Wessex Mead (Trowbridge) Rotary Club

November started with our assisting the British Legion Poppy Appeal. As a club we distributed boxes of poppies and collecting tins to a number of small businesses on behalf of the legion. In addition to this our members assisted the Legion selling poppies in the Shires Shopping Centre and at Sainsbury’s and Tesco Supermarkets in Trowbridge. Without volunteers the Legion would not be able to sell poppies and raise funds for looking after our service veterans so we are proud to be able to assist them.  As part of our involvement with the British Legion I laid a wreath at the War Memorial in Trowbridge Park during the annual remembrance service.

Also at the start of November, the club was invited to assist with Stewarding at the Chippenham Fireworks display, and a number or our members went across to Chippenham to take part. The display was excellent and the weather was perfect meaning the display was well attended. The Chippenham Fireworks display is organised by the Rotary Club of Chippenham, and was originally organised because a member of the club was a doctor, and he wanted to reduce the number of casualties due to fireworks.

At the end of November we were invited to the switching on of the Trowbridge Christmas lights organised by the town council and chamber of commerce. We were also invited to the formal opening of the new Bruschetta restaurant in Trowbridge, which has taken over the former Red or White premises.

On the social side, our club members have enjoyed a guess the wine evening and a ghost evening in the village of Dilton Marsh. We were visited at our business meeting by our District Governor Eric Sambell.

Wessex Mead Rotary has had close links to the Trowbridge Carnival Committee for a number of years, organising the annual carnival quiz and assisting with the carnival itself.  The carnival quiz is traditionally held on the Monday prior to the carnival procession, and with the carnival now late in October, the quiz was held on Monday 17th.  This year the carnival quiz was very well attended with about 80 people participating and we raised around £360 for the Carnival Charities.  Wessex Mead’s involvement with Trowbridge Carnival does not stop with the quiz night, a number of our members turned out to assist with the carnival procession, either marshalling along the route or collecting small change from the crowds that had turned out to watch.

September was a far busier month for the club and started with the Carnival Country Fayre in the Park, for which we organised a fundraising stall entitled Wine or Air.  The day ran well and we managed to raise about £160 which will go towards local causes.

August started with an increase in temperature and humidity, but that does not stop the work of Rotary.  The month of August 2011 has been a relatively quiet month for Wessex Mead, compared to previous years, mainly due to the beach party in the park not being held this year, but being combined with the Carnival Country Fayre in September.  We therefore spent August discussing and organising our participation in the forthcoming Trowbridge Carnival events.