It's been a busy nine months for us here at Swindon Link.
In July 2023 we took a risk and launched The Ink - our news subscription service for Swindon. And I am pleased to say that the service, which sees long-form investigative news sent to your inbox five days a week, has now reached 500 subscribers.
It was always taking a bit of a chance launching a whole new concept in journalism in the town, but I am pleased to say that Swindon has completely embraced it.
In January, STFC writer Sam Morshead joined the team so every Monday is now our sports focus and Barrie Hudson writes a column every Tuesday.
A subscription costs £5.99 a month which means you get complete access to all our posts five days a week plus exclusive invites to our Ink Community Talks - with the next one taking place on 6 June with John Stooke giving us a history of The Locarno.
Swindonians have really taken to The Ink with its insightul, analytical news that really gets under the skin of the issues facing the town.
But we need more subscribers to make this work so if you haven't already sign up below.
Arts lovers gathered at Swindon's Central Library for the launch of this year's Swindon Festival of Literature programme.
Acclaimed authors set to take part range from conservationist Roger Morgan-Grenville, author of The Return of the Grey Partridge, to Swindon's own Eleanor Barker-White, who will be talking about her latest novel, My Name was Eden.
There will also be poets, musicians, films, workshops and other attractions.
There was particular delight that the festival is going ahead this year, as its future was in jeopardy for a while last year.
Veteran organiser Matt Holland had announced that he would no longer be involved, but some time later announced a change of circumstances which made the 2024 event possible.
Praising backers, festival team members and supporters at today's launch, he said: "There was a time in Summer last year when a festival this year looked unlikely.
"The cost of everything, as you well know, was going up; everything was becoming more challenging.
"It seemed time to take break, to reassess things and maybe see how things go.
"But then, thank goodness, things changed, and even the political scene changed, and thoughts about the festival took a turn for the better.
"With encouragement and support from key supporters and loyal supporters emerging from all sides, the festival was back on. And now here it is, the new programme!"
The festival will run from 5-12 May, beginning with a book auction and sale, and with the traditional Lawn Woods Festival Dawn Chorus at 5.30am on Monday 6 May.
Copies of the programme are being made available at libraries and other public buildings, and full details can also be found at www. swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk
With the local elections swiftly approaching on Thursday, 2 May, residents are being reminded of some important information before they cast their votes:
Remember Photo ID
• Following national changes implemented last year, it is essential that voters bring an accepted form of photo ID when heading to the polling stations on Thursday, 2 May. Accepted forms include passports, photographic driving licences, biometric immigration documents and certain concessionary travel passes.
• Even if the ID has expired, as long as it still resembles the
person and matches the name they’ve registered to vote with, it will be accepted.
Postal and Proxy Voting
• For those who opted for postal or proxy voting, the process remains unchanged. However, it is important to make sure that if someone is voting on a person’s behalf as a proxy, they bring their own ID, not the ID of the person whose vote is being cast.
Changes to Postal and Proxy
Voting
• Here are some restrictions to be aware of regarding postal and proxy voting. Electors are now limited to hand-delivering their own postal vote packs
and those of up to five others.
• Additionally, proxy voters are restricted to acting on behalf of two people, regardless of their relationship. However, those voting on behalf of UK voters living overseas can act as a proxy for up to four people, with a maximum of two being UK residents.
Obtaining a Voter Authority Certificate (VAC)
• For individuals without accepted photo ID, applying for a free Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) is an option. The VAC is valid for 10 years and can be obtained through various means, including through an online application,
postal request, or in-person at the Civic Offices.
For a comprehensive list of accepted forms of identification and further details on applying for the VAC, visit Swindon Borough Council’s website: www. swindon.gov.uk/voterID
Even though the registration deadline for VAC has passed for the elections on 2 May, it's never too early to prepare for the future, including the General Election due to be called this year. People are advised to ensure they have the necessary identification and information to exercise their right to vote.
Swindon resident Graeme, who was not particularly confident in the kitchen, had been seeking a cookery course for some time, where he hoped to improve his culinary skills to increase his meal choices.
Enrolling in a free slow cooking course provided by Swindon Borough Council’s Adult Community Learning team proved to be a turning point. The courses are designed for local residents to discover more about healthy eating and cooking, including menu and budget planning, places to shop, food hygiene and preparing healthy meals.
The course equipped Graeme
with the knowledge and confidence to explore batch cooking, a technique he had been interested in for a while.
Sharing his progress with the courses so far, Graeme said: “I no longer perceive recipes as daunting, and can break them down effectively. This new-found confidence is a key benefit of taking the cookery courses, and has empowered me to experiment and become a more independent cook.”
The courses allowed Graeme to fully embrace batch cooking, where he pre-prepares single pot meals in larger quantities and splits them into freezable portions for him to enjoy later
in the week. This has saved him time and money, as Graeme no longer needs to cook lots of different dishes for dinner.
By eating healthy food, Graeme has also found that he has lost weight and he is also eating fresher and more nutritious food.
He found that the benefits of the courses extended beyond the kitchen, as he was provided with opportunities for more social interaction in classes. He was able to meet new people and combat the feeling of isolation, especially as he lives alone. Graeme added: “I can’t stress enough the social aspect of these cookery courses. They
have made me feel part of a community.
“I look forward to exploring further courses. There is a soup-making class and potentially a craft course that I plan to take.”
The fully-funded slow cooker courses, provided by Adult Community Learning, are available to anyone who is looking to improve their culinary skills or just work on the basics of food preparation.
The full range of courses available, including additional skills in English, Maths and Wellbeing, can be found at www.swindon.gov.uk/ adultlearning
Swindon Borough Council has issued advice to residents about how to dispose of a particular type of plastic waste.
The council has praised local residents for embracing changes to the way waste and recycling is collected in the borough after changes to the system were introduced last November.
But the local authority has reminded people to dispose of soft or flexible plastics with their general refuse, rather
than as part of the normal plastic items in the weighted blue bag.
