http://www.warminsterjournal.co.uk/

Warminster Journal, 31 Market Place, Melksham (2026)

17/01/2026

Breast screening campaigners call for ongoing community support

Campaigners calling for the mobile breast screening unit to be brought back to Warminster are urging residents to continue signing a petition as they press NHS England for firm commitments on future decision-making.

The mobile service was withdrawn from Warminster last year after being based at Morrisons car park. The Wiltshire Breast Screening Service cited antisocial behaviour, including people banging on the side of the van during treatment sessions, as one of the reasons for the decision.

Over 1,000 people have signed the petition calling for the reinstatement of the unit in the town, and those leading the campaign want reassurances that any future consultation over the service will not take place without proper engagement with local people.

David Reeves, from the Warminster Area Health and Wellbeing Forum, who has been campaigning with town councillor Liz Lee, said they had been told NHS England would liaise with the town council as planning work begins for the 2028 screening programme.

Read more here: https://buff.ly/1B21l8u

Pictured: Cllr Liz Lee at the site of the previous breast screening unit in Morrisons car park

17/01/2026

Plan to convert town centre offices into flats

Plans have been submitted to change the use of first-floor office space in the town centre into residential accommodation.

The proposal involves converting the office space to residential use, along with internal alterations to create a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom self-contained flat.

The Grade II* listed building at 38 Market Place currently has shops on the ground floor. Planning documents state that the first-floor offices are no longer required for their current use and that the conversion would make more efficient use of existing town centre space.

Wiltshire Council’s conservation officer has recommended refusal of the application, stating there is insufficient information to fully assess the impact of the proposals on the Grade II* listed building.

In their report, the conservation officer said the application “suggests a scheme that would be harmful to significant features”.

Warminster Town Council members unanimously objected to the plans, supporting the conservation officer’s concerns. Councillors agreed that listed buildings within conservation areas should receive special attention to preserve their setting and special architectural or historic interest.

Read more here: https://buff.ly/Z6C1yv1

16/01/2026

New Brick Church launches in Warminster

A new church initiative in Warminster is bringing together adults and children for LEGO, snacks, Bible stories, fun songs and prayers.

The first session took place on 2nd January, welcoming all ages to enjoy building, learning and playing together.

The church is free to attend, with sessions running at 3.30pm on the first Friday of the month in the Church Hall of St John’s Church, and at 3.30pm on the third Saturday of the month in the Minster Church.

The next session will be held at 3.30pm on Saturday 17th January at the Minster Church.

“It’s a free session for people of all ages; children must be accompanied by a responsible adult (who is also allowed to play with the LEGO!),” said Revd Susan Foster, Rector of The River Were Churches and organiser of Warminster Brick Church.

Read more here: https://buff.ly/KH0sfG9

16/01/2026

Local people rescue cygnets from icy lake

Local residents worked together to rescue cygnets that were stuck on the frozen lake in the Lake Pleasure Grounds recently.

A concerned woman alerted the Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital after noticing two cygnets unable to move when the lake froze in recent cold weather. It was feared that if the cygnets remained stuck near the edge of the lake, they could be vulnerable to predators such as foxes.

Amanda Levine and her daughter Holly, who volunteer for the Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital, visited the scene and, with the help of a local man, were able to break the ice and move them to safety.

“It was the cygnets’ first winters, so they have never come across ice before, and they didn’t know how to move,” said Amanda.

“We had to break the ice, but the process actually scared one cygnet enough to make it get up on its feet. It waddled and slid until it was much further down and managed to get up onto the grass.”

Read more here: https://buff.ly/6BIx0kL

The Wiltshire Wildlife Hospital is available to contact at 07850 778752 for animal enquiries, including emergencies, or 01980 629470 for general enquiries.

Pictured by Amanda Levine

16/01/2026

Castle Lodge Care Home celebrates grand opening

Castle Lodge Care Home in Mere officially opened its doors last Friday, celebrating the occasion with a special grand opening.

The event was also attended by residents, staff and representatives from local community groups and businesses, along with local councillor George Jeans.

The official opening was marked with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony, led by Home Manager Wendy Perkins, who proudly declared the care home open alongside Co-CEO Al-Karim Kachra and Chairman Abdul Kachra.

Located in the heart of Mere, Castle Lodge Care Home is a modern, purpose-built care home providing residential, dementia and respite care.

“The home has been thoughtfully designed to deliver person-centred care in a warm, welcoming environment that supports independence, dignity and wellbeing,” said Wendy.

Read more here: https://buff.ly/22hUpPp

15/01/2026

Fitness challenge supports local man driving aid to Ukraine

Members of the Warminster community recently took part in a fitness challenge at Warminster Sports Centre to raise money for a local man who is driving medical aid to Ukraine this month.

The challenge was organised in aid of Stephen Ryder, a presenter on Warminster Community Radio and a member of the sports centre, who is raising money for Mighty Convoy, a volunteer-run UK charity that delivers second-hand ambulances and medical supplies to Ukraine.

