A GROUP which aims to promote harmony between cultures and keep West Somerset the “people friendly, welcoming place for which it is famous ” is holding a special event in the MInehead’s Wellington Square tomorrow morning.

The West Somerset Inter Cultural Friendship Group will join with Amnesty International and local residents between 10.30am and 12 noon for All Different - All Equal, an event with musicians, a choir, and performance poetry.

Representatives of the area’s political parties and church groups have been invited, and organisers are planning a petition to ask West Somerset Council to publicly condemn racism and promote cohesion within the community.

“All decent people will be appalled by the recent increase in racist verbal and physical attacks on ethnic minority people, said Pete Stevenson, the group’s chairman.

“Even here in West Somerset there have been reports of intimidation. Nobody deserves to be abused because they are an immigrant.

“This is our way of saying cultural diversity enriches us, we learn from each other – and locals and people from elsewhere are all welcome.”

The group was formed five years ago a nd regularly holds events involving food and music, to bring people together.

“We recognise the great contributions immigrants make to the NHS, farms, care homes and schools,” said Mr Stevenson.

“New businesses have been formed and newly arrived families form Eastern Europe and elsewhere are making a positive contribution to our communities.

“Let’s keep Minehead and the rest of West Somerset a people-friendly, welcoming place for which it is famous. Let’s promote cohesion and harmony for all members of our community.”

The next event for the group will be an inter-cultural busking day on August 18 on Watchet Esplanade.

l Avon and Somerset Police have written an open letter this week after seeing reported incidents of hate crime in the region riof se from an average four incidents a day to ten since the UK voted to leave the EU.

The letter, written by Avon and Somerset’s Police Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens and Chief Constable Andy Marsh, said: “There can never be any excuse for hate crime in any shape or form and this criminality will not be tolerated.

“We have been dismayed at the stories of hate crime victimisation and racial or anti-immigrant abuse . . . Whatever your thoughts on the result, we hope you find the injustice and devastating effects of this as abhorrent as we do.”