North West Swindon Link September 2020

No 459 September 2020

GPS delivered door to door to 50,000 homes across Swindon with Est. overall readership of 125,000

Swindon

LINK Your Community Magazine

Swindon Council leads the fightback against coronavirus page 6

North & West Edition

Hop, Skip and Jump service gets lifeline as new provider found

Page 10

EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION Check out our annual school open day guide

Page 14

A new start for The

Ocelot

Swindon Link's sister arts and culture magazine ceases its print publication but after a major investment relaunches online at theocelot.co.uk Full story Pages 26 & 27 NW September artwork.indd 1

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Picking up the pieces

Haydonleigh Primary School head walks 62 miles for CLIC Sargent cancer charity in less than 24 hours

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

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

Any business owner will tell you that there's nothing worse than uncertainty. And it doesn't get more uncertain than this pandemic that has been terrorising us for all of 2020.

For a lot of businesses it has been a time of 'adapt or die' and there will definitely be some sad losses when the dust settles with companies not being able to survive the battering that this disease has given us all.

But Swindon, as always, has shown its true grit with businesses across the town pivoting to the new reality.

That's not to say that every business will survive.

For us at Positive Media Group it has definitely been a time of mixed fortunes. When we printed the March edition of our sister publication The Ocelot we never imagined it would be its last.

But here we are five months later announcing that The Ocelot will no longer be in print. The magazine, which focused on arts and culture and food and drink, was founded by myself in 2006, 14 years ago. This was my baby and I'm devastated to see it go.

But it's not the end of The Ocelot as we have invested heavily in and worked hard on a new website at theocelot.co.uk and the sky will really be the limit. See our feature on page 28 for the full details.

So as we say goodbye to its print form we are also grasping its future with both hands.

A Swindon primary school head teacher walked 100km - 62 miles - in a little over 17 hours for a children's cancer charity.

Haydonleigh Primary School head Frances Billinge covered well over two marathon distances during her trek in school grounds or the equivalent of a walk to Windsor or Hereford.

The money raised will go to the CLIC Sargent charity.

Frances was joined for the last 10km of the walk

by Morrisons Community Champion Sandra Graver.

The supermarket's local branch has also teamed up with the school for other events in aid of the charity, and Sandra said the total raised was about £2,000.

Frances said: "I have close family - an adult - who has been through cancer treatment, so when as a head teacher you hear that a sixyear-old at your school is going to have to go through the same, and you know what that was like for an adult, you can't begin to imagine how horrific that is for the child and their family.

"That's why I do it."

Frances became involved in distance walking after taking part in the 2018 Bristol HalfMarathon.

She said: "I sort of loved it

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

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Frances Billinge (right) was joined for the last 10k by Sandra Graver from Morrissons

but absolutely hated it! Then, in 2019 for my 50th - to mark the milestone - I persuaded my sister and two friends to walk 106km around the Isle of Wight with me for Cancer Research.

"For me, charity walking and hundred k walking has become my thing. Last year I did two hundred k walks for charity and this year I had signed up for four, but all four, obviously, were cancelled - at the time that I most need stress relief!

"So I said to my assistant head, Vanessa Mace, who is a marathon runner and was due to walk a 100kms on the Isle of Wight with me, that I couldn't motivate myself to walk without a goal.

Frances began her walk on a weekday afternoon and reached her 100km goal the following morning.

For sustenance she relied on the culinary skills of deputy head Sharon Peapell, who provided dishes including shepherds pie, pizza and - at 4am - Victoria sponge and custard.

Frances said: "I don't do any of this chemical rubbish - it was just proper food!"

By the end of the walk she admitted to a few aches and pains but mostly felt tired.

There were no blisters.

She added: "I'll be fine - I'll go to bed and have a good kip. I just seem to bounce back."

The contents of The Link are protected by copyright. Use of advertisements in printed or electronic form is forbidden unless an advertiser or publisher has sought permission. Articles and photographs require similar authority.

Positive Media Group Limited cannot be held responsible for goods or services or the copyright of content supplied by our advertisers.

Reg. in England & Wales. No: 4513027, at Old Bank House, 5 Devizes Road, Swindon SN1 4BJ Printed by pcp Telford

Hear Link Magazine highlights on air, the last Wednesday of each month and as a podcast on www.swindon1055.com

Got a community story or feature? Contact newsdesk at publisher@swindonlink.com or 01793 320043 swindonlink.com n September 2020

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New Zurich building on the way and a £4m boost for redevelopment of the historic Carriage Works

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

This month sees work begin on insurance giant Zurich's new Swindon office building.

The firm has signed contracts with Skanska for what will be the flagship building of the Kimmerfields development.

That project involves the extensive improvement of the town centre. The new building will include a central atrium to encourage staff to walk between floors.

According to Zurich, the project demonstrates its commitment to Swindon, where it has a long history as one of the town’s largest employers.

That commitment was highlighted by South Swindon MP Robert Buckland in his reaction to the news.

He said: "I’m delighted that contracts have been signed and work is to begin on the

construction of Zurich’s new office at the Kimmerfields site, which is a flagship element of the town centre’s regeneration scheme.

"Zurich’s commitment to Swindon is a testament to the skills and knowledge of the local workforce and I am confident that the new site will be at the centre of Swindon’s thriving and vibrant business district.

"The new offices will play an important role in the ongoing

regeneration of the town centre, providing over 950 staff with a modern workspace designed to enhance their wellbeing and the local environment."

Shortly after the contract was announced, it was revealed that Swindon Borough Council was to buy the new building and lease it back to the insurance company, who will in turn provide the council with a rental income for the next 20 years.

It has also been announced that a £4m share of the Government's Getting Building Fund will be used in the refurbishment of the Grade II Listed Carriage Works.

The money has been allocated to South Swindon from the £900m fund, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced in June as part of the Government’s New Deal for Britain – an economic strategy to rebuild Britain after coronavirus by emphasising skills and infrastructure.

South Swindon MP Mr Buckland, who is also Lord Chancellor, was delighted by the news, and said: “The Great Western Works were at the heart of Victorian innovation here in Swindon, so to be able to use these great buildings as a base for Swindon’s up and coming firms is something I’m sure Brunel himself would have approved of."

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Coronavirus: special report

Swindon: It's up to all of us ‘Swindon: It’s up to all of us’ is after the latest case, and the headline call to action of a contact tracing data showed a new town-wide communications high proportion of new cases campaign launched in August were from residents living in to reinforce a number of those postcodes. important public health On Friday 7 August the messages to Swindon residents. Government described Cases in August continued to Swindon as ‘an area of rise within Swindon and, in an concern’ on its national effort to reduce the COVID-19 COVID-19 watch list following case rate, health chiefs in a spike in cases in the week up the borough are reminding to 2 August involving workers residents to protect themselves at the XPO Logistics distribution and others by continuing to centre in Penzance Drive. wash their hands, cover their The Council is asking more faces if in enclosed spaces, and than 500 community groups to stay at least and hundreds one metre apart of local from people businesses We need to do not in their own everything we can to to remind household. limit the spread of the residents of In addition, the need to disease people are adhere to the being asked to Government stay at home even if they have guidance, while public health mild symptoms of coronavirus, messages will also be posted namely: a high temperature, a on social media and through new continuous cough or a loss the council’s website and of or change to people’s sense various e-newsletters. of smell or taste.

Steve Maddern, Swindon Crucially, anyone who has any Borough Council’s Director symptoms must book a test and of Public Health, said: “The not leave home for at least 10 recent rise in cases and the days.

Government highlighting us as Those living in households an ‘area of concern’ is a wakeshould self-isolate for 14 up call to us all. We cannot days if they or any household even begin to think we are members receive a positive coming to the end of this public test. health crisis.

Earlier in August, thousands of “We are not at the point of households in the SN1 and SN2 implementing local restrictions, areas were sent a letter from but we need to do everything the council’s Director of Public we can to limit the spread Health, reminding them of the of the disease and to keep advice they need to follow our case rate down so we do 6

not end up at that point. We need to break the chain of transmission and we need the public to really get behind this important campaign.

“The message of this campaign is simple: it’s up to each and every one of us in Swindon to play our part.

Wash your hands, keep your distance and wear a face covering when you need to.

“If you think you have symptoms, no matter how mild, book a test immediately and if you test positive make sure you self-isolate for at least 10 days. If you fall ill, everyone who lives at your property must also self-isolate. Staying at home means not going out for any reason, including to work, or to the shops.”

Dr Charlotte Forsyth, Medical Director at Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The number of COVID-19 patients we are currently seeing in hospital is thankfully much lower than it was but I would urge the public not to get complacent.

“We can all do our bit to help prevent the spread of infection and it is important that everybody follows the national

guidance. This is vital not only to protect yourself, but also to protect family, friends and the public around you.

“Here at the hospital, everyone is working very hard to continue looking after every patient that comes through our doors, but please help us by following the national guidance and staying safe.”

Dr Amanda Webb, Clinical Chair for Swindon, Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire CCG, said: “As a GP, I know that many people in the local area like to take responsibility for their own health, and only seek help when their symptoms are no longer manageable at home.

“However, now is not the time to be a hero. It’s vitally important that people do not dismiss mild symptoms such as a fever, a cough or a change in taste or smell as a common cold, hayfever or a reaction to the warm weather.

