When you are on the fringe of things, you are well placed to notice what other local groups are doing.

To celebrate summer in Kingsbridge, you could hardly miss the swarm of hi-viz Kingsbridge in Bloom workers day in day out week by week.

I was on the water wallah team, which included many female volunteers and Brian Hill doing his bit just before his big op. He doubled as a trolley dolly.

After his water duty. We were desperate to keep all the planting teams efforts alive. The first judging seemed to go well.

It featured the railway bridge and our own train, which the judges really enjoyed, before meeting our yokels at the lime kiln and teams of Kingsbridge in Bloom stars all over town, including Carol who was right in the cart.

Almost at the same time, the fair week team were finalising their week-long programme of events for all ages all over our town. It’s an amazing achievement.

So many events all at the same time, with such a small team! The parade –?the highlight –?usually was hit with a violent storm which ruined many of the kids’ costumes. The poor firemen had to put on their overgear.

On Friday and Saturday, a determined international contest took place with nearly 20 world-renowned town criers bellowing like bulls across our town.

Our own town crier, Roger Pinder, had launched the torrent of poetry –?some of it saucy –?but was not allowed to compete in his own town.

Local judges were impressed with the brilliant colour and range of sound hurled across the square, while our townsfolk were agog with admiration.

Not for the first time, I was really proud of our town and the entertainment put on completely free by our superb organisations and their many sponsors.

Well done all!

Robin Griffin

Kingsbridge Town Council