November 1999 Swindon Link by swindonlink6

THE

No. 210 • November 1999 • Circulation 20,000

SKIPS Always at your convenience 2, 4, 6 tonne skips Phone now on Swindon Distributed in West Swindon, Haydon Wick, Woodhall Pork & North Swindon

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the positive newsforce in West and North Swindon and the swindon wide what's on guide

Swindon's web site on the move Spot our advertisements on the back

p buses. of two Thamesdown Transport D etails on page 18.

Link helps high Swindon steps up battle flying dreams against graffiti come true

The blight of graffiti across Swindon is going to get a good blasting, thanks to a new £12,000 high pressure steam cleaning machine purchased by the council's waste management section. See story on page 5.

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Below: Cleaning technician Ray Mills puts the heat on graffiti

Last month we told the amazing

saga of Lesley and Michael Deegan from Middleleaze, who went to Las

Vegas to be wed in a balloon. One mishap after another upset their plans and they never did take off. But, The Link and Cameron Balloons have come to the rescue and fixed a flight for them. See

page 16.

www.themaharajah.co.uk e-mail: khalique@themahara ah.co.uki

*.A Come and join j in the great s1 ..^^i,^+

Wednesday November 3rd in the West Swindon Shopping Centre Car Park Entertainment starts from 6pm and there will be • Food and Drinks Stalls • Fairground all day • Strolling Entertainers • Magic Tricks ^^_

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Balloonist (sculptures)

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From 8.30pm to 9.00pm there will be a firework display from L` ; the roof of the Centre. —^—^ d The Petrol station will be closed from 8.15pm 9.15pm for safety reasons.

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The Christmas Decorations - including a children's animated display featuring circus clowns - are up from 20th November, so bring your family and friends to enjoy shopping in the safe a d ^elaxecl atmosphere of the centre over the festie ason.

WEST SWINDON SHOPPING CENTRE Tewkesbury Way, Swindon

•

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com

The Link Magazine â€˘ November 1999

Swindon to get university campus The University of Bath is to establish a new site in the town, using existing accommodation in the soon to close Oakfield School, in the Parks area. New facilities are to be built over the next five years. The agreement between the uniwill be based in a landmark buildversity and Swindon Borough ing in the town centre. The new Council to open an annexe was campus to be developed over the announced on 21 October, after next three to five years at Oakfield, several years' discussion facilitated will include an integrated community library and learning cenby the University of Swindon and Wiltshire Project. tre, multi-purpose conference and concert facilities. The first teaching programme, ranging from Masters to commuSue Bates, leader of Swindon nity courses will be launched in Council, said, "this is a significant less than a year, in September 2000. step forward in achieving a local Within five years it is anticipated university in Swindon for the 21st that there will be around 80 reCentury. It is something Swindon has deserved for a long time and we have campaigned hard for this. I believe it will enhance the viSwindon's largest family were inundated with media interest follow- brancy of the town, as well as maining the publication of their photograph on the front page of the tain our position as an economic powerhouse." October Link, with their thirteenth arrival Eleanor. Vice-Chancellor of the UniverIan and Sue Povey of Grange Park had already agreed to appear in the News of the World colour magazine, as well as The Link, but were not sity of Bath, Professor David VandeLinde welcomed the expanprepared for the reporters and photographers on their doorstep. "It all got a bit too much; the 'phone was going all the time with sion to Swindon. "This is a very everybody wanting photographs and stories," said mum Sue. "In the exciting opportunity for the Uniend we just had to unplug the phone. The Link has a lot to answer for." versity to expand its higher educaThe Link photographs were also used by the Western Daily Press and tion provision in Wiltshire. The new campus in Swindon will comthe Poveys appeared on BBC TV News West and Wiltshire Sound. plement the existing facilities in Bath. The Bath campus itself will see significant development over the next five years."

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Published by West Swindon Publications Papermakers House, Westlea

Swindon SN5 7BD Tel: (01793) 872282 Fax: (01793) 878189 e mail: linkmagazine@compuserve.com Internet: www.swindonlink.com Publisher/Editor: Roger Ogle General enquiries: Tel: (01793) 872282 Advertising: Jenni Fowler Tel: (01793) 872531 Advertising deadline: 10th of the month

Editorial: General Tel: (01793) 872282 No rth Swindon Tanya Parkinson Tel: (01793) 705105

"The Link was first published for the West Swindon community in December 1978. It is completely independent of Link Centre and, in fact, won a competition to name the leisure centre in 1984. Distribution in North Swindon commenced in Janua ry 1994." The contents of The Link are protected by copyright. Use of adve rt isements in printed or electronic form is forbidden unless an adve rt iser or publisher has sought permission. Articles and photographs require similar authority. Printed by Wiltshire, Bristol

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Come and enjo y a fantastic Christmas Parade in Swindon Town Centre on Sunday, 28 November at 10.30am. There will be something for everyone - bands, comedians, actors, singers, giant stiltwalkers, Father Christmas, Swindon Town Football Club, explorer David Hempleman Adams and a team of huskie dogs plus much, much more... Ongoing festival entertainment will make your Christmas shopping fun! Events held on late night Thursdays from 2nd December (5-9pm) and on Sundays until 19th December (11 am to 4pm). p^ Support you local shops in Swindon Town Centre this Christmas. These events are brought to you by Swindon Town centre Management and Town Centre retailers. Parade sponsored by Great Western

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The Link Magazine â€˘ November 1999

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Forces for and against town expansion line up Battle lines are being drawn for 9 November when Swindon's future development as part of the Wiltshire Structure Plan 2011 is again examined in public at the Thistle Hotel, Fleming Way. Government agencies believe that Swindon should be a growth centre of the future and wants to see 25,000 new homes in the town and 70,000 built in Wiltshire in the period 1991 to 2011. There isbuyer pressure for new housing and developers are keen to build them. Opposing this are a coalition of Swindon groups called URGENT (Urban Regeneration and Greenfield Environment Network) which is calling for a lower number of houses to be built and restric

tion on employment land allocation. They believe that only 22,000 houses should be built during the time frame, and 66,000 across Wiltshire. If the planning inspectors accept the higher figures, space for another 5,000 homes will have to be found by 2011 - in addition to the 10,000 home Northern Expan-- ::_

sionwhichalreadyhaspermission. Swindon Council and Wiltshire County Council propose that most of these houses are built on the Front Garden between Old Town and the M4 motorway. North Wilts District Council has to find space for another 3,500 housesandnositeshavebeenidentified yet. One option is to build them between West Swindon and Lydiard Millicent.

Torches to highlight front garden protest

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A torchlight procession organised by the Front Garden Action Group takes place on 1 November to protest against the proposals to build houses between Old Town and the motorway. They argue that the land is unsuitable for development and the site is on the wrong side of Swindon with regard to the main employment areas. It will create even greater traffic congestion. Supporters should gather with torches and banners at the Wyvern Theatre car park at 6.15pm to process around the town. For details, call 487154.

Sarah's sad end

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The tragic story of Sarah Winrow, 18, was told on 21 October when a joint-inquest heard that she had been strangled last December by her partner Mark Hinton, 28, at their home in Pinehurst Hinton then threw himself under a train on the railway line between Sparcells and Moredon. He was described as jealous and possessive, and was depressed at the thought of losing his daughter when he discovered that Sarah was interested in another man. A note in his handwriting found next to her body said: "Sorry, I lost my mind at the thought of losing Sarah." The former Hreod Parkway student was a lively and talented member of the Haydon Players amateur dramatic group and was A verdict that Mark committed pictured in The Link in 1994, right, in rehearsal for one of their pro- suicide and Sarah was unlawfully killed was recorded by the coroner. ductions.

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Non! to French market The French open air market in Swindon town centre to take place at the end of October, that was advertised in last month's Link, was cancelled by the town centre management. The decision was taken after the French Government decided to defy the European Union and continue to ban British beef. Town centre manager Bernie McGuire said that it was the wrong time to hold the market. "We wanted the market to be a success and it may have failed if consumers decided to boycott French products." He confirmed that there were concerns that local farmers might have held a protest and that he was hoping to organise a market for British products.

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com

The Link Magazine • November 1999

Swindon puts the heat on graffiti merchants Vandals who spray paint council property will not see their work on display for long, thanks to a £12,000 investment by Swindon waste management department in a diesel powered high pressure steam cleaning machine. He said the council is only reAnd, for the first time, the cou p ' *° f sponsibleforkeepingitsownprop'^ cil is going to offer a graffiti re „, erty clean, but waste management , moval service to private housecannow takeonprivate jobs. "Grafholders and other service organiiti vandalism is often too small for sations like the electricity compa an insurance claim, but too big for nies. DIY; or the resident might not be Geoff Davies from waste man ? able to tackle the problem. We are K, agement said graffi ti remover Ray „E now in position to offer a graffiti Mills, right, will be able to tackle removal service." vandalism much more effec ti vely. To arrange a quote, call Waste "Until now Ray has had to use Management on 466077 or e-mail: chemicals and a scrubbing brush. gdavies@swindon.gov.uk The paint will still need chemical treatment, but the steam cleaning jet will quickly strip off graffiti."

Letters to The Link Who cares about graffiti? From GD, Westlea Following yet another a rt icle in The Link ( October) about graffiti van-

dalism, this time again at the Toothill Village Centre, and the further spread of such damage asound the whole of West Swindon, surely somebody must know who these people are! Parents, relatives, friends, or neighbours must recognise these 'tags' of at least the most prolific vandals, such as 'Killer' 'DSA', 'Acid' and 'Doper' which have recently appeared on virtjally every street road-sign, underpass and

police, so (hopefully) they can at least be punished by having to clean off at least some of the dam-

age they have caused. Could a local business not spon-

sor a small reward to 'help' anyone with any information to come forward? Or do the people of West Swindon just not care? Can the Police tell us whether anyone is ever charged with such

damage? And can Swindon Council not do more to clean up such damage to discourage others from thinking

park.

they can get away with it? What do

These people should come forward and report the culprits to the

other people in West Swindon think?

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Swindon as a city Will it be a dinosaur or a prophet asks Gina Dennis?

If Swindon is granted city status, where is its vision of a truly millennial city? The 'modern' city was shaped by the transport capabilities and industrial patterns of the past. Following the Industrial Revolution, the movement of goods, by railway and canal, was cheap. But transporting people was difficult and expensive. Large numbers of workers needed to be housed close to their place of work. True, the rise of the car has led us from urbanisation to suburban living. But many of the images we retain of cities are based on an increasingly obsolete structure. Recent decades have seen a movement away from the old cities. Electronics and communications are empowering the individual, making this urban exodus possible. The link between a person's place of work and his or her home is increasingly being broken. In Megat rends 2000, John Naisbitt and Patricia Aburdene state that, 'in the year 2000, the truly global cities will not be the largest; they will be the 'smartest'.'

If Swindon's vision is rooted in the past, then it could be aspiring to dinosaur status. It has the potential, however, to be a prophet of a new era. It has a track record of 'adapting to ever changing environments' according to Swindon Council leader Sue Bates. I believe it does have the capabilitytobecomea communications hub serving a much larger area, with a highly sophisticated electronic infrastructure. The plans for Swindon's University as a learning centre that makes use of modern communications technology and responds to the needs of both its learners and the business community fit well into this model. City status need not equate with expansionism. What it must bring is a commitment to present technology and future vision. Among the issues will be high-tech, eco-friendly, rapid access transport systems and excellence as a cultural, social and educational resource.

YOUR LOCAL GARAGE DOOR

A longer version of this article is

available as part of the city status debate at www.swindonlink.com .

•-',

Maxwell House • Maxwell Street • Swindon

FR.ESHBROOK & GRANGE PARK

School makes links down under Youngsters at Tregoze School will be in touch with children of a similar age in Australia using the internet, once a teacher exchange programme has been completed in November. Peter and Jill Campbell from the Newcastle area of New South Wales paid a visit to Tregoze on 27 September to talk to staff about educational issues such as the use of information technology and the move between primary and secondary school. They also took part in a special assembly where they presented an Australian flag and also a flag of aboriginal peoples which are generally flown together. Rugby playing headteacher Steve Menham was given a cap emblazoned with

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Australian emblems which he said he would wear while watching England playing in the World Cup. On 21 October Tregoze teacher Karen Winterburn left Swindon for a two week return visit to Peter at Waratah public school and Jill at Charleston East public school. She has made a video diary of life at Tregoze School and will be interviewing children in Australia. The Link has provided her with photos of the school and the children in her class. She will be bringing home a video diary of her trip and teachers hope that children from the schools involved will exchange emails about themselves. Jill said, "by using the Internet we hope the links between our schools will make the world a

smaller place. It means children can discover what it is like for others of the same age on the other side of the world and exchange ideas and views, as well as images."

swindonlink.com makes the connections

Swindon's web site at www.swindonlink.com is helping Tregoze School show itself off across the world. We have designed special pages so that children in Australia can then make a virtual visit to Tregoze after Karen has talked to them in their classes or assemblies. We have included photographs of the school, a picture of Karen's class as well as an aerial photograph of West Swindon showing the location of the school.

Fashion show helps school funds Youngsters and parents at Freshbrook School took to the cat walk in a fundraising fashion show on 21 September. Organised by the Friends of Freshbrook School, twenty-one children and five parents modelled garments supplied by Just A Second from Salisbury. Nearly one hundred parents enjoyed the show and were able to view the range of clothing afterwards.

'ccen T7i Presenting a Magical Christmas at The Brunel Shopping Centre, Swindon `—~C11 l

This year sees the biggest and best ever Grotto coming to Swindon. The Christmas Wonderland is open every day from Sunday 28th November until 4pm on Christmas Eve, so all children - big and small can visit Santa in this beautiful and imaginative Grotto.

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Situated on the Bridge Link near to House of Fraser's ladieswear entrance the Grotto will be open at the following times. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 7pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 5pm 10am - 4pm

off entrance to the Christmas Wonderland Grotto very Thursday between 3pm and 7pm at The Brunel Shopping Centre, Swindon. .r only valid between 3pm and 7pm on 3rd, 9th, 16th and 23rd December. One coupon per chdd. real entrance fee £2.50, reduced entrance fee £2.00. This includes a visit around the Grotto and a present from Santa. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Coupon must be handed at cash till before payment is made.

