A CHEPSTOW community organisation will host a new members event on Tuesday, October 7, as it looks to build on its strong local support.

Chepstow Round Table, a club branch of the national and international organisation ‘Round Table’, is a group of around ten men from the local area up to the age of 45, and has a strong community-ethic.

The group does a range of things for the community including fundraising and volunteering, whilst also providing social events for its members. One notable fundraising activity will be familiar to locals; The Santa Sleigh Event.

This is when ‘Santa’ is taken around on a sleigh led by a trailer, to see all the local children. The sleigh goes to areas including Chepstow, Caldicot, Magor, Lydney, New Inn and Pontypool.

This one of the biggest fundraisers the group organises, and the campaign looks to provide the money to local charities.

Simon Hicks, Events Organiser and former Chairman of Chepstow Round Table said: “It’s all about the local community. Rather than trying to raise money for national charities, we raise locally.

“It could be that a teacher from a local school tells us that the parents of a few pupils are struggling financially this year, could we help towards some Christmas presents for them. So we will go and get some things together for their Christmas. It’s all about community fundraising, but local causes.”

Shortly after the coronavirus pandemic, the group raised a record of around £8,500 in one year for its fireworks event, which allowed all the community to come together and enjoy the night, following the lifting of restrictions.

Simon said: “I think The Round Table is really important to the community. An organisation that supports togetherness at a time where you see division on the news. It’s about doing something positive and giving back to the community”.

The group is integral to the community, but as members have to move on after the age of 45, its number of members inevitably declines. This is one of a few reasons that the group is seeking new faces.

Simon Hicks said: “We’re always looking for more, and in particular younger guys, to try to keep it fresh and keep the membership going. We’re planning a new members event in October. It’ll be a really easy and open event to try to draw in some more members. We haven't got a venue for it yet, but keep an eye on our socials.”

Simon explained that he has been involved with the group for around ten years since he moved to Chepstow. He started volunteering and found it was a great way to meet friends and get involved with the local community.

He and the other members strive to give back to the community. However, if you want to support their cause, you can volunteer with them or simply donate money, which will help residents of Chepstow.

If you are interested in joining, you can visit the group’s Facebook or Instagram pages for more details.