The Wills Carnival Club have had an extraordinary year as they have come back from the brink and now look forward to 2016 with optimism said Rod Stoodley of the club.

He said: “It’s been success all the way as far as the club is concerned. It was apparent at the end of last year’s carnival season that the club was about to collapse and be lost to carnival. Our thoughts were that we needed to build a team that would regenerate Wills Club. We feel this has been achieved and now are keen to get on with 2016 carnival.

“Our second target was to build a shed large enough to construct a 100ft entry. With the cooperation of our colleagues from Ramblers Carnival Club and Bridgwater carnival committee together with a lot of hard work this was achieved.

“There is internal work to complete during next year but the bulk has been our second success. Our other success was achieved in building our 100ft entry in just three weeks. We are a small unit and our achievements owe a lot to those folk who have contributed to our efforts.”

Members range in age from 17 to 78 and the club founded in 1952 enter with a tableau style cart and meet at the Golden Ball pub. It seemed earlier this year that club was about to fold but through the heroic efforts of the people listed here the great institution that is Wills CC has survived and looks like it will be a major player next year.

This year people on the cart were: Mark Sampson, Paul Cook, Matt Symons, Taiylor Stoodley Grahem Poole, Arron Brown, Paul Beard, John Rogers, Jody Bawden, Sally Trunks-Well, Bev Lockyer, Daniel Misfud, Bob Want and Thomas Trunks. Also in other venues were Dave Creedy, Lindsey Baker, Fiona Baker, Jason Baker and Alan Culverwell.

Also behind the scenes were dress makers Flo Saunders and Wendy Baker; the tractor driver Ken Gibbs; electricians Paul Cook and Nigel Shergar. Plus there was help from Karen Williams, Adam Webb, Barry Bussel, Charlie Harris, Derek Hayes, Dave Hole, Neil Sampson, Sean Stoodley, Graham Sampson, Karen Tett, John Williams, Tania Williams, Malcom Cattle, Jane Lockyer, Gareth Healy, Theresa Healy, Carole Sampson, Steve Shepherd, Luke Shepherd, Phillip Trunks, Simon Rossiter, Kelly Symonds, James Day, Guy Rossiter, Richard Stoodley, Jeff Puddy and Carol Parker.

Send your carnival thoughts to harry.mottram@nqsw.co.uk