North West Swindon Link February 2021

No 464 February 2021 GPS-tracked, door to door delivery to over 50,000 homes across Swindon with Est. overall readership of 125,000

Swindon

LINK Your Community Magazine

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North & West Edition

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FEATURES Check out our new features section page 21

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Celebrating the Wiltshire Air Ambulance during the pandemic p14 The Festival of Tomorrow

Beaming science across the town despite the lockdown p22

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Keeping an eye

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

A few of us out there might just be getting a bit stir crazy having entered into our third lockdown in January.

For some of us, it all just feels a bit too much.

Some of us are working from home at the same time as juggling home-schooling, some of us are on the frontlines bravely continuing to go out there and help keep our society functioning and some of us are now in a forced state of doing nothing either through furlough, retirement or unemployment.

It hasn't helped that it's January - a time of year where venturing outside for exercise feels like the last thing we want to do.

You don't need to be a health expert to realise that this enforced lockdown is going to be having a very detrimental impact on mental health and that is why we all need to watch out for each other more than ever.

Checking in on each other really does help, especially in these very anxious times.

The one thing we can take comfort from is that this will not last forever and before we know it, probably in the spring, these measures will start to be slowly relaxed.

Until then we need to follow the restrictions but at the same time keep an eye on our neighbours, young and old.

Group Editor and Owner: Jamie Hill Deputy Editor: Barrie Hudson

Swindon-born Australian sets series of detective novels in home town he has never forgotten A Swindon-born Australian author is making his mark with tales of a Swindon detective.

A L Masters - the pseudonym of Ken Webb - was born in Pinehurst, and later lived in Penhill and the Lawns.

He was educated at Penhill Infants School, Penhill Junior School and Headlands before leaving home for university. He emigrated to Australia in the 1970s and lives in Sydney.

His crime stories centre around Detective Winston Leonard Spencer Hargreaves – Spence to everyone from the lowly PC to the Chief Constable – and his close-knit team.

The character was himself born and educated in Swindon, and lives in Old Town. His daughter lives in North Swindon and his closest confidant is the headmaster of an academy in the Cirencester area.

Mr Webb said: "Before Covid, I visitied the UK almost annually, always paying visits to Swindon and the area to visit friends and family.

"My decision to set my detective stories in Swindon and the local area was determined by the fact that I know the area so well, and of course there is a strong element of nostalgia involved."

The crimes Spence and his team investigate occur in Swindon and parts of Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. His

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The author was a regular visitor to Swindon before the pandemic

investigations lead him further afield as stories develop.

The first Spence Hargreaves novel is Malicious Obsession, the second Delusions of Grandeur and the third Evil of Virtue, which will be available in March.

As an infant, Ken lived in Pinehurst for five years before his parents moved to Penhill.

Later, the family moved to the Lawns when his mother took over managing a greengrocer's shop.

At the time, his father worked at Swindon's Railway Works.

Ken secured a place at Oxford University, and after some brief post-graduate work emigrated to Australia in the mid-1970s.

Ken said: "I was a teacher in government and private schools on and off (between

travel) until 2012.

"Since the late 1980s, I have been heavily involved in writing History textbooks and study guides under my own name.

"I started writing fiction about 2008 but my other writing commitments always had to take precedence.

"In recent years I have been able to focus on fiction."

On his website - www. almasters.com.au - the author explains that he has always sought out crime novels of a certain kind as a reader, preferring ones with characters who are real, believable, interesting and flawed.

Further information can be found on the AL Masters website, and the first two novels in the series are available through Google Play - play. google.com/books

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Coronavirus news

GWH urges residents to continue following guidance to protect themselves and local health services now more than ever Over the past month, staff at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have supported more patients with covid-19 than at any point in the pandemic, alongside a number of patients requiring treatment for other conditions.

Across the organisation, services remain incredibly busy and some patients are waiting longer than usual in the Emergency Department to be seen.

The trust is working closely with partners across the region to look at extra support to assist with the sheer numbers of patients needing care, as well as ways to accelerate the discharging of patients who are ready to go home.

Dr Charlotte Forsyth, Medical Director for the trust, said: “This is a really critical time for the NHS, and at Great Western Hospital we are balancing treating a large number of

covid-19 patients, alongside a really significant amount of demand from patients who do not have covid.

“We are doing all we can to keep our services running, but we really need your help at this time. Please do your bit so the NHS does not become overwhelmed – wash your hands, cover your face, ensure you socially distance and follow all the guidance in the national lockdown.”

As hospital staff continue to work tirelessly to support patients suffering with covid-19, it is vital that taking the essential prevention measures and following government guidance remains a priority for everyone in Swindon. If residents are unwell, they are advised to contact NHS 111 who can direct them to the most appropriate healthcare provider.

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It is crucial everyone continues to follow the latest government guidance, including booking a covid-19 test if they experience any covid-19

symptoms.

There are no shortcuts to protecting Swindon and our hospital from coronavirus.

Let’s do it for our GWH.

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A brief guide to the national lockdown rules A third national lockdown was imposed by The Government from 5 January. Until the lockdown is lifted you can only leave your home for the following reasons: - shopping for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person - going to work, or providing voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home - exercising with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area - meeting your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one 4 swindonlink.com n February 2021 NW February Master pages.indd 4

- for a medical reason, including to get a covid-19 test, for medical appointments and emergencies - seeking medical assistance or to avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse) - attending education or childcare - for those eligible - Meeting other people and exercising Exercise You can only leave your home to exercise, and not for the purpose of recreation or leisure (e.g. a picnic or a social meeting). This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.

Indoor gyms and sports facilities will remain closed.

Outdoor sports courts, outdoor

gyms, golf courses, outdoor swimming pools, archery/ driving/shooting ranges and riding arenas must also close.

Organised outdoor sport for disabled people is allowed to continue.

Businesses and hospitality To reduce social contact, the regulations require some businesses to close and impose restrictions on how some businesses provide goods and services. The full list of businesses required to close can be found in the guidance, but includes: - non-essential retail, such as clothing and homeware stores venues can continue to be able to operate click-and-collect and delivery services - hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars

and social clubs - with the exception of providing food and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway (until 11pm), clickand-collect and drive-through.

All food and drink can continue to be provided by delivery - accommodation such as hotels and campsites - entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries - indoor attractions at venues such as botanical gardens, heritage homes and landmarks, though outdoor grounds of these premises can stay open - personal care facilities such as hair, beauty, tanning and nail salons Fuller guidance is given for childcare and weddings and funerals. For the full list of rules visit www.gov.uk/guidance

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Five-year-old rare cancer sufferer Avaya is a star after she wins award A five-year-old Swindon schoolgirl who is being treated for a rare cancer has been recognised with an award from Cancer Research UK for Children and Young People.

Avaya Powell, aged five from Swindon, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in January 2020 - a cancer which affects around 100 children each year, mostly those under five.

Now, for the courage she showed throughout, she has received a Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People Star Award, in partnership with TK Maxx.

Every child nominated receives the accolade, which is backed by a host of famous faces including chef JeanChristophe Novelli, Dame Emma Thompson, This Morning’s Dr Ranj and kids TV Mister Maker.

As well as a star-shaped trophy, Avaya received a £50 TK Maxx gift card, t-shirt and a certificate signed by the celebrities. Her sister Elodie,

age seven, also received a certificate.

Her mum Laura, who nominated Avaya, said: “It has been a long journey for Avaya.

Problems began in 2019 when she began getting pains in her legs, back and stomach.

“Eventually she saw a consultant for blood tests and we waited around six weeks for an ultrasound scan where an 18 cm tumour was first spotted. Further scans and tests, including an MRI, confirmed that Avaya had neuroblastoma in mid January last year.

“It was a lot to take in, Avaya was taken immediately to the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford and put on chemo straight away.

“We know her tumour is wrapped around her blood vessels and we have been told that it may be too difficult to operate due to the complexity of the tumour.”

Avaya is on a clinical trial.

She is attending the Royal

Marsden Hospital in London where she has to stay eight days at a time as an inpatient.

She completed her last phase in January and results will determine if she has to do another trial in order to reduce the size of the tumour.

Alison Birkett, Cancer Research UK for Children & Young People spokesperson for the South West said: “Avaya is a real star who has been through so much at such a young age. It has been an absolute privilege to be able to celebrate her courage with a Star Award.

