ORGANISERS of a workshop designed to help people turn back the clock and look back on Ilminster’s history has been hailed a great success.

The Heritage Workshop saw nearly 300 people go through the doors of the Meeting House Arts Centre earlier this month.

The event was organised by the Heritage of the Ile Trust, which has the aim of preserving the town’s photographic past and take photos of the present to be enjoyed by future generations.

Jim Sainsbury, of the Heritage of the Ile, said: “As usual there was much interest in the display of prints and the slide show.

“Some 30 new photos were brought along for copying and others were promised. There were also requests for copies of photos where there is personal interest in particular scenes, either with a family connection or of a property they have an interest in.”

The Heritage of the Ile Trust was formed in 1976 when well-known local solicitor Jeffrey Duke realised historic photographs were being destroyed when client estates were being disbursed. Records and photographs were to be held by the Trust '"for the preservation of the local history of Ilminster and district and for the display and study by all persons interested therein".

Initially all records were kept as hard copies but with the coming of the electronic age all hard copies are now kept by the Somerset Heritage Centre where they are stored in a temperature and atmosphere environment to ensure their long term survival. Digital copies of more than 5,000 photos are held by the Trust and more are being added to the collection for future generations to access.

To share yesteryear photos Anyone who has yesteryear photos of Ilminster can contact the Heritage of the Ile Trust via Jim Sainsbury on 01460 57825, David Irish on 01460 52996 or via its Facebook page.