“These symptoms are the warning signs that need to be acted on so, if you do begin to feel unwell, selfisolate immediately and book a coronavirus test by calling 119.”

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A statement from XPO Logistics concerning the outbreak XPO Logistics says the surge in positive covid-19 tests at its Penzance Drive site was down to workers meeting friends as lockdown eased.

The company owns Swindon's Iceland distribution centre, which had 77 positive tests according to Swindon Borough Council on 6 August.

Whilst the outbreak was being contained, workers were offered on-site testing.

Swindon Borough Council and Public Health England worked alongside XPO

Logistics to support staff.

A XPO Logistics spokesperson said: "The situation was that a few weeks ago, because the easing of lockdown allowed our colleagues to meet their friends, we had the Track and Trace in place.

"We have had some workers receiving phone calls after they went out to see friends and family, and were asked to take covid-19 tests because somebody in their social circles had tested positive.

"That's how it started, but it was not limited to our site."

Asked why so many of the Penzance Drive centre's staff tested positively, the spokesperson pointed out that the site had about 750 workers, and added: "It is important to put that into perspective."

The spokesperson added that over the last few months the firm had made substantial changes to processes, and had sent staff daily updates to ensure sure they were aware

Hate crime up during lockdown

Hate crime in Swindon and across Wiltshire increased during lockdown according to new figures.

Between 24 March and the end of July, Wiltshire Police saw 290 hate crimes reported, compared to 256 for the same period last year - a rise of 13 percent.

However, there was a drop in the year-on-year total, with 637 hate crimes reported between April of 2019 and March of this year, compared

to 678 for 2018/19.

The police's Summer Demand campaign aims to educate the public about being mindful of discrimination as well as encouraging people who need to report it.

Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner Angus Macpherson said: “Hate crime is never to be tolerated and I hope this latest campaign will help inform people about their use of language and general behaviour in relation to

discrimination.

“No-one should feel threatened or unsafe because of who they are, the life they live and beliefs they hold; we are all human irrespective of race, sexuality, gender, disability or religion.

"We all deserve to be able to live peacefully in our world with all its wonderful diversity.

"We all need to work together to stop hate crime please report it if you are a victim or you know someone

of on-site measures and the ways in which they could help to protect their loved ones and the wider community.

Safety measures in place, according to the firm, include regular sanitising of sites and vehicles, hand sanitiser stations, protective face masks available to staff and shared guidance on how to stay safe while driving, on keeping clean and on using public transport. Staff have also been advised how to make face coverings.

who has been targeted. The police will take you seriously."

Five 'hate crime strands' are currently monitored by the force for offences - race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.

Hate crime can be reported on 999 for emergencies, 101 for non-emergencies and online at www.wiltshire.police.uk They can also be reported at www.report-it.org.uk and Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The battle against coronavirus in the community n Filmgoers visiting one of the town's Cineworlds must get used to wearing masks at the cinema as Government efforts to stem covid-19 continue.

The Cineworld chain, whose Swindon branches are at Shaw Ridge and Regent Circus, is reminding customers to wear face coverings.

Masks can only be removed while eating and drinking.

The company said: "The health and wellbeing of our customers and employees is our top priority. We are following Government guidelines in order to make cinemagoers feel comfortable and provide a safe but enjoyable cinema experience."

Saff have been provided with masks and visors, and given special training, and

Cineworld is participating in contact tracing. n Swindon’s Bus Company has installed hand sanitisers aboard its vehicles. It is the latest of a series of measures, including new seating arrangements, aimed at tackling covid-19 risks.

The sanitisers will be available for customers to use as they board services. Managing Director Andrew Wickham said: “Since the government began easing lockdown, we have seen a steady increase in passengers across our network - and we are thrilled to be welcoming them back.

Our team is good to go - and so are our buses. We already have stringent cleaning regimes in place - including extra focus on touch-points

with anti-viral wipes. But we are giving our operation the ‘belt and braces’ treatment, by also adding hand sanitisers." n A Swindon-based firm is at the forefront of providing covid-19 testing.

Racoo Screening specialises in infectious disease, DNA screening and drug and alcohol testing. Its clients include employers, local authorities, other parts of the public sector and professional and amateur sports organisations. Managing Director Simon Cady said the firm had originally carried out straightforward blood spot testing, but added: "More recently we have been contacted by a couple of local companies, asking if we could provide a lab based antibody

test. Our partner lab analyses the samples, so we have put together a sample collection service, with nurses who go out to companies to collect them."

Racoo Screening also provides a laboratory-grade portable analyser able to test for coronavirus and give results within 45 minutes. www.racoo. co.uk n Swindon’s Bus Company and Stagecoach recently received the industry standard mark ‘We’re Good to Go’ which recognises efforts to implement cleaning and social distancing measures for staff and customers during the coronavirus crisis.

The standard is issued

by Visit Britain to confirm businesses are ready to encourage visitors.

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Solar green light

Carer walks more than 800 miles for vital Wiltshire charity A woman has walked 1.5 million steps in 100 days for Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

In 2016 Tina Ceferin moved to Wiltshire from her home country, Slovenia, to begin a new job as a carer for George Kershaw.

A year earlier Mr Kershaw had been involved in a horseriding accident in fields near to his farm in Minety, near Malmesbury, requiring urgent assistance from Wiltshire Air Ambulance.

He was treated and then airlifted to Southmead Hospital.

The accident left him paralysed from the neck down, albeit with some movement in one of his hands, meaning he needed a carer - and along came Ms Ceferin.

She said: “Wiltshire Air Ambulance began the circle by saving George’s life, and he changed my life by giving me the job as his carer.

"I just felt it would be good to

Planning permission has been granted for a solar farm near Stanton Fitzwarren.

Pegasus Group secured permission from Swindon Borough Council for the solar and battery storage scheme at Corner Copse on behalf of JBM Solar projects, a veteran of similar schemes across the UK and Ireland.

Simon Chamberlayne, Planning Director at Pegasus Group, said: “We are extremely pleased that this application has been approved.

"Our experienced team worked hard to put together a well-considered proposal.

We are delighted to support JBM Solar Projects with this major development."

Slimming accolade Swindon's Slimming Wold consultants have been named district of the year at the Slimming World Virtual Oscars 2020.

The news came as Slimming World announced its nomination as a partner in the NHS Better Health campaign, one of the Government's raft of measures to tackle obesity.

The virtual awards ceremony was hosted by Slimming World founder Margaret Miles-Bramwell OBE, Chief Executive Officer Caryl Richards and joint Managing Directors Lisa Salmon and Jan Boxshall.

give something back to the air ambulance.

“The service does such an amazing job, saving lives every day. You never know when you might need the air ambulance and it needs our support.”

Ms Ceferin says went through four or five pairs of trainers during her walking challenge, which saw her trek 15,000 steps each day for 100 days.

She added: “I was mainly walking all over the farm, but sometimes I would go into Minety village. I also did some

walking in Cheltenham.

“I wanted to make the challenge special and 100 days was certainly that. By the end I was crying – I just wanted to sleep, but I’m so glad I’ve done it."

In total Ms Ceferin trekked 836 miles and even went a little over her step target to 1.78million.

Donations can be made by visiting Tina’s fundraising page on Justgiving at - www. justgiving.com/fundraising/ TINA-CEFERIN

Work has begun on Junction 15 improvement

Virtual mental health confernce

Leading business psychologist Professor Sir Cary Cooper has warned employers not to take staff mental health for granted.

The professor, who is president of the Chartered Institute of Personal development, spoke out during a webinar with Rosie Runciman, director of Team Doctor, an organisation which offers specialist courses for employers.

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Tina Ceferin, left, with George Kershaw and George's wife, Sarah

A £17.5m improvement project at Junction 15 of the M4 has begun.

Swindon Borough Council is working with Highways England, Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership and developers Redrow and Persimmon to create extra lanes and improve access at one of Swindon's busiest entry and exit points.

The year-long project, the organisations promise, will improve journey times and reliability by tackling congestion - both on the motorway and the A419.

The upgrade follows the start of two major Swindon Borough Council schemes – the Wichelstowe underpass project further south near Junction 16 and improvement work at the White Hart junction, which links the A419 and A420.

Swindon Borough Council’s £4.8m investment will complement more than £72.5m

in road improvements at the nearby New Eastern Villages development.

Councillor Gary Sumner, Cabinet Member for Strategic Infrastructure, Transport and Planning, said: “Anyone who has sat in the tailbacks at Junction 15 of the M4 at peak periods knows just why these improvements are needed.

“I am pleased this vital work is about to start as it will relieve congestion on what is a notoriously busy bottleneck.

"This is a further of example of the Council investing in the

borough’s road network to benefit both local residents and the wider Swindon economy.”

The work at Junction 15 will include widening the A419 both northbound and southbound, widening the A346 south of the junction, widening the eastbound exit sliproad and lengthening the westbound exit sliproad.

The year-long project will also include improving existing footpaths and installing a new pedestrian crossing over the westbound entry sliproad.

swindonlink.com n September 2020

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Major improvement plans revealed for Coate Water

Door-to-door library service for needy

A £400,000 improvement project has been announced for Coate Water Country Park.

Swindon Borough Council announced that it had received the sum in developer contributions.

