Raising a glass to Melksham’s community champions

Local couple Jeanette and Mike Nash were recently presented with a bottle of champagne by Melksham-based travel company Holidays and Cruises to celebrate receiving the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the King’s Birthday Honours list.

The presentation took place during a trip to Poole with The Singin’ Group, which the couple lead each week at the Riverside Centre in Melksham.

Steve Plummer of Holidays and Cruises, said, “We were thrilled to mark Jeanette and Mike’s well-deserved honour with a small celebration and raise a glass to their fantastic contribution to the local community.”

Jeanette and Mike received the BEM for their outstanding services to the community, having raised thousands of pounds for charities including Wiltshire Air Ambulance, The Children’s Society, Melksham Hospital, The Alzheimer’s Society, Help for Heroes and cancer charities. The couple are well known as the Melksham Pearlies, a traditional sing-along entertainment group which began in 1993 and ran for around 20 years, before setting up The Singin’ Group in 2016 which brings local residents together for singing, social connection and charity fundraising.