These items include:
• Film lids from yogurt pots or fruit punnets
• Bread bags
• Delivery bags
• Cereal liners
• Multi-pack wrapping
• Salad, pasta, and rice bags
• Cheese, fish and meat wrapping
• Crisps, sweet bags, biscuit and chocolate wrapping
• Baby, pet food pouches
• Cling film/food wrappings
Some items may say on the packaging that they can be taken to a large supermarket for recycling. Residents can
use Recycle Now’s ‘Recycling Locator’
The next Ink Community Talk will be held as part of the Old Town Festival on Thursday 6 June at St Mary's Church in The Mall.
The talk entitled 'Market Masons and Music' will start at 8pm.
Local author, historian and Swindon Society committee member John Stooke will guide you through a captivating chapter on the rich history of Swindon's Old Town Hall and Corn Exchange.
Embark on a journey starting from the Market Square in the 13th century, understand the era of Brown and Plummer wine merchants, the Masonic Years, the Rink Cinema and Skating Hub, and the iconic Locarno Ballroom which included of course, wrestling,
skating, and most recently bingo.
Discover the evolution of this historic building including the plans Steve Rozier had to redevelop the grade 2 Listed facility and bring its broken walls back from the ashes. Importantly, perhaps understand where it all went wrong.
Don't miss this opportunity of an engaging talk and images that will bring the vibrant past of the Old Town Hall and Corn Exchange fully back to life, sadly in just a metaphorical sense for now.
The talk is given in support of Prospect Hospice with entry by donation. For more details visit www.thisisoldtown.com/fringe-
events-list
The Ink is a new concept where curated news is sent directly to a reader's inbox.
The paid-for version, at £5.99 a month, sees five briefings a week sent to your inbox whilst the free version is sent once a week on a Friday.
The concept of The Ink favours long-form insightful articles that really get under the skin of what's happening in Swindon.
The idea is to fill the gap in good journalism in the town. It also has a growing team of writers including Link stalwarts Jamie Hill and Barrie Hudson, STFC writer Sam Morshead, Angela Atkinson, Bert's Books, Adam Wilson, Fiona Scott, Amanda Wilkins, Dave Franklin and Ed Dyer as well as the autistic journalist Tyler Ody. Find out more about The Ink at theinkswindon.substack.com
A Swindon branding expert who cheated death when his bungee cord snapped during a jump hopes to break the Guinness World Record for pulling a van.
Mike Land, who runs Nickel Design, aims to pull a 1.5 tonne van as far as possible in 24 hours and beat the current record of 32 miles (51.5km). His challenge is in aid of Wiltshire Air Ambulance, and Mike hopes to raise £12,000 – the amount it costs every day to run the life-saving service. This is the latest fundraiser by Mike, who raises money for a number of health-related causes, all inspired by a neardeath-experience when his cord snapped during a bungee jump.
Doctors feared Mike would never make a full recovery, but luckily the medics were wrong and Mike has spent the last 30
years since the accident pushing himself to the limit with daring feats, including abseiling down Portsmouth’s Spinnaker Tower
The date for the official record attempt has yet to be set, but Mike is staging a practice pull on 9 May at Cotswold Airport, near Cirencester, and is inviting sponsors and the public to come and cheer him on. They can even have a go themselves.
He said: “The support has
been fabulous, from everyone in my networking circle to Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce, liking and sharing my social media, handing out my leaflets and allowing me to share my story and challenge.
“This has taken my initial £1,500 pledge to a whopping £12,000, and with everyone's help and support, I feel confident that I can reach this target.”
Mike’s world record attempt was originally planned to be
staged in 2023 at Cotswold Airport, but the venue didn’t meet Guinness’s strict criteria for ground levels. The attempt has been relocated to RAF Locking, near Weston-SuperMare - coincidentally the last place that Mike’s dad, who was in the RAF, was stationed. The date for the attempt is likely to be in August.
Mike is still looking for donations and for businesses who would like to sponsor him and have their logo on the Fiat Doblo, which has been lent by Scarrotts Van & Minibus Centre in Royal Wootton Bassett.
He added: “I couldn’t do any of this without the support and services of the team, Cotswold Airport, Scarrotts Van & Minibus Centre, Aura Signs, Howdens, Trakm8, Secure Safety Solutions and Bernard Geomatics.”
To sponsor Mike, people can visit www.givengain.com/ap/ mike-land-raising-funds-forwiltshire-air-ambulance
The 2024 Front Garden Competition is now open for entries. This year, you can be in with a chance to win fantastic prizes from our sponsors: Town Gardens Café, Studley Grange Garden Centre and Greatfield Garden Centre.
Whether you’ve got a balcony, doorstep or garden to enter, we want to hear from everyone.
To enter, take photos of your garden in all its glory. If you have any plants you absolutely love and want to show off please highlight them to us. Please include in your entry your full name, address and contact details including email and phone number.
Make sure you get your entries into office@
southswindon-pc.gov.uk by Friday 12 July.
Prizes will be announced on our website and social media soon.
Summer Events 2024
We are now moving into the warmer months of the year and I am looking forward to all the events and activities that are taking place throughout the spring and summer.
The free music concerts in the park will start on Sunday 19 May with Swindon Brass and Cricklade Brass at noon and 3pm respectively.
The summer events in the Bowl start with Old Time Sailors on Friday 3 May. In early June, we are taking part in the return of the Old Town Festival, which is taking place the start of June.
On Saturday 1 June, Comedy at the Bowl returns with a new line up of award-winning comedians, and Sunday 9 June,
the Bowl will host Supersonic Queen once again.
There are many more events throughout the summer which you can get involved with, including theatre, opera, and children’s events. You can grab your tickets from the Town Gardens website: www.
towngardens-swindon.co.uk I hope to see you there!
