A not-for-profit group that encourages people to sing, dance and perform music has launched a bid to raise funds to help celebrate its 25th anniversary next year.

The Starry Eyes Performance Foundation opened a new stall in the Castle Place shopping centre market hall on Saturday, November 16 – and Trowbridge deputy mayor Denise Bates was one of the first to stop by and browse the items for sale.

The new stall is selling a wide range of goods donated by the foundation’s supporters, including clothes, books, videos, toys and jewellery.

It is also selling new handcrafted goods, such as candles, melts, wood products, jewellery and crystals, to raise funds.

Trowbridge’s Deputy Mayor Cllr Denise Bates browses new Starry Eyes’ new stall in the Castle Place Market Hall. Trowbridge’s Deputy Mayor Cllr Denise Bates browses new Starry Eyes’ new stall in the Castle Place Market Hall. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Founder Sally Boyle, who started Starry Eyes with her friend Val Priddey in July 2000, says they need to raise around £300 a month to keep the foundation going.

“We launched the new stall because we have got to the stage where we will die so we have been doing lots of fundraising and tombolas to keep us going.

“We cannot afford to pay for the performance licences and storage that we need without raising more funds.

“We thought we would try a stall in the market hall and it has been good so far. We feel that it seems to be working well, fingers crossed.

“We are here on a trial basis for a couple of months and if it doesn’t work we can walk away.”

Sally Boyle, founder of the Starry Eyes Performance Foundation, with Gill Matthews and Alison Urch cut a ribbon to open their new stall in the Castle Place Market Hall. Sally Boyle, founder of the Starry Eyes Performance Foundation, with Gill Matthews and Alison Urch cut a ribbon to open their new stall in the Castle Place Market Hall. (Image: Trevor Porter)

Over the past 25 years, the performance foundation has put on many workshops and shows in local clubs and community halls involving young people and adults.

Sally has encouraged people of all ages and abilities, including those with disabilities, to sing, dance and perform music to entertain their audiences.

The foundation’s dance team recently won their category in the Midsomer Norton Carnival and took second place in their category at the Trowbridge Carnival in October.

Mrs Boyle, 66, a retired care manager, says Val, who died in 2019, would be “proud” that Starry Eyes is still going strong nearly 25 years later.

Talking about the market hall, she added: “We are hopeful of bringing this place back to life again. There are a lot more traders down in the market than people think there is.

“It is gradually growing so I am hoping it is going to get back to the vibrant market that it used to be.”