SE December 25 Master pages

No 110 December 2025

GPS-tracked, door to door delivery to homes across Swindon with Est. overall print & online readership of 105,000

Swindon

LINK Your Community Magazine

South & East Edition

A Focus on Pets p14

swindonlink.com

Picture by Ross Bisley / Dronie Productions

A new dawn for Swindon Business as the BID is back p12

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FESTIVE ICE SKATING

BOOK NOW

Glide into the holiday spirit with our Festive Ice sessions. Enjoy a magical ice skating experience with festive music, perfect for all ages and abilities.

Scan QR code to book or visit better.org.uk/the-link-centre

Skate hire is included in the ticket pricing. Polar bear skate aids are available on the day for an additional fee and are given out on a first come first serve basis. Spectators must book a spectator ticket to be given entry to the building. Better is a registered trademark and trading name of GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), a charitable social enterprise and registered society under the Co-operative & Community Benefit & Societies Act 2014 registration no. 27793R. Registered office: Middlegate House, The Royal Arsenal, London, SE18 6SX. Inland Revenue Charity no: XR43398

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Editor's Note

By Jamie Hill It's that most wonderful time of the year when not only do we get a chance to relax with family, but we also get a chance to think of others and especially the less fortunate.

Fortunately in Swindon we have several organisations that we can support and volunteer for, whose main aim is to provide support for people.

The council itself is doing all it can to reduce the number of rough sleepers in the borough over the winter months. You can read the report on page 4.

And another group working tirelessly to help are the Gorse Hill branch of the Salvation Army who are running their own Christmas Appeal on p12.

Mental health is also a real problem over the holidays and it is unfortunately also a time when there is an uptick in domestic violence. Organisations like The Samaritans, Mind and SWA work non-stop to help and support people during these periods but they can't do so without your help and donations.

As always we invite you also to try out our sister publication The Ink, our subscription-based news service, where analytical and longform news gets sent directly to your inbox and costs £5.99 a month.

Group Editor and Owner: Jamie Hill Deputy Editor: Barrie Hudson Reporter: Amanda Wilkins Sales Manager: Rosy Presley Business Development: Tanya Tymofeienko Accounts Manager: Karen Hewitt-Dean Contributors: Tyler Ody, Becky Cox, Maurice Spillane and Alfie Howlett

Nominations open for 2026 Pride of Swindon Awards

By Barrie Hudson barrie@swindonlink.com Everybody is invited to nominate local community heroes for the Pride of Swindon Award.

The official launch of the 2026 awards was performed

by Swindon’s newly-appointed Town Crier Rob Hardy, pictured, by the statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel in Havelock Square.

These are the 14th Pride of Swindon Awards since the accolades were launched in 2008.

They celebrate individuals and teams who have made a positive and lasting impact on people, communities and neighbourhoods across the Borough of Swindon.

This marks the first time the awards have been held since 2022, making their return all the more special.

Shirley Ludford, Station Manager of Swindon 105.5 and one of the original founders of the awards, said: “Each nomination tells a story and there are so many great stories to be shared and people to be recognised for their contribution to our community.

"Over the years there have been so many heartfelt and deserved nominations. I am delighted we are able to bring the Pride of Swindon Awards back.”

Pam Webb, Trustee of Voluntary Action Swindon (VAS), added: “VAS is very proud to continue to support ADVERTISING Call 01793 644540 or email: advertising@swindonlink.com Closing date for January adverts and editorial: 12 December December edition published: 28 November.

Our Statistics Est. Readership of 105,000 in print & online visitors.

Swindon’s largest free publication.

Advertising starts from just £49.

Positive Media Group Limited, Suite J, Fairview House, 43 Bath Road, Swindon SN1 4AS

T: 01793 644540 Email: publisher@swindonlink.com

these awards, our objective is to help strengthen the Swindon Community and without all the amazing individuals and teams recognised through these awards it would be a much harder job!”

Cllr Jim Robbins, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: “I’m delighted to see the Pride of Swindon awards return.

"These awards are a true celebration of the incredible people who go above and beyond to make Swindon a better place for everyone.

The council are proud to be supporting this inspiring initiative and I look forward to recognising the everyday heroes who make the borough so special.”

Nominations will close at 5pm on Friday 15 December,

with judging taking place on Thursday 29 January.

Finalists will be invited to the Pride of Swindon Award event at the Doubletree by Hilton Hotel on Thursday 5 March 2026.

Plaques celebrating all of the previous award winners can be found in Swindon Central Library. The 2026 winners will be added following the awards ceremony.

For more information, including how to make nominations, people are invited to visit the Pride of Swindon Award page on the Swindon Borough Council website: www.swindon.gov.uk/ prideofswindon (PIcture by Calyx Picture Agency)

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 Suite J, Fairview House, 43 Bath Road, Swindon SN1 4AS Printed by Precision Colour Printing, Telford

UPCOMING FEATURE

In Jaunary we will be focussing on health and wellbeing. To advertise alongside please get in contact

Got a community story or feature? Contact newsdesk at publisher@swindonlink.com or 01793 644540 swindonlink.com n December 2025

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News from SBC Waste and recycling collection days to move by two working days from 25 December Following the success of last year’s waste and recycling collection day changes, Swindon Borough Council will again be operating the same revised schedule from Christmas Day and throughout 2026.

From Christmas Day (Thursday, 25 December), all households will see their collection day move by two working days, in line with the new permanent approach introduced last year.

The change means the council can continue to avoid the build-up of around 40,000 missed collections that would otherwise occur when Christmas Day and Boxing Day fall on residents’ normal collection days.

By keeping the revised schedule in place, collection crews will no longer need to catch-up on waste accumulated over the Bank Holidays.

Following the routine pause in services on

Christmas Day and Boxing Day, collections will resume on Monday, 29 December, starting with households whose usual collection day would have been Christmas Day. This means that from Thursday, 25 December, all households should put out their waste and recycling two working days later than their usual collection day.

For residents whose waste and recycling are collected on different days, both services will move by two working days.

At the same time Swindon Borough Council has launched a campaign to get people to recycle as much as possible after revealing that more than £2m is wasted each year by waste that could have been recycled going into general bins. This is money that could have been used to improve other services.

Majority of postal voters need to reapply under new national rules Electoral Services is in the process of contacting postal voters who applied for their postal vote before 30 January 2024, informing them that their current postal vote will expire on 31 January 2026.

This follows changes introduced by the Elections Act 2022. Under the new legislation, all postal vote applications now last for a maximum of three years. This means: - voters who applied before 30 January 2024 must reapply by 31 January 2026 to keep their postal vote active - voters who applied on or after 30 January 2024 do not need to take any action Electoral Services will contact voters

either by email or letter, depending on the contact details held.

Postal voters who do not reapply by the deadline will have their postal vote cancelled. They will still be able to vote in person at their polling station (with photo ID) or apply for a new postal vote before 5pm, 11 working days before an election.

The quickest and easiest way to reapply is online via the GOV.UK website at: www. gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.

If they are unable to apply online, voters can request a paper form by sending an email to elecreg@swindon.gov.uk or calling 01793 464 601.

Sam Mowbray, Electoral Registration Officer at the council, said: “Many

residents rely on postal voting as a convenient way to take part in elections, so it’s important they understand this national change and what it means for them.

“Only those who applied for a postal vote before January 2024 need to reapply, and we’ll be contacting them directly with instructions. Anyone who is not contacted does not need to reapply.

“Reapplying is quick and easy online via the gov.uk website, and our Electoral Services team is ready to help anyone who needs support or prefers to complete a paper form.”

For more information and answers, visit the Swindon Borough Council website.

Council steps up support for rough sleepers this winter As winter sets in, Swindon Borough Council is intensifying its efforts to support residents at risk of homelessness and rough sleeping, ensuring they are not left out in the cold.

