WVCH Trustee Mike Stone Given Civic Award

Mike receives his award from the mayor.

On Sunday 13th July the Chippenham Town Council held their annual Civic Sunday service and award ceremony. The church service at St Andrew’s, Chippenham was followed by a buffet reception in the Neeld Hall, which started with the presentation of this year’s Civic Awards by the Mayor, Kathryn MacDermid.

WVCH Trustee Mike Stone was a recipient of a well-deserved award for his energetic support and promotion of the Chippenham community and its heritage.

The citation read as follows –

“Mike has always displayed a sense of ‘civic pride’ and community engagement, from his early career as a police officer through to his subsequent career as a museum curator and published historian.

As a long-time supporter and leader in the Chippenham Civic Society, he has been involved in many local community projects, including the restoration of the Buttercross, Civic Society Award nominations and the Blue Plaque scheme. Mike is a lifelong promoter of both local and world history, engaging others through his books, talks and boundless enthusiasm.

He is well-known within the Chippenham heritage community as an organiser and supporter of local charities and events and continues to play an active part in the Chippenham Civic Society, Wiltshire Victoria History Trust (volume 20 Chippenham) and many other projects.”

Following his presentation Mike spoke eloquently about his passion for Chippenham and its history, saying that he loves ‘this town’, it’s bigger than it has ever been and will get greater and urging people to ‘get involved’.

Gil Alder