Vote for Melksham’s Person of the Year

THE nominees for the Melksham News Person of the Year 2013 competition have been compiled, and now readers are being asked to cast their vote on who they think should be crowned the winner.

In our last issue, Melksham News asked readers to nominate their ‘Person of the Year’ – somebody in the town who deserves recognition for their outstanding actions over the past year or who has had the biggest impact on life in the town. Below are the nominations. You can vote by simply emailing your choice to news@melkshamnews.co.uk (including your own name) or by filling out the form on page 20 and returning it to Melksham News, 31 Market Place, Melksham. SN12 6ES

The deadline for voting is 5.00pm on WEDNESDAY 22nd JANUARY.

ROB BRIDGES

Rob has been involved in youth football in Melksham and at county level for 13 years, holding many different roles as well as managing and coaching a number of teams. He also started a girls’ football team in Melksham. The club now has girls from 10 years of age up to adults and is the largest girls’ club in the area. Rob said, “Providing a well run club, which gives opportunities to children to play in a safe and happy environment, is something I am really proud of. I am pleased to be able to say that I played a part – along with a lot of other people – in the recent merger of the youth section with Melksham Town and in the club gaining the Standard Charter Community Award. “It is an honour to be nominated for a second year, for my work in youth football in the town and also the county.”

MARIE BUCKNELL- SMITH

Marie set up the Melksham branch for Cancer Research UK in February 2013 and has raised over £20,000 since then, with the total growing all the time. She helped organise and ran fundraising events throughout the year to help donate to a cause close to her heart. She said, “”The highlight has been raising a lot of money and helping further research and giving cancer sufferers a chance of survival, and meeting a group of people who are as motivated as I am in fund raising and who have now become firm friends. At the same time, getting to know so many lovely people in Melksham who have supported us and without them, we would not have been able to achieve what we had set out to do.”

BETH DARK

Beth has lived in Melksham all of her life, and has been a member of the carnival committee for eight years. She also helps out at King’s Park Primary School and has raised a substantial amount of money for Bristol Children’s Hospital by hosting and organising community events.

Her nominator said, “Beth is always thinking of others and how to improve Melksham and make the lives of others more enjoyable. She gets involved in any community event and takes pride in the town.” Beth said, “My aim is to help people however I can. I am shocked but flattered to be nominated and would like to thank whoever nominated me.”

NORMAN DRAKE

Norman is the longest serving member of Melksham Rotary Club and has been president twice after joining 42 years ago. He is also the chair of the ArtHouse Cafe in Melksham Market Place which has raised over £25,000 for local charities since its launch. Last year he was awarded a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship, in recognition of his exceptional service. Norman said, “I am so happy to be nominated, it is very humbling. With my work for Rotary and the ArtHouse Cafe, I hope that I have made a contribution to the people of Melksham and enhanced their lives in a small way.”

GRAHAM ELLIS

Graham has been involved with the Melksham Railway Development Group since 2005. He successfully campaigned for an increased rail service to improve the life of the town. Graham said, “An improved railway service in Melksham helps businesses thrive because people can visit more easily – and that means jobs and prosperity. It helps residents travel to college, to work, to visit friends and family. “Whilst I feel honoured to be nominated, I’m just one member of a whole team who have all contributed to getting the enhancements into place.” Graham is also an active member of the Community Area Partnership which has been involved in securing the campus on the former Melksham House site and is president of Melksham Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

LIAM RICHARDS

Liam is a former boxer who has given up his spare time and raised thousands for charity across many events throughout the year. He ran the London Marathon raising £1,500 for the charity Elaborate which he also works for. Liam also volunteers in his spare time to help out with a youth football team and he will be running the Bath Half Marathon to raise money for charity. He also does volunteer work with people with special needs around the county. Liam said, “This is unexpected, there are many more people that are more deserving than me but it is very nice to be nominated.”

BRIAN WARWICK

Brian is actively involved in voluntary work as the co-ordinator and founder of the Melksham Senior 55+ Forum and founder member of the Melksham Seniors Film club. For the last 24 years he has been closely associated with helping disabled people and young people with learning difficulties. He was also a founder member of the Melksham Access Group as the chair, and also represents local disabled and older people on the Melksham Campus Board. Brian’s nominator said, “He works tirelessly for the town. If anyone deserves this, it’s Brian.”

DAVE WILTSHIRE

Dave is Melksham Town Football Club chairman and was part of the committee which took over the club four years ago and worked hard to stabilise it and guide the club back into the Western League Premier Division. He was also actively involved in the campaign to obtain a new stadium for Melksham Town FC which has recently been approved and is due to be built on Woolmore Farm later this year. Dave said, “I am shocked to be nominated but it is great to have publicity for the club.”

MIRIAM ZACCARELLI

Miriam is on the Melksham Town Team which helps to organise many of the town’s major events and her nominator says she often goes above and beyond her duty to serve the community. Miriam said, “It’s such an honour to be nominated. There are hundreds of people that make Melksham amazing, most of them are unsung, and I’m flattered to be included. “Melksham is like a great beautiful web of groups, projects, events and volunteers all tied together by a shared love and commitment to the community that other places just don’t have. “The success of projects I have helped with, like Tidy Town days, South West in Bloom and Food Festival, is only because of the teams of fantastic volunteers who show up smiling to make it happen. I’m just really happy to be part of that.”