WILTSHIRE Community Foundation, one of the beneficiaries of our Deepest Wiltshire book sales, is 50 this year. It was the country’s first community foundation and the golden jubilee was celebrated at a sunny party at Wellington Barn near Calne, below the beautiful north Wiltshire downs and the Cherhill White Horse.

The special guest at the party was Her Majesty Queen Camilla, a self-described “Wiltshire girl”, who cut the birthday cake and unveiled a plaque to mark the anniversary and the foundation’s new logo and changed name – it is now the Wiltshire and Swindon Community Foundation.

WCF has produced an elegant book to mark the 50th anniversary. In her foreword, the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire and Patron of the foundation, Dame Sarah Troughton celebrates “50 incredible years of helping people from all walks of life across the county … made possible through the generosity of its donors and the vision of its board and staff … ”

Over its five decades, WCF has awarded more than £26.8 million in grants, supporting hundreds of thousands of people and a wide range of local issues, from poverty and rural isolation to mental health, education, and domestic abuse. It helps young people to access higher education and training and launch their own businesses. In 2024/25, more than £2.5 million was handed out in grants, reaching more than 83,000 people.

For more on the anniversary party and the WCF anniversary party, and details of how to order Deepest Wiltshire – or Deepest Somerset – visit www.deepestbooks.co.uk

HM Queen Camilla is pictured cutting the anniversary cake with WCF joint chief executives Fiona Oliver and Vicky Hickey. Also pictured is Fine Times Recorder co-editor and Deepest Wiltshire co-author and editor Gay Pirrie-Weir at the Wellington Barn celebration.