TOOTH ILL

Toothill joins Birmingham and Bradford as 'Human Cities'

Ply, timber, hardboard, chipboard, RSJs, sleepers, telegraph poles, bricks, sand & gravel (in bags) Deliver y arranged in Swindon area

For more details pop in or tel: 829715 Open: Mon - Sat, 9am - 5pm The Yard, Tate Estate, Kingsdown Road, Stratton St Margaret, Swindon

A pioneering project has nailed its colours to the mast about what type of city it would like Swindon to be: a human city. " What will Toothill people Tony Hillier is working on a one year period." Other Swindon areas involved choose to do to improve their comNational Lottery funded project run by the Human City Institute are Penhill, Broad Green and munity life?," asks Tony. "It will which aims to listen as closely as Walcot. Similar projects in Bir- be fun, challenging and very repossible to what people want in mingham and Bradford will give warding for participants if the repeople the chance to swap stories sults in Birmingham are anything the local areas. "Many of us get fed up about and ideas, and exchange visits are to go by. " He will be visiting groups in community life not being what we possible if groups so choose. A group in Birmingham which Toothill over the next two months think it could be," said Tony, who managed Voluntary Action Swin- started last year has tackled the and is eager to talk to people about issue of vandalism, written poetry their ideas. He can be contacted on don for six years. "Well residents of Toothill have as gifts and formed a sikh wom- 496036 or tony@humancity.org www.humancity.org the chance to make a difference at en's choir. a local level and decide their first choices for realistic action over a

Is drugs misuse an issue in Toothill?

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A syringe, spoon and a 'substance' wrapped in tin foil was found in the enclosed play area at Toothill Community Centre in mid-October. A child attending a toddler users had been on the premises group session had popped the sy- and that children were vulnerable ringe plunger into his mouth be- to their thoughtlessness. The pofore he could be stopped. The boy lice have confirmed that there is a and his distressed mother were drugs problem in the area." She said that the centre is seekrushed to PMH for a check up. On examination, the syringe had not ing advice how to improve secubeenusedbutappearstohavebeen rity and has already talked with Tony Hillier to see if this could be hidden for use later. A spokesperson for the centre an issue for discussion in the cornsaid, "we were horrified that drug munity."

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Aromatherapy, Massage and Sports Therapy treatments also available.

Swindon Council youth workers have started a weekly Help & Information Shop in Toothil Community Centre on Tuesdays, 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Teenagers are invited to drop in for leaflets and computerised information on nearly every topic.

GP surgery opens on 20 November Four years to the day after the Phoenix Surgery was opened in temporary accommodation opposite Toothill Village Centre, Dr Peter Swinyard, Dr Robert Forrester and their staff will move into purpose built facilities across the road.

Mayor drops by to model her robes

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The Mayor of Swindon coun Joy Brunt popped into at a special assembly at Oliver Tomkins Junior School in early October wearing her ceremonial robes and chains. She talked about her role as the town's first citizen and answered questions from children. Coun Brunt was a teacher at the school between 1983 and 1986.

Collecting coppers, FOPs members Freda Troughton, Jessie Morrison, Margaret Mclvor

To celebrate, and to raise funds for patient comforts, the Friends of Phoenix Surgery (FOPS) will ring the new building with coppers. "There's still plenty of time for patients and friends of the surgery to hoard their 1p and 2p pieces and bring them to the surgery," said FOPs chair Jessie Morrison. "We need lots of small change; whatever your circumstances, you can help improve patient facilities." Tours of the surgery will take place between 2pm and 7pm on 20 November, with the coin laying taking place at4pm. Refreshments will be available.

SHAW & ROUGHMOOR

Poems dedicated to Our World

Community use of Peatmoor School

Children at Brook Field School celebrated National Poetry Day on 7 October by seeing their own work in print thanks to Swindon based The management group of Natural Environment Research Council. Peatmoor Community Primary School is making an open invitation to all residents of Sparcells and Peatmoor to attend the school on Saturday 27 November at 10.30am. This will be an opportunity to share ideas, opinions and visions of how the community use of the school should develop. For details, or if you cannot attend, contact Mrs Suzanne Bullimore on 870458 or e-mail: thebullimores@msn.com

Marion O'Sullivan with ten of the fourteen poets and illustrators from Brook Field whose work appears in Our World. Rear from left, Katie Cox, Kieth Amoah, Jason Puffett, Kristian Rejek, Grant Turner. Front, Adam Blanchard, Michael Bolt, Steven Saunders, Charles Sahnond, Ben Cornell

Fifty poems with an environmental theme were selected from some 300 entries by children at primary schools across the town to appear in the full colour booklet entitled Our World, illustrated with pictures of animals, birds, butterflies and pollution. Marion O'Sullivan from the NERC planning and communications directorate said the inspiration for the project came from the premature death of NERC director Dr Richard Paul and the poems written by his daughters Susana and Victoria. They and two published poets,

Philip Gross and zoologist Nick Davies from 'The Really Wild Show,' were asked to judge the entries. "The standard of poems is extremely high and it was very difficult to select which should appear in the book," said Marion. "The children have a real concern for the environment which shines through in the poems." Three thousand copies were printed. Most have been circulated to the schools and libraries. While stocks last, copies are available free of charge from Marion O'Sullivan at NERC on 411623.

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Staff and patients at Shaw Dental Practice will celebrate its first anniversary on 3 November. \j7 1WII Set up by John and Brigitte 752' Wilkinson, who have lived in West Swindon for 13 years, at Ramleaze House, Shaw Village Centre, the practice has expanded rapidly and now has a waiting list for new patients. It has been an exciting first year, not without its surprises, said, John. "The builders installed a rather intimidating reception desk which looked like a wall; we had it rebuilt to be more patient friendly. Then there was the computer failure which meant we did not know which patient would arrive next for their appointment. The only serious events were a couple of power failures whilst treating somebody, but we coped." Vacancy The growth of the practice has been mainly due to an initial arti- Due to a member of staff leaving cle in The Link last year and then the area, the practice is looking word of mouth. "The good loca- for a new nurse to join the team. ti on and welcoming premises has Enquiries from experienced denhelped us a lot," said Brigitte. "We tal nurses or keen novices are welwould like to thank all those who come. Training and support will have helped us establish Shaw Vil- be provided. For details, call 877422. lage Dental Practice."

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Near Evening Advertiser building I ^AI N

HAYDON WICK & WOODHALL PARK

Police drop-in advice Haydon Wick Parish Council is crime prevention advice, call into starting regular drop-in sessions the Parish Offices, next to the Haywith community police officer PC don Centre on: Tuesday 2 November, 6.30pm Qahir Sheikh. If you have any worries about 8.30pm or, crime in your area or would like Tuesday 23 November, 2pm - 4pm.

Second Millennium tapestry ready to hang in the Dome Greenmeadow artist Susan Carr has almost completed her work with local schools to create three tapestries for the Millennium Dome.

Bad sport nicks school nets Children at Haydonleigh Primary School are appealing for the person who stole their brand new football goal net, donated by parents, to return it. The culprit climbed fencing to get onto the new pitch sometime over the weekend of 10 October. The youngsters need the net to continue with their competitive matches. If you can help fund or are able to donate a net, or you want to return it (no questions asked), please contact Tanya on 705105.

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The local mum was featured in the August Link, having finished a tapestry with children at Haydon Wick School. The second on the theme 'holidays and rest has been completed with Haydonleigh School. A third at Greenmeadow School is now being assembled. Combined with work from schools around the country, the largest tapestry in the world will be created. They will be displayed in the Dome by rotation, but all will be available to view on computers. Before starting work with the

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Children at Haydon Wick School were recently enthralled by exploding props and a bicycle powered recycling machine when Bozo and Zizi the clowns, performed their fun filled show Get it Sorted to encourage children to recycle, reuse and repair rubbish to reduce the amount families throw out each year. With Bozo and Zizi, from left, Christopher Smith, Charlotte Bowyer, Reece Brooker, Shauni Iles, Stacey Boorman

schools Susan explained to children how small elements can be put together to make one piece of art. The children were impressed by the finished tapestry. Rachael Yockney said she was pleased to see her beach hut, but thought the closest she would get to the Dome was on Eastenders. Mark Watson said, "I made the volleyball net on the beach; it looks realistic. Rachael Wakefield felt she had contributed an important bit of the tapestry. "I think the Millennium is very special and seeing the number 2000 on the balloon made me feel really good." Susan, who hopes to start a teaching degree, said, "I have really enjoyed working with the children to develop their artistic skills. At all three schools they have been very enthusiastic about contributing to the Dome project." Her work has been funded through a special Millennium grant awarded by Haydon Wick parish council. Susan submitted a proposal to create artwork with local schools after reading about it in The Link last year.

WI keen for new members The Greenmeadow and Haydon Wick WI have a busy programme during the next few months. They also have two skittles teams and a whist team. Newcomers are always welcome to an evening of good company and entertaining speakers. at the Haydon Centre. Shirley Holmes will be giving 'Ideas for Christmas' at the next meeting on 8 November.

NORTH SWINDON (including Abbey Meads, St Andrew's Ridge, Ash Brake, Taw Hill)

New school plans week of art from the park

Rooms with no view

The Mulley family could not believe their eyes when they moved into their new house at Abbey Meads recently. Every upstairs window Abbey Meads Primary School intends to bring their learning experi- had been fitted with frosted glass. ence out into the community each term. Staff and children are busily Lynne Mulley exclaimed, "when I showed my mum the house she said planning their first project for 1 to 5 November wow how many bathrooms have you got!" The error has now been Since the school opened pupils rectified and the Mulley's have clear vision, except from the bathroom. Have you any amusing problems? If so call Tanya on 705105. have been developing skills in print Join the scouts and learning about art, science and the environment. During the first week after half term, to celebrate their studies, Key Stage 1 and 2 children will be vis0 People iting Lydiard Park to gather seeds and look at autumn colours. They will be producing collages from Plans to provide a meeting place 0 Houses their collection and creating art at Taw Hill will help ease fears of and drama about the environment. isolation felt by some residents. 0 Children Sue Maplin from the Wiltshire A health and social care project Wildlife Trust will be visiting the group is currently looking at ways From your photograph school to help the children develop of providing a focal point for the Pencil or watercolour the grounds, and also teach them Taw Hill community. They are which seeds and plants are suit- planning to hold a drop in session An ideal gift The new 7th Swindon Abbey Meads able for the soil. There will also be for residents to come and discuss Prices from £20 Scouts, rear from left, Helen Brittain, sports activities culminating in a their needs and find out more. The Call Paula Gary Coates, John Crowley, Jack Keith performance of dance at the end of group made up by representatives from health, police, church, docFront, Chris Miller, Andrew Ponting, the week. on 01793 704539 Weather permitting, all children tors, Swindon Council and Scott Sturgess, David Coates will take a carnival out into the Taywood Homes, hope to work in Abbey Meads youngsters can community, from 3.45pm on 5 partnership with local people to now join the recently formed cub November, to show off examples form a community association. or scout group which meets in of their work. It is anticipated that the tempoAbbey Meads school. At 4.30pm there will be a rary social hall used for Abbey There are organised games, trips barbeque supplied and cooked by Meads will be sited at Taw Hill to parks and more adventurous Abbey Meads cubs and scouts, next Easter. activities like camping and canoe- where parents and local residents Residents in the area are being Infills, Wraps,l'di ing. Cubs, for 6 to 8 years, run on can come at look at the children's asked to contribute ideas so that Airbrushing and N J a Monday evening and Scouts, work. A display of art will also be activities and events can be organaged 10 to 16, meet on Tuesdays. mounted in the reception area at ised to meet their needs. TOP QUALITY To join contact Sue Barnes on the school, with all welcome to The drop in session is planned PRODUCTS USED 700885 (cubs) or Helen Brittain on come and view, during the follow- for the 18 November but will be 705338 (scouts). ing week. confirmed, by letter, to all resiManicures & Pedicures dents. Veronika If you would like further information contact Derek Hughes on 01793 702909 722425 or Una Carlow on 531008. or 07887 510409

Closer links for cut off community

PORTRAITS

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A new service has opened at the Abbey Meads Medical Centre run by counsellors and therapists Julia Cole and Tricia Cosford. Both are fully trained relationship counsellors and psychosexual therapists with a wealth of experience in dealing with the kind of personal problems that people encounter every day. Julia Cole said, "we decided to open a counselling service in Abbey Meads because of all the new housing in the area. It is well known that moving house, and perhaps beginning a new job, can place a strain on individuals and their relationships. Our service can help people to manage the stresses also offer a specialist service for and strains of adjusting to these those suffering from sexual problife changes as well as dealing with lems. the day to day concerns that most Julia Cole and Tricia Cosford, people meet at some time in their above, both hold the Relate Certifilife." cate in Couple Counselling and The service is available, by ap- the Relate Diploma in Psychopointment, and offers day and sexual Therapy as well as being evening times in the Gwylfa John trained counselling and psychoSuite. sexual therapy supervisors. Individuals and couples will be Call 01672 539146 for further inable to see the counsellors, who formation and appointments.

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Audrey Brophy with Elliott Sharp and Rebecca Weatherley, rear, Hassan Sheikh, Scott Cleaver, Caroline Rayner, Carol Weatherley

Westlea playgroup sat down on 29 September to try a variety of cheeses thanks to a donation from Asda. Newly promoted supervisor Caroline Rayner said the cheese tasting had been organised to let children experience the different textures, tastes and smells." The playgroup had an excellent Ofsted report early this year and currently has a short waiting list. After Christmas it will meet for ten sessions a week in the community room next to Westlea School. To find out more, call Audrey Brophy on 877940.

Fireworks in West and North Swindon Brook Field School, Shaw Blunsdon Abbey Stadium Friday 5 November Tuesday 2 November Gates 5.30pm, display 6.30pm Monster trucks, motorcycle stunts, human cannonball and Tickets in advance: Adults £2. children £1, family ticket £5 fireworks. Adults £6, children £-'. On the gate: £2.50, £1.50, family £6 Westlea School Barbeque and fairground rides Friday 5 November, Gates 5.45pm, display 6.30pm Lydiard Park Firework Spectacular Adults £2.50, children £1.50 Saturday 6 November, 5.30pm. St Mary's Church Bonfire at 6pm. in Lydiard Park, off Hay Lane 'Over the Top' stunt motorcycle Friday 5 November team at 6.15pm followed by the Gates 6.30pm, display 7pm firework display. Adults £3, children £1.50, Refreshments and side shows. family £8 Adult £4, Child/Conc. £2 Oliver Tomkins Junior School, Families, 2 adult + 2 children, £10 Toothill Free car parking Friday 5 November off Hook Street entrance Gates 6pm, display 6.30pm Organised by 1st Purton and Adults £2.50, children £1.50, Lydiard Scout Group family ticket £6

An appeal from Westlea fire station Sadly most fireworks accidents could be prevented by following the firework code. If you are planning a bonfire party please: • Do not overload the bonfire • Keep it a safe distance from hedges, fences and buildings • Do not use petrol or any flammable liquid to ignite it • Supervise at all times until completely out • Do not put tyres, foam or plastics in the bonfire

• Check for children's dens, gas cylinders, and aerosols • Booze and bonfires do not mix If at all unsure about planning your own bonfire party, then take advantage of the many organised events taking place, see above. Please do not take your own fireworks to public displays.

