Thirty town clerks from around UK enjoy weekend of presentations and trips in Sidmouth

THIRTY town clerks from around the UK gathered in Sidmouth at the weekend for a Graduates Reunion organised by Sidmouth Town Clerk, Trina Jarrett.

Mrs Jarrett, who graduated in 1998, met them at Woolcombe House on Friday, where they were welcomed by chairman Councillor Peter Sullivan.

After a short talk by Nick Wright from East Devon District Council on Paperless Planning, the group, which travelled from as far as Nottingham in the north, Bodmin in the west and Sevenoaks in the east, enjoyed a trip to the Norman Lockyer Observatory, where chairman David Strange showed them its facilities, including the Planetarium.

Mrs Jarrett said: “In the evening they were entertained by the Sidmouth Mummers. Saturday included a scintillating presentation by Professor Bob Symes of Sidmouth Museum on the history of Sidmouth from the Triassic age through Saxon, Norman, Victorian, Edwardian right up to the present day.”

After a trip round the museum the clerks saw the conversion of the former shelters before returning to the Kingswood & Devoran Hotel for presentations.

“I would like to say how grateful I was to the staff and everyone at the hotel, plus Hotel Elizabeth, who looked after the group splendidly,” said the clerk, who added: “We are very lucky to have such a diverse number of wonderful hotels in Sidmouth.”

She said good weather helped Sidmouth look its best and many at the reunion vowed to return to the town for another visit.