South East Swindon Link February 2022

No 64 February 2022 GPS-tracked, door to door delivery to over 42,000 homes across Swindon with Est. overall readership of 105,000

Swindon

LINK Your Community Magazine

South & East Edition

Focus on Care p14

swindonlink.com

Swindon's mammoth discovery to be highlight of Festival of Tomorrow p24

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Eastcott Window Wanderland will again show off local artistic talent

By Barrie Hudson barrie@positive-media.co.uk Eastcott's Window Wanderland will again turn the streets of the Swindon neighbourhood into a colourful gallery open to all.

People are once more invited by organisers Eastcott Community Organisation to make colourful displays in the windows of their homes, workplaces, businesses, schools, nurseries and even vehicles.

Last year's event saw many people turn their hands to decorating their windows.

Taking part as a Windowmaker is free and all are welcome to create displays which might be as simple as a candle or some lights or as complex as imagination allows.

The windows will be on display from Friday to Sunday, March 4 to 7.

Members of the public will

be invited to stroll around the neighbourhood, admiring the diverse array of creations.

Community organisation cochair Lauren Wallis said: "Last year's Window Wanderland was a great success so we're

delighted to be running the event again.

"It's a great way of bringing the community together, particularly in times like these, and everybody in Eastcott is welcome to take part.

"We're also very grateful to

South Swindon Parish Council, whose kind sponsorship means we are able to offer materials to people who need them. We'll put details about this on the Eastcott Community Organisation Facebook page during February."

As with last year's event, participants can have their location marked on a printed map to be distributed before the big weekend.

Windowmakers are free to create pieces about any subject they choose.

Anybody wishing to have their display marked on this year's map should sign up to take part by Friday, 11 February.

Further information can be found at www. windowwanderland.com/ event/eastcott-swindon-2022/ The site will be regularly updated as the Window Wanderland event approaches.

A mammoth discovery on our doorstep puts prehistory in the spotlight One of the stories that has really stood out this month has been the discovery of a mammoth graveyard at a quarry at Cerney Wick just outside of Swindon.

The remains of the five Steppe Mammoths have been dated to more than 200,000 years ago and are one of the most significant finds ever in the area.

Group Editor and Owner: Jamie Hill Deputy Editor: Barrie Hudson Reporter: Jessica Durston Sales: Dave Stewart and Rosy Presley Accounts Manager: Karen Randall Contributors: Tyler Ody, Leigh Robinson, Becky Cox, Maurice Spillane and Alfie Howlett

The find was so significant that even David Attenborough got involved, with a whole documentary being screened over the New Year.

And it's down to two expert amateur archaeologists that these remains, which showed that early human interacted with the mammoths, were even discovered.

So hats off to Neville and

Sally Hollingworth and The Hills Group Ltd for giving them access to the site.

You can read all about the discovery on page 24, which also details an exhibition giving you the chance to see the mammoth bones on display as part of The Festival of Tomorrow later this month.

Jamie Hill, Group Editor jamie@positive-media.co.uk

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Coronavirus news It’s still up to all of us to protect our community and local health services

By Barrie Hudson barrie@positive-media.co.uk Swindon Borough Council is continuing to urge residents not to become complacent over covid, and to carry on doing their bit to tackle the spread.

The move is in reponse to covid cases reaching what the council said were exceptionally high levels as the new year began.

The impact of high case numbers continues to be felt across the country, but particularly in hospitals, including the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, where staff are still treating a high number of covid patients, some of them requiring treatment in intensive care.

GWH has a number of beds currently being used for covid patients, and fewer beds than normal due to the need to socially distance its patients.

This means the hospital also has less capacity for non-

Swindon Borough Council Communications Lead Kevin Burchall receives a covid jab

covid related conditions, so it is important that everybody plays their part in reducing the spread of infection, to limit the number of people needing hospital treatment for the virus.

Steve Maddern, Swindon Borough Council’s Director of

Public Health, said: “Everyone has a role to play when it comes to limiting the spread of covid-19 in our community.

Simple things like wearing a mask when required, regularly washing your hands or letting fresh air in can make a big

difference, and could prevent a vulnerable person catching the virus or needing to be hospitalised.

“Around one in three people who have covid-19 don’t have symptoms, so regular testing is another way we can reduce the risk of the virus spreading in our community.

“But perhaps the most significant way residents can make a difference, is by getting vaccinated against covid-19.

"The covid-19 vaccine reduces your risk of hospitalisation from the virus, so the best way to protect yourself, your family and our hospital, is to get your vaccine.”

The latest covid guidance can be found on the Government’s website www.gov.uk/ coronavirus.

To book a free first, second or booster vaccination to protect themselves against covid, residents can visit www.nhs.uk/ coronavirus.

Link columnist Beth Ritchie reflects on a Christmas with covid

By Beth Ritchie My first 2022 column is coming to you a little late this year, as my kids and I joined the one in 15 other people in the UK who had covid during the Christmas period.

My eldest got a positive lateral flow two days before Christmas Eve, and a PCR for my youngest and me the following day confirmed that we were all in the “Covid Club.”

And although we’re well out of the isolation period (which ended at New year) and safely out the other side, I’m still feeling pretty wiped.

Although if you’d asked me at the time I’d have said it was awful, having covid over Christmas wasn’t too bad, apart from the symptoms (which completely took me out for a few days).

Me and my kids don’t have a great track record for Christmas of late. Our 4

Christmas last year was scuppered by the Tier 4 announcement, and I’m not sure I had entirely believed that the same thing wouldn’t happen again. Actually catching the pandemic wasn’t on the radar though, although I suppose it should have been given the current state of affairs.

But other than the awful symptoms, missing Christmas might have been, if not a blessing, certainly a lesson learned which I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

I hadn’t expected much from Christmas this year, it being the first after losing my dad.

I was dreading it to tell the truth, not wanting to have to pretend to be having a good time while still feeling the aching hole and constant stomach punches that grief brings.

I was lucky enough to have some friends in the same boat who I could moan with over ugly crying FaceTime, and a

feeling of “we’re all in this together” solidarity. And I am blessed with generally good health, which meant I felt confident that I would come safely out the other side of covid (despite the hideous symptoms). My kids, the absolute legends that they are, suffered a bit of a cold and cough, but didn’t for one second complain or make me feel mum guilt about their rubbish Christmas.

All this blessing counting was

a fitting tribute to my dad, who approached life with a constant consideration of how lucky he was compared to others.

In the past I’ve been guilty of simply making additional charity payments at Christmas, without really considering how absolutely hideous the Christmas period is for so many people who are alone, poorly, or simply feel unable to cope with it. But now, having experienced a hint of it with my own dark Christmas, I’ve got a feeling that next year, wherever I am, those people won’t be far from my thoughts.

I hope the other one in 15 people who also had a covid Crimbo are now safely out the other side, and to those that were unable to enjoy Christmas for whatever reason, well done for getting through it, you can now brush that off for another year.

I wish you all a very happy new year, be well in 2022!

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The Eco Briefing

Be the change: Get ahead of energy price increases Many households saw their energy bills rise last October after Ofgem (the UK’s independent energy regulator) increased the energy price cap by £139 a year. This month, it is expected that Ofgem will announce further rises to the price cap which will take effect from April.

In the past, consumers have been encouraged to shop around when energy bills rise, but the best way to save money on your energy bills is by improving the energy efficiency of your home.

For residents who have a gross household income of less than £30,000 a year and live in a home with a low energy performance rating (EPC E, F or G), support is available. If you meet the above criteria, it is likely you are eligible for up to £10,000 of energy efficiency improvements for your home. This could include measures such as solar panels and insulation.

