West Swindon's Community Newspaper
Est. 1978 Circ. 7,000
January 1986 No. 52
TOOTHILL • FRESHBROOK • WESTLEA S SHAW
A Birthday to Celebrate? Jill Kelly, Yarmouth Close Where were you ten years ago? I was a student in a Midlands town. Swindon to me was nothing more than the postmark on the Book Club selections which I kept forgetting to tell them I did'nt want If you'd told me then that I'd end up living here, I'd probably have laughed. I wonder how many other LINK readers knew little or nothing about the place those ten years ago when the bulldozers first moved in to Toothill? I wonder too how many of the present residents were in or around Swindon then and witnessed the metamorphosis from green fields to sea of mud to rows of houses. How do the people who have witnessed the birth of this place feel about living in it? As a resident of two years standing I feel myself to be very much a newcomer and yet, if the yo-yoing 'For Sale' and 'Sold' signs are anything to go by, I've been here longer than a good 50% of the street. Given that we are part of a rapidly growing, ever shifting population of ten years duration, have we any reason to consider that we have a history worth celebrating as well as a future to anticipate?
The Mayor and Mayoress of Thamesdown, Councillor and Mrs. Jeffries launched West Swindons 10th year by cutting a cake at a social event for representatives of community groups held on 10th January, at the Link Centre. Pictured with Mayor and Mayoress are Elaine Compson (left), Pat Whitmore (right) and Roger Ogle who are involved with organising other events for 1986
FAREWELL After three years working in the community, Chris Wood, Neighbourhood Worker in Toothill, has left to work at the Family Centre in Pinehurst. All those who knew and worked with her will be sorry to see her go but would want to wish her all the best for the future.
A few weeks ago I stood in the Link Centre library, looking at the Exhibition on the new Greendown Community School. A gentleman near-by asked if I liked living here. Almost to my own surprise I found myself telling him how much I did enjoy being a resident here. Thamesdown Council would like to hear from any But then. . .how can one stand in a multibody interested in cultivating an allotment in million pound leisure centre, survey the the West Swindon area. prospect of what - to the best of my knowledge you want to express your interest, please - is the only brand new secondary school under construction in the country, and not reflect ::::contact Ed Stamford, Art and Recreation, Borough of Thamesdown, Civic Offices, Swindon. that this community has a good deal to offer?
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