A BIG cultural celebration is being lined up for the Day of Portugal at the Bridgwater Arts Centre.

Bridgwater has the largest contingent of Portuguese people in Somerset and this will be the fourth time the town has organised an event to celebrate the occasion.

A number of Portuguese artists will take to the stage to perform on Sunday, June 10 and there will also be a clown to entertain the children, as well karaoke in between artists allowing the audience to participate.

The event will run from noon until 6pm. 

Cllr Diogo Rodrigues, current mayor of Bridgwater, is the first Portuguese mayor in the history of the UK.

Marcos Santos from the organisers, volunteer collective Tuga Productions, said: "The Portuguese collective Tuga Productions will celebrate their 10th anniversary and the event will be its best ever, with a political message to those who so much criticize the foreigner communities at this Brexit stage. 

"Our special guest is the Bridgwater Mayor, Diogo Rodrigues, the first ever Portuguese Mayor in the UK. We are so proud to see Diogo's achievement that we have invited him as our special guest. Members of the Portuguese embassy and Consulate have also been invited but their presence is still pending. 

"We have recently prepared the food for Diogo's Mayor Making at the Town Hall, 100 per cent Portuguese and so many councillors and guest have congratulated us, enjoyed our delicious food, many of them assured us that they will attend the Portugal Day to have the pleasure to enjoy our food again and support our event.

"It was the best recognition a voluntary group like ours could have, everyone has really loved the Portuguese food we presented and we will make sure everyone is happy again at the Arts Centre.

"As this is out 10th anniversary, we decided to give back to the community all the help and hospitality the Portuguese people has received in Bridgwater and Somerset.

"We have decided to donate 100 per cent of the ticket sales to the Bridgwater Foodbank, this is for us the best way to give back to the community the support we have.

"The Foodbank supports the vulnerable in our town but it struggles to deliver due to the high demand of people in need. For this reason we decided that by helping the Bridgwater Foodbank, we, Tuga Productions in representation of the Bridgwater and Somerset Portuguese community will be supporting the ones that really need support, the most vulnerable in our community.

"We hope that this action will encourage other migrant communities to organize fundraising events in order to support the local Food bank. When we arrive in this country and in this town, we are provided with jobs and services such as schooling to our children, access to health, etc, so it is important that we also work for the local community in order to support the ones who need.

"I am very proud of my staff who will be working hard at this event to support the food bank, when I asked for their help, I only had one person who declined to help. In the past we run solidarity events to support Portuguese families in need, this time we are supporting families of whatever nationality they are, we are supporting the local community as whole."

They are enouraging the following things to be donated: 

Long life milk, semi skimmed (green carton) 

Long life milk, full cream (blue carton)   

Tinned vegetables. carrots / peas / sweet corn / potatoes / etc.

Tinned fruit. peaches / apricots / pears / pineapple / etc.  

Tinned rice pudding / custard.

Packets of noodles

Pot noodles

Childrens treats, sweets, crisps etc

Tooth Brushes / toothpaste /shampoo / soap / deodorant, toilet rolls, disposable razors.

Mr Santos added: "We want to thank our supporters as without them we could no go ahead with this and support our local community, they are Skewer House Taunton, Go Cargo, Somerset District Council, Community Council for Somerset and the main supporter, Bridgwater Town Council.

"Many thanks to all of them."