Melksham Voice

Don’t forget tomorrow is our first BBQ of the year! The weathers supposed to be nice so come on down and sit in our newly decorated garden and enjoy some freshly barbecued food. See you then!🍖🍺👀

On Thursday 1 February 2024 we are hosting our PTA Annual General Meeting (AGM) at school starting at 6.30pm.

We welcome our existing PTA members and those who would also be interested in joining, or want to find out more about what we do. You can support as a permanent member or a casual member.

We will be recapping on 2023, and looking forward to 2024. We will review how the money raised is spent. And what events we will be holding this year.

Do you want to help us shape the journey of your child’s experience whilst at Bowerhill Primary School? Do you have any event ideas, can you support us with sponsorship or do you have a skill that we can utilise?

The PTA is run by parents with the aim to enrich a child’s primary school experience.

If you can’t make it but want to find out more, follow our FaceBook page, or email us at:

[email protected]

We look forward to welcoming you!! ❤️

Like and share our post!

Monday sees the start of Neighbourhood Policing Week.

Across the Trowbridge Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs), including officers from Bradford on Avon and Melksham, we'll be out and about within our communities.

Activities include:

- Attending school patrols and college visits
- Safety sweeps with the Neighbourhood Harm and Reduction Unit
- Community consultations across Melksham, Bradford on Avon and Trowbridge
- Supporting traffic operations with the Wiltshire Police Specials

More updates incoming next week!

Town councillors give green light for safer school access

Plans to build a footpath at the rear of Melksham Oak Community School were given the green light by town councillors at a meeting earlier this month.

The school, parents and local councillors have waited for six years for Wiltshire Council to build the 450-metre pathway that will connect the new development in Melksham East (Hunters Wood) to the Melksham Oak Community School. It will provide safe access for the school’s 1,300 students, who have been left to commute alongside a busy road.

Wiltshire Council said works should be completed this year, following numerous delays in the project starting, with the authority blaming Covid and a hike in costs up to £450,000.

At the economic and development meeting on 9th January, town councillors were in favour of the plans and discussed the need to keep pedestrians safe with lighting and CCTV, particularly following reports of bullying outside the Melksham Oak Community School.

Full story: https://melkshamnews.com/town-councillors-give-green-light-for-safer-school-access/

High winds are forecast in the county this afternoon.

To help keep you safe, please secure loose items in your garden such as trampolines and furniture covers.

Also take extra care when travelling. Drive to the conditions and watch out for debris on the roads.

Here we go.... this year we're off to the MUSICALS 🎶🎶
Choose your favourite Musucsl from Stage or Screen & make a scarecrow. Easy as Doh Ray Mi!!
We're looking for makers & hosts to join our cast. DM or email for more details.

Are you struggling to keep warm this Winter? If you or a friend, relative or neighbour in Wiltshire is having difficulty staying warm and safe ask at your local library about what we have to help including free warmpacks (containing a scarf, thermal hat and gloves, fleece blanket, a hot water bottle and information about energy saving, insulation and support with the cost of living). See the news item on our warm welcome for more details here: https://orlo.uk/nYLsK

⚠️ Please take extra care if you’re heading out tonight and tomorrow morning, whether you’re driving, cycling or walking.

Freezing temps are forecast increasing the risk of accidents and slips, trips and falls. ❄️

I was back out in Melksham South at the weekend supporting our excellent candidate Gillian Melksham Voice

👉 Gillian has years and years of experience in business, adult social care and community engagement.

✅ If elected, Gillian will serve the full term, as the local Conservatives have committed to do, and will use our money responsibly to benefit Melksham.

If you live in Melksham South - please do come out and support Gillian TODAY. Polls are open until 10pm and there are three polling stations:

1️⃣The Canberra Centre, (To The Rear of The Front Building), 56 Spa Road, Melksham, SN12 7NY

2️⃣ Melksham Campus, Market Place, Melksham, SN12 6ES

3️⃣ Queensway Hall, Queensway, Melksham, SN12 7LE

Less than 2️⃣4️⃣ hours to go 🕰️ until Wiltshire's BIGGEST Careers Fair returns 💼👷🏻‍♀️🎪

Organised by Danny Kruger MP and I at Melksham Community Campus tomorrow from 11am - 2pm. No 🎟️ is needed and the fair is free to attend.

5️⃣0️⃣ business are attending with a very wide range from huge companies like Amazon.com, Barclays UK and Google to local firms such as Hartley Farm Shop and Kitchen, Goughs Solicitors and Wadworth.

👍 Whether you are out of work, looking for an apprenticeship 👷🏻‍♀️, to reskill or upskill, or fancy a new challenge, this is the event for you! There will be a huge range of opportunities on offer. All ages and stages are welcome.

Local schools and Wiltshire College & University Centre are coming and I am looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible on the day.

