I RECENTLY had the pleasure of attending Taunton’s auction of 22 fibreglass dragons. It got me thinking – whatever happened to Newport’s very own 60 Superdragons (one of which I had the honour of decorating)?

Taunton raised £40,000 through not just the auction, but many local events. This money is being put back into the community through the charity, The Somerset Community Foundation.

The auction itself was attended by local businesses and families who bid furiously to win their favourite dragon. It was a fantastic night.

So, here is my question: Why did Newport never hold a public auction for the Superdragons? The project, run in conjunction with Wild at Art Newport in 2010 raised £100,000 for two major charities through a public auction. We had the same opportunity for our own project in 2012, yet it never happened.

I believe some of the dragons are still in the Riverfront, most with sold signs after a charity event at the Celtic Manor and some still for sale.

At a time when the council is having to make cut after cut in its budget, was such a fantastic opportunity overlooked?

There have been a couple of auctions, but they were private events and one was for a fantastic local charity, but maybe more money could have been raised with a larger public audience?

The overwhelming feeling at the Taunton auction was of great community spirit, a feeling, I think, which is extremely lacking in my home town of Newport at the moment. I would welcome any comments or thoughts about this subject.

Michele Harries, Newport