If you are interested in hiring one of our community facilities, please get in contact with the council’s Community Facilities Officer: community@ southswindon-pc.gov.uk
South Swindon Parish Council is sending a message to people and organisations seeking venues for events and classes. The parish council currently has two such venues available for hire - Broadgreen Community Centre and Badbury Park Community Hub. A spokesperson said: "Broadgreen
Community Centre boasts range of hireable rooms, including the main hall, class rooms and meeting rooms.
"Badbury Park Community Hub has a large library room suitable for exercise classes and gatherings and the Bevis Suite, which can host meetings and small gatherings."
Both facilities have accessible kitchens and plenty of chairs and tables. People interested in renting venues are invited to get in touch with the parish council's Community Facilities Officer by emailing community@southswindon-pc.gov. uk
King William Street School Church Council helped to plant native saplings at Christ Church Old Town.
The project was part of the church Eco Group’s ongoing plan to increase biodiversity within the grounds.
Once grown the saplings will provide shelter and food for birds and small mammals.
Sarah Prevost, a teacher at King William Street School, said the children were very excited to be helping with the planting and were looking forward to seeing the saplings grow in future years into mature trees.
Anne Grainger, Chair of Christ Church Eco Group, said: “We are delighted that the children have joined us in this very special project.
"They are, after all, our
future, and what we do now to promote and conserve the natural environment for them is vital."
The saplings planted by he volunteers were donated by the Woodland Trust.
Great Western Hospital bosses are reminding patients of the expanded role of pharmacies.
A spokesperson said: "Patients in Swindon are able to get treatment for seven common conditions at your high street pharmacy, without needing to see a GP, as part of a major transformation in the way the NHS delivers care."
The highly-trained professionals are able to assess and treat sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bites, impetigo, shingles and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women under the age of 65.
Three New College Swindon Media students won places at the BFI Academy in London’s intensive documentary filmmaking course.
NCS candidates Ryan Walters, Chris Salata and Zach Coates said they found the application process fairly easy as they feel so passionately about the course.
Whilst making their documentaries, the students attended Zoom master classes and met many different characters to help inspire their choices.
The official sponsor of The Festival of Sustainable Homes has been announced as Good Energy.
The event, due to be held in Swindon on Friday and Saturday 17-18 May, is expected to attract thousands of people from across the South West.
The family-friendly show at the National Self Build & Renovation Centre will feature more than 200 exhibitors offering advice and information on how to make homes more sustainable, together with inspiring talks and educational tours.
St Andrews Church in North Swindon is planning a 1950s-style May Fayre for Saturday 18 May from noon to 4pm.
The church in Tadpole lane invites visitors to take a trip back in time and sample traditional stalls and games.
The historic church and churchyard will be open to the public, and there will be family friendly activities, competitions and a small craft market.
There will also be a fancy dress contest for children aged 11 and under, themed on 'The May Queen and King', and a baking competition for different age ranges - under-18s and 18-plus.
Game tokens will be for sale at the gate for £5 for 10 games plus two free games, and which can be purchased using cash or card. Cash will also be accepted at the stalls.
The public are asked to walk or use public transport as onsite parking will be limited to a small number of disabled bays. The church is located on Tadpole Lane, between Lyall Close and Abbey Caravan Park, with foot access from Lyall Close and Tadpole Lane. The Number 10 bus route passes the church, stopping outside
Blunsdon Abbey.
For general and competition enquiries and competition rules, people can contact Karen Vermeersch via her email at karenvermeersch@hotmail.com
To book a table at the craft market, people can contact Coral van der Kamp on 07867 303516 or via ccvdk@outlook. com
Prospect Hospice is calling on people to ask their MPs to protect hospice care.
The plea comes amid what the Wroughton-based charity describes as a £1m hole in its funding for the year.
The situation has prompted what hospice chiefs describe as tough decisions such as reducing the number of inpatient beds from eight to six.
On Monday 15 April, MPs were due to discuss hospice funding in Parliament during a backbench business debate but it was postponed. The hospice says it needs MPs to speak up and protect local hospice care.
Chief Executive Jeremy Lune said in a blog post: "I’ve been in post as Chief Executive for a year now. During this time, I’ve seen the impact the care of our dedicated staff and volunteers has on people with a life-limiting illness. This is why it’s so hard for me to say
that Prospect Hospice is under threat and in urgent need of a lifeline.
"This is no reflection of how hard our team is working to provide care for local people and their families. It’s down to the financial challenges we face, as people’s ability to give is affected by the cost-of-living crisis, and the NHS funding, falls far short of what’s needed.
"While the demand for and cost of delivering our care increases rapidly, the funding we get from the Government has remained flat for more than 10 years, meaning in real terms, that we get less year on year.
"This situation is simply not sustainable. To keep providing our vital services, we are having to make difficult decisions.
"We have reduced the number of beds in our inpatient unit to six, despite having room for 12. This is devastating for all of us who strive to offer end-of-life care to everyone in
our community. This decision, as hard as it has been, isn’t enough, as we still go into the new financial year with a £1 million hole in our finances – out of the £8.5 million it costs to run the hospice each year.
"Our hope is that changes like these are short-term measures. But to survive and grow our services to meet the increasing demand, we need funding we can rely on."
The blog post, information about supporting Prospect and a downloadable email suitable to be sent to MPs can be found at www.prospect-hospice.net
Trevor Nelson making Swindon part of Soul Nation
MECA Swindon will host Trevor Nelson's Soul Nation RnB dj spectacular on Saturday 11 May.
Trevor Nelson MBE is a critically-acclaimed radio host, promoter, club dj and TV presenter.
An award-winning dj and champion for RnB music worldwide, he is a household name across the UK.
An old school party full of 80s Soul / 90s & 00s RNB & Hip Hop / Dancehall & UK Garage is promised.
Tickets can be obtained via www.mecaswindon.co.uk/ events-tickets/trevor-nelsonsoul-nation/
New coach route links Swindon to South Coast and Midlands
National Express has announced plans to increase direct coach services for customers travelling from Swindon to the South Coast and the West Midlands.
