Leisure

Beer and organic canapés were very much in evidence at the official opening of a dozen new rooms at Helen Browning’s Royal Oak pub in Bishopstone.

At the launch event were Mrs Troughton, the Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire as well as pub landlords Helen Browning and Tim Finney, members of the Arkell’s family and invited guests.

To mark the opening, Mrs Troughton, Helen Browning and Arkell’s Brewery managing director, George Arkell planted two oak trees.

Helen Browning said: “Working with Arkell’s Brewery, we hope to have created something really special here – bringing elements of the farm and beautiful Wiltshire countryside into each room. Not only can we welcome more visitors to the pub and Eastbrook Farm, but this new venture will create more jobs. At a time when many farms get by with very few people, I’m proud that this place is so alive and busy.”

Brewery managing director, George Arkell, said: “It’s been a long time in the planning but we’re delighted to be backing Helen Browning and Tim Finney. They’re

From left, George Arkell, Lord Lieutenant Sarah Troughton and Helen Browning OBE

long-standing tenants who have invested a huge amount of their own time and money building the trade over the last ten years or so. “They’ve successfully created a destination pub in a really gorgeous part of Wiltshire, so it’s been a joint effort between the brewery and Eastbrook Farm to give the village and surrounding area a pub we hope they’ll be proud of.”

Named and themed after fields on the Browning’s farm, the new bedrooms have been designed with strong eco-friendly credentials and two of the rooms are dog friendly. Helen Browning’s Royal Oak will employ the equivalent of four additional full time staff taking the number of employees to over 35 across the businesses.

Wiltshire’s Iron Man: Richard Browning prepares for lift off

The innovative design was a process of trial and error

The dream of flying around like a superhero has taken a giant leap forward - thanks to the single minded vision of an inventor from Wiltshire.

Richard Browning, 38, has stunned audiences around the world after posting incredible footage of himself hovering above the ground and manoeuvring around a farmyard in a jet-powered Iron Man style flight suit.

And now he has been showcasing his startling invention around the world.

Former City oil trader Richard explained: “I’m a believer in the genuine spirit of how innovation takes place. For me it is all about spending less time arguing about whether something is possible and more on working out how to make something work.”

Richard, who lives in Salisbury, explained that his idea - dubbed the Daedalus suit by his eight year old son Thomas - grew out of a series of conversations with like-minded enthusiasts.

He said that the exoskeleton suit had been developed over the past couple of years in a careful stepby-step evolution, with a series of increasingly ambitious test flights in a farm in Wiltshire.

“We started out with just one thruster. I initially wanted to see if it was possible to stand there and hold the thruster. Some people said that it would be incredibly dangerous but it was absolutely fine, no shredded arms, no burns - it was then that I knew we were onto something.”

Although safety is at the forefront of his flight demonstrations, the suit is capable of flying at 200 mph and cruising at an altitude of a few thousand feet with a current flight duration of around ten minutes.

Although Richard wears fireproof protective gear and tough rattlesnake-proof boots that he sourced from the US, he was surprised that being in such proximity to the four small jets he directs with his hands was entirely painless.

“Given that you are looking at temperatures of 700 degrees centigrade from the exhaust, it’s remarkable that you don’t get burned. But the heat very quickly dissipates in the air - the technology works.”

The project is being taken forward under a startup company Gravity which has had huge interest from commercial and military representatives. The firm has had a lot of interest from investors, including a recent investment of £600,000 from Tim Draper, an American venture capitalist.

No stranger to danger, the Royal Marine Reservist threw himself into getting into shape to meet the demands of human-guided flight by embarking on a gruelling regime of physical training alongside developing the design of the Daedalus flight suit.

“People ask me what’s the point - and I reply that I’ve done this for exactly the same reason that you might look at a mountain and decide to climb it. After all, what’s the point of a jet ski? There isn’t one, but they are great fun. I’m doing this for the journey and the challenge.”

Most children think their dad is a superhero, but for Richard’s two sons, Thomas, 8, and Oliver 10, their claim is closer to the truth than most. When Oliver was asked what he thinks about his dad, he just had one word “Awesome”.