Rough sleeping, which is when people sleep outside or in places that aren't designed for people to live in, including cars, doorways and abandoned buildings, is the most visible form of homelessness.

In October, Swindon recorded an average of eight rough sleepers per night.

The council’s ambition is to make sure the number of rough sleepers is as low as possible.

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given a personalised housing plan so the council and individual can work together to find a solution. The aim is to offer a housing solution to anyone who is homeless and the council also operates a rapid response and assertive outreach service, tailored to meet individual needs. Suitable emergency accommodation is available for all those who meet the priority need criteria and efforts will be made to ensure that all others have access to accommodation as soon as possible.

The council has also repurposed Salzgitter Court in Toothill, a former sheltered housing block, into 25 refurbished units for transitional accommodation. People receive on-site support and access to services like community policing and public

health teams, helping them move toward independence.

This local work is backed by over £582,000 in Government funding this year, part of a national £84m boost to tackle homelessness. Additional winter funding has also been secured to expand emergency accommodation during cold temperatures.

If you are worried about someone sleeping rough, the council asks that sightings are reported via StreetLink.org. uk. If you’re worried about becoming homeless, you can contact the housing team on 01793 445503.

You can find out more about on the council website by searching ‘Help for rough sleepers’.

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Swindon political leaders back pursuing regional mayor deal Leaders from across the Thames Valley are progressing plans to pursue a mayoral strategic authority (MSA) for the region.

The new combined authority would be made up of a number of council areas, which would be led by a directly elected mayor.

Through an expression of interest letter to Government, leaders will set out a shared ambition to secure new powers and funding.

This would, according to the plan's backers, enable local councils to plan and deliver more integrated and effective transport, infrastructure, the right type of housing with an emphasis on social housing, all creating the conditions for faster, more inclusive growth across the region.

The MSA, it is planned, will make decisions locally and closer to the communities and businesses affected, with local councils continuing to deliver critical and wider public services for the benefit of all

residents.

Cllr Jim Robbins, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: “This is a game-changing opportunity for Swindon and one we need to grasp with both hands.

“Our dynamic economy makes us an ideal partner for the Thames Valley Mayoral Strategic Authority, creating one of the UK’s leading powerhouses and strengthening the region’s outstanding reputation for world-class research and advanced manufacturing, underpinned by a highly-skilled workforce.

“By linking our own strengths with those of Oxfordshire and Berkshire we will create deeper labour markets, stronger supply chains, and faster innovation with independent analysis suggesting that together we can boost our economic output by an extra £18.7bn by 2040.”

Cllr Gary Sumner, Leader of the borough's Conservative Group, said: “The Government has made it clear that it wants

Cllrs Gary Sumner, left, and Jim Robbins

to see more Mayoral Strategic Authorities and we need to make the best decision for the future of our town.

“We know, having talked to our local business community, that building on our links with our partners along the M4 corridor would boost their supply chains and create significant opportunities for growth.

“This new strategic authority provides a chance to build on our current strengths and become even stronger.”

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Potholes, the bus boulevard and annual budgets - the man in charge of Swindon's roads tells all

By Jamie Hill

An interview with Cllr Chris Watts, SBC's Cabinet Member for the Environment and Transport, about Swindon's road network How has Fleming Way improved the public transport situation in Swindon?

Fleming Way has made local bus services more attractive for the public. It is a significant development compared to the former bus station and has been well received by users and residents. The quality bus shelters, real time information and passenger information have combined to make Swindon at the front of bus station design.

For the first time, scheduled bus services are all operating from one location instead of Stagecoach being mainly using the old bus station and Swindon’s Bus Company using the former Fleming Way layout. The co-ordination of making this happen between the council, local bus operators and National Express has been a great success. The combined bus timetable is a great example of local bus coordination and the work of the Enhanced Bus Partnership.

The environment is much more pleasant for people coming into Swindon. The plants are already growing and the trees have a degree of maturity so the ambience of the area is already established. Seating is good and the shelters have phone charging pads which make it attractive for the modern generation on the go with their phones.

At The Link we've had several bits of feedback about Fleming Way including the drop-off points causing bus tailbacks all the way to Princes Street, litter, toilet doors not locking and complaints coach companies are unable to use the 6

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interchange. How do you respond to them?

This was a huge project and there was always likely to be a period of adjustment as people familiarise themselves with the road layout and the new facilities.

The bus stop in Princes Street was made available for coach use only and was chosen due to its proximity to three car parks.

We know some passengers using Barnes coaches have raised concerns about the alternative bus stop provision, but our officers will continue to review the operation of the new bus interchange and liaise with private coach operators to understand their requirements and potential use of the area in the future. FlixBus has been provided with a bus stop at Regent Circus.

The drop-off point at Fleming Way is being addressed with bus operators so should not remain an issue. Complaints about litter and toilets are being dealt with too, but it should be noted that there are 20 litter bins for people to use.

Potholes are a perennial problem on Swindon’s roads along with overgrown vegetation on certain pavements and in some cases traffic islands. There are also numerous complaints about fly-tipping beside Swindon’s road networks. We realise that not all of them are within your authority but what are you doing about these issues that do fall under your purview?

Potholes: We are aware that potholes remain a recurring problem, particularly during the winter months when colder weather accelerates the deterioration of road surfaces. The council operates a programme of regular inspections and prioritised repairs, with urgent potholes being addressed as soon as possible. We encourage residents to report potholes directly via the council’s website or the ‘Fix My Street’

Cllr Chris Watts, the Cabinet Member for The Environment and Transport tool, which helps us respond more efficiently.

This year, with the extra funding received from The Government, we have been able to shift resources to patching work as an alternative to pothole filling and we are seeing better results with investment in new equipment and technologies.

With an estimated £50m highways backlog to address, we know we are on the start of the journey to recovery.

Overgrown Vegetation: Tackling vegetation on pavements and traffic islands is part of our scheduled grounds maintenance programme. The council had neglected this area in previous years, but we are in the process of rebuilding capacity with the help of parish councils. We are reviewing some routes where visibility and pedestrian access are particularly affected. Again, specific locations reported by residents help us target problem areas faster.

Fly-Tipping: Fly-tipping is both illegal and unacceptable, and we take it seriously. We work with enforcement teams to investigate and remove reported waste as quickly as possible. Surveillance is used in some hotspots, and fines or legal action are pursued where evidence permits. Residents can report fly-tipping through the council’s reporting portal, and we encourage vigilance to help tackle this issue collectively.

While some matters (such as issues on private land or certain National Highways routes) may fall outside our direct control, we do liaise with

the appropriate bodies to raise concerns and request action where needed.

How big is the Highway team at SBC? How much does it consume annually of the council budget?

Team Size: The Highways Team at the council is made up of a combination of in-house staff and contracted services, including engineers, planners, inspectors, maintenance crews and support officers. While the exact number of staff can vary depending on projects and seasonal needs, the core Highways Team typically includes around 60 officers, supported by contractors for larger maintenance and infrastructure projects.

Annual Budget: The highways service budget is drawn from a mix of local funding and external grants, including allocations from central government for specific schemes (e.g., pothole repair funds or capital investment in infrastructure). On average, the annual budget for highways (including maintenance, street lighting, traffic management, and improvement schemes) is approximately £5.5m, though this can vary year by year based on funding settlements and project demands.

Due to years of reduced funding from central government, resulting in an estimated £50m highways maintenance backlog in Swindon, managing this budget is crucial to ensure we get the best value for money.

For the full interview visit swindonlink.com/news/ cwinterviewroads

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Police and Crime Commissioner to be axed Wiltshire and Swindon Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson is to see his role eliminated along with that of all other PCCs. Mr Wilkinson is among 37 PCCs across England and Wales, having been elected for a second term in May of last year.

