🎬 Farrah Charles & Dan Burton talk Shepperton Studios at The Sheppertonian Live!

Gareth Davies: 00:00:42

Hello and welcome to the Sheppertonian. I'm Gareth and this is the local podcast bringing you stories, voices and events from in and around Shepparton.

This is a special one. It was recorded in front of an audience as part of the Sheppertonian Live at Bishop Duppas Bowls Club, our evening of two live podcast recordings.

And this is the second of those conversations I wanted to share with you. The first was with Dik Gregory, Chair of the Village Fair Committee. So, all in all, about as Shepperton as you can get, really.

Village Fair, Shepperton Studios, Bowls Club, locals. Brilliant. It was a top night and I hope to do it again sometime.

Before we get into it though, a quick thank you to the local businesses backing the Sheppertonian through the Business Club. Their support is what keeps these stories coming.

Honestly, if you have been on our socials lately, you'll have noticed the reels are reaching some really big local numbers. So if you run a business and you'd like to get in front of an engaged local audience, the Business Club is a good place to be.

You'll find everything@theshepartonian.uk business club. It's in the show notes as well, for easy access.

And there's a free business Club newsletter too, if you'd like to just keep an eye on that side of things. So big thanks to our business partners, the Ferry Coffee Shop, that wonderful cafe down at Shepperton Lock; Meon Media, business support for small businesses; and the Sound Boutique, thoughtful audio for every story.

And our business members LuvBiltong, the healthy and let's face it, tasty protein snack; and Island Motors, servicing and mot right here in Shepperton. Okay, let's join the evening.

Shepperton Studios has been part of this village for 95 years.

Films and TV shows that have shaped culture that people around the world have watched and loved have been made just down the road from where we're sitting tonight. But for many of us who live here, the studios can feel a world apart. A place you drive past, not a place you feel connected to.

And tonight's guests are working to change that.

Farrah Charles is the General Manager of Shepperton Studios, recently returned to the area after a career that's taken her through some of the UK's biggest production facilities.

And Dan Burton is the studio's senior Community Outreach and Education manager, the person whose job it is to make sure that what happens behind the gates matters to the people who live outside them. Please welcome both to the Sheppertonian.

Farrah Charles: 00:03:17

Thank you for having us.

Dan Burton: 00:03:18

Thank you.

Gareth Davies: 00:03:19

You're very welcome. So, Farrah, let's start with you. You started your career at Pinewood and you've come back as General Manager of Shepperton Studios.

What does that feel like, coming home, or does it feel like stepping into something completely new?

Farrah Charles: 00:03:32

Both.

Gareth Davies: 00:03:33

Oh, both.

Farrah Charles: 00:03:34

Absolutely both.

As you say, I did start my career a long time ago at Pinewood, and when I got the opportunity to come back to Shepperton, I was so excited because during my days at Pinewood, I did have to spend some time at the studios. So I kind of went into muscle memory, like, oh, I know where I'm going. This is great. It's been like 20 odd years, but I know where I'm going.

And then seeing how much it's progressed in the new side and having the ability to come back with all the knowledge that I've gained through from my years at the other studios, I say I was a spy. So I went to Warner Brothers and I went to Elstree and BBC and all these different places, and I've, like, learned so many things from there.

But coming back to Pinewood, it absolutely does feel like coming home. Some of the same faces are there, there are new faces there, and it's...

There's just an excitement about Shepperton that a lot of other places don't have. And, you know, there's a real sense of community. So, yeah, I'm super excited to be back.

Gareth Davies: 00:04:29

Oh, lovely. So what does the role of General Manager involve?

Farrah Charles: 00:04:33

What doesn't it involve? Like, it's...

Someone said this to me the other day and I find it really interesting because, like, it's very difficult to say on Monday I do this and on Tuesday I do that, because there's so many different things that I get involved in.

So I work very closely with Dan to make sure that we're keeping you guys happy and that we're listening to the things that you have to say and that we're getting that across to productions as well.

And, you know, working with productions to make sure that they are receiving the facilities that they need and that we're servicing them in the best way and making us the best studio in the world. You know, we're the second biggest studio in the world, people.

That is a massive achievement to have right here in Shepperton, and I want to make sure that that continues and people want to come to us and that they can recognise all the beautiful things that we have around us. Not just on site, but around us, the things that are available around Shepperton.

