July 24, 1970

KINGTON LANGLEY: Sixty-six-year old Mr Reginald Walter Bird, of Kington Langley has devoted his spare time to restoring the very old pound facing the village green, a building once used for impounding strayed cattle. He remembers when a canvas roof was placed over the pound for use as a refreshment tent for the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary in 1911. Over the years the historic enclosure had been allowed to become derelict. There is nothing perhaps all that exciting about the pound but it has traditional links and Mr Bird has done an expert's job in keeping the pound for posterity. Gradually the pound was beginning to become derelict and the parish council proposed dismantling it and making use of the stone wall for the playing field. At almost the eleventh hour there was a reprieve. A small committee was formed after the annual parish meeting where the plea was made to save the pound. Mr Bird was asked if he could help and he turned up absolute trumps. He offered to restore the pound free of charge, provided he could do it at his own pace, in his own free time and in his own way, charging only for the materials used. Another stroke of luck, Mr Norman Iles of Lime Tree Farm, a director of a Tetbury firm which makes farm gates, has sportingly gone halves in the cost of the extremely well-built oak gate at the entrance to the pound. What an excellent example of public spiritedness. Inhabitants gave in a house-to-house collection, a special gift came from the WI and the parish council gracefully dropped their idea and whole-heartedly co-operated in the plans for restoration.

BRADFORD ON AVON: Two years ago this month West Wiltshire experienced the worst floods since the war. Damage and loss of property, either by storm water or lightning, put the cost into many thousands of pounds. At Bradford on Avon several improvement schemes for the River Avon are being considered for the future. It is proposed to construct a new relief channel at Barton Farm where sudden rises in the level of water could be regulated. This scheme will be carried out within the next few years. Close checks are kept constantly on the river level in the town by Avon River Board officials, who notify the police immediately of sudden rises. The police have compiled a detailed list of properties likely to be affected by flooding and have an efficient system of warning owners in order of priority.

July 27, 1990

WILTSHIRE: Wiltshire is managing to stave off a hosepipe ban, even though a drought situation has now been declared. Technically, a drought occurs when there is no rain for 15 days. But a spokesperson for Wessex Water said on Tuesday that, providing water users are careful, there should not be any serious problems. The most important precaution is not to water gardens during the day or peak time, between 6pm and 7pm. If there is a surge of demand, operational and pressure problems could occur, leaving a user at the end of a line with very little water pressure. It's more economical to water when the weather has turned cooler at night as there is less evaporation than say at 6pm when it is still warm. Other water-saving suggestions are to shower instead of bathing and don't leave taps running.

July 22, 2005

MELKSHAM: Volunteers with Melksham Lions believe their Message in a Bottle scheme is a cast-iron lifesaver. Up to 750 plastic bottles, complete with medical forms, have been handed out to elderly and vulnerable residents in the town, but now 1,000 more are up for grabs. The scheme works by participants filling out a green form with their medical details, including prescription drugs, allergies, blood group and doctor's details. Forms are placed in the marked bottle and put in the fridge. A green sticker is then stuck on the fridge and inside the front door. In an emergency paramedics or GPs, who are backing the scheme, will spot the stickers and have access to information, which could potentially make the difference between life and death. Buying 1,000 new bottles with cash raised through fundraising, Lions' members are hoping people will take advantage of the project this time around.