I attended the WOMAD festival in Malmesbury on Friday in my capacity as Wiltshire Council’s lead for emergency planning and I have to congratulate and thank the organisers for such a well-organised, safe and inclusive festival.

Council leader Jane Scott and councillors Keith Humphries and Jemima Milton (cabinet member and portfolio holder for public health respectively) also attended to observe how public health and protection was at the centre of such a high-profile event, and we would like to thank the services, including our partners Wiltshire Police and the Wiltshire Ambulance service, which worked together to make this event such a success.

Thanks to the organisers’ focus on making the event as accessible as possible. It was so good to see disabled and able-bodied people of all ages celebrate music from around the world.

I would like to hold this event up as an exemplar in event planning with inclusivity at its heart.

Maggie Rae, Wiltshire Council, Corporate director.