Recent public appearances included the launch of the 2026 Pride of Swindon Awards, at which he joined other local VIPs and rang a ceremonial bell.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the PCC system as a failed experiment, and the Home Office claims that fewer than 20 percent of people can name their PCC. Mr Wilkinson, however, condemned the move, saying: "There has been zero consultation and no clarity on how the vital functions my office delivers will be maintained. In Wiltshire, I am told I will be replaced by a committee of local authority leaders - but

PCC Philip Wilkinson no explanation of how they will take on the complex responsibilities we currently manage.

“For more than a decade, PCCs have brought democratic accountability to policing, secured millions in extra funding for victim services and community safety, and driven improvements in transparency."

After the terms of office of the current 37 PCCs come to an end in 2028, it is planned that their responsibilities will be assumed by councils and elected mayors.

Annual Prospect Hospice Light Up a Life appeal announced Prospect Hospice has launched its yearly Light Up a Life appeal, inviting the community to come together to remember and celebrate the lives of loved ones this Christmas.

This year, the campaign shares the moving story of Katie and her husband Steve, who died aged just 37 after being supported by the hospice at home and in the inpatient unit.

Katie, who shared family photographs to help the appeal, said the care her family received from Prospect Hospice gave them comfort, dignity and moments of joy during the most difficult time of their lives.

“The team at Prospect Hospice are like angels on Earth," she said. "When my husband Steve died, the care we received from them took us from a world of loss to a world of hope - not only because of the way they helped Steve, but me and our two boys as well.”

Katie and her young sons, Jack

and Charlie, spent precious time at the hospice during Steve’s illness. Staff cared for Steve, supported the children, and offered emotional and bereavement support before and after his death.

Katie said: “Some people think a hospice must be a gloomy place. But Prospect Hospice is so light and bright, and filled with the most wonderful people who are there to give you their all.

“Christmas is always hard for me and the boys without Steve.

And I know it will be hard for so many families like ours. That’s why I really hope people will support Prospect Hospice this Christmas.”

This year’s Light Up a Life service will take place at 4.30pm on Sunday 7 December at Prospect Hospice, in Wroughton. Further information about taking part and offering support can be found at www.prospect-hospice.net/ lightupalife

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PR guru's new book looks back on local journalism

Swindon MP celebrates pupils' success at her former school

South Swindon South MP Heidi Alexander joined pupils from her old primary school in her constituency to celebrate the steps they are taking to get more active.

Lainesmead Primary School has been taking part in WOW, the walk to school challenge from charity Living Streets.

WOW sees pupils record how they get to school using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker, with those who walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ to school being awarded a monthly WOW badge.

Nationally, just 49 per cent of 5 to 10-year-olds currently walk to school. However, despite only starting WOW in February 2025, walking rates at Lainesmead Primary School have increased by nine per cent, with pupils being driven to school 13 per cent less than before they started WOW this year.

Heidi Alexander said: “It was an honour to attend this special event at Lainesmead Primary School, the school I attended as a child.

"Our children deserve the best start in life and helping them build activity into their everyday life is a big part of that.

“Programmes like WOW make such a positive difference to pupils’ wellbeing and safety – from reducing pollution outside the school gates to finding it easier to concentrate in the classroom.

"Well done to pupils and teachers at Lainesmead Primary School for making such an impressive effort to travel to school in healthier, more sustainable ways.”

Head teacher Alyssia Mepstead said the positive impact of the project was already being seen, with Lainesmead named last year as the most improved for walking to school.

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By Barrie Hudson barrie@swindonlink.com

Swindon PR guru Fiona Scott has turned back the clock for her second book, to explore her life in newspaper journalism.

Fiona, who writes a regular business column for Swindon Link's sister publication The Ink, launched Tales of a Backwater Journalist at The View Gallery, part of RWB Auctions.

The event raised £650 for Ainslie’s Pavilion Project, a five-year project to build a memorial cricket pavilion at Purton Cricket Club in memory of Ainslie Duffell, who died in February 2015 after a brave battle with breast cancer.

Fiona's new book looks at her early days as a reporter in Swindon and Somerset, and how she almost didn’t go into the profession at all.

While watching a news crew in her Somerset home town, the teenaged Fiona had a sudden

epiphany: she didn't want the safe life planned for her.

She said: “I’ve been in journalism now for more than 38 years, so a lot has happened, a lot has changed, and I’ve enjoyed getting some of my stories into print and on the TV – and print is where I started off in newspapers!”

Despite her mother's warnings that she was “far too sensitive”

and careers advice pointing her towards being a secretary or a nurse, she couldn’t shake off the idea.

Although to begin with Fiona followed the ‘safe’ route and trained to be a teacher, she eventually threw caution to the wind. She quit teaching, ended her engagement to her then partner, cancelled her wedding and started life as a reporter.

Tales of a Backwater Journalist is the second book from Fiona, who is now best known as a journalist and public relations expert, at the helm of Scott Media. Her first, The Hard Yards, explored her journey as an entrepreneur.

The book costs £18 and is available via Amazon, in paperback and on Kindle.

Scott Media specialises in PR and marketing services for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

For information visit scottmedia.uk

Major exhibition for Swindon's acclaimed 'lost surrealist'

By Barrie Hudson barrie@swindonlink.com

Museum & Art Swindon is hosting the first public museum exhibition of brilliant surrealist Henry Orlik.

For nearly half a century, what is described by many experts as one of the most extraordinary bodies of contemporary art sat unseen in storage.

Born in post-war Germany in 1947 to a mother who survived Nazi labour and a Polish father who fought with the allies, Orlik arrived in Swindon in 1959 and trained at Swindon School of Art. At 25, he exhibited at London's prestigious Acoris Gallery (1972-74) alongside major paintings by Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Max Ernst, and Giorgio de Chirico.

Now frail and unable to paint after a debilitating stroke, Henry Orlik is receiving his first museum exhibition in his

Detail from Henry Orlik's 'Sheep Herding' lifetime, which runs until 14 March.

Grant Ford, curator, former Sotheby's specialist, and senior paintings specialist for BBC's Antiques Roadshow, is among those who hail Orlik's genius.

He said: "During my extensive career in the art world, I have never encountered anything like Henry Orlik’s work; it is so intense and skilful and so rich in meaning.

"These paintings are so unique; Orlik is an incredible

genius painter."

Orlik's 'quantum painting' method uses thousands of microscopic, spiralled brushstrokes - 'excitations', a term Orlik borrowed from quantum physics, creating surfaces that function as energetic fields.

The artwork will be displayed in the Origins Galleries at Museum & Art Swindon, and full details can be found at www.museumartswindon.com

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South Swindon Parish Council December 2025

South Swindon in Bloom 2025 - South Swindon has achieved a remarkable hat-rick, securing Gold for the third year running at the RHS South West in Bloom Awards. The South Swindon in Bloom entry was also awarded the Tesco Cup for being the best in the large town category, as well as the Urban Communities trophy.

Thank you to all the volunteers, community groups, gardeners, street service teams and staff who supported the entry. They work yearround to make South Swindon greener and more welcoming.

We encourage new supporters, and business partners to come on board as the group continues to tackle ongoing challenges to improve our local environment. Interested in supporting? Please get in touch by emailing communities@southswindon-pc.gov.uk.

Buckhurst Playzone - We’re thrilled to announce that the Buckhurst Playzone officially launched this Autumn, with special guests from Swindon Town FC - Aaron Drinan and Danny Butterworth - plus the brilliant junior players from Robins FC. What’s New? - The Playzone features a bigger pitch with a brand new surface; Floodlights for evening play; Secure keypad access.

The Playzone was funded by the Football Foundation and the Oakfield Community Fund - which was administered by Swindon Borough Council. This project is the final piece of the £850,000 transformation of Buckhurst Field.

If you’re interested in booking the playzone, please email: playzone@southswindon-pc.gov.uk.

Join South Swindon Parish Council for a fantastic FREE event in the Town Gardens this December.