"I used to hate the thought of winter - those cold, dark l onely evenings. Now with Homeline I feel safe and secure knowing someone is on hand if I need them." Life for Betty is easier - If you are worried about an elderly relative, friend or someone who needs your help, when you can't be there - we can. Trained and caring 24 hour mobile wardens are on hand to lend some help at the touch of a button. Homeline's wardens can get in touch with a relative or doctor if required or can help if there is a problem.

We offer a variety of monitors which can easily be fixed in the home, from panic buttons by the front door to pendants which you can wear around your neck. At only £3.15 a week don't you think peace of mind is worth it? To find out more phone us on.

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LETTER FROM WESTMINSTER

Railways must have passenger confidence Eve ry one will have been as appalled as I was by the news of the rail crash near Paddington, writes Swindon South MP Julia Drown. Around fifty people from Swindon were on the train and many of us spent worrying hours fearing what might have happened to friends and family. Our hearts go out to all those who were hurt and bereaved by the crash. The Government acted quickly after the accident; the Health and Safety Executive produced an interim report within three days of the accident, all the railway operators were written to and told to look again at how drivers were being trained, and a full public inquiry was announced. More action will be taken because it is essential that the confidence in railway safety is restored. A much happier time was Local Democracy Week in September. I enjoyed my visit to Westlea Primary School to talk about my work as a Member of Parliament and the ways in which everyone can involve themselves in politics both locally and nationally. I was impressed at their interest in, amongst other things, the homeless in Swindon and in Jubilee 2000 - the campaign to write off the debt of the world's poorest country. The children illustrated how the people of Swindon really care about others in the community and the

Have y ou

world and it makes me very proud to represent Swindon in Parliament. Also in September Labour's 100th annual conference in September announced help for eligible pensioners and families towards installing central heating in their homes. There was news of another 17 NHS walk-in clinics, where people will be able to receive medical help without an appointment. These add to the first fourteen, one of which will be here in Swindon.

Finally, my work on increasing NHS dentists continues. The Government has already helped to establish three new practices in Swindon, meaning that 13,000 people will be able to register for NHS dental treatment. I am currently trying to get approval for a fourth. To get in touch with me on any issue, write to 39 Victoria Road, Swindon SN1 3AT, or contact my office by ordinary 'phone or textphone on Swindon 615444.

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signed up yet? Swindon's new — lotte ry, to help the Prospect Hospice is heading for its first big draw on 5 November. On offer is a weekly top prize of £1,000 and prizes for 74other ticket holders. Honda have donated a lawnmower valued at over £550 for the first draw. It costs only £1 a week to enter, preferably by standing order.

Application forms can be obtained at Prospect Shops in the Brunel Centre in Havelock Street, Old Town, and Gorse Hill. Weekly tickets can be bought there as well. The Prospect Hospice provides specialist palliative care to help individuals and those close to them throughout the many stages of terminal illness, including death. Eighty per cent of the £5,000 a day running costs has to be found from voluntary sources to cover expenses and new developments. For details, or if you can help by selling tickets door to door, call the lottery office on 615870.

And Jack Straw announced funds to recruit 5,000 more police officers to be appointed over the next 3 years. He has made it clear that this money is for additional officers who would not otherwise have been appointed. These were all good announcements - showing that the Government is working hard to make Britain better step by step. Here in Swindon, the contract for our new hospital has now been signed. We welcomed Frank Dobson, on his last day as Secretary of State for Health, to the town to start off the building work. This hospital will have 19% more space for treating patients than PMH. There will be a bigger casualty department, more theatres and the modern facilities that will make Swindon's health services fit for the 21st century. It is also being built with the environment in mind with ideas like composting construction waste on site rather than using landfills, looking to make use of local firms to reduce travelling, and also trying to use environmentally friendly materials.

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AT YOUR LIBRARY

A Cake for Bookstart

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Baby Amber Smith from Abbey Mead is Bookstart's 1,000th member in Swindon and Swindon South MP Julia Drown joined us on 22 September to present her mum Emma with a bouquet, and cut a cake to celebrate, writes librarian Robert Cotterell. Sponsored by Sainsbury's, tial in society today. Libraries have board books with Bookstart is a national scheme, aimed at encouraging parents to pages of thick card which are at read with their babies from an early less risk of being torn by little ones age. New members receive a free and every library in Swindon has starter pack which contains infor- this section highlighted as 'Books mation on how to share reading, for Bookstart Babies'. Library two story books for the very young membership and book borrowing and details of how to join Swin- is free. And don't forget the regular don's library service. The packs are given out by Health Visistors storytimes for under fives every at the child's seven month hearing Friday at 10.30am at West Swindon library and Mondays, 11am, test. It's never too soon to start being at Central library. We are looking forward to anaware of books, colours, shapes and letters, and gradually develop other thousand Bookstart babies a love of reading which is so essen- by the end of the year.

Julia Drown MP, right, with centre, Emma and Amber Smith, and Mary Dawes of the library service

Be creative for the Millennium Write a poem

West Swindon based Ligden Poet ry Society is running a competition backed by Burmah Castrol and the Swindon Arts Foundation. Winning and recommended poems will be published in a Pulsar millennium poet ry anthology. Organiser David Pike, from Grange Park, said the publication sport... justice... will act as a permanent and collectable record and will show how poets thought at the turn of the millennium. AND ALL ."f''Ht< "1"S B 'T ! EEN To ZED second On offer are three main prizes: .. 1st £75, 2nd £50, £3rd £25. There is a small fee of £2 for the Computer database available to search for answers first poem and 50p for subsequent locally and nationally, plus internet access @ entries to recover printing costs. Poems of not more than 40 lines The Youth Unit, Link Centre should be typed on A4 and subDrop in or make an appointment or mitted by 29 February 2000 to The swmnon call Jo Marchment on 465466 for details Editor, Pulsar Poetry Magazine, 34 Lineacre, Grange Park, Swindon, SN5 6DA. Entry fee cheques /postal orders should be made payable to 'Ligden S Radio launch for the millennium poPoetry Society.' A full set of rules and conditions etry competition. David Pike, front 1 can be seen at Swindon's web site left, with Liz Rouse of Burmah Castrol, 60a Beechcroft Road (Ex Car Showroom) www.swindonlink.com or they Sandy Martin of BBC Wiltshire Sound Between Stratton Crossroads & Kingsdown can be obtained from David Pike and Erik Burnett-Godfree of the Swin-

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The Link Magazine • November 1999

Council commits to get you fit A new super high tech fitness centre opened at the Link Centre on 14 October offering the best equipment available in Swindon. Costing £250,000, the new Active Lifestyle Centre is the first in the country to be kitted out with the advanced 'Silverline' cardiovascular equipment by Techno-gym, the same company that supplies top football clubs such Manchester United, Liverpool and the England squad training facilities. The ALC is full y air conditioned and offers 60 individual exercise stations, plus cardiovascular and resistance equipment, changing rooms, lockers and showers. There is also a treatment room where users can receive physiotherapy, reflexology and aromatherapy massage. Centre manager Alan Richards said Swindon Council believes in offering the highest quality facilities. The investment shows a real commitment to enhance the quality of life of Swindon residents, whilst offering the best value for money. We now have the most advanced equipment in Swindon, surpassing any other gym in the town. "You don't have to vav an up

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front membership fee. It costs just £3.50 for an exercise session." He also said the leisure services cross training passports offer huge savings. They permit unlimited use of all facilities, including swimming pools, from £250 a year. Now there's no excuse to get fit in time for the 21st Century. To make a visit to the new ALC or book an induction, call the Link Centre on 445566.

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We fix a flight for chaos couple Last month The Link told the amazing tale of Lesley and Michael Deegan's attempt to get married in a balloon at dawn over Las Vegas in late July. lighted with the offer of a flight. Bad luck dogged them at every "It's fantastic that we can go up in turn from misbooked hotels, fire a balloon after all the disappointevacuations and duff photographs, ments," said Lesley. to a reception when they returned We ended our October story to Swindon which nearly did not wondering, with their luck, happen because nobody could find whether Turkey was a wise place the village hall key holder. to visit for a holiday during half But the worst part was the bad term. And sure enough, when we weather in Las Vegas. High winds went to take the photograph of prevented balloon flying and after Lesley and Michael with their four days of waking at 4am to be Cameron Balloons vouchers, they told that they could not take off on had been told that morning that the flight of their dreams, Lesley the holiday company was pulling turned to the Yellow Pages and out of Turkey because of a second booked a chapel. They were marearthquake in the resort area. ried with only the local photograWe're really pleased to bring pher and the organist as their witsley and Michael should fly after them some good news. ness. A full account of Lesley and Reading of their disappointment all. And they will be taking off Michael's trials and tribulations can in The Link, Sandra Hossack of from Lydiard Park. Cameron Balloons agreed that LeThe couple said they were de- be seen @ www.swindonlink.com

^pMERON

Swindon to explode with sparkle and spectacle As if Christmas itself isn't exciting enough, Swindon Town Centre's retailers and landlords have planned an amazing array of events and a bright, attractive festive lighting scheme throughout the town. The big shopping season will be launched on Saturday 27 November with a spectacular lights switch-on sponsored and hosted by the Brunel Shopping Centre.

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A brilliant laser light show, with Band - Indian film music with westEastenders stars Adam Woodyatt ern influence - will have every(Ian Beale) and Tamsin Outhwaite body jumping, and The Peace (Melanie), plus GWR and BBC Artistes, will provide rocking Wiltshire Sound will ensure fami- rhythm and pulsating passion. lies enjoy an impressive free show. The famous French stilt walking On Sunday 28 November birds 'Les Oiseaux De Lux' will be causing mischief in the Brunel Shopping Centre and Father Christmas will be riding his sleigh with two white ponies before he arrives at a fantastic animated grotto on the first floor bridge link in the Brunel Shopping Centre. Look out for the New College decorated 'Time' sleigh, the Hreod Parkway Steel Band, Link Centre ice show skaters and actors from the Wyvern Theatre as well as Swindon Town Football Club. Explorer, David Hempleman Adams will be promoting his new book by driving a team of husky dogs through the town. 10.30am, the Christmas Parade will The town festivities will conmove off from Regent Circus weavtinue over the following three ing a spectacle of fun and delight weeks until 19 December with late through the town centre. Sponnight Thursday shopping and on sored by the Great Western DeSundays. signer Outlet Centre, professional street performers will surprise at Help needed every turn. Look out for the Runaway Christmas Tree, an impres- for shopping night sionist who plays Isambard Kingdom Brunel, stiltwalkers, wad- A special shopping evening for dling penguins, singers from 'K' people with disabilities and resiSchool of Music and The Ridge- dents of nursing homes and shelway Harmony Barbershop Sing- tered accommodation takes place ers, with dancers from the Celtic on Thursday 2 December, 5.30pm Academy. to 9pm. Two impressive street bands, Wheelchair pushers and shopwho have performed in many Eu- ping helpers are needed. To ofropean cities will provide an excit- fer assistance, call Shopmobility ing, cosmopolitan beat for the parade. The famous Bollywood Brass on 512621.

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White take centre stage for the Millennium pantomime. On 11 November Chas n Dave will be playing Swindon on their twentyfifth anniversary tour, bringing their classic hits li ke 'Rabbit' and 'London Girls'. Their recordings are the staple diet of parties. Now you can join in with them live. The Barron Knights are also celebrating their long term love of pop music and a good joke. They've been together for forty years and Swindon on 26 November is one of the gigs in a world

tour that takes in Singapore, Hong Kong and New

the Wyvern sees the return of the hit show Freak Out! fronted by confused rock legend and 70s fashion guru Mike Fab-Gere. His ten member Permissive Society band plays hits by the Beatles, the Stones, Kinks. Doors, Monkees and many more. He'll be joined by David Bowie look-alike

John Mainwaring. This is a great chance to Above: Mike Fab-Gere helps Wyvern Theatre manager Ted Doan and promotion staff Nicola Western, right, and Tracey Gilewicz shake their groove thang

Zealand. They are followed on 30 November by T-Rextasy, the only official tribute band to the ultimate 70s

superstar. Abba Gold arrive on 5 December to celebrate the best of Swedish pop, but on 1 December,

Boogie on down to the Wyvern We have two pairs of tickets for Freak Out! for you to win in a great competition. Tell us how many members are in Mike Fab-Gere's band, The Permissive Society, and you could win a pair, plus a CD and a rare signed photo. Entries to The Link, Papermakers House, Westlea, Swindon SN5 7BD by 15 November.

Win a wine guide With wine high on the Christmas shopping list, Oz Clark, one of the world's leading wine experts, has written an Encyclopedia of Wine, drawing on his deep knowledge and excellent palate for discovering the best from around the world. It s organised alphabetically, rather than by region, allowing you to find any wine, region, producer or grape

variety with ease. With over 1,600 entries, 700 colour photographs and indepth profiles of wine producers, the encyclopedia publi shed by Little Brown will make wine drinking really enjoyable. To compliment the large book, Oz Clarke has brought out a Pocket

Wine Book 2000

packed with guidance on which bottle to go for, whether you are stocking up in the supermarket or choosing a bottle in a restaurant or wine bar. We have four copies of the Pocket Wine Book to give away. All you have to do is write to The Link, Papermakers House, Westlea, Swindon SN5 7BD by 15 November.

get into the Christmas season. Strut your stuff to the Wyvern box office or call 524481 for time and prices, and to book tickets.

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Be a winner with The Prospect A new lottery just for people living in Swindon and its surrounds holds its first draw on 5 November. And all the proceeds go to the Prospect Read more Hospice

Visit the Tregoze School mini-site to see the pages created for teacher Karen Winterburne to call up on her visit to schools in Australia in Read more November. Pictured, Karen with her class at Tregoze.

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Sutucdo i Vae New skating partnership to star in ice show

Link Centre Olympic gold medal hope Andrew Seabrook has teamed up with a new partner, and their first public appearance in Swindon will take place at the annual ice show in December. The performance will mark the was agreed by the coaches. Link Centre ice skating officer end of a 12 month search for a new partner by reigning British Pairs Alan Seabrook said he was deChampion Andrew, 21, since his four and half year skating relationship with Marsha Pouliaschenko suddenly broke up when she returned to the Ukraine at the end of last year. Tiffany Sfikas, 22, will now be going for British gold, although she was a member of the USA junior skating team and came tenth in the American seniors. Tiffany spent two weeks at Link Centre in early October and Andrew spent a week in the USA where a six year development plan

Dance craze to hit Swindon On Tuesday 16 November the fastest growing modern day partner dance comes to Swindon, at the Goddard Arms Hotel, Old Town. Based on French Jive, Ceroc is a teachers, the beginner's class starts modernised version with less em- at 7.45pm. It's a great place to phasis on footwork making it easier meet people and make friends. Ceroc can be danced to any form for beginners to learn. Everyone is welcome, there is of music with a steady beat - from no need to book a course - just turn Glen Miller Big Band sounds, right up. You don't even need to bring a up to 90s chart hits. For details, call the Ceroc inforpartner, as the teaching methods ensures that everyone mixes to- mation line on 01725 513 966 or gether and participates. Demon- visit www.itmagic.demon.co.uk/ strated by professionally trained ceroc/

lighted with the new partnership. "I think it is tremendous. They are both very talented and get on very well together; everybody is happy."