A country park improvement plan covering the whole town will be published in the coming months.

The cash injection, which has come from Section 106 funding associated with the Badbury Park development, will be spent on footpath improvements, better signage, enhanced access from Day House Lane, play area improvements and measures to mitigate the effects of development at Badbury Park.

Councillor Dale Heenan, Cabinet Member for the Town Centre, Heritage and Culture, said: “I am delighted that major new investment is happening in Coate Water Country Park.

"Last month, there was

A team of Old Town Library volunteers are taking books to people vulnerable to covid.

The volunteers also collect books being returned, which are then quarantined in special containers for four days before being put back into circulation.

The service can be accessed by calling 07786 027185 or emailing oldtownlibrary@ southswindon-pc.gov.uk.

Librarian Deborah Lamb said: "We started the home delivery service when we reopened on 22 July."

Riding for Pride Swindon and Wiltshire Pride committee members had a 14-mile sponsored bike ride around the town to raise funds for next year's festival.

This year's was cancelled because of the pandemic.

Pride chair Jo Sharpe said: "Swindon & Wiltshire Pride, like many charities, will struggle in the coming months and years due to the pandemic."

Donations can be made via www.gofundme.com/f/ raising-funds-for-sw-pride and more information can be found at www. swindonwiltshirepride.co.uk/ donate

unanimous support among Cabinet for this funding to be spent.

“I was very pleased, back in May, to become the cabinet member responsible for parks because I walk my dog around a different park every day, and know the great spaces that we have in every corner of our town.

“One of the first things I asked council officers to work on was drafting Swindon’s first country park improvement plan, with Coate Water the

immediate priority.

"I am working closely with Councillor Maureen Penny, who is responsible for day to day maintenance, and I look forward to being able to work with ward councillors and share with residents for comments soon.

“This £400,000 of improvements is on top of the annual £200,000 budget for Coate Water, and is just the start of our ambition."

Work is scheduled to begin this winter.

Replacement for a crucial children's service

The show must go on...line

The Janice Thompson Performance Trust has moved its singing lessons to Zoom.

Sessions are held every Tuesday from 5.30pm and are divided into groups for people ranging from three-year-old beginners to 17-year-old advanced students.

JTPTrust Director Janice Thompson said the organisation was determined not to let covid-19 interfere with students' development or enjoyment.

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Councillor Dale Heenan and his dog, Juno, at Coate Water

The future of a lifeline respite service has been secured.

Swindon Borough Council has announced that the Brunel SEN MAT, in partnership with UET (Uplands Enterprise Trust), will take over the services previously provided

by Hop Skip and Jump after the charity incurred financial difficulties, forcing it to close.

The council has since carried out its own tendering process for its Short Breaks service, resulting in the announcement.

A launch date for the new service will be confirmed by the council in due course and details about the range of short breaks and activities offered will be available through www.localoffer. swindon.gov.uk.

There will also be further communications sent to parents and carers outlining the options available to those families who usually receive a short break service over the summer holidays.

Councillor Mary Martin, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “I am delighted to announce that new providers have been found to take over the running of the short breaks centre that provides vital activities and support for children with special needs in the community.

“The Council is looking forward to working with the

Brunel SEN MAT and UET who are local providers already working with children with special educational needs and disabilities and who will bring a wealth of experience to the children and young people of Swindon.”

The service will offer a variety of activities for the children and young people to engage with, including indoor and outdoor play facilities and sensory rooms.

swindonlink.com n September 2020

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Call on parish to deal with 'dangerous' overhanging greenery

Overhanging brambles and other vegetation at a North Swindon path are a risk to cyclists and walkers, a resident says.

Neil Allington, of Abbey Meads, says he has been complaining about the issue affecting Pond Street since 2018 with little effect.

He fears that unwary walkers and joggers - and particularly cyclists - are at risk of facial

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injury and perhaps eye damage.

The parish council says that Mr Allington is the only resident to have been in touch about the matter and that it regularly trims vegetation along the path.

Mr Allington, a senior project manager in the construction industry, said: "It's dangerous it's a health and safety hazard.

"It's just an overgrown mess.

"They did do bits and pieces last year and it was adequate in some locations, but in others they missed a lot."

Mr Allington added that in the current health climate, with the Government urging as much social distancing as possible, there were places on the path where people passing one another in opposite directions or overtaking would not be able to maintain distance.

"I have knocked my head a number of times because branches were hanging down," he said.

"It's such an easy fix. It would

Neil Allington fears encroaching and overhanging vegetation will cause a serious accident

take workers perhaps a couple of days to go in there and do the job properly.

"They could clean up the leaves and we would have a extra metre."

One of Mr Allington's neighbours, Pat Bartlett, said: "People are talking obesity and the need for cycling and walking, but we need the paths to do it on."

A Haydon Wick Parish Council spokesperson said: "I have spoken to councillors and all concur that Pond Street is not

causing an issue in terms of complaints.

"Nobody else has contacted us."

The spokesperson said the parish council's schedule of works included regular inspections of Pond Street, and that work was done when needed.

The spokesperson added that anybody wishing to raise issues via the council's Facebook presence was welcome to do so - or to email tidyup@ haydonwick.gov.uk

swindonlink.com n September 2020

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Lottery award for much-needed and unique Swindon charity A Swindon charity which alters clothes to give dignity to people with mobilitiy issues is celebrating a £130,000 funding boost.

Dressability, whose clients range from people of all ages with disabiities to elderly people, has received the money from the National Lottery Community Fund.

As far as anybody at Dressability knows, it is unique.

Some of the money will be used to fund a new service in which Dressability representatives will liaise with other organisations to help people unable to reach Dressability in person.

Senior fundraiser Emma Walker said: "We started the application process a year ago.

"We submitted an initial application to Awards for All, which was unsuccessful, but they pointed us in the right direction as to where we might do better.

"The initial application was for a grant for £10,000, so obviously with hindsight it's quite nice that that wasn't successful!

"There were various application forms discussions and telephone meetings with various people."

A local Community Fund representative visited in person earlier this year and recommended that the grant be awarded.

Emma added: "What we applied for was just over £26,000 per year to pay our dressmakers' salaries and to employ a new outreach worker on the basis of expanding our service.

"People had suggested to us that our service was so good but perhaps a barrier was being able to get here - a lot of people with disabilities haven't got cars.

"People started talking to us about whether we could offer our service on a clinical basis

From left: Dressability senior fundraiser Emma Walker, volunteers Judy Farmer and Rose Bond and manager Sharon Tombs

- go to other organisations and run clothing clinics on a reasonably regular basis to allow their service users to get advice, drop off and collect items and be measured.

"The lottery agreed to fund the salary for that new position, which will be part time - 10 hours per week.

"There will be five hours out and about in the community and five hours here, sewing.

"We were so excited when we heard it had been successful."

The covid crisis, Emma said, had changed the logistics but

had not in any way dimmed the excitement.

"At the moment," she said, "whilst we still fully intend to grow and our vision is to expand and develop our service, we are, like everyone else, trying to respond asbest we can to a new set of circumstances.

"Existing staff members are ready to start offering these clinics on a 'little steps' kind of basis to see where we get to."

Dressability manager Sharon Tombs said: "As soon as we can get out there, we will."

The young get creative at summer scheme thanks to coronavirus fund grant A summer activity scheme for young people from disadvantaged families was a huge success despite being disrupted by Swindon’s spike in coronavirus cases.

A £5,000 grant from the Wiltshire Community Foundation’s Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund to the New Mechanics Institute Preservation Trust has allowed it to run the free scheme for more than 40 young people.

A £100,000 donation from the Oakfield housing development at Walcot, sponsored by Nationwide, was used to fund the playscheme.

The sudden rise in cases on the eve of the scheme at the Swindon Summer Bowl in the Town Gardens left it in doubt.

“It was a real challenge not knowing how things were developing,” said Hannah Parry, the trust’s community projects officer.

“The weekend before the scheme was due to start we

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heard there had been an outbreak at Iceland and then there was one at Tesco. We were wondering whether we should go ahead as we had the national guidance that we were following, but we weren’t sure if that still applied because of the Swindon situation.

“We spoke to the director of public health in Swindon and he said activities should carry on, so that was a big relief. We didn’t want to cancel and have the young people miss out.”

The Bowl, which had already been set up as a socially distanced venue for a summer entertainment programme, was vital to it going ahead, said Ms Parry. “We are so lucky that we’ve got the Swindon Summer Bowl as a venue because it is socially distanced and gated.

If it wasn’t for this space, we wouldn’t have been able to do it.”

The grant, together with a grant from the Wiltshire High Sheriff’s Fund, paid for the hire

of the space and all the other costs of the three-week scheme, which has one more week to run. Ms Parry said: “We are very grateful for the grants because it has been great fun and the feedback has been good. We’ve had to adapt the group sizes and the lengths of the sessions, but it has worked really well. It has been a challenge but worth doing and this year it has been needed more than ever.”

Among the activities for the youngsters aged between 12 and 16 organised by the trust have been podcasting sessions on topical issues that they feel

strongly about.

“I’ve heard from other groups that one of the biggest worries for young people is the thought of going back to school, so I hope that this has been a good transition for those who are anxious about it.”

The Wiltshire Community Foundation’s Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund has raised more than £1.1 million and distributed £750,000 to 190 groups.