The coach operator has introduced a new daily 161 service which adds Swindon to the popular cross country coach network.
New journey options will connect Swindon to Birmingham, Southampton and Bournemouth.
People can visit www. nationalexpress.com to plan journeys and book tickets.
New research has revealed that passing a driving test in Swindon is harder than anywhere else in the UK.
A study by Howden Insurance examined the pass rate percentage of major driving test centres in the UK which conducted at least 1,000 tests from January 2020 to December 2023.
It found that in Swindon 21.5% of learners passed their tests overall, with males having a pass rate of 20.15% and females at 25%.
Rotary Club of Swindon Old Town has announced that this year's Swindon’s Famous Duck Race will be held as usual at the end of May Bank HolidayMonday 27 May.
There will also be a Dog Show, organised this year by the Food Fairies for Street Dogs and Cats charity, along with many other activities, charity stalls and refreshments, making for a good family day out.
It will all take place as usual at the Westcott Recreation ground, opposite the Runner Pub, as it has done for well over 20 years, and preparations are well under way.
A club spokesperson said: "Of course, the ducks are plastic, they are not real, and we are very vigilant to ensure every
single one is retrieved from the river after the races.
"There will be three race categories - a Sponsored Business Drake Race, the Schools’ Duck Race and the biggest race, the Main Duck Race.
"Tickets are on sale at £1 a duck. The winning duck ticket holder will receive £1000 and there will be six runners-up prizes of £100 each."
All money raised from the event will be donated to a range of charities, many of whom will be selling tickets in advance. The day’s events are organised by members of Swindon Old Town Rotary Club and supported by its Associate Members.
The spokesperson added: "We are very grateful to our sponsors Imagine Cruising, Cubic Storage and McArthurGlen, for their wonderful support for this popular event.
"This is the club’s biggest annual fund raiser for charities. Admission is free, come along and join in the fun!"
Prospect Hospice is preparing for a nine-day Great Wall of China adventure taking place from Saturday 11 to Sunday 19 October 2025.
Not only will participants trek on the wall itself, meticulously built and restored over thousands of years, but they will also trek through wild and remote landscapes with distant views of green rolling hills, mountain peaks and with one of the great wonders of the world as the backdrop.
Jo Hyde, clinical lead in the inpatient unit at Prospect Hospice, said: “We care for more than 1,700 people every year. Every person that walks through the door is helped by our dedicated supporters in some way.
“Working in the hospice has allowed me to witness first-hand the importance of supporting people and their families living with a terminal illness.
"This trek is not just an adventure; it's an opportunity to make a difference to the lives of those who need free
and compassionate care at the end of their lives as well as their families.”
The registration fee is £395 which includes flights, accommodation, meals, local trek guides and all necessary permits. The hospice would like participants to raise a minimum of £3,995 in sponsorship to help the charity continue providing free end of life care to people in our community.
Sheryl Crouch, head of income,said: “We understand that the amount of sponsorship may seem daunting,”
“That’s why we’re launching this bucket list challenge over a year in advance to ensure participants will have ample time to fundraise. Each
participant will receive full support and ideas from our dedicated fundraising team.”
The trip includes a challenging five-day trek along the wall and is rounded off with a trip to Beijing and two of its biggest attractions, The Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.
Prospect Hospice will be holding an informal information evening where participants will be provided with lots of information about this exciting opportunity on Wednesday 15 May at 6.30pm at the hospice in Wroughton.
You can find more information or sign up at www.prospect-hospice.net/ greatwall
Steam was the venue for the grand official launch of Thomford Academy.
The performing arts academy currently runs at Steam on Saturday mornings.
Principal Nicki Rochford said: "There are so many talented and enthusiastic young people in the area. We are looking forward to developing their skill set and watching them perform and achieve.
"We will be putting on lots of shows and also having industry professionals visit and deliver specialised workshops to the students. We can't wait!"
Young people at the launch proudly held certificates saying they were among the first students of the academy.
This July students aged 11 to 17 will be performing at His
Majesty's Theatre in the West End.
In September the academy will be expanding and opening its books to ages three to 18.
There will be classes in musical
theatre, acting and audition techniques.
Nicki Rochford added: "The launch was so much fun and it was wonderful to celebrate new beginnings."
More information can be obtained by visiting www. thomfordacademyco. uk or emailing info@ thomfordacademy.co.uk
"We're doing something timeless and universal," says Matt Holland when asked about the success of Swindon Festival of Literature.
"Cavemen and women did what we're doing. Effectively we're sitting around a figurative fire, scratching our heads, looking at one another and saying, 'What's the meaning of life? Where can I find love? What shall we do tomorrow? How are you? Tell me a story about yourself and I'll know you.'
"That's all that we're doing, really.
"'Festival of Literature' sounds fancy but actually it's men and women talking and listening to one another in this day and age of flashing lights, digital communication and so on.
"This is live men and women sitting, talking, communicating and it's timeless, it's universal, and I'm so pleased that the people of Swindon love it as I do."
Matt is originally from Purton.
"I went to Malmesbury Grammar School in the Sixties and I then left this area to earn money in London and be educated in Oxford.
"I used to go home to see my parents and my mother told me, 'There are some interesting things going on at one of the farms you used to work on.' I used to help haymaking here when I was a schoolboy.
"The council bought by compulsory purchase five farms on the West side of Swindon. There was Toothill Farm and Eastbrook Farm and so on.
"Lower Shaw Farm was one of them, and our forebears, our predecessors here, had a project called the Foundation for Alternatives in Urban Development.
"They were using Lower Shaw
Farm. One of their members was a member of the borough council who had got a six month lease to use Lower Shaw Farm for alternative activitiesorganic gardening, Yoga, things that were new then, and I came and joined them in 1980.
"It ticked many of my boxes; I knew farm work, I wanted to have a go at community living, I wanted to make the world a better place, etc etc, and Lower Shaw Farm looked like an opportunity to do that."
Matt remains at the farm to this day, and it has become one of Swindon's most prominent centres for arts, crafts and community events.