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Wednesday 10 November to Tuesday 2 November Sean Wilson. Wyvern, 7.30pm. Saturday 13 November Drama A Celebration Laughter £10.50 Drama Dickens' Ghosts, pre- Show, presented by The Western sented by Footloose Theatre. Arts Players. Arts Centre, 7.30pm. £4 Lecture Brunel: The Great EngiCentre, 7.30pm. £6.50 Comedy Crazy Chicken Comedy neer, by curator Tim Bryan. GWR Club presents Ian Stone, Martin Museum 7.30pm. Call 414735 Davis with MC James Dowdeswell. Thursday 11 November Mackenzie's, Wood Street, Music Chas & Dave's 25Anniver8.30pm. £5 sary Show. Wyvern, 7.30pm. £10 Wednesday 3 November to Friday 12 November Saturday 6 November Dance The Cholmondeleys and Dance The Tanwood School of The Featherstonehaughs and The Dance perform 'Back to the Fu- Victims of Death In Smithereens. ture'. Wyvern, 3-5th: 7.30pm, 6th: Wyvern, 8pm. £8 2.30 and 7.30pm. From £6.50 Saturday 13 November Thursday 4 November to Music Swindon Male Voice Choir Saturday 6 November with Henry Kelly (Classic FM), The Literature An evening with Pam REME band and Leah Flynn & Ayres (below) Arts Centre, 7.30pm. Maggie O'Herlthy. Wyvern, £11.50 7.30pm. £10 Family Roman Mysteries. Experience life some 2000 years ago and see the exhibition of Roman fi nds from Abbey Meads. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery,1 Oam. Free Children Buried Treasure. Create your own Roman artifacts; ages 5-11. Swindon Museum & Art Gallery, 2pm. £2 Collectors Fair Swindon Stamp and Postcard Fair. Western Community Centre, Somerset Road,l0am. Admission 20p Tuesday 16 November to Saturday 20 November Music Kentwood Choir 'Be our Saturday 6 November Training Instant Picture Framing. Guest'. Wyvern, 7.30pm. £7.50 Arts Centre,l0am. £10 Friday 19 November Music The Ella Fitzgerald Sunday 7 November Service Festival of Remem- Songbook featuring Tina May, Barbara Jay, Lee Gibson & The brance. Wyvern, 6.30pm. £7 Leisure The Two Castles Event. Tommy Whittle Quartet. Arts Cen15 mile walk from Coate Water to tre, 8pm. £12.50 Liddington & Barbury castles. Saturday 20 November Meet at the Ranger Centre,l0am. Training Fire and Steel. An introduction to forgework. Thunder £2.50/£1.50. Book on 490150 Valley Emporium, Cricklade Road, Tuesday 9 November Drama Up n Under, John 10am. £8 Godber's play about an amateur Family The Secret Garden, prerugby league side and a girl. Wy- sented by Sixth Sense Theatre Trust & Salisbury Playhouse. Arts vern, 7.30pm. £8.50 Centre, 2pm. £4.50/£4 Wednesday 10 November Drama The Shakespeare Revue. Music The Playpen Acoustic Music Tour. Arts Centre, 8pm. £6 Wyvern, 7.30pm. £11

November overview Saturday 20 November Tour of the National Monuments Record Centre, next to Great Western Designer Village, 2.15pm. Sunday 21 November Magic Raymond Froggatt. Country singer supported by Steve Travis. Wyvern, 7.30pm. £11.50 Tuesday 23 November Lecture Patrick Moore - The Great Universe. Wyvern, 7.30pm. £8 Wednesday 24 November Music Cleo Laine, John Dankworth & friends suppo rt ed by Kentwood Choir. Wyvern, 7.30pm. £15 Thursday 25 November Dance Swindon Dance Taking Risks Festival brings 'A Gala Performance'. Wyvern, 8pm. £9 Drama Mrs Nosey Parker. A new play by stand up comic and writer Jenny Eclair. Arts Centre, 8pm. £10 Friday 26 November Music The Barron knights. Wyvern, 8pm. £10 Comedy Bill Oddie (right) in Followthat Bird. Arts Centre, 8pm. £11 Saturday 27 November Magic Wayne Dobson. The Uk's premier comedy illusionist. Wyvern, 7.30pm. £9.50 Music Unicorn Sisters. Act featuring tradional folk, Celtic and mediaeval tunes and songs. Arts Centre, 8pm. £6.50 Family Christmas Lights Switch on. Swindon Town Centre, 6pm

Saturday 27 November to Sunday 28 November Exhibition Modrail 99, Swindon Model Railway. Greendown School, West Swindon, 1 Oam-5pm Sunday 28 November Musical Beyond The Barricade. Tribute to the best of West End and Broadway shows. Wyvern, 7.30pm. £10.50 Family Grand Christmas Parade. Themes of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Future. Swindon Town Centre, 10.30. Monday 29 November Comedy Hale and Pace. Wyvern, 7.30pm. £14.50

Tuesday 30 November Music T-Rextasy. Only official established tribute band to 70's superstar Marc Bolan. Wyvern, 7.30pm. £10.50 Drama Sense and Sensibility. Arts Centre, 7.30pm. £8

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All showing at the Arts Centre, 7.45pm Wednesday 3 November The Thief (15) This Oscar-nominated film is a bitter fable of love, deception and disillusion set in Stalin's Russia. Presented by SFS Tuesday 16 November & Thursday 18 November Orphans (18) A black comedy-drama unfolds as four siblings gather in Glasgow for their mother's funeral. £3.50 Wednesday 17 November Daytrippers (15) Well written and beautifully acted comedy of a warring family from New Jersey and their trip to the Big Apple. Contains swearing. SFS Tuesday 23 November A Simple Plan (15) Thriller starring Billy Bob Thornton, Bill Paxton, Bridget Fonda. £3.50 Wednesday 24 November Hamam (18) Ravishing shots of Istanbul feature in an intriguing tale of cross-cultural and sexual confusion, when an Italian discovers he has inherited an abandoned Turkish Bath. Presented by Swindon Film Soc.

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The Great Western Community Forest team and the Woodland Trust are organising a big tree plant to launch the 21st Century on Sunday 5 December, 10.30am to 3.30pm at the Large Pry, near Purton. There will be live music, face Community Forest marketing be on hand with advice. All you painting, children's workshops and officer Sarah Baird said, "the Mil- need is wellies and a spade. "Part of the day will include cre- exhibitions about the community lennium Forest Fun Day is an opportunity for people to plant a dedi- ating a giant time capsule which forest, the Woodland Trust and the cated tree and enjoy a good day will be buried on site. Please bring work of local environmental groups. To get there follow the signs to out. You don't need experience, along any small items which you Purton, or use the free park and the trees are free and experts will wish to be included." ride from Hillmead Industrial Estate on Mead Way, West Swindon. Buses will run from 9.30am. Swindon museums staff are preparing for a pre-Christmas rush of • Local Agenda 21 conference reschools visiting Lydiard House to discover life in a country house during port. See page 45. Victorian days.

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GCSE results â€” the best ever In line with the national trend of an increase in 5+A-C grades at GCSE, Greendown celebrates another successful set of public exam results - our best ever. Over 50% of the students were successful in passing the higher grades with the boys doing slightly better than girls. More than three quarters of the year achieved at least one GCSE grade C. This is the third year running that results have risen. Given the national concern about the performance of

boys in exams, we are particularly pleased with the dramatic increase in their results. As usual, there were some excellent performances by our students with several gaining the highest grades in all of their subjects. Amy Colaco Osario, with seven A grades, an A and a B grade, was outstanding.

Our maths early entry policy continues to be successful. Thirteen students took maths GCSE in year 10 and have moved on to study A' level in year 11. We are particularly concerned at Greendown to help all our students improve their expectations of final performance. The staff work intensively with students and parents, offering additional sessions, after school homestudy clubs, help with personal time planning and setting individual targets.' In addition, student grades are regularly checked against standardised tests of verbal, numeric and visual ability, and against grades in other subjects. Students are regularly told how well they are doing and what they need to improve further.

above, commented, "We are delighted with these results which accurately reflect all the hard work of students and staff."

Eight of our successful 1999 graduates who have all moved on to advanced studies at New College, Swindon College and Cirencester College. From left, Kate Williams, Glyn Evans, Amy Colaco Osario, Paul Collyer, Sophie Leighfield, Alex Ogle, Nicky Relph.

Ofsted Inspectors praise quality of teaching and learning

Sophiie and Nicky are two of the first intake to a new course for girls at the Cirencester Football Academy. They have set their sights on a career in coaching and are looking at football scholarships at Bath University and the USA.

In March this year, eleven inspectors found that teaching at Greendown was satisfactory or better in 93% of all lessons seen and good or very good in 55% of all lessons. We are delighted by these findings and also by the fact that inspectors found that students at Greendown have a good attitude to learning and that there were very few instances of disrespectful behaviour. When Ofsted uses the term `good' it has a particular meaning. An acceptable standard is described as being 'sound' or 'satisfactory'. `Good', therefore, means better than the norm found in most schools. Indeed, performance in our Key Stage 3 tests - taken by 14 year olds - was considered to be above the average when compared with all other

Spanish exhange in full swing This edition of This is Greendown is published as students travel to Spain for the second half of a foreign language exhange programme. See inside. Also in this edition:

New buildings provide more facilities Keeping a close eye on attendance and performance Work with local primary schools Greendown builds on successful Shakespeare Festival Sports students do well

secondary schools. Greendown devotes a lot of teacher time and effort to supporting students in their learning and social relationships, so it was gratifying to hear that inspectors were clearly impressed by this pastoral support. The leadership and management was found to be strong and governors are well informed. Where inspectors found Greendown needed to make improvements - in terms of providing more space and developing students' writing skills - the school had already identified these ar- `Â°+ eas and established new directions for this year's planning. We have published a development plan which will maintain our considerable strengths and continue to raise the standard of our students' writing skills.

New buildings for our,biggest ever intake Just in time to answer Ofsted's concern about the lack of space for our growing student roll, three new buildings were erected at Greendown during the summer months: a resource block, new music rooms and sports changing facilities. Extensive modifications to the existing building were only just completed on time before school restarted, but staff and students alike are pleased with the quality of their environment. It has been well worth waiting for - particularly as our numbers are the largest ever, due to the recordbreaking numbers of first choice year sevens who joined us in September. Greendown is still West Swindon's most popular choice of school, so we expect further building modifications in future. Librarian Jenny Eagle working with students in our new hi-tech integrated learning resource centre which will also be used by our partner prima ry schools as part of our programme of li aison

Reward for investment in staff A modern organisation is only as good as its staff and staff need training and development. So it was a delight when earlier this year, Greendown was the first school in the Swindon Education Authority to receive the Investor in People Award. To gain the award, all management systems were closely examined and senior staff interviewed to ensure that the school is providing appropriate staff support. Chairman of governors, Andrew Basson congratulated the school's management team "The award is an endorsement of the commitment to the development of staff as a central feature in the education of children at Greendown." j Daphne Milner from the Wiltshire and Swindon Training and Enterprise Council presents the award to Andrew Basson, centre, with headteacher Ian Ma tt hews and teacher and Investor in People coordiâ€”^^= nator Sally Barker

Bromcom keeps tabs on attendance and progress For over a year now, teachers at Greendown have not marked attendance registers - at least not with a pen. A new compact computer, the `Bromcom', has taken its place. Simply pressing a key calls up each class register from a central

computer, students in each class are marked in and the data is transmitted back, cutting out all the manual labour needed to check 52 individual register books. Moreover, every student is registered at every class - not just twice a day. The system has huge potential says Headteacher, Ian Matthews, "The key issue for schools is to get information on any one student rapidly and efficiently. Each student may have up to 12 different teachers. Bromcom enables us to rapidly collate information about homestudy, attendance and achievement for an individual and communicate it to parents at consultation." Progress at the press of a button? Head of Humanities, Peter Gould, left, is more than satisfied

Investor

Peopr

Students hear of hurricane disaster At the end of January, the Nicaraguan Ambassador to Britain, Mrs Nora Campos de Lankes took part in a year 8 Humanities lesson. She explained how Nicaragua has been struggling for 30 years to overcome one disaster after another and how her country had been devastated by Hurricane Mitch in November 1998 which killed over 3,000 people. Greendown students went on to collect over 5500 for the hurricane appeal launched by the Swindon Ocotal Link. Later in the year they collected blankets an cur y iv :il i ms four R ov o.

Spanish exchange creates new inter-cultural links In September a group of Spanish students and their teachers visited Greendown as part of the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchange's Socrates Lingua E Programme in which European funding is available to schools who work on a Joint Educational Project (JEP) together which encourages the linguistic abilities of students. Pupils at Gabriel Mirb School in Orihuela, near Alicante, Spain and Greendown have been working together over the last two years on their project's theme, `What do we have in common with young people our own age in Spain?" A number of topics have been covered commencing with the World Cup back in June 1997, fashion, food, sports, pop music, town, art etc and a display of all the JEP works to date was held towards the end of the first leg of the exchange, for students and their families. We were also treated to an exciting performance of Spanish singing and flamenco dance. Colleagues from other curriculum areas became involved in the JEP and the Spanish students were particularly thrilled with the Shakespeare workshop they took part in. The De Vere Hotel very kindly hosted the Spanish teachers at greatly reduced rates in support of the project which made accessibility much easier for them. A full programme of visits and activities was enjoyed by all, culminating in an end of exchange party at one of the host pupil's houses in which both groups of students and their friends used their language skills to share their knowledge of Salsa, Merengue and break dancing, not to mention juggling and fire throwing. The first half of the exchange was very successful and the Spanish students and their teachers reluctantly departed for home. We very much look forward to making the return visit when our pupils go to Spain on 23 October.

at a last day presentation in early October i

New computer art course

Due to recent national curriculum requirements, the Greendown art department has opened a new information technology area. Mrs Emma Barnes has been appointed to implement the use of IT with art.

Banner celebrates fifteenth year for Oliver Tomkins Church of England Infants School Greendown's links with partner primary schools in West Swindon have always been strong, with many projects being shared. A particularly interesting one took place earlier this year, when a group of GCSE textile students at Greendown created a banner in recognition of the fifteenth anniversary of Oliver Tomkins Infants School. The girls researched details of the school's history and church connection. They worked with some of the infants to decide the motifs and the youngsters helped cut out the shapes for our students to apply. Oliver Tomkins Infants headteacher Penny Summers was delighted to receive the banner at a special dedication assembly, and it now hangs in the school hall where all the children can see it.

