It has a striking and unmistakable entrance with an enchanting sensory garden, it has its wide and welcoming Celebration Meadow, its surprising and impressive stone Amphitheatre, and a much more enjoyable and accessible walk by the babbling Somer. Work to further improve it goes on, as funds and circumstances permit.

But wouldn’t you just credit it – at the very moment when the dream of the park is finally realised, we are hit with a shocking pandemic. Cue a two-year pause.

Tentatively, with fingers crossed, we emerge from the virus and the control measures. The Town Park has already hosted a family Wassail with Morris dancing and stalls, cider and hog-roast. It was so well supported and appreciated that the Assembly Rooms could hardly contain the crowd, as people gathered for the preliminaries and then set off for the Park.

Now we have spring, and the promise and hope which is especially intense this year. So come along and enjoy the spirit of the Town Park’s biggest event so far: the 2022 Easter Celebration.

For practical reasons it will be held on Good Friday, April 15th. Lasting just a couple of hours from 11 am – 1 pm, it will be full of fun for families. An Easter Egg hunt: find the wooden disc and swap it for an egg! An Easter Parade with prizes for the best bonnet in the three age categories: under 5, 6-11, and older children 12+. Grown ups can join in for the fun of it! Children’s prizes will be awarded by the Mayor on the day.

There will be lots of other attractions, including face painting, balloons, a magic show, crafts for children, music, ice cream, and food stalls. The Town Park really gives a space for celebration and enjoyment.