A number of households in Swindon have already benefited from this funding.

Find out more and submit your application by visiting www.swindonwiltshire-ladapplications.com or by emailing ladapplications@cityenergy. co.uk If you don’t meet these criteria, the good news is there are other steps you can take to squeeze your energy bills while also reducing your impact on the planet.

1. Save £28 a year by cutting back on washing machine and dishwasher use by one cycle a week, and only filling your kettle with the water you need.

2. Cut your shower time down by just one minute and make a sizable dent in your bills.

If everyone in a four-person household with a water meter did this, it could see you save £50 a year.

3. Turn your appliances off instead of leaving them on standby or on idle mode. Not

only will you be conserving energy, you could also save yourself £40 a year.

4. Don’t forget to turn the lights off when you’re not using them. It might sound simple but it could save you £14 a year on your bills.

5. Replace the bulbs in your home with energy-efficient LEDs. For an average household, the initial cost of doing this would be £145, but you’ll then save £35 a year on your bills.

Fortunately it’s been a mild winter so far, but if you are struggling to pay your fuel bills or you’re finding it difficult to keep your home warm, contact Warm and Safe Wiltshire on freephone 0800 038 5722 to speak to an energy advisor.

If you’d like further energy saving advice, get in touch

with the national Government endorsed Simple Energy Advice service on freephone 0800 444 202 or visit the Be the Change webpages www. swindon.gov.uk/bethechange

Swindon's 10 Green Bottles delivers zero waste dairy products straight to residents' doors 10 Green Bottles, based at Wroughton's Berkeley Farm Dairy, run a zero waste dairy product delivery service for Swindon residents.

The Gosling family have been producing and bottling milk at Berkeley Farm Dairy in Wroughton for over 100 years.

In 1908, John Gosling started delivering milk in glass bottles to local residents in Wroughton.

The milk rounds continued to grow and by the 1970’s Gosling's milk was available all over Swindon.

Chris from 10 Green Bottles said: "Sadly the rise of cheap milk in plastic bottles from supermarkets led to a huge loss of customers and our milk rounds were discontinued in 2000. Now, after just over 20 years, we are back with a

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modern approach to doorstep milk delivery in the form of ‘10 Green Bottles’."

10 Green Bottles pride themselves upon being a service that delivers the highest quality dairy products and other locally produced groceries direct to customers' doorsteps twice per week using its solar-charged electric vans.

Most of its products are packaged in glass bottles or jars, that are then returned, washed and reused. Other products, such as butter and bread, are packaged in compostable bags.

10 Green Bottles' products are locally produced and manufactured from the Berekley Farm dairy in Wroughton, using milk from local herds.

Chris added: "Other providers claim to use local milk, however this is not necessarily true. All of our milk is organic which means that it has been produced without fertlizers, pesticides, herbicides and hormones."

As well as producing and selling food and drink products, 10 Green Bottles' online shop also includes toiletries and household washing items, and household decorations and essentials.

10 Green Bottles are currently running an offer where all customers who sign up for subscription deliveries

between now and 31 March will receive a free 500g jar of its Natural Yoghurt with their first delivery.

Once signed up with orders placed, customers can email admin@10green.co.uk with their name and address and quote LINK10GB. More information about the company and online ordering options can be found on its website at www.10green.co.uk

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The Old Town Residents Association Column

Lots for the green-fingered in Old Town in 2022

By Judith Randell-Sly of Old Town Residents Association

Some dates for your diary as we look further into the new year, when hopefully we can all mix freely again.

One date you will not want to miss is the Old Town Residents’ Association plant sale, which will take place on Saturday 25 June, from 2pm to 4pm at 55 St Margaret’s Road. There are always lots of plants on offer, some of them quite unusual, but the proceeds are divided between TWIGS (Therapy work in gardens Swindon) and OTRA gardens.

The money helps us to maintain the gardens that we look after, enabling us to buy new plants, although we do raise many of them from seed or cuttings.

If you would like to donate plants, including house plants for the sale then you can contact Linda via email in advance of the sale.

Sunday 10 July is the Old Town Open Gardens Day, from 12pm to 5.30pm and entry forms will soon be available for this.

This has now become a very popular and eagerly awaited event. This year there will also be a Front Garden competition, with judging on Sunday 3 July.

Residents will be invited to take part in various categories, including best front garden, incorporating perennial as well as seasonal planting, best landscaped gardens, best seasonal garden with a bright display of summer annuals, best wildflower garden, best micro garden with pots or

window boxes and hanging baskets.

We're also hoping to include pubs and commercial properties with the best displays.

Meanwhile the OTRA gardening group is going from strength to strength, with several new members.

Having more members enables us to look after more beds and we have recently taken on some very overgrown beds at Croft play area.

One has now been reshaped and cleared then partially replanted. We are very grateful to Rosemary Earle for her donation of plants. As the season progresses we will plant more and dig new beds.

Before Christmas we spent an afternoon at the Cambria Bridge play area, but this now

needs some local volunteers to take it on. If you are interested please contact Linda.

South Swindon Parish are still planning a volunteer event, but this has been put on hold until we can safely meet inside again.

It is hoped that small groups of local volunteers will then undertake projects in their area.

We are now thinking about preparing for the Royal Horticultural Society’s It’s Your Neighbourhood scheme assessment in July.

If you are interested in volunteering in your locality then please contact lindakasmaty@hotmail.com for more details. www.facebook.com/ oldtownresidents

South Swindon Parish Council starts 2022 on a positive note A column by South Swindon Parish Council chair Chris Watts

Enchanted Gardens Light Trail Recap The end of December marked the end to the Enchanted Gardens Light Trail taking place in the Town Gardens. In the end nearly 28,000 people attended the event, raising £24,952 for Brighter Futures - the charity partner for this event.

When we decided to organise this family event, we wanted to bring Christmas cheer and raise money for our doctors and nurses at the GWH through the Brighter Futures charity. We are delighted to have been able to achieve both.

The Parish Council hope to organise the return of the Light Trail later this year, as well as the return of Theatre at the Bowl and upcoming music 8

events in the summer. For more information follow the Parish Council on Facebook and our website.

South Swindon Volunteer Day – 26 March Volunteering is such a crucial part of making our communities what they are. On March 26th the Parish Council plans to celebrate the volunteering done inside our Parish by organising the South Swindon Volunteering Day at Twigs in Cheney Manor.

On the day we want to bring

our volunteers and voluntary groups together and harness their energy in to a common good, making our Parish the best it can be. If you are interested in finding out more email comms@southswindonpc.gov.uk Chief Executive of Parish Council In December Parish Councillors wished farewell to outgoing Chief Executive, Rob Core, who is retiring after three years of leading the Council.

Rob has worked in local

government all his life-working for Thamesdown Borough Council, the forerunner to Swindon Borough Council, 35 years ago.

Rob oversaw huge growth in the Parish Council, with the Parish starting to deliver grounds maintenance, street cleaning, a youth service, an events service and more. He will be greatly missed. Jake Mee has been recruited as the new Parish Chief Executive.

Jake was previously the Chief Finance Officer for the Parish Council.

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Pride committee are recruiting for 2022 Swindon & Wiltshire Pride are now looking for volunteers to fill various committee vacancies.

There are vacancies for Chairperson, Events Manager, Trustee, Social Media Manager, Volunteer Manager, Grants Manager and Parade Manager.

Vice-chair Sarah Mason said: “Volunteers are needed from all walks of life to help support Swindon & Wiltshire Pride for the next year, as well as organise the main 2022 Pride event itself."