“Cancer can have a devastating impact on children and many of those who survive may experience serious longterm side effects from their treatment. We’re encouraging people in Wiltshire to nominate youngsters for this year’s Star Awards, so we can recognise more children like Avaya.”

More children and young people are surviving cancer

than ever before, thanks in large part to the work of Cancer Research UK. Cancer in children and young people is different to cancer in adults – from the types of cancer, to the impact of treatment. That’s why the charity is supporting dedicated research to improve survival and reduce long-term side effects for youngsters like Avaya.

To nominate a Star visit cruk. org/starawards

Next month’s census and why it matters

By Jamie Hill jamie@positive-media.co.uk

The next census takes place in March but why is it so important for all the people of Swindon to take part?

The census is run by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and takes place every ten years.

It provides the most robust and up to date information about the population at local and national levels, including the size and distribution of different ethnic groups.

This allows your local council, government departments and businesses and charities to make informed decisions about the provision of services and facilities.

For example in North Swindon, where there has been a huge growth in the population since the last census, it will be able to see how many households have children under the age of five who are going to need school places.

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FACT: The first census was in 1801 and was carried out to partly ascertain the number of men able to fight in the Napoleonic wars.

Of course, we’re living in unprecedented times and the census will therefore help in understanding the impact the pandemic has had on our society. ONS have planned and built a flexible operation which can adapt to the changing circumstances of the pandemic and have continued to review and adapt their plans to ensure staff and the public can be kept safe, and everyone can be safely counted.

It’s also useful to remember that about three quarters of the population are expected to complete the census online this time round without the need for additional support.

Others will be able to complete a paper version. So where the ONS will be focusing much of its efforts is on those

parts of the community that may need extra support and encouragement to complete, whether online or on paper.

Did you know? Swindon’s population increased by 16.2% from 180,051 in 2001 to 209,156 in 2011. People aged 0 - 18 numbered 48,965 and made up 23.4% of the population. People aged 65 and over totalled 28,854 and constituted 13.8% of the population Most of the questions are the same as before. However, there are also some new questions including ones about gender identity and sexual orientation. It is important to emphasise that these are entirely voluntary and are only for people aged 16 and over.

This information is important because, at the moment, there is no robust data available on the size and location of the LGBT population and these data are needed by

local authorities, charities and others to inform the provision of services and to understand better the extent and nature of any disadvantages which LGBT people may be experiencing in terms of health, education, employment and housing.

By collecting information from every household a unique and detailed snapshot is taken of modern life, documenting the lifestyle and characteristics of the population. After 100 years, individual census records are released to the public.

These provide a wealth of information for genealogists, historians and family tree enthusiasts.

Without the census the lives and lifestyles of our ancestors would remain undocumented making historical research much more difficult and many will be familiar with TV programmes such as ‘Who do you think you are?’ and ‘A House through Time’ which use census data to make people’s history come to life.

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Public's views needed on where cycling facilities should be located New facilities for people to park their bikes could pop up around Swindon as a way of encouraging more people on to two wheels.

Over the last few months, Swindon Borough Council has carried out a number of improvements to cycle routes thanks to £731,500 Government funding.

Now, the council is planning to use part of the Government funding for cycle parking and wants to hear from local people about where they would like to see cycle stands located in the town so people have an easy and convenient place to park their bikes.

Small businesses and community or charitable organisations can also apply to have cycle stands installed for free The cycle parking survey, which is open until the end of February, can be found at: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/ SBCcycleparking Businesses and community groups can apply for free cycle stands to be installed on their land by visiting: www. lifecycleuk.org.uk/free-cycleparking

Government backs Bus Boulevard scheme to transform Fleming Way

By Jamie Hill jamie@positive-media.co.uk

Swindon was given a belated £25m Christmas present by the Government which will help pave the way for a new bus interchange and gateway into the town centre.

Swindon Borough Council has been awarded the funding through the Government’s Future High Streets Fund, which supports local areas’ plans to make their high streets and town centres fit for the future.

The proposed Bus Boulevard scheme developed by the Council would see Fleming Way completely transformed to include a new public open space on the north side with a green central spine to increase biodiversity.

The scheme will also feature much-improved pedestrian and cycle routes and the removal of the current Fleming Way underpass, creating an attractive route from the train station into the town centre, encouraging further investment in the area.

Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) has contributed £3m to progress the design of

the scheme together with the necessary site investigations and utility diversions. The council has also approved a contribution of £5m in capital funding to the project.

The bid was backed by major landowners and transport operators. As part of the Bus Boulevard plans, all national and local bus services will be incorporated along Fleming Way, improving the experience of bus users and pedestrians, while the new road layout would complete the link between the Eastern and Western Flyer cycle routes.

Councillor David Renard, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: “This is absolutely

tremendous news for Swindon and is a real show of faith by the Government in our plans to transform our town centre.

“Strategically this is a really important scheme and will open up this whole area, making it much more accessible and attractive to potential investors. We recognised some time ago with the decline in retail on the High Street that we needed to transform our town centre and the coronavirus pandemic has only accelerated that need for change.

“I am confident we will bounce back stronger here in Swindon and these plans for the Bus Boulevard will act as a real catalyst.

Shoebox Theatre adds drama to home schooling

Swindon entrepreneur behind Old Town's Rays Ice Cream recognised for success

Swindon's Shoebox Theatre is offering free drama classes for children aged 4-11.

Funded by Arts Council England, the sessions are described by Shoebox as a fun, creative way for children to learn, let off steam and meet new friends.

The online programme will initially run for four weeks during lockdown and will be taught by drama teacher and puppeteer Bee Daws, who is a regular at the Shoebox Theatre.

The free programme can be booked at www. shoeboxtheatre.org.uk/ whatson

The town's Hadi Brooks has been named as one of the UK’s most 100 inspirational female entrepreneurs

by Small Business Britain’s f:Entrepreneur ‘#ialso100’ campaign.

Hadi Brooks founded Rays Ice Cream, Swindon’s home made ice cream business, in 2011, and My Business Buddy, helping other business owners to make more money from their businesses, in 2019. She is being showcased alongside 100 female entrepreneurs from across the UK, as part of the campaign’s recognition of the multi-achievements of women that have proved critical to society during the covid-19 pandemic.

On being listed in the #ialso100, Hadi said: “I was thrilled to be chosen as part of this year’s group of talented women. It’s been a tough year in so many ways, so to receive recognition for all the hard work feels even more special.”

Both f:Entrepreneur and Small Business Britain were founded by Michelle Ovens CBE, who is also the

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director of Small Business Saturday UK. She said: “Congratulations to all the inspiring women chosen to join this year’s #ialso100. Despite the significant obstacles thrown at them in the last year, female entrepreneurship continues to grow and flourish."

To see the full list of the 100 amazing women featured in this year’s f:entrepreneur #ialso100 campaign visit https://f-entrepreneur.com/ fentrepreneur-100

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New Year Honour recognition for Swindon nursing service chief The managing director of Swindon’s First City Nursing and Care has been made MBE for services to domiciliary care during covid-19.

Stephen Trowbridge's award was among the Queen's New Year Honours list. He was nominated for work throughout the year to protect his customers, staff and partners in the care sector, together with the wider community, from the impact of covid-19.

He said: “I couldn’t believe and really it still hasn’t sunk in yet. But really this should be an honour for all of my team, who have worked tirelessly through the pandemic and continue to do so.

“If it wasn’t for them flexing and going over and above then none of this would have happened. I’m just a cog in a bigger machine that’s working to improve the lives of the people in our community, and really I’m probably one of the

Stephen Trowbridge MBE

smaller cogs; it’s down to the expertise and commitment of the whole team for it working as it does.”

During the run-up to Christmas, Mr Trowbridge and his management team saw to it that all staff - more than 350 people - were personally thanked for their hard work in keeping residents as safe as possible during the pandemic.

The staff were presented with commemorative pin badges, Heroes chocolates and Marks and Spencer vouchers.

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A new chief for Park Academies Trust The Park Academies Trust's new Chief Executive has taken up his post.

The trust is a group of Swindon schools catering for pupils and students aged 3-18, and Benedick AshmoreShort has joined from Astrea Academy Trust, where he was previously Interim Chief Executive.

Prior to this, he was Executive Director of Education for four years and oversaw the rapid turnarounds of a number of schools in South Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire.

Oasis campaigners take fight to save leisure centre online

Community campaigners fighting to save Swindon's Oasis and bring it back into public ownership refused to let lockdown stop their latest gathering.

