Melksham Tourist Centre manager stands down after 30 year’s service

A MELKSHAM woman who has run the Tourist Information Centre for over 30 years is to stand down.

Terri Welch led a group of volunteers as she first started working at the information centre on the 5th November 1982 and has served the Melksham community and many visitors to the town ever since.

Since Terri started, the centre has gone from strength to strength and is now a popular place in which to advertise local events, book tickets for coach travel, film and theatre trips, to buy postcards, stamps, gifts, maps and much more.  Terri is to be replaced by a new manager, Janine Miller who lives in Melksham and has been a volunteer at the TIC since last year when she become Terri’s assistant.

Terri said, “I have thoroughly enjoyed working in the Tourist Information Centre and providing many people with advice on what Melksham and the surrounding area has to offer.  Many great things have happened whilst i’ve been working here with Princess Anne opening the Riverside Walk being one of the many highlights.

“I will still be around and will still be involved in many things around the town so I am not going anywhere! The centre is in great hands with Janine and i’m sure it will continue to do very well.”

With the imminent move of the Post Office in May, the tourist information centre could be in danger of losing some business but new manager Janine is confident they will continue Terri’s legacy and remain a success. Janine said, “She has done a wonderful job for the town and for the centre and I will do my best to continue her great work. With the continuing loyalty of all the volunteers, not to mention the on-going support of the people of Melksham, we are sure that the centre will continue to flourish. I hope to make the centre appeal more to a wide range of people as I feel young people in particular could benefit from the services we have on offer.

“The people of Melksham have many reasons to be grateful to Terri for all she does for the town, and none more so than the management board of the Tourist Information Centre.

“Without her dedication, there is no doubt that, like many other towns in Wiltshire, Melksham would today be without such an organisation. The board, through the Melksham News wish to say, thank you Terri for all you have done.  You will be a hard act to follow!”

Terri will continue in her other  commitments as town councillor and all that it entails, as well as her involvement with the Adventure Centre, helping with the annual Canoe Race from Devizes to Westminster and countless other organisations with which she is still a part of.  Her abiding passion was always to put Melksham on the tourist map, and to keep it there.  This she has done, and never more so than when West Wilts District Council ceased responsibility for several tourist information centres in the area nearly 10 years ago.  Melksham could have lost its centre, but Terri and her staff of volunteers were determined this would not happen.

Pictured: Janine Miller and Terri Welch (centre) with the Melksham Tourist Information team of volunteers.