AN OLYMPIC festival is to be held in Bridport in July and August 2012 to celebrate the Games and boost the town.

It is one of the aims of the Spirit of Bridport group which is being launched at the arts centre between 10am and 2pm on Saturday February 5.

The movement – which was founded out of the Bridport 2012 group - also aims to celebrate the town and its distinct identity.

Chairman Ros Kayes said: “Many people here live on a very low income. Anything we can do over the next few years of recession to encourage people to come into the town and spend money here, money that stays in the town, will help our local businesses.

“That’s what got me going on the project really”.

“But then we were told we couldn’t use the words 2012 in our name because ridiculously it’s patented by the Olympics committee.

“So we decided to cut our losses and create Spirit of Bridport instead.”

The Spirit of Bridport is a forum for community groups and organisations, including artists, musicians, businesses, traders and townspeople who recognise the distinct character of the town and its qualities.

Fra Newbery, who lived in Bridport before founding the Glasgow School of Art, expressed his feelings about the town in the painting from which the group takes its name and which sits in the Town Hall.

Spirit of Bridport has two aims. There will be an online calendar of events, which is now online at Spiritofbridport.org. The second aim of Spirit of Bridport is a celebration of the town.

Artist Kit Glaysier, who promotes arts and the St Michael’s Quarter, said: “Bridport is an iconic place.

“It has a history of non-conformism and resilience and the people here have a character all of their own. They are indomitable.”

Transition Town member and town council leader Dave Rickard added: “We are one of the few towns in Britain to still have traditional butchers, greengrocers, bakers. It is a thriving high street full of local produce.”

Ann Marie Vincent, a supporter of Spirit who moved to Bridport several years ago, said: “This town has something really special.

“So much is happening here.”

“It really is the place to be in the South West and, most importantly, it has something that many modern towns and cities have lost: an active and vibrant real community.

“We all know each other here, and that’s what gives the town its character. We love Bridport, we know it’s special.”

A grant of £3,000 has been awarded for the restoration of paintings in Bridport Town Hall.

The Charles Hayward Foundation has given the cash to Bridport Town Council for the work, which will include including the Spirit of Bridport panels.

The application for this funding was made on behalf of the town council by the Bridport Area Development Trust. The paintings are the work of Fra Newberry who was brought up in Bridport and later went on to become the Director of Glasgow School of Art and responsible for the international promotion of Charles Rennie Macintosh.