The Mayor writes:

Walking briskly along the frosted paths in the early part of a Somerset morning is one of the more pleasurable pursuits and one that gives time for reflection.

Despite the rapidly increasing cases of coronavirus in the country, Radstock has so far managed to avoid significant change to its statistics. This is not, of course, an effect that has been widely repeated. I record with anxiety the trials of my own children, holed up in Zurich and St Petersburg, who have both succumbed to the pandemic. Thankfully both are on the mend – unambiguous evidence that there is light at the end of the tunnel. I feel deeply for those who have not been so lucky and are presently coping with death in the family.

The Town Council is doing all that it can to make life comfortable in these straitened times of furlough and self-isolation. Restrictions are heavy, however, but we are keeping the Hub open on Wednesday afternoons for returning library books and collecting pre-ordered ones. On Friday mornings the Hub is open between 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm for food club purchases. Sadly we cannot offer the Internet services at this time.

As my collie, Penny and I wend our way homeward over the crisp fallen leaves of 2020, I am cheered by the prospect of vaccines for everyone and I look forward to the resumption of normality in the coming months.