People interested in applying for a role or who want more information are invited to visit www. swindonwiltshirepride.co.uk

Vital cash injection for Swindon charities Grants totalling more than £130,000 have been given to voluntary groups and small charities in Swindon

by Wiltshire Community Foundation.

Recipients include Uplands Enterprise Trust, which has been awarded £5,000 for a multi-sensory projection system.

The trust provides life and work skills for young people and adults who have special educational needs.

Cricket Club launches recruitment drive Shrivenham Cricket Club is looking for new players to help it reinvigorate friendly cricket and ultimately return the club to fielding two Saturday League Teams.

The club is one of the longest-established in the area, with a history stretching back to 1854.

Currently fielding a team in Division 6 of the Wilts League, the club has a new pavilion.

Those interested in playing are invited to contact club captain Martin Hammond on 07890 626912.

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Survey to help bring Mechanics' Institute back to life

By Barrie Hudson barrie@positive-media.co.uk Surveyors have inspected Swindon's historic Mechanics' Institute amid new efforts to restore it to use.

Once a major cultural and educational hub, the Victorian structure has been empty for many years, during which repeated attempts have been made to secure its future.

Swindon Borough Council has joined forces with a number of partners through the Heritage Action Zone (HAZ), including Historic England and the Mechanics’ Institution Trust, in a long-term plan to revive it.

As the building is privately owned, it is a complicated task which the council says will take many years to take forward.

The building was surveyed in order to assess its condition, identify potential safety issues and determine the likely cost of restoring it to the condition it was in when it became a listed

Two of the experts at work

building in 1970.

Cllr Robert Jandy, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage, Leisure and Town Centre Experience said: “This survey is an important piece of work which will go a long way to establish the current condition of the Mechanics and what will be needed to make it safe.

“As part of our Heritage Action Zone, this iconic building must be part of any future regeneration projects and

we hope to work with its current owner to make that a possibility.

“In the future, we are also hoping this building, along with new businesses in the Carriage Works, will help improve the links to the town centre and our railway station and Designer Outlet.

“We have a great historical heritage in our town and we want it to be somewhere people can visit and be inspired.”

the heavy weight of vehicles.

Shallower depths of damage may need different types of repair, such as a patch repair, which requires more planning and potential road closures.

Alternatively, shallower damage may be monitored and a repair arranged if necessary.

Residents may sometimes report what they think is a pothole, but it falls outside of the investigation criteria.

Around 16 per cent of the pothole reports the council receives are actually different types of damage, which will still be investigated and repaired if needed.

The council has set a target to repair 90 per cent of new potholes within five working days and all new potholes within 10 days. On average, it currently takes the council around three-and-a-half days to repair a new pothole.

Filling in the gaps on the roads of Swindon

Swindon Borough Council has shared its latest information about pothole repairs.

Full details can be found at www.swindon.gov.uk/potholes The council says roads can become damaged through heavy use, causing water to pass through cracks, which can create a hole.

Not all damage is defined as a pothole. Using a consistent measurement criteria for road damage helps to prioritise potholes and less urgent repairs.

Although the council’s highways team always considers the location of damage and the hazard it could create, a pothole is generally defined as damage that is deeper than 40mm.

Only defects that are deeper than 40mm and present a high risk to safety will be prioritised for an urgent pothole repair, as this depth is needed to make sure the material used for the repair doesn’t break up under

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Wiltshire Air Ambulance reveals lifesaving statistics for 2021

Swindon Junior Squash Club eager to welcome new members

Wiltshire Air Ambulance has shared the results of its life-saving work from 2021, revealing that the largest number of incidents responded to were in Swindon. The WAA undertook 1,104 missions in 2021 as the charity came through another difficult year on the front line. Donning PPE and continuing throughout lockdowns, critical care paramedics and doctors continued to be on hand to assist the people throughout its operational area.

Swindon indie-pop band set to release new single Swindon's 80s-flavoured indie pop band, Talk in Code, will release their new single 'Young Love's Dream' on 11 Feb. The single drops this month, ahead of the band's new album 'The Big Screen', which is out on 15 April.

Talk In Code's album launch show is at Level 3 on Saturday, 16 April. Tickets can be found at dice.fm/ event/yr8bp-talk-in-code16th-apr-level-iii-swindontickets

Mad March Hare charity run is back for 2022 The Mad March Hare charity run returns this year for its 15th anniversary.

It is a 5km and 10km event held at Lydiard Park, aiming to encourage people to become more active and raise funds for Breast Cancer Now. Organisers are planning to hold the Mad March Hare event live on Sunday, 20 March, but will also offer members of the public the opportunity to take part virtually throughout the whole of March.

Registration information can be found at madmarchhare. org.uk/events/mad-marchhare-2022/?doing_wp_cron =1641382965.0411729812 622070312500 12

By Jessica Durston jessica@positive-media.co.uk The Swindon Squash Club, which prides itself upon being one of the only weekly clubs available to juniors in Swindon, is welcoming new members.

The club runs two sessions every Saturday - one at 1-2pm and one at 2-3pm at Croft Sports Centre, off Marlborough Lane.

It is recommended that juniors wishing to attend the 1-2pm session are between the ages of 5 and 10. Those over 10 are welcome to join for the later 2 -3pm sessions.

Jules and Henrietta are the club's two accredited volunteer coaches who oversee both sessions with the help of parents and other volunteers.

The pair aim to ensure that junior members first focus on the basic skills and techniques to improve over time.

The club sessions facilitate standard squash play and also

allow the juniors to try their hand at other activities, like racket ball and other game exercises.

Jules said: "The ABCs we start with are Agility, Balance and Coordination.

These are the vital elements to work on. Squash can be a technical game but if you practice your movement and positioning, then everything else will click into place. “It doesn’t matter how skilled you are at first – even enjoying running around and trying something new is a good starting point. I aim to make the sessions fun and see smiling faces. I always say it’s all about bringing enthusiasm, and we will supply the rest."

Rackets, balls and eye

protection are all provided by the club so new junior members can start training straight away.

Sessions are priced at £5 each and each quarter can be paid in advance via a bank transfer.

Swindon Junior Squash Club also offer new members the chance to try out their first one or two sessions for free before signing up.

Jules can be contacted on 07901826927 or via swinsqclub@virginmedia.com The club's Facebook page is at www.facebook.com/ groups/267193215503317

The Harbour Project and the Wyvern Theatre showcase refugee and asylum seeker artwork

By Jessica Durston jessica@positive-media.co.uk The Harbour Project has launched its 'Here I Am' exhibition at Swindon's Wyvern Theatre, showcasing artwork from some of the female refugees and asylum seekers.

The project was inspired by a series of workshops with Swindon Art Gallery, and aims to explore how an individual can express themselves through artwork.

The Harbour Project's Mia O'Sullivan said: "One of the attendees commented on a painting during workshops we were holding online with the Swindon Art Gallery. She said 'I could see myself in her shoes', while looking at a picture of a woman carrying a baby.

Thanks to The Ashley Family Foundation we were able to start up the 'Here I Am' project, allowing for self-expression

and an opportunity to build on an interest in art.

"Under the guidance of six local artists, the women participating have learnt new skills, strengthened their solidarity and improved their confidence to try new things. The artists helped them explore a variety of art mediums and techniques. From a trip to Roche Court Sculpture Park they have learnt more about displaying artwork and how we can all interpret the same art work very differently."

The exhibition will run until 10 February. It is free for members of the public to visit during Box Office hours (Mon-Sat, 11am3pm and 4pm-6pm). People

attending shows at the Wyvern will also have the opportunity to view the artwork before seeing the performance.

