No 28 December 2018
GPS delivered door to door to 55,000 homes across Swindon with Est. overall readership of 137,500
Swindon
LINK Your Community Magazine
South Edition
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from everyone at Swindon Link
Celebrating 40 years of Swindon Link - 8 page supplement Page 7 Report shows Swindon Page 6 New primary school to open in 2019 for Badbury is the seventh best place Park to live and work in the UK
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Page 12 Plans for retirement development unveiled for Wichelstowe
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Delve into four decades of Swindon history
By Group Editor Jamie Hill jamie@swindonlink.com
When I took over running Swindon Link nearly four years ago I knew what a huge responsibility it would be. This was a magazine that
Group Editor: Jamie Hill Deputy Editor: Ben Fitzgerald Reporter: Claire Dukes Contributor: Roger Ogle
Sales Admin Manager: Sue Roberts Sales: Dave Stewart, Rosy Presley Office Manager: Karen Randall Photography: Richard Wintle & Rachel Davis - www.calyxpix.com
had been carefully curated by founder Roger Ogle for over three and a half decades as a publication which had community at its heart. It originally started as a newsletter in the newly built area of Toothill in December 1978 and grew as west and north Swindon grew after that. Now 40 years later you can find the publication across Swindon with three different editions - North West, South, and East. As part of the start of our 40th celebrations we have included an eight page supplement put together by
Roger Ogle within this issue. And on top of that we have been working behind the scenes on our new website to create a digital archive meaning that you can delve right into the history of Swindon Link at the touch of a button. It's taken a lot of time and a lot of hard work but we are very proud of the archive, which also will see a photo archive created as part of it. You can now read each and every Link magazine as it was intended in a digital form. We're hoping it will be a helpful resource for any local
history boffs out there who would like to see the trials and tribulations of Swindon as it has grown into the huge town that it is today. But we're still not finished. Our plan is to grow as Swindon grows and with the increasing number of houses being built across the borough, not least in the Eastern Villages expansion, we plan to continue to be there to do what we do best - reporting on the very fabric that makes our communities tick. The Swindon Link Archive is available on our website at www.swindonlink.com
ADVERTISING Call 01793 781502 or email: advertising@swindonlink.com Closing date for January adverts and editorial: 7 December January edition published: 27 December Our Statistics Est. Readership of 125,000 in print & c.25,000 monthly online visitors. Swindon’s largest free publication. Advertising starts from just £51.
The contents of The Link are protected by copyright. Use of advertisements in printed or electronic form is forbidden unless an advertiser or publisher has sought permission. Articles and photographs require similar authority. Positive Media Group Limited cannot be held responsible for goods or services or the copyright of content supplied by our advertisers.
Positive Media Group Limited, Unit 3, Arclite House, Century Road, Swindon SN5 5YN
T: 01793 744677 Email: publisher@swindonlink.com
Reg. in England & Wales. No: 4513027, at Arclite House, Hillmead, Swindon SN5 5YN. Printed by pcp Telford
Got a community story or feature? Contact newsdesk at publisher@swindonlink.com or 01793 744677 swindonlink.com n December 2018
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It's begining to look a lot like Christmas! Christmas church services All Saints Church, Church Place, Lydiard Millicent Sunday 9 Dec- 4.30pm Christingle Family Service Sunday 23 Dec - 6pm Carol Service Monday 24 Dec - 5pm Christmas Eve Family Crib Service Christmas Eve- 11.30pm Christmas Eve Midnight Holy Communion Service Christmas Day - 8am Christmas Day Holy Communion Christmas Day - 10am Christmas Day Family Service Emmanuel URC, High Street, Haydon Wick Sunday 16 Dec - 6pm Carols by Candlelight Christmas Eve - 4pm Christingle 11.30pm Midnight Communion Christmas Day - 10am Christmas Day Family Celebration Freshbrook Church, Worsley Rd Sunday 16 Dec - 10am – Carols and Puppets Wednesday 19 Dec - 7-8pm Carols at The Windmill