• Wiltshire Publications
  • White Horse News
  • Frome Times
Monday, April 20, 2026
14 °c
Melksham
7 ° Tue
9 ° Wed
  • Login
  • Register
Melksham Independent News
Advertisement
  • Latest News
  • About Us
    • Mission Statement
    • Corrections
  • Digital Edition
  • Back Issues
  • Contact us
  • Advertise with us
  • Family Messages
  • Directory
  • More

    Search

    News

    • Latest News
    • Special Featured Stories
    • Featured Stories
    • Min News
    • Crime
    • Traffic News
    • Education
    • Health
    • Business
    • Politics

    Sport

    • Melksham FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • General Sport
    • Cricket
    • Golf
    • Bowls

    Best of Melksham

    • Melksham Community
    • Fundraising
    • Volunteering & Helping Out
    • Clubs Organisations

    What's on

    • Events Entertainment
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Things to do

    Family Messages

    • Announcements
    • Death Notices
    • In Memoriam
    • Birthday
    • Engagement
    • Wedding Messages
    • Melksham Says Thank You
    • Awards

    Digital Editions

    • Digital Edition
    • Digital Archives

    Podcast Celebrate Melksham

    • Podcast
    • Subscribe to podcast
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest News
  • About Us
    • Mission Statement
    • Corrections
  • Digital Edition
  • Back Issues
  • Contact us
  • Advertise with us
  • Family Messages
  • Directory
  • More

    Search

    News

    • Latest News
    • Special Featured Stories
    • Featured Stories
    • Min News
    • Crime
    • Traffic News
    • Education
    • Health
    • Business
    • Politics

    Sport

    • Melksham FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • General Sport
    • Cricket
    • Golf
    • Bowls

    Best of Melksham

    • Melksham Community
    • Fundraising
    • Volunteering & Helping Out
    • Clubs Organisations

    What's on

    • Events Entertainment
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Things to do

    Family Messages

    • Announcements
    • Death Notices
    • In Memoriam
    • Birthday
    • Engagement
    • Wedding Messages
    • Melksham Says Thank You
    • Awards

    Digital Editions

    • Digital Edition
    • Digital Archives

    Podcast Celebrate Melksham

    • Podcast
    • Subscribe to podcast
No Result
View All Result
Melksham Independent News
No Result
View All Result

Sky’s the limit challenge for businesses to support Air Ambulance

October 23, 2019
in Fundraising
Reading Time: 2 mins read
411 12
A A
0

TELEVISION host and ambassador for Wiltshire Air Ambulance, Paul Martin, is calling on businesses to support the charity’s lifesaving work through an exciting new challenge.

Paul, presenter of BBC TV’s Flog It!, has launched The Sky’s The Limit, a challenge where local businesses are given £50 and tasked to turn this into as much money as possible in four months.

Paul said, “The Sky’s The Limit challenge is a great way for businesses to support Wiltshire Air Ambulance. 

“All businesses have to do is be creative with the £50 they receive and try to double it, treble it or even more –  the sky really is the limit!

“Businesses are able to involve their staff and customers, by organising one-off events or a series of money spinning activities.”

Paul, who lives in Seend added, “I am honoured to be an ambassador for Wiltshire Air Ambulance. I live here and in our rural county, Wiltshire Air Ambulance is vital – quite simply it saves lives. The charity relies on donations to provide this essential service and has to raise just over £10,000 a day to continue its lifesaving work.”

There will be special awards for the local business that generates the greatest income from the initial £50 investment, while the business that uses the most inventive way of raising the funds will also be rewarded.

To find out more about The Sky’s The Limit challenge head to www.wiltshireairambulance.co.uk/sky where businesses will also find some fundraising tips and an ongoing leaderboard.

The Sky’s The Limit challenge is sponsored by Chippenham Motor Company who have been long-term supporters of Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

Barbara Gray, director of income generation and communications at Wiltshire Air Ambulance said, “We’re so grateful to Paul Martin and Chippenham Motor Company for supporting The Sky’s The Limit challenge. We hope businesses will get involved and help us in our mission to save lives.”

Support Local News

Help us keep your community connected and informed.

Local news is under pressure more than ever. For just £2 a month, you can support independent reporting that shares local stories, investigates the issues that affect you, and keeps residents up to date.

Choose a monthly subscription or a one-off donation. All donations will be reinvested into producing local journalism for Melksham.

Donate Now
Share234Tweet147Pin53

Related Stories

Melksham residents set to run London Marathon

Melksham residents set to run London Marathon

March 25, 2026
0

Residents from Melksham will take on the London Marathon next month, running 26 miles for various charities. Jen Ferris and...

Triplets complete second ‘Tripathlon’ for Children in Need

Triplets complete second ‘Tripathlon’ for Children in Need

November 19, 2025
0

Triplets from Holt have completed their second ‘Tripathlon’ challenge to raise funds for Children in Need. Beau, Albie and Judie...

