WEST Somerset Community Land Trust will have Michael Eavis, co-founder of Glastonbury Festival, as its guest of honour at the annual meeting next Wednesday, February 26.

In common with the trust (WSCLT), Michael offers financial and practical support for social housing. In his native Pilton, he is currently planning the final phase of a 50-house development on land he has gifted to the community.

WSCLT aims to provide social housing for local people – housing which will be owned by the local community forever. There is a chronic shortage of affordable housing in the area and various factors have eroded the supply of social and council housing stock available.

WSCLT is led by local volunteers and needs as many local people as possible to become members, for a one-off payment of £1, to increase the trust’s voice and widen its network of volunteer talent.

Chairman Maureen Smith said “Social housing can only be provided with assistance of some grant funding or the provision of low cost land which would not receive planning permission for market homes.

“We are looking for land owners, like Michael Eavis, who are willing to help and have the guarantee that the homes will remain in community ownership for ever.”

The AGM is in the Quaker Meeting House, Bancks Street, Minehead, at 8pm with refreshments available from 7.30pm.

Everyone is welcome to attend, particularly anyone who is concerned about the shortage of social housing in West Somerset including potential tenants.