THIS year is the 150th birthday of the Wiltshire Times and we are asking readers to celebrate with us at a series of special events.

Throughout 2004 there will be events ranging from an auction and fashion show to team challenges and an already eagerly awaited snooker event.

In February some of the top snooker players in the country, including Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White, Marco Wu, Paul Hunter and John Higgins, along with world number one, Mark Williams, will be visiting the town.

The players will be competing in the 2004 Premier Snooker League, due to be held at four venues, with the two-day Trowbridge leg due to be held over the weekend of February 14 and 15 at the Civic Hall.

Throughout the year events will be raising money for a charitable fund to be set up by the Wiltshire Times to help people living in the area.

We want our readers to come up with ideas for raising money for the fund that will try to ensure that small local charities and voluntary groups have help available to them now and in the future.

In the years since Benjamin Lansdown launched the Wiltshire Times in 1854, as the Trowbridge And Wiltshire Advertiser, it has become very much a part of the community.

Over the years it has covered all the major events in the area, as well as keeping people in touch with what was happening in the communities around them.

In the 150 years since the first copy rolled off the press the way news is delivered has changed a great deal and the paper itself has changed with the times.

One of the most fundamental changes was the decision to change the Wiltshire Times from a broadsheet to a tabloid in 2000.

A time that also saw the introduction of new features such as a magazine and arts section and more space made available for news and events.

Since then the paper has gone from strength to strength, winning many accolades, culminating in being named the South West and Wales weekly newspaper of the year at the prestigious Newspaper Society Awards in November 2003.

As part of this year's celebrations the Wiltshire Times is asking for readers and former staff members to come forward with their memories of the paper and of events in the area over the years.

In particular we would be interested in pre-1970's photographs of key events in the area either taken by the Wiltshire Times or forming part of the record of the paper's long term association with west and north Wiltshire.

Editor Toby Granville said: "This is an exciting time in the history of the Wiltshire Times, and readers can look forward to a series of special events and editions of the newspaper.

"And in return, to thank our loyal community who have supported us for all these years, we intend to give something back to local charities and voluntary groups through our 150 Fund which you can be a part of.

"This is your newspaper, and we hope you enjoy being involved in its celebrations."

For snooker tickets call (01225) 762439