Community Engagement

The Palace Trust is a charity and community engagement is a key focus for us. We want to give a warm welcome to everyone and play our part in making Wells and the surrounding area a wonderful place to live and visit.

Below are a few examples of how we’re doing this:

• We have set up a Community Membership Scheme which encourages local not-for-profit groups and organisations to make the most of this unique heritage site at the heart of Wells. It is also a great way for The Bishop’s Palace to build stronger links with the community. You can purchase memberships and we also issue 50 complimentary passes each year for local groups who will benefit the most from them.

• Each year we provide over 150 complimentary Bishop’s Palace Admission Tickets for local people who will benefit the most from them.

• This year the 70 nearest schools are entitled to one complimentary class visit.

• We work with many local organisations to benefit our community.

• We provide opportunities for local people to return to work, gain work experience, and pathways into employment.

• We take part in national and regional forums to promote good practice and take part in research.

Please contact [email protected] for more information on any of these community initiatives.

Please contact us if you have any ideas, suggestions or proposals for ways that we could work with you or how you might like to get involved here.

Young Photographers’ Exhibition

Do come to see this wonderful exhibition in the Conference Room which will be displayed until 25^th Nov. Over 150 photographs were entered into the competition and the standard was incredibly high. Pictured are the young people whose photos were selected by the six judges along with some of the photos on display. Thank you to the Duke Of Edinburgh Award volunteers who came up with the idea of the competition in the first place and to St Andrew’s Press for sponsoring the printing of the winning photographs.

Somerset Community Food Network

Jo Stevenson, the Palace’s Community Gardener, attended a ‘Food Conversations’ event on the 14th of September, hosted by Somerset Community Food network. It brought together Community food project workers and volunteers with facilitated group sessions led by Prof. Martin Caraher from the University of London (Food & Health policy). Priorities agreed by the group are being fed into the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission and will contribute to national conversations. The group talked a lot about food systems, control from large corporations, food waste and our local response at community and individual level. We all felt that we all have a responsibility, if we are able, to use our voices to lobby those in power and on a day to day level, make better choices and be advocates for better food.

It was great to meet and re-connect with local community representatives such as Spark Somerset, Plotgate Community Farm, Take Art CULTIVATE and Somerset County Council. It was nice to have the opportunity contribute to a national debate, make local contacts and reflect on the work that we do.

Work Experience 2024

What a wonderful couple of weeks we have had, hosting 13 work experience students from as far as Kent, and as near as The Blue School, Wells. There’s been a real buzz about the place. Pictured are some of the students, some of whom are carrying bunches of flowers. Were you one of the lucky people to find a bunch? The students left the flowers on random benches around our city to give someone a nice surprise! Overall their favourite thing to do was feeding the swans. Here’s what the students had to say about their time with us:

‘I really enjoyed my time. It has helped me improve my confidence and people skills. Before my work experience I couldn’t do half the things I could after, eg I learnt how they create posters, plan weddings and events, and how to work in the café.’   

‘I have become closer with some people I wouldn’t have typically spoken with and also felt involved working as a team. My favourite thing about this week has been working on The Lodge with my friend, welcoming people and checking their tickets.’

‘This experience at The Bishop’s Palace has been one of my most memorable weeks and by far the best work experience placement I could have had. Before I started I was nervous that I would be ‘the odd one out’ however I have been included in everything and really enjoyed it.’

Of course work experience isn’t just for young people. Are you looking for a change of career? Are you trying to get back into work after a period away from employment? If you, or someone you know, who would like to do work experience with us do get in touch by emailing [email protected] .

Wells in Bloom 2024

During the first week of July, it was a real pleasure to see children receiving their awards as part of this year’s Wells In Bloom prize-giving event. Schools and nurseries from across Wells and nearby villages attended and after the ceremony, they stayed to enjoy the gardens here. Do come in and see their wonderful wheelbarrows which are displayed in the stableyard area.

Community Partnerships

We love it when the trishaw comes to visit us. You can book your free ride in and around Wells through Wells Community Network. If you struggle to get out and about or would like some company then what better way to spend an hour or so. For more info please contact Wells Community Network on 01749 467079.

The Bishops of Bath and Wells and Their Links to the Transatlantic Slave Trade

Click here to read the report written by Debbie Manners, Exeter University 2022 which shows that two of our bishops – Law and Beadon – supported the abolition cause. Her report also reveals findings which suggest that Bishop Moss may have been pro abolition.

Other research to date has shown that, with the possible exception of two bishops (Willes and Moss), none have profited directly or indirectly from this trade. Bishop Edward Willes owned stock in the South Sea Annuities, deriving from the South Sea company which, amongst other activities, traded in enslaved people from Africa from 1713 to 1750. The company continued trading until 1853. It is not known when Bishop Willes acquired a financial interest in the company; it may have been after it ceased trading in enslaved people.

Bishop Moss appears to have been a shareholder in the British company running Virginia, a plantation state.  It is not clear whether slaves were used on the Virginian plantations in question but if so, he would have possibly received income from his shareholding.

We will continue to research the links of the Bishops of Bath and Wells and transatlantic slavery. For more information on Wells and transatlantic slavery please visit www.wellsandtransatlanticslavery.com

Wellbeing Walks

Join us on the first Tuesday of the month at 11am and the third Friday of the month at 12.30pm throughout 2024 for a Wellbeing Walk. Please note Wellbeing Walks last approx. 30 minutes.

Come along and spend some quality time in the our gardens, surrounded by nature. This 30 min wellbeing walk will encourage you to take your time, savour the moment and leave feeling refreshed. Meet by the ticket gate at 11am on the first Tuesday of each month. No need to prebook but you will need an admission ticket or membership, if you haven’t already got one, you can purchase a ticket HERE.