Initially GCSE students will be using image manipulation software such as Adobe Photoshop and Photo-Deluxe to modify and change original art and design work. Mrs Barnes hopes that students will learn to appreciate information technology as another tool within the art room. "As a department we hope to use the new IT suite to its , full potential across all age groups". At a later stage the art department intends to combine desk top publishing with student work to produce its own marketing material. Art teacher Emma Barnes with year 10 students Jess Soane and Sam Bennett

The Bishop of Swindon Rev. Michael Doe and former headteacher Margaret Williams display the banner with children from Greendown and Oliver Tomkins. Design teachers Sue Clack and Alison Godfrey, rear, with Oliver Tomkins head Penny Summers

%4_0 This is Greendown • 4

Shakespeare Millennium Festival up and running for world first West Swindon primary schools and Greendown, together with other schools, local community groups and Swindon College have joined forces to produce a world first. In April 2000, a thousand children from twenty different institutions will perform a 30 minute version of every Shakespeare play in the Greendown Drama Studio. Awarded a Millennium Lottery Grant of £5,000 and £3,300 from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, the festival is being helped along by national figures Chris Geelan and Sarah Gordon of the Young Shakespeare Company. Festival Director, senior teacher, Tim Noble is delighted that so many schools are participating and that Greendown is helping the children of West Swindon to celebrate the man of the millennium for the millennium. Workshops for teachers are taking place during the Autumn to explore how Shakespeare can be interpreted and sessions for parents are planned so that they can find out what their children will be learning and acting. The festival builds on successful work that has been developed with partner primary schools over the last two years which has shown how young children enthusiastically take to Shakespeare.

Speedy boys

Hockey success In the last year Michelle Meyers, Claire Parker and Kim Mead were selected for the Wiltshire under 15s hockey team, whilst experienced player Kelly HillierBowden not only represented Wiltshire at under 17s but was again selected to the South West England Hockey Development Squad

James Grubb, Andrew Daglish, Simon Cleary and Daniel Lambert won the 4 x 100 under 14s relay at the Swindon schools athletic championship in June.

Swindon South MP Julia Drown attended the first workshop in early October to launch the festival by presenting teachers with Shakespeare's texts

Congratulations Kate Year 9 student Kate Zammit continues to make excellent progress as a gymnast. A member of the Swindon School of Gymnastics, which uses the sports facilities at Greendown, Kate was selected earlier in the year to join the Great Britain Rhymthic Gymnastic Squad and took part in the junior European championships in Hungary in last May. She trains for seven hours a week in Swindon and all day when attending national squad training at the Lilleshall sports development centre. Kate appeared with the squad on BBC TV Blue Peter in May and will also be seen on the Generation Game in a team demonstrating their extraordinary flexibility and conditioning.

Cricketers hit them for 6

Greendown is West Swindon's Community School catering for local families and a wide range of community groups. We always make visitors very welcome and are happy to give parents tours of the school. For more information please contact, Primary parents: Tim Noble Other parents: Steve O'Sullivan Community use and bookings: Amanda Yeoman (mornings only)

Tel: (01793) 874224

The national team maybe struggling against a range of opponents, but the cricketers of the future are doing alright, here at Greendown. Earlier in the year, the under 14s won the Swindon cup in a match that demonstrated their overall skill. Getting Headlands out for 48 runs, three Greendown bowlers took 3 wickets apiece to assure them of a comfortable victory. Danny Dunn, the captain, who also plays for GWR men's team is looking forward to next season and a similar run of success playing at under 16 level.

'This is Greendown' is published by Greendown Community School under contract with The Link Magazine

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com

The Link Magazine • November 1999

Yundmistny events to' Chttstmas Bargain Bazaar St Andrews Methodist Church, Moredon Road Alternate Thursdays 2pm - 4pm, starting 4 November Good quality second-hand clothes h e,u Behold items etc ' Coffee, Cake and Crafts Day St Johns Church, Haydon Wick Saturday 13 Nov, 10am - 2pm Proceeds to NSPCC

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Westlea Under 5s Christmas Fayre Friday 26 Nov, 3pm - 4.30pm George & Ann Tweed Room, Westlea School

The Commonweal School PTA The Mall, Old Town Christmas Craft Fayre Sunday 21 Nov, 11 am - 4pm Admission free, refreshments

Christmas Bazaar Haydon Wick Bowls Club Saturday 27 November, 10am Many stalls and competitions Haydon Centre, 10am

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Kin avon mitre saw £9.99 Rodo 12V power cordless drill £32.99 Ring 3W coloured lighting st ri p £11.99 Ring 25W coloutedJighl ng ship £19.99 99p Progress turkey tin 15"xl2" Westclox pinnacle wall clock with free alarm clock £7.99 Dencon 2 way 2 metre extension £3.49 Phillips Elegance one piece phone £8.99 Sony alkaline batteries AA x 12 £3.49

Winter warmth

Pets Corner

85p 5 metre draught excluder £1 49 15 metre draught excluder £ 1.85 Door brush £2.15 Le tterbox draughtexcluder Caren 150 3 bar gas fire £65.00 Inc bottle gas & reg Coal: 20kg... £3.40 10kg...£ l .80 CoaTite: 20kg...£6 35

* Panels and trellis, closeboard, picket, post & rail, chain link, security etc.

block paving

• Garden sheds

10 light chaser set, coloured

Landscapes services

^a 0

Supavalue Kingavon work bench

Brook Field School, Ca rt wright Drive, Shaw Christmas Fayre Friday 3rd December, 5.30pm Fun fair, crafts, toys Free entry, refreshments

Mr Rotavator Creative Gardens

Tel: 731610

£4.99 Phillips E180 video tapes elonshi 3KW fan beater £.1099 eldray 5 toad stepladder £16.99 hermos Modal flask& free flask £9.99

Christmas Bazaar Christ Church with St Marys, Church Hall, Devizes Road Saturday 27 Nov, 10.30am - 2pm Admission 30p

Landscaping, patios, paths &

clearance,

Freephone 0800 - 387613

LINK

Christmas Bazaar Hook Village Hall Saturday 27 November, 2pm In aid of St Mary's in Lydiard Park

Fencing and landscaping

ponds, fencing,

5 days given to fill skip

itch

Acorns Pre-School Coffee morning Holy Trinity Church, Shaw Thursday 25 November 9.30am - 12.30pm Stalls, guess the weight of the cake

10kg._£3.25

Log net £1.85 Firewood 50p H an dy Gas same day free delivery

or 750947

LANDSCAPING & GARDEN MAINTENANCE n Fencing: Close board/ Panels/Gates • Block Paving • •

Fencing panels from £10.25

Why not come along and check out our quality products? Our customers tell us that we give the best value for money in the area.

Trained team • Fully insured For free quotation

Trade enquiries welcome

f\i SY C%

Patios, Paths, Turfing Hedging & Mowing

Tel: (017931 526571

-iEJ)0 ows

^ieaC^i^

Need help with your garden? Winter tidy up! Pruning, planting, ornamental gravel, all types of fencing No job too small

Give us a call for a free quote John & Ann Wadsworth on 01666 860400

MEN'S SHOES an outstanding selection

• Church • K • Loakes • Grenson • Barker • Padders • Rohde • Clarks • Hush Puppies BLAYLOCKS Bath Road Corner Old Town, Swindon

Ladies, it's the party season. So why not buy and sell your evening wear at

Wear It Well Your local & largest dress agency. Also: casual/day occasion/ bridal wear 59 North Street, (off Eastcott Road), Old Town, Swindon Telephone: 695223 Open: Tues, Thurs, Fri & Sat 10am - 4.30pm

houghts are turning to Christ mas and a visit to Old Town T should be top of the list for places to go for interesting gifts. It's a compact area with a range of shops, many of which will be charmingly decorated in festive style in a few weeks. And this year, for the first time, Old Town will be joined to the town centre by a river of light running down Victoria Road. Deacons of Wood Street, one of the oldest family firms in Swindon, Service with a smile at Deacons. Richard Deacon with china stockist Wendy Whelan

A New Look for the New Millennium Top designer labels Ladies fashions & accessories

is a must visit for anything to do with clocks, pens, china, glassware and collectables, all of the highest quality, backed with good old fashioned service. Just along the road is Juvals which stocks top designer ladies fashions and accessories. It's a must for that Millennium look. Shoes are the mainstay of well known Old Town trader Blaylocks, situated on the corner of Bath Road and Devizes Road. They stock all the best brands and the personal service is second to none.

Are you going to a winter wedding? Perhaps you just need a hat to keep away the winter weather You need to visit ..

M ad Hatter

JUVALS

26 Wood Street Old Town, Swindon Tel: 01793 513196

39 Bath Road, Old Town, Swindon to see our exciting range of hats for sale or hire For a personal appointment, telephone (01793) 704005.

Quality Gifts & Paintings make

Ideal Christmas Presents

65 Devizes Road, Old Town, Swindon

Tel: Swindon (01793) 64 1353

Enchanting Gifts for Chris 93 Victoria Road, Old Town, Swindc Tel/Fax: 01793 541550 ... where you will find some of the most unusual and surprising presents in Swindon Fancy dress, make-up and hair accessories Cuddly toys, collectables, mystical crystals, stationery, party goods & Christmas decorations Stocking fillers, fairy gardening ornaments, trinket boxes, calendars and diaries and so much more .

Next door in Devizes Road is Halliday, a shop where the discerning person has to keep visiting because the stock of gifts, prints and paintings keeps changing. Opposite is Pets Kitchen with everything you need to keep your pet healthy and happy. It's a great place to find something to repay those hours of enjoyment. Books are always a perfect Christmas gift. Any well planned shopping trip can be swept off course at Victoria Books in Wood Street for new books, maps, or even an unusual second hand volume. Close by is Dandelion which stocks a range of interesting gifts and toys. The shop will be open on Sundays from 14 November to give you the chance to choose your Christmas presents. Another gift shop to visit is Tinkerbells. Josie Hobbs calls it a girlie shop, with lots of enchanting and surprising items for adults as well as children. An unusual emporium is Antiques and All Pine in Newport Street. John Brown stocks interesting pine furniture and also new four posters built in traditional Victorian style.

Time slips away amongst the ] 000s of books on our shelves

With friends and relations coming round, or to stay, you might be thinking of new furnishings. Spillers, who have over 150 years of experience, will provide invaluable advice when choosing home coordinates and bedrooms.

An old fashioned bookshop for customers who like things Vim the way they used to be with a standard of service for today. BOOK TOKENS MAKE PERFECT GIFTS

•

VICTORIA BOOKSHOP 30 Wood Street, Old Town, Swindon • Tel: (01793) 527364

Quality brass & iron beds ANTIQUCS &ALL PJN Wide range of traditional beds. bases, mattresses. Special sizes, four posters Delivery and erection service Street, Old Town, Swindon • Tel: 01793 520259

Come to Kitchen

Connie Croker, above, runs Wear it Well in North Street, just a short distance from the Prospect Place car park. It's Wiltshire's largest as new clothing agency and there are always bargains to be had. Not far away in Bath Road is The Mad Hatter run by Sheila Parsons. If you're looking for advice on what to wear, she's the person to see for hats for hire or to buy. And whilst in Old Town, pop into Nature's Larder for a free cup of tea or coffee if you take in the advert. at the bottom of the page.

unday opening will commence 14th November

Top of Vic Hill Old Town- -,

Tel: 527057 Open Mon - Sat, 9am - 5.30pm We stock all your pet requirements: Hills Science, Eukanuba, Pedigree, Omega, Repnor We have rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds, chinchillas, tropical & cold water fish Local free de

Pay us a visit and we are sure you will be amazed at the varied and unusual gifts and toys we can offer you for any occasion 10 Wood Street, Old Town Tel: 511099

GODDARD - - I PHOTOGRAPHIC

Special Xmas Offer Studio portraits: Only £19.50 includes two 8"x6" mounted prints and sitting fee

One extra print free with this advertisement on the above offer

Tel: 538367 to book 1811^g9 — appointment — ------- J ValidunC^1

r — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —i l ^Y

CL ^^..Vl^ti ^^I Cad

I 96 Victoria Road, Old Town, Swindon • Tel: 521831 l For all your health foods, homeopathic remedies, vitamins & minerals, sugar free and other special diet foods Teas, coffees and home made cakes in the Nature's Larder cafe Drop in to see Eileen the next time you are in Old Town ..........

Free cup of tea or coffee with this advertisement i Valid unti130/11/94

The Link Magazine • November 1999

Your pet is what it eats Alison Smith of the new Oscar Pet Food franchise in Swindon writes The most common allergen is Your pet is special and you want what's best for them - and that the protein source in the diet, for includes their food. A balanced example beef, chicken, egg, milk, diet is fundamental for good health rabbit or fish. But wheat can also Swindon Cats and your pet needs just the right causeanallergy. Somebreedssuch Protection can help amount of protein, fat, carbohy- as Westie and Staffies can also dety _s velop allergies to meat, hence the DuringNovemberfemalecatsover drate, vitamins and minerals. six months can be spayed free of But some dogs like German need for a vegetarian diet. If you think your dog has a food charge. Shepherds and West Highland Owners, who must be claiming Terriers may be allergic to what allergy, you should first visit your benefit, and will need to show they are eating. Such allergies of- vet - allergies to fleas are a possiproof of this, can take their pet to ten result in itchy skin, sometimes bility. Once other causes are ruled in combination with diarrhoea and out, a change of diet should foltheir local vet for the operation. For information on the work of it is not uncommon for a dog to low. The first step would be to the Swindon Cats Protection call suddenly become allergic to food change the protein source. An improvement should be seen within pound of milk chocolate can be 644536 they have been eating for years. 3 to 4 weeks, but if not, your dog fatal for a 251b dog. Oscar Pet Foods now offer, in may be allergic to one of the other WHY STRUGGLE WITH HEAVY ingredients in the food. ` the Swindon area nutritional and PETS AT HQ i s CANS & BULKY BAGS? If you change your dog's diet, behavioural advice and free home Worried who will look don't forget to look at the ingredi- delivery. Hm LET If you are interested in a free ents in any treats you may be givafter your pets whilst DO THE WORK? i taste trial for your dog or cat, please ing. Remember that, however pou re on holiday? Top pet food delivered free to your door much they like it, chocolate should telephone Alison on 882311. E-mail: 3 Full Range of Complete Dog Food Pets At Home be avoided. One to one and a half oscar.swindon@virgin.net.

l I

3 Complete Cat Foods 3 Cat Litter

could be your answer

3 Rabbit & Bird Food 3 Supplies for all Small Animals

Pets At Home is a service

•'4ET

^9,z

3 D ry Mixers 3 Puppy Food

Simon Gower & Associates B.V.Sc., M.R.C.V.S.

and mud? more available at compe We price s

in the West Swindon area only.