To donate to the Wiltshire and Swindon Coronavirus Response Fund or to find out how to apply for a grant, go to wiltshirecf.org.uk. swindonlink.com n September 2020 13 21/08/2020 13:07

Lydiard Park Academy

The essential guide to School Open Days in Swindon Haydonleigh Primary School Open Events: Wednesday,14 October and Saturday, 14 November

Abbey Park School Virtual Meeting with Principal: Tuesday and Wednesday, 15 and 16 September, 6.30-7.30pm

Bradon Forest School Virtual Open Event: Thursday, 24 September. See the website or Facebook

01793 700443 admin@haydonleighschool.co.uk www.haydonleighschool.co.uk

01793 705400 admin@abbeyparkschool.org.uk www.abbeyparkschool.org.uk

01793 770570 enquiry@bradonforest.wilts.sch.uk www.bradonforest.org.uk

The Dorcan Academy

Highworth Warneford School

Great Western Academy

Open Evening - Thursday 1 October see website for details Open Mornings tbc during September and October by appointment only check website for details

Virtual tours. Video presentation by headteacher Mr Steele. Online access to FAQs: Monday, 12 October

01793 525231 enquiries@dorcan.co.uk www.dorcan.co.uk

01793 762426 admin@warnefordschool.org www.warnefordschool.org

Year 7 Open Evening: Thuesday, 17 September and Wednesday, 23 September Sixth Form: Thursday, 15 October Timings and format TBC 01793 209700 Office@gwacademy.co.uk www.gwacademy.co.uk

Lawn Manor Academy

Lydiard Park Academy

Virtual tours available for whole school

01793 487286 admin@lawnmanor.org www.lawnmanor.org 14

Virtual meeting with the principal and leadership team: Tue and Wed, 15 and 16 Sep. Tue Zoom ID 774 2666 8567 passcode LPA2020. Wed 739 8859 4115 passcode LPA2020 01793 874224 ask@lydiardparkacademy.org.uk www.lydiardparkacademy.org.uk

Royal Wootton Bassett Academy Virtual tours available for whole school and sixth form

01793 841900 admin@rwba.org.uk www.rwba.org.uk

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Cirencester College

More events in the area

Nova Hreod Academy

The Deanery CE Academy Details not avalable at time of going to press. Please refer to website www.dcea.org.uk

Virtual Open Evening: Tuesday, 15 September. Book via Facebook or the website

Swindon Academy Details not avalable at time of going to press. Please refer to website www.swindon-academy.org The Ridgeway School and Sixth Form College Year Six Open Morning: Wednesdays, 23 and 30 September, 9-10.30am www.ridgewayschool.com Oxford Brookes University Virtual undergraduate open days: Thursday, 3 October and Saturday, 21 November www.brookes.ac.uk St Joseph’s College Details not avalable at time of going to press. Please refer to website www.stjosephscollege.net Farmor’s School Year 7 admissions open evening: Thursday, 24 September, 5-8pm Open morning tours: Tuesday and Wednesday, 29 and 30 September www.farmors.gloucs.sch.uk

Details not available at time of going to press. Please refer to website

01793 528800 admin@novahreodacademy.org.uk www.novahreodacademy.org.uk

01285 640994 student.journey@cirencester.ac.uk www.cirencester.ac.uk

Kingsdown School

Commonweal School

Headteacher tours September 2020.

Call to book a tour with Emma LeighBennett and discover why Kingsdown School is in the top two percent of most improved schools

Year 6 Open Evening: Tuesday, 29 September, 6-8pm Year 6 open days: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 and 7 and 13 and 14 October Sixth form open evening: Thursday, 8 October, 6.30-8.30pm

01793 822284 head@kingsdownschool.co.uk kingsdownschool.co.uk

01793 612727 admissions@commonweal.co.uk www.commonweal.co.uk

New College

UTC SWINDON

Open Day: Saturday 10 October, 10am-noon, Queens Drive campus, in person or online via virtual open day website

Virtual open event to be confirmed.

Refer to website for details.

01793 611470 info@newcollege.ac.uk www.newcollege.ac.uk

01793 207920 dlee@utcswindon.co.uk www.utcswindon.co.uk

Swindon shines when it comes to this year’s A Level results Schools across the Swindon area congratulated their students on excellent A Level performance.

Because of the unique challenges presented by the covid challenges, most head teachers said the praise was especially well-deserved.

Many students planned to move on to university and other higher studies, while others obtained the qualifications necessary to enter their chosen professions immediately.

The schools who contributed to Swindon’s statistics included Lydiard park Academy, Abbey Park School, Lawn Manor Academy, Great Western Academy and UTC Swindon.

New College, in one of its last major announcements before its merger with Swindon College, reported a pass rate of 97.4 percent.

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The college had the largest number of A Level learners in Swindon and Wiltshire, and this year there were 906 successful exam entries.

Senior staff have hailed the pass rate as proof that students have triumphed over the adversity of the covid-19 pandemic.

Students in a total of 26 subjects had a 100 percent pass rate.

The subjects ranged from technical ones such as Further Mathematics and Economics to languages including Polish and Turkish.

Arts subjects with a 100 percent pass rate included Classical Civilisation, English Language and Literature and Historical Practice.

Adult students - aged 19 and above - achieved an overall A Level pass rate of 95.7 percent.

Of the 31 subjects they studied, 27 had a 100 percent pass rate.

New College and Swindon College merge on what principal says is a historic day for local education Carole Kitching, principal and CEO of the newly-created organisation, said: “This day of merger is a great day for Swindon and one that we should rightly celebrate.

“Our vision has always been to be a beacon of academic and technical excellence for the region and we will never lose sight of that.”

She added that access to the best A Level, professional and technical education had never been more important. swindonlink.com n September 2020 15 21/08/2020 13:07

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Chance to sample specialist English and maths tuition in Swindon at no charge

English and maths tuition for children is available at Roughmoor Community Hall in Freshbrook from educational organisation Kumon Swindon West.

Tutor Stephen Camberlain said: "Throughout the lockdown my wife, Elizabeth, and I have been tutoring via Zoom and delivering worksheets to our students at home.

"We noticed that whilst our core business is based around Freshbrook, where we will continue to hold classes on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, our students come from across the town, so to further develop the business we felt it was a good time to setup one evening in a new, larger location. Roughmoor Community Hall suits this perfectly.”

Kumon was founded more than 60 years ago by a Japanese educator and has expanded throughout the world, gathering millions of students.

The Kumon technique involves assessing new students and

then tailoring courses of study to their individual needs, with the aim of encouraging them to build healthy study habits and succeed.

Courses are suitable for children of all abilities.

Students are issued with worksheets which develop their skills and gradually build up their confidence.

Kumon West is offering free two-session trials for wouldbe learners in September or October. Further info can be obtained from 07857 447982 or swindonwest@kumoncentre. co.uk

Primary school joins multi-academy trust and looks forward to collective working Red Oaks Primary School has become a member of The Park Academies Trist.

A statement announcing the move said the school chose to become part of a multiacademy trust because it realised the value of collective working.

It chose The Park Academies Trust, whose other schools are the nearby Abbey Park School and Lydiard Park Academy, because of its ethos and the closeness of a fellow trust school.

The statement explained: "Geography is helpful as it means meetings, training and shared resources are easy to arrange. We were also keen to develop a model where primary and secondary education flowed seamlessly.

"During consultation with parents and staff, it became evident very early on that a continuous offer of education

was appealing.

"Most (although not all) of our children transition to Abbey Park, and the schools within the trust understand the value of developing a curriculum that builds on the primary input without repetition to allow continued progression in Year 7; we were keen to develop an approach with joined-up thinking!"

The statement added that the transition process involved schools working together to develop a multitude of projects across all year groups.

Cash injection for a school South Swindon MP Robert Buckland welcomed the announcement

Swindon's Westlea Primary School is to receive £250,000 to improve its facilities.

The Government announcement was welcomed

by South Swindon MP Robert Buckland.

The money is from a nationwide Government investment totalling £560m, intended to expand classrooms, upgrade facilities and generally improve education.

The Government says the funding brings the total allocated to improve the condition of school buildings to £2 billion this year - paving

the way for a 10-year school building programme starting later this year with over £1bn in funding for the first wave of 50 schools.

Mr Buckland said: “Coronavirus has taken a toll on us all, not least our children, who have been kept from their friends, their teachers and their schools. As we exit lockdown, we must focus on getting children back to school – and ensure that schools have the facilities and classrooms they need to support the highquality education our children deserve.”

Big college funding award

Swindon MPs Robert Buckland and Justin Tomlinson welcomed the news that New College had been awarded £1,491,834 as part of the Government’s £2bn Further Education Funding Boost to “Build Back Better” and kick start work to upgrade their buildings and estates.

The funding marks the latest step in the Government's drive to overhaul further education and deliver the skilled workforce employers and the economy need.

The announcement came just

days after Swindon College and New College officially joined forces.

The merger will enable work on the town’s new £21 million Institute of Technology to begin.

This, in turn, will provide local access to a wide range of degree-level programmes.

Students will benefit from an increased number of courses, apprenticeships, A-level subjects and more.

