Message From the Mayor
Published: 08 September 2026
It has been a very busy summer holiday, with fantastic community events, local initiatives, and plenty of opportunities to meet residents, businesses, and local organisations.
𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆
It was a pleasure to support the 𝗔𝘅𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗲𝗮, raising valuable funds to help local people remain independent in their own homes.
𝗔𝘅𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 at Axe Valley School Field was another fantastic event. A huge thank you to the 𝗔𝘅𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺, 𝗡𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 and everyone involved. It was brilliant to see so many families enjoying the day.
I also enjoyed attending the 𝗔𝘅𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗞𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼. The Carnival Team have worked incredibly hard to raise the funds needed for this year’s Carnival. I’m really looking forward to leading the Carnival and helping make it another fantastic night for Axminster.
𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 & 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲
I was delighted to officially open the new 𝗣𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘄𝗲𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲, my first official business opening as Mayor. Congratulations to 𝗥𝘆𝗮𝗻, a born-and-bred Axminster man, for investing in our town, creating local employment, and supporting our community.
I’ve also enjoyed visiting the 𝗔𝘅𝗺𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 for a loom demonstration and 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆 in their temporary home. It’s fantastic to see our local heritage being celebrated and preserved.
𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿
I recently met with Reverend Leisa Potter to discuss plans to work together over the next year, and I am pleased to announce that we will be hosting a joint 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟯𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿!! More details to follow.
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗬𝗼𝘂, 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 & 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻.
A special thank you to John Jefferies and Brian Ball, who have worked tirelessly throughout the summer to keep Axminster’s flowers looking their best. Their work is entirely voluntary, and their dedication to planting, watering, and maintaining the town’s flowers makes a real difference. We simply couldn’t do it without them.
𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱
At our August Full Town Council Meeting, we began considering 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗟𝗚𝗥) and what this could mean for Axminster and our Town Council. There will be more information and discussion over the coming months... although yesterday's news could change the outlook on LGR, so we will keep this on a watching brief.
I also attended the 𝗧𝘆𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗧𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, visited the 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, and spent time at the Thursday Market, chatting with residents, visitors and local businesses.
𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀
I’ll be holding further 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗿’𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 throughout the autumn and winter at locations across Axminster.
Whether you want to raise an issue, share an idea or simply have a chat, please come along and say hello.
Thank you to everyone who continues to give their time, energy, and support to make Axminster such a fantastic community.