YEOVIL NEWS: Vicar is shaken but not stirred at 007-inspired Mayor’s civic service

JAMES Bond fan Cllr Darren Shutler, the Mayor of Yeovil, certainly had the secret agent at the centre of his civic service on Sunday (June 5, 2016).

Mayors and civic dignitaries from around the region converged on St John’s Church in the heart of Yeovil for the annual service which is hosted by the Mayor.

Although the service is stuck to protocol the Mayor is allowed to have some input into the music and there was no doubting that Cllr Shutler had a certain fictional British Secret Service agent in his thoughts when thinking of musical interludes.

Hannah Woolmington played Skyfall by Adele on Tenor Sax – the theme tune to the 2012 James Bond movie of the same title; and then Cllr Sarah Lowery sang a wonderful rendition of Sam Smith’s Writing’s on the Wall – the theme tune to the 2015 Bond film Spectre.

PHOTO - TOP: James Bond fan Cllr Darren Shutler, Mayor of Yeovil.

PHOTO - RIGHT: The Mayor of Yeovil, Cllr Darren Shutler, and his wife Anna (right), arrive at St John's Church ahead of the annual civic service.

The award-winning Yeovil Town Band also played a fantastic medley of famous James Bond tunes – much to the delight of the Mayor.

It was so good that even Revd James Dudley-Smith, the Rector of St John’s, as soon as the band had finished, quipped “I’m shaken – but not stirred” in reference to a popular James Bond saying.

The Mayor and his wife, Anna Shutler, led a procession of civic dignitaries from the Town House in Union Street to St John’s Church where the awaiting congregation had been entertained by pre-service music from The Hospice Singers.

Readings were made during the service by the Mayor and his Deputy Mayor, Cllr David Recardo, while the address was made by the Mayor’s Chaplain, Revd Jim Pearce, and The Hospice Singers performed again.

Hymns during the service were Morning Has Broken, He Who Would Valiant Be, Jerusalem and How Great Thou Art, while there was also the National Anthem.

A collection during the service was made in aid of the Mayor’s two nominated charities – School in a Bag and St Margaret’s Yeovil Hospice.

A reception for invited guests was later held at Home Farm in Chilthorne Domer – home of the School in a Bag charity.

More photos from the civic service can be found on this link: http://www.yeovilpress.co.uk/blog/2016/06/05/civic-service-in-yeovil-june-5-2016/ .

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