be viewed by tens of thousands of people from all over the world? Now's your chance.

Organisers of Wells Art Contemporary (WAC) are calling for entries from local artists. WAC provides an exciting opportunity for artists to enter an international open competition, with 3,700 submissions last year from 45 different countries. The successfully shortlisted artwork will have the prestige of being included in an exhibition at Wells Cathedral, from July 15 to August 14 2022, and the ensuing visibility that it entails: footfall to the Cathedral is estimated at 25,000 over the summer, whilst the virtual exhibition can be viewed worldwide.

Are you looking for a new job, but don't like the idea of being stuck behind a desk all day? Here are five jobs in Wells that will have you out and about and keeping active!

If you're a confident driver and you like the idea of finishing work at 1.30pm every day, you might like this job as a post person based out of the Wells delivery office.

Polling cards for the election for the new Somerset Council, town and parish councils on Thursday, May 5 are arriving on doormats across the county.

Shepton Mallet residents are being advised to check their poll card to make sure that they know which polling station they need to use on 5 May as some locations have changed. You can also check where your polling station is online at wheredoivote.co.uk

The Wookey entrepreneur behind aircraft accessibility innovators Able Move, Josh Wintersgill, has joined a brand new taskforce to help UK SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) tackle the challenges and barriers they're facing in 2022 and beyond.

The Great British Entrepreneur Awards (GBEA) and Vodafone have teamed up to launch the fully-funded initiative, 'Disruptive Minds', bringing together leading entrepreneurs and business leaders to provide invaluable insight into their experiences. Through interactive online sessions and Q&As, the taskforce will support small businesses with discussions and advice on how to grow and thrive in challenging times.

Minimising the risk of fires in homes, industrial units, hotels, guest houses and care homes will be among the priorities of the region's fire service for the next five years. 

The list of risks has been outlined by Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service as it launches its community risk management plan. 

A Somerset MP has accused the county council of spending "ultimately about £20M" on a new IT system – just 12 months before it formally ceases to exist.

Ian Liddell-Grainger, the Conservative MP for Bridgwater and West Somerset, used parliamentary privilege to claim there was "no urgent need" for Somerset County Council's new IT investment.

The Lord Lieutenant of Somerset Annie Maw is about to embark on an ambitious 70-mile wheelchair marathon – to celebrate seven decades of the Queen's reign.

Annie broke her back in a horse riding accident 20 years ago resulting in paraplegia. But she won't be letting life in a wheelchair get in the way of what she is describing as her 'Jubilee Jaunt'.