The art sessions ran for 12 weeks in partnership with Visual Art Swindon, with six different artists working with the Harbour Project visitors and teaching them different art medias and techniques.

More information about the Harbour Project can be found online at harbourproject.org.uk

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Focus on Care Council annual report costings: Adult and Children services in Swindon According to the council's annual report 2021 - 2022, the authority has to spend approximately £526.6m by the end of 2022's financial year - £373.3m of which will be offset by income. This means the net expenditure will be £153.3m, with a need to raise a large proportion of this money through Council Tax. The council says some of its important services go unseen, such as providing care for older people and rough sleepers, and providing foster carers for children in crisis.

The latest annual report figures released by the council reveal the extent of the expense that is allocated to children and adult services. The Adult Services and Public Health service area will see the council spend a total of £114,114, which after offset income from rent, fees and charges, specific grants will mean a total of £70,248 in spending.

The Children Services area will see the council spend a total of £54,162, which after offset income, will mean a total of £47,551 in spending.

Collectively, this means the council will aim to spend 168,276 on Adult, Public Health and Children services, which after income will be a total spending of £117,799.

Nurseplus Care say there is nothing like the comfort of your own home

At Nurseplus Care at home, our experience means that we understand everyone's care needs are different and that finding the right type of care begins with identifying what's important to you. So we will work closely with you and your loved ones to create a tailored support plan that fits your health and lifestyle needs.

From companionship to dementia care, mobility support to respite care we can provide you with the support you need.

We know that allowing someone into your home can be daunting, that is why our carers are handpicked for you, allowing you to genuinely connect with your care team and continue doing all things you love, such as staying active, socialising or cooking your favourite meal.

Care at home offers a practical and affordable alternative to moving into a residential setting helping you to keep your independence. Whether you require weekly, daily or Live-in care, we can build a unique plan to suit your every need that allows you to continue living in the comfort of your own home. Get in touch with our friendly team today by calling 08000 44 88 48 or visit www.nursepluscareathome.com

Overcoming the challenges of covid...

From the White Horse Care Trust:

From First City Nursing and Care:

The White Horse Care Trust are a registered charity who have provided support services since 1990 when the long stay hospitals were closed.

We have two nursing, ten residential, five supported living services and support individuals through outreach, we support individuals with learning and other disabilities.

Every year we see challenges of many and varied types but covid and all it has brought is unique to say the least, however the team of nearly 300 staff have worked tirelessly throughout to ensure the people we support have remained safe and well.

2022 will see more challenges no doubt but staff remain positive and upbeat, we have been lucky to welcome new people to the Trust. We hope that 2022 will bring more staff to join the WHCT family and welcome applications from individuals looking to bring energy, passion and kindness with them!

Our staff are the beating heart of the organisation, and whatever your previous experience, you will have an exceptional induction to the organisation and to your service that will enable you to confidently join your teams and deliver the highest level of care and support.

Our staff, in a recent engagement event, described working at the Trust as friendly, supportive, inclusive, challenging, satisfying, listened to and more. If you would like to join such an organisation, please email recruitment@whct.co.uk and start the most rewarding job you will ever have.

In the early days of the news breaking about a worldwide pandemic it was a very unsettling and a frightening time for all of us as little was known about covid-19 and the impact it was going to have.

We worked closely with our partners and colleagues at the council and NHS to ensure we continued to provide a service and enabled the flow from the hospital to continue, along with supporting some of the most vulnerable people in the community. As an essential service First City have remained operational throughout the whole pandemic. We worked on implementing covid safe measures within our office to ensure an onsite induction training could still run for new employees, embracing technology to support office staff to work remotely and holding small groups of open-air meetings with staff (when restrictions allowed) to enable face-to-face interaction with colleagues in our carpark.

We will continue to be resilient, effective and dedicated to the people who need our service.

First City were again rated Outstanding by CQC in November 2021 and Head of Quality and Operations at First City Nursing and Care, Stephen Trowbridge was awarded an MBE for services to the sector during covid-19.

Anyone looking to start a rewarding career in healthcare can contact our recruitment team on 01793 313044 or email recruitment@firstcitygroup.co.uk.

Experience is not required as First City seek candidates who share our values and provide fantastic training to all successful applicants.

For any enquiries about care requirements, please call 01793 313043.

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Focus on Care Chippenham and Malmesbury retirement developments hold 'Warming Morning' of coffee and cake for charity

People in Chippenham and Malmesbury are being invited to join Churchill Retirement Living at its local retirement developments for two special Warming Morning events to raise funds for the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust and mental health charity, Mind.

At 10.30am on Thursday, 17 February (St Andrew’s Lodge in Chippenham) and Tuesday, 22 February (William Lodge in Malmesbury) everyone is welcome to step out of the cold and into the warmth of the developments’ friendly Owners’ Lounges, for coffee, cake, and a chat in return for a small donation.

All funds raised will go to the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, and the proceeds of the Malmesbury event will go to Wiltshire Mind, supporting people who are experiencing mental health problems or emotional distress.

Churchill’s Warming Morning events take place throughout February at its retirement developments across the country, with all the money raised going towards local causes chosen by its apartment Owners and Colleagues.

To find out more call Churchill Retirement Living on 01249 847458 (Chippenham) or 01666 718270 (Malmesbury) or visit www. churchillretirement.co.uk.

Home Instead says caring is human nature There has been much attention put on the care industry over the last 18 months.

Home Instead says caring for others whether professionally, within families, or within communities is a subject that goes to the heart of what it is to be human. And so it will always be of interest to all of us. Not least because all of us at some point need care in some shape or form.

Whilst in some quarters there seems to be anxiety about staff shortages, Home Instead are reporting that, amidst a strong demand for their care-at-home services, their campaign for new recruits is highly successful, with more people entering the care industry for the first time.

Home Instead have taken a good look at many of the concerns that potential recruits (and existing staff in the industry) have. As a result, they have organised an array of benefits and rewards for employees, such as generous expenses, paid nationally recognised training, pension scheme and good hourly rates with a variety of contract options. All together, these add up to the kind of package and job/income security that people seem to be looking for in these uncertain times.

Anyone interested in finding out more about a career in care can find out more on www.homeinstead.co.uk/swindon/vacancies/

Spotlighting Care Services in Swindon Buckland Care - The Orchards, Wroughton: The Orchards Residential Home is nestled in the centre of Wroughton. The home has delightful landscaped gardens with full wheelchair access and a charming allotment area for residents to tend to if they wish.

The 48 bedrooms have mainly ensuite bathrooms to provide residents with the privacy they desire. The four interiordesigned communal areas of the home offer our residents a variety of environments to spend the day in.

Proximity to the village makes it easy for our residents to take accompanied trips to the Old Town Gardens. The home offers a varied timetable of daily activities including film afternoons, armchair exercises, and aromatherapy sessions. Residents' meals are also prepared daily by the home's French chef.

Tours can be booked with manager Julie on 01793 812242.

Hear Clear: Hear Clear is a Swindon-based Professional Microsuction Service run by adult and paediatric trained nurse Teresa.

Teresa undertook the NHS approved ear microsuction course at the Rotherham Ear Care Centre after being made redundant from her roles as College Nurse and Safeguarding Manager at a local FE college in Swindon. She then started Hear Clear in July 2021.

Contact details for consultation: Teresa Tuffin, DipHE (RNA), BSc (RCN) Email: hearcleartt@gmail.com, Tel: 07882 625290

Hear Clear nurse, Teresa

Bluebird Care: Bluebird Care provide high quality care in Swindon and the surrounding areas, for adults in their own homes. Its team offer personalised care visits, everything from a check in call to full live-in support.

