Historical Association says farewell to 2021

MELKSHAM & District Historical Association’s 2021 return to ‘business as usual’ came to a close last month with its final meeting of the year. 

On behalf of the association, Cathy Berry reports on the events of 2021, “Our September meeting attracted over 60 members and visitors, which we were delighted with, having had reservations as to whether people were ready to return or were still a little nervous of entering groups of people.   

“We need not have worried as numbers were even better for our October meeting when Gill Butler took us on a circuit around the town remembering the shops of her childhood.  Many of the pictures from the association’s collection were of the wrong era but they did place where she was talking about and her reminiscences more than made up for the shortcoming. 

“Our AGM was not the usual Ploughman’s Supper as we had to keep in mind the need to protect our members as much as possible and reduce the food handling to a minimum. We called it a Social Evening instead and numbers were in the customary 40-50. 

“Business is always kept to a minimum but this year there were two extra items on the agenda – the first was to agree necessary alterations to the constitution to cover the possibility of the need to hold an online AGM should a similar situation arise like last year when due to the lockdown we were unable to meet. 

“The second was a more knotty one to deal with – the future of the Association.  As with so many other organisations we are finding it difficult to recruit new members and to find willing members to help with the running of the programme.  

“The chairman, on behalf of the committee read out the following: ‘We need new committee members and volunteers to help with the running of our meetings so if no-one comes forward tonight or at the January meeting we regret that this coming year may be the last’. 

“This bombshell concluded the business of the evening but we were able to shake off the doom and gloom and enjoy the entertainment given by ‘End of the Track’, a male voice choir from Chippenham who sang songs from the ‘50s and ‘60s.  An excellent antidote with plenty of singing along, hand jiving (that ages us all!) and general enjoyment. 

“Christmas nibbles and drinks followed, also a pub-style quiz which caused much hilarity.  The evening ended with a raffle, drawn via ticket numbers.  

“We meet next on Thursday 20th January 2022 at 7.30pm in the Assembly Hall. The presentation will be ‘Events & Commemorations of Yesteryear’.”