Gareth Davies: 00:05:23

You mentioned earlier about Shepperton Studios is special and stands out. You've worked at BBC Studio Works, Warner Brothers, Leavesden, Garden Studios. You've seen a lot of different studio cultures.

What makes Shepperton different?

Farrah Charles: 00:05:38

It's two things. So it's the history of it.

A lot of studios are new, they've popped up in the last however many years and they don't have that real history and pride in. And I'm saying this as someone who's been in lots of other spaces, but they don't necessarily have the same sense of pride.

You know, we've made things that people, people are envious of. We've got buildings that have such a massive history behind them. Like, I walk around Shepparton and I'm just always proud.

I've got the massive smile on my face and I'm just like, I cannot believe that I get to do this and I get to be here. So that's one of the main differences. And everyone that works there really takes pride and, like, you know, holds their head high.

Like, look at what we're doing, look at what we're achieving, look at where we are, look at our community.

Gareth Davies: 00:06:24

Yeah.

And I have a question later on about the sheer weight of all that's happened in the studio. I mean, it's just mind boggling really, isn't it? And it's only been a few months. So what surprised you about the role so far?

Farrah Charles: 00:06:37

Yeah, four months, everyone. Do you know what, what surprised me is how easy it's been for me to slip in.

And that's a credit to not only the people that I work with, but not only the studio themselves.

But like, I've met some of the residents, I've met, you know, some of the local community and just driving into work and everything like that, it just, again, it feels like coming home. I'm just excited for the future and I'm just excited, as I say, to have the opportunity to be there.

Gareth Davies: 00:07:07

Yeah, lovely, Lovely. Dan, let's turn to you. Your title, your long job title is Senior Community Outreach and Education Manager.

So for people who might not know what that means day to day, what does that job look like?

Dan Burton: 00:07:22

I don't know what it means.

Farrah Charles: 00:07:24

It means he's the man that does everything.

Dan Burton: 00:07:26

Yeah. My job so far is different day to day. I work across the group as well, so I'm split my time between Shepperton Studios and Pinewood Studios.

And it may be one day I'm organising an event for a community group to come in and use one of our spaces, or I'm meeting counsellors, I'm meeting local residents, I'm speaking at a resident association meeting. It just varies so much. And that, again, is why I love it, because no one day is the same.

Gareth Davies: 00:07:58

So how did you end up in the role? What drew you to the community side of a film studio?

Dan Burton: 00:08:04

Great question.

I've lived in Shepperton for 20 years and, you know, much like a lot of people when you alluded to at the beginning, you know, I used to walk past the studios and sort of try and peer over the fence and. And sort of see what was going on inside. It's a lot more difficult now to do that.

And, you know, there was always that wonder, that mystique of, will I ever do that? And.

And I never actually thought I would. So I went into teaching randomly and spent 20 years in secondary education.

And then just a role came up that suited me because I just love working with people and I'm a people person. For me, everything we do is about relationships, absolutely everything, whatever business, whatever background. And that, for me was key.

And the role came up and I just. I took it, essentially.

Gareth Davies: 00:08:57

Fantastic. Farah, let's go back to you, because this is the Shepperton's 95th year, an amazing feat.

And again, as I was saying, when you think about the sheer volume of film and television that's been made on that site, A, I guess, what does that feel like to be a part of? But B, are there any productions or moments in the studio's history that you find particularly remarkable or close to your heart?

Farrah Charles: 00:09:22

I'll go for B first. Okay, so.

Gareth Davies: 00:09:25

And Dan, feel free to answer that.

Farrah Charles: 00:09:26

One of the first films I ever saw in the cinema was Superman. My mum took me to the cinema to watch Superman, and to be in a space where that was made blows my mind every day. I'm like, look at... again, look at what I get to do. So that's B. What's A again?

Gareth Davies: 00:09:45

Yeah. A is really. What does it feel like to be part of an institution with the sheer weight of what's been made there?

Farrah Charles: 00:09:52

There's a lot of responsibility because I feel like I want to keep it safe. It's a treasure. It's all of our treasure.

And I want to make sure that it isn't taken for granted, and I want to make sure that it doesn't fail us so that I have that responsibility. But it.

With great power comes great, you know, But I am, again, I'm really excited by it because it is such a special place and it holds so many things that other studios just don't have.

Gareth Davies: 00:10:21

Fantastic. Dan, do you have a, a favorite?

