Gala Night
May 1st - Gala Night
A crowd of well-wishers from the local business community gathered, at the invitation of the Chamber of Commerce, Shepton 21 and The Academy Theatre to celebrate Shepton and the Academy, to network and to be entertained.The evening was ably co-ordinated by Fran Wulf, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce who received great support from members of the business community to make the whole event possible.
And how great it was to see what was once the Amulet transformed and used as it was always intended to be - a real focal point for the local community.
It was a chance to network, meet old friends, make new ones over a glass of wine and some nibbles. All the hard work of so many people, and the generous contributions of local businesses, paid off: the spirit of good will and enthusiasm for the future of Shepton was palpable. There is a feeling in the air that it is time now for us to come out of the doldrums as a community, and a determination to do just that.
After gathering in the foyer, we adjourned to the theatre to be entertained by the Academy Singers and to hear about future plans from Andrew Hambly-Smith, the Principal of the Academy, and Paul Frampton, Chairman of Shepton 21. The talks were both inspiring and informed.The young students of the Academy are extremely talented, and we are privileged to have them here. The show they provided was a wonderful mixture of styles. They varied the pace and the mood to suit the occasion, and we went from pathos to passion to driving rock.
Shepton really is on the move again, and this showcase event helped all of us to realise and respond to that.
There are many people who should be thanked, and they have been elsewhere, but I'd also like to pay particular tribute here to Guy Braga our Regeneration Officer who has done so much, quietly and efficiently, to make this renaissance for our community possible. Cheers Guy!
There are two sets of pictures of the evening. If you'd like an electronic copy at a higher resolution, just ask.
Michael
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