SEVERAL former mayors of Trowbridge are spearheading a new initiative to stage an event next year to celebrate people in uniform who serve their local community.

Ex-mayors Peter Fuller, Linda Self and David Cavill hope to stage the event on Saturday, September 10, 2022 to celebrate people in the emergency services, the armed forces and others who wear uniforms.

The one-day event will follow but not replace the Wiltshire Armed Forces and Veterans Celebration that last took place in 2019.

The organisers held a meeting with Hayley Bell, the head of service, leisure and facilities at Trowbridge Town Council, on Monday.

The council’s leisure services committee will discuss the proposal when it meets on Tuesday.

Former town councillor Geoff Whiffen said: “We want to organise a one-day event to promote Trowbridge and anybody who wears a uniform, whether they are in the armed services, the emergency services, or the Cubs, Scouts, Brownies and Guides, and the three Trowbridge cadet force organisations for land, sea and air.

“It’s too late to do anything this year but we have set aside September 10 for an event next year and we are still looking for volunteers to help us out on the day.”

Mr Whiffen says their committee includes former and serving Trowbridge Town Council councillors and employees, as well as local business people, and a representative of ex-service people.

They are Brian Mitchell, of the Royal British Legion Trowbridge Branch; Linda Self, a former Trowbridge mayor; Adam Richards, who runs the AR Army Surplus shop in Church Walk; Trish Carpenter, a former town council secretary; and Cllr David Vigar, the Trowbridge town and Wiltshire councillor for Grove Ward. Deputy mayor Cllr Graham Hill, a town councillor for Grove Ward, is also supporting the initiative.

Mr Whiffen has already met with Maryrose Mantle, the chairman of Trowbridge Carnival Committee, who ran the WAFVC two-event for 16 years before stepping down.

She wanted 2020 to be her swansong but the WAFVC event was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions on large public gatherings.

Mr Whiffen said: “She has been very helpful with advice and suggestions but is unable to give us more information because of the Data Protection Act.”

The WAFVC committee wound up in September last year after a number of key members stepped down.

Cllr Stewart Palmen, Trowbridge Town Council’s Liberal Democrat leader, says their policy and resources committee has already voted to make a grant of £7,000 available to help support next year’s event.

The leisure service committee will be asked to support a recommendation with two options: to support Armed Forces Day on Saturday, June 26 2022, or to back Uniform Services Day on Saturday, September 10 and Armed Forces Day on Saturday, June 25 2023.