Dan Burton: 00:10:25

stage and being a sci fi fan,: 2001

I think it's L stage where The Who performed and Queen have performed and recorded bits of their music videos and that's... I might come on to that a little bit later. But it's just again, it's got so much history with music as well as film and that really excites me.

Farrah Charles: 00:11:01

We love: 2001

Gareth Davies: 00:11:05

Do you have an airlock?

Dan Burton: 00:11:07

No, no, absolutely not.

Gareth Davies: 00:11:09

Dan, let's stick with you for a moment because there is a community fund for anyone in the audience who hasn't heard of it. What is the community fund and where did it come from?

Dan Burton: 00:11:19

So the community fund - and thank you for asking the question because I always like to plug it wherever I can - is fantastic.

And we launched the community fund three years ago and it came about from our section 106 which is when a lot of buildings are obviously built and we've got the big site and everything else. We came up with some ideas that could benefit the community where we are building this site.

And that idea came about very early stages, working with councillors and local council and essentially was launched three years ago. And it's £500,000 over 10 years, £50,000 a year. And it's run for us by the Community Foundation for Surrey.

So it's on the Community Foundation for Surrey's website and you can go on there and put in an expression of interest for that fund and then hopefully if you're successful, it'll come to a panel and we will give you some more money. And it's, it's aimed really at local groups, local charities and it's absolutely only for people and groups that are from Spelthorne.

So it benefits the local immediate community.

Gareth Davies: 00:12:34

Will that now apply to West Surrey if Spelthorne is no longer...?

Dan Burton: 00:12:38

Good question. Yeah, well, it won't apply to West Surrey. It will still be cuz Spelthorne, although that won't be there. The area will be so designed for.

It will absolutely, yeah. So it will just be the area.

Gareth Davies: 00:12:51

Right. And so what sorts of projects have been supported so far? Because you've supported like around 20 organisations so far.

Dan Burton: 00:12:59

Yeah, 19 so far.

And they really range, they range from the Scouts, the Eighth Scouts hut that wanted some equipment, some new equipment for their Scouts, which we were overjoyed to be able to give them the funding for that, to the bags of food for the Jubilee Centre, Jubilee Church in Shepperton, which is, you know, they're all absolutely, completely individual and all fantastic organisations and again, all, all very local and they range completely. And they're not all charities either. The key for me is that all of them are run by local people doing good by local people.

And that for me is the key. And it's, it's providing them with a springboard to be able to continue to do the good things that they do for the community.

Gareth Davies: 00:13:48

And did you say that you can go to the website to start that process? Don't you mean the. Is the Pinewood website with the Shepperton section?

Dan Burton: 00:13:56

Yeah. So again, so we've got on the Pinewood website, Pinewood Group of which obviously Shepperton Studos is part of that.

You can go on there and there's a community section for Shepperton on there.

You'll find links, you'll find latest news, you'll find meetings that I hold once every four to six weeks at the studios, like a drop in meeting which, which people can come to and talk to me about the community fund and anything else they want to, to discuss.

Gareth Davies: 00:14:20

And that becomes a little bit of a networking evening as well.

Dan Burton: 00:14:23

Absolutely, yeah, absolutely. And which, which is great. So you can, you can find it on our website. You can also find it on the Community Foundation site.

Gareth Davies: 00:14:29

Yes, and there's also an education strand to that fund that, well, to the community work. How does that differ from the community fund and who's that aimed at?

Dan Burton: 00:14:39

So that's aimed at schools, essentially.

Well, education providers I should say, because we have awarded to satro, which is a group that go around and provide education in different areas of Spelthorne. But yeah, so that's essentially that again, that's £250,000 over five years. So £50,000 a year, four schools that reside in Spelthorne to apply for.

And loosely, again, it's very broad that funding, but loosely targeted at young people that will be getting from it some sort of media or film experience. So I'll give you an example. Littleton Church of England School that sits right on the corner of the roundabout on the part of our state studio site.

They applied, were successful and what they got out of it was, and when they applied for it, they came and spoke to me, they wanted a huge outdoor space that was going to look like a ship, and it was just a play area. And what they did, they tailored their. Their application, so that was going to be a performance space as well.

So, you know, if you think very cleverly about the way that you apply, it can really benefit you.

Gareth Davies: 00:15:56

Fantastic. Shepperton Studios has been part of this village, like we said, for 95 years. A big year.