Experience a delightful programme of Swindon's musical talent at the Town Gardens Bandstand.

Stop by Santa's Craft Corner and participate in festive craft projects suitable for the whole family. No need to book tickets - just come along to the Town Gardens between 12pm and 4pm on 13, 14, 20 and 21 December 2025 to join in the Christmas celebrations!

Christmas Light Switch-Ons - Thank you to all residents who joined our Light Switch on events in Broadgreen, Cavendish Square and Badbury Park throughout November. It was wonderful to see the community come together to kick off the festive season, with a variety of live performances, Santa story time, craft activities, festive treats, walkabout artists and much more!

South Swindon Parish Council Office, Gladstone Street, Swindon, SN1 2AU Website: www.southswindon-pc.gov.uk

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Telephone: 01793 312006

Email: enquiries@southswindon-pc.gov.uk

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Salvation Army in Gorse A new dawn for Swindon business as the BID is back Hill launches Christmas Swindon has begun the revival Appeal of a Business Improvement District with new leadership and positive early support.

Work to re-establish a Business Improvement District (BID) in Swindon has reached a significant milestone with a new Shadow BID Board of local businesses and organisations now steering the project The Salvation Army is calling through its development phase. on the Gorse Hill and wider Re-establishing the BID was Swindon community to share proposed by Swindon Borough love and hope this Christmas Council and is being supported by donating new toys to its by council officers. However, Christmas Present Appeal. it is now being led by a Every year Salvation Army churches ask people to donate business-driven Shadow Board new toys and gifts for children representing sectors across the town centre and Old Town. The whose families are already group is meeting regularly to making impossible choices shape priorities, outline the between food, heating, and proposed programme and bills. oversee the next stages of Last year the Gorse Hill Salvation Army distributed gifts consultation.

Swindon and Wiltshire to 324 children and 96 adults and gave out 464 food parcels Growth Hub has been commissioned to carry out and Christmas hampers - with the church and charity fearing initial engagement, including more people will need support door-to-door visits with levyeligible businesses across the this year. proposed area. Feedback The church on Chapel Street so far has been highly will be collecting donations of encouraging. More than 65 per new unwrapped toys until 19 cent of respondents have said December. “definitely yes” or “yes” when Toys and gifts can also be asked whether they would dropped off at the Salvation support a new BID, signalling Army Charity Shop, 76 strong early momentum for Cricklade Road, Gorse Hill, the development phase. This Swindon, SN2 8AF. The church and charity are also linking up mirrors themes identified in the feasibility work carried out by with The Entertainer.

The Means, which highlighted The public are invited to an appetite for improvements attend an exciting line-up of to safety, place activation and Christmas events: business support.

- Saturday 6 December at Leadership for the developing 9.30am - Breakfast Book Club BID has now been confirmed. with Santa Laura James, Theatre Director - Sunday 7 December at of the Wyvern Theatre, has 10am - Family Carol Service been appointed Chair of the and Nativity.

Shadow Board. Kris Talikowski - Sunday 14 December at has taken on the role of 10am - Traditional Carol Vice-Chair to help guide the Service. project’s formation.

- Saturday 29 December at Discussions are also underway 10am - Christmas Bacon & Bake - This is a coffee morning regarding the potential inclusion of Old Town within with cakes and a full English breakfast available. There will the BID boundary. The Old also be a crafts and gift stalls. Town Business Association has contributed actively to the www.salvationarmy.org.uk/ early stage work and has christmas-present-appeal proposed an 80 per cent

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Photo credit: Ross Bisley / Dronie Productions

ringfence model for any levy collected in that area so those funds remain in Old Town.

An online poll of Old Town businesses will take place in the coming weeks to gauge support for inclusion before any decisions are made.

Cllr Jim Robbins, Leader of Swindon Borough Council, said: “Our Heart of Swindon vision aims to breathe new life into the town centre and re-establishing the BID is an important step in making the improvements we all want to see.

“The Shadow BID Board is now leading the development of the BID, and the early feedback from businesses shows there is genuine appetite for a coordinated approach to improving safety, vibrancy and confidence. This is a positive moment for Swindon, and we will continue to support businesses as they shape what the BID could deliver.”

Laura James, Chair of the Shadow BID Board, said: “Swindon’s business community has shown real willingness to engage with this process, and that has been reflected in the strong early feedback. Our role now is to listen carefully, understand the priorities that matter most, and build a proposal that genuinely supports businesses across the town centre and Old Town.

The enthusiasm we are hearing gives me confidence that a well-designed BID can make a tangible difference.”

Kris Talikowski, Vice-Chair of the Shadow BID Board, and Chair of the Old Town Business Association, said: “The message we are hearing from businesses is consistent: they want a safer, more active and more confident town. A BID gives us the opportunity to work together and invest in those improvements collectively.

The Old Town Businesses Association have been part of this conversation from the start, and the upcoming poll will give a clear indication of how they want to be involved. Our focus is on building something credible, accountable and genuinely business-led.”

The project is currently around halfway through its planning stage with a ballot of all eligible members set for the new year.

Over the coming weeks, the Shadow Board will continue to define priorities and shape a programme that reflects the needs of businesses across Swindon. Further consultation will take place as the business case develops, ensuring that the final proposal is grounded in local priorities.

For more information or to take part in the consultation, visit swindonbid.co.uk

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A focus on Pets They are our furry, scaly, feathery family members and enrich all of our lives. This month we focus on pets and which businesses in Swindon help support us with these much-loved creatures.

Ensuring your pets have the best care with Thameswood Veterinary Clinics Thameswood Vets are now offering a totally new way of ensuring your pet has the best care throughout their life, while considering both the environment and your pocket!

Nicholas Hartley, the principal vet who founded their clinics and is also their main dermatologist, has always been a great environmentalist and an advocate of safer drugs and parasite treatments. He has started the Eco Plan for their VIP clients. He said: “There are environmental concerns about the overuse of blanket treatment with parasite control drugs. Additionally, the development of drug resistance is a real concern for the future.

"If one is prepared to accept some exposure,

monitor your pet regularly and appropriately, treat as required, then separate ectoparasite and helminth products are the preferred option.”

Thameswood's Eco plan offers you unlimited FREE veterinary consultations (normally £55) with both their surgeons and their consulting nurses, allowing you to talk to professionals whenever you require advice or are unsure if medical treatment is required

for your pet.

Additionally, booster vaccinations are included, discounts on retail products, food and any flea, worming products that are prescribed.

Additional discounts will include substantial discounts on our prescription charges [not the drugs] and seasonal offers through their newsletters, plus much more!

Thameswood are hoping to launch this new Eco plan in the new year, and it is available

to all their clients who have been with them for at least a year, and will consist of monthly instalments similar to their existing plan.

Hydrotherapy and grooming for your loved pooch with Woozelbears

Woozelbears Swindon provide personalised, innovative and award wining hydrotherapy and grooming for your dogs.

Bubble & Bark

"Hi, I’m Molly a fully certified and an in-demand Dog Groomer serving the Swindon area. Whether you take advantage of my Pick up and Drop off service or your pet visits my Salon, I offer a full and comprehensive range of services." If you are looking for a 1-1 groomer contact 07464 047602.

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Their highly qualified and multimodal team of therapists have over 10 years of experience and are ready to help your pet!

The facilities include underwater treadmills, large bespoke pools, hydrotherapy spa and K-Laser treatment.

Woozelbears Swindon can be found at Unit 11 of the River Ray Industrial Estate on Barnfield Road (SN2 2DT).

Natural Balance Dog Training

Natural Balance Dog Training focuses on the science of learning theory plus natural canine communication, using body language and proven techniques to enable dogs to fulfil their true potential to become happy, balanced and contented. Call, text or WhatsApp Jake on 07769 705807

You can also keep up to date with them on Facebook by scanning the QR code.

