Melksham’s ‘People of the Year’ honoured with awards

Melklsham’s community heroes have been recognised in Melksham News’ Group and Person of the Year 2025 awards, with Melksham in Bloom and Christmas lights organiser Paul Weymouth picking up this year’s honours.

The Person of the Year award went to Paul Weymouth for his work organising the Melksham Christmas lights, widely recognised as the best in the county. Paul leads the Christmas Lights Group volunteers and has voluntarily created and designed the town’s festive lights display for 30 years, after taking over from his dad Alan Weymouth.

The Melksham in Bloom volunteers were chosen for Group of the Year after the town struck gold for the sixth time in the South West in Bloom competition. The group works year-round to keep Melksham looking its best, maintaining flower displays and litter picking and making the town centre flags.

The awards, run annually by Melksham News, recognise contributions to the town over the past year with nominations from readers, and winners being chosen by Melksham’s Mayor Saffi Rabey, Melksham Without Council Vice-Chair David Pafford and Melksham News Editor Ian Drew.

Terri Welch from the ‘Melksham Bloomers’ said, “We are all very pleased; often we feel that people think we get paid by the council to do the work but we’re all volunteers. We’re busy all through the year. Every first Sunday of the month a litter pick is done from the Town Hall and everybody is welcome to join us. The Flag Team meet fortnightly to make the flags for the town centre displays and are well advanced with planning for a special theme this year, so the Market Place should, once more, look brilliant.

“We look after The Friends Garden in King Street and members help look after other areas including Church Walk, the Conigre Mead Nature Reserve and a lovely patch behind Waitrose. And one of our members can be seen around the town early most mornings during the growing season, pushing Bertie our small water bowser, watering our black containers. So lots of work is being done throughout the year by different members of the group.

“When the South West in Bloom judges are due, in July, we go around town and really look at everything, street furniture, the bus shelters, the iron work that needs repainting. It is the little things that make a difference, no rubbish, no graffiti, a town looking its best.”

Paul Weymouth, who also won the award 15 years ago in 2010, said, “It’s an honour to receive this award for a second time. It goes without saying, despite my name being on the award, I think this is recognition for all of the volunteers that work to produce what we do at Christmas (and often through the rest of the year).

“I’ve said many times before that ‘without all of them, I can’t do any of it’ and as my workload elsewhere has gone through the roof, so has the team’s commitment to filling in the gaps I leave.

“On a personal note, this one is for my dad, Alan, who many will know for his involvement with so much Melksham stuff over the years. Without him getting me involved in the town’s lights a long time ago, I wouldn’t be where I am now and able to support so many other charities and events through the year, and of course, to my wonderful wife, Anna and son, Tommy, for putting up with many months of long days and very late nights.”

Other nominations for the Group of the Year included the Friends of Giffords Surgery, Man Down Wiltshire, Whitley Village Stores and Melksham Mental Health.

The shortlist for the Person of the Year were Melksham Carnival Queen Debbie Holman; Melksham Without Parish Council Clerk Teresa Strange; Melksham Youth Rugby Club referee and Mayoral Cadet William Watters; founder of Melksham Mental Health Rob Johnston; and chair of CAWS (Community Action Shaw and Whitley) Peter Richardson.