By Graham Carter of Swindon Heritage magazine

Art meets history in the brand new summer edition of Swindon Heritage, published at the end of May.

The cover features a stunning painting of a Great Western locomotive, and the strapline, ‘Made in Swindon’, refers to both the subject and the artist, whose work is showcased inside.

Craig Tiley was born locally and grew up in West Swindon, where he made a name for himself as an artist before he left school.

He became the youngest ever member of the Guild of Railway Artists when he was just 16, and exhibited in the National Portrait Gallery while still a student.

Now in his thirties and living in Devon, where he works for the railway modelling company, Peco, Craig finds inspiration not just in Swindon’s railway heritage, but also in the air, with his impressive aviation paintings also winning him admiration from his peers.

Subjects include Spitfires, many of which were built at South Marston, and the C-130 Hercules, a familiar daily sight over the town for many years when they flew in and out of RAF Lyneham.

But Craig is best known for his railway paintings, which were the result of a trip to the railway centre at Didcot when he was a pupil at Freshbrook Primary School.

He amazed his teacher and headteacher by painting from memory the engines he saw, and later found inspiration in the works of David Shepherd and especially Terence Cuneo.

In fact, Craig is inspired by the late railway poster artist whenever he picks up a brush because the easel he uses once belonged to Cuneo. And he could hardly fail to be inspired, too, by the GWR and the elegance of the Swindon-built engines “which the other railways couldn’t match”.

However, he does offer a kind of confession. “You may not want to print this,” he told us, “but if I’m honest: as much as I love the GWR, I’ve always actually preferred LMS loco designs, particularly those by Sir William Stanier.”

This may not be as controversial as it sounds, coming from a Swindon-born painter, because Stanier was born in Swindon too.

Although he spent many years working for the GWR, he went on to become the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the rival London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), and after spearheading British Railways loco design, became only the third railway engineer to be knighted.

Curiously, although he has given his name to more than 20 streets across Britain, Stanier Street in Swindon isn’t named after Sir William. His father, WH Stanier, another railwayman and a Mayor of Swindon, was given that honour before his son made his name.

The new edition of Swindon Heritage, which is the 18th to be

Swindon-born artist Craig Tiley using the easel that formerly belonged to the late railway poster artist, Terence Cuneo.

published, now adding up to more than 1,500 pages, is, of course, not restricted to railway heritage.

As ever, it also reflects the great depth and breadth of the rest of the town’s rich history. So readers can also find out about a ‘lost’ church near Cricklade, the rise and fall of farming in Highworth, and even how Swindonians were unknowingly involved in germ warfare experiments during the Cold War.

The magazine is available at the Central Library and selected local newsagents, including WH Smith, and more information about sales and subscriptions are available at www.swindonheritage.com

Treated Landscape Sleepers (Pine for longevity) 2.4 metres long by 200 x 100mm

• Gates • Fencing • Decking • Trellis Panels • Wood Preservatives • Garden Tools • Raised Garden Beds T: 01793 783879 E: jez1@webbswood.co.uk W: www.webbswood.co.uk

Find us on facebook.com/webbswood Proud sponsors of Swindon Supermarine FC

Ray Dance and Judith Sharp will be staging Fiddler on the Roof at the Arts Centre next month.

The couple started singing together in 1984, the first venue being Lydiard Millicent Parish Hall where they were helping to raise money for a new roof. Thirty three years later they continue to sing together in concert, cabaret and musical theatre, all with the aim of raising money for charity.

Fiddler tells a story which is still as relevant, politically and socially, as it was a century ago. It focuses upon the hardship in the lives of Russian Jews who were forced from their homes in the early years of the 20th Century and the similarities with what is happening in certain parts of the world today prompted Ray and Judith to decide to donate profit from the show to The Harbour Project, which aids refugees and asylum seekers across Swindon offering friendship, advice and hope.