Food bank calls for Christmas food donations

Food bank calls for Christmas food donations

November 5, 2025
0

The annual Christmas food collection has started at Melksham Food Bank, with the team calling on the community to donate...

Seend raises record total in Macmillan Coffee Morning

Seend raises record total in Macmillan Coffee Morning

October 22, 2025
0

Seend Community Centre has raised a record total in this year’s Macmillan Coffee Morning. The centre raised £938 at the...

Recommended

  • All
  • Latest news
  • Environment
  • Fundraising
  • Politics
  • Wiltshire Council
  • Clubs & Organisations
  • Volunteering and helping out
  • Whats on
£4.2million Melksham House redevelopment is under way

£4.2million Melksham House redevelopment is under way

September 28, 2022

Help your pets’ recovery with new hydrotherapy centre

November 21, 2018

Follow Social Media

  • Local vintage transport gathering back this month

The Westbury Transport and Vintage Gathering will return this month for its 32nd year, showcasing military vehicles, stationary engines, tractors, bikes, motorbikes and stalls.

The event takes place over the weekend of Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th April at the top field off Westbury Road, near the junction with The Hollow, BA13 4TT.

Event organiser Keith Miller described it as “a great day out for all the family.”

He said, “A short time ago we were able to enjoy the magnificent ploughing match on the opposite side of the road, and we are similarly looking forward to our event."

Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.

Pictured: Keith and Will Miller
  • Pub community raises over £2,000 in support of local teen

A fundraiser at a Melksham pub has raised over £2,000 for an appeal at Bristol Children’s Hospital in support of a local teenager with leukaemia.

The Pig and Whistle on Woodrow Road raised £2,148 for The Grand Appeal at Bristol Children’s Hospital, which funds equipment, free family accommodation and arts and play therapy.

The event was held in support of 15-year-old Jake Reece-Shepard, a student at Melksham Oak Community School, who was diagnosed with leukaemia in October last year.

The event drew strong local support and was organised by couple Shelly and Justin, alongside pub landlords Bev and Nick. 

Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.
  • Top names lined up for Melksham Assembly Hall

Melksham is preparing to welcome a line-up of big acts to the Assembly Hall in 2026 and 2027, including former world snooker champion Dennis Taylor, former Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon (formerly known as Johnny Rotten), and comedy writer and performer Dom Joly.

Dennis Taylor will bring ‘An Evening with’ to the Assembly Hall on Thursday 10th December 2026. Best known for the 1985 Black Ball Final, when he won the World Championship in a dramatic contest against Steve Davis, he is now a familiar face on BBC snooker coverage. The evening promises personal stories from his career and insight into life in the snooker world.

John Lydon, formerly known as Johnny Rotten, will appear on Wednesday 2nd June 2027 with his I Could Be Wrong, I Could Be Right Q&A tour. The former Sex Pistols lead singer, who later fronted Public Image Ltd and appeared on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, will share stories from his life and invite questions from the audience. 

Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.

Pictured: Dom Joly, John Lydon, Dennis Taylor holding the World Snooker Championship Trophy. Credit BennyOnTheLoose. Wikimedia
  • Councillor warns Melksham faces ‘open season’ by property developers

Melksham could find itself ‘under attack’ from housing developers after Wiltshire’s Local Plan was rejected by the planning inspectorate, warns a local councillor.

Wiltshire Councillor Nick Holder has written to all residents in Bowerhill after new housing targets set by the government mean that Wiltshire will need to significantly increase its housing stock.

The Local Plan aimed to guide development in Wiltshire, including nearly 37,000 homes. However, government inspectors have rejected the plan, finding it does not allocate enough land to meet housing needs, relies on uncertain new settlements, and fails to match the location of new homes to where demand exists. Because the council does not currently have enough land allocated to meet these targets, developers can bring forward proposals on unplanned sites, and appeals against rejected applications are more likely to succeed, creating a risk of speculative development. 

Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.
  • Melksham Times Past

A column about days gone by in Melksham by local historian Lisa Ellis

Semington Road Commotions
I moved to Melksham before Semington Road was closed to through automobile traffic.

The road now is in stark contrast to the amount of vehicular use that road had back when I had several occasions to eat at the Waney Edge (they always ran out of cauliflower cheese before I got there!) It closed due to fewer passing trade.

However, back more than 160 years to the 1860s, Semington had not been this peaceful little community, according to news reports I keep stumbling across.

Shouting, screaming, hair-pulling — whatever the arguments were — the women of Semington Road were quite vocal and physical with each other.

Much of the fighting seemed to revolve around Elizabeth Gum, who was in her late 30s. In 1862 she charged that Ann Taylor and Elizabeth Spires assaulted her in her home.

Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.
  • Charity CEO takes fundraising to new heights by working from lift

The Chief Executive of a local charity is working from a lift for three weeks in an unusual bid to raise vital funds for urgent building works.

Chantelle Mead from the Independent Living Centre in Semington is working from inside the lift for three weeks, only adding furniture to her ‘new office’ as mini fundraising targets are reached. The challenge milestones are £100 for a cushion, £500 for a chair and £1,000 for a desk.

