Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Project CIC has been set up to make people proud of Shepton Mallet, to claim the snowdrop as ‘our flower’, and to celebrate the historic legacy of James Allen, the famous C19th snowdrop hybridiser and collector still known as the ‘Snowdrop King’, who was born, worked and lived his entire life here. Our aim is to build and sustain awareness of all three, and engage communities locally, regionally and nationally, promoting Shepton Mallet as a visitor destination and bringing people to the town to benefit the local economy at a normally quiet time of the year.
We have a number of specific objectives which we are working to achieve:
Raise Shepton Mallet’s profile and position as the Snowdrop Town:
Create highly visible blankets of snowdrops across the town and encourage local people to celebrate the snowdrop by planting their gardens and community spaces
Secure funding and annually plant as many snowdrop bulbs as possible and continually replenish them over the years
Provide opportunities for local people to buy snowdrop bulbs at a low cost to encourage greater coverage in private gardens and community spaces.
Using Shepton Mallet’s unique Snowdrop profile, encourage local people to feel proud of their town and their local environment, and enjoy the sense of hope and emotional wellbeing from the early emergence of snowdrops:
Build and sustain a year round public-facing presence for the Snowdrop Project and the Festival
Work with community groups and schools to promote awareness and encourage active engagement, including recruitment and greater involvement of volunteers at key times throughout the year.
Create awareness and attractions for visitors each February when Snowdrops are at their peak:
Celebrate the snowdrop and encourage the community - public and businesses - to be actively involved in creating displays
Dress the Town with snowdrop themed decorations.
Hold a Festival in the town to profile and celebrate the Snowdrop with:
Themed competitions for poetry and photography culminating in award ceremonies at the Festival
Exhibitions and sales by local artists, makers and plant growers
Active participation of businesses, community groups and schools
Historic profile of James Allen and his work
Links and cross-promotion with other local snowdrop venues
Education and information about spring horticulture, and in particular snowdrops
Heritage and snowdrop trails in the town and neighbouring villages, promotional links with Snowdrop displays in open gardens.
Through the Snowdrop festival, support and aid the regeneration of the local economy through tourism and local engagement:
Achieve a strong position and profile for the Shepton Mallet Snowdrop Festival on local, regional and national platforms
Build relationships with relevant horticultural organisations and ‘gardening experts’ - photographers, writers, journalists, and professional gardeners
Collaborate with entertainment, hospitality and town centre businesses to achieve cross-promotion for the Festival and the town.
Achieve greater local recognition for the legacy of James Allen and enhance awareness and visibility of historic buildings in the town with a direct connection to him:
Place blue plaques at Highfield House and Park House
Recreate the obelisk on his grave and maintain an appropriate memorial to him at the cemetery in Shepton Mallet
Explore heritage trails and other vehicles within the town to promote James Allen’s legacy
Endeavour to open up historic buildings for public access during the Festival.