VETERINARY SURGEONS

For information and free sample, contact your local agent: Wendy & Roy Rudkin. Tel: 01793 873021

on 873062

' 77 High Street, Purton Bath Road, Cricklade Ro^1Q • Tel: 751698 Tel: 771869 Please telephone for consulting hour • All consultations by appointment ^'•

24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE: TELEPHONE 771869

Trophy Internavonal Animal Products (Oxford) Ltd

SHAW VETERINARY CENTRE • Do you know that there is a pet food manufacturer that delivers pet food direct to your door?

David Warnes B.V.Sc. M.R.C.V.S. Shaw Village Centre ,Jet,. Ramleaze Drive, Shaw Swindon SN5 9PY

Do you know where to find OSCAR PET FOODS?

• Do you know that there is a pet food manufacturer that supplies a food that states the full ingredients plus offering nutritional and behavioural advice, backed with veterinary support? • Do you know that there is a pet food manufacturer that supplies a microchipping se rvice in the comfort of your own home?

Then Contact Alison Smith on 01793 882311

Tel: (01793) 881919

or freephone helpline • Do you know that there is a pet food manufacturer that offers a Complete Pet Care Service with treats, insurance and health care? • Do you know that the Oscar home delivery service is FREE?

nearest Nutritional Advisor

COMPLETE PET CARE

^^.`I

SERVICE

Consultations by appointment Monday - Friday 8.30am - 7.30pm Saturday 9.00am - 4.00pm

0500 855 267 to find your

PET FOOD J ® v

-./ ^^Ir

DELIVERY SERVICE

THE DROVE VETERINARY HOSPITAL

24 HOUR EMERGENCY TREATMENT

Abbeymeads Veterinary Surgery For all your pets needs when healthy or ill Unit 5

Abbeymeads Swindon Tel: (01793) 728728

Opening hours:

Mon - Fri gam - 6.3opm

Abbeymeads Village Centre Elstree Way

Saturday 2pm - 4pm Consulting hours: By appointment Mon - Fri: 11am -12.30pm, 2pm - 4pm; 5.30pm - 6.30pm Saturday 2- 4pm

24 HR EMERGENCY SERVICE - All Sunday and Emergency consults by appointment at The Drove Veterina ry Hospital - Telephone (01793) 522483

THAMES WOOD VETERINARY CLINICS

,I$T IN ft2,

Caring for your pet's welfare and all his medical, surgical, nutritional and behavioural needs. Specialised skin and dental clinics, nurses clinics, home visits. ' 24 hour emergency service

North West Swindon, 62 - 64 Purton Road, Swindon Surgery Hours: Monday to Friday 9.00am - 6.30pm Saturday 9.00am - 11.00am

Telephone: 01793 526780

MORTGAGE SERVICES Serving the community since 1987

Mansfield Begbie Associates

Whether moving before Year 2000 or staying put, with 12 years experience providing mortgages in Swindon, including the new tracker mortage, you can be sure of an excellent service from Mansfield Begbie Associates.

5.25% (APR 5.4%) for two years (variable)

For example, £50,000 would cost £205.62 per month interest only net of MIRAS (excluding insurance). This is a discount of 1.74% to 31/12/2001. No arrangement fee or 'Tie-Ins." (Maximum loan to value 75%). 5.75% variable rate with no redemption penalties.. ^. Maximum available 95% for purchases and 90% for remortgages.

► Ii

For example, 2 years fixed rate at 5.55% (APR 5.75%) to 30/11/2001 and 1 0 year fixed rate 6.95% (APR 7.2%). (Maximum loan to value 75%) •

0•

•'"

RE-MORTGAGE SPECIAL A fixed rate of 6.79% (APR 7.00%) for 5 years. No fees. Legal fees paid. No 'Tie-Ins. (Maximum loan to value: 95%)

You tell us what your requirements are and we will try to provide the arrangements to suit your individual needs Mansfield Begbie Associates can arrange mo rt gages with the majority of building societies and banks in the UK.

For free advice and further information, call us now on

Swindon 772779 "Representative only of CORNHILL INSURANCE PLC for the purpose of effecting investment business introductions only, CORNHILL INSURANCE PLC is regulated by the Personal Investment Authority for life assurance and pensions business'. Registered with the Mortgage Code Register of Intermediaries: No. 5151731 • Consumer Credit Licence: No. 222123 C re dit b ro ker lees of up to 1 % on the advance may be Charged at completion depending on the type of product and credit period. Rate applied is 5.25% (54% APR) for two years. APR is variable. Rates may va ry . A wr it ten quotation on loans can be obtained on request. Only available to persons 18 years of age or over. Subject to status. Subject to our current lending criteria. A 1.74 % reduction applied to the variable base mo rt gage rate. currently 6.99%. A life assurance policy may be required. Example: A marned couple aged 30 years and 28 years, both non-smokers, applying for an endowment mortgage of 050.000 over a 25 year term (300 monthly payments), completing before 31 March 2000 secured against a property being purchased for £55,000. 300 monthly mortgage payments net of tax Cl £205-62. Monthly endowment premium of £74.96. Total amount payable £134.295 calculated to i nclude valuation lee Ft 55. This calculation is based on the assumption that the discounted rate will apply throughout the term of the loan. Maximum loan £150,000. The rate applies to loans up to and including 75% of the purchase price or valuation, whichever is the lower. The discounted rate is applicable for two years, after which the then current rate will apply. When an applicant is borrowing more than 75% the Society will require additional security. This is usually in the form of a Risk Charge. Rates correct at time of going to press.

The Link Magazine • November 1999

"YOUR CHILD CAN ENJOY SUCCESS

WITH KUMON MATHS"

Newcomers at Swindon's Last month we published photographs of the first children at the newly opened Peatmoor and Abbey Meads community primary schools. On these two pages, we picture the reception classes at both schools, who started later in September. Peatmoor is the last of the ten primary schools to be built in West Swindon and represents the completion of this phase of town growth which began over 23 years ago. Abbey Meads is the first school to be built in the North Swindon expansion area, five years after the first residents arrived. Below: Melanie Brown and Joanne Nicholson with their reception class children

• FROM COUNTING TO CALCULUS • SUITABLE FOR ALL AG ES AND ABILITIES • DEVELOPS SPEED AND ACCURACY Call the West Swindon Study Centre today Richard Bell on 01285 711170

1r SUCCESSYOUR CHILD CAN COUNT ON

THERE'S MORE TO GROWTH THAN GETTING TALLER!

THEATRE EXPRESS HELPS GROWTH & DEVELOPS POTENTIAL

Why not stay in Swindon?

..... Spring Term starts January 2000 Theatre Express Performing Arts Schools & Theatre Company, has openings at its weekend performing arts schools, based at Swindon and Burford

HND/HNC PROGRAMMES IN: • Computing with Business IT or Multimedia • Business

• Travel & Tourism

Theatre Express is fun!

• Spo rt Science

It also helps to develop: self-confidence; self-esteem; articulation; i magination; co-ordination; expression; and other important life skills.

CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA OF HIGHER EDUCATION

Theatre Express training is designed for 5 to 16 year olds. They come together in three age groups, with a maximum of 16 per group, working for one hour, with experienced tutors, in the disciplines of:

Choose from: English, Geography, Histo ry , Media, Psychology, Philosophy, Criminology, Health

Acting, Singing & Dance. Talk to staff at New College

Contact Theatre Express for a Prospectus. Tel/Fax: 01608 676024

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT ADMISSIONS ON

Or write to: Theatre Express, PO Box 94 Chipping Norton D.O. OX7 3YL

90800

E-mail: perform@theatre-express.coni

New College

Swindon

980 4911 Swindon, Wilts. SN3 2LAh^

in association with Universit y of Bath and Bath Spa University Colle • 1

New College exists solely to provide high quality education and train ing

The Link Magazine • November 1999 33

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com

latests schools FRENCH LESSONS • Age range 5-85 a ne, • From first( words to

eo jar

GCSE

• A' Level & adult classes • Taught by French native • Classes from home, in local schools, after school and in the holidays Contact Pascale Watson on 870549

Private

Tuition in all subjects & levels

Difficu lties with reading and writing? Programme to boost achievement to be launched in November Peatmoor Community Primary School holds the Swindon licence to run private ARROW, after school tuition, to support children and adults who have difficulties with reading and writing. ARROW is a multi-sensory approach to reading, 7.30pm at Peatmoor Community Primary School, writing and spelling. Dr Colin Lane, the education- Pepperbox Hill, Roughmoor Village Centre. Paralist who devised the programme, will be talking ents who would like to provide extra help for their about his work and how ARROW can help children children at this after-school learning club, and adults and adults to raise levels of achievement. who need help to brush up on their skills, are invited The meeting takes place on Thursday 4 November, to telephone Mrs Terri Peacock on 887473.

• Key Stages 1-4 • GCSE & A Level • Special Needs Call

Personal Tutorials New teachers

WITH THE CLOSURE OF

250 BRRISH GAS ENERGY CENTRES

WHERE DO YOU GO NOW FOD vnim PJC ►ei flDCDI me AD r_ne EIDC

With over 40 Showrooms Na tionwide

FINANCE to Blame

Written quotations on request, Subject to Status.'tCash Price £900, Deposit £360, No Repayments for 6 Months then one final Repayment of £540, 0%APR. On selected fireplaces.

01672 539368

also wanted 01793 538730

Over 40 Showrooms Nationwide and Growing

The Link Magazine â€˘ November 1999

Children spring a surprise on Salt Way caretaker

fresher.... cleaner...

brighter That's what your home will be after a visit from Rainbow International - specialists in carpet and upholstery care and fire and flood restoration. We offer you a professional, quality, fully insured service, guaranteed to lift grease, grit and dirt thoroughly and gently without risk. Your carpets will stay cleaner longer, smell fresher, look brighter and feel soft to touch. If your carpet colour has faded, then why not ask about our unique colour restoration, which brings back the manufacturer's original colour? Can't shift those stains? Leave it to the experts! Let Rainbow bring brightness into your home! So call now to take advantage of our Autumn Special - a 10% discount on any of our services until the end of November 1999. For further information and a free no-obligation estimate, simply call Shaun on

Freephone 0800 4961244 or 01793 33 03 33

CARPET CARE & RESTORATION SPECIALIST

Salt Way School caretaker Reg Browning wondered what was going on when he discovered his store full of balloons on 8 October. It was Reg's sixtieth birthday and children and staff had kept the outdoor assembly a secret for a week. Out came the balloons, the cards, a banner and his presents, including a bottle of whisky. "It was a complete surprise, but a lovely one," said Reg. A thirty year GWR man inside the machine room, Reg was appointed before Salt Way opened over ten years ago. He has also been caretaker at nearby Brook

Field School for the last 12 years. Salt Way headteacher Sue Butcher said Reg is a wonderful person to have around the school. "He's always so happy; Reg always picks us up on the gloomy days." She added that his knowledge of Swindon and the railways was invaluable for local study projects. Reg was not sure about working in a school when he first started. "Coming from inside the GWR where it was all men, I wondered whether I could work with all those women. But we all get on very well, and the children are great to be with."

Sheer Temptatiot..f

Cane Furniture

Windows & Doors

Conservatories

Visit our Showroom at Okus Trading Estate, Swindon

(01793) 530808

The Link Magazine • November 1999 35 t • • f

Dial up for information Last month saw the successful launch of a new government funded one-stop children's information service, aimed at parents and carers with children aged 0 to 14 years. If you're looking for a child- dren can obtain this information minder, searching for a primary by making just one telephone call. school or simply trying to organStaff at Trio have already reise your child's social life contact ceived a large number of calls Trio Childcare Connection. thanks to the October Link story. They are managing a project Project Director, Gerry Gardner which stores contact numbers and explained, "we were impressed by data covering childcare, private the number of people who called and local authority schools, facili- after The Link came out. Many just ties for children with disabilities, wanted to say what a good idea it and clubs. Parents, carers or chil- was, and it was about time. "We are creating a one-stopshop for parents by providing a Freshbrook group now central contact point for the information they need. Older children takes two year olds Rainbow Playgroup which meets may also want to use the service in the Community Room at Fresh- for themselves." Although at first it will be prebrook School has recently been registered by Social Services to dominately about childcare, the project will be gathering informatake two year olds. The sessions take place on Tues- tion about groups and facilities which will be of use to parents and day and Thursday, 1pm to 3pm. Parents who would like to know carers. Swindon Borough Council has more can drop into a session or call Lynne Burch on 874842 to arrange funded the project as part of a government strategy, which states all a time. Playgroup workers Ros Goody and local authorities, should have a Lynne Burch with Charlotte Walpole, children's information service. A nationally coordinated dataGeorge McKie, Fraaz Naquui, Warbase on the internet is to be wick Hors burgh launched in December. The telephone lines are open from 9.30am to 5pm daily. Callers outside these times can leave a message for a project worker to respond. The telephone number is 541786.

New north pre-school Abbey Meads is set to have a new pre-school at a time when demand for places is rapildy increasing as the development grows. The pre-school to be called 'Little Suntans' will be run by a parent committee which was elected at a meeting in September. Eczema support The group is currently working A new self-help group in North towards a charity status so that Swindon is available for parents of fundraising events can take place. children suffering from eczema It is intended the pre-school will Formed by Trudy Davis from meet at the new Church of Christ Woodhall Park, the group cur- the Servant, which is due to open rently has ten members and meets at Abbey Meads Village Centre, in her home twice a month on a next June. Saturday,l0am -12 noon. If numInterested parents requiring bers continue to grow they will more information should contact choose a larger venue. either Angie on 706469 or Sharon To join call Trudy on 728671. on 702163.

Centre toddler group has places rarent and toddler group, which meets in the Link Centre, .ies for new members with newborns up to three years old. 2r Eileen Pringle says it is a'particularly good for people new and also mums with babies. There are a variety of toys nd activities are organised for older children, s: meets on Wednesdays, 1pm to 3pm in the Community For details call Eileen on 877125.