Bluebird recognise choosing a care provider can be a daunting task and clients will want to engage with people they can trust, who are highly trained, who listen, understand and show compassion. A spokesperson said: "We know the importance of maintaining independence and being able to live life to the full in the way that you choose, therefore our customers are at the forefront of everything that we do.

"We keep you in control. We will work alongside yourself and your family to tailor our services to help you stay in control of your own care for as long as you can. We will always value each person's unique qualities and see them as an individual and not a list of care needs."

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Council announces plans for Coate Water refurbishment Swindon Borough Council says it plans to refurbish Coate Water's diving board and build a new children's play park.

Currently, preparations are underway to submit a planning and listed building application to refurbish and clean the iconic Coate Water structure.

If the applications are successful there are hopes to bring the landmark back to its former glory this spring.

A council spokesperson said: "When we carried out our survey last year, residents said they would like more information about the heritage of the parklands, so signage including a history of the diving board will be provided as part of the work."

Plans to build a new children’s play park at Coate Water are also said to be progressing well, with the council due to go out to tender for the £500,000 project, which will see the park relocated to a more accessible position nearer to the public

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toilets, refreshment kiosk and car park.

Swindon Borough Council says it has had some excellent feedback from residents following the public consultation, as well as from Mums on a Mission - Swindon.

Cllr Rob Jandy, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage, Leisure and Town Centre Experience, said: “Coate Water really is one of Swindon’s gems and this investment in the diving board and children’s play park is just the start as we also have plans to create new café facilities.”

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The Business Brief Swindon-based financial giant sees its flexible working policy earn accolade from staff New research by Zurich UK shows demand for part-time jobs has almost doubled since the launch of its flexible working approach.

In March 2019, the Swindonbased insurer introduced a first-of-its-kind initiative to advertise all new vacancies as a potential part-time, job share or full-time opportunity alongside flexible working.

This was coupled with the use of gender-neutral language in every job advertisement. Over the past year alone, nearly one in four new female hires has been appointed on a part-time basis, up from 10 percent in 2019.

The policy has proved a success, with Zurich UK being awarded a Glassdoor Employees' Choice award recognising it as one of the UK’s best places to work.

It was is the only insurer to feature on the top 50 list, reaching number 16.

Zurich won praise not only from staff but from Caroline Nokes MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, who said: “Over the course of the last two years, we have seen an increase in people wanting to work more flexibly, and be able to adapt their work patterns around a variety of other responsibilities.

"I am pleased to see this initiative from Zurich,

Caroline Nokes MP, Chair of the Women and Equalities Select Committee, praised Zurich

recognising the impact that the way you advertise roles can have on the number and diversity of applicants."

Steve Collinson, HR Director at Zurich UK, said: “As advocates of flexible working for over a decade, we know that people still want to progress their careers whilst managing a whole host of other commitments. Our approach is about removing barriers for those who need flexibility."

Mr Collinson added that as the labour market tightened, employers needed to rethink their approach to attracting and retaining talent, as

workers wanted a new deal and were no longer prepared to work in outdated and rigid patterns.

Send a friend to Perry Bishop and win £150 John Lewis spree Customers of a Swindon estate agent who refer a friend or relative can receive £150 to spend at John Lewis - and the same goes for the friend or relative.

Perry Bishop says the offer applies so long as the friend or

relative becomes a customer by choosing to sell or let.

The agency says the vouchers will be sent on completion of the Perry Bishop sale or let of a property on behalf of the recommended person.

Further details can be obtained by calling 01793 686305 or emailing swindon@perrybishop.co.uk

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The Politics Page Balancing the budget while supporting our most vulnerable Swindon Council Leader David Renard's monthly column Budgeting for the future is an incredibly important part of local government and this month Cabinet colleagues and I will take decisions which will set the council’s course over the next financial year.

Balancing the budget is becoming harder and harder each year as the impact of covid means that the demand for social care services supporting vulnerable adults and children continues to grow and our income from all sources does not grow at the same rate. Various Government grants have helped but many of them are for one year only.

The really challenging picture is compounded by the fact that the council's income from many sources declined or disappeared during the pandemic and has not returned to previous levels. All this

means is that there is still a gap in our budget and our officers have been working tirelessly to close it so we can continue to provide the services our residents want and expect.

Of course, a number of the services that require the most funding are those which the vast majority of readers do not need. Demand for the services we provide to vulnerable children and those adults with social care needs still accounts for around 80 percent of our budget, which is why residents are likely to continue to see a rise in their council tax again next year.

The support we provide to thousands of vulnerable children and adults has never been more important, especially during the pandemic, and it has been truly inspiring to see our staff continue to provide the very best services they can in unprecedented times.

I am sure Swindon Link readers were as pleased as I was to learn that our plans to improve our wonderful parklands are beginning to take shape.

We are very lucky to have some great parks across the Borough, not least Coate Water, which is set to benefit from some improvements later this year.

The first of these will involve cleaning and refurbishing the lake’s iconic diving board which many of you will know has seen better days. We need to submit a planning and listed building application to carry out the work, but we hope to be able to do it this spring.

We also had a fabulous response to our consultation for the new children’s play area at Coate Water, which will be relocated to a more accessible position nearer to the public toilets, refreshment kiosk and car park.

We want the play park to be fully inclusive and we will be going out to tender for the £500,000 project soon.

There are plenty of other improvements we want to make to our other parks over the next few years. Covid has shown us that we value our open spaces for our personal wellbeing and we are determined to improve those public areas so that more people can enjoy them and reap the benefits that being in the outdoors can bring.

Watch this space.

Link readers to have their say in £100m town centre investment

Swindon Borough Council has recently announced it will be driving £100m of investment in the town centre over the next four years.

The money has largely been secured through a series of successful bids to the Govenment.

The council wants to know the thoughts of Swindon Link readers about the town centre and any changes they feel must be made.

A spokesperson said: "Ambitious plans for a new Cultural Quarter and a new ‘Bus Boulevard’ along Fleming Way are huge projects which the council hopes will breathe new life into the town centre, but this is likely to take many years."

The future of the town centre has been the subject of intense debate for several years, and the debate has intensified recently with the loss of familiar national brands such 20

as Debenhams and House of Fraser, competition from online and out-of-town retailers and

pandemic uncertainty.

Opinions and suggestions should be emailed to

publisher@swindonlink.com, with the words 'Centre Q and A' in the subject line.

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Will you take on a trekking challenge in the Sahara Desert for Prospect Hospice?

By Jamie Hill jamie@positive-media.co.uk If you’re looking for a unique way to challenge yourself, then Prospect Hospice has the ultimate adventure.

The charity’s Sahara Trek takes place in the Moroccan Sahara where you will experience the vast and diverse landscapes. The trek includes a day walking in the Atlas Mountains while also exploring the vibrant city of Marrakech.

Places are available for the trek, which is from 19-26 March 2023, and the hospice held an information evening at Cotswold Outdoor on Thursday 27 January for people interested in taking part.

As well as hearing about the challenge, Garry Wilkinson and Andy Spurgeon, who completed a Sahara Desert trek for Prospect Hospice, spoke about their experience.

Garry, Andy and friend Sam

Allen were among 11 people who undertook the trek in 2014.

Garry, of Royal Wootton Bassett, said: “Andy suggested we do it and it was an amazing experience. I have so many great memories and it was a trip of a lifetime. You take yourself away from your everyday life and I enjoyed the solitude and scenery while focusing on completing the trek.