Stephen will be part of a convoy of six ambulances, each packed with around six tonnes of medical aid, being driven to Ukraine in January. Funds raised will go towards the purchase of an ambulance and supplies.

Read more here: https://buff.ly/wWYIQ03

To support his fundraising, visit https://buff.ly/D4yAmjt

Pictured: Adam and Stephen

15/01/2026

The latest issue of the Warminster Journal is out now.

Read our digital edition here: https://buff.ly/zo4kW02

14/01/2026

Council Tax increase to maintain ‘good-value service for residents’

Warminster Town Council has set Council Tax for the 2026-27 financial year as it looks to maintain a “good-value service for residents”.

The town council’s budget was agreed by councillors at a Full Council meeting on Monday 5th January. The precept will increase by £94,360, a 6.6% rise, which for a band D property represents a £10.94 increase a year, or 21p a week.

Mayor of Warminster, Councillor Andrew Cooper, said, “Warminster Town Council continues to invest in the town. This is a sustainable budget that puts the council in a strong position to continue to serve the local community and maintain a good value service for residents.”

Read more here: https://buff.ly/3B2YP6Z

Pictured: Warminster Civic Centre, home of Warminster Town Council

14/01/2026

Warminster residents embrace new Swap Shop

Warminster’s new weekly Swap Shop got off to a positive start, with around 80 items exchanged by residents at the first event.

Items swapped at the opening event, held at The Wellbeing Hub on Wednesday 7th January, included clothes, toys, furniture and televisions, giving people a chance to refresh their homes and wardrobes while recycling items they no longer needed.

“It was amazing that we had so many people come,” said Lydia Moore, who co-founded The Wellbeing Hub with Charity Chenga.

“It was really nice to see some people that had never been to the hub before.

“Lots of people have said they will come back, and we had a lot of feedback from people saying they loved their new items, so it’s been a really positive start.”

Read more here: https://buff.ly/VSPD4D3

Pictured: Charity, Lydia and Magdalen from The Wellbeing Hub, with students from Warminster School

13/01/2026

Local people recognised in New Year Honours List

Two people from the Warminster area have been recognised in the New Year Honours List, which highlights the achievements and service of extraordinary people across the UK.

Richard Clothier, a third-generation cheesemaker, was awarded an MBE for services to sustainable agriculture and food production. Barbara Thomas received a British Empire Medal for her voluntary work supporting residents in Mere through community and youth charities.

Richard is the Managing Director of Wyke Farms, which combines traditional cheesemaking with a focus on environmental responsibility. He said, “Receiving an MBE is an immense honour and a very proud moment for my family and the team here at Wyke. To be recognised for our work in farming and producing food in the most sustainable way is a huge accolade.

Read more here: https://buff.ly/QXJCLBY

Pictured: Barbara Thomas. Richard Clothier

12/01/2026

Warminster Museum Column: East Street

It is possible that you have never given a lot of thought to East Street. It is, after all, just a busy street bringing lots of traffic to town and taking lots of traffic away from town. But is that all it is?

Most certainly, it is not all that it was. Until the early 1800s, there were two mansion houses in East Street. One of these was the home of the wealthy Halliday family. The Hallidays owned quite a large area on the north side of East Street, and their mansion house home was in the area that is now Buttons Yard. They left this house sometime after 1801 and moved to one of their other properties, Yard House, a little way further West. Yard House is still there, but the original mansion house was demolished, and it does not appear on the next map dated 1836.

The second mansion house was East End House, and it appears on the 1886 OS map. It was a very grand affair, sitting in extensive grounds. The entrance to this property is shown on the map as “gate”. The gate no longer exists, but the drive entrance is still there. It is the opening on the left of the filling station. East End Avenue cuts right through the site of the house and it is possible that householders on this section of East End Avenue will find bits of East End House in their gardens.

Read more here: https://buff.ly/uKLPK1N

Pictured: 1886 map of East Streeta

11/01/2026

Three decades of family fun at local play centre

A family play centre in Melksham is celebrating more than 30 years of providing fun and entertainment to local families.

Boomerang Family Entertainment Centre on Bowerhill first opened in August 1995 with the aim of providing a safe place for children to play and a welcoming space for parents to relax.

Over the decades the centre has expanded and modernised and it continues to be a popular destination for family days out, children’s parties and active play.

“We’re a family-run business and opened Boomerang with two people in mind: the child and the parent; a place where little ones could explore, learn and grow, while grown-ups could relax and connect,” said owner Gary Cooke.

“Today, Boomerang continues to be one of Wiltshire’s leading destinations for family fun, imaginative play, children’s parties and active experiences. We offer a rich variety of activity zones designed for different ages and abilities; there is something for every age!”

Read more here: https://buff.ly/B3vsie7

Warminster Journal

17/01/2026

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15/01/2026

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12/01/2026

11/01/2026

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