SANTA SPECIALS

MONKEY MAYHEM

Children's Pa rty Supplies

Mail Order Catalogue All you'll need for any child's party Christmas stocking fillers loads to choose from Call us on: (01793) 497551 or 433998 for your FREE copy Stress free party shopping at home

at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, Blunsdon Station Sunday 5th December Sunday 12th December Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th December SWINDON'S REAL RAILWAY

Swim * No waiting lists * Quality lessons * Experienced teachers * Small classes or individual tuition * Everybody catered for - beginners, improvers and serious swimmers * All ages - 4 to 94

00L

Ridgeway Pre-School Inverary Road, Wroughton

C/z&

ate`/9^ Loved and I.e 3

# 2 A4y rducatth+z

7/rz /3eot 9 c . uc Quality education and childcare for 2 years to 5 years Open 50 weeks a year, 8am-6pm Full range of schedules available Qualified teachers following the nursery outcomes

for learning

For more

information and to arrange

a visit, please contact Mrs D Bailey (01793) 845572

SERVICE SECTOR .................... ;

`GRA'

Short & long term assistance and projects Free initial meeting

Tel/fax: 01793 871790

Free phone: 0797 4420157

Empire Construction Limited O UPVc conservatories O Property renovations O Garage & loft conversions O Painting & decorating O All professional craftsmen Whatever you need, we're here to help you

Tel: 01793 436539 Mobile 07775 621764 or 0973 760167

..........................

Getting a clear TV picture isn't difficult

ACCOUNTANCY • Business Start Up • Book-Keeping E • Annual Accounts • Self Assessment Tax

...

Twx AsasT D,••cr

The tax and accountancy service for small businesses and taxpayers Self assessment • Tax returns Annual accounts • Book-keeping PAYE • VAT etc • Employed Self employed • In business

For a free initial discussion call Lyndon Day Tel/Fax: 01793 766000

GK PECORATORS Tel:01793 701394 Mobile: 0777 5894563

Call Abbey Aerials of Haydon Wick v Multi-point systems v Satellite installations 4 •:• Poor reception area specialists • • Amplifiers • 4 All work guaranteed

s• 7 days a week .• 100% customer satisfaction

Call for a free estimate on (01793) 729794 or mobile 0402 921551

Professional painter, decorator & ceramic tiler All interior and exterior

Interior & exterior

painting and decorating Ceramic tiling Coving • Dado rails

Same day, local service wherever possible Washing Machines Twin Tubs, etc. Member of Tumble Driers I. S.E. Food Waste Disposal Units Service Spares Repairs

gOVINWHILA High Quality Painting & Decorating Interior & Exterior FOR FREE QUOTATIONS, RING

No job too big or too small. Free estimates and friendly service

01793 725699

STEVE PACKER ELECTRICAL CONTRACTOR

THE ODD JOB MAN

• Fully qualified electrician • Domestic, commercial and industrial installations • Quality workmanship

Small building work, carpent ry , joine ry , painting & decorating, fitted wardrobes and kitchens, plugs and washers fitted "No job too small"

Installed by skilled CITB tradesmen

Very reasonable prices

with 20 years experience

Free estimates

For free estimates

Call Tony, the Odd Job Man on 01793-886022

. Tel: 01793 704224 or mobile 07803 320220

guaranteed

• Free quotations • 24 hour call-out

Tel: 01793 436844 Mobile 0976 691989

Wilts Flat Roofing Specialist

PREMIER

PROPERTY SERVICES Whatever you need, we will be able to help • Kitchens • Bathrooms • Electrical • Plumbing • Decorating • Carpent ry • Wood • General flooring building Friendly and e ff icient service High standards guaranteed

Call 525671 or Mobile 0973 760167

• All aspects of flat roofing • Strip and retile, all

SECURITY C C T V

SYSTEMS SYSTEMS

:gato.:or.parking.area::.:: Various,colours: . & designs.. _...:

4I I I Master locksmith • Safe engineers ll^llllllll^ v

(( (vv

Over 21 Years service in the security business

A quality job at a

1S09002 Ce rtified Installer • NACOSS

competitive price

74 Victoria Rd. Swindon Tel: 642792

24 hour emergency call out se rv ice Free su rv ey & estimates Safe opening & servicing Supply & fit all types of lock & access control systems CCTV, alarm systems • Digital locks Burglar bars & grilles made to insurance indust ry standards AA approved • Member of MLA Chubb • Yale • Union

email: pfssecurity@msn.com www. ofs-securitvsystems.co.uk

Swindon 01793 644367 Mobile 0860 553575

repairs

•

PFSHPFS

Ttansform;& increase .... .................._....._._ - the market value of your home

Tel: (01793) 701110 Mobile: 07979 392403

Intruder Alarms/CCTV, Access Control Installation/Maintenance of Intruder/Fire Detection Systems

^G3I iJ

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These will appear in The Link and on the swindonlink internet web site.

Maximum 20 words per adve rt . Include your name, address and telephone number. Send to: The Link, Papermakers House, Swindon SN5 7BD.

Entries are subject to available space. Private ads only. For Sale

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Tel: 01793 878609 Mobile: 0585 543294 Ramleaze, Swindon

Girls Raleigh Cassis bicycle, suit 8-10 yrs, good cond, £35. Tel: 875276 Mountain bicycle, orange P7 with Mach 5 suspension forks, many extras, £595. Tel: 874870 Mans 3 speed BSA bike, £5. Tel: 421716 Britax pram/buggy with changing bag & raincover, great condition, £35. Tomy baby monitor, £9. Tel: 872869 Moses basket & stand, £20. Smith Corona electric typewriter, built in spell-right dictionary, spare ribbon, £20. Tel: 877022 Bouncy castle, £500 ono. Black ice skates, worn twice, boys, size 12, £30. Tel: 882704 Mothercare twin Mirage, exc cond, with raincover and cosy toes, only 1 yr old, £100. Tel: 700337 Britax Rock a Tot baby car seat with head support cushion and sun canopy, as new, cond, £30. Tel: 879979 Luxi doll's pram, lilac and pink, exc cond, £20. Tel: 875276 8 childrens videos, gd cond, up to age 10, £10. Bankers lamp as new, £10. Tel: 694239

Scout uniforms: two trousers, shirts, belts, neckers, age 12-14 yrs, gd cond, £12. Tel: 886757 Ice skates, black Wifa 34L, £20. Tel: 485550

Phillips facial solarium, as new, cost £53, sell for £25. Tel: 524194 Nike running spike shoes, white/blue, with gold tick, worn once cost £40, sell for £20, size 6-7. Tel: 610272 Limed ash furniture, TV unit, nest of tables & coffee table. All for £20. Tel: 882695

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ILLIAMS V & VIDEO pecialists in repairs of TVs, videos, satelite, microwaves, audio equipment & in car hi fl's Free estimates 3A COUNTY ROAD, SWINDON ;

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Sofa bed, metal action exc cond, £600 as new, £75 ono. Tel: 882351 Ikea glass display cabinet, as new, 188 ht, 80 wdth, 40 depth, £50. Tel: 881087 3 piece suite, blue, ex Normans, gd cond, £150 ono. Tel: 520058 Dining room table, will extend to seat 8, needs some attention, £25 ono, buyer must collect. Tel: 870278 3 seater bed settee, cream, by Serta of Canada, brand new, £450. Tel: 874293 Pine study centre, single bed with fitted bookcase, pull-out desk & 3 drawer chest, vgc, £140 ono. Tel: 870584 Black ash furniture: dining table & 6 chairs, wall unit, TV unit, coffee tables, reasonable offers. Tel: 705411 Coffee table, black solid wood with tiled top and under shelf, large, vgc, £50 ono. Tel: 875098 One pine double wardrobe, exc cond, on casters, £85 ono. Tel: 878034 Desk 3 drawers and cupboards, length 4ft 2ins, width 23.5 ins approx, light wood gd cond, £20 ono. Tel: 876583 Two wardrobes, mahogany/cream, one with 3 large drawers, as new, £60. Tel: 614396

Crowson lined curtains for patio doors and windows, dark blue, nearly new, 2 pairs, £350 ono. Tel: 702934 Single bed with'mattress, white sliding doors & headboard, gd cond, £40. Tel: 887022 Courts metal action futon, as new, £125 ovno. Tel: 701157 Bramble Fayre 30 piece dinner set, plus electric kettle, 2 mugs, 4 steak plates, 3 canisters, 6 placemats, £40 Tel: 338308 after 6pm.

For Sale Oak kitchen, inc double oven, hob, fan, 1.5 sink, many units, glass display, fridge, vgc, £400 ono, see erected. Tel: 875098 Kitchen units, beige with pine trim, 8 base units, 4 wall units, 3 display wall units, stainless sink & worktops, all clean & in gd cond, £200 ono. Tel: 872836 Iceland chest freezer, 41" x 24", gd cond, £40. Tel: 703813 Gas cooker, white, 4 rings, £15, since fan not working. Tel: 615420 Gas cooker, Bistro, gd cond, £40. Tel: 879097

2 calor gas room/office portable heaters with cylinders, £45 each, both for £80 ono. Tel: 876583 Fridge freezer, 5.4cu ft & 3.6cu ft, Colston Ariston, £40. Tel: 421716 Hoover turbo cleaner, autoflex with tools, exc cond, £35. Tel: 524194 Hoover Junior vacuum cleaner, £8. S/S electric kettle, £6. Electric iron, £7. Tel: 871426

Double radiator, 450 x 1000, wall fixing brackets, top & side grill panels, as new condition, £25 ono. Tel: 878507 Wooden ladder, extension, £15. Boxwood T-square and drawing board, £5. Tel: 421716 Clean wine bottles for home wine makers, 10p each, £1 dozen. Tel: 611751 Eft high Christmas tree & 4 boxes pink li ghts, 10 boxes wooden decorative figures & bows, balls/candles, mrp £200 plus, exc quality, £40. Tel: 487766 Novum electric sewing machine, gd cond, £40. Tel: 524194 Spice girls tickets at Earls Court, 15 December, great Xmas treat, £90 for 2 tickets. Tel: 728268 Guitar, 3/4 size, new steel strings, £25. Tel: 878605 Collectors records/CDs - Beatles, Bowie, K Bush, Madonna, Who etc, full list available. Tel: 705187 Selection of cassettes and CDs, including Eurythmics & Peter Gabriel, also LPs and 45s, prices vary. Tel: 875061 Piaystation, dual force steering wheel, complete with foot pedals and mains adaptor, as new, £30. Tel: 874178 Sony Playstation with 3 control pads, 4 memory cards, 6 games incl Driver and Metal Gear Solid, plus steering wheel, gd cond, £160. Tel: 871172 Electric typewriter £20. 2 single divans with pine headboards £40 ea or £70 pair. Wedding dress size 10/12 £70. Tel 872531/886831

21" Phillips TV, 22 months old, exc cond, £250 ono. Tel: 706882 2 unit Rotastak hamster cage, living areas, burrow, ball, gd cond, £25. Tel: 886354

York towbar to fit Ford Orion/Escort saloon 1990 - 1994, as new, £15. Tel: 882178

Rover 114 GTA (Metro) 1995, excel cond, sun roof, alloys, stereo, alarm, central locking, 10 month tax, 35,000 miles, £3,595. Tel: 882868 Fiat Panda, 1988, 750cc MOT til Aug 2000, ideal first car or runabout, colour sky blue, £425 ono, gd cond. Tel: 872836

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The Link Magazine • November 1999 39

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com

Wiltshire Festival audience helps local charities Thanks to the generosity of people attending the Wiltshire Festival Party in the Park on 21 August, fire fighters from Westlea station collected £1,400 for the Fire Services Benevolent Fund.

Coming to the end of a busy year Firefighter Ian Jeary writes:

The last few months have been a On Friday 20 August, people at busy and stimulating time for the the Classical Extravaganza night fire fighters at Westlea Fire Staalso donated £1,400 to the Wilttion. Since May we have attended shire Air Ambulance Service. 339 fires, 109 emergency rescues Organiser Andy Cotton from and 197 false alarms. Middlleaze paid tribute to the It is not only the callouts that emergency services for their ashave kept us on our toes. We have sistance at the festival and said it launched the Community Firewas important for a big event like watch Scheme, attended the Party the Wiltshire Festival to help where in the Park and hosted visits by the possible. "Without them the crowd Home Office minister, George would not be as safe as they are. It Howarth MP and the Chief Inspecis was good to see the fire fighters tor of Fire Services, Graham showing off their skills in a differMeldrum. Andy Cotton with Westlea firefighters, Steve Field, Simon Owen, Ian Jury, ent setting." We also welcome a new fire Tim Elliott. Rear, Sub-officer Perry Payne Fire fighters carried out a vehifighter to the station. Neil Rattigan cle extrication exercise in the festiCollection coordinator fire- lies of those who have lost their life joins us from Salisbury, where he val arena which was later shown fighter Tim Elliott said, "the Be- in the course of their duties. We're was a retained fir fighter. I know to the crowd on the giant video nevolent Fund assists fire fighters thankful to all those who made a he will be a great asset to the stascreens. who have been injured and fami- donation at the Party in the Park." tion.

Get ready for Festival 2000 spectacular Andy Cotton and Eddie Sharpe are planning to make the Millennium Wiltshire Festival at Lydiard Park an even bigger success. "We have had tremendous feedback on this year's events and we want to build on it," said Andy. "People were very impressed by the performances and the addition of video screens helped crowd excitement. They love being on TV. Next year we're looking at having two stages so that there is continuous entertainment. "We're working on the classical evening, but for the Party in the Park, we're talking to Catatonia, Human League and Steve Winwood. Tony Hadley

put on a great show and we might ask him back. "Not only did the crowd enjoy themselves, all the performers had a really great time." • Sadly, Mark Hanna, the pilot who flew in the air dual over Lydiard Park on Friday 20 August was killed practising for an air show in Barcelona in early October. He has flown at the Wiltshire Festival for the last three years and his 1999 demonstration over Swindon, right, was his last public appearance.

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A keen cook from Freshbrook is setting up what she believes is Swindon's first multi-cultural catering service, called Bola's Kitchen. Bola Clemo's menu covers recipes from Africa, the Car- ti ibbean and Britain, and she regularly caters for up to 250 people at church gatherings, weddings and school events. "I don't know where it comes from, but I love cooking and find it very easy to prepare dishes for large numbers," said Bola. "My father was a village chief in Nigeria Bola is happy to cater for a banand I never cooked when I was young. But the house was usually quet or to take short notice orders. full of people and food was always The menu can be all Afro-Caribbean or mixed with English dishes. being served. "I became a Christian when I "It's all about planning ahead and came to England to train as a nurse storing dishes. But people have and discovered I had the talent to got to know that I can quickly proprepare food for large numbers duce dinner for fifty people and when all the students got together." call me up. The ingredients are She met her husband Hedley at always in the larder." To discuss catering for a party, one of the student parties and they moved to Swindon ten years ago. wedding or special event, call Bola Bola has used her skills at church, on 491138. Give her a call to arrange a difplaygroup and events at Tregoze School, where Afro-Caribbean ferent kind of fundraising evening events including dressing up in West for your school, playgroup or organisation. African clothing are a great hit.

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The Link Magazine • November 1999 43

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com

Girls create school magazine Two youngsters at Freshbrook School are helping communication amongst pupils by producing a school magazine. The idea was brought to the school by ten year old Rachel Callan, who moved to Swindon a year ago from London. She teamed up with Cheryl O'Connor and they were encouraged by their class teacher Emma Howarth and headteacher Robert Pattenden.

