On 23 October 1997 a public meeting was called, in the Village Hall, to form a steering committee for the Millennium Celebrations. George Day chaired the meeting - presumably in his capacity as a member of the Parish Council - and I agreed to act as Chairman of the Committee in its early stages. The thought was that having formed the steering committee, we would then have a basis from which to expand and co-opt other people as the year 2000 approached.

The Committee comprised the following:
Chairman - Chas Boyack
Members - Mark Godding, Paul Wilkinson, Eric Partridge, Rosemary Couse, Tony Bailey, Mervyn Underwood, Cedric Pearce, and George Day.

George Day suggested that Sheila Anderson should be contacted, because she had the experience of having served on the Jubilee Committee and also had Minutes of Meetings on that event. Sheila was contacted, was happy to help and joined the Committee, agreeing to take notes for the Chairman to prepare Minutes. Other volunteers who later joined were, Jean Blottiere, Jeremy Cross and Richard Pearce.

Several ideas for possible projects were put forward at the Meeting and it was agreed that a questionnaire to canvass ideas of villagers could be circulated. This was duly done and some 50 ideas were suggested and given support by a number of people. 15 people also volunteered to help on a temporary basis if they were required. It was interesting to read the comments received. There was a request that people should not be badgered for their help. One chap suggested that anything done should be self-supporting unless it was being done for the hard-up. There was also a comment that we had done nothing to celebrate Islam's Millennium and it was therefore triumphalist to celebrate the Christian one.

Ideas that came to nothing - usually after several telephone calls, letters and much discussion - included the following:

A continuous footpath on the main road from Potterne to Devizes.
Provision of mains gas to the village.
A bus shelter in the High Street.
An outing to London.
Traffic calming measures.
A new youth club hall.
Safeguards and improvements in country footpaths.
Commemorative seats.
Maintenance and improvement of football pitch facilities.
Improved play areas for children.
A boule court.
A street party.
A pageant.
Moving the telegraph and power poles from the immediate area of the Whistley pump to inside the adjacent farmyard.

Renovation of the village pump at Wick, marked by a service of blessing the waters conducted by Paul Wilkinson.	Pictures
Renovation of the pump (continuously running tap) in Whistley Road.	Pictures
Excavation and renovation of the dipping well in Duck Street.	Pictures
A village Christmas Card.	Picture
A village Calendar.	Pictures
Commemorative china plates, beakers and mugs, using a pattern designed by a villager. Thanks to the generosity of one of the villagers, free mugs were given to all children of primary school age.	Picture
A survey of traffic through the village.	Results
A week-end of displays of 'Old Potterne' in the Church and the Village Hall.
A video of events by George Day.	Video
Photographic sessions in the Village Hall, with tea and biscuits, for the book.
A ring of trees, obtained from the Council, sponsored by village individuals and planted around the village cricket pitch.	Info & Pictures
A darts competition.
A Sports Challenge between Potterne and Worton/Marston.
A 'Time Capsule' containing a wide variety of objects, including the winning suggestions of a pupil of Potterne School and a pupil of the Mill School, enclosed in a locally made iron frame and placed in St Mary's Church.
The Millennium Celebration - held on 24 June 2000, from 10.30am to 10.30pm, at Ryeleaze - and including an open-air religious service, conducted by Paul Wilkinson, with music provided by a Salvation Army Band.