The local branch of national campaigning organisation ACORN moved the event online.

Supporters were asked to submit pictures with ‘Save the Oasis’ signs, which were then tweeted out to organisations including Swindon Borough Council and Seven Capital.

Swindon ACORN can be reached at swindon@ acorncommunities.org.uk

School application deadlines The deadline for Swindon parents to make applications for primary and junior school places for their children passed on January 15.

Applications can still be made but will be considered only after those submitted on time have been processed and offers made. The deadline for change of address submissions is 12 March.

Full details can be found at www.swindon.gov.uk/ info/20071/school_places_ and_admissions 10

Council leader urges Musk to consider Honda site Swindon Borough Council leader David Renard has urged Tesla and SpaceX mogul Elon Musk to consider Swindon's Honda site for a Tesla plant.

Coun Renard extolled Swindon's virtues in a letter to the billionaire sent to Tesla's headquarters in Palo Alto, California. He also praised the productiveness of Honda's Swindon workforce. He wrote: "We have read several times in the UK media that Tesla is considering investing in a manufacturing site in the UK. "If this is the case, I would like to draw your attention to the large site in Swindon, currently occupied by Honda of the UK Manufacturing until the plant closes until July 2021.

"This prime site is wholly owned by the Honda Group and is set aside for employment land, with fantastic road access and a railhead which links directly to the London line."

He added: "It has three

Council leader David Renard extolled Swindon's virtues in his letter to Elon Musk, pictured

access points, although this could be reviewed depending on end use. The Council is modelling potential transport requirements based on likely site-use scenarios, but ultimately road access to two motorways and two major ports is a huge benefit.

"Perhaps the biggest selling point is the 5,000-strong workforce from the Hondaowned companies and

suppliers, which I am reliably informed, are extremely productive. In fact, they contribute to a statistic of which I am immensely proud: 'Swindon has the third highest GDP per job in the UK' - so Swindon's workforce is the third most productive."

Coun Renard said local and national organisations were helping the workforce prepare for future roles.

designed to ensure that only eligible persons in need have access to the free rides.

Jack Price, Regional Director of V Cars, said: “In these first few weeks of the programme, we are helping to assist the first wave of people get their vaccinations.

"For those who don’t have another means of transport we want to help our local community beat covid.

“We don’t want to bring any

additional pressure on the NHS or GP practices and it’s vital that people do not call their GPs or NHS asking about free rides. Our offer is strictly on appointment only for those persons who are eligible."

The company has a number of measures in place to keep all passengers using its services safe from covid.

Further details can be found at www.v-cars.com/covid-19/ passengers/

Taxi firm's covid lifeline for vulnerable people Taxi firm V Cars is offering free rides to help roll out the covid-19 vaccine to elderly and vulnerable patients across Swindon.

GP practices across the South West are taking their first steps in the process to tackle the pandemic by vaccinating the elderly and vulnerable in the local community.

V Cars is working with participating GP practices across the region to offer rides to those eligible persons who have been invited to make a vaccination appointment - if they have no other means of transport.

The offer is of a covid-safe private hire journey to the vaccination centre, and the patient has the option to book a safe journey home too.

Telephone operators at the participating GP surgeries will co-ordinate the free journey with the V Cars dispatch centre using a dedicated web-based booking system. The system is

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Get mentally and physically fit while helping out Prospect Hospice Prospect Hospice has launched a new fundraiser called Exercise Out to Help Out. All are welcome to take part and to tailor their efforts to their own capabilities.

The number of options available to would-be participants is virtully limitless, provided they want to help a good cause while helping themselves become physically and mentally better off.

A spokesperson said: "If you're glad to see the back of 2020 and looking for ways to make 2020 your year then look no further.

"You may have eaten out to help out, now your local hospice is asking you to exercise out to help out.

"In return, you'll be ticking that New Year's resolution and improving your fitness at the same time as improving your wellbeing and mental health.

"Swim, cycle, run walk or climb your way into 2021 with this versatile fundraising

initiative from Prospect Hospice. The choice is entirely yours! Don't let that New Year motivation disappear and sign up today."

For people considering a more gruelling challenge, places are still available for those wishing to run the London Marathon in aid of the hospice.

This year the event is scheduled for Sunday, 3 October. The hospice spokesperson said: "The London Marathon is one of life’s great challenges: the atmosphere is second to none and the sense of achievement is wonderful.

"As a fundraising event, nothing can compete with the marathon, with thousands of people taking to the streets, many in fancy dress, and raising money for causes close to their heart. Since its start in 1981 over ÂŁ1 billion has been raised for good causes."

The hospice is one of the Swindon area's best-known and most loved charities, offering

comfort and dignity to people in the final stages of their lives, whether they are being cared for at the Wroughton hospice itself or in their own homes.

The hospice also offers help and guidance to loved ones who may be bewildered and frightened. It is mostly funded by public donations.

For further information about Exercise to Help Out and running the marathon, email fundraising&events@prospecthospice.net or visit www. prospect-hospice.net

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Musical exercise charity for older people boosts its online sessions A charity best known for running musical sessions for older people is expanding its online work.

As lockdown puts an even greater emphasis on the health and wellbeing of older people in isolation, the Goldies charity has increased its weekly online content to include gentle chairexercise at home.

When Goldies was forced by covid-19 to cancel daytime sessions across England and Wales last March, the charity introduced online sessions through Facebook and YouTube.

These developed to become twice-weekly, with Tuesday sessions taken by Rachel Parry and Thursdays by Cheryl Davies. Each has worked for the charity for a number of years as a daytime session leader.

With Cheryl’s Thursday session based on the popular Goldies format of singing with

Rachel Parry is one of the session leaders

well-loved popular songs and onscreen words, the weekly Tuesday 11am sessions led by Rachel have developed into a more magazine-style format.

Rachel records her sessions from her home in Thornbury near Bristol. She said: “We have had a fantastic response from older folk across England and we feature different subjects each Tuesday."

Further information about the charity can be found at www. goldieslive.com

Virtual run to fight breast cancer The Breast Cancer Now charity is inviting entries for its 2021 Virtual Mad March Hare fundraiser.

The annual event started in 2008 and has so far raised over £123,500 for Breast Cancer Now. This year's will take place throughout March, and participants can sign up and complete it virtually.

Organiser Margaret Nicholson said: "This year will be very different for us but we have been offering virtual runs for the past few years and have always had great support from around the world, with people taking part from as far away as Australia.

"We are looking forward to another fantastic event this March. This year we can reach far more people with their challenge to complete the 5k or 10k distance by walking, jogging or running to raise money for Breast Cancer Now." Breast Cancer Now has been hit by the impact of covid-19,

and says support is needed now more than ever before.

Mad March Hare volunteer Esther Newman said: "As a past participant of the event, the virtual event is a great way to include more people; challenging people to maintain their fitness and get out of the house in the fresh air has never been more important.

"Not only is it a great way to keep physically active, it is also good for our mental health too.

I would encourage people to take advantage of our Bubble offer for £60 and sign up as a group of 6 and get the whole family involved.

"The last year has been difficult for everyone and we hope this year people come out and support us, get dressed up, take the children out and complete the virtual event."

Details are at www. madmarchhare.org.uk and the charity can be contacted at info@madmarchhare.org.uk and on 0845 6808064.

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Air Ambulance was called to a record number of incidents in 2020 Wiltshire Air Ambulance was called on 1,238 missions in 2020 – a record number since the charity became a standalone air ambulance in 2015.

Despite two national lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic last year and now a third, the need for Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s lifesaving service has never been more crucial.

In Swindon, Wiltshire Air Ambulance was called to emergencies in the town a total of 194 times, more than once every two days.

There were a further 39 incidents across Cricklade, Highworth and Royal Wootton Bassett.

David Philpott, chief executive of Wiltshire Air Ambulance, said: “Our aircrew has continued to operate on the front line throughout the pandemic, responding to incidents during a very challenging year – and 2021 looks like being just as difficult.

Paramedics Richard Miller, left, and Craig Wilkins

“We had to alter our operations suitably to ensure we could still be there for the people of Wiltshire and surrounding areas.

“With all of our major events cancelled and community fundraising impacted by the pandemic, this has clearly had an effect on our income.