More information can be found at www.woozelbears. com, emailing swindon@ woozelbears.com or calling 01793 953222

Chaz & Chums

Home dog boarding business Chaz and Chums is run by Charlie, a fully licensed and insured home dog boarder in Swindon who has more than 10 years' experience in the industry. If you're looking for a home-from-home for your pooch, then please get in contact at 07944 310907.

BellaJoJos Pets Boutique & Spa

BellaJoJos is a pets Boutique and Dog Spa in Old Town with an air-conditoned dog grooming salon behind a small pets boutique with a range of natural treats, toys and grooming products. They now have a team of fully qualified City & Guilds self-employed groomers working independently; who can offer a range of spa packages. 01793 336103.

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A focus on Pets Drove Vets recruit new 24-hour emergency team Swindon’s largest and oldest independent veterinary practice, Drove Vets, has launched a new out of hours and emergency service after recruiting six highly experienced vets and nurses to offer round the clock care to pets from across the town and beyond.

Catherine Rowe, Anna Bateman and Maciej Ligus join as veterinary surgeons and all three have a wealth of out of hours, emergency and critical care experience. In addition, Emma Clayton, Linka Sendall and Amiee Simpkins, who have all worked in Swindon for many years, have been recruited as registered veterinary nurses.

Drove Vets has six practices across Swindon and the new out of hours service will operate from its veterinary hospital, which is just south of Swindon town centre, off Croft Road. These latest appointments mean Drove Vets, which can trace its roots back to 1839, now employs a 117-strong team.

Lynne Gaskarth, Drove Vets’ practice director and small animal director vet, said: “For the past four years we’ve outsourced our emergency services to a corporate veterinary chain, that would work in our veterinary hospital at night and at weekends. However, we had little control over how it was run, so we’re hugely excited to now offer a dedicated out of hours service with our own pricing structure and experienced team.

“We’re also now receiving enquiries from other veterinary practices in the surrounding area that want to be able to send their clients, that require emergency care, to a well-known, reputable and independent local business that they trust.”

“We’re also very fortunate to have been able to attract such an experienced and knowledgeable team to run the new service. Most of them already have a strong track record in providing out of hours and emergency services, and they were all extremely keen to join us, which

speaks volumes about our reputation.”

Drove Vets is a member of XLVets which is a community of independently owned veterinary practices that works collaboratively for the greater good of the veterinary profession by sharing best practice, experience, knowledge and skills to define the highest standards of veterinary care.

For further information, please visit: drovevets.co.uk

Cold Blooded Creatures make the best of pets

Cold Blooded Creatures is an independent reptile shop based in Swindon at Unit 26, BSS Cheney Manor, with easy parking and access.

Visit the shop which is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10am to 6pm and open Sunday 10am to 4pm.

Having been awarded a 5 star Higher Standard Pet License by Swindon Borough Council, the shop stocks up to 53 different types of

Abbey Dog Training

reptile species – including Amazon Milk Frogs, Spotted Pythons and Bearded Dragons (pictured).

Most popular at the moment are Tarantulas, Scorpions, Royal Pythons and Hognose Snakes.

They also stock all essentials required for feeding, heating and lighting set ups, and all décor to make their enclosures look good!

See Facebook & Instagram for updates.

Abbey Dog Training delivers the best force-free, reward-based training possible.

Alison, who runs the training, said: "We want training to be fun for both dog and human. It should never be a chore, gone are the days of walking in circles around a hall - we aim to give real skills for a lifetime with your dog.

"We support owners at every stage of their journey - from helping with how to choose a pup, puppy training, adolescence and a lifetime of fun. With my wonderful team, I am sure we can help whatever stage of life you and your pup is at." team@abbeydogtraining.co.uk 01793 626085

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Toomers Pet Centre

Toomers Pet Centre in Stone Lane, Lydiard Millicent, stocks everything you’ll need for to keep your pet happy and healthy.

You’ll find a wide and interesting range of products, including feed to cover all your pets’ dietary needs (whatever your budget). toys, treats and chews and other accessories like bowls, beds/bedding, grooming, health & hygiene, leads/collars/harnesses/ and coats.

For more information on the ranges visit www.toomers.co.uk

An Amazon Milk Frog

Bearded Dragon Spotted Python

Everlasting Physiotherapy

Did you know that 80% of dogs over eight years old have arthritis?

It is the aim at Everlasting Physiotherapy to help as many dogs as possible maintain their mobility and reduce pain. They offer home visits to all species and also treat lots of other ailments. They provide a comprehensive assessment and tailored treatment, including massage, LASER, manipulations, electrotherapies and exercises. They work under vet consent (a legality) and will communicate with the vets on your behalf. They treat every animal as if they are part of the family. www.everlastingphysiotherapy.co.uk swindonlink.com n December 2025

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• Full Grooms •Bath, Brush & Tidy • De-shedding Mud Mask • De-shed • Trimming, Clipping & Scissoring as required • Hand Stripping • Puppy Introduction Groom • Nail Clip & Ear Clean • Pick-up & Drop off Service • Free Consultation • 1-1 Dog Groomer www.bubbleandbarkgroomers.co.uk 07464 047602 bubbleandbarkgroomers@gmail.com

AT STUDLEY GRANGE A T N A !

S We are now taking bookings for breakfast and tea with Santa and santa on the farm!

For more information on bookings please see the Christmas Page on our website

www.studleygrange.co.uk

Located in Badbury Park, Swindon SN3

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Business Profile - Q:chi Business Type - Provider of intelligent software Opened: 2001 Address - NEXUS Business Centre, 6 Darby Close, Cheney Manor, Swindon SN2 2PN Tel - 01793 480900 Web - www.qchi.net AI is the subject of so much misunderstanding that it is the cause of a great deal of worry to the leaders of many a business.

However, with nearly a quarter of a century in the intelligent software sector, Swindon-based Q:chi is well equipped to help clients navigate what might, for them, be a previously unknown landscape.

CEO Greg Evans said: "I would encourage people to look to the positives and embrace the change.

"Lots of organisations have the same kinds of problems.

They have groups of people, often in different offices in different countries, and they struggle with collaboration; they struggle with the clarity, the visibility and the challenges of collaborating.

"When a team in Europe is accountable to a boss in North America, how do you collaborate with each other with the least friction, with the least amount of delay or the fewest manual steps to share information and so on?

"Probably a central thing to what we do is to provide software that is very intuitive to use and that takes care of the collaboration between groups, so that they get on with their day job and they don't waste

time having to duplicate entry of information or having to send information by email, or pull spreadsheets together or whatever.

"It makes a lot of those things much easier to do.

"There is a lot of fear about the possible disruption caused

by AI over the next few years. I think there is a lot of overselling of AI. We may well look to be in a bubble at

"We do see an opportunity for sharing information about AI, for offering simple solutions to actually help small and medium sized companies to embrace new ideas about how to harness digital platforms, and to actually be able to work more easily, more efficiently, more quickly, whilst at the same time getting to know more about AI technology and what it can offer their

Founder and CEO Greg Evans the moment. There are lots of examples of major companies making promisees about AI which don't necessarily line up with what we're actually seeing happen.

"When you combine that kind of overselling with the fear factor, I think that what you have is lots of regular people in regular companies feeling to some degree frozen. They're not quite sure where to go or what to do.

business.

"It is small, digestible steps toward embracing AI that will actually help lots of organisations improve how they are doing things."

Q:Chi will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in May next year and Greg says that over that time as a small UK business, they've faced plenty of challenges from intense competition and rapid shifts in the global tech sector.

Helping a diverse array of clients Q:chi CEO Greg Evans says the firm has spent many years helping a broad range of clients maximise their success.

He explained: "We have worked with international clients, typically American technology clients and medium-to-large companies, on creating efficiency, accountability, how they spend their marketing budgets - which are often sizeable budgets.