The show is rich with musical hits you know and love, including To Life (L’Chaim!), Sunrise, Sunset, If I Were A Rich Man, Matchmaker Matchmaker and Tradition. It

Fiddler on the Roof will take to the stage of Swindon Arts Centre in July

centres on Tevye, the father of five daughters, and his attempts to maintain his religious and cultural traditions as outside influences encroach upon the family’s lives. He must cope both with the strong-willed actions of his three older daughters, who wish to marry for love, and with the edict of the Tsar that evicts the Jews from their village. The production will be directed by Russell Langdown with assistance from Sandra Gilbert. The superb musical score will be in the hands of two very accomplished local musicians, Sheila Harrod and Matthew Taylor (The Fiddler) who will capture the atmosphere and emotion of the show.

The rest of the cast is comprised of talented local performers and children from The Gemma Short School of Dance and Theatre Arts.

Fiddler on the Roof will be staged from 12 - 16 July at Swindon Arts Centre. Tickets are priced between £7 and £14 and can be purchased by contacting Ray or Judith on 01793 485025 or by emailing randjmusicals@hotmail.com.

Performances will take place at 7.30pm from Wednesday to Saturday and at 2.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets are also available from the Wyvern Theatre on 01793 524481 with an additional £1 per ticket booking fee. www.swindontheatres. co.uk

Quality TGB garden buildings for any situation Bespoke sizes available Base laying & installation available

Manor Garden Centre Cheney Manor, Swindon 01793 526691 Open 7 days a week

SHOWBUILDINGS CLEARANCE SALE

Here are just a few reasons to give us a visit:

- Hundreds of locally sourced products under one roof - Light, airy cafe, producing delicious, fresh food - On-site butchery with friendly, knowledgeable staff - Free parking with access to countryside walks See you soon!

Kathryn Gater

MCFHP MAFHP

Registered member of the British

Association of Foot Health Professionals

■ Treat your feet at the Foot Health Clinic ■ Corns, callous, cracked heels,

nail infections, nail care and

Thai foot massage

■ Professional care in a relaxed and

friendly setting

■ Gift vouchers available

Call Kathryn: 07789 542282 or 01793 602449 Basepoint Centre, West Swindon SN5 7EX

Affordable Personal Care for Your Feet

Treatments:

Nail cutting (feet & hands) Nail deformities & ingrowing toenails Nail infections Verrucae treatment Corns & callus treatment Diabetic foot care Contact Joan Schofield MCFHP MAFHP

07763 908167

Hours to suit your busy lives

www.healthy-happy-feet.co.uk

THE CHIROPRACTIC HEALTH CENTRE CLARE DUNCAN-HAWES FREE SPINAL HEALTH CHECK

• NECK PAIN • BACK PAIN • HEADACHES • SPORTS INJURY • CAR ACCIDENT INJURIES

Free 20 minute consultation to assess if Chiropractic will benefit you. Please call 01793 602454

Chiropractic is a natural and safe approach to help the problems above and many more such as knee and elbow pain, repetitive strain, heavy lifting injury, etc. And we can help young and old alike. 57 Basepoint Centre, Westlea, Swindon www.cjduncan-hawes.co.uk

Clare Duncan-Hawes BSc (Hons) MSc DC Member of the British Chiropractic Association & College of Chiropractors. Registered with GCC

Sport and Leisure Fans look for brighter club future after relegation

Trust STFC chairman Steve Mytton's monthly column

So, we're down into League Two and at the time of writing, the search for a new manager is on.

We’re hoping the club advertise the post and get someone in who has total control in the running of the football side of things, someone who is allowed to recruit who they need, and someone that gives the fans a style of football who shows passion and commitment to the cause.

On the Trust front we are continuing in our pursuit to buy the County Ground, and work to bring about positive change.

We’ve had two meetings with Swindon Borough Council off the back of our £1.1m stadium bid, and discussions continue.

We have also been working closely with ‘Supporters Direct’ and, at the time of writing, we are about to hold a public fans meeting to update supporters and continue 40 likeminded people from Swindon travelled far and wide this April for a Younique Travel Experience.

Covering two continents, two separate groups travelled to Kenya and India for an adventure of a life time with a very specific community focus. One group worked with two of YTA’s partner projects Silver Bells and Melon Mission based in the slums of Nakuru, Kenya.

