west Swindon's
Magazine
EXPRESS CYCLE SPECIALIST
THE
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INK No. 114 September 1991 . Circulation 10,500
96 - 99 Manchester Road, Swindon
(0793) 534907 & 513705
Cutting edge fire crew celebrates first year A year after moving into their new home a team from Westlea fire station have acheived second place in a national competition to test how well fire crews remove casualties from road accidents. Competing in the National Extrication Championships over the Bank Holiday weekend, Westlea competed against brigade finalists fromall over the country and were pipped for first position by colleagues from Trowbridge station. Each team had 20 minutes to show their skills in extricating a live casualty from simulated road accident. Team leader Sub-Officer Pete Townsend said the station was delighted by their performance. "We're very pleased to have taken such a good placing at our first attemptagainst experienced crews. We're really fired up to come out on top next year. And for Wiltshire to sweep the board is amazing. The winners get the chance to go to North America to compete in the world championships.
Have a FREE glass of wine! Link Magazine readers are offered a FREE glass of wine by West Swindon's Hotel Ibis Turn to page 18 for details
Green map soon Cup winners, from left, Fireman Steve Hartree, Leading Fireman Clive Hawes, Sub-Officer Pete Townsend, Firemen Jefferies and Baldwin
Pete put the result down to the nications, Bridgewater Windintroduction of new extrication sLIns, Turner Metal Fabricators techniques, forward thinking corn- and Hammal Joinery. mand and control, and good aware- • On page 7, meet a young man ness of casualty condition, who helped the Westlea fire He said that the team trained by crews during their training. • The Link magazine celebrates cutting up 50 cars, compliments of Cooper Metals. Help had also been Westlea fire station's first birthreceived from Motorola Commuday on page 24.
Our request for help with the publication of a 'green map' showing the open spaces, footways and cycle routes around the area brought forward some helpful suggestions from readers. The map will be published next month and will include information on recycling points in Swindon. Any further ideas should be sent to Bob Pixton on 695317
More vandalism warning if graffiti wall is not rebuilt Graffiti is starting to spread around WestSwindon because graffiti artists are fast losing an official site for theirwork, according toMikeSmith from Shaw. Two large walls were built at either end of the Link Centre coach park six years ago and have doubled up as goals for football and rollerhockey, and as outdoor show cases for colourful works by local youngsters interested in developing their street art skills. One of the walls was rebuilt two years ago but vandals have continued to damage them and both are now in a poor condition. This means that there is less space for graffiti artists to show off their work, and some are starting to spray paint in other places because they will last longer. "People were sticking to the walls at the coach park, but now that one has been broken down you can see
Nowhere offical to spray for Mike Smith
graffiti spreading out," said Mike, a flfthyearstudentatCommonweal School. "Before the walls were damaged you had the chance of seeing your work for a month. Now, its only a few days before it's
painted over by somebody else." Mike started graffiti art three years ago, inspired by the fashion and the publicity it received at the time. He plans out his work on paper and takes between twenty to
sixty minutes to spray his design. He always records his work with a photograph. For some, graffiti painting is art, for others it's vandalism. Mike said that serious graffiti painters want to see their work appreciated and don't go around spraying bus shelters. However they are becoming frustrated by the lack of official surfaces on which they can paint. "1 can't understand why the council doesn't repair the walls. You can see more graffiti in the wrong places and it'll get worse." A spokeswoman for Thamesdown Council said the problem would be investigated. • Mike is keen to take oncommissions and would like to hear from any companies with a blank wall or temporary surface which they might like brightening up with a jazzy design. He can be contacted via The Link.