It can feel like two separate worlds with, you know, driving past the gates, you bridge that gap by lots of community things going on. Also sponsoring events. What kind of things? What kind of organizations have you been involved with on that side of things?

Dan Burton: 00:17:29

Shepperton Village Fair and the Big Tree Night, two of the jewels in the crown, as far as I'm concerned, of, of Shepperton life, but everything really. So we have residents associations that come to us for funding for individual events that they do.

We have charities that. The young man in the back there that came to me last week, and we're holding a screening for their charity as a bit of a sort of a fundraiser.

So we will help really, as much as we can possibly do for as many different groups as possible. But, you know, it's not limited to any one organization, and we try our best to sort of mix it up as well.

So we're not just helping the same group every year. We're trying to sort of spread the love a little bit.

Gareth Davies: 00:18:15

Yeah, lovely, lovely. So what excites you most about what's ahead?

Farrah Charles: 00:18:21

Okay, so I grew up in London, and I've always loved film and television, and I was very close to Television Centre, and for me, that life seemed like something I couldn't touch. You know, I didn't know anyone that worked in the industry. As Dan said, the gate seemed to be closed. You couldn't get in.

What excites me for the future are community projects like Dan does, like the education and the community and those sorts of things. Because what we're saying is, and what we're recognising is this industry that we're fortunate enough to be a part of needs new blood.

So there's people around that see Shepperton and they feel like they don't know how they can get in. There's communities that, you know, there's businesses that don't know that. It feels very separate, too.

What I'm trying to do and what Dan is trying to do is to integrate that slightly. So some of the things that we're working towards is. Is ensuring that productions that come in understand what's available off site.

You Know, these are the wonderful things that are available. We don't have that service, but you can get that here. You've only got to speak to these people.

So making sure that there's that line, you know, talking to the youth of today and saying, do you want to come and see what studio looks like? You know, there's ways that they can contact. Dan. We run schemes where you can become a runner and you can get, be integrated into lots of different ways. And in the four months that I've been here, I can already see that there's massive things that we're doing and I want that to continue.

Dan Burton: 00:19:43

We've got lots of. I'm going to jump in. Absolutely. That we, you know, we...we already do so much.

You know, we've got the local Spelthorne Business Hub that we sponsor, we've got the Spelthorne Business Plan that we're a sponsor every year, the Spelthorne Business Awards, Spelthorne Business Awards that take place and that's... we are the headline sponsor of that this year. It's the last one. And I think we've been the sponsor of that since its inception. So, you know, we are.

We're not just doing things for the benefit of us and for our internal community and the productions, we're really, really trying to push everything out to ensure that local businesses and the young people locally are going to benefit.

Gareth Davies: 00:20:24

Yeah, you mentioned earlier about a day you're having for the young people on fair day. No fights in the car park, please... on the 13th of June.

Dan Burton: 00:20:33

Yes. Yeah. So that's. That's full at the moment. So that's. That went out the last couple of. The last couple of editions of Village Matters.

You would have seen an advert for some free spaces for two courses, day bootcamp courses. And it's not just for young people, it's for anybody to apply.

And the criteria is just that you're over 18 and that you live in Spelthorne and those boot camps are run by the NFTs and that's taking place on the 13th. But you'll be pleased to know that there's only 60 spaces. So there's only 60 people not going to the. To the village fair with things like that.

Farrah Charles: 00:21:11

We speak to the productions that we have on site and we, you know, we explain to them the importance of doing these things and they're very excited by it too. You know, we say to them, it'd be great if we can get these people to come and see what a stage looks like.

It's one thing to walk around the studio, but unless you're actually going to go inside and see what stage looks like, you really don't have an understanding. And it just gives people a different opportunity to ask questions that they maybe didn't even think of.

Gareth Davies: 00:21:34

I do have some questions from the audience, if you're up for that. And I'll start with one from David, who's over there, which is actually related to that.

David asks: Shepperton Studios is major part of the local area and economy. Are there plans for open days, educational programs or community events so that local residents can better engage with and feel connected to the work taking place at the studios? With that on the 13th, would that kind of fall under that category or the other things?

Dan Burton: 00:22:04

Yeah, 100% that would.

There'll be two or three of those types of events that take place again, the National Film Television School, which are the best provider of training, I think, in the world, they come and we'll do that for us again for local people. We have outdoor screenings that we'll put on in. In this time. It's going to be beginning of September.