“There was brilliant camaraderie between everyone on the challenge and we were supported so well by our Berber guides. One of the highlights of the trek was every night the Berbers would cook for us and they would play their drums and sing local songs. We were absorbed into their way of life and it was an unforgettable experience.

“Another highlight was sleeping outside and seeing the stars in the sky; the lack of light pollution meant there were so many stars to look at!

The sunsets and sunrises were also spectacular.”

Garry, 55, did the trek because he was looking for a personal challenge and wanted to support Prospect Hospice after a colleague, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer, received end of life care by Prospect Hospice.

Garry, Andy and Sam are all members of Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Club and were supported by the local community in their fundraising.

They held events at the rugby club and even made a live video call from the Sahara Desert to Wroughton Junior

School.

You can find out more information about the trek by visiting www.prospect-hospice. net/saharatrek Sheryl Crouch, head of income at Prospect Hospice, said: “We’re really excited to offer our Sahara Trek and we hope it will appeal to people who are looking to achieve a personal challenge or maybe it’s an adventure that is on your bucket list.

“It’s because of people like Garry and other fundraisers that local people receive outstanding care at the end of their lives. ”

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Swindon teen fundraises after being selected for next year's World Scout Jamboree

By Jessica Durston jessica@positive-media.co.uk A Swindon teenager representing the Wiltshire Scouts is working to raise £4,000 after being selected to attend the World Scout Jamboree 2023.

Zak Meagor, 13, from Swindon, has been selected to represent Wiltshire Scouts at the World Scout Jamboree 2023 in South Korea.

He first had to complete and submit an Expression of Interest exercise, consisting of around 1000 words. After being successful in the first part of the process he was invited to attend a selection weekend in Potterne Wick.

At the end of the weekend - which was attended by over 100 Scouts from Wiltshire Zak made the team of around 35 Scouts to travel to South Korea as part of the British contingent.

As part of the process each Scout must raise approximately £4000 and Zak made the decision to attempt to cycle the distance from Swindon to Seoul, South Korea, a distance of around 5,550miles.

He will be completing this challenge on a turbo trainer in the garage of his family home.

Zak started the challenge on 1 January, and says he is aiming to cycle a minimum of 70 miles a week until the challenge is completed.

After his travel and accomodation costs are covered for the trip, the remaining part of the £4,000 raised will go towards helping a fellow Scout from a developing country who may not be in a position to afford to experience anything similar to this prestigious event.

Zak said if he raises more than the £4000 he wished to donate the remaining amount

to a local charity in need.

Zak's father Lee, Crew Manager at Stratton Fire & Rescue Centre, said: "What makes this so amazing is Zak is 13 years old and never cycled much further than Abbey Farm to the Great Western Academy School and back.

"This is an unbelievable challenge - he will start the

challenge aged 13 and will complete it aged 15."

Zak is asking for support from members of the public to help him raise the funds needed. He has a GoFundMe page that can be found at gofund.me/ f376db60 and he is also trying to raise donations through Facebook.

Swindon's Charlie the Unicorn becomes internet sensation

By Jessica Durston jessica@positive-media.co.uk Swindon's mythical creature, Charlie the Unicorn, is being photographed on his adventures around Swindon and has gathered a large following on social media.

The unicorn was saved from a recycling bin area at West Swindon Asda at the start of January, and has been welcomed with open arms by many Swindon residents.

Members of the Swindon community have also been working together to help Charlie visit various hotspots around the town.

Some of the locations Charlie has visited include: Lydiard Park, Westlea Fire Station, Buzz Bingo, ATB Skateshop, St Andrews Church, Swindon's Designer Outlet, Gablecross Police Station, the fuel station at Tesco Extra, Mead Way, 22

the County Ground (for the Swindon v Man City game), Stratton park, Tree Nightclub and one of Swindon's kebab vans.

As Charlie has been making his way around the town, people have also been keeping up his bright appearance by washing him, and decorating him with various items of clothing.

Charlie's popularity is evident from his Facebook page which Swindon residents Debra Collins and Graham Stobbs helped to first set up. The two residents also run the Swindon Community Facebook group.

At the time of writing, he has over 2,300 likes, with over 2,500 followers. He also has an Instagram page that so far has gained 182 followers Charlie the Unicorn's Facebook page can be found at www.facebook.com/ charlieunicornswindon

Charlie, pictured at Tesco Extra's Fuel Station

Charlie pictured at ATB Skateshop

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Interview – Wilko Johnson talks overcoming cancer, lockdown, and his upcoming 2022 tour Swindon Link reporter Jessica Durston was overcome with anticipation and excitement for this interview. After seeing Wilko and his band perform back in 2016 as part of a day festival in All Cannings, Devizes, she knew she could not leave the concert that day without becoming a long-time fan.

I could never forget Wilko's performance at Concert at the Kings. His jerky, machine-gun style guitar motions, openfiring down across the crowd and his piercing stare as he demonstrated his iconic ‘duck walk’ back and forth along the stage. He is often thought of as a punk rock performer but to me, Wilko’s music transcends genre. His sound cannot be put into one box or category because it takes elements from many places, and fuses them to create a familiar, yet indescribable result.

In the interview we discuss everything from his upcoming tour, to literature, to Game of Thrones, to his unexpected reflections upon his own mortality. Read the full interview at - swindonlink. com/lifestyle/wilko-johnsoninterview/ - trust me, it's great!

Wilko started off explaining he has been stuck permanently shielding since the beginning of lockdown and has found himself unable to leave his Southend home.

Shocked by this discovery, I tentatively enquired: “You’re not going too crazy, are you?”

He replied with a chuckle: “I don’t know, I could be. I could be completely mental. I mean, are you real?”

“Definitely, don’t worry.” I replied.

“Oh okay, I believe you.” Amazing. Even in the maddening circumstances he finds himself in, he can still make light of things and take aim at himself.

Our conversation then turned to his tour. Wilko and his band are returning to UK stages with John Otway after his long-term isolation period on 3 February - with his Swindon show taking place on 4 February.

Tickets can be purchased at swindontheatres.co.uk/ Online/tickets-wilko-johnsonswindon-2020 He said: “It’s weird because two years ago I had got back from a tour of Finland, and I was looking forward to doing a big tour of the UK and other countries. Then suddenly this covid thing happens and then I’m told all my gigs had been put off for three months. Then three months later. Everything’s been put back another three months.

“I’m a musician, you know?

And it’s a pretty good living.

For the last year or more however, I’ve not been a musician. I’ve been an old geezer sat in a room.

“When I get back on tour it will be a case of choosing a selection right back from the Dr Feelgood days all the way up to our more recent releases.

There will be some stuff from the latest album ‘Blow Your Mind’ too.”

We then move on to the subject of his health complications and his experience with cancer. He was more than happy to open up and explain where his head was at, during what many would look upon as a traumatic time.

He said: “Going through that

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year, thinking I’m going to die…it was fantastic really. It makes you look at the world differently. Sometimes I get little memories of it – you know, what it’s like to walk down a crowded street and feel like a ghost. You feel sorry for others because they’re all going to die but they don’t know when.

There was no mystery in it for me. It was all sorted out. Then when my life was saved – I found myself back with all the mortals again. I was just one of that crowd again.

“It ended up being one of the greatest years of my life.

It wasn’t at all what you would imagine. I remember being in the hospital seeing the doctor that day. He told me I had pancreatic cancer and that they would not be able to operate on it. When he said it to me, I felt great. When I walked out of that hospital, it was a very beautiful winter’s day. I remember looking at the branches of the trees against this blue sky. Everything looked intensely beautiful. I felt really high. I’m walking home thinking maybe this is delayed shock and I will collapse in a heap

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soon – but I didn’t!”

