🏅 2026 Royal Wootton Bassett Civic Award Ceremony 🏅

On Friday 27th March 2026, Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council held a Civic Award Ceremony to celebrate some incredible members of our community.

In 2025, Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council received nominations from residents, businesses and community groups, for individuals from our community to receive a Civic Award. At a meeting of Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council, members unanimously agreed to award 7 members of our community the prestigious Civic Award.

An evening of glitz and glamour, music and entertainment, and the old Memorial Hall was looking fantastic!

The Civic Awards Evening is an occasion dedicated to celebrating the very best of who we are as a town, not only to recognise achievement, but to honour something even more powerful: the spirit of giving, the quiet leadership of service, and the countless acts of kindness that strengthen the fabric of our community every single day.

Across our town, in community halls, our parks and open spaces, clubhouses, the leisure centre, sports pitches, churches, and barbeque tents, volunteers give their time without fanfare or expectation.

Each of the 7 individuals we recognised at the ceremony on Friday 27th March 2026, represents the very best of us – dedication, compassion, resilience, and a belief in the power of community action. They have dedicated their time to support and enhance our community in many ways.

Please join us in congratulating:

• Joan Wall and John Hooper for their dedication to supporting Re-Engage RWB, a group committed to providing life-enhancing social connections for older people. Joan & John have each volunteered for over 20 years to supporting older people in our community.
• Alan Small of Royal Wootton Bassett Bowls Club. Alan has committed over 30 years of service to the Bowls Club and its members. Alan’s support has made a lasting and meaningful difference to members and the wider community.
• Robert Vaughan for over 34 years of dedicated volunteering for the Rotary Club of Royal Wootton Bassett. Robert has supported the Rotary Club with events and his famous BBQ, as well as being the Rotary Santa that visits every street in RWB over Christmas raising vital funds for the community.
• Ruth Sexton for her lifelong commitment to caring for others and for the extraordinary service given to the community of Royal Wootton Bassett. Ruth’s steadfast support of the church, children and young people, and the wider community has touched countless lives, making a profound difference to the community.
• Pete Yeardley of Royal Wootton Bassett Sport’s Association. Pete has dedicated over 30 years of service to the Sport’s Association and Football Club. Pete’s leadership and commitment has been instrumental in improving sporting opportunities for the whole community.
• John Hopkins for a lifetime of dedicated service to St Bartholomew and All Saints Church, and the community of Royal Wootton Bassett. John was one of the founding members and trustees for Friends of St Bartholomew’s Church, which raised vital fund that helped shape the church’s future.

Photo above of Civic Award winners;  Pete Yeardley, John Hooper, Alan Small, Joan Wall, Bob Vaughan, John Hopkins and Ruth Sexton (from left to right)

The Town Council would like to thank the following for helping put on our very own Bassett Oscars, to celebrate these special members of our community:

• Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Function Band
• Foxtrot Catering
• Bassett Bar and Catering
• Graham McCallion photography
• Memorial Hall, Royal Wootton Bassett
• In Touch Design & Print, Purton
• Simon Stockley, M32 Events
• Town Crier, Owen Collier
• RWB Shed
• RWB Flower Club