Chief Constable Catherine Roper will be here (on the Wiltshire Police page) to answer your questions on Monday 22 January at 6.30pm in her first live Q&A of the year.

We are here to keep Wiltshire safe and the Chief will be taking this opportunity to reach out to you the public, answer your questions and offer reassurance in relation to policing the communities of Wiltshire and Swindon.

If you are unable to make the event, you can ask your questions in advance within the comments below.

AN EXPERIENCED VOICE FOR MELKSHAM SOUTH
VOTING COUNTS - TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Voting for the Melksham South By-Election takes place tomorrow 18 January 2024
Here’s why I’m the right choice.
• A successful track record in Bridging Communities with Leadership, Communication, and dedicated to effective delivery.
• Meaningful, regular and active engagement with the community
• Delivering on my promises
• Driving projects forward
• Keeping council tax low and ensuring that YOUR MONEY is spent in the right way.

WANT CHANGE? VOTE FOR CHANGE! - WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TOGETHER!

[email protected]

👷🏻‍♀️👩🏻‍🏭👷🏻Wiltshire's Biggest Careers Fair comes to Melksham Community Campus on Friday 19th January, 11am-2pm 📢🏢🎉

Michelle Donelan MP is teaming up with Danny Kruger MP, Wiltshire College & University Centre and Vysiion Limited, to bring their second annual Career's Fair to Melksham on Friday 19th January from 11am-2pm at Melksham Community Campus.

✅ The event is FREE to attend and there is no need to book in advance.

✅ Whether you are out of work, looking for an apprenticeship, or fancy a new challenge, this is the event for you! There will be a huge range of opportunities on offer.

For more information please email [email protected].

This FRIDAY Wiltshire's BIGGEST Careers Fair 👷🏻‍♀️👩🏻‍🏭👷🏻

👉 I am teaming up with Danny Kruger MP to bring my second annual Career's Fair to Melksham on Friday 19th January from 11am - 2pm Melksham Community Campus

✅ No ticket is needed and the event is FREE to attend.

🗞️ The Careers Fair is kindly supported by Wiltshire College & University Centre Vysiion Limited and Aspire Defence Services Limited

🚀 I held my inaugural Careers Fair last year in Chippenham - which was very popular and I am looking forward to holding my second one this week.

👍 Whether you are out of work, looking for an apprenticeship 👷🏻‍♀️, to reskill or upskill, or fancy a new challenge, this is the event for you! There will be a huge range of opportunities on offer.

We are urging residents and business owners in Wiltshire whose properties flooded during Storm Henk to apply for Government grant funding.

There are several different types of support, depending on the damage and type of property affected.

Read more 👉🏼: https://orlo.uk/bT2Ww

Residents affected by recent flooding - grant funding available

Following the recent flooding caused by Storm Henk, if you've been significantly impacted, you can apply for Government grant funding.

There are several different types of support, depending on the damage and the type of property affected, including:

Community Recovery Grant: grants of up to £500 to help affected severely affected flooding households with their immediate recovery.

Council Tax Discount: 100% council tax relief, for a minimum of three months, for residents whose property has been flooded, or which is considered unliveable, as a consequence of Storm Henk.

Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme: grants of up to £5,000 will be made available to eligible local authorities to help homes to become more resilient to flooding by helping to pay for a range of property improvements.

Read the full Wiltshire Council e-News update here: https://us5.forward-to-friend.com/forward/preview?u=2883905f726c9fc694bef8b9e&id=06e37b5e37

Yesterday afternoon, the Prime Minister updated the House on the next steps we are taking to further support victims of the Horizon scandal.

I can only imagine what victims and their families are going through and my heart goes out to everyone effected by one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in our nation's history ⚖️

Sub-postmasters have been treated absolutely appalling and we have paid around £150 million to over 2,700 claimants across three compensations schemes and set up an inquiry to get to the bottom of what happened and who is responsible. We need to do more to further help victims and the Prime Minister has just announced we will bringing in a new law which will make sure those convicted as a result of the Horizon scandal are swiftly exonerated and compensated.

The Prime Minister has been crystal clear that we will right the wrongs of the past and get victims the justice they deserve. If you or someone you know in our area has been impacted - please do get in touch: [email protected]

AN EXPERIENCED VOICE FOR MELKSHAM SOUTH

I am standing for election as a new Town Councillor to represent the Melksham South Award.

Why you should vote for me!
This is the third by-election for the Town Council in as many months, all of which have been caused by resignations of Independent Councillors elected in May 2021. Each by-election costs the Melksham Taxpayers upward of £10 000-00. This is money that cannot be spent on improving our community.

If you vote for me, I pledge to serve the full term, as all of my fellow Local Conservatives have committed to da and use our money to benefit the Melksham Community.

TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!