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Civic Award winners announced

Chippenham Town Council have announced there Civic Award winners for 2025.

All nominations for Civic Awards were received by the Civic Matters Sub-Committee, which selected the recommended winners before being ratified by the Strategy and Resources Committee. 

Chippenham Town Council thanks all of the residents of the town who took the time to propose this year’s nominees. Once again, it was very difficult for Councillors to make their final decision on the eventual winners.

Congratulations to the following people and organisations for their brilliant contribution to the local community and to the Town.

Mike Stone

Mike has always displayed a sense of ‘civic pride’ and community engagement, from his early career as a police officer through to his subsequent career as a museum curator and published historian.

As a long-time supporter and leader in the Chippenham Civic Society, he has been involved in many local community projects, including the restoration of the Buttercross, Civic Society Award nominations and the Blue Plaque scheme. Mike is a lifelong promoter of both local and world history, engaging others through his books, talks and boundless enthusiasm.

He is well-known within the Chippenham heritage community as an organiser and supporter of local charities and events, and continues to play an active part in the Chippenham Civic Society, Wiltshire Victoria County History Trust (volume 20 Chippenham), and many other projects.

Rachel Terry

Rachel is a founder member and group secretary of the Sahara Sister Belly Dancing Group. Formed in 2005, the Sahara Sisters brought together five ladies with a passion for belly dancing, after the class they attended in Calne closed. The group not only gives participants the opportunity to come together for dance classes but also provides many other things, including gentle exercise, a social supportive welcoming environment, and an opportunity to have some very important ‘me time’.

In addition to supporting the ladies within the group, Rachel has encouraged the group to be part of the wider Chippenham community, with the group visiting and performing at care and residential homes, community groups, Chippenham Folk Festival, Swindon’s Sarawati Puja and Calne’s Pride Festival.

Chippenham Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club

Most veterans re-enter civilian life for first time an as adult, either in their late 20s to early 30s, or after a full service career, often with little more experience of living within society than the average school-leaver. Many veterans say that when they walk out of the gates for the last time they feel abandoned, and that civilian life can feel alien.

The Chippenham Armed Forces Veterans Breakfast Club is a free-to-join group for both veterans and serving personnel. It helps veterans overcome and deal with the above issues, by providing a safe space for them to talk and reduce the feelings of social isolation and loneliness that can occur.

The Civic Awards will be presented at a ceremony on Civic Sunday on 13 July 2025.