The festival had its genesis some 31 years ago when Matt was approached by book auctioneer Dominic Winter, who died in 2014. He was a member of Swindon Chamber of Commerce, which was looking for suggestions as to how to advertise its centenary.
Rather than have a single celebration it was decided that a series of monthly onesranging from hot air ballooning to ballroom dancing - should take place.
Dominic Winter wanted something 'bookish' and approached Matt, who had been writing reviews of other literature festivals and believed there was room for one in Swindon.
Mr Winter donated £3,000
toward that first festival, whose invited authors included former Labour leader Michael Foot and - promoting his book reappraising Sir Winston Churchill - Clive Ponting, a former civil servant sensationally cleared of a security breach after revealing information about the sinking of an Argentine vessel during the Falklands conflict.
"The result was that Swindonians liked it but the Chamber of Commerce was less than happy because, they said, 'It doesn't quite fit the profile of most of our members, these left-wing authors talking about sex and having a go at Churchill.'
"They wouldn't fund it for a second year, but Dominic did and Lower Shaw Farm did and a scrap metal merchants' did - Holland Handling, they happened to be my brothers!"
Three years on, the Arts Council offered support, although the borough council of the day took five years to come on board.
Matt recalls one councillor of the period telling him: "We admire your enthusiasm, young man, but it won't work. I think you'll find that 'literature' is too long a word for Swindon."
Generations of delighted festivalgoers have proved otherwise.
There was widespread concern last year when Matt
announced that there would be no 2024 festival - and equally widespread joy when the decision was rescinded.
Matt explained: "One of the reasons why I wasn't going to do a festival this year was that on the back of the Swindon Festival of Literature we've created a project called Artswords, which ministers to the needs of reading groups, writing groups and mentoring for writers.
"As a result we've had Swindon writers win prizes; we've had a Swindon writer get a two-book deal from HarperCollins, and it's really exciting. People are coming out of the woodwork who want to write."
Groups include Mum's the Word, a group of mothers who have produced an excellent anthology of poetry, prose and art.
"Not everybody can be a writer, but a minority can, and they're on my home patch, and I'm not having to chase them from Timbuktu or New York, and it's really exciting.
"That was the reason for taking a break and focusing on the work in Swindon - but what I hadn't reckoned with was that the people who come to the writing workshops also love the festival! Nobody told me that!
"You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone, and they too came out of the woodwork and said, 'Matt, we want the writing groups and the mentoring, but we also are inspired by the festival because it's a celebration'. I'm easily persuaded - and the council were also very encouraging."
This year's Swindon Festival of Literature runs from 5-12 May, with festivalgoers promised that its main focus will be on Swindon itself - writers, readers and performers. Full details can be found at www. swindonfestivalofliterature.co.uk
Business Profile - Healthcare Homes
Business Type - Care home provider
Established - 2005
Location - Kingsmead Care Home – 65 Prospect Place, SN1 3LJ
Ladymead Care Home – Moormead Road, Swindon SN4 9BY
Telephone number - Kingsmead 01793 379050. Ladymead 01793 845063
Website - www.healthcarehomes.co.uk
By Barrie Hudson barrie@positive-media.co.ukHealthcare Homes has been providing care for almost two decades.
The organisation is proud of the founding philosophies and ongoing commitment which have won acclaim from clients and across the sector.
A Healthcare Homes spokesperson said: "At Healthcare Homes, we’re proud to provide the highest level of bespoke care across our services; residential homes, nursing homes, homecare, livein care and specialist services.
"Founded in 2005, our mission has always been to deliver exceptional care where dignity is respected, talents and interests are nurtured, and physical, emotional and social well-being is supported.
"We are proudly regularly recognised in industry awards across our homes.
"Our hard work and dedication is also recognised by independent review sites
"We feature in the top 20 of care home UK providers by independent review site carehome.co.uk
"Caring is at the heart of everything we do.
"Throughout our homes, we take great pride in providing tailored care to each and every person we support.
"We do this by working closely with those in need of care, their families and friends. Together, we create unique care plans to ensure we deliver the most beneficial care and support, whilst honouring our residents’ aspirations, wants, likes and dislikes.
"We believe it’s our dedication to delivering the most individualised, personal care to all our residents that makes us stand out, and ensures our residents enjoy living their lives to their fullest potential."
Healthcare Homes runs two care homes in the Swindon area, and says each embodies the ethos of the organisation.
The spokesperson said:
"Ladymead Care Home is located in a beautiful rural area of Wroughton.
"The home is only a short drive from Swindon Town Centre and there is easy access to local transport
"Ladymead is a purpose-built home providing residential and nursing care to the elderly.
"It is a very friendly and happy home with an extended family feel.
"The staff pride themselves on making homely and comfortable environment, and they work according to the residents’ needs and routines
"The home has TV lounges and a quiet sitting room where residents can relax in quiet contemplation or enjoy the company of others.
"Kingsmead Care Home is located in the Old Town area of Swindon.
"The home has a selection of lounges, a quiet sitting room, and communal areas, where activities are often held.
"The meal experience is excellent at Kingsmead, with our chef and catering team working hard to create meals that are both nutritious and tasty, using fresh seasonal ingredients.
The care home manager is a registered nurse and has heavy involvement with residents and the day-to-day running of the home."
Ladymead Care Home manager Byju Vasudevan said: "We offer fantastic care and we have happy residents.
"The home has an excellent reputation and is run by a highly dedicated and skilled team.
"Some of the staff have been with us between 10 and 20 years!
"My team encourages the residents in a heartfelt wayit is not just a job."
Kingsmead Care Home counterpart Rares Pop said: " I’m very passionate about my job and love being able to make a positive impact in people’s lives.
"I have been working in care for the past 10 years, starting as a nurse in an acute hospital ward before moving into private healthcare and care home management."