You'll get the dates for those soon and they'll be sort of special, a little bit special this year because they're our 95th birthday and, yeah, there'll be lots of. Lots of things for people to get involved in. We do a Futures Festival now.

A Futures Festival Festival is our sort of flagship event, really, in our calendar. It's not been held at Shepperton, but it will be. But it will be. And it's. It's at Pinewood, just down the road.

We get nearly 5,000 young people from across the UK come in and talk to the people, talk to the productions about careers. And we've actually gone on and people have gone on to employ into productions just from coming to those. Those festivals.

So they're working and I think that is what's important for us is, again, I'll sort of reiterate, we don't actually make films at Shepperton Studios. Believe it or not, it's the productions that are on site that make the film.

So we've got two of our clients, which are Netflix and Amazon MGM, that take up the studio space and it's they that make the productions. So we are the facilitator. And I'm hoping out of this that people will continue to refer to Shepperton Studios as, as Shepperton Studios.

Gareth Davies: 00:23:33

Absolutely. You mentioned about 95th year and outdoor screenings for things.

So David's other question actually was: does the studio have any plans to reintroduce the weekend cinema events as that was very good.

Dan Burton: 00:23:48

Yes, it was. This was before your time. So you. You've got my first one. Yeah, you've got out of this one. Okay.

So, yeah, we did have a cinema which was open to the public for many years and we did close it about 18 months ago and we were going out every month in Village Matters to show the titles. We had adverts down by the station, we had a sign up. It just wasn't getting enough boots on the ground, basically. So we had to stop it, essentially.

But that doesn't mean it's gone away forever because we do hold charity screenings and we do hold outdoor screenings, as I say.

In fact, last week I spoke to the gentleman at the back there about his charity that he supports who are going to get a screening in November or December to support that charity.

So I've also gone reached out to local residents associations who will be able to put on some screenings on sort of Friday or weekends and that's how we'll do it. And it will be a free at the point. Those screenings as well, we won't be charging the public for those. They'll be free.

However, at the moment, we're not bringing the cinema back.

Gareth Davies: 00:24:57

Okay, I think that's fairly conclusive. I'm going to ask one more audience question and then I'll ask a question to round off.

So Sinead, one of our amazing councillors for Shepperton, asks this.

Residents want to support the studios and recognise the opportunities it brings, but they also need confidence that the impact on local roads, noise, parking and day to day disruption is being properly managed. What practical steps are the studios taking to keep residents informed, respond quickly to concerns and make sure the agreed mitigate.

Yeah, and agreed mitigation measures are actually working. Great question, Sinead, Great question, great question.

Farrah Charles: 00:25:41

And a very important one to us as well, because as I said before, our success relies on not just us providing great services, but the surrounding community being on board as well, because it is our studio.

So what we're doing, and I can say this because I'm new and I've looked at everything and I've listened to people and I know what I'm going to do and yeah, very passionate about it. So what we're doing at the moment is we're working very close with productions and we, what we do, we go through all of their plans.

Anytime they have an external activity, we run through their plans with them. We've employed or we work very closely with acoustic engineers to make sure that we're monitoring the sounds.

We have an app that if the sound goes above a certain level, we get notifications and all our on call team get notifications and we can deal with them straight away. Our security operations control room, they are on board and they know all the communications.

We make sure that we do letter drops to the local community to keep them involved of anything. They've got Dan's number. They have my number. Yes.

And it's very important to us to listen because at the end of the day, we want our productions to be successful, obviously, but we have to bear in mind the impact that that can have on the local community. And so we listen and we're putting things in place as well. Like, you know, like we're trying to mitigate, as I said, sounds.

We're doing things like putting up acoustic panels and in spaces. That could be, you know, could be tricky. We're assessing the information that we get from the sound monitors so that we can look at things.

If a production comes and says, oh, by the way, we want to do this in a particular area, we're able to look at this information and track it and say, no, you're going to have to not do that because the implications could be this. So we're trying to do things in advance. We don't want it to be that something has happened and then we're being reactive.

We're trying our best to be more proactive. And that's based on what we've heard previously and it's also based on what we feel is right for the community.

Dan Burton: 00:27:38

And just to add to that, when I first started at the studios a few years ago, it was, you know, the first sort of spades had just gone in the ground. There was a lot of dust that's been settled since then. But I remember working extremely closely with residents who border our studio site.

And, you know, we planted nearly 20,000 trees and shrubs in line with, with their wishes behind their houses and things like that to really, you know, we really did go out of our way to really try and support them as much way as we could so that we weren't having that impact. And, you know, and like Farah said that that work just continues.

