Window on Wootton Bassett

Transparencies and prints in black and white and colour featured in Wootton Bassett Camera Club's open competition at the Civic Centre on Wednesday.

The judge, John Brady from Calne Woodlands Camera Club, was thanked by the president Steve Waugh.

Members benefited from his comments and helpful hints.

Results: prints, 1 The Gamekeeper's Cottage, by Chris Bettis; 2 Bamburgh Castle by Joy Skull; 3 Dead Wood by Cliff Partridge.

Slides: 1 Percy the Penguin by Barry Davis; equal 2 Street of Flowers, Cordoba, by Paula Partridge; Darkening over the Dunes, by Joy Skull; equal 3 Tulips by Neil Loveridge; Club Night Still Life by Chris Bettis.

The club have an outing on Wednesday to the Mike Palin Studios at Dorcan, Swindon.

Flower demonstration

Flower power recently yielded substantial benefits to charity.

The memorable Millennium flower arranging demonstration by the Rev William McMillan resulted in £1,000 for the Danbi Trust, which helps needy children in Wiltshire.

Wootton Bassett Flower Club chairman Marie Blackman announced the result of the event, which was organised jointly by the flower clubs of Wootton Bassett, Chippenham and Corsham.

The Rev McMillan donated his fee to a children's hospice in his native Ireland.

At this month's Flower Club meeting at the Memorial Hall, the Chippenham club chairman was a special guest.

The demonstration, entitled The Third Season featured autumnal designs by Sheila Hands, of Offerham,Worcestershire.

Glorious flowers were arranged in an interesting array of containers, including a large basket, the galvanised interior of a waste bin, a wrought iron stand and a gilded unicycle.

The finale featured a wonderful piece of driftwood which had been retrieved from a local river.

Casablanca lilies, roses, carnations, alstromeria, orange lilies, longiflorum lilies, gerbera, eustoma and gladioli were among the blooms which delighted the appreciative audience.

Sheila Hands' flower arranging skills were complemented by her entertaining commentary which included good tips for fellow enthusiasts.

The flowers were awarded to lucky raffle winners at the end of the evening.

Bloom of the Month winners were: 1 Diana Wakeley's winter cyclamen; 2 Annette Wightman's clematis; 3 Marie Blackman's Gypsy Queen clematis.

Next month's demonstration on November 7 will be an open meeting at which Christine Peer will present Images of Christmas.

Tickets will be available at the door of the Memorial Hall at 7.30pm.

Gardening Club

The Late, Late Show was the title of an autumnal talk with slides by former Lackham lecturer Mike Burgess, who revisited Wootton Bassett Gardening Club last week.

Colourful foliage and berries, late blooming perennials, glorious dahlias and chrysanthemums (described as the queen of the autumn flowers) delighted a large audience.

The club's next meeting is at the Civic Centre on November 6 at 7.30pm.

The speakers will be Mr & Mrs Peter Jinks, whose intriguing topic will be Have garden - will travel. Everyone interested will be welcome.

Half-term activities

Half-term holiday soccer fun days are booking up fast.

Girls and boys aged five to 13 years should contact course director Chris Kirkland, Wootton Bassett Sports Development officer, as soon as possible, to reserve a place.

Coaching will be provided by qualified coaches with appropriate supervision, at Ballards Ash Sports Ground, from October 23 to 26, 9.30am to 3pm daily.

The fee is £9 a day, or £32 for four days. There is a discount for the second child, who will pay £7 a day or £25 for four days. A third child from the family can join in free of charge.

All participants must have their own boots, shin pads, shorts, shirt, tracksuit top, waterproof jacket and towel, as well as packed lunch and drinks.

There will be a tournament on the Thursday, followed by presentation of awards at 2.45pm.

Application forms are available from Cascade, 117 High Street, Wootton Bassett (01793) 850222 or (01793) 771426

Largest Coffee Morning

Three recent events contributed to Macmillan Cancer Relief's nationwide effort to hold the world's biggest coffee morning.

At Richard's Close, Macmillan Christmas cards were also available and hostess Rosemary Horlock reported a profit of £175.

St Bartholomew's School invited pupils' families in for coffee and the 3rd Wootton Bassett Brownies organised an event at the Guide Hall.

Many of the girls were working for their hostess badge and as well as greeting and waiting on visitors, the Brownies produced a tempting array of homemade cakes.

Harvest festivals

Gifts at recent harvest festivals in Wootton Bassett churches will help needy people in other parts of the world.

At St Bartholomew's Church, almost £200 was raised for Harvest Africa.

Methodist Church gifts of sugar, pasta, flour and rice will be distributed in eastern Europe through the European Children's Trust.

Instead of a harvest supper or harvest lunch, a harvest brunch at Church Croft proved popular after St Bartholomew's family service on October 1. A well supported evening hour of informal worship was led by music group members John and Carol Oldfield, their teenage sons Alex and James and Vic Hunt, with additional prayers by John Bunting.

Lay reader Neil Harding spoke about the Parable of the Prodigal Son, told from the view point of the young man's father.

Coffee was served in church afterwards. A produce sale took place on October 2.

The Methodist Church mission committee organised a splash out evening on September 30, with a light meal and Tear Fund video.

An amusing sketch, performed by Margaret Livingstone and Albert Webb, illustrated a serious point the lack of clean water in many parts of the world.

The presentations focused on those countries' desperate need for unpolluted water supplies and emphasised the threat posed by waterborne diseases.

On October 1, at a well attended evening communion service in the Methodist Church, Tim Wells, of Wootton Bassett, who qualified recently as a local preacher, gained his official accreditation.

The service was led by the Rev Roger Faulker and the Rev Ann Baldock. Upper Thames Circuit local preachers' secretary Adrian German read a letter of congratulations and encouragement from the president of conference, the governing body of the Methodist Church. Mr Wells was also presented with a CD-Rom Bible.

Stella Taylor

Tel (01793) 852361