A new Community Trust has been established in Peasedown St John that aims to champion civic and community life.

Set up in the wake of the recent coronavirus pandemic, Peasedown Community Trust is an amalgamation of several community projects that have decided to join together to form one united charity.

The Trustees, a collection of business representatives, community leaders and councillors, have between them years' of experience of running successful business and voluntary initiatives.

Chairman of Trustees and Director, Gavin Heathcote said:

"Peasedown St John is a fantastic place to live, work and visit – and we have a lot to shout about!

With a population of almost 7,000 residents, the village has a need for a civic body that champions good causes and is proactive with 'getting things done'.

Our team of trustees are already running successful community projects, and we have a vision to do a lot more over the next 5 years."

Projects currently run by the Trust are:

Peasedown Community Library – in partnership with B&NES Council, the Trust run the village's library service. Over 20 volunteers help manage a wide range of library services each week.

Peasedown Community Garden – in partnership with Curo, they run a sensory, quiet garden where villagers can go to relax, unwind, and volunteer in a range of initiatives.

Dementia Friendly Peasedown – dementia affects everyone! A team of trained Dementia Champions are raising awareness of the condition across the village and helping to create a dementia-friendly community we can all be proud of!

The Community Trust's aims and aspirations are to

• Run projects that strengthen the community

• Run services that benefit local residents

• Champion local issues

• Represent the views of residents

Fellow Director and Trustee is Cllr Karen Walker, who said:

"The Trust will also have a strong environmental angle. We want to champion environmental causes, support projects that encourage sustainable living and foster an approach that protects and strengthens the local habitat.

We're very fortunate to already have partnerships in place with B&NES Council, Curo and the Alzheimers' Society. We'll be using our links with all three bodies to champion civic and community life in Peasedown St John."

The organisation is run by nine Trustees: Gavin Heathcote, Karen Walker, Laura Bell-Knight, Helen Sims, Sarah Bevan, Craig Gill, Benice Hampton, Sam Heathcote and Nathan Hartley.

For more details about Peasedown Community Trust readers can send a letter to their office at 33a St John's Close, Peasedown St John, Bath, BA2 8JG, email [email protected], or call 07557 683834