For a reassuring chat with an advisor, people can call 01793 387330 or alternatively visit healthcarehomes.co.uk
By Jamie Hill jamie@swindonlink.com
This year's Swindon Shuffle will take place from Thursday 12 September to Sunday 15 September.
And this year the festival's headline sponsor will be Swindon-based UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Once again the original music festival, which takes over venues throughout Old Town and the town centre, will be raising money for Prospect Hospice.
The Swindon Shuffle has been a fixture in the diaries of local music lovers for the last 17 years, celebrating all that is good about the Swindon music scene.
The 2024 event (the 17th edition technically as 2020’s festival was online) actually runs from Wednesday 11 September with an opening music quiz event at The Beehive.
But the real musical festivities start on the Thursday and run until the Sunday, with over 70 acts featured across five main venues (The Beehive, The Castle, The Hop, The Tuppenny and The Victoria) alongside fringe events at venues like Baristocats, The Eternal Optimist, the Eastcott Community Centre and more.
The Shuffle was conceived by a group of independent music promoters in 2007, inspired by established city festivals like The Camden Crawl, The Great Escape and the Oxford Punt.
Organiser Ed Dyer said: “We're really excited to be working with UKRI this
year, who will be helping us to continue to raise money for Prospect Hospice and supporting the creativity of our local music scene.
"We have a really exciting programme of music in store, and this year we are doing as much as we can to highlight the wonderful musical talent on our doorstep, and help nurture the local scene and support local venues. As always we are indebted to our amazing acts, venues and sponsors for enabling this all to happen.”
UKRI is the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK. They invest £8 billion of taxpayers’ money each year into research and innovation and the people who make it happen, working across a huge range of fields –from biodiversity conservation to quantum computing, and from space telescopes to innovative health care.
UKRI have a long history of supporting the arts and have supported projects like -
n Using AI to help trip-hop legends Massive Attack create digital instruments
n Developing immersive audio recording techniques at Real World Studios in Wiltshire
n Investigating how music can benefit people living with mental health issues
n Inventing a violin that can be played with only one hand
Christopher Smith, Executive Chair of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (part of UKRI), said: “We’re
very excited to support the Shuffle festival. UKRI is one of the largest employers in Swindon, with our headquarters in Polaris House near the station, and many of our staff are musicians. Some are even in local bands that are hoping to be on the line-up when it’s announced! And of course, Prospect Hospice is close to the hearts of so many of us who live locally, so we are delighted that the event raises money for such an important cause.
“But those are not the only reasons we wanted to get involved. This is an opportunity to raise awareness of UKRI’s extensive support for research and innovation in the arts, from improving the design of traditional instruments to creating amazing ‘extended
reality’ performancestechnology is making a big difference to music and how people experience it.
“UKRI-funded research has also shown how inclusive access to cultural activities supports well-being and helps communities to flourish, which means it’s actually good for you to attend the Swindon Shuffle Festival!”
The organisers of the festival are still looking for further sponsors and will be creating a programme to be distributed across the area.
The line-up will be released in a couple of months' time and the organisers have revealed there will be a few surprises for this year to come.
All sessions are free entry with full details available at www.swindonshuffle.org.uk
The story of an aristocrat who fought as an ordinary private soldier in some of the bloodiest battles of World War One was told at a talk organised by the Friends of Lydiard Park and Lydiard Archives.
Vernon St.John, whose family home was Lydiard House, fought with the 6th Dorsets at Passchendaele through the grim autumn of 1917 and faced the German spring offensive on the Somme in 1918.
One moment the young Lord Bolingbroke was celebrating his coming of age at Lydiard Park, the next he was set on a path for the battlefields of France.
His story was told by author and miitary history expert Christopher Jary before a rapt audience at Lydiard Park Hotel and Conference Centre.
Mr Jary, a volunteer at The Keep military museum in Dorchester, is editor of The Keep in 60 People, in which Vernon's experiences are detailed.
He said: "It seems funny, doesn't it? A Viscount fighting as an ordinary English Tommy.
"It is of course the basis of much of the humour in Dad's Army. The faintly aristocratic Sergeant Wilson serving under the socially-insecure, very middle class Captain Mainwaring."
It was not especially unusual
for members of the aristcracy to fight in the war, but for a member of the aristocracy to decide to fight as an enlisted soldier rather than an officer was a different matter.
Mr Jary said: "The reality was that someone of his background could almost certainly have avoided the trenches had he chosen to do so by slipping into a safe job somewhere - either in uniform or not."
Vernon, who inherited his title as the only legitimate heir, had two older brothers, Henry and Charles, who had already fought in the war and been wounded.
Vernon was in the thick of what many historians cite as the key battle of the war.
Mr Jary said: "By March 1918 the Russians had left the war, the Americans hadn't arrived in any numbers and the French had had the fight kicked out of them at Verdun.
"In 1918 it was British troops who confronted and eventually
"But on 2 April he was evacuated wounded from the battlefield.
"It was the end of his war. He had a minor wound but, unsurprisingly, a major attack of neurasthenia - shellshock.
"Brought back to England, he was admitted to Canadian General Kitchener Hospital in Brighton, where he was treated for shellshock."
Vernon was discharged with honour from the Army on 6 November 1918, five days before the Armistice. He was 22 years old. He unveiled the War Memorial in Lydiard Tregoze and would live until 1974.
halted the massive German offensive and who, once the Germans had expended their strength, turned the offensive and chased them back.
"The British Army soundly beat the German Army on the battlefield - it was arguably their finest hour."
And the young Viscount, who had enlisted on 4 June 1917?
Mr Jary said: "He seems to have survived those first horrific 10 days of the German March offensive.
He endured the effects of shellshock for the rest of his life, but did not allow this to prevent him from distinguishing himself as a nature writer or serving in the Home Guard during World War Two.
Mr Jary said it was impossible to know how Vernon felt about his experiences in 1917 and 1918, but added: My guess is that as an ordinary soldier he found himself among comrades and found that a pleasant experience.
"I hope so."