When I asked Wilko what performing was like during this period, and if he felt any different or that he needed to give himself more than he would normally, he replied: “I just felt 'well this is sorted out now'. It was something I didn’t have to worry about it.

I did some fantastic gigs. I did some shows in Japan – we’re quite popular there. That was WOW! I was playing with some Japanese musicians, and it was such a buzz. Great gigs!

“I’m fit as a fiddle now. I got away with it. I’m 74 now and I’m going to die the same as everyone else now. Back then I would sometimes sit alone by myself and get these moments of profound thought. You think about things, and they really are deep and fundamental thoughts. God knows what those thoughts were now, but I know they were deep!

Now I’m back to a different consciousness – I’m back in the world again.”

Wilko Johnson is a walking marvel. Do yourself a favour and go and see him live on this year's UK tour!

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LINK CULTURE

Festival of Tomorro

Families have been snapping up tickets for Swindon's festival of Tomorrow since the main programme was announced.

The celebration of all things scientific will be held at The Deanery CE Academy in Wichelstowe on 25 and 26 February, and visitors will have the chance to learn about the latest developments in everything from interplanetary exploration to palaeontology. The free admission tickets, available at www.festivaloftomorrow.com, are visitors’ passports to the Discovery Zone, where they will be encouraged to: - explore the latest technology - meet and chat with leading scientists and engineers

Life in space will be the subject of a talk by Mission Control veteran Libby Jackson from the Swindon-based UK Space Agency

return of Explorer Dome, with Invisible Universe. The flagship planetarium show celebrates the James Webb Space Telescope, which was launched on Christmas Day and promises to revolutionise our understanding of the universe.

Visitors will have the chance to get up close to breath-

A replica of the Boaty McBoatface submersible robot will be on show

- watch live demonstrations with liquid nitrogen - take part in free hands-on activities Highlights will range from revelations of the distant past to hints of the distant future.

In event called Discovering the Mammoth Graveyard, people will be able to hear from the fossil hunters and team of scientists behind the amazing discovery which led to recent BBC One documentary, Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard.

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taking live projections from the surface of the Sun thanks to a large-scale installation developed by UK scientists, and there will be the chance to make space-inspired artworks to take home – or to add to an ever-growing display!

Festivalgoers will be able to meet an inflatable replica of Boaty McBoatface, the underwater robot or autonomous underwater vehicle that explores the Antarctic oceans for the British Antarctic Survey.

There will also be opportunities to take part in challenges from Intel and enjoy free robotics workshops with the James Dyson Foundation.

The festival is once again sponsored by Swindon-based UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the group behind many of the innovations featured as part of the festival including Boaty McBoatface and components of the James Webb Space Telescope. UKRI will be hosting a range of exhibits at a dedicated stand at the Deanery CE Academy which will enable visitors to meet the inspiring scientists and innovators UKRI supports.

Other important sponsors are Business West and the Swindon-based UK Space Agency.

Some of the highlights from the wide variety of talks and shows that are on offer include: n The Wonderstruck Rocket Show - a spectacular live show which looks at the history and science of rockets from the discovery of black powder to the most recent exploits of SpaceX and others. Visitors can expect to see machines including a full-size working rocket car. n Life in Space – the Truth is Up There - the UK Space Agency’s Libby Jackson, a Mission Control veteran, will share some of the most fascinating real-life stories of

space exploration. n Extreme Robotics! - BBC Science in Action Journalist Roland Pease and experts from the University of Bristol's School of Physics will show how a robot dog is helping to map radiation levels at Chernobyl – and what this means for developing robotic systems in extreme environments. n The Four Technological Superpowers that Change the World – with Intel - visitors can come and talk about how you experience technology and interact with devices from PCs to other connected machines.

For those who can’t make the Festival in person, or who want to dive deeper into the subjects

There will be no shortage of spectacle

on offer, there will also be a wide range of virtual activities and content available online through the Festival’s virtual event app.

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orrow set for lift-off When somebody asks how it feels to find relics dating back to the era of the mammoths, Sally Hollingworth offers a Neanderthal hand axe crafted more than 200 millennia before the Christian era, still sharp and as comfortable in a 21st century hand as it was in that of its creator.

Smiling at the questioner's inevitable thrilled astonishment, she says simply: "That's how it feels."

It was in 2016 that Sally and her husband, Dr Neville Hollingworth, were searching with permission - in the ancient silt and gravel of a quarry operated by Swindon firm Hills Group near Latton for Jurassic fossils such as ammonites.

What they found is credited as one of the most significant British archaological discoveries in decades. The site

Remains are painstakingly freed from the surrounding rock (Picture: DigVentures)

palaeontologist by profession - she works for Hills and he works for the Science and Technology Facilities Council - but both are experts in the field.

Neville explained that at the

A huge tusk is carried from the site (Picture: DigVentures)

eventually yielded the remains of five Steppe mammoths, ancestors of what we know as woolly mammoths, and a flint hand axe.

Their discovery was the basis for BBC documentary Attenborough and the Mammoth Graveyard.

It will also be major attraction at Swindon's Festival of Tomorrow.

Neither Sally nor Neville is a

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time when the mammoths met their end, whose cause cannot be pinpointed for certain, the landscape was very different, with a land bridge covering much of what is now the North Sea. "That was an open grassy plain, with rivers and things like that," he said. "That is still not so far beneath the sea surface now."

Sally Hollingworth said: "In autumn of 2016 we went in with permission looking for Jurassic fossils - so, ammonites [shelled early relatives of modern cephalopods such as octopi] of 167 million years.

"The corner of the quarry had just been excavated, which exposed the lower part of the gravel, and we saw a woodlike structure."

Realising that the object didn't seem to 'fit' in the area, the couple invesigated further and unearthed the first find of the trove, the upper front leg bone of a mammoth.

The ground eventually yielded a collection of other bones, together with teeth, a tusk, the hand axe and even one of the far older ammonites

LINK CULTURE the Hollingworths had originally searched for.

Neville explained that at the time when the Steppe mammoths died, the climate was changing from temperate to cold and the creatures were evolving toward the larger mammoths we are more familiar with.

Hills Group is delighted to be at the centre of such a remarkable discovery.

Chief executive Michael Hill said: "It's amazing, really, and fantastic. I don't suppose we realised the significance of it for quite a while.

"It's a fantastic thing to be involved with and to have enabled, really."

He added that, just as the firm was committed to preserving the biodiversity of the future by restoring its sites after use, it was glad to have a role in exploring the biodiversity of the past.

"In this particular case it's proved quite spectacular!"

Group Director - Quarry Products Peter Andrew said: "This find is absolutely amazing - it's attracted world interest.

We're particularly proud of being involved, and having David Attenborough involved has taken it to another level.

"A big part of what we do is the restoration of our quarries - you see the water park with the lakes, the biodiversity and the wetland habitat - and the way we look at it is that we're exposing the biodiversity of the past while creating the biodiversity of the future."

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What's On: Events in Swindon this February...

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EVENTS

Mid-Life Krisis presents...

Diversify: Swindon's Multi-Genre Dance Event

Revolution Performing Arts: Who Am I?

The Bowie Experience is 25: Level 3 Nightclub

Revolution Performing Arts' (RPA) school-based classes are here to share songs, dance and drama that explore how the young people see themselves.

This showcase will take place on Saturday, 12 February at 6.30pm.

The team at RPA say: "Through Who Am I? the children have had the opportunity to celebrate and delve into their own individuality, their personal community, what is important to them, the child they are and the adult they are becoming.