"That might involve things like budget control, approvals that can be audited, visibility of spend, clarity on what kind of marketing the organisation is planning and executing, so that people in different teams can actually see what the whole organisation is doing, and senior management can see what their precious investment is being used for.

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Swindon Academy is proud to be a School of Character and Excellence Swindon Academy is proud to be a School of Character and Excellence, where every student is supported to grow into a confident, capable, and compassionate individual.

Mission

It is our collective mission to ensure that every pupil can flourish personally and academically, so they have the best chance to live their best life.

Vision We strive to develop the whole-school ethos and build a culture of high expectations, aspiration and belonging.

We care about the development and future of your children, and we offer a unique and supportive educational journey from Reception all the way into Secondary school and beyond.

We are proud to be the top performing school for GCSE progress in the town and one of the highest for attainment—a reflection of our students’ determination, our staff’s dedication, and the unwavering support of our parents and carers.

Students in our Primary are guaranteed a place at Swindon Academy Secondary.

Together, we help our young people not just meet expectations - but exceed them.

Apply now for a place in Reception 2026

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School Profile: Welcome to Swindon Academy Get to know the schools in your area This issue: Swindon Academy Address: Beech Ave, Swindon SN2 1JR Tel: 01793 426900 Website: www.swindon-academy.org

Our Values At Swindon Academy Primary, we ensure that every pupil can flourish academically and personally in an aspirational and supportive environment.

We pride ourselves on having the highest expectations of all pupils and staff. We are passionate about working together to achieve success for our pupils.

We are committed to providing a high-quality education that improves the life chances of all pupils, underpinned by our shared values; hard work, kindness and responsibility.

I work hard

We all give 100% every day to be the best we can be. We believe that success comes through effort and determination.

I am kind

We are thoughtful and considerate about how we treat ourselves and others.

I am responsible

Our Primary ensures that all students have the best chance to live their best life.

EYFS and Phonics outcomes: Well above national average.

We take responsibility for our actions and decisions. We don’t make excuses. We accept that we make mistakes, and we learn from them.

Find out more about Swindon Academy Primary here:

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APPLY BY 15 JANUARY Reception places at Swindon Academy Is your child is starting Reception in September 2026?

It’s time to apply for their place!

Swindon Academy Primary offers two locations at Alton Close in Penhill and Beech Avenue in Pinehurst.

We foster a welcoming vibe and hold high expectations for both our teachers and pupils. Families are warmly embraced as integral members of our school community.

If you would like your child to start in Reception in September 2026, please make sure you get your application done by the deadline of 15 January.

IF YOUR CHILD IS IN NURSERY - YOU STILL APPLY

Scan here to apply via Swindon Borough Council School Admissions:

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BUSINESS PROFILE

Business - Total Clearance Swindon (TCS) Nature of work - Professional domestic and commercial waste clearance services Address - Serving Swindon and surrounding area Telephone - 07739 485239 Website - totalclearanceswindon.co.uk Meet Total Clearance Swindon, mattresses. The average cost temptation to go with the your local, responsible waste for us to legally dispose of just cheapest option when clearing clearance team! one mattress is over £35 - and waste - but unfortunately, At Total Clearance Swindon, the lowest price often comes that’s before factoring in time, we’re proud to serve the local at a much higher cost to the fuel, labour and overheads. community with a professional, environment and the community.

When we provide a quote, affordable, and fully licensed Fly-tipping remains a serious it’s not just the disposal fee waste clearance service. problem in Swindon and across we account for - it’s also the Whether you’re moving the UK. travel, the time it takes to load house, clearing out a garage In many fly-tipping cases, the and sort items, and of course, or tackling a garden project, original householder had no the need to operate as a we’re here to make the sustainable business. idea their waste was going to process smooth, legal, and If someone offers to take be dumped. environmentally responsible. away items like mattresses for That’s why we urge everyone Our mission is simple: to £20 or £30, there’s a strong to always ask to see a waste clear your unwanted waste chance that waste will end up carrier license before booking with minimal fuss, maximum fly-tipped. any clearance job. It's quick, efficiency, and zero harm to We understand the easy and essential. the environment.

How the location pictured at the top We know that waste is of the page looked before TCS were more than just rubbish - it’s a called in responsibility.

That’s why we go above and beyond to ensure that as much of your waste as possible is reused, recycled, or repurposed, instead of ending up in landfill.

At Total Clearance Swindon, we sort every load and work with licensed recycling centres to ensure items are processed correctly.

Whether it's metal, wood, old appliances or green waste, we always aim to minimise the envionmental impact of everything we remove.

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Supporting the community through honest work We’re not just a business; we’re part of the local community.

We live here, work here, and take pride in helping keep Swindon clean, tidy, and green.

From domestic clearances to commercial jobs, no task is too big or small, and we’re always just a message away if you need advice or a noobligation quote.

So whether you're clearing out a single item, or need a full property emptied, choose a company you can trust - one that prioritises transparency, legality, and environmental responsibility.

At Total Clearance Swindon, we’re fully licensed waste carriers, and we’re always happy to provide proof - by email, text, or in person. If someone refuses to show you their license, or makes excuses not to, then there is a strong possibility that your waste will end up on the side of a road or alleyway.

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LINK POLITICS Swindon to reap benefits of Thames Valley Devolution A column by Swindon Borough Council Leader Cllr Jim Robbins Swindon stands at a crossroads.

Once celebrated as the fastest-growing town in Europe, we have seen stagnation and decline in recent years until the Labour council took over and introduced first the Swindon Plan and then the Heart of Swindon regeneration strategy.

We now have an opportunity to reclaim our fastest growing town in Europe status and secure a prosperous future for generations to come. The proposed Thames Valley Mayoral Strategic Authority (MSA) offers exactly that—a game-changing partnership that will unlock billions in investment, deliver better infrastructure, and create thousands of jobs.

Under this plan, Swindon will join forces with Oxfordshire

and Berkshire to form a new combined authority led by a directly elected mayor. This isn’t about taking powers away from local councils; it’s about adding strategic clout where it matters most—transport, housing, skills, and innovation.

Local services like looking after vulnerable children, waste collection and social care will remain under Swindon Borough Council’s control, but big-ticket decisions on roads, rail and housing will be made collaboratively, ensuring faster, smarter growth.

The benefits are clear.

Independent analysis suggests devolution could unlock £18.7 billion for the Thames Valley economy by 2040, generating £7 billion in additional annual tax revenue. For Swindon, that means new homes—including much-needed social housing— better connectivity along the M4 corridor, and investment in skills to match our ambitions. It means creating the conditions for businesses to thrive and for residents to access high-quality jobs close to home.

Crucially, this isn’t a partisan project. There is crossparty support for joining the Thames Valley MSA. Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors agree: Swindon cannot afford to be left behind. The Labour group have led on the negotiations but we are delighted to have the support of the opposition. Conservative Leader Gary Sumner highlights

the “...compelling economic argument,” while Liberal Democrat Councillor Adam Poole stresses that this alliance will “...increase Swindon’s prosperity.”

For Labour, this is proof of a real plan for Swindon’s future—a plan that moves beyond short-term fixes and sets a strategic vision for decades to come. By embracing devolution we can accelerate housing delivery, attract investment and ensure research and innovation translate into jobs across every part of our town.

The Government has made it clear: regions that act boldly will reap the rewards. Swindon must grasp this opportunity with both hands. Together, as part of the Thames Valley powerhouse, we can reclaim our position as Europe’s fastestgrowing town and write the next chapter in Swindon’s success story.

Will there be much festive cheer for residents and businesses?

A column by borough council Conservative Group Leader Cllr Gary Sumner I am writing this Christmas article before the Chancellor's much anticipated budget, but I can already sense that both residents and businesses will not be feeling the Christmas cheer.

