In his weekly Wensum column, Jim Harding talks about a family wedding and the urgent need for a swimming pool…

We were driven more than 200 miles west to the wedding of our son Jack to his Elizabeth. I had only a vague idea of ​​the setting, which we were told was to be in a field somewhere in Somerset. On the way there we passed Stonehenge, surrounded by a circle of onlookers.

Towards evening the sun broke through and it started to rain, creating a glorious rainbow. For those of us with a romantic streak, this could only be a positive sign. Anyway, we eventually checked into the Brewers Arms in the heart of the pretty village of South Petherton, a place that I think is straight out of the 19th century, with its yellow stone buildings, flower-bedecked shops, winding streets and spire-topped church in the middle of the action.

I could imagine horse-drawn carts driving in and out. On the day itself, we were taken to nearby Frogmary Field Farm, which conjured up all sorts of images in my mind. Were weddings really held here? Yes, was the short answer.

What was once a farm was lovingly transformed into a stunning, albeit informal, venue for the exchange of vows. Thankfully, the sun was shining, the fields of marigolds were in full bloom and a green path had been mown for the happy couple to walk there and back hand in hand.

A registrar who is a friend of the bride and groom was allowed to conduct the ceremony himself and we were delighted with the relaxed manner in which everything was carried out. There was a lot of laughter and a lot of joy. I half expected a few sheep and maybe a few cows to poke their heads out of the tall grass in the neighbourhood to share in the whole experience.

We knew very few of the wedding guests, but my brother and his wife had flown down from America to be part of it all. We rarely see each other these days, but occasionally speak on the phone or email, so this was a rare opportunity to catch up. After the ceremony, we met to raise a few glasses of champagne, and then the reception followed, which was held in what was then a high-ceilinged barn – now painted white and roofed over, and converted to house a bar, dance floor and DJ corner.

Towards the end of all the fun and games, a group of young guests suddenly took control and spontaneously sang One Day More from Les Misérables. Last year, as a treat, our sons had accompanied us to London to see this great musical and as a bonus, we had almost front row seats. Singing this special number seemed a fitting way to round off what had been a wonderful and unforgettable celebration, especially for us parents. Having never heard of South Petherton before, I suppose it now holds a very special place in our hearts.

Plans to improve our athletic facilities here seemed to be going like clockwork, but having been involved in previous such field trips when our high school had been fighting vigorously for years for a long-overdue athletic center, I remained cautiously optimistic that it would all work out.

Our Mayor remained optimistic, but this message did not put me in a flag-waving mood. As you may have guessed, this is about building a new swimming pool next to the sports centre at the top of Field Lane.

The signs were good when the previous government promised funds to cover a large shortfall in the final cost and plans were drawn up to make the project possible, but recent indications do not suggest that such an investment is now likely, at least not in the short term.

There is a consensus that Fakenham needs such an important facility following the closure of the two former middle and high school swimming pools which once served hundreds of youngsters, and the importance of learning to swim from a young age did not need to be stressed by people like me, despite having taught swimming here and in Australia for 30 years.

Some parents may be willing to travel a long distance to use the swimming pools in other cities. The vast majority will not. We live near the sea, but it is not exactly the ideal place to “learn to swim”. Such a pity.