Building site and headquarters
Mendip Vale’s float building site varied between the old railway goods yard, which was near the Sherston Inn in Wells, Westbury-sub-Mendip and a farm in Coxley near Wells between 1965 and 1978. The club then built on rough land next to the Green Ore café at Green Ore north of Wells until November 1989 when the club moved permanently to a more central location in Wells itself. In 1986, 1987 and 1988, the last month of building was carried out half under cover at the old railway goods shed, which stood on the site of Travis Perkins in Wells until the mid-1990s.

Mendip Vale has been desperately seeking a permanent, suitable site on which to construct the float since the late-1980s. Between 1990 and 1993, the club built outside at the Cold Store (‘the coldest place in the universe!’), sometimes in a field with no cover, and nearer to carnival time the float moved from side to side of the Cold Store, using the old railway canopies as limited cover. In 1993 a ‘temporary’ shed constructed from scaffolding, corrugated tin and tarpaulins was built on adjacent land and has contained the float ever since! The club still requires a purpose-built shed with full cover, mains electricity, added security to reduce break-ins, and modern facilities in line with many other mid-Somerset clubs.

The club originally met at a house in Balch Road in Wells and later moved to the Rose and Crown, St. John Street, Wells. The club later met at the Globe Inn, Priest Row, Wells. Since 1989, the club’s headquarters has been at the Sherston Inn, Priory Road, Wells. Pictures of entries along with lists of members going back to 1980 can be viewed in the pub’s skittle alley and restaurant.

Tractor drivers
The first tractor driver in 1965 was Alec Kerton, and the drivers varied from year to year in the early years. For example, the 1975 entry ‘Cobra Kingdom’ had a different driver at each carnival. Keith (‘Mini’) Sheppard has been the main tractor driver since 1978. The only exceptions have been Mike Andrews who drove at North Petherton 1998, and Mini’s son Tom who drove at North Petherton and Shepton Mallet in 2003 and at North Petherton, Shepton Mallet, Wells and Weston-super-Mare in 2004 and 2005, and who will no doubt take over permanently at some time in the future.

Float designers
Bill Wilkinson (1983); Mark Addicott (1985); Mike Andrews (1986, 1988, 1990, 1995-1996); Paul Addicott (1987); Martin Smith (1991); Jackie Loveless (1992); Paul Fenson (1993); Jackie and Gary Loveless (1994); Mike Daniels (1997-2000); Liam Guise (2001-2004); Tom Sheppard (2005-2006).

Cart captains
Gwilym Harris (1968-1995, 1998); Mike Andrews (1996-1997); Barry Cooper (1999); Dave Brewer (2000); Liam Guise (2001); Kevin Brock/Liam Guise (2002); Andrew Bennett (2003-2006)