Due to policies brought in by the Labour Government, unemployment is now at the highest rate in a decade and that has a real human cost, felt heavily by those Swindon families who may be affected at Christmas time.

Businesses have stopped hiring due to the decision to increase employers' National Insurance contributions and I very much doubt that the budget will make the situation better.

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the wrong ones. Growing the economy by supporting businesses would have brought in more tax revenue and grown employment but they have chosen not to do this.

The Conservative Group have recently agreed to support the Labour Group in submitting a cross-party expression of interest in joining the Thames Valley bid for a Strategic Mayoral Authority – we have done this because we believe this decision will support business and economic growth

for our town in the years ahead.

Swindon sits at the western end of the Thames Valley and has always promoted itself as a wonderful place to grow a business.

With the completion of the Birdlip bypass, started under the previous Government, our town becomes even more strategically situated for growth.

If the Thames Valley bid is successful, we want to see the promised ‘infrastructure’ support to help us improve critical routes like the A420.

The idea of a Strategic Mayoral Authority is to grow the economy by funding big infrastructure projects and put in place the building blocks for growth, but this brave endeavour will be for nothing if the Government doesn’t support our industries.

This Christmas please support

our local businesses before heading online – they need you and we will all regret it if they close. This is a critical season for them.

Whether you choose to shop in the Town Centre, Old Town or any of our local centres and retail parks – remember they all employ our fellow residents and sustain many families across the borough.

If you can, please also support our local charities such as Christmas Care, The Harbour Project, Swindon Scrapstore and the various charity shops in our town.

From myself and my Conservative councillors may we wish you all a safe, warm and peaceful Christmas.

As your local councillors we are always available to support our residents at all times of the year – so please reach out if we can help over the holiday period.

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Ho, ho, ho! Santa Claus has come to Swindon!

Santa Claus is returning to Swindon this Christmas, and will once again be setting up his popular grotto at The Brunel Shopping Centre.

Prices have been frozen from last year and not only that, this time it is possible to prebook, so families can avoid queuing and have more to time to spend Christmas shopping.

Also, for the first time this year, The Brunel has organised special ‘quiet’ sessions during the first 30 minutes on Sundays. These have been specially designed for children who would prefer to visit Santa when there are fewer people around. These sessions must be pre-booked.

Santa’s Grotto – expertly run by a highly trained group of elves – will be hosted at The Brunel, on the ground floor, opposite Boots. It launched on Saturday 15 November, and the last day is Christmas Eve. Because of Santa’s busy seasonal commitments, the grotto isn’t open every day, so families are advised to check opening times in advance and take advantage of the online booking.

Every child receives a small gift and the chance to tell Santa what they’d like for Christmas. There is also a post box near the grotto, for children to pop their letters to Santa.

Santa was a little busy to be interviewed, but Laura Hepple – Centre Manager of The Brunel, who has been liaising with his North Pole team – said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Santa back to The Brunel for our traditional grotto. We know for some

families, every penny helps, which is why we’ve kept the cost to meet Santa the same as last year.

“Being able to prebook for the first time will mean shorter queuing times for families, and we hope families who prefer visiting when it’s less busy, will take advantage of the ‘quiet’ sessions on Sundays.”

Families can book up to four children per time slot, and the cost is £4.50 per child. Walk-ins are still welcome but prebooking is recommended, to reduce queuing times. Booking is available via www.bookfatherchristmas.co.uk/TheBrunel, and there is an additional £1 admin fee per booking.

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Interview: Dick Millard is co-author of Fossil Hunters, a booklet available at Museum & Art Swindon for £3.50 which is a pocket tour guide to the Jurassic landscape of Old Town.

By Barrie Hudson barrie@swindonlink.com At the time of writing, the first edition of Fossil Hunters, subtitled Unlocking Swindon's Jurassic Past, was well on the way to selling out and being reprinted.

Co-author and Museum & Art Swindon volunteer Dick Millard also helped to put together the venue's popular Fossil Hunters exhibition, which runs until next April.

The origins of Dick's enthusiastic and knowledgeable participation can be traced back more than 20 years.

"My interest in geology rally started on a dark November evening in 2004," he said.

"I didn't have anything better to do and I decided I wanted to take Open University Geology. I signed up and thoroughly enjoyed myself, and carried on studying with them.

"Because I was living here I wanted to find out about local geology.

"We have two Sites of Special Scientific Interest down the road!"

These are the traces of quarrying on the fringes of what are now the Town Gardens area and the Old Town Railway Cutting, once used by the Midland and South Western Junction Railway, which is sometimes referred to as Swindon's Other Railway.

Both locations offer geologists - and interested laypeople armed with a copy of Fossil Hunters - a wealth of traces of a time some 150m years ago when the place which would one day be Swindon lay at the bottom of a tropical ocean and the locals included ammonites and shellfish.

Dick is originally from Cheltenham and grew up mostly in Gloucestershire.

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work for British Telecom in a variety of roles which took him to locations including Birmingham, London and eventually Swindon.

"So it's a kind of accident of fate that I happen to be living fairly close to where I grew up.

"It felt almost like coming home when we moved to Swindon. I retired in 2010 and when I retired I knew that, having had an office-based job for my working life, one of the things I wanted to do was find some way of doing something voluntary out in the open air.

"My interest in geology has provided one of those opportunities."

In addition to volunteering with the Museum & Art Swindon project, Dick has taken on other voluntary roles. He has been a school governor, helped to organise the Friends of the Railway Path which encourages people to use and enjoy the National Cycle Network route from Coate Water to Marlborough, and is a Trustee of mental health charity Recovery Tree which runs TWIGS Community Gardens.

He said: "I've always been interested in the natural environment and landscapes.

I think that was one of the foundations that I had for being interested in geology."

As far as Dick is concerned, geology is fundamental for the human race in a number of ways. Geology, for example, literally shapes the ground beneath our feet and sets the boundaries between land and water. It also accounts for the mineral composition of soils the world over, determining which plants may and may not grow and affecting the lives not just of plants but of every life form relying on plants for sustenance.

Long fascinated by the Swindon geological collection, he had the opportunity to go behind the scenes after the old Museum and Art Gallery moved from Apsley House in Old Town to the first floor of the Civic Offices and became Museum & Art Swindon.

He relished the task of working on the Fossil Hunters booklet and is delighted with its success.

LINK PEOPLE The fascinating geological significance of the Old Town area stems from a series of circumstances which has made the hill on which it sits a record of tens of millions of years of prehistory.

"On the top of Old Swindon Hill, the rocks are late Jurassic in age. In geological terminology Old Swindon Hill is what is called an outlier - rocks that are entirely surrounded by older rocks."

Because of the erosion of much of the surrounding landscape, only the hill carried the record of those ancient times, the rise and fall of the seas and the layers of rock deposited by them.

"Because of the erosion that has happened, an awful lot of what used to be there has now gone forever and we have no idea about it.

"So the rocks on top of Old Swindon Hill provide quite a rare window into the circumstances of deposition of those rocks at that time. They allow us to decode what the local environment was like.

"It was a shallow tropical sea, and the water depth in this shallow tropical sea went up and down periodically.

"Over the longer term the sea was getting shallower and shallower, but there were up-and-down bumps on the way, and these up-and-down bumps were caused by local movements of tectonic plates.

"By looking across the country at how the water depth changed, we can work out where the old land masses were and how the tectonic sites were moving to create the changing sea level.

"Because there's not many outliers of this age, that's why Swindon is of particular interest from a scientific point of view."

The Museum & Art Swindon website is www. museumartswindon.com

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POETRY

Adventures in AI poetry amusing but without feeling Maurice Spillane: Of Poetry Swindon

My friend, Nea, composed a poem about me. Great fun, a surprising first poem. Then she admitted using ChatGPT, and it had taken minutes.

