Now that we are well and truly into the New Year, we thought we would take a moment to remind ourselves of all the good things happening in Wiltshire right now. 

It's safe to say that it has actually been a pretty great week for Wiltshire, so here's a list of some good things which happened, in case you missed it.

Wiltshire Times:

1. Wiltshire could be getting greener

Residents are being asked to complete a short survey as part of a scoping study being undertaken by Bath & West Community Energy to identify possible sites for renewable energy locations.

Find out more here.

2. Good news for the arts

A Wiltshire business recently received funding to support students in Swindon and the rest of the county who want to start a career in the music industry. Blendid Media and Artists has been awarded cash from the Youth Music Incubator Fund which will be used to deliver another round of their Music Industry Insights and Skills Development Programme. Read more here.

3. A couple from Swindon pitched their business in Dragons' Den show

Co-founders Keeran and Vaani Vetriko appeared with their beer business on the hit BBC show are hoping the extra publicity will help move them forward with their business in the future.

They said they were “grateful” for the opportunity as it meant being able to get the word out about their products even though the dragons did not end up in offering them a deal.

See here for the full story.

 

4. Longleat Safari Park announced it will be reopoening for vistors

Earlier this week, Longleat announced the news that the beloved safari park will be welcoming back its visitors at the beginning of February. 

A spokesman for Longleat said: “We're pleased to announce that Longleat will be be open on selected dates from the February 4." 

Find out more about the park's visiting hours here.

5. Chippenham to create a Tiny Forest in Monkton Park

The town of Chippenham will soon be welcoming its first Tiny Forest in Monkton Park thanks to Earthwatch Europe and Siemens Mobility who have partenered with Chippenham town council.

It will bring 600 trees such as oak, lime, elm, hawthorn and hazel to the area, to give reisdents a chance to get back to nature as well as improve the levels of biodiversity.

Get the full story here.

6. A new art gallery is set to open in Corsham

A group of artists have joined forces to take on the shop in Corsham, which was once occupied by the John Parker Gallery.

They are being led by artist Ali Haynes who is driving force behind the new Corsham Gallery at 15 Martingate, Corsham.

See here for the full story.

7. A man with autism is speaking up for people with hidden disabilities 

A man from Chippenham who has autism has struggled his whole life with feeling disconnected from normality, but he is now re-releasing his book which aims to address the barriers which people with hidden disabilities face.

He wants to make a positive impact and create change for future generations to give them more opportunities. 

Click here to read more about his experience.