John Coles Park Centenary Celebrations 06.08.23

15th March 2023 / News archive

John Coles Park Centenary Celebrations
Sunday 6 August 2023, 10am – 5pm

A “Roaring 20s” themed event took place in John Coles Park with lots of fun and free activities for all the family to enjoy.

Thank you to everyone involved in making this event happen, it was a wonderful day full of fun activities and entertainment.

The attractions included:

Traditional carousel and swing boats provided by Odin Events
Chloe’s Mobile Farm
Clare’s Circus activities
1920s props for dressing up selfies by City Dressing
Atwell Wilson with a 1920s car of the day
British Military Martial Arts demonstrations
Town Mayor’s Tombola fundraising for Doorway
Sporting activities with Up and Under Sports
Chippenham Museum will bring oral history recording equipment along to record memories of the park to connect with the photographic project
Wiltshire Police
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust Chippenham Community Hub
Artisan Quarter
Chippenham Pride
Chippenham Sea Cadets
Michael Herbert Silhouette Artist
Totally Crazy balloon animals
First Aid supplied by Orbital Facilities

The programme for the day included:

Chippenham Hospital Radio various slots between 10am to 5pm
Ivan Andre Trumpet Player 11am to 1pm
Allsorts Community Choir 1.30pm to 2pm
Trip for Biscuits Band 2pm to 2.30pm, 2.45pm to 3.15pm, 3.30pm to 4pm
Dancing Academy 2.30pm to 2.45pm

Food and refreshment were supplied by:

Daisy’s Dairy Shack
Only Fools and Morsels
The Rolling Stoves
The Pasty Cove

Time Capsule and Commemorative Tree

The Mayor of Chippenham, Councillor Declan Basely, Chief Executive Mark Smith, and special guest Mr. Ron Crook buried a time capsule in the park containing objects related to “the way we live” and planted a commemorative tree. Mr Crook is the grandson of Mr Reginald Cue who was a park keeper in 1923.

Thanks go to Curtis Ilott Funerals and Memorials who supplied the commemorative plaque for the Time capsule.