The Constituency Executive Committee are responsible for running the affairs of the Constituency Labour Party in the Melksham and Devizes area.

Chair David Songhurst
David Songhurst I have lived in Wiltshire since 1974 and been a member of the Labour Party from the early 1980s. In these early years I set up the Calne Branch Labour Party which went on to be a major part of North Wiltshire Constituency Labour Party. Within the Labour Party I have held many roles to include Branch Chair, Constituency Secretary and Political Education Officer.

My professional life has been in education and for 17 years I taught/lectured at Swindon College in Industrial Relations and Employment Law.. During this period I created and managed a Trade Union Education Centre working with the TUC at national and regional level.During my college years I was Branch Chair of Natfhe Trade Union ( now UCU ).
In 1991 I went to teach/lecture as Principal Lecturer in Industrial Relations and Employment Law at The University of Wolverhampton Business School for 14 years. This role took me all over the world. In this period I set up and chaired a Branch of Natfhe TU ( now UCU ).
In 2005 I left the university to work  with my wife in a school in the remote area of Ladakh in the Himalayas of northern India for 3 years.
This was followed by volunteering for Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO ) in Ethiopia for 2.5 years. With my wife we were based in the Ministry of Education, Addis Ababa and worked with our Ethiopian colleagues on Teacher Training & Development for the whole country. An amazing and very rewarding experience.
In 2016/17 I volunteered for Ecoexist an NGO in Botswana as an Educational Advisor and remain in this role today.
For some years I have been a volunteer with the Wiltshire Council Refugee Resettlement Scheme and are currently the local coordinator.

Vice-Chair (Campaigns & Membership)

Noël Woolrych
Noel_Woolrych.jpg

A veteran of the Constituency Labour Party I've been around for quite a long time; I was elected in the mid-1990s as a Councillor, then Mayor of Devizes.  I've chaired pretty much all council committees and many community organisations.  Served as a Branch & CLP Executive Committee member for 30 plus years, served as Vice-Chair & Chair of the Devizes CLP and Union Rep when I was a teacher. 
I have several years of experience in campaigning and representing Labour.
I have been active in the community in a variety of ways. From getting the Kennet & Avon Canal restored to Carnival and Twinning along with other organisations.  I have been involved with homeless isssues for nearly 30 years and have managed the town's CCTV since it's inception 17 years ago.
More recently I became a Covid Vaccintor and for the last 2 1/2 years I've delivered something in excess of 10,000 vaccinations.

 Secretary Noël Woolrych
  This is currently a shared post, but for the sake of having a nominated person to contact Noel Woolrych is the person to contact.
 Treasurer Vince McNamara
  I joined the Labour party in 2015, having been a supporter my whole life, but only recently got more involved with the local CLP. I have been one of the volunteer organisers of the Devizes Arts Festival for 5 years, so the first couple of weeks in June are always a little busy!

Originally from Yorkshire, my studies and work have taken me all over the world, spending time living in the USA, Switzerland and Ireland before moving to Devizes in 2012. I have a PhD in Biochemistry, and spent several years researching photosynthesis before moving into the field of IT where I now run a small software company based in Pewsey. 

Women's Officer Cat Brown
 coming_soon Devizes Town Councillor and former Mayor.
Trades Union Liason Officer Martha Anachury
 Martha Anachury  At present member of the GMB (First joined in 2016 ) previous was a member of UNISON. From 2017 to 2021 I was the Education Convener for Wiltshire within the GMB, representing over 3000 members, at the moment,  In my Branch I am the Equality Officer and Race officer as well as represent my Branch at:
  • TUC South West, and part of the Executive Committee of the SW TUC
  • GMB Regional Council
  • GMB Regional Committee
  • Represent the Southern Region at the National Appeal Panel
  • Chair of the Regional Equality Forum, GMB
  • Member of GMB Southern Race Network (Administrated the Twitter page)
  • Member of GMB National Race Member (Representing my region)
  • Represent the GMB at National Level, at Justice For Colombia (JFC)
  • South West TULO officer for the GMB Southern Region
  • Represent the GMB at the Labour National Policy Forum (2023)
BAME Officer Martha Anachury
 Martha Anachury

I used the term Race Officer, as we trying to get away from the term BAME as some organizations and Groups do not approve of it. As you notice my trade union experience is interlinked with my Race experience.

  • Part of Operation Black Vote, completed training and apprenticeship.
  • Attended TULO BAME Political School with the Labour Part (2023)
  • Attended leadership Program for Black and Ethnic Minority groups with the Labour Party
  • Graduate from the Woman in Leadership program of the South West TUC.
  • Attended training, webinars, talks, and conferences organized by the Labour Party, TUC, or the GMB for Black and Ethnic minority groups.
  • Represented the GMB at the 2023 TUC National Conference, move motion.

Represented the GMB at the 2023 Labour Party National Conference.

Policy/Political Education Officer Vacant
 coming_soon  
Disability Officer Vacant
 coming_soon  
Communications and Social Media Officer  Vacant
 coming_soon  
 LGBTQ+ Officer  Vacant
 coming_soon  
Website Officer Noël Woolrych
 Noel Woolrych I'm the tecky one!  Originally from London, I have lived in Devizes for 40+ years. I've spent most of my adult life in the political arena (well since the Representation of the Peoples Act 1968).  As a Labour Party Member for over 30 years, I have represented the East Ward of Devizes for 12 years as a Town Councillor and the Town as "Mayor of the Millennium". I have stood as a candidate at Town, District & County levels.  As a local businessman I care passionately about the local economy, tourism and the town in general.
I have been involved with homeless issues over the last 30 years and am a Trustee of Devizes Opendoors. I am a Director of the Devizes Development Partnership and manage the CCTV in the town (having been involved with Community Safety for nearly 40 years) and run the Town website amongst others.
 IT and election data Co-ordinator  Rod Evans
 Rod Evans  
Youth Officer  Vacant
   

Policing

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The Environment

Environment

Social Care

social care

Culture & Leisure

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Education

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Housing

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The Economy

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Transport

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Democracy

democracy