IT WAS hats to the fore when Zeal Monachorum celebrated the seventh anniversary of its monthly Village Market.

Markets are held on the third Saturday of each month from 10am. Produce changes with the seasons, as do some of the stallholders although most are "regulars". As well as meat, eggs, vegetables, preserves, jams, and cakes other items locally-made greetings cards and jewellery

It all began after the village shop and Post Office closed, as a way for people to get together as well as selling spare produce.

Since then it has grown into the well stocked event it is now and raises funds for Zeal Village Hall.

Hall committee chairman John Moore explained: "We were spurred on by the closure of our village shop. We set up the market so that people would not have to go out of the village so often to shop.

"We now have only traders who deliver in the village, or people who are really local, all living and working within a few miles of Zeal.

"Our furthest are probably Peter May with Red Ruby Devon Beef from Clannaborough and Christina and Glyn Comont with Redlands Country Pork from near Coleford.

"We were looking for something with the social value of the shop, and this certainly has that," added John. He is quite right. The markets are cheery, chatty places, time for a cup of tea or coffee and cake.

The hall has recently been refurbished, costing £28,000, some of which came from the market.

Work included refitting the toilets and creating a toilet for people with disabilities. The next job is to redecorate.

Zeal Village Hall was built as a school in 1850, extended to take 90 children in 1861. The school closed in 1959.

S Read