Information about future events hosted by the Friends of Lydiard Park can be found at www.friendsoflydiardpark. org.uk
The life of one of Swindon’s most famous residents will be celebrated later this year - heavy metal style.
Steve Grimmett, producer, songwriter and lead singer of the internationally renowned metal band Grim Reaper, will be remembered at the one-day Wings of Angels Festival, named after the lead track from the band’s 2018 album Walking in the Shadows.
Grim Reaper were at the forefront of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal scene which took the world by storm in the 1980s.
Steve, who sold over a million albums, is considered one of the greatest heavy metal singers of all time.
He gained notoriety throughout the world, with a large following in Europe as well as across the Atlantic in the USA, South America, and also in Japan. His career included numerous highly acclaimed studio albums, single releases and MTV airplay.
Steve died in August 2022 and his wife, Millie, is organising the festival to celebrate his life and meet the demand from the singer’s global fanbase for a final send-off.
Wings of Angels is being held at Swindon’s MECA on Friday 23 November. Tickets are available online at wingsofangelsfest.com
The festival will include guest singers performing songs from Steve's back catalogue, and bands from around the world with a connection to Steve and his music. Former WASP Guitarist Chris Holmes is headlining the event.
Millie Grimmett said: “Steve’s life was heavy metal. He got so much pleasure out of performing onstage, meeting fans and recording music.
"It’s only right that the Wings of Angels Festival pays tribute to that through a packed line-up of metal acts from near and
far. We’re looking forward to a soldout Festival, amazing music and a fitting celebration of Steve’s life.”
In addition to Steve’s back catalogue of music dating from 1979-2022, his legacy also includes influence on popular culture in the 1990s, with Grim Reaper songs See You in Hell (1983), Fear No Evil (1985) and Rock You to Hell (1987) each gaining notoriety for appearing on the MTV show Beavis and Butt-Head.
During his 45-year career, Steve shared the stage with a wealth of big names including Judas Priest, Bon Jovi, Scorpions and Deep Purple.
At one time he was even touted to be the new vocalist for Iron Maiden.
Millie added: “Such was Steve’s impact on music that we have had people contact us from around the world to purchase tickets and to join us in Swindon, UK for Wings of Angels.
"People have been sharing stories and pictures on our social media pages and it is really heartwarming to see this outpouring of affection for someone who did so much to shape the metal scene over several decades.”
From 10 June it will be a legal requirement for cats being kept as pets in the UK to be microchipped.
Drove Veterinary Hospital are in full support of this new law and are offering microchipping for cats at a reduced rate of £18 throughout May and June
Visit their website at www. drovevets.co.uk to find out more or speak to a member of their Client Care Team on 01793 522483.
Murfy’s Story
Cats are naturally independent and curious creatures, just two of many reasons why they are one of the most popular pets in the UK and in the world!
However, it’s these traits that can lead to their wandering off and becoming lost. Luckily cats have an amazing
ability to roam far and still find their way home, but sometimes this isn’t the case and vet practices across the country are seeing an increase in ‘strays’ being brought in year on year.
Murfy was just two years old and a much-loved family member when he embarked on what was to be a pretty epic adventure.
Murfy didn’t return home for his supper one evening which was unlike him, and despite calling local veterinary practices, putting up posters and placing ads in the local press, his owners had almost given up hope of ever finding him - until one day, 12 months later, they were contacted by the RSPCA who explained that he’d been brought in to them after being found begging for scraps from tables at a rural sports complex in the area.
Murfy’s owners never did find out how he managed to travel over eight miles away from the
family home and end up on the opposite side of Avon Gorge! What they do know, however, is how their reunion with him was possible.
When a ‘stray’ is brought in to a veterinary practice or branch of the RSPCA, scanning for a microchip is one first things to be done.
Luckily for Murfy, his owner had had him microchipped at 12 weeks old and kept her details up to date on the national microchipping database.
Within two hours of being handed in, he was back home with his family.
I’ve been to Japan several times on business over the years - airport, hotel, airport. My male hosts were courteous, but inscrutable. I couldn’t get beyond the façade. Recently, I travelled to Japan with four running friends, one of whom, Marti, lived there and is fluent. That was invaluable.
Maurice Spillane: Of PoetryWe landed in Kyoto, immersed as tourists and seekers, visited temples and markets, walked 20km each day, adventurous with food. We even had Fugu, poisonous blowfish. History and culture are entwined and endemic and we dug deep for insight.
I was impressed: Bullet trains with timetable accuracy within two minutes in a year; no litter in ten days and no litter bins as people take it home. The men were still inscrutable. But the women were a delight: smiling,
nodding, engaging, despite the language barrier.
We visited Osaka for nightlife and Nada, the ancient capital, and then the horror of Hiroshima.
In August 1945, the bomb exploded 600m above ground, liquidating everyone within 2km. In concentric circles radiation killed 140,000 and laid Hiroshima waste. It’s only when history is personalised by individual deaths in a silent museum does it reach your soul.
In Tokyo, we ran the Cherry Blossom half-marathon, the only foreigners. No Cherry Blossoms though. They came out the day we left.The revered poet, Basho, wrote
over 1,000 haikus. I heard the rhythm several times, magical in Japanese. Here’s one about Basho coming home:
Kyoto
Hearing the cuckoo I long for Kyoto
Lots happening in Swindon: 1 May: Poetry Swindon at Lower Shaw Farm 7pm. www. poetryswindon.com
8 May: Poetry at www. swindonfestivalofliterature. co.uk
• Pop-Up Poetry in the Town Gardens 11am–1pm
• Jonathon Davies on a Ridgeway walk 2pm–5pm
• Wonderful Jo Bell at Lower Shaw Farm 6.30pm. See you there!
www.mauricespillane.co.uk
Monthly column with Becky Cox of Swindon Cycle Campaign.
The Moredon Sporting Hub will soon be opening in Swindon – a new multisport facility funded by Sport England, British Cycling, The Football Foundation, Swindon Borough Council and Central Swindon North Parish Council.