“That said, we have been taken aback by the response from our kind donors, who have surpassed all expectations for donations received in the past

All welcome at the Race For Life People across the region are being encouraged to look beyond Lockdown by making a date to join Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life in Swindon.

The charity aims to bring the events back later in the year with social distancing to help keep participants safe. Anyone who signs up in January can claim 30 per cent off the entry fee by using the code JAN2021.

Because of covid, Cancer Research UK is predicting a £300m drop in income over the next three years, which could put future medical breakthroughs at risk.

That is why the charity is calling on men, women and children to fight back against the disease by entering a Race for Life event. Money raised will help scientists find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, helping to save more lives.

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people are diagnosed with cancer in the South West and one in two people in the UK born after 1960 will get cancer in their lifetime.

The Race for Life events take place at Lydiard Park on Saturday, 5 June and are open to people of all ages and abilities.

Joe Hutchinson, Cancer Research UK’s Event Manager for Swindon, said: “All 400 mass-participation Race for Life events across the UK were cancelled last year to protect the country’s health during the covid-19 pandemic. So this year, more than ever, we need people to come together and help beat the disease.

“The truth is, covid-19 has slowed us down. But we will never stop and we are absolutely determined to continue to create better cancer treatments for tomorrow."

To enter, visit raceforlife.org

12 months. For that, we are so grateful.”

Of the 1,238 missions last year, 568 were by helicopter and 670 were in the Rapid Response Vehicles (cars).

The largest number of call outs were to cardiac emergencies - 383 - or almost one in three missions, while 208 were to road traffic collisions - around one in six missions and a drop of two percent on 2019 missions.

The team were called to a

greater number of falls - 178in 2020, up by four percent.

The figures also include 71 medical collapses, 64 assaults and 64 sporting injuries, of which 34 were horse riding accidents.

A total of 108 incidents involved children, while more than one in three missions 430 - took place at night.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance was also called to incidents in neighbouring counties, including Berkshire, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire.

People airlifted or land assisted included 65 to Great Western Hospital in Swindon.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance is a charity and receives no regular direct funding from the Government or grants. Each year the charity needs to raise £3.75m to continue flying.

For information about events and donating to Wiltshire Air Ambulance visit www. wiltshireairambulance.co.uk

Swindon Hindu group presented symbol of peace and harmony

Members of the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh and Hindu Sevika Samiti (HSS UK), a local Hindu group in Swindon, celebrated the annual Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan in a unique way this year by keeping it covid safe.

Raksha Bandhan is a festival that celebrates the duty of care, the obligation to serve those in need, and celebrates the relationships people hold dear to one another.

This year, members of HSS (UK) extended their gratitude for the support and care that all key community leaders and Armed Forces personnel have provided to keep communities safe, and presented a Rakhi, a cotton thread that symbolises the universal connectedness to serve and protect each other, and a greeting card to Swindon Mayor Garry Perkins, Swindon Borough Council

leader David Renard, South Swindon MP Robert Buckland and representatives of the Armed Forces by meeting with them in person on four different occasions.

A spokesperson for the organisation said: "During these unprecedented times, the value of community spirit has proved to be necessary more than ever. Through acts of kindness and selfless service (‘Sewa’), we have seen the spirit of humanity come together, breaking down barriers, and embodying in full the essence of Hindu value of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakum, “the whole world is one family."

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Swindon organisation helping troubled young people to turn their lives around and build better futures A Swindon organisation is steadily changing the lives of troubled and vulnerable young people for the better.

Stratton-based BEST - whose slogan is 'Be a Better You' was founded in late 2019 by businessman Don Bryden.

He was spurred by his own experiences in trying to help his daughter, who suffered after becoming involved with the wrong people.

Don said: "Back in July of 2019 my daughter ran away from home. She was a young girl who from the age of 11 was bullied. She had a real tough time.

"However, she started standing up for herself, which ended up with her being seen and recognised by, let us say, the wrong crowd, a year or two older than her.

"They brought her into a small gang, which grew, and they got involved with all sorts of bits and pieces from narcotics - you name it."

Don eventually felt he had no option but to send her to live away from the country for three months, breaking the cycle, and today his daughter is healthy, happy and a talented aspiring boxer.

The family's experiences in trying to get help led to the founding of BEST, which offers tailored intensive mentoring with an emphasis on sport and fitness.

Don said: "We realised that the organisations you've got within our reach as a general mum and dad take months and months and months, and one doesn't talk to the other.

"With one particular organisation, you've got a waiting list of up to nine months before your kid can go there.

"I decided I was going to set up an organisation and that it would predominantly work with children going through tough times and who were involved in narcotics, truancy, possibly gangs and so on.

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From left: Don Bryden, boxing coach Paul Rogers and Craig Hiscock

"I decided that we would work with them through a mentoring programme, working with them through sport various sports like boxing and MMA - and then look at putting them through a three-to-sixmonth training programme.

"After that, we hope to put them through some sort of qualification, whether it be an AQA Award or an NVQ, which we're currently setting up.

"My ambition is to work with these children and to try and develop these kids and get them off the bloody streets!

"If I had my way, my utopia would be to have a drop-in centre, a place of security, a place where they could express themselves, play pool, learn, make music, make videos, make films.

"A place where your young child, boy or girl, at two o'clock in the morning, who has run away from home because for some reason they don't get on with mum or dad or whatever, has not had to sit in the middle of the road and be vulnerable.

"It would be a place for them to come to and have a cup of tea, a bacon sandwich, and for us to be able to let the authorities know the kiddy's safe.

"That's BEST. That's what we set up."

An early recruit to the BEST team was Operations Manager Craig Hiscock, who said: "Don

shared with me his dream and vision for BEST and I thought it was an amazing opportunity for us to create something good.

"I pretty much had to come in and set everything up from scratch.

"What we're doing is mentoring young people using different sports as a positive activity, but it's not just about sports. That's just a way into working with a young person.

"The young people we work with have all got personal development plans identifying goals they want to achieve, and the programme fits around that young person rather than the young person having to fit into a programme.

"We tailor-make the programme based on that

child's needs."

Don said: "We are totally self-funded. I fund the whole lot myself. I employed Craig, I then further employed Paul Rogers, who is arguably one of the best boxing coaches for amateurs in the South."

BEST welcomes inquiries from anybody who can help, whether with funding, skills or in another way.

He said: "Right at the top of my wish list is premises. I'm looking for a place where I can create a drop-in centre. If I could take over the Oasis, I would take it over and create a youth centre, a drop-in centre for our children.

"We're looking for something that we can use for our mentoring programme, for our training programme, for our fitness and sports centre, as a drop-in centre, as a place where they can mix music, do their videos, sit down and have a cup of tea.

"A place where they can sit down on a couch in front of a couple of tellies and play their games.

"A place where they'll feel safe is what I'm looking for."

Don can be contacted on 07816 238194 and don. bryden@bestrust.co.uk, and Craig on 07487 727695.

The BEST website is www. bestrust.co.uk

Don Bryden's current goal is to create a drop-in centre

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Prospect Hospice charity shops open up online When the UK went into lockdown in March 2020, charities had to shut their shops, closing the doors on an important form of income. But staff and volunteers at one of Swindon’s best-loved charities, Prospect Hospice, weren’t going to be beaten by the virus. If the customers couldn’t come to their shops, they’d have to take the shops to the customers.

Prospect Hospice has now launched an online shop so supporters can still bag a bargain during lockdown and support their vital work in the community.

Victoria Canavan, head of retail at Prospect Hospice, said: “The closure of our shops is devastating, however, we’re never ones to dwell on things like this and have been looking at ways we can keep the money coming in.

“With our shops closed, we’ve got a vast amount of stock just sitting there that potentially could raise a lot of money for the hospice.

“We know they’re items that people really want so we needed to look at a way to make these available to those who want them and help raise the vital funds that are really needed right now to support people in our community.

Prospect Retail Team Leader Barbara Ash

The Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t stopped Prospect Hospice from delivering its amazing end-of-life care to patients and their families and loved ones.

It’s just meant that the hospice has been taking far more of its specialist services out into the community, and into people’s own homes. And, says Prospect Hospice’s chief executive Irene Watkins, the feedback they’re getting from patients and families is that this new way of working is working very well indeed.

“We’ve always known that Prospect

“I’m therefore delighted to say that we now have our first online hospice shop live and available for people to purchase some wonderful pre-loved goods from, knowing that they’re helping to support the hospice with every purchase.”