And, you know, we're always looking at ways to, to improve and make sure that we're not disturbing people, because otherwise they ring me up.

Farrah Charles: 00:28:24

Yeah, exactly. And then he rings me up.

But what's really important for us as well is to make sure that the productions understand how the community can react to These things and why they react to these things and because they love Shepperton and they love being at there and they want to make it a success. They are listening to us, believe you me, we are telling them so they are listening to us.

Gareth Davies: 00:28:47

Fantastic.

So just to round off, really, and this can be for both of you, either of you, if you'd like to answer, what would you most like people in Shepperton to know about the studios that they might not know already?

Dan Burton: 00:28:59

That we're called Shepperton Studios? Yes, we touched on that fact that there is this. I don't want to say disconnects.

I don't believe there is a disconnect, but there is a certain mystique with the studios.

I don't think that'll ever go away, and I don't think it should because I think, you know, the reason we're very protective of our clients ip, is so that when you are going to the cinema or when you watch Netflix, when you turn on the telly, you. You don't want spoilers. You want to be surprised. You want to be excited by what you're watching. And that, for me, needs to remain that.

That sort of sprinkle of magic. Yeah, absolutely. Needs to sort of remain. And I'm sort of hoping that that never goes away, really. I don't even remember what the question was.

I'm so sorry, I've just gone off on a tangent.

Farrah Charles: 00:29:48

Also. Just to add on to that. We want you to feel proud. Like that was done at Shepperton. We want you to feel proud.

Gareth Davies: 00:29:55

Absolutely.

Dan Burton: 00:29:56

Can I just tell you about the who very quickly?

Gareth Davies: 00:29:57

Yes.

Farrah Charles: 00:29:58

I've got, of course, the unusual fact as well.

Dan Burton: 00:30:01

I'll bet mine is better than yours. All right.

Farrah Charles: 00:30:03

Probably, though, if you're mentioning The Who, then.

Dan Burton: 00:30:05

Of course it's gonna be safe.

Farrah Charles: 00:30:07

No, it's not.

Dan Burton: 00:30:07

Okay, good. All right. Well, mine is. So Shepperton Studios, we've got the old house there. I always tell this story, if you don't know it.

We've got the old house then. And the whole owned that old. The old house and the orangery in the 70s. And when they moved in, there was still a studios there.

When they moved in, they were rummaging around and it is an absolute maze in that old house. It is just dozens of rooms, cellars,.

Farrah Charles: 00:30:31

And we're still finding rooms.

Dan Burton: 00:30:33

Yeah, it is. It's crazy. And they found a safe, a big, huge safe in the bottom of the basement.

They managed to pull it up, got it outside, and they tried to open it. Couldn't open it.

So they went over to one of the workshops where some special effects guys were working and said, guys, is there any chance you could come and try and open, open the safe? They came over, put some explosives underneath it, literally, as you do back then.

Not like that now, by the way, rest assured, lit it, took cover, blew the thing off, off the out of sight and it was never seen again. And that's my story about the who said, somewhere, probably in the River Ash is an old safe and goodness only knows what's in it.

Gareth Davies: 00:31:19

So if you bring the safe back, there's a prize.

Dan Burton: 00:31:21

I presume there's a prize for the safe and it's inside the safe.

Farrah Charles: 00:31:29

Really boring. I think that's a good way to end. Mine was boring.

Gareth Davies: 00:31:35

Well, Farrah Charles and Dan Burton from Shepperton Studios, thank you so much for joining me on the Sheppertonian.

Farrah Charles: 00:31:41

Thank you.

Dan Burton: 00:31:42

Thanks for having us. Thank you.

Gareth Davies: 00:31:53

That was Farah Charles and Dan Burton from Shepperton Studios, recorded live at the Bishop Duppas Bowls Club. My thanks to them both for such an open and generous conversation and to everyone who came along on the night.

And speaking of the community out in force, what a village fair we had this year. It was wonderful to see so many of you out enjoying it and days like that are a real reminder of what Shepparton is all about.

If you missed our reels from the fair or from the raft race, the links are in the show notes, so do go and take a look. Thanks again to the businesses supporting the Sheppertonian through the business club. Your backing keeps this podcast rooted in the community. I'm Gareth. This has been the Sheppertonian. Until next time. I'll see you around.