They helped with painting, renovating, teaching, learning, sharing, feeding, sponsoring and laughing just some of the ‘ings’ this group got up to!! As well as our work to protect the long-term future of the club.

Our fundraising has improved significantly since our public AGM in March, with almost 300 people now signed up to monthly contributions into the Red Army Fund (www.redarmyfund.co.uk) – this is dramatic growth, more than doubling the size of the previous fund in just two months.

At the AGM we talked about “Let's Work Together!” – a campaign for club, council, media and fans to help each other in these troubled times, and we believe it’s in the interest of both Swindon Town FC and all Swindon Town fans to make the effort to find a positive way forwards.

Hopefully you are behind our stadium bid, and will support the Trust as we look towards a brighter future.

Your Club, Your Trust. working hard the group also played hard and enjoyed a weekend visit to the famous Masai Mara Game Reserve.

Whilst on the other side of the world another group spent their time in India. They also helped a community project based in the slums of Delhi and whilst on their trip they also enjoyed activities such as trekking, white water rafting, and a visit to another famous site the Taj Mahal.

Jamie Reeves a service engineer for BT Open reach went out to Kenya for the second time this April. He said: “After my first visit in 2016 I knew I had to return and

On Two Wheels by Rob Derry of Swindon Cyle Campaign

Swindon BUG is changing its name. We’re now known as the Swindon Cycle Campaign. We’ve also got a new Facebook page if you search for Swindon Cycle Campaign. We’re really excited about this change of name as it signals a slight change of direction for the group but we maintain our friendly and approachable nature.

We’ve made the name change because a lot of people weren’t sure what BUG stood for and there are many similar organisations around the country that have successfully adopted the “Campaign” moniker.

But we’re not campaigning for more people to cycle and to tell people that they should cycle and to leave their nasty motor cars. What me mean by campaigning is to increase the awareness among the population of Swindon and surrounding areas about cycling for all purposes: commuting, shopping, leisure, visiting friends and sport.

We’re also campaigning to the borough council to ensure that there is sufficient infrastructure to allow people to cycle. Over the last 10 years, many people have seen this time I brought along 10 of my friends and family! The partnership YTA have with the school in Kenya is incredible, you really feel that you are making a difference to the lives of the children and making a positive impact to their community.

“They welcome you in as family and are so grateful for those who visit and spend time with them. It’s also great that we can explore and learn more about their culture. Taking part in a safari was a once in a life time opportunity for most of this group and one they will never forget. I would recommend this trip to everyone.”

YTA have been running trips out the benefits of cycling and most of them say that the biggest barrier to them is a lack of safe infrastructure.

We don’t want to lecture to people that they should cycle, rather we know from the experiences of other towns and cities like London, Bristol and Leicester, that if the local authority provides good facilities for people to cycle, then they will choose to do so where it is practical.

Of course, there are benefits to cycling that we want to highlight as well such as general fitness, cleaner air and less congestion. But we’re not lecturing – we’re campaigning to make people aware of cycling and to ensure that the facilities are there to allow more people to cycle more often in more safety.

For more information visit

Volunteer group from Swindon returns from Younique Travel Adventure in India and Kenya

fb/swindoncyclecampaign to Kenya for the past 6 years and alongside their partner charity Younite Foundation have been making a huge difference.

Alex Diplock a Nursery Teacher was one of the group members who visited India: “My Indian experience was one I will never forget. The culture, the adventure and the people made this a memorable trip. We did so much in two weeks and I feel so lucky that I could experience it. The trip was so well organised and we were looked after every step of the way.”

Fiona Simpson Director of YTA said: “The combination of travel, adventure and community engagement is what makes what we do unique. We are proud of what we have achieved so far in both offering life changing experiences to people who travel with us but also how our groups give back to the communities we visit and how we can really see the positive impact we are making.

“Enabling people to visit new places that are so far removed from where we live is so rewarding as we can see how it helps so many people in so many ways. We absolutely love what we do and think that is reflected in all the trips we organise!” www.ytauk.com swindonlink.com n June 2017 33