The online hospice shop features a range of different items much like you would find in their high street stores including women’s fashion, menswear, items for the home, books and media and all items that have been generously donated by local people.

Victoria continued: “As with our shops, we only have one of each item so, when it’s gone it’s gone. If you see something you like, I’d advise that you snap it up quickly before someone else does.”

For a limited time, the hospice is offering free delivery on all items purchased from their site.

To visit the new Prospect Hospice online shop, visit www. prospect-hospice.net/shop The new Prospect Hospice online shop isn’t the only way Swindon can enjoy some pre-loved retail therapy.

Prospect Hospice also has its own eBay platform and staff and volunteers who carefully sort the donated goods regularly come across some surprising and valuable finds.

Barbara Ash, pictured, says that several people in the retail team, including some shop managers, have developed a real eye for anything that’s valuable. They can spot a handbag that might be worth around £4,000, or know that an unused Xbox Minecraft in its original packaging could fetch around £200. “eBay is working brilliantly for us,” says Barbara.

“We get some amazing donations from really generous people, and it’s our responsibility to achieve what they are really worth. Our shop managers have years of experience in their geographical or specialist areas, so they are great at flagging up donations that could bring in substantial funds.”

To see Prospect Hospice’s eBay stock go to: www.prospecthospice.net/ebay

Hospice is so much more than bricks and mortar,” says Irene, “but 2020 gave us the opportunity to showcase that to the wonderful community that supports us. Covid-19 meant it was suddenly impossible to offer services like day therapy or family support at our Wroughton base. But by thinking out of the box, our colleagues soon devised new ways of supporting patients and families, whether in person in their homes or online.

The phrase that I’ve begun to use is Prospect without walls. Because we are

Prospect Hospice belongs to the whole community. Around 70 per cent of its income comes from the generous donations and fund-raising efforts of people who live or work in Swindon and

there, out in the Chief Executive Irene Watkins community, where we now need to be. I’m so proud of how everyone has flexed to make sure that our community has been able to benefit from the expertise in specialist, end-of-life care which Prospect Hospice is well known for.”

its surrounding area. It’s that generosity that enables Prospect Hospice to provide all the expert clinical, emotional and practical support that patients and their families so appreciate. swindonlink.com n

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Advertorial

The Business

Prestige Windows and Doors keep things going during lockdown With many businesses struggling to ride the economic wave that covid-19 has presented, Prestige Windows & Doors have taken the big step of venturing into business during lockdown.

This is in the belief that they can help home owners to improve their properties at a time when more and more people are at home, looking at their windows and doors and deciding what to do next.

Based on the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire border and owned and run by a small but incredibly experienced team of professionals, Prestige Windows & Doors have started as they mean to go on.

Offering a bespoke, personal service to their audience, they help their customers to navigate the choice of new, energy efficient windows and doors with every detail considered.

All of this is done without the need to visit the customer in

their home, helping to keep everybody safe from covid-19.

If you are considering replacing your windows and doors and are concerned about how to go about it during the current lockdown, Prestige invite you to simply upload some photographs of your home via their simple contact form on their website www. prestigewindowsdoors.co.uk then they will do the rest.

A simple call via video or phone to check specifications and approximate sizes is all they need to provide you with a free, no obligation quotation. Once approved, a covid-19 safe survey can take place before proceeding to manufacture and safe installation.

With a huge choice of colours and finishes, and a team of fitters with a wealth of experience, coupled with a 10 year guarantee, Prestige are also launching with a special

Kumon working to ensure our children’s future during lockdown Kumon Instructor Stephen Chamberlain, from the Swindon West Study Centre has been working with local families throughout the covid-19 crisis to ensure that children receive continuity and progression in their learning that’s so crucial during this unprecedented time.

Despite having to physically close the doors of his study centres in Freshbrook and Peatmoor he has ensured his students’ continual development through structured daily home study; arranging safe work delivery, running online classes, and finding a myriad of innovative solutions.

With recent news reports indicating that around a third of pupils nationwide are not engaging with set work from their school, Kumon recognises that providing support for an ongoing study routine is more vital now than ever before.

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ensure maximum support whilst also ensuring the students get to see others from the Kumon family. This is further enhanced with short focused daily worksheet study using pencil and paper based worksheets individually set for each child’s ability and development.

Kumon is the world’s largest supplementary education provider, with 4.3 million children around the globe currently studying their Maths and English programmes. In the UK and Ireland, around 650 Kumon instructors support children to establish strong foundations, gradually tackle more challenging work, and grow in confidence to become self-sufficient, successful learners for the future.

Adapting, supporting, and connecting have been on the agenda for all Instructors, in striving to ensure that children nationwide continue to have the opportunity to shine.

offer of a FREE upvc door when you buy any 4 windows or doors. A great offer to

brighten up these dark winter days. They can be contacted on 01793 228 446.

Motor dealer says pulling the plug on click and collect is 'the right thing to do' A Swindon motor dealer has stopped the collection of new cars from his showroom, saying it is "the right thing to do" as covid-19 runs rampant through the community.

When the third national lockdown was announced on 4 January, motor dealers were thrown a lifeline: they could offer customers a click and collect service – drivers could order their new car online and collect it from the showroom.

But after operating a click and collect system for a week, Dominic Threlfall, managing director of Hyundai and Suzuki franchise Pebley Beach, pulled the plug saying it went "against the spirit" of the lockdown.

It is believed he is the first in the UK motor industry to adopt such a stance – and has prompted national debate in Motor Industry circles.

"I've been uncomfortable allowing click and collect for

car sales," Dom told customers on the firm's Facebook page.

"This does have a massive impact on our business, but I think it is the right thing to do.

"In my view, a new car is not 'essential' and we have all been kidding ourselves or making the best of it."

Dom said he would honour orders already placed by click and collect with deliveries to motorist's homes, but would not offer future collections until the lockdown is lifted.

He said he had taken the decision with the best interests of his staff and the local community at heart, but maintains that click and collect offered by car dealers is incredibly safe, especially compared to other industries.

Pebley Beach will continue to offer aftersales services and MOTs, which the firm considers vital to keeping key workers on the road.

22/01/2021 09:04

usiness Brief Creative agency kickstarts the year with eight new recruits

By Barrie Hudson barrie@positive-media.co.uk

Branding, design and content studio Danny&co. is boosting its team and nurturing young talent with help from the Government’s Kickstart Scheme.

Danny Matthews, founder of the firm, which is based near Swindon, had been looking to build his creative team when his plans were put on hold because of covid.

Now the new Kickstart Scheme, which provides funding for employers to create job placements for 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit, means Danny can create positions within the business – and he is planning to take on eight youngsters.

“I am really grateful because I was among a number of businesses to apply to the scheme and within our application only about a third were approved, and of those eight of them were mine,” he said.

Danny is now looking for young, talented people to fill roles including social media manager, content writer, project coordinator and video editor.

The new posts will be partially Government-funded

for six months and candidates will be sourced via Jobcentre Plus. Danny was helped with his Kickstart application by HR consultant Karen Ferris, who is based near Marlborough.

“The purpose of the Kickstart Scheme is to get people at risk of long-term unemployment into work and to get some experience,” said Danny.

“I hope some or all will be able to remain with me beyond the six months and at the very least have some experience to take on to their next job.

"I had planned to create these roles in the business anyway, but covid put this on hold, so it is great to be back on track for growing Danny&co.”

The new team will focus on freeing up Danny from the

day-to-day business activity - such as social media content creation and posting - to concentrate on delivering his Brand Confidence programme.

This new programme, launched towards the end of last year, helps business owners do a deep dive into their brand. Danny hopes his team will be in place by February.

Accessing the Kickstart Scheme is the latest in a series of initiatives by Danny&co. to bring new talent into the design sector. Danny has mentored a university design student and also takes part in a regular podcast aimed at an audience of young creatives.

More information about Danny&co. and the Brand Confidence programme can be found at dannyand.co

Swindon-based Openwork focuses on growth with new leadership roles Openwork, one of the UK’s largest and longest established financial advice and investment networks, is strengthening its executive team and growth opportunities with the creation of a new role of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).

Mike Morrow has been promoted from Wealth & Platform Director to CCO to lead on proposition development across the business as well as the development of the Wealth Platform and contractual

relationships with adviser firms and third parties. He started his new role in January.