She showed me her process and we had fun playing with options. We cheekily requested the poem in the style of the poet, Maurice Spillane. ChatGPT took a while, but it got there. I could see the pattern from some of my poems, the type of

wording I sometimes use. AI let loose, but as a poet I’m not losing any sleep.

The hype around AI in everything leaves me cold.

I got a patent in 1990 for a system where a business analyst could design complex applications and generate millions of lines of code in a minute without programming.

Today, that’d be hyped as AI. But it wasn’t AI, it was an incredible design created

by clever technicians with faultless quality, less than one fault in a million. ChatGPT generating the poem is no different.

Altman and Musk say the next generation will be “smarter than the smartest human.” Such hype - when in fact at best it has made accessible the accumulated knowledge of human culture already on computers, including my poetry, without my permission, and without any feeling.

For Christmas, I tried ChatGPT again. It morphed this from several reviews: poem about Christmas in Liddington, written in the warm, rhythmic, slightly nostalgic style of Maurice

Spillane, who often blends rural imagery, local detail, and quiet sentiment: The downs wear white, a hush of grace, Where frost has kissed each hedgerow’s face, And Liddington, beneath the hill, Lies folded deep, serene and still.

Dear O Dear, one verse is enough! Happy Christmas, Dear Readers.

Events: “Carols & Poems” on 12 December, and a presentation on my “Trekking to Everest” on 10 January: visit www.liddington.org www.mauricespillane.co.uk

The South Swindon Parish Council Column

By Neil Hopkins Chair of South Swindon Parish Council

Parks and Open Spaces: Queens Park Cafe The Parish Council is currently obtaining quotes to remove the Hothouse pillars in Queen’s Park.

The Hothouse has been in a state of disrepair since the 1980s following a storm. Since taking on the management of the park in 2019, we have explored numerous options for the area, and we have decided the safest and best course of action is to remove the structure and develop a café and seating area in its place. This decision has been made in consultation with heritage experts, historic England and Swindon Borough Council.

South Swindon in Bloom 2025 has been another successful year for South

Swindon in Bloom, following a lot of hard work and dedication by local volunteers, councillors and staff. Our entry achieved a gold award for the third year running and received the Tesco Cup for being best in class in the large Town category. S outh Swindon in Bloom was also awarded the Urban Communities Trophy, recognising the hard work that all the different community groups do to bring people together and galvanise their community.

Town Gardens Christmas 2025 This year, we have decided to take a break from the Enchanted Gardens Light Trail in 2025 to focus our efforts on developing new communityled plans for South Swindon in 2026.

We still, however, remain committed to bringing festive joy to our communities and

we’re pleased to announce that, this year, there will be a series of free activities in the Town Gardens open to all.

Join us the two weekends before Christmas, 13th14th and 20th-21st December, between 12pm and 4pm, at the Town Gardens Bandstand for a celebration of South Swindon’s wonderful diversity. Thank you to all residents who joined our light Switch on events in Broadgreen, Cavendish Square and Badbury Park in November. It was a pleasure to host these events and kick off the festive season with all of you.

Thank You Finally, as we come to the end of another busy and successful year, I’d like to thank everyone

who has contributed to making South Swindon Parish such a vibrant and supportive community.

Wishing you all a very happy festive season and a healthy, prosperous New Year ahead.

If you are interested in hiring one of our community facilities, get in contact with the council’s Community Facilities Officer: community@southswindon-pc. gov.uk swindonlink.com n December 2025

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Learn to cycle in your lunch break!

Monthly column with Becky Cox of Swindon Cycle Campaign.

How old were you when you learnt to ride a bike?

Perhaps, like many of the adults we support at Moredon Sporting Hub, you never had the opportunity to learn as a child. Well, it’s never too late to start! And for any “rusty riders”, as the saying goes: “It’s just like riding a bike.”

Once you’ve learnt, you may feel a little wobbly to begin with, but you never forget this life-changing skill.

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery, we’ve been running sessions for women at Moredon Sporting Hub to help them learn to ride a bike. Since July 2024, we’ve helped over 100 women learn to ride a bike and regain their confidence after a long break from cycling.

Sessions take place on Tuesday lunchtimes between

Alfie Howlett: Swindon Town FC writer

Refka was astonished at how quickly she learned to ride noon and 1pm, and we’re now welcoming men who’d like to learn to cycle too.

You’re supported by friendly and experienced staff and volunteers on a dedicated traffic-free cycle track. It’s just £6 per session, which includes bike and helmet hire.

For one lady I worked with recently, learning to cycle was essential to help her get to a new job.

CYCLING

beyond walking distance. This prompted her to join a Learn to Cycle session at Moredon Sporting Hub. After just her second lesson, she was riding laps of the track independently! With route-planning support, she is now cycling to work every day, dropping her daughter off at school en route.

She said: “I absolutely love cycling now - I feel like I’m flying! It’s such a beautiful feeling. I’m still astonished at how quickly I learned.”

To find out more about these cycling sessions and other opportunities at Moredon Sporting Hub, visit centralswindonnorth-pc.gov. uk/moredon-sporting-hub/ cycling, or for any enquiries, please get in touch with me at rebeccacox@britishcycling.org. uk or call: 07515606704.

STFC: Dreaming of a right Christmas

LINK FOOTBALL

a welcome occasion in contrast to the usual league visits from smaller clubs. Town’s winning formula in the FA Cup is also proving potent in the EFL Trophy.

Having advanced to the knockout stages, we can distantly dream of a trip to Wembley in all three competitions!

I think that the consistency in team selection across all games is certainly a key factor behind Town’s top form.

So, plenty of reasons to be cheerful, but for me a handful to be fearful.

The festive season always creates congestion, that’s why we love it!

However, Town aren’t used to the volume of matches across multiple competitions.

I fear they could be victims of their own success.

Lately, the squad has been

stretched due to injuries and suspensions.

Without Harry Smith, Town are fighting with a squad of just 25 senior players. A perfectly manageable size, but one which could run thin in the current circumstances.

I worry for the likes of Tom Nichols who continuously give their all every week and in return gets little respite.

More midfield depth in January is a must. Or else Swindon might fade away.

The coming weeks have the potential to be perfect; local derbies against Cheltenham and Bristol Rovers will bring bragging rights, victories in both the FA Cup and EFL Trophy will allow dreams to drift into 2026, and plenty of points will put Swindon top of the tree.

What more could you ask for this Christmas?

The festive season brings mince one which was exposed the pies and turkey sandwiches; for least.

I believe we’ll remain in the Swindon it’ll provide one of the dark about who’s the dominant sternest tests of the season. force right until the deciding Ten matches, three day. competitions, just 37 days.

It’ll be frustrating at times, It’ll be either sink or swim, in where there are clear what we hope will be the best opportunities to edge away, time of year. only to remain in the pack.

Town enter the coming weeks But Town are no doubt in in a strong position, and they the race, one which we should will be looking to strengthen support until the finishing line. in what could be the season of We will at least soon know joy. who’s our Christmas number The league remains a bunch one. packed, waiting to be spread.

Swindon continue to be Traditionally, for me, the amongst the leaders, who are second round of the FA Cup all unable to stake their claim is an empty weekend for to lead the way.

Christmas shopping.

I’ve never seen such an even This time it brings the league, where anybody in the tantalising prospect of the third top half of the table could round with a tasty tie against establish themselves as the one. Bolton. It’s refreshing to see Swindon competing in the cup.

For everyone’s strengths there The visit of the former Premier are glaring weaknesses; 'he League side will certainly be who dares wins' will just be the 26 swindonlink.com n December 2025 SE December 25 Master pages.indd 26

As a child, Refka, 36, was involved in a horrific car crash which left her with a hole in her arm, and she never learnt to drive due to PTSD. She’d always wanted to learn to cycle but had never managed it, thinking that her disability would make this too difficult. After being made redundant from her previous job, Refka was due to start a new role which was

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TRADE PAGES

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