A CHEQUE for £1,000 has been donated by Chippenham company Wavin which will go towards supporting the Wiltshire Victoria County History (VCH) Trust.

The money will go towards the Trust’s project and in particular a section which is looking at the economic history of Chippenham.

The research is being carried out by internationally renowned historian, professor Richard Hoyle from the University of Reading, but most of the work will take place at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham.

Professor Hoyle said: “I am most impressed that Wavin are providing this support. It is an excellent example of a company contributing to the local community, and to the production of a fresh history of the town of Chippenham.”

The VCH was founded in 1899 as a private enterprise, with the intention of producing a history of each English county.

Chair of the Wiltshire Trust, Vicky Landell Mills, was presented with the cheque by Kevin Bell, Wavin’s Chippenham site operations manager, last Wednesday at the firm's site in Chippenham.

Mrs Landell Mills said: “The Trust is most grateful to Wavin for its public-spirited contribution to our work.

“We are a private trust, with no public funding, and a large task to raise funds for this very important historical project.

“It is really good that a local employer is contributing generously in this way – we hope other local businesses will be inspired by the example.

“We can now take some big steps forward to a much better and deeper understanding of Chippenham’s economic foundations.”

Wavin produces plastics for a variety of purposes, including drainage, sewage and water systems as well as underfloor heating.

Local councillor Chris Caswill, who represents Monkton ward where Wavin are based, said: “I congratulate Wavin on their generous donation, which demonstrates their interest in the local community. They are a hugely important local employer and this underlines their importance to the town.”