Yesterday was the monthly Shepton Mallet Sunday Market, it was credit to Helen Reader, who has been the driving force behind its establishment and her unstinting efforts to revive the Friday Market. It was a pleasant walk through the centre of town, crowded with shoppers and the food stalls seemed to be doing a brisk trade. Such activity was against the backdrop of a closed bank, the town has lost two of its three banks in a year.

Against the wall of the closed bank in the market square was a stall for the town’s twinning committee. The brave souls to kindle an interest with Misburg in Germany, Oissel sur Seine in France and Bollnäs in Sweden. I was wondering how strong the links are as I walked among the stalls? There does not seem to have been any streets named after the towns even though there has been a lot of housing development around Shepton Mallet over the years, and sur-Sheppey does not create an picture of bistros, boulangeries or cafes as there may be in our twin in France.

By the time I reached the bottom of town I realised my thoughts of twin towns were all mistaken. The real heart of our twinned relationships is with the Dia de Muertos and the mannequin in a glass case on the wall was its physical representation.