Claire Limon, currently Director of Learning and Acquisition, joins the Executive Committee and will become Wealth Director as part of these changes. She will remain responsible for wealth adviser recruitment as well as retaining responsibility for Openwork’s award-winning Academy and Learning and Development.

Pat McKenna, Sales Director at Owl Financial, Openwork’s

specialist protection advice business, is retiring in March and will be succeeded by Liam Richards, currently Head of Sales at Owl. Liam will report into John Cupis, Mortgage Director at Openwork.

Philip Howell, Chief Executive of Openwork, said: "Key to our success will be our ability to focus on strategic implementation of our key deliverables and it is to this end that I have created a new role of Chief Commercial Officer.

Retirement for Alan after 70 years

One of the most well-known figures in the construction business in the South West has retired from his family firm after 70 years.

Alan Beard was the thirdgeneration head at the helm of the Swindon-based construction firm started by his grandfather, which continues to bear the family name.

Today, Beard is an award-winning construction company, operating across the region with a turnover of £160million and offices in Swindon, Oxford, Guildford and Bristol.

It has come a long way since Alan first joined the family firm at the age of 17 in January of 1950, when he started working with his father, Geoffrey, at Newcombe Beard Ltd in Cirencester.

Over the years Alan has been responsible for overseeing many memorable building projects but it was his work in the ecclesiastical sector his son Mark, now chairman of Beard, said was particularly important to him.

Mark said that as was an active member of the church community, such work was "... part of his DNA." Mark added: “We celebrated our 125th anniversary in 2017, which prompted Alan to write a book about the history of the company.

"The fact that we reached this milestone is testament to his expert stewardship over 70 years - a remarkable landmark to reach in itself.

“My father withdrew from being actively involved with the business a short while ago. His influence is all around us and many of the principles he fostered are still woven into the fabric of the business. For me personally it is his keen eye for detail that has shaped the approach we take to our work throughout the business."

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The Politics Page

'Nothing ventured nothing gained' when it comes to Swindon's future a short distance from major airports and ports, and the outstanding Honda site itself has its own rail link and excellent access.

But arguably our biggest draw is our people. We work hard here in Swindon. In fact we have the third highest GDP per worker rate in the UK and I know in the Honda workforce and associated supply chain we have 5,000 highly-skilled employees.

I’ll let you know if I get a reply, but they say if you shoot for the moon and miss, you will still be among the stars.

I cannot finish this column without paying tribute to our amazing colleagues at Great Western Hospital who have been working incredibly hard saving lives from the latest wave of covid-19.

You will see elsewhere in the magazine that we are continuing our ‘Let’s do it for our GWH’ campaign which urges everyone across the borough to play their part in keeping themselves safe from the virus so we do not see the large community spread which has such a major impact on the hospital.

At the time of writing, our case rate in Swindon is beginning to fall back down, but the weeks ahead are going

Swindon Borough Council leader David Renard

Words by Jamie Hill

Swindon Borough Council Leader David Renard's monthly column ‘Nothing ventured, nothing gained’ and ‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get’ were two popular sayings which sprang to mind recently when considering the future of Swindon’s Honda plant.

As Swindon Link readers will be all too aware, Honda of the UK Manufacturing will stop production at its South Marston plant in July and what takes its place is high on my list of priorities.

So when I read in the media that American electric car giant Tesla was looking into the possibility of setting up a production plant in the UK, it made perfect sense to write to one of the richest people on the planet to see if we could turn his gaze to Swindon and the soon-to-be-vacant Honda site.

Now Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, may spend a lot of a time looking at the stars owing to the SpaceX arm of his business ventures, but I’m hoping he will see the opportunities in Swindon are indeed out of this world.

In my letter I was keen to stress a number of Swindon’s strengths including our superb location on the M4 corridor,

to be crucial for our local health services and we must keep following the Hands, Face, Space rules to the letter to stop the virus in its tracks.

I was delighted to see the

start of the covid-19 vaccine rollout at the start of the new year and that gives us great hope for the future. Keep doing it for yourself, your loved ones and GWH.

Local elections - make sure you're election and covid-ready this year for voting With many of us spending more time at home than ever before, Swindon Borough Council would like to remind residents of the option to vote by post at elections.

Voting by post is an easy and convenient way of voting if you don’t want to vote in person at a polling station.

The council is currently working with 20

the Government on plans for upcoming local elections, which will include measures to ensure polling stations are safe and covid-secure. It is never too early to choose the best voting option for you though, and further information on how to register for a postal vote, including an application form, can be found by searching ‘postal voting’ on the gov.uk website.

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Words by Jamie Hill

A charity has produced a new video to raise awareness of its work after its public events were cancelled due to the lockdown.

The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust usually attends local festivals, carnivals and other popular occasions, as well as arranging speakers for community groups. However, the global pandemic has put a stop to all of that.

So the charity has created a short video which explores the history of the former waterway and the ambitious plans for restoration.

It includes archive photos from across Swindon and the surrounding area, featuring both the Wilts and Berks and its offshoot the North Wilts Canal towards Cricklade, as well as various stretches which have already been rebuilt.

The video is available to view at www.wbct.org.uk/ links-publications/videos-media The video was produced and narrated by Alan Lank, a retired technical trainer who has been a member of the charity for more than a decade.

Alan said: “There’s increasing interest in the restoration campaign and we didn’t want to lose momentum during the lockdown, so we thought a short video would be a good way to keep spreading the word.

“It features the reasons for the original construction of the canal and then follows its trading history, decline and eventual abandonment, before local volunteers formed a group to preserve the remains.

“Over time their objective changed from preservation to restoration, which resulted in the formation of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust to bring it back to fully navigable status.

“It won’t be possible to follow all of the original line due to modern development, but plans have been drawn up to go around these areas and we now have lots of experienced volunteers dealing with planning, engineering and fundraising.

“There are also lots of local work parties helping with digging, bricklaying, grasscutting and other tasks which provide the perfect opportunity for enjoying the outdoors and making new friends.

We hope the video will inspire people to learn more about our work, and hopefully they’ll share it with their friends and family too.”

The aim of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is to restore the waterway from the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham to the Thames & Severn Canal near Cricklade and the River Thames near Abingdon, connecting Chippenham, Calne, Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon. Visit www.wbct.org.uk If you belong to an organisation which would like to host a talk about the charity’s work, either ‘virtually’ during the lockdown or in person after the restrictions are lifted, email talks@wbct.org.uk

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Exploring Swindon's lost waterway

Swindon archive photo: Looking up the North Wilts Canal towards the former John Street bridge, circa 1912

Canal Trust volunteer Alan Lank in period costume

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amilies are signing up fast for Swindon’s festival of science, engineering and technology.

The Festival of T

The Festival of Tomorrow, held for the first time last February at Steam, is back with a two-day virtual festival on 19 and 20 February.

This is a free online event which will showcase exciting research set to shape the future, from cutting edge technology to advances in our understanding of everything from medicine to history.

As well as exploring a wide range of activities to try at home, visitors to the festival can join an exciting agenda of talks and shows, covering everything from the future of food and medicine to the latest on space exploration and the fight to tackle climate change.

Families will also be able to visit a virtual discovery zone and have the opportunity to meet and chat with scientists and engineers from a wide range of institutes, universities and businesses. The Science Museum Group will be premiering their new digital activities, Intel will be demonstrating the latest in Artificial Intelligence and ExplorerDome will be offering virtual planetarium sessions throughout the day. Visitors will be able to drop in to live demonstrations, learn how to make your own space blankets, take a behind-the-scenes tour of a lab, or create some science-inspired art - among many other family-friendly activities.

For the first time, the festival organisers are also laying on an adults-only evening of digital entertainment on the Friday, featuring a science comedy panel show, pub quiz and more. Register for your free place now at www.scienceswindon.com/ festivaloftomorrow

Supported by UKRI UKRI is the government body responsible for overseeing all publicly funded research. UKRI is a major local employer and has helped secure Swindon’s place as a leading area for research and innovation. The Festival of Tomorrow will highlight vital research funded by UKRI and show how Swindon is leading the way towards a better future.

Throughout the festival UKRI will: • Showcase how STEM research is tackling the world’s greatest challenges.

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Are you ready for Mars Horizon?

• Ignite an interest in science in audiences of all ages.

• Inspire the next generation of scientists by explaining how science works.

• Give visitors the opportunity to meet scientists and ask questions.

• Contribute resources to the festival’s local schools programme.