"Please join us for this heart-warming revelry of personality and character that each young person brings to the world."

Tickets are priced at £12, with concessions receiving £2 off the original price. Family tickets covering two adults and two children are priced at £45. They can be purchased at swindontheatres. co.uk/Online/tickets-revolution-performing-arts-swindon-feb-2022

Words by Jessica Durston

Mid Life Krisis are back in 2022 and kick off the year with one of its ‘Diversify’ events on Saturday, 12 February, 8pm-2am.

A spokesperson for the event said: "Once again we have put together another top drawer multi-genre line up of DJs that we know will keep you on your feet from start to finish.

"A mixture of local names some of you will know and some new names we look forward to welcoming to Swindon and MiLK 22."

DJs playing will include Guliva b2b, Samantix, Neddy, Menace, LC, Kauronic, and Dezignate.

The event aims to have something for everyone, playing tracks from a variety of genres including: Drum and Bass, Acid Techno, Bassline Old Skool, Jungle, Progressive and Hard Trance.

The event's sound system, decor and lights will be provided by Mid Life Krisis.

Tickets are priced at £6 in advance and can be purchased at www.seetickets.com/event/diversify-swindons-multi-genredance-music-event-/the-victoria/2177065 with some available on the door. This event is for over 18s only.

Cannot make this event? Fear not as Diversify will visit High Wycombe on Saturday, 9 April.

Laurence Knight and his band will be visiting Swindon's Level 3 nightclub on Saturday, 26 February from 8pm-11pm.

The Bowie Experience prides itself upon being the only David Bowie tribute act in the world to be invited and attend the ‘invitation only’ private viewing of the ‘David Bowie Is’ Exhibition at the V&A Museum in London in 2013.

Tickets are priced at £11 and can be purchased at www.seetickets.com/event/the-bowie-experience/ level-3/2186046 More information about The Bowie Experience can be found at: www.thebowiexperience.co.uk/biography.html www.facebook.com/thebowieexperience/?ref=page_ internal 26

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Audi Q3: Choosing the best in an overcrowded small SUV market Leigh Robinson: Motoring writer

Words by Jessica Durston

Audi have a number of models to cover all tastes and there isn’t a bad one among them.

The second generation Audi Q3 is probably the best small version SUV in an overcrowded market.

There are 12 different engines including three petrols, two diesels and a plug-in hybrid - the 45 TFSIe. There are nine trims, from the entry-level Technik to the range-topping Vorsprung, and prices range from £31,000 to

£52,000.

You can get mpg of 50 to 140 depending on your model, with a top speed of 130mph. And there is a three year warranty.

The plug-in hybrid has a 1.4-litre petrol engine plus an electric motor for a combined 242bhp. Electric power alone will give you 30 miles.

The 35 TFSI is ideal for fuel economy. The diesels are obviously the best for high mileage drivers but the TFSI e is best for those who can make full use of

driving in full-electric mode by doing short journeys and charging up regularly.

The Q3 has the Audi progressive steering, which gets faster the more you turn the wheel.

The majority of the engines have the superb seven-speed S tonic automatic gearbox as standard. There is a sixspeed manual gearbox on the 35 TFSI and 35 TDI and it has a reasonably slick shift action.

All trims have the Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrument display which

The beauty of writing by hand Maurice Spillane: Of Poetry Swindon

My friend, Ruth, has a beautiful hand, as the idiom goes.

She sends invitations and thank-you-notes in handwritten copperplate.

At first reading it’s like looking at a piece of art, the second reading is required to absorb the message.

I thought of her recently when a news report announced a trial to digitise hand-writing in school exams

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- the end of hand-writing for students. I was apoplectic.

Why, oh, why?

In my business career, when I signed a contract, I’d send a hand-written note of thanks and did the same with the envelope. I always got a phone call to say thanks and “...how lovely to get a handwritten note.”

As a writer I’m welded to my fountain pen.

Watching words create

themselves in ink on paper is a joy. Crossing-out and finding a more apt word is a pleasure. Drawing a mindmap to explore a piece of writing to create a page that nobody could interpret is amusing.

Looking back on several drafts is fascinating. Only when a poem is ready for a collection is it ever typed.

And what a month for writing. Valentine’s Day is upon us and a poem to a loved one, hand-written of course, should be everyone’s objective.

As an aside, my own wife tends to react, playfully, with: “Not another bloody poem.”

You can have too much of a good thing.

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MOTORING is 10.25in on Sport and S line models, or 12.3in with Edition 1 and Vorsprung, and all models have powerful LED headlights.

There is plenty of kit including sat-nav, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone mirroring and a DAB radio. You can also have a 15-speaker Sonos premium sound system - part of the Comfort & Sound Pack or standard on Vorsprung models.

The Q3’s rear seats split and have the 40/20/40 arrangement, which gives more flexibility than you get with the normal 60/40 split that many other cars have. The Q3 has 675 litres of luggage space, although the plug-in hybrid TFSI e has a higher boot floor than the other versions, so a slightly lower boot capacity.

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POETRY If composing is too much for you just personalise an existing poem and hand-write it yourself. Just don’t publish it! Here’s a delightful starter poem, “A Marriage,” written

by Welsh poet, RS Thomas, to his wife: We met under a shower of bird notes.

Fifty years passed, love's moment in a world in servitude to time.

She was young; I kissed with my eyes closed and opened them on her wrinkles. www.mauricespillane.com

21/01/2022 12:36

Alfie Howlett: Swindon Town FC writer League 2 is now well past the half way stage, which means only one thing. We can now start checking the league table every Saturday.

It's at this time of the season that the league standings really begin to take shape. Who are the nailed on certainties for promotion? Who will put together a late run of form to force themselves into the playoff reckoning? And who are consigned to battling the drop?

From what I've seen so far this season I'd say that Swindon are one of a myriad of teams chasing the third and final automatic promotion spot.

In my opinion it's hard to look past Forest Green and Tranmere when it comes to automatic promotion. Forest Green have led from day one thanks to the lethal duo of Matthew Stevens and Jamille Matt. Rovers are the top scorers

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Swindon's chase for promotion in the league and despite failing off at this stage in previous campaigns this year they show no signs of slowing down. On the other hand Tranmere are relatively quiet in front of goal compared to those around them. However, Micky Mellon's side boast the best defence in the league.

Which is a key component in any promotion chasing side.

And then come six or seven sides who all find themselves in with a chance of grabbing third. Those teams are: Swindon, Northampton, Sutton, Newport, Mansfield, Exeter and Port Vale. If I was to pick a winner out of the seven it would be between Swindon and Mansfield. The Robins have done very well against fellow promotion contenders, with the only thing letting them down being form against the bottom half. For example

registering just two points from a possible six against lowly Stevenage are not returns you'd expect from a team chasing promotion.

If Swindon can find a way of picking up victories against teams that are less expansive then they'd certainly be troubling that third spot. As for Mansfield it's been a season of two halves. Nigel Clough's side were much fancied at the start of the season for promotion, however the Stags experienced a tough start to the campaign picking up 11 points from their first 14 games. Since then their form has been impeccable. If they were to sustain their current momentum they'd definitely find themselves challenging come the end of the season.

It shouldn't be forgotten how remarkable it is that we can even have this discussion about

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SPORT

Swindon chasing promotion.

After all the turmoil of preseason I didn't expect Town to be anywhere near the promotion picture. I expected this season to be one of consolidation not one of such high quality football. In truth before a ball was kicked I would've even taken 22nd.

Therefore wherever Town end up from here it's been a good season all things considering.

However have no doubts about it the preferred destination is league 1 football.

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