She is fundraising for three essential projects for the charity, including a full electrical rewire, a replacement boiler following repeated breakdowns and a modern lift to ensure continued accessibility.

Alongside public donations, the Independent Living Centre is also seeking support from grant funders, including the National Lottery Community Fund, and has already made progress thanks to the support of the Hobson Charity and Stiltz Homelifts. 

Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.
  • Melksham couple win slimming award after 10 stone loss

A Melksham couple have been recognised for their weight loss success after shedding a combined 10 stone.

Russell and Paula Eaves, from Melksham, were named winners of the Berryfield Slimming World group’s Two Together 2026 competition. The award recognises inspiring duos across the country with winners voted for by fellow group members.

The husband and wife joined their local group in October 2023 to improve their health. Paula had previously undergone spinal surgery and wanted to reduce pressure on her spine and ease osteoarthritis symptoms. Russell had been diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and said medication and steroids had contributed to weight gain.

Russell, who reduced his weight from 17st 5lbs to 11st 10½lbs, said, “In the past, for me, losing weight meant giving up everything I enjoyed. But when I discovered Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, it just clicked. 

Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.
  • Football fundraiser in memory of Ben Smith

A football fundraiser in memory of Melksham teenager Ben Smith will return on Sunday 3rd May at Melksham Town Football Club.

Ben died nearly four years ago after being assaulted on a night out in Bath. Following his death, his family have been holding a regular football fundraiser in his memory, raising funds for three charities that supported them at the time.

The charities include the Ben Saunders Foundation, which raises money for children and young adults with cancer; SmileForJoel, which supports families affected by murder and terrorism; and One Punch UK, which raises awareness of the devastation a single punch can cause. Last year’s event raised nearly £7,000 for the three charities.

The event will feature a friendly match between two teams – The Bee’s Knees, which was Ben’s old football team, and his brother’s team, The Fat Heads. There will also be post-match entertainment by The Singing Herdsman, refreshments, a raffle and an auction. 

Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.
  • Additional pitches approved for Semington travellers’ site

More travellers’ pitches are being added to a site in Semington after approval from Wiltshire Council.

Greenacres Mobile Park in Littleton, Semington, has been given permission to increase its pitches from 14 to 24.

The site sits on the south side of the A361 near West Wilts Crematorium and is home to static and touring caravans.

The approval follows a ruling earlier this year to remove non-travellers from the site to prevent overcrowding.

The additional pitches are intended to help meet an unmet need for traveller accommodation in Wiltshire.

Semington Parish Council filed an objection to the application, citing ‘greatly increased density’ and previous sewage overflow. 

Read more on our website, the link is in our bio.
Podcast Celebrate Melksham Podcast Celebrate Melksham Podcast Celebrate Melksham
ADVERTISEMENT
Melksham Independent News

Get in touch

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Self Service Advertising
  • Issue Dates and Deadlines
  • Payment Information
  • Send Us Your News
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising Terms Conditions
  • Complaints
  • Placing a family message
  • Photos
  • Useful Information

More from Melksham News

  • Latest News
  • Sport
  • Digital Edition
  • Digital Archives
  • What's On
  • Corrections
  • Mission Statement
  • List Item

FOLLOW US

© 2023. Melksham Independent News | Wiltshire Publications Ltd, 31, Market Place, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 6ES Registered in England & Wales | 02627096

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Legal Hub
  • Site Map
Melksham Independent News
Melksham Independent News
ADVERTISEMENT

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

OR

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
×

Support local news

Help us keep your community connected and informed.

Local news is under pressure more than ever. For just £2 a month, you can support independent reporting that shares local stories, investigates the issues that affect you, and keeps residents up to date.

Choose a monthly subscription or a one-off donation. All donations will be reinvested into producing local journalism for Melksham.

Donate Now
Melksham Independent News
Manage Cookie Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behaviour or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
  • Manage options
  • Manage services
  • Manage {vendor_count} vendors
  • Read more about these purposes
View preferences
  • {title}
  • {title}
  • {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • Latest News
    • Featured Stories
    • Min News
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Health
    • Business
    • Politics
  • About Us
  • Digital Edition
    • Digital Edition Archives
  • Contact us
  • Advertising with us
  • Family Messages
    • Announcements
    • Dealth Notices
    • In Memoriam
    • Birthday
    • Engagement
    • Wedding Messages
    • Melksham Says Thank You
    • Awards
  • More
    • Newsletters
    • Jobs
    • Local Listing
    • Book An Advert
    • Sports
    • Best of Melksham
      • Melksham Community
      • Fundraising
      • Volunteering & Helping Out
      • Clubs Organisations
    • What’s on
      • Events Entertainment
      • Arts and Culture
      • Things To Do

© 2023 Melksham Independent News | Web Design & SEO by YOW Internet.

-
00:00
00:00

Queue

Update Required Flash plugin
-
00:00
00:00