Some of the highlights from the wide variety of talks and shows that visitors to the virtual festival will be able to enjoy include: Science Rapper, Jon Chase Science Rapper, Jon Chase, launched a challenge to young people across social media in the lead up to the Festival of Tomorrow. Some of the best entries will have the chance to be streamed alongside Jon’s own Rap Science show, during the festival this month. The challenge was launched on the Science Swindon social media channels, including TikTok, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, with the chorus from his own rap, A Better View, and a challenge to young people to create their own performance.

“We're challenging Swindon students to tell us what you want science to do for your future. Upload your videos to any social media, with the hashtag #FestivalOfTomorrow and tagging Science Swindon, by 8 February. You can rap, sing, present, perform a demo or tell a story, on your own or in a group! No Powerpoint allowed, just you and something you're passionate about!” explained the Science Rapper. “Make sure you get permission to upload to social media, and I’ll be selecting some of my favourites to stream at the festival on 20 February."

Jon is the UK’s foremost proponent of Science Raps having performed his science raps at The Science Museum, The Royal Society, The Royal Institution, and at many theatres, libraries and science festivals across the UK. His raps have featured on CBeebies’ Rhyme Rocket, CBBC’s Space Hoppers and Channel 4 Learning as well as being included amongst the Bitesize science online learning resources.

Marty Jopson – Invisible Worlds Take a journey from everyday life, down into the realm of microscopic wonders with Marty Jopson, the BBC One Show’s resident scientist. The adventure begins with things you can almost see but soon you will find yourself in a world totally invisible to the unaided eye. Marty will take you from the very beginnings of microscopy, through hugely magnified insects, bacteria and plants to the most up to date fluorescent techniques demonstrated live.

ExplorerDome – Virtual Planetarium Virtual Planetarium Space Show supported by Science & Technology Facilities Council Our Earth, our Sun, our solar system and our place in space. A fantastic introduction to one of the most inspiring topics, this is an interactive guide to our local neighbourhood and beyond with the opportunity to ask big questions, explore interests and learn how to spot the constellations in the sky tonight.

The Future in Our Genes BBC Science in Action presenter, Roland Pease, meets Dr Rebecca Wragg Sykes and Prof Adam Hart to uncover the truth

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of Tomorrow about our Neanderthal ancestors as well as how the DNA we have inherited makes us unfit for the modern world.

What Do You Think You Are?: The Science of What Makes You You Popular science master Brian Clegg’s new book is an entertaining tour through the science of what makes you you. From the atomic level, through life and energy to genetics and personality, it explores how the billions of particles which make up you - your DNA, your skin, your memories have come to be. It starts with the presentday reader and follows a number of trails to discover their origins: how the atoms in your body were created and how they got

CULTURE

to you in space and time, the sources of things you consume, how the living cells of your body developed, where your massive brain and consciousness originated, how human beings evolved and, ultimately, what your personal genetic history reveals.

Humanity’s Mix-tape to the Universe Have you ever made someone you love a mix-tape? Forty years ago, a group of scientists, artists and writers gathered in a house in Ithaca, New York to work on the most important compilation ever conceived.

It wasn't from one person to another, it was from Earth to the Cosmos. BBC Radio’s Chris Baxter meets music writer and selfconfessed astronomy geek, Jonathan Scott, author of The Vinyl Frontier, to explore the story of NASA's interstellar mix-tape, from first phone call to final launch, when Voyager 1 and 2 left our planet bearing their hopeful message from the Summer of '77 to a distant future.

First Light – the Secrets of the Big Bang Leading researcher Emma Chapman opens a window into a previously dark and secret time in our Universe's history – when the first stars were born, hundreds of times the size of the Sun and a million times brighter, lonely giants that lived fast and died young in powerful explosions that seeded the Universe with the heavy elements that we are made of. Emma tells us how these stars formed, why they were so unusual, and what they can teach us about the Universe today.

Words by Jamie Hill

The Sun, Our Star The Sun, our star, is just waking up from a quiet phase of its 11 year activity cycle.

Several solar space observatories have been watching the Sun over the past couple of decades: SoHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory), Hinode and the Solar Dynamics Observatory. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe was launched in 2018 and ESA&’s Solar Orbiter was launched in February 2020. These satellites will travel closer to the Sun than ever before. This talk

by Dr Helen Mason, a solar scientist at the University of Cambridge will review what we have learnt about our dynamic Sun, in particular, what we have learnt about sunspots, solar active regions and flares (huge explosions) and how the Sun affects the Earth's environment (space weather).

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Mars Horizon Stream During the festival Auroch Digital will be sharing a stream of their game Mars Horizon, created with support from the European Space Agency and the UK Space Agency.

Mars Horizon is a strategy simulation game where you lead a major space agency as you guide humanity to Mars. Construct a base, design and build rockets, conduct missions throughout the Solar System, and write your own history of Space exploration. During the stream Twitch streamer eirawave will be joined by Allie from Auroch Digital and Paul Smith, Robotic Exploration Programme Manager from the UK Space Agency. They will be playing the game whilst discussing the future of space travel, the Mars Perseverance rover, how Auroch created the game, and all things space! Join in the live chat to talk with the devs during the stream.

Poetry: A tale of two lockdown lovers Poetry column with Maurice Spillane I stopped the lad on his way of Poetry Swindon home and introduced myself.

If you travel roads near where I live before 8am, you’ll encounter a blonde vision. The colour of her hair through the winter grey lifts the morning; the silhouette of her good posture etches her figure as she gets closer. Her partner walks beside her pushing his bike, a fine-looking young man.

We’ve swapped “good mornings” from my bicycle as we passed these last ten months. They’ve intrigued me as a couple during the lockdowns.

Last week, out of final curiosity,

He told me a little, enough that polite conversation with a stranger allows. They walk to the care centre for the start of her shift, then he cycles back before heading for work. How lovely is that, every morning?

hand at a few lines of poetry.

If you’re lucky to have a loved one in your life, go for it. If not, take pleasure in the happiness of others.

You can always dream up the background. Isn’t that what poets should do? Here’s my poem for that couple:

That’s the story and as Valentine’s Day is nearly here, I thought I’d share it with you: two young people, clearly devoted to each other, who happen to brighten my day.

Grey mist on grey mornings along a country road my stoop over reluctant gears tease the hill and the potholes dare me, ready for the kill.

Every Valentine’s Day I encourage readers to try their

But look up I do, as they come into view

two young lovers who unwrap the mist and collar the quiet as if someone said: Whisht!

We offer up smiles and greetings that uplift the day.

The road less challenging, the gears now whine, their story unknown to me, so I fantasise mine. www.mauricespillane.com

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HOME The next phase of Swindon's landmark new housing development has taken a step closer with the submission of the first in a series of new planning applications.

As the first residents at Canalside, Wichelstowe, settle in for their first January in their new homes, detailed applications outlining plans for 476 new homes at Wichel Fields, alongside the newly occupied first phase homes, and The Orchards to the north of the site, have now been submitted to the local planning authority.

Another phase for Wichelstowe One of the largest local authority joint venture agreements in the country, the Wichelstowe development is being built by Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes in partnership with Swindon Borough Council and will deliver 3,000 new homes over the next 20 years, along with new schools and community facilities.

The 250-hectare site on the southern edge of Swindon will include extensive open spaces, nature conservation areas, playing pitches and allotments.

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MOTORING

Fiat 500 : Leading the electric charge There are more new electric cars in Norway than petrol or diesel ones and while the numbers were twice as many in the UK as in 2019 we are still a long away off topping battery power.

Leigh Robinson: Motoring writer

However in 2020 a total of 108,205 battery electric were sold in this country and you can guarantee that in 2021 that figure will certainly double.

The Fiat 500 with its petrol electric hybrid engine is leading the charge in the small car market and in the spring the all new electric model will arrive, which is certain to be a winner. Not bad for a pensioner who first came to the market 63 years ago!

But Fiat won’t be just keeping a 500 electric, they will be running the models side by side with the 2021 hybrid version leaving it for customers to 24

make their choice.

The 1.0 litre petrol Hybrid Hatch goes from £12,770 to £16,900 with the Cabriolet version going from £15,420 to £19,550.

Comparing that to the forthcoming all-electric Hatchback model the price will be from £20,000 through to £27,000 which

means at least £7,000 more expensive. The electric cabriolet is from £26,000 to £30,000 and that is after the Government £3k grant is applied.

