Dennis and Ena Allen retire

John Brunsdon

A woman with mid-length curly light brown hair, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, sits next to a man who has short grey hair and a beard and wears a short-sleeved light-coloured shirt and dark trousers. They look at each other and smile. In the foreground are many colourful flowers. — New bloom: Ena, Dennis and garden. Photo by Jim Nagel

Dennis and Ena have closed their High Street giftshop and launderette [and now live at 31B Hamlyn Road]. We wish them health and happiness in their well deserved retirement. Fortunately for our society they are willing to continue as active committee members, Dennis as treasurer and Ena as newsletter distribution coordinator. What would we do without good loyal members like this?

More than 20 years ago Dennis was building footpath stiles with Community Service offenders — in charge, of course! Then after redundancy at Clarks, he and Ena took over a shop and post office near Newton Abbot. After three years they returned to Glastonbury and became very active with our society and local affairs generally. Dennis has served on both district and town councils.

He was mayor during a very difficult period when there was unnecessary oppostion to town-centre enhancement and stood firm regardless of intimidation. Dennis has made his mark in tourism, both on Mendip and in town, where he continues to chair Glastonbury Tribunal Ltd, which runs the tourist information centre.