It’s an incredibly exciting opportunity for Swindon. Alongside facilities for football, cricket and croquet there will be a regional standard cycle track, learn to ride facility, BMX pump track and cyclocross course.
A café, community facilities and parking will also support the site.
The Moredon Sporting Hub is scheduled to open in June, with a grand opening followed by a public opening weekend with lots of free activities for all the family to get involved in.
The tarmacked, traffic-free
Alfie Howlett: Swindon Town FC writer
Swindon’s suffering is temporarily over.
The month of May brings the end of our season and the opportunity to restock and analyse a crazily contrasting campaign.
A campaign which will no doubt go down as one to quickly forget.
You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Town had their best start to a league season in history.
But, although it seems like an age ago, they were in fact sitting on top of the tree after eight games.
And at that point I and many people were adamant that this new exciting attacking team would have a strong season. Manager Michael Flynn seemed to be the answer and Dan Kemp and Jake Young were the key to unlock the desire.
cycle track will host a Wheels for All disability programme, providing bi-weekly opportunities for people with disabilities to borrow adapted cycles and develop their cycling confidence and fitness.
There’s also a new women's and girls' cycling programme planned, which would also provide a safe space for trans women and those selfidentifying as women.
The sessions will benefit from a fleet of bikes and helmets as well as friendly cycle instructors to help people wherever they are on their cycling journey.
Other grant-subsidised development sessions are planned for children, continuing the hugely popular series of learn to ride and cycle confidence sessions.
There will be plenty of
opportunities to join an open cycling session on the track as a family as well as training sessions for cycling clubs and individuals.
To give you a taste of what might be on offer take a look at the recently opened site at Hereford Hereford Cycle Track
– Hereford’s new 1km closed road traffic free cycle track (haloleisure.org.uk). It’s all very exciting!
I have just started a new role as Community Developer
for British Cycling, aimed at supporting the development of cycling opportunities at Moredon Sporting Hub and the wider Swindon area.
In my role I’m looking to engage with community groups and individuals to provide the support they need to help more people get in the saddle.
If you are interested in opportunities to get cycling please get in touch with me at rebeccacox@britishcycling. org.uk
Then Autumn came and as the leaves fell to the ground so did Swindon’s threadbare squad.
The injuries stacked up and brought to light the lack of investment in the squad.
Soon, it all came tumbling down before it was even fully built. Kemp and Young were recalled, and Flynn departed having visibly lost parts of the dressing room.
Under the stewardship of interim head coach Gavin Gunning, the rest of the season proved an almighty struggle. Swindon had fallen off a cliff.
Fears of an unimaginable relegation began to linger, fears which no doubt would’ve been realised had it not been for the first eight games. Spring saw Swindon make a mini recovery and cobble together the remaining points to ensure survival.
Although, at a football club
of such prestige, this shouldn’t even be considered a bare minimum.
So, who is your player of the season? I hear you ask.
I laugh before preparing to name a player who only wore red for four months. Dan Kemp. His time at SN1 was short but incredibly sweet.
After joining on loan from MK Dons in the summer, the number 10 quickly became Swindon’s star man.
In just 27 games, Kemp made an outstanding contribution as he racked up 16 goals and eight assists. Figures which would top the Town charts for the remainder of the season.
In my opinion, Kemp’s main selling point was his admirable work ethic.
In a team where questions concerning individuals' desire were so rife, Kemp could never be questioned. He always gave
110%.
I think in only such a damp squib of a season can you get away with naming a player of the season who only just played over half the matches. But there is simply nobody, except perhaps GodwinMalife, who has consistently impressed since August. There can be no question that Paul Glatzel has been the star of the post-Kemp era.
There we have it. 2023/24, a season which brought a temporary glance at relegation to the National League and a player of the season who only played half of the campaign. Certainly not a season to remember. But the next one could prove to be even worse. However, like any August I’ll be glad to see Swindon back and hopefully they positively surprise us all.
• Disabled extra high toilets fitted
• Tap washers & ball valves
• Toilet cistern repairs
• Kitchen taps fitted
Tel: 01793 324116
Mob: 07788 621772
From the pages of Swindon Link's sister publication The Ocelot comes Agony Girl in the form of 11-year-old Amy. We read her the questions and she tells us the answers. To ask Agony Girl a question yourself email us at publisher@swindonlink.com with 'Agony Girl' in the subject line.
Dear Agony Girl,
In a bit of a misguided moment I’ve recently signed up to a half marathon –any training tips?
K, Ridgeway Farm
Sign-up to do a one day coaching training day at my school and you get trained to train other people to keep their knees up. Go to a gym and use those rope things that you jiggle up and down and do laps around the park.
Dear Agony Girl,
Sometimes I get tired easily and sometimes feel like falling asleep. Do you have any advice to keep me awake?
Tyler Eats loads of Haribo Tangfastics. I like them.
Dear Agony Girl,
My daughter is 10 and doesn't like reading. Do you have any suggestions of books that she may enjoy so I can encourage her to read more?
Mandy, Abbeymeads
Buy her Lottie Brooks books because I really like them because they are like my life and they're funny and they have pictures.
Dear Agony Girl,
I am worried about the safety of my cat as he keeps climbing the tree in my back garden in highly optimistic attempts to capture birds.
I say 'highly optimistic' as he is well into middle age and so broad in the beam that he has never caught one in all the years I've known him and is never likely to. Indeed, many's the time
I've seen sparrows, magpies and so on having a good laugh and waving their wings at him in what I can only assume is the birds' version of a rude gesture.
However, I am very fond of the cat and wouldn't want him to fall from the tree and hurt himself - not to mention concussing anybody he landed on. Should I rig some sort of cat-proof netting round the trunk?
yours,
A Concerned cat owner
Get the entire net around the tree so if he falls he'll land and put some toys and blankets in it so he has got something to play with if he gets stuck in the netting.
Write in to Amy at publisher@ swindonlink.com
