A “spirit of togetherness”

Unite Community members joined with fellow trade unionists and local activists to organise “Bridgwater Together” on Saturday (15 Nov).

The annual event aims to bring together communities from across the Somerset town, build bridges and celebrate what they all have in common.

The event is now in its 11th year, and fills the town with music, food, games , dancing and activities celebrating the diverse nature of the town and its different communities.

Andy Mitchell from Unite Community felt that events like Bridgwater Together are more important than ever, and said, “We’re living in a difficult period at the moment, and for us it’s part of the mix of trying to fight back a little bit. We want to celebrate people, we want to have these conversations with people, and this event gets people to mix with people they won’t necessarily mix with every day.

“Bridgwater is a fantastically diverse place, and the people of Bridgwater are fantastically accepting.”

The event was originally set up by local trade unions and trades councils, with Unite Community being involved from the beginning. Unite South West regional secretary Steve Preddy joined with the Mayor of Bridgwater Cllr Kathy Pearce and Indian dancer Avtar in starting the day with a march from Cornhill down to the event spaces in the Town Hall and Engine Room.

Steve addressed the packed Town Hall, opening Bridgwater Together with a speech that stressing the importance of hope, not hate, the current dangers across the country and why events that bring people together are so vital.

Afterwards Steve said he was “delighted to have attended Saturday’s Bridgwater Together event, along with hundreds of other people, to celebrate the benefits a fusion of multi-cultural togetherness brings.”

“It was a fun-filled, happy occasion, with music, art, diverse foods, and culture. A genuine antidote to the negativity espoused by some in society, and Unite Southwest was delighted to engage in this celebration, enjoyed by all in attendance.”

Steve added that Unite hopes to share in other such community led events, across the region.  

Lorraine Gibbs, Unite South West Regional Equalities Officer, was attending Bridgwater Together for the first time and was impressed with “the celebration of social harmony and community togetherness” and “the diversity of the audience, the mix of stalls, games and free food encouraged the community to really come together.”

Lorraine added that, “The upbeat energy of speakers, performers, musicians and various stalls provided a unique opportunity for people to connect and express the spirit of togetherness.

“There was no space for focusing on differences except in an admiration of ways of learning. There was a happiness from everyone attending that was felt throughout the event. The celebration of social harmony and community togetherness.”

Organisers had prepared a multi stranded programme for the day that showcased music from the Caribbean and across Europe, dance from East Timor, Bulgaria and a specially devised dance from the children of Northgate School. International games included Mah Jong, Catan and Carrom, and there was delicious food from many cultures.

For 2025 Bridgwater Together was pleased to share the Town Hall Theatre with GAIA, Luke Jerram’s breath-taking 7 seven metre installation of the Earth, that brings our planet to life in stunning detail and encouraged many who attended the day to reflect on our planet’s beauty and fragility.

Though originally organised by local unions, the event has grown and continues to draw in more and more people, as well as Unite this year’s event, its biggest yet, involved a diverse range of organisations including Fuse Performance, Somerset Film, Mingle Café, Bridgwater Say No To Racism, GMB, Healthwatch Somerset, Bridgwater Town Council, Blossom, Abri Housing Association, SEED Sedgemoor, Thrive, Unison, GLADE, Bridgwater Trades Unions Council, Somerset Art Works, MIND in Somerset, Bridgwater Senior Citizens’ Forum, Bridgwater International, Stand Against Racism and Inequality, Octagon Theatre, Bridgwater Cultural Partners, Dorset and Somerset Medical Services.

Brett Sparkes is regional coordinator for Unite Community as well coordinating Unite’s “Unity Over Division” programme across the South West. Brett helped to organise the first Bridgwater Together, and he said that he was very happy with the turnout of the event.

He said: “I think it’s really important. Not only for Bridgwater, but for all of the other places around Somerset and the South West to recognise how influential people are when people from different cultures all mix together, we all get on well, and we can learn from each other.

“Especially when we’ve seen so much tension and division over the last year or so, it’s so great to see this.”

There is no rest for organisers who are already beginning to develop plans for Bridgwater Together 2026. 

By Keith Hatch

Photo by Bridgwater Together