My mother’s brother, Lieutenant Leonard Southwell, was born in 1889 and emigrated to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He later served with 60 Squadron Royal Flying Corps as a pilot in the First World War. But he died from
On Friday the Wiltshire Air Ambulance had an emergency and landed on the green in front of my house in Calne. Quite dramatic, as you know they have no funding from the government, shocking, it is funded purely by donations. I decided on the
Now our local MP, Claire Perry, has moved into a ministerial position in the Department of Transport, instead of banging on about trains to Pewsey (as important as they are) she might seriously consider addressing a problem closer to home and sort
What a lot of rot some Marlborough traders talk about the Jazz Festival. The A4 wasn’t closed. The road sign simply said No through road. Access to High St and Shops only. Anybody who wanted to could still park in front of the jewellers.
In the last few years we’ve all come to enjoy pristine pavements and footpaths. Now, sadly, there is increasing evidence that dog owners are slipping back into bad ways. Good citizens of Wiltshire, please remember, if your pooch poops you’ve got to
I was surprised at the letter (Gazette, July 31st) from Liberal Democrat town councillor Nick Watts and his seemingly blasé, uninformed and uncaring attitude with regard to the 750,000 sq ft proposed business development by Range off West Cepen Way
With regard to the Cepen Park Residents’ Association walk of protest. In your article on page 3, Thursday July 31, they have said that they are concerned about traffic and light pollution were their major concern. I would like to make a point here
Having been involved with local planning matters in recent years, I am fully aware of the implications of any new proposed planning application and the possible division of public opinion regardless of the size of the application, from the smallest
Friends of Doorway would like to thank everyone who donated so generously to our street collection on Saturday July 26. We raised £345.89 which will be used to help local homeless and vulnerable people move on in their lives. We are looking
I would like to thank all those who donated and helped raise over £450 for Devizes and District Link on the collection days at Morrisons in Devizes on July 18 and 19. Link provides transport to and from hospitals, surgeries, dental and optician
Every time I drive from Marlborough to Devizes on the A361 I am impressed by the housing development on the outskirts of the town that has been created out of what I presume were former army barracks. That is until I raise my eyes skywards.
I read your review of Los Amigos in Chipenham in last week’s Gazette and I agree with it entirely. Myself and a friend were sitting outside the front on the same night I believe and the atmosphere along with the nights temperature did make you
Open letter to Claire Perry. Firstly, many congratulations on your appointment as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport. It reflects the hard work that you have done for Devizes and in Parliament. I am writing
Wiltshire Council planners have granted permission for a tea room to open in the former Gary Hatto barber shop in The Ginnel, Devizes. Alan and Ramona Richards, of Trowbridge Road, Seend, own the building which has been empty for about a year and
AGE UK Wiltshire is calling on people in the county to take part in a Big Knit campaign. Knitted woolly hats will be put on Innocent smoothie bottles in retailers nationwide in early 2015 and for each bottle sold, Age UK Wiltshire will receive
Monsoon-like rain and thunder could not dampen spirits on the day Happy’s Circus entertained in the Big Top on Jubilee Field in Yatton Keynell. Friends of By Brook Valley School and Helping Hands prepared the village hall and the marquee, and lots
An end-of-term fundraising day at King’s Lodge School, Chippenham, had pupils’ hair on end as everyone competed to turn-up with the strangest locks on show. It was organised by Year 6 leaver Lauren Croft who researched the charity Cancer Research
It's less than a year since Parliament decided not to use military force against Syria. I still think that was the right decision, since no-one could really contemplate the consequences had we done so. Yet I have grave misgivings about the way
Young beautician Megan Bowyer has embarked on a new business venture taking over Marlborough shop Beauty-Fulltime. The 26-year-old year-old of Eastcott has taken over the beauty store in the High Street from Kerry Chambers who had the shop for
SIR Bradley Wiggins will miss the Vuelta a Espana in order to ride the Tour of Britain, stage six of which passes through Wiltshire in September, Team Sky principal Sir Dave Brailsford has said. The 2012 Tour de France winner had previously hinted
The toe-tapping musical Grease will be shown at The Forever Friends Appeal’s Movie by Moonlight in Bath this month, with hundreds of people expected to dress the part. The annual event is on Middle Common Royal Victoria Park on August 31 at 8.30pm
Wiltshire has missed the worst of the lashing rain and fierce winds which have battered parts of south west Britain as the remnants of Hurricane Bertha sweep across the country. Winds gusting at almost 50mph struck Cornwall this morning, while
There was fun and information for all the family in Hillworth Park when a services show was organised to tell the community about what was on offer. Youngsters had the chance to sit in a police car, clamber over a fire engine and take on an assault
Wiltshire people trying to trace the military history of their ancestors who fought in the First World War are being invited to a special family history day at the Fleet Air Arm Museum near Yeovilton. As part of the national Heritage Open Days
MARK Collier reflected on a job well done as his new-look Chippenham Town enjoyed a near-perfect opening day of the campaign at Biggleswade Town. Goals in each half from frontmen Lee Phillips and Omar Simpson secured a 2-0 success for the Bluebirds
The doors of the new Pewsey Vale Bowls Club officially opened on Friday when Secretary of Wiltshire Bowls Sue Ochyra did the honours. Before work started on the project in January, the clubhouse, which is available to non-members, was subsiding
Hillworth Park has been rated as one of the best in the UK with the award of a Green Flag. The accolade, awarded by Keep Britain Tidy, is given to parks and open spaces that boast the highest possible standards. It is the equivalent of a Blue Flag
Firstly, I make no apologies for straying from farming as I write the first few sentences of this week’s diary. Our daughter Adele and her family are spending a few days here on Manor Farm. Whilst our three grand-daughters have been occupied with
Pupils past and present of Devizes School have been quick to jump to its defence after it was accused on Facebook of not respecting the hour of darkness to mark the start of the First World War on Monday evening. Lights were turned off across the
It’s interesting to watch which plants become in vogue and which fall out of favour. Conifers seem to fall into the latter category and I think that is the result of too many being planted in the wrong place and without any real knowledge of their
Wiltshire Air Ambulance has benefitted from the proceeds of a clay shoot organised by Bishops Cannings Cricket Club. The clay shoot, at Wellington Barn, Calstone, in May raised almost £35,000 for various charities – the biggest amount in the four
Farm worker David Pearce’s hard work has been recognised with a long-service award after 40 years at Manor Farm in Alton Barnes. The 58-year-old, of Caird Lawns in Devizes, has worked at the family-run farm under four generations of bosses and
With the warmest start to the school holidays for a long time, so begins the first real test of the community’s resolve in providing the shortfall in hands-on support for young people, now the youth service has all but vanished. It may well be
Sixties chart topper Howard ‘Lem’ Lubin has left the big smoke and moved to Pewsey to be close to his first grandchild. The 70-year-old, who played bass in a number of bands including Unit 4+2 and Christie, moved into the new Radcliffe Homes development
