Dragon Boat Day 2011

9th July 2011

On Saturday 9th July, the Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale held its third annual Dragon Boat Day fund raising event on and alongside the River Avon in Monkton Park, Chippenham. Seventeen teams took part to raise money for charity and to have some fun on the water. This was one team more than the previous year and, but for the sad demise of RAF Lyneham who had previously fielded as many as 4 teams, would have been in excess of 20 teams!

The Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale would like to thank Chippenham Borough Lands Charity, Emery Gate Shopping Centre Chippenham, Borough Parade Shopping Centre Chippenham, Chippenham Town Council, Waitrose Chippenham, The Black Farmer, and Whitehall Garden Centre Lacock, for sponsoring this year's event.

Congratulations to The River Raiders (members of Chippenham Sailing and Canoe Club), winners of Chippenham Dragon Boat Race 2011.

Congratulations are also due to the following:

• Phoenix Centurions (Cirencester Ruby Club Under 16's), runners up
• The Fire Arrows (Fairfield Farm College), winners of the President's Award
• Abbeyfield Up-R-Oar (Abbeyfield School Sixth Form), best fancy dress team

This year's event also featured 5 minute Sumo wrestling and kangaroo boxing sessions which proved popular with teams members and the general public alike, but particularly The Pink Panthers team (9 Reg RLC, Hullavington) and children generally.

• See more pictures in the Dragon Boat Day 2011 photo gallery.
• See the race results at Dragon Boat Day 2011 race results.

Street Fayre 2011

Spring Bank Holiday Monday 30th May 2011

On the Spring Bank Holiday Monday 30th May 2011, the Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale held the annual Street Fayre on the High Street and the Market Place, Chippenham, which it has organised on behalf of the Chippenham Folk Festival since the early 1990's. Since January 2010, the club had been marketing the event to the street trading community both locally and nationally and, even in these difficult economic times, received an excellent response with over 75% of piches sold. Whilst the weather could have been better, many traders reported a good days trading and that they would be returning in 2012.

As in 2010, trading pitches were sold online, which eased the administrative burden and also resulted in a number of traders trading at the Street Fayre for the very first time. Approximately £3,500 was raised, the income being shared with the Chippenham Folk Festival (a not for profit company) and the various charities that the Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale supports.

A fill-in form will appear on this site shortly to allow traders to alert the club to their interest in being contacted about Street Fayre 2012 and beyond.

• See pictures of the 2010 Streetfayre in the Street Fayre 2010 photo gallery.

Dragon Boat Day 2010

10th July 2010

On Saturday 10th July, the Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale held the second annual Dragon Boat Day fund raising event on and alongside the River Avon in Monkton Park, Chippenham. Sixteen teams (nearly twice the number that competed in 2009) took part to raise money for charity and to have some fun on the water!

The Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale would like to thank Blue Cedar Homes, Whitehall Garden Centre, Fullers Brewery Mail Boxes Etc, and Emery Gate Shopping Centre, High Street, Chippenham, for sponsoring this year's event.

Congratulations to the Palm Tree Pirates (30 Squadron, RAF Lyneham), winners of Dragon Boat Day 2010

Congratulations are also due to the following:

• Avagio / Wiltshire Blind, winners of the prize for the best non-services team
• The Fire Arrows (Fairfield Farm College), winners of the prize for the best youth team
• Abbeyfield Aardvarks(Abbeyfield School Sixth Form), winners of the prize for the best fancy dress team

This year's event also featured the filming of an episode of the Channel 5 TV programme 'The Gadget Show', whose presenters Ortis Deley (pictured) and Jason Bradbury raced craft they had built over the preceeding days, over the club's dragonboat course. This episode was broadcast at 8.00pm on Monday 23 August 2010 - here is a link to it on 'Demand 5'.

• See more pictures in the Dragon Boat Day 2010 photo gallery.
• See the race results at Dragon Boat Day 2010 race results.

President's Night 2010

17th April 2010

On Saturday 17th April, members of the Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale, together with their wives, husbands, partners, and guests, met at Bowood Country Club to celebrate the Rotary year of 2009/10 as presided over by President John McKee. 83 people attended the event, partaking of a sumptuous four course meal and dancing the night away to music provided by a three piece band, followed by a seven piece band, followed yet again by an eleven piece showband.

The club would particularly like to thank those who contributed to the collection that raised over £550 for the Chippenham Doorway project.

• See more pictures in the President's Night 2010 photo gallery.

Burns Supper 2010

23rd January 2010

On Saturday 23rd January, the Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale held a Burns Night Supper at the Angel Hotel, Chippenham, to partake of traditional 'haggis, neaps and tatties' and commemorate the life and times of the famous (and infamous!) Scottish poet and songwriter, Robert Burns. The event was attended by 61 members, their partners and guests, plus guests from the Rotary Club of Chippenham, Chippenham Larkrise, and the Rotary Club of Wessex Mead.

The Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale would like to thank the Rotary Club of Chippenham for donating their President, Roger Greenslade, as guest president for the evening, our own president, John McKee, being otherwise engaged in addressing the haggis, reading extracts from some of Burns' more famous works, and the like. The club would also like to thank local singer, guitarist, and raconteur Richmond Cursiter, for contributing to the evening from his extensive repertoire of Scottish songs and 'tall tales'. Thanks also go to the Right Honourable James Gray, MP for Chippenham, who proposed the 'toast to the lassies', and Elspeth McKee for her eloquent response.

Thanks also to those who contributed to the collection that raised over £200 for the Chippenham Doorway project.

• See more pictures in the Burns Night 2010 photo gallery.

Dragon Boat Day 2009

29th August 2009

On Saturday 29th August, the Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale held the very first Dragon Boat Day fund raising event on and alongside the River Avon in Monkton Park, Chippenham. Nine teams took part to raise money for charity and to have some fun on the water!

The Rotary Club of Chippenham Wiltshire Vale would like to thank Chippenham Town Council, Mail Boxes Etc, Fullers Brewery, and the Rose and Crown Inn, 22 Market Place, Chippenham, for sponsoring this year's event.

Congratulations to the Fox Flyers (47 Squadron, RAF Lyneham), winners of Dragon Boat Day 2009. In addition to the trophy and winners medals, the team won 5 cases of beer donated by Fullers Brewery.

• See more pictures in the Dragon Boat Day 2009 photo gallery.
• See the race results at Dragon Boat Day 2009 race results.