I moved to Calne in May 2017 and while I've heard there can be negative connotations about the town, I feel that I view this town with a clean slate. Up to this point (August 2022), I've had a very positive experience of living in Calne, even becoming a Town Councillor for the Chilvester and Abberd Ward in 2021. This positive experience is why my interest in the areas, buildings, people, and events of the town has grown to the point that I'd like to jot down a few things. Initially, this was as a notebook, but my Place Names of Calne blog series became the book, Calne Place Names, in 2021.
Roles within Calne
Creative CV
June 2020 - Published Calne Place Names via Amazon KDP
July 2020 - One of three winners of the Calne Wordfest writing competition with 'An Alien Adventure', beautifully read by Ruth Hill of the Wordfest committee.
July 2020 - Began research for a book project regarding the River Marden.
August 2020 - Wrote an article on the Horsebrook Nature Trail for Calne Town Council.
August 2020 - Began the Calne Mayor Project with members of the Calne in Photographs Facebook group.
October 2020 - Delivered 'A Brief History of the River Marden' talk via Zoom for Friends of the Marden Valley and Avon Needs Trees.
November 2020 - Calne Town Council published The Pure Waters of Chaveywell Spring on their tourism blog.
January 2021 - Calne Town Council published What I Love About Calne - Calne in Photographs - Calne (visitwiltshire.co.uk) on their blog.
February 2021 - I wrote about Joseph Priestley in a joint project with River Warriors Calne to celebrate British Science Week 2021 and provide a children's poster competition with the theme of inventions. Read the article here.
March 2021 - Calne Town Council republished What I Love About Calne - Calne in Photographs - Calne (visitwiltshire.co.uk) in their magazine, Calne Connection.
April 2021 - Collaborated with the Calne Pop-up Pocket Park and other historians in the town to create a new trail supported with a companion webpage. As part of this project, I wrote the pieces on Jan Ingenhousz, Chaveywell and Ellinor Gabriel. In addition, I created the map, edited the trail directions, and provided the majority of the photographs for the leaflet. On behalf of Calne Heritage Centre, I created the webpage for the additional trail content and provided an edited version of the CHC logo for inclusion in the leaflet. The trail is available from the Pocket Park shed, or here.
May 2021 - Elected as a Town Councillor to represent the Chilvester and Abberd Ward on Calne Town Council.
July 2021 - Supplied a photograph at the source of the River Marden to the Friends of the Marden Valley for use on a roller banner. This was first used at the Bremhill and Ratford Summer Fete.
August 2021 - Created The Knapp Green Spaces management plan for River Warriors Calne. This sets out the general pattern of land management for this rewilding area and orchard.
August 2021 - Supplied photographs for a Wiltshire Life article on the Living Churchyard project. The article focussed on St. Giles, Stanton St. Quintin, a project I've been involved with since 2009. I also created a poster and short article on the Geocache at St. Giles for the Churchyard seminar.
September 2021 - I edited the first version of the following postcard for Friends of the Marden Valley, then re-wrote the text after information changed due to circumstances beyond our control.
September - October 2021 - Created and adapted marketing material for Beat the Street Calne, also the administrator for that Facebook page.
October 2021 - Wrote an article for the Calne Community Nature Reserve, a project I run via Calne Amenities and Facilities Organisation. The Friends of the Marden Valley postcard also appears for Calne Connection, a magazine printed by Calne Town Council.
October 2021 - Calne Tale Trail app. Working with a team at Calne Wordfest, I took on the roles of author, voice artist, and liaison with the developer to create a new progressive web app. I also assisted in creating the CMS set up and data population within Contentful and created training materials. We have re-envisioned the Blue Plaque Trail for phase 1 and have plans to further develop the app and the trails within it.
November 2021 - I wrote the text for an interpretation board for Friends of the Marden Valley and River Warriors Calne. As the design requirements changed, only half of the text was used for the board, but I'll make it available in due course. Here is the PDF of the board, which can now where the brook meets the River Marden.
January 2022 - Began the creation of the River Marden Interactive Map, an ongoing project.
March 2022 - Created posters and a large format banner for the Calne Twinning Association. These assets were to promote the 40th anniversary of twinning between Calne and Calne. A selection of the assets are available here.
May 2022 - Wrote a piece on the Calne Community Nature Reserve for the Derry Hill and Studley Matter inSPIRE magazine.
August 2022 - The Beach Terrace project completed in August. This project I project managed through Calne Heritage and Amenities Organisation, a group that I Chair, along with Lucy Havenith and Robert MacNaughton. Details of the project can be seen here.
August 2022 - Created a poster for the St. Mary's Bell Tower Project fundraiser.
August 2022 - British Naturalists' Association published an article I wrote on the Calne Community Nature Reserve, giving the project national exposure. PDF here and full version here.
October 2022 - Designed the Calne Art Trail leaflet for Calne Heritage and Amenities Organisation. A PDF version can be downloaded here.
October 2022 - Updated the Calne AED maps and created a Google map of locations in Calne and Calne Without. Can be viewed from here.
November 2022 - Published my second book, Calne Walks, via Amazon KDP.
Currently working on some book projects. Will update when I have news!
