Wells isn’t letting January fade out quietly. Whether you’re in the mood for powerful personal storytelling or just a pint and some live music, the city’s closing week of events offers plenty to talk about. From a first-hand account of life in Palestine to a Sunday evening open mic in Godney, it’s a week for listening, sharing – and maybe even grabbing the mic yourself.
Across Wells, Glastonbury, Street and Shepton Mallet, the final week of the month is packed with thoughtful talks, creative gatherings, and at least one good excuse to rattle pots and pans at some fruit trees. Whether you’re up for an online museum lecture or just a cuppa and a chat, there’s something to pull you out of hibernation.
It all starts on Thursday 22 January, when history lovers can log in for an exclusive Pompeii – Ephesus – Hawkedon: Gladiators at the British Museum and Beyond. Curator Dr Anna Willi takes us through the everyday lives of gladiators using oil lamps, gravestones and artefacts from across the Roman Empire. It’s £5 for the session and includes access to insights from the team behind the British Museum’s current exhibition.
Then on Friday 23 January, Wells, Glastonbury and Street are all busy with events that span the local and the global. In Wells, The Lawless Hills talk at the museum sees Frome resident Ali Morgan share personal stories from her time in the West Bank, Palestine. It’s an eye-opening community event with donations welcome at the door and Palestinian produce available to try.
Glastonbury offers two very different community spaces the same day. The Glastonbury Carers Group meets from 10:30am at Brunel Care Home, welcoming unpaid carers and the people they look after for a relaxed catch-up over cake, plus a visit from local councillor Ewan Cameron and The Watch Project. Meanwhile, the Birth Stories Project – Art Workshop invites participants to share their birth experiences through creative media, from sewing to painting. It’s part of a National Lottery-funded exhibition that aims to push for more compassionate maternity care.
Things stay arty into Saturday 24 January, as the Legacy in Making Exhibition opens at Somerset Rural Life Museum. Celebrating both historic and emerging Somerset craftspeople, the exhibition runs through to May and includes everything from metalwork to photography. Admission is included with a regular museum ticket.
Also on Saturday, Street’s Health & Wellness Fair promises a free, no-pressure chance to chat with therapists and holistic practitioners at Crispin Hall. Described as “speed dating for therapy”, it runs all day and includes everyone from drama therapists to float therapy reps.
Sunday 25 January brings music and mischief. The Open Mic Night at The Sheppey Inn in Lower Godney gives performers and punters alike a warm place to gather from 5 to 8pm. Entry is free, but if you want to take the mic, you’ll need to book a (free) slot in advance.
Not far away, Paddington Farm Wassail invites families to wake up the orchards by banging pans, singing traditional songs, and sharing apple juice and toast with the trees. There’ll be a fire, cake, and the kind of wholesome winter chaos that small children (and some adults) live for.
Looking ahead, Thursday 29 January brings a welcome blast of Baroque to Shepton Mallet, as Vivaldi’s Trumpets rings out through St Mary Magdalene Church in Ditcheat. Performed by the Bristol Ensemble, the concert includes Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets and Geminiani’s La Folia—plenty of flair, none of the fluff.
Don’t forget – if you’ve got something going on in your neck of the woods, you can list it for free:
Wells: https://wells.nub.news/nub-it/whats-on-create
Glastonbury and Street: https://glastonbury.nub.news/nub-it/whats-on-create
Shepton Mallet: https://sheptonmallet.nub.news/nub-it/whats-on-create
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