The Fiat 500 hybrid is the brand shuffling towards electrification and the Fiat Panda hybrid is also

part of the electrification line-up.

The 1.0 litre 500 model is combined with a 12volt belt driven starter generator unit which provides 70 hp. The unit also has a battery pack and the CO2 emissions of the new petrol-hybrid unit range from 119 – 124g/ km depending on the spec.

As for fuel economy the 1.0 litre hybrid will give you more than 50 mpg either in town or on a run.

The first year road tax costs £175 followed by £150 for year two and afterwards. Company car users will pay 26% benefit-in-kind tax.

Insurance is Group 8 and warranty 3-years/60,000 miles.

The original 500 had a rear wheel engine but in 2007 a front engine was applied. There have been a number of revisions along the line.

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Pop-up pizza at Sally Pussey's Inn

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FOOD & DRINK

Royal Wootton Bassett pub Sally Pussey’s Inn has launched its first pop-up pizzeria for the third national lockdown.

Using a stone-baked oven that cooks the 12-inch pizzas in 90 seconds and reaches temperatures of 350-450 degrees, the sourdough-based Neapolitan-style pizzas are hand-made to order in a large converted shipping container.

Pubs, restaurants and cafes were forced to shut as England once again went into full lockdown on 4 January, but they are able to continue with delivery or takeaway.

Last year the Royal Wootton Bassett pub sold an estimated 20,000 burgers after opening its Burger Shack in the car park when covid rules meant the restaurant and carvery had to close.

Sally Pussey’s Pizza menu has launched with nine varieties, one “We like a challenge and after the success of the Burger Shack third of which are vegan. Pussey’s Pizza is open daily Thursday we have decided to do something a little different,” said Sally Sallyteamed Pussey's Innup pop-up pizzeria to team Sunday from 5-9pm. Orders can be placed by calling 01793 Pussey’s executive chef Ryan Wakeman. We The have 852430. with the Kitchen Garden Pizza Co. who are renowned for their amazing pizzas and toppings.

Full menu details and prices can be found at www.sallypussey. co.uk/pussey-s-pizzas “The business has to diversify to stay alive and Sally Pussey’s has a loyal following for our food, service and style and we want to continue this with pizza.”

Swap takeaways for homecooked fakeaways throughout February Diabetes UK is calling people across Swindon to sign up to the first ever FakeAway Feb. The charity is challenging people to swap processed foods for healthier, homecooked meals throughout the month of February, to raise vital funds for diabetes research.

FakeAway Feb aims to get people to try new recipes and think homemade – whether you’re a stranger to the kitchen, or a regular meal prepper.

The charity says taking part is an excellent way of kickstarting our healthy eating journeys.

With Diabetes UK by your side throughout to provide advice, support, and most importantly – delicious recipes, FakeAway Feb is here to keep you on track to a healthier you.

When you sign up to take part, you’ll be welcomed into an online community, where fellow FakeAway Feb participants can share tips, tricks, and cooking hacks.

FakeAway Feb is a great way to get the whole family eating more healthily – by creating a team you can take on the challenge together.

You’ll be entered into the leaderboard where you can track your progress against others, and if you raise over £35 by the end of February, you’ll also receive your very own Diabetes UK wooden spoon.

Phaedra Perry, Regional Head Diabetes UK South West, said: “This February, keep up the new year motivation with Diabetes UK’s first ever FakeAway Feb. "By signing up, you’ll commit to a month where you ditch the takeaways in favour of delicious home-cooked alternatives.

“FakeAway Feb is a fantastic opportunity to discover new recipes, connect with our community, and save some pennies – all while raising money for vital diabetes research.

“If you’re living in Swindon, sign up to FakeAway Feb today, and kickstart your journey to a healthier you.”

You’ll also have access to the FakeAway Feb Toolkit where you can download your free meal planner. swindonlink.com n

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CYCLING Cycling column with Becky Cox of Swindon Cycle Campaign

Would you be confident making a journey by bike with your eight-year-old child or your 80-year-old granny?

Possibly not. However, all-new planning guidance could help change that.

In July last year, following the 2020 lockdown ‘Cycle Boom’, the government released an important document which could really help us move towards the goal of becoming a cycling nation. It means that transport planners must now view cyclists as vehicles, and not as pedestrians.

Swindon’s cycle network is predominately formed of ‘shared paths’ which are effectively just wide pavements. These paths work well in quieter areas for leisure cycling, but they’re not pleasant for anyone when they

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SPORT Although it might be a new year the same problems remain present at the County Ground.

Clean sheets are almost a rarity and the levels of inconsistency remain high.

With the season now well past the half way stage Swindon find themselves in precarious situation in the league table. Having occupied the four relegation places for the majority of the season it's fair to say that it hasn't quite gone to plan for the league 2 champions.

However can this season be salvaged? There are certainly reasons to believe, although at the same time it's hard to ignore the problems that have blighted the Robins so often this season.

The recall of local midfielder Scott Twine from high flying Newport will certainly add 26

Cycling from eight to 80, and beyond get busy - particularly for vulnerable pedestrians. You wouldn’t drive a car on a busy pedestrian walkway so, if we consider bikes as vehicles, why would you put a bike on there?

The focus now is on everyone having a quality journey, whichever way you travel.

So, in busy areas we should start seeing cycle paths which are separate from both pedestrians and vehicles, making everyone feel safer.

Cycling is moving away from a focus on ‘bi-cycles’ with everything from paths to cycle parking being designed for a much wider range of users – think bikes with trailers, trikes, electric bikes, cargo cycles, tandems, recumbents, mobility scooters and more.

So that means fewer chicanes, pedestrian guardrails, and signs like ‘cyclist dismount’ and ‘end of route’.

Have you ever felt that a cycle route just seems illogical?

Often, those paths have been designed by engineers who haven’t been on a bike for years and certainly never test out their own creations. The new guidance means that those engineers will now need to ‘walk the walk’ and directly experience the area they are planning for by bike.

Furthermore, new cycle schemes must now be built for life, with funding and planning for life-long maintenance.

So that means cracked and potholed cycle paths may become a thing of the past!

In practice, local authorities can no longer gain access to funds for cycle schemes unless they comply with the much more stringent new standards. Forward-thinking councils and planners now have concrete design standards

New Year Same Problems for STFC to the Swindon midfield. The impressive form of late from Twine has earned the attention of many Championship clubs such as Luton and QPR. It's no wonder that the midfielder's value is skyrocketing. The 21 year old has made the impossible look possible this season with some sensational long-range goals. As well as this Twine has also turned provider this season with some good passes.

Many Swindon fans including myself never thought that Scott would develop into such a key player for Town. However I think that the central midfield role that he now plays is down to his success. Previously when he first made his way into the Swindon team, Twine would often play either upfront or on the wing. And although he did show flashes of the form we're

seeing now, not many people thought he would develop into a key player for Town. But in his new role it gives him much more time on the ball which is key for a player of his abilities.

Twine has always been very technically gifted and in midfield he now has time and space to pick a shot or a pass.

Time that he wouldn't normally have upfront. It's also worth remembering that the man who handed Twine his full debut, Phil Brown, likened his abilities to the greats such as Lionel Messi and David Silva. So it's fair to say that Swindon could have a real player on their hands.

Despite the reasons to remain positive the same negatives still linger around SN1. At the time of writing the Reds are still yet to record back-to-back wins.

If Swindon can start picking

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for developers to adhere to, so any future housing developments should be more cycle-friendly.

Will it work? I’m cautiously optimistic. As a member of Swindon Cycle Campaign working with the borough to improve infrastructure, I believe that we certainly now have a much stronger platform to work from.

If you’re interested in volunteering with Swindon Cycle Campaign to help us make it easier to cycle in your local area, please get in touch via our Facebook page or website. We’d love to hear from you!

Alfie Howlett: Swindon Town FC writer

consecutive victories then it'll benefit them massively. In such a tight bottom half six points can massively change your league standing and enable you to pull away from danger.

And even if you can't win the game don't lose it. At the time of writing Swindon have the joint most defeats in the division and the joint least draws. Turning defeats into draws will be vital if Swindon are to survive as every point counts. If Town can start turning defeats into points and maybe even go on a two or three game unbeatan run then it'll undoubtedly help with their perilous position.

But if their fortunes don't change, and soon, you do fear that they could become cut adrift at the bottom.

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