The two girls produced 90 copies at the beginning of term which quickly sold out. A halloween edition is being planned for the end of October and they have ideas for a Christmas number, with tips on presents to give friends and family and how to make your own low cost decorations. "It's been hard work with just the two of us," said Cheryl. "People have said nice things about the first magazine, but we need one or two more helpers."

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Rachel and Cheryl with their first edition

"We planned the magazine last term and it took us most of the summer holidays thinking up articles, jokes and competitions," said Rachel. "I took some pictures and Cheryl scanned them into the computer."

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The Link Magazine • November 1999 Women out West moves to new venue A group for women with or with- Over 100 people from environmental and community groups, the out children meets at Freshbrook church, police, business and council departments met on 16 October Church on Fridays 9.30am to to begin planning Swindon's environment for the 21st Century. 11.30am during term time. Entitled 'Sowing the Seeds of Speakers are often invited to Change,' the conference was called For a high standard Women Out West and it's a good to develop strategies for protectplace to meet others. All ages are of work ing the environment at a local level welcome and a free creche is proin response to agreements made at References available vided for children. Call Hazel on the 1992 Earth Summit of world 871248 for details. leaders in Rio de Janeiro. Telephone now for a Swindon Council's Agenda 21 FREE ESTIMATE WI meeting officer Sean Spencer-Wort said the Sean Spencer-Wort puts up discussion Tootleabrook WI next meets at discussions were about crea ti ng points with the Mayor coun foil Brunt Tel: 870515 or Toothill Community Centre on sustainable and environmentally Wednesday 17November, 7.30pm. Mobile 0374 - 208527 friendly council policies. "The big Protecting hedgerows issues were the need for affordNew members welcome. With so much hedgerow being able, efficient public transport, damaged recently around Abbey more opportunities to recycle Meads, Sevenfields Conservation waste, more use of brown field Group has made the issue the sites in planning decisions and the main topic for discussion at its need to create a greater sense of annual general meeting on Tues- community and participa ti on." The outcome of the conference day 9 November, 7.30pm, in the Haydon Wick parish rooms. will go before the council for incluGroup secretary Marilyn Beale sion in future policy decisions. said many Abbey Meads residents are responsible for the upkeep of Swindon: Europe's hedgerows adjacent to their garwildflower butterfly capital This is why we are the client's first choice dens, but may not know how. "A hedgerow which is not managed John Ball from West Swindon will will die. We can give advice on be talking about his voluntary their upkeep and are planning work to develop butterfly Hair studio and solarium maintenance training sessions in friendly habitats at the Wiltshire Ellendune Centre Abbey M ea ds Wildlife Trust meeting on 24 Nothe new year". Wrcrughton Village Centre vember, 7.30pm, at the Savernake All are welcome to attend the Tel: 813288 Tel: 704800 annual meeting to find out more. Centre, Saverna ke St r e et.

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Freshbrook is the first NeST The inaugural meeting of one of Swindon's four pilot Neighbourhood Safety Teams - NeST - took place in Freshbrook on 14 October. Established as a local response to the Crime and Disorder Act, which requires the police and local authorities to reduce crime, NeSTs will bring together community police officers, councillors, council officers and representatives from community associations and other bodies working in a neighbourhood. The other three pilot areas to be established in the first year are Broad Street, Cavendish Square and Pinehurst. Each area will have particular problems which contribute to local crime and reduce the quality of life for all ages. The Freshbrook group identified the following as issues to be discussed at future meetings: • house burglary • drugs and alcohol misuse • attacks on people • bullying of young people and theft with menaces • damage to houses and gardens • graffiti, dog mess, fly tipping • abandoned vehicles and arson attacks on cars • traffic congestion and lack of parking space • litter and rubbish

Crime & disorder discussion at annual meeting The Freshbrook Village Group residents association will hold its annual general meeting on Tuesday 16 November, 8pm, in Freshbrook Community Centre. Guest speaker Alan Dalton will talk about the Crime and Disorder Act and what it means to the community.

The NeST Implementation Team will now develop an action plan. It has specifically been asked to look at ways of involving young people in the group. The next meeting takes place in November. To make a point, call local councillors Chris Eley on 616361 or Judith Peppitt on 887613. ry Swindon Crime & Disorder coordinator Miriam Minty, left, can be contacted on 466510.

The Link Magazine • November 1999

Wootton Bassett

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Over three hundred Christians from the West Swindon partnership churches were not put off holding a combined service on 17 October, by a malicious telephone call to say there was a bomb at Greendown School. Whilst the police searched the school, the service was held in the car park. Rev Andrew Hethrington said the service was quickly rearranged. "Our witness was all the better for being outside in glorious weather."

Telephone: 01793 613334

Annual General Meeting West Swindon Family & Community Project Monday 1 November, 12.30pm Freshbrook Evangelical Church, Worsley Road, Freshbrook Refreshment and buffet available For fu rt her information on the project, call 871303

Link youth centre could be shut Rumours have been circulating that the Youth Unit at the Link Centre could be closed down. A report is being prepared for service, but was closed temporarSwindon Council's community ilyinMayuntilstaffsecuritycould and leisure committee in Novem- be improved. Now it could be ber on the provision of youth serv- shut permanently. West team community services ices in West Swindon. With the population of young people living manager Paul Ryan would not conin the area reaching a peak, at firm the content of the committee around 5,000 aged 12- 20, there are report, but said there had been an fewer full time youth workers than increase in the use of the advice there were eight years ago. and information sessions after they The youth unit has developed a were moved upstairs to the Link valuable information and advice Centre Mall. Discover what there is for young people and what adults can offer during National Youth Work Week: I - 6 November

This is a chance to discover what is going on in West Swindon and how adults can offer their skills to the youth service. Youth workers will be

on hand to talk about their work and answer questions at: Greendown Youth Club Monday 1 November, 7.30pm - 10pm Freshbrook Community Centre Tuesday 2 November, 7pm - 10pm Link Youth Unit, Link Centre Thursday 4 November, 6pm - 10pm For more information, contact Jo Marchment on 465466

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The Link Magazine • November 1999

Millennium Thought

Play the Piano Learn to Si Phone Swindon 695235 for further information

De-bugging & the Millennium Dome. Bug. Party. Alka-Seltzer. Is there more to the Millennium?, asks Rev. Andrew Hetherington of Holy Trinity Church, Shaw Village Centre

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SWINDON FAMILY CHURCH Live with integrity Love wholeheartedly Trust God in all things

SUNDAYS 10.30AM AT THE LINK CENTRE (Community Suite)

& PINEHURST PEOPLE'S CENTRE All ages of children & teens cared for Information: call Brian on 849731 in association with NEW FRONTIERS INTERNATIONAL

Domestic Services Agency requires Domestic Cleaners & Ironers Flexible hours, good rates of pay Phone Jill or Sue on 861112

CREATIVE CURTAINS (Complete affordable service Hand made curtains, Roman & Aust ian blinds, quilted bed covers, cushions Tel: Christine on 875869 r

Thamesdown Upholstery & Flooring Specialists in upholstery, carpets & vinyls Free estimates Tel: 728243

CHURCHE

Saints' Lydiard Millicent -10:30am Revd Peter Knight: 772417 (for the Village & Roughmoor) Holy Trinity Shaw-10:30am Revd Andrew Hetherington: 770568 (the Church is at Shaw Village Centre) St Mary's Lydiard Treqoze - 9:00am, 10:30am Revd Ann Mackenzie: 870244 Toothill Church -10:45am Revd Mark Roper: 692620 (also Free Church minister for the parish) Westlea Church - 10:00am Revd Peter Knight: 772417 (this Church meets in Westlea School Hall, Langstone Way)

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The Parish of West Swindon and the Lydiards Baptist • C hurch of England • Methodist • United Reformed Church

Lots of our children in church are having fun with a little bug with large eyes who sits on the computer, but not in it! The bug has a tail with the message, Jesus it's his millennium. I find it ironic that human ingenuity ended up by creating a bug in the most sophisticated machine many of us own, our computer, while 2,000 years ago Jesus came to 'de-bug' us! When I say that Jesus came to 'de-bug' us, I mean he came to unscramble that part of our human nature that makes a mess of life. Of course, we don't easily admit this. You know the problem! You query an error and the person responds, "Oh! The computer made a mistake!" But computers don't make mistakes, only human beings. Big business has spent millions of pounds sorting out its computers, but it doesn't cost a penny to get Jesus to 'de-bug' you. That's

why I think the most important thing we need is this New Start that he can bring to us, to our country and to his world. There are lots of ways of celebrating his millennium. There will be parties and fireworks, special church services, new prayers and songs. During the year we can visit the Dome, and join in with a vast range of new projects. In the churches in West Swindon and the Lydiards, we are making a New Start with young people, by appointing a youth worker. I am excited by the steps towards justice and peace that Christians have made through the Jubilee 2000 campaign. Unpayable debts owed by the world's poorest countries are being cancelled, just as Jesus taught us. I shall be equally excited by the one person who realises that being 'de-bugged' by Jesus is the best way of making a New Start this Millennium.

The Feast of Life - a musical for the

Cancelling Third World Debt .... from Swindon?

new Millennium The Partnership Churches of West Swindon and the Lydiards have got together to present a musical to mark the beginning of a new Millennium. The Feast of Life was written by Garth Hewitt of Christian Aid and aims to highlight the unjust burden of debt which is carried by millions of people in the third world. Musical director Claire Camm has adapted the work to include an exciting and vibrant mixture of songs, dance, drama and narrative. She says, although it deals with a serious subject, the message is not about doom but one of hope and celebration of what is possible if our Government and many others can be persuaded to write-off past debts. The Feast of Life will be performed at the drama studio in Greendown School in Grange Park on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 December, starting at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Holy Trinity Church, Shaw VillageCentre, Swindon, tel: 874221, or from member Churches. The numbers are shown in the advert on the Ieft. For further information, Claire Camm can be contacted on 850502 or claire@cammr.freeserve.co.uk

Make a gigantic paper chain of debt for the PM in November

Fay Howard writes Did you know, for every £1 we give in aid to some countries, £3 is returned in debt repayments. The world wide Jubilee 2000 coalition has been calling for the richer nations to cancel the debt of the poorer countries as a way to see in the new Millennium. Many in Swindon have played a part over the last two years, signing petitions, writing letters, joining marches in London, Birmingham and Cologne. The Government is supportive of the campaign, but it was President Clinton who recently stated that the USA will cancel 100% of debts owing to it by these poorer nations. So our campaign carries on to get our Government to act, to give poor nations a chance to reduce starvation and offer better education. We will be making a gigantic paper chain on 6 November in Swindon Town Centre, 10am to 2pm, to send to Tony Blair so that he can break the chains of debt. Please come along with your links for the chain. Be part of this campaign to create a really happy new year for the world's poorest people. For more details, call 881757.

See us on the net @ www.swindonlink.com

The Link Magazine • November 1999

Balloon launched for Shakespeare Festival 2000 A large balloon globe, presented by the Shakespeare Centre at Stratford, was released at Greendown School on 30 September to launch one of the most ambitious educational projects in the country to celebrate Radio 4s Man of the Millennium. The West Swindon Shakespeare Festival 2000 is aiming to involve up to 1,200 children and teachers at primary schools in West and North Swindon, three secondary schools and students from Swindon College. Also involved are two community drama groups and teachers from Greendown are planning a production. In April2000 every one of Shakespeare's plays will be performed. The National Lottery Millennium Fund has donated £5,000 and the festival has been selected as one of ten flagship projects in Britain by the Shakespeare Centre Millennium Link Project and has received a grant of £3,300. Swindon Council education department has donated £3,000, but Swindon business has spent £350. Project coordinator Greendown teacher Tim Noble says £12,000 is needed to realise the full aims. He said, "last year's event involved about 700 children and we know our millennium festival is going to be a winner. We've shown that quite young children can grasp Shakespeare's idea and his prose. It's difficult enough for adults, but youngsters take up the challenge with such great enthusiasm. It really is disappointing that we can-

Teresa O'Connor of the Shakespeare Centre Millennium Project, Tim Noble and Sarah Gordon of the Young Shakespeare Company, with Greendown Shakespeare players, from left, John Heavens, Katie Thomas, Naomi Clemo, Jazlyn Pinkney, Clare Barker, Natalie Hughes. Front, Anil Baines

not get backing from Swindon business. We need a big sponsor to come on board." He added that BBC TV is interested in making a programme and the project already has an independent documentary in the making. Teachers from the schools involved are spending the autumn

term working with Sarah Gordon and Chris Geelan of the Young Shakespeare Company. They have been commissioned to research and prepare education packs to help teachers explore Shakespeare

with their children. Sarah Gordon said she hopes to see a variety of interpretations. "Shakespeare can be played in lots

of ways and it's really exciting to see so many schools applying different approaches. I imagine we will see dance, rap, breakdance as well as traditional presentations." Abbey Meads primary school headteacher Marilyn Brown said she was very keen to take part. "I know we've got a lot on with opening a new school, but I did not want to miss the opportunity to expose children to quality text and to be involved in the challenge." Teresa O'Connor of the Shakespeare Centre Millennium Project said the work in Swindon is 'wonderfully exciting.' "It's tremendous to see so many children and teachers involved. And there will be workshops for parents which is great. "We have schools, colleges and groups registered from all over the world who will be performing Shakespeare next April. We have been contacted by people in Russia, India, Singapore and all over Europe." To offer financial backing Tim Noble can be contacted on 874224. People worldwide are already seeing the work of the West Swindon Shakespeare Festival @

www.swind niink.com

Y2000'What's the Millennium really all about? We are K as Lan 60 days away fron i e Millennium, but have you ever stopped to =.sk what it is all about? As a local church we invite you to a week of events where you can find out the answers to some of your questions concerning the Millennium and what the future holds.

21 :. i November Our main speaker for the week will be Roger Carswell. Roger is a travelling evangelist who is based in Leeds. He is married and they have four children. As an evangelist, Roger travels all over the UK and comes to us from a four week preaching tour of the USA. He is an excellent communicator with a message worth listening to. He has written several books and broadcasts regularly on radio. As part of the week's activities and

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Mosey - a man who lost his daughter in the Lockerbie Disaster. Bhaskar Rao will be speaking on why he turned from Hinduism to Christianity and Katrina Douglas - a Christian in the world of sport will be speaking about her faith. C)

buifd'ing u zth people Freshbrook Evangelical Church Worsley Road, Freshbrook. For more information telephone: 873050

events we will be hearing from John EVERYONE IS VERY WELCOME

Tuesday 23rd John Mosey Wednesday 24th Bhaskar Rao Both events commence at 8.00pm. Sunday 28th 10.00am Roger Carswell 6.30pm Roger Carswell interviewing Kat ri na Douglas

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