THE newly-formed Ilminster Majorettes are getting ready for their opening public performances – just a few months after getting started.

The troupe is the brainchild of Emily Langhorn who used to be a member of the Axminster Dazzling Sapphires which folded around ten years ago.

Now Emily has set up Ilminster Majorettes and is delighted at the enthusiasm being shown by the members.

An initial meeting was held at the end of November last year at the Shrubbery Hotel and 30 signed up there and then. The troupe now has almost 40 young members.

“It’s great for Ilminster to have its own majorettes again,” said Emily. “Virtually everyone is completely new to this and so we’ve had to start from scratch. But I’ve been delighted with how everything is going and the children are really enthusiastic.”

Emily said that the main objective for the group at the moment is to be able to go out and represent Ilminster with the vast majority of the members all coming from the town, and to have fun, achieving goals and promoting healthy living.

The troupe’s first public performances will be at the Ilminster Midsummer Experience in early June and then the Ilminster Lions’ annual summer fete on June 27.

They are also planning on taking part in the South Petherton Carnival in September and then the Ilminster Carnival in October.

The group meets every Wednesday evening at the Ile Youth Centre in Frog Lane, Ilminster.