The MPs said the funding boost would ensure the college was fit for the future. swindonlink.com n September 2020

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Swindon’s 2020 The town’s first virtual Christmas Light Switch On to launch Swindon’s Illumina 2020 inSwindon BID have announced the transformation of the traditional Christmas Light Switch-On into a freeto-access live streamed event for 2020, as part of ‘Swindon’s Illumina’.

The new campaign aims to a variety of visual and drive footfall safely into the digital campaigns to support town centre in support of all businesses and drive footfall businesses through visual, safely into the town centre virtual and digital experiences since lockdown was eased back across the festive season and in June. The #ShineOnSwindon will launch on Saturday 3 welcome back campaign October, with Swindon’s first featured a colourful window Virtual Christmas Light Switchdecal and promoted businesses On. across press and social media Business Manager Anita and a unique Mural Experience Bellinger said: “The annual was created at Swindon Bus Christmas Light Switch On Station and Newbridge Square attracts up to 10,000 visitors in August. to the town centre, however the Mark Rogers BID Manager social distancing restrictions added: “It has been a very arising from Covid-19 means difficult time for all businesses, it cannot go ahead in its usual and we must all unite to format. Taking the event online support them. We’ll continue to means more people can enjoy interact with visitors to ensure this safely from the comfort of Swindon town centre remains their own homes.” a destination of choice for inSwindon BID have created business, shopping and leisure.

20 swindonlink.com n September 2020 NW September artwork.indd 20

This is why we have been working hard to bring forward our Christmas campaign and feature visual, virtual and digital experiences for now.”

Swindon’s first Virtual Christmas Light Switch-On will take place online via Facebook and Twitter on Saturday 3 October from 6 - 7pm. It will feature a variety of pre-recorded and live performances from local talent, live hosts, special guest messages and a digital Twitter wall where viewers can send in their messages of hope and support for the festive season.

An exclusive projection and lighting show will be revealed for the big switch-on moment, alongside the Christmas lights, which will illuminate Swindon

town centre until 6 January 2021.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy a ‘Luminary Business Trail’, which will see a variety of stars illuminate windows across the town centre as part of the visual campaign.

A ‘Virtual Christmas Market’ will also take place via the BID’s social media channels to promote businesses across the town centre to visitors looking for their all-important gifts and seasonal shopping and will feature a selection of competitions.

For all the latest information across Swindon’s Illumina, visit www.swindontowncentre.co.uk/ SwindonsIllumina2020

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The Business Brief

Less than 1 in 10 businesses see positive side to pandemic

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

Between 21 July and 4 August, Business West conducted its second major survey measuring the impact of Covid-19 on businesses in the South West.

In the largest recent survey of its kind, 519 businesses across a wide variety of sizes and sectors responded to the overwhelmingly negative impact of Covid-19, with 76% stating their experience of the pandemic had been ‘negative’ or ‘extremely negative’ and only 9% describing the impact as ‘positive’ or ‘extremely positive’.

The survey also sheds significant light on uptake of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), present and future job losses, business confidence and the likely shape of economic recovery.

The survey shows CJRS was the most used government intervention before tax deferrals and Bounce Back Loans. Reflective of this, 41% of businesses described CJRS as essential, whereas 66% described it as either useful, important or essential.

Furthermore: n 38% of businesses used CJRS to furlough three quarters or more of their staff n 35% of employers didn’t use the scheme at all n 65% expect redundancies to effect less than a quarter of their furloughed staff n 68% of respondents didn’t expect to make any of their furloughed staff redundant Despite the value of CJRS to many businesses, however, only 6% of respondents said that the £1,000 Job Retention Bonus will have a significant impact on whether or not they retain furloughed workers.

A significant proportion (20%) of employers indicated that they were unsure of their redundancy plans and 27% have already made difficult decisions in relation to their 22

staff. Of the respondents making redundancies, the timing of these are quite near term: n nearly half (43%) have already made those posts redundant n a further 43% will make redundancies between August and October 2020 The survey therefore shows nearly 90% of redundancies will occur before November this year – a significant concentration of impact in a short space of time.

In addition to redundancies, employers have taken extensive steps to reduce labour costs, with 49% cutting paid working hours. Employers have also encouraged or plan to encourage employees to take unpaid leave (23%) or reduce employee salaries (32%).

These statistics show that labour cost reductions go far beyond reported job losses, with take home salaries of workers in our region adversely impacted – a contraction in demand for goods and services is highly likely.

On the flipside, 17% of respondents took on additional staff since lockdown.

Most businesses anticipate a return to pre-pandemic levels of activity next summer Unsurprisingly 44% of businesses have current concerns about their financial position, rising to 75% in the future. Whilst business sentiment remains very negative, these figures are moderately less gloomy than the 62% and 88% when asked this same question four months ago.

The most dramatic impacts, predictably, were on profitability, where 61% of respondents reported a decrease. 50% of respondents reported a decrease in cash reserves. Liabilities including loans had increased for 28% of respondents.

A majority of respondents (24%) anticipate the recovery taking over 12 months. A

worrying 15% of respondents don’t anticipate ever recovering to their pre-pandemic level, and the most distressed businesses surveyed (8% of all responses) are concerned about their ability to survive.

South West businesses say home working is likely to be a key trend in the post COVID-19 ‘new normal’ with 51% of all respondents planning on a greater use of homeworking for at least part of their workforce.

64% were increasing their use of video conferencing to save business travel budgets.

The implications of this for employment land and the size of business premises required, however, are less clear: n 60% of respondents said there would be no change in their business premises requirements n 17% of respondents anticipate needing less workspace because their staff are working more of their time remotely n Only 6% of respondents were planning on closing their premises entirely and a wholesale move to remote working Respondents also expressed an interest in sustainable travel and alternatives to travel as a result of the pandemic and the following trends are noteworthy: n 54% were focused on increasing uptake of cycling and 39% want to increase uptake of electric bikes and scooters n 34% were also investing in supporting infrastructure to help securely store bikes and install electric charging points for new zero emission vehicles.

Phil Smith, Managing Director at Business West, said: “With so much public discourse focussed on the ‘shape’ of the recovery, with ‘U’, ‘V’, ‘L’ and many other letters to choose, this survey offers real insight into how our region is affected

Business West Managing Director Phil Smith

by, and recovering from, the most significant economic shock in modern times. Unfortunately for the business health of our region, however, all our results point to a longer-term negative impact of Covid-19.

“The financial health of our region’s business community is vital to our area recovering and thriving, yet Covid-19 impacts cannot be overstated.

Our survey shows business confidence has been badly damaged and there is reduced capacity to invest and grow out there. Fresh support is therefore required to restore business confidence and return businesses to growth, attesting the decline of recent months.

“The wider speed at which the economy and individual business income recovers will also be critical to levels of unemployment and underemployment moving forward. Our survey suggests that, other than the devastating personal impact of redundancy, some of the actions taken by businesses will be short term with no longer lasting implications for workers in the region. However, salary cuts, and a move to more use of part-time and home-based working based suggest a longer-term trend. Household purchasing power and confidence has suffered more of a decline than just the jump in the claimant count suggests, significantly hampering the chances of a consumer-led recovery in our region.

“One upside of coronavirus is the potential long-term benefits of homeworking and other behavioural changes on air quality in our region, however, the implications for commercial office space remain unclear.”

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The Politics Page Only together can we defeat coronavirus

Swindon Borough Council Leader David Renard's monthly column For the past few weeks you will have seen a concerted push from the Council and local partners to remind people of the vital steps we must all take to ensure we minimise the spread of Covid-19 in our communities.

In fact in this month’s magazine you will see we have placed a campaign advertisement highlighting the preventative measures we must all adhere to and what to do if you think you have symptoms.

‘Swindon: It’s up to all of us’ is the key message of the campaign which the whole community needs to own. It’s up to all of us to follow the rules to control Covid-19 and comes after we saw a spike in our case rate, which saw the Government place us on its national Watch list as an area of concern.

The fact of the matter is that this virus is going to be with us for some time and, until there is a vaccine, we all have a part to play to keep us all safe and far from the threat of a local lockdown. At the time of writing we have had an overwhelming response to our campaign, with many businesses sharing our social media graphics and using our campaign materials to share with their employees.

Swindon Council leader David Renard

The media, including Swindon Link, have also done a fantastic job in helping us get those important messages across.

We wrote to thousands of households in the SN1 and SN2 postcodes after it became clear that many of the new cases we were seeing in Swindon were from those specific areas.

Extensive engagement has taken place with more than 500 local community groups,

and a mobile testing unit was set up at the Country Ground to make it easier for people from the central part of town to get a test.

We are reiterating the Government’s advice for people to continue washing their hands, cover their faces if in enclosed spaces, and to stay at least one metre apart from people not in their own household.

If you have a high temperature, a new persistent cough or a loss of or change to your sense of smell or taste, book a Covid-19 test and stay at home for at least 10 days.

If you live with family members of other people in your household, they must also selfisolate for 14 days if they or any members of the household receive a positive test.

This last piece of advice is crucial. Only by people selfisolating will we break the chain of infection, so please stay indoors if you think you have even mild Covid-19 symptoms.

With children due to go back to school and life slowly returning to normal following the lockdown period it is crucial these rules become our everyday way of life.

Our Director of Public Health Steve Maddern described Covid-19 as a hidden enemy recently and he is absolutely right.

Only by working together and collectively doing our bit will we begin to win the battle against this disease, which has had such a profound effect on all our lives.

Please continue to stay on your guard, share the Covid-19 safety messages from the council and its partners and stay safe. It really is up to all of us.

Next milestone reached for £25m investment plan

Experts from across the public, private and voluntary sector in Swindon have selected seven projects which will seek to earn a share of £25m in government funding.

Last year, Swindon was selected as one of 101 places which were given the opportunity by the Government to bid for funding of up to £25 million as part of the £3.6 billion Towns Fund.

The independent Swindon Town Deal Board was brought together in response to Swindon being successfully

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shortlisted and has worked at pace to develop a draft Town Investment Plan. Local organisations were also given the opportunity in June to submit project proposals.

The final list of projects has now been compiled and submitted. They include: n Health Hydro Refurbishments: embedding community and leisure uses in the Railway Village. n Create Studios at the Carriage Works: fitting out the new space to support Swindon’s digital economy.

n Brunel Centre Market: introducing new town centre uses and bringing a new experience. n David Murray John regeneration: investing in Swindon’s most recognisable landmark to make it fit for the future and provide high quality affordable homes in the heart of the town centre. n Kimmerfields Enabling Infrastructure: delivering enabling infrastructure to make land ready for new homes and offices on the next phase of Kimmerfields, adjacent to

Zurich’s new flagship building.

Nationwide's Richard Newland, Chair of the Swindon Town Deal Board, said: “The Board has done a fantastic job of pulling this investment plan together at such short notice because we recognise the importance of this bid “The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many economic challenges and this funding would be a huge boost and help to stimulate further investment in the town, creating jobs and greater prosperity for the people who live here." swindonlink.com n September 2020 23 21/08/2020 13:08

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LINK

Undaunted FEATURES

Photography

Swindon Photographic Society has refused to be beaten by lockdown.

It has been running Zoom meetings featuring a variety of speakers including one based in France - and holding virtual competitions.

The latest was the digital Annual Exhibition Competition, whose winners were chosen live on Zoom by a guest judge.

The pictures include this image entitled 'A Different Era' by Mike Stanley.

Spokesperson John Day said: "Swindon Photographic Society is 122 years old and do not stop our meetings easily. Our new season starts on Thursday 3 September at 7.30pm, and we welcome new members.

"During just the first half of the year up until Christmas we have eight presentations or talks, eight competitions and two interclub battles."

The speaker at the 3 September meeting will be internationallyrecognised photographer Mike Martin, whose theme will be: "It's not what you see, it's what you make."

John Day added: "In our club room or on Zoom we will be having our meetings - lockdown or not."

Information about becoming a member can be found at www. swindonphotosoc.org.uk The joining page is www. swindonphotosoc.org.uk/join-sps

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LINK CULTURE WHAT'S WHAT IN SWINDON

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LINK FOOD & DRINK

A Different Era by Mike Stanley

32

LINK PETS & NATURE

33

34

LINK HOME

LINK SPORT

LINK MOTORING

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CULTURE

The tale of an Ocelot

It is with a heavy heart that we can report that The Ocelot magazine, which has been a stalwart on the theatre, music and pub scene for 14 years, will no longer be printing. Its founder and current Swindon Link Editor Jamie Hill reports...

W

hen I look out the window everything seems normal. Birds are singing, there's a dog doing its business across the road chancing the wrath of my neighbour Vera if spotted, and the bin lorry has just been by. It all seems normal but for me personally the world has changed inexorably.

When I held the first Ocelot magazine in my hands in July 2006, the world was a different place. Tony Blair was still in power, there had been no 'credit crunch', the word 'Brexit' had not been invented and no-one had heard of Jedward.

Ocelot editor Jamie Hill at Reading Festival in 2011

The Ocelot invaded Oxford in 2009

For me it was one of the most important days of my life after my wedding day and the birth of my children. I had left a job as chief reporter at the Swindon Advertiser to dive into the unknown of The Ocelot on what was going to be one of the most exciting adventures of my life.

The magazine, which was distributed via pubs, theatres and cafes, throughout Swindon and North Wiltshire, was a beast that was impossible to pigeon-hole. It championed pubs, the music and culture scenes of every town it was in, but always did it in a tongue in cheek manner. We had a lot of fun running articles like the 'Spot the Vole' competition, Traffic Warden of the Year, and its satirical newspaper The Bassett Rivers Echo. We also had the ever popular Agony Boys and Girls, which saw my son at the age of four answering the world's questions (he's now 18), followed by my two daughters.

We interviewed everyone from Johnny Rotten to Kylie Minogue (although my personal favourite will always be Tinie Tempah!), and eventually made forays into Oxford and Reading where it was welcomed with open arms.

During this time we had a whole army who worked on the magazine directly or as contributors. Special mention should go to Dave Andrew, Dave Stewart, Daniel Cavendar, Rosy Presley, Claire Dukes, Mike Barham, Ben Fitzgerald, Ben Honisett, 26 swindonlink.com n September 2020 NW September artwork.indd 26

Tim Martin, Ed Dyer, Michael Bosley, Dave Franklin, Mark Pitt, Gina Akers, Luke Coleman, Mark Muggeridge and Brewery Bird, to name but a few.

We also had a loyal customer base who put their faith in this weird magazine month in month out, from the theatres like The Wyvern, The Newbury Corn Exchange and Oxford Playhouse to music venues and festivals like The Oxford O2 Academy, The Vic, The Swindon Shuffle, Cornbury Festival and Riffs Bar to pubs and breweries like Ramsbury Brewery, Wychwood Brewery and The Tuppenny..

But in the last few years we always knew that the end was nigh. Social media had taken a firm grip on people's reading habits and a magazine that people picked up in pubs just seemed a bit old hat. And then came the pandemic which in one swift move knocked all of our customers flat.

Thank you to everyone that made The Ocelot happen. It's been a ride.

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Resurrection of an Ocelot ontrary to what you read over the page The Ocelot is not dead. In fact it is very much alive but it has now taken on a non-corpereal form (like a ghost).

by Jamie Hill

C

CULTURE

That's right. Rather than sitting there and just watching the print publication die we thought we would do something useful with our time. And once we finished doing whatever that useful thing was (it involved trying to complete Netflix), we decided to invest money, blood, sweat and tears into making the best website in the world and, by jeeves, we did it.

So lo and behold, welcome to the new, shiny and cool new Ocelot website which we think looks rather spiffing. It's made up of four distinct easy to navigate sections - Arts & Culture; Brews & Eats; Features: and The News Elephant.

Arts & Culture - At The Ocelot we've always championed the music and theatre scenes and we will continue to do so on the website. This is your one stop shop for everything cultural from the latest punk outfit skunking up the airwaves to the latest things that that Shakespeare bloke is up to.

array of interesting columnists. Articles to make you think.

Brews & Eats - We love food at The Ocelot and we also love drink so putting them both together you get Brews & Eats celebrating everything from kumquats & kimchi to gin & real ale.

The News Elephant - In the print publication we had our satirical news section called The Bassett Rivers Echo but in this latest online incarnation it's been rebranded The News Elephant - taking a stampede all over the news.

Features - This is our section where you'll find articles galore from travelling to the latest scientific breakthroughs as well as all of our

To have a gander at the new website visit theocelot.co.uk

Poetry: The Coronavirus Graduation

Poetry column with Maurice Spillane of Poetry Swindon

Paul Waites was Vice-Chancellor for the day and I was Professor of English. You couldn’t make it up.

Two friends, Katy Crowley and Kelly Newton, had been granted a BA and MSc respectively, but because of COVID-19, there was no ceremony. The degrees came by post. You couldn’t get duller than that after all the years of study.

The parents, though, were having none of it. A ceremony was required so they made gowns and mortar boards, as good as the actual. Paul, as ViceChancellor, had gown, mortar and stole.

He was in role from the beginning, serious as the hour demanded, completely inappropriate when it didn’t. At the beginning he invited the graduates to bow in recognition of their parents’ support. Now that doesn’t happen every day.

I was the warm-up act with a few words and a couple of poems. I read Maya

Angelou’s poem “Phenomenal Women” which was a perfect choice for two phenomenal women.

I’m sure Katy and Kelly will remember the day more than if they had been at their universities. I loved the fact that poetry had a place. Here is a poem, The Graduation, to celebrate.

If each graduate planted a tree the collegiate would be a wood of saplings reaching for the sky, beseeching the rain to come again, come again.

Strong winds make for strong boughs, and even stronger roots as runners of intellect, so entwined nothing but nothing can tarnish their wonder.

And now the fun begins, sharpened elbows, Sharper minds, learning for life from a wood where the tall trees grow.

Shine the light. Shine the light.

If anyone wants to borrow mortars and gowns, it can be arranged. . .

No poetry in Swindon this month but you could browse www.poetryfoundation.org for your fix! www.mauricespillane.com swindonlink.com n September 2020

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FOOD & DRINK

Swindon comes out in droves for Eat Out to Help Out It's been a tough time for a lot of sectors during this pandemic but one of the hardest hit has been the hospitality sector For restaurants it has been especially hard since the social distancing guidelines have made it virtually impossible to make a profit with reduced capacity.

For the month of August the Government introduced The Eat Out To Help Out scheme.

Eat Out to Help Out ran every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday throughout August, with participating restaurants

offering a 50 percent discount up to a saving of £10 per person.

The discount scheme, which did not apply to alcoholic drinks, was part of a Government strategy to reinvigorate the economy in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Restaurants across the town took advantage of the scheme from the Brunel Centre to the Outlet Village to The Core in Old Town, as well as pubs across the town, and it proved very successful, with many eateries reporting an upsurge during the early part of the week because of the scheme.

Review by Barrie Hudson:

The Bank in Wood Street You know the bangers and mash are good when you can cheerfully eat them piping hot while the sun cracks pavements outside.

Like a lot of people in Swindon these last few days, my colleague and I found ourselves retreating from an office where even the liveliest fans could do little more than disturb the scorching air a bit. Deciding there was nothing for it but to set out in search of a late lunch, we settled on The Bank in Wood Street.

In these strange times, restaurants - and cafes, pubs and shops, for that matter - must add 'reassure the customer' to the list of features they offer, and I'm pleased to report that The Bank takes its responsibilities seriously.

On entry customers are greeted by a friendly member of staff and a sanitation station complete with track and trace, which can be completed either by scanning a code with a phone or using the ancient technology known as something to write with and something to write on.

We decided early on that we only wanted a traditional main course apiece, although we could as easily have opted for anything from Tapas - £3 to £11 - to burgers - £12 to £19.95 or one of the salads, which range in price from £4.50 for a side to £12 for Salmon Nicoise.

My colleague chose pan-fried sea bass - £13 - which came with green beans, new potatoes and hollandaise sauce, and duly pronounced it excellent. The dish was tender, succulent and skilfully seared.

Requesting a table in the spacious garden at the rear, we were led through the comfortably-cooled interior of the restaurant, past tables sectioned off from one another by large transparent screens. Tables outside are arranged in such a way as to ensure social distancing is never a problem.

I had a craving for traditional, substantial comfort food, which is why I opted for the bangers and mash - £11. Three superb sausages nestled on a bed of home-made mash which, according to the menu, is made with butter and cream. The dish came with a generously-proportioned Yorkshire pudding and a gravy boat, and could scarcely have been better.

The staff managed the deft trick of handing us our menus, taking our order and being friendly and helpful while at the same time remaining scrupulously socially-distanced.

I thoroughly recommend The Bank to anybody in need of a restaurant offering fine food and friendly, safe surroundings.

It can be contacted at thebank.bar and on 01793 527798.

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Review by Gina Akers:

Time for Sushi Now!

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FOOD & DRINK

I’ve long awaited and eagerly anticipated a real authentic fresh sushi offering in the Swindon area. It seems my wasabi wishes have been answered with the recently opened Sushi Now, providing a huge range of sushi and Japanese food dishes.

If you’re thinking it’s just raw fish and wasabi (though just the right amount of wasabi on a piece of sushi can taste utterly incredible) this is not the case. Sushi Now offers all your typical sushi favourites including uramaki rolls, maki rolls, nigiri, bento, but also try the Crunchy Katsu Prawn Roll for something extra specially tasty. If you are wanting to avoid any raw fish then just mention this when you order and the knowledgeable team members will advise. I mention this as when I called them they knew their menu inside out, and were able to make brilliantly suited and informed recommendations to me.

BUT that’s not all. As if the massive variety of sushi available wasn’t enough to please even the most fussy of foodies, there is also a vast choice of other wonderful Japanese hot food dishes - I have to mention the Tori Chicken Katsu Curry right now, I just have to, but more on that to follow.

So a much welcomed review of a range of Sushi Now dishes was well on the menu, and I couldn’t wait!

First for the taste test was the Sushi Combo. A platter of salmon nigiri and salmon roll pieces (other combos also available), and yes it tastes as good as it looks, fresh light rice, great flavour, just brilliant sushi as it should be.

Next was the Crunchy Katsu Prawn Roll - I’d describe this as extra special sushi, very more-ish, and the added explosion of distinctive yet not overpowering flavour in every bite.

So, I carried out my review with a guest (such a delicious food experience was made for sharing) in order to gain a range of opinion and gauge views. The choice my guest made was for me a bit of a wild card but without a doubt became our Sushi Now star - the Panko Takoyaki Balls, deep-fried panko coated takoyaki octopus balls dressed with teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise.

Not my kind of choice but that was a huge mistake on my part as there was just soft texture with blended purely divine taste, with a little sweetness that complimented the flavour perfectly. This was the star because this was the dish that left us wanting more and battling over those pieces, polite sharing went out of the window!

As if this wasn’t enough to make us feel outrageously spoilt with the variety of tastes and flavours, we also sampled the Ebi Prawn Gyoza, deep-fried prawn Japanese dumplings with dipping sauce (vegetable and Chicken Gyoza options also available).

These presented the perfect prawn flavour without being overpowering, and again that magical melt in the mouth effect that was quickly becoming a very popular theme of Sushi Now dishes.

This leads me on to what is unarguably another star of the Sushi Now show. The go to hot food dish in Japanese dining the Tori

Chicken Katsu Curry, panko-breaded chicken breast on Japanese steamed rice with a spiced Japanese curry sauce. This was just about as tasty as it gets, soft tender chicken in the just the right amount of breadcrumb was melt in the mouth with that essential combination of katsu curry sauce and the gentle japenese sticky rice - this dish made for easy eating and I could never get bored of it. If you’re not a fan of chicken or fancy a change then there is also the gorgeous Ebi Prawn Katsu Curry (panko-breaded King Prawns on Japanese steamed rice with a medium-spiced Japanese curry sauce) option or you could go for just Tori Chicken or Ebi Prawn Katsu which is either or without the curry sauce and rice, so chicken or prawns in that wonderful soft breadcrumb coating.

The perfect complement to all the other dishes was the Tori Chicken Fried Rice, stir-fried marinated chicken with egg and Japanese rice (prawn and vegetable options also available), undoubtedly the nicest and perfectly balanced flavoursome rice I’ve ever tasted. If you’re unsure of Japanese food but know you like rice then this is the ideal starter dish to try.

This is just a very small selection of generous number of choices on the Sushi Now menu. There are also a substantial number of vegetarian dishes.

Overall Sushi Now is a joy of an eating experience, from the incredibly varied menu that offers something for everyone and all tastes, to the excellent and knowledgeable customer service, speedy delivery (yes as well as order to collect they also deliver!) and most importantly the impeccable quality, flavour and ample portion size of each dish.

You won’t be disappointed, delicious and an enjoyable experience with a massive menu you could never tire of, if you want to embark on the tastiest of foodie journeys you’re sure to be wanting Sushi Now. Visit www.sushinow.co swindonlink.com n September 2020

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PETS & NATURE

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Eye-opening facelift gives new lease of life for Neo the dog

xpert vets at a leading Wiltshire animal hospital have combined to carry out an intricate facelift operation on a distressed dog – in the process removing more than a kilogram of excess skin.

Neo, a 150lb Neapolitan Mastiff, was admitted to Eastcott Veterinary Referrals, in Swindon, in obvious pain and struggling to see after being plagued with sagging eyes, inward and outward turning eyelids and huge skin folds on his head and face, which even had to be held back by his owners so he could eat from his bowl.

the eyelids and skin folds were causing irritation to the cornea and putting Neo in a lot of discomfort. There was inflammation and damage to the left cornea, he struggled to open his eyes and had a double kink in his left upper eyelid and a single in the right, due to the excessive eyelid lengths.”

Eastcott’s head of ophthalmology Ida Gilbert headed up the urgent case during lockdown and combined with specialist soft tissue surgeon Andrew Phillips and fellow ophthalmologist Dave Johnson to successfully tackle the eye-opening case and give Neo a new lease of life.

Ida and her colleagues joined forces to maximise speed and expertise for such an extensive operation, allowing the trio to operate on both eyelids while also completing the facelift to minimise the time Neo had to be anaesthetised.

Ida, an advance practitioner in veterinary ophthalmology, said: “Neo was clearly struggling, so was considered to be an urgent case and was prioritised for surgery. His vision was poor due to his eyelid conformation and extremely heavy facial folds.

He had also developed very sore eyes because of the irritation from his condition. The constant irritation caused Neo to rub his eyes repeatedly, which worsened the situation, and he’d also become anxious about anyone attempting to handle around his eyes and face, which made the application of eye drops nearly impossible for his owners. A full investigation revealed

Neo underwent a surgical correction of his eyelids, along with a facelift to remove 1,050g of excess skin.

He also had a shortening of his eyelids by 15mm and surgery to correct his inward and outward turning eyelids.

Neo then stayed at the hospital overnight for careful monitoring of his recovery and provision of good pain relief. Everything went well and it has really given Neo a new lease of life. www.eastcottreferrals.co.uk

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First residents move into Canalside

T

he first residents have moved into Swindon's landmark new Canalside housing development at Wichelstowe.

They were welcomed in August by the leader of Swindon Borough Council and fellow representatives of the joint venture behind the development. Set along the newly restored Wilts & Berks canal, the range of contemporary houses and apartments are being built by five-star builders Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes.

Canalside is the first phase of the Wichelstowe development being built by Barratt & David Wilson Homes and will feature 208 new homes when complete next year. A new supermarket,

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HOME

secondary school and pub are already open on site offering a vibrant heart to the community from the outset.

One of the largest local authority joint venture agreements in the country, the partnership between the council and Barratt Developments plc. will deliver 3,000 new homes at Wichelstowe over the next 20 years, along with new schools and community facilities.

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

Couple Nina Thatcher, 25, and Joe Retter, 29, were among the first residents to complete on their new home - a threebedroom David Wilson town

house. The pair have been together for three and a half years and made the decision to save up for a deposit two years ago so they could purchase their first house together.

Nina said: "The house is everything we wanted; we are really pleased with it. It's such a nice area and, being on the edge of Swindon, you get a real sense of being in the

countryside too. For us it's very convenient as well with both our workplaces only five minutes away.

"We used to drive through the area before building started and we knew we wanted to live there, so when the homes were released for sale, we immediately reserved one - I think we were the first!" www.wichelstowe.co.uk

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MOTORING

Honda E : Shockingly good all-electric car Well, we’ve been awaiting this car for the last three years and it’s quite magnificent.

The all-electric Honda E is now with us and while it’s expensive there will be plenty of customers queuing up to buy one.

It has a range of around 120 miles and there are two models. The basic model is £26,660 while the E Advance, with more kit, comes in at £29,160.

If you are looking at finance then you have to find £250 per month.

While it’s more expensive than the Skoda Citigo-e, the Renault Zoe and the electric MINI, it is at the top of the quality tree and certain to be at the top of the reliability tree as well.

But how does it handle? And the answer is pretty well.

It has the characteristics of electric cars - instant acceleration and no engine noise. The Advance model has the more powerful 154PS motor and it is quick enough, zooming around town.

The electric motor is in the back, driving the rear wheels with the

Leigh Robinson: Motoring writer

batteries under the floor making the Honda E quick off the mark. It has a tight turning circle, it's easy to park and Honda is proud of its 50:50 weight distribution and low centre of gravity.

Drivers have two selectable drive modes and there is also a single-pedal mode which, with some careful driving, means you can resort to one-pedal driving.

It’ll slow the car down as soon as you lift off the accelerator, pumping energy back into the battery and preventing you from having to use the brakes around town. It's enough thrust to guarantee a 0-62mph dash in nine seconds for the less powerful E, and 8.0sec for the more powerful Honda E Advance. Top speed is 100mph.

A quick top up at a 50kW public charger will take the E’s battery to 80 per cent in around half an hour, while a 7.4kW home wallbox will top it up to full in a little over four hours.

Charging it using a standard threepin socket takes just under 19 hours. swindonlink.com n September 2020

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SPORT Becky Cox: Swindon Cycle Campaign

During lockdown the UK saw a renaissance in the popularity of cycling, largely as a result of less motor traffic on our streets.

Following this, the Government made funding pots avaliable for councils across the country to trial temporary road space re-allocation schemes, aimed at encouraging a continuation of ‘active travel’ (ie walking and cycling) over private car usage.

Swindon was successful in their first bid for a small amount of funding from the ‘Emergency Active Travel Fund’. The council used this opportunity to trial cycle provision in a couple of locations in the town centre, which is notoriously difficult and unattractive for people to travel through by bike.

Whilst you can use Swindon’s ‘Flyer’ cycle paths to reach the centre from the south, east and west of town, crossing the centre by bike is hindered by a busy one-way system and a pedestrianised shopping zone.

Station Road and Commercial Road were chosen as areas for new trial cycle paths.

Both locations demonstrate poor allocation of space (ie two one-way carriageways devoted to vehicles). The plan was to allocate one of these carriageways to cycles, segregated from motor traffic.

These areas are part of a wider plan for improving the attractiveness and accessibility of the town centre by active modes. Those plans built upon the Swindon Cycle Framework (2016) and the SBC-funded Swindon Town Centre Cycling Report (2017) which set out the masterplan for cycling in the town.

Future developments such as Kimmerfields, the Bus 34

Getting from A to B by bike should not be a trial

Boulevard, and the Heritage Action Zone are set to help bring aspirations to reality.

Wherever possible Swindon Cycle Campaign (SCC) work with the council to encourage them to build infrastructure of a high quality and fit for purpose (unlike previous examples of attempts to implement cycle infrastructure, such as on Crombey Street and King William Street).

We believe that you shouldn’t need to be brave to travel by bike. You shouldn’t feel that the pavement is the only option for getting from A to B because you're terrified for your life on busy roads.

The Commercial Road and Station Road trials have caused quite a stir, unfortunately due to time restraints SCC were unable to be involved in the council’s implementation of the projects. And while I have not had the chance to trial them myself, I haven’t heard much positive feedback. But this example demonstrates the challenges posed by the re-allocation of space, and the importance of consultation with local people and traders.

Although this may not have been the most successful trial, it is vital that lessons are learned, and that we work together to make better streets which serve people, not just vehicles.

Alfie Howlett: Swindon Town FC writer

The rightful league champions return this month

With no league football having 1 season will see some big clubs taken place since March 7 play with Swindon being one it comes as a relief for all of eight teams in the division fans that Swindon will start who used to play in the Premier their 2020/21 season on 12 League. This undoubtedly means September. As well as the a better league which means return to football Swindon will better competition and games. also return to playing League 1 Also making returns to the football following an absence County Ground are two of of 3 seasons away from the Swindon's best players from last third tier. season. The midfield tank that is Swindon will go into their new Anthony Grant and the magical season in a completely different Diallang Jaiyesemi. Following world to the one they left on on from being named the club's March 7. The new world has player of the season in 2020 already seen the Robins being Anthony Grant signed a new confirmed as rightful league contract keeping him at the club two champions via points per until June 2021. Grant will give game following the suspension Swindon that much needed steel of last season. Unlike their in midfield to compete in league 2012 league winning season one. The 33 year old offers in which 15,000 Swindon a relentless fans watched work rate and skilful Swindon go into their new season Paul Caddis tackling. Therefore it in a completely lift the league was key that Swindon different world to two trophy, this could keep one of the one they left on their best players for season only the March 7 photographer was the upcoming season. in attendance to watch After a stellar him lift his second league 2 title. 2019/20 season Jaiyesemi The 2020/21 season will be was released by his parent club different for so many reasons.

Norwich City after being on Firstly, just like all teams, loan at Swindon last season.

Swindon will find themselves Following on from his release starting a new season without Swindon immediately snapped a single fan in attendance. This up the 22 year old winger on will be the first time that league a 3 year deal. This is not only one has ever played without a great deal on the pitch but fans and it will most likely a great deal financially. It become the new normal. It now means that in the future STFC seems unlikely supporters will can sell him for a big fee. He be fully entering stadiums until possesses a good pace, good at least 2021. skills and he's good in front of Secondly, all 24 teams will goal after netting 5 times in just find themselves at different 21 appearances last season. It's levels of fitness coming into the possible that if he stays injury new season. With all teams free then he could be one of having not played competitively the best players in league 1 since early March, match fitness next season. will come down to how good of After last season's success a pre season a player has had no one really knows what to and how much work they've put expect. Especially in the current in during lockdown. Therefore climate. Personally I expect I predict in the opening weeks Swindon to finish comfortably in matches will become more open mid table next season however towards the end and some it would not be surprising to see surprise results with some being Swindon challenge for the play more fit than others. offs. Time will tell.

Thirdly, the 2020/21 league

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n ELECTRICAL n PLUMBING AND HEATING

J’s Electrical ✭ Extra sockets and lights ✭ Shower and cooker installation ✭ Fuse board replacement ✭ Complete re-wiring ✭ Security lighting ✭ P.A.T. testing ✭ 24 hours

NO JOB TOO SMALL Mobile: 07434 588731 Tel: 01793 278612

www.jelectricalswindon.co.uk junab74@outlook.com

RJ PeaRce Plumbing & Heating ltd Over 20 years experience in plumbing & heating work

• Central heating • Bathrooms & showers • Competitive rates

10 YEAR GUARANTEE (subject to survey)

188262

on Worcester Bosch Ri Si and Cdi boilers

• All work guaranteed • No job too small

Accredited Installer

For further details call Richard on 01793 870472 or 07747 723606

Semi-retired Plumber SURESTOP SWITCH installed for hard to get at or seized stop cock

• Disabled extra high toilets fitted • Leaks & burst pipes • Blocked drains, sinks & toilets • Immersions & hot water cylinders • Tap washers & ball valves • Dishwashers & washing machines plumbed in

Tel: 01793 324116 Mob: 07788 621772 38

203455

Quality Plumbing & Heating Est. 30+ years

• Central heating installation • Boiler servicing & repairs • Replacement boilers • Bathrooms & tiling • Power showers Reg: 128966 • Outside taps All plumbing work undertaken Reliable service, realistic prices

Kevin Rolfe

Mobile: 07973 663367 www.swindonheating.co.uk

Haydon Wick Heating Services

All heating and plumbing works undertaken • Full central heating systems • Boiler changes / services and repairs • Power flushing • Full bathroom / ensuite installations • General plumbing works • Free quotes and realistic prices

Tel: 01793 748333 Mob: 07733897039

hwheating@googlemail.com

swindonlink.com n September 2020

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AL G

Earthworm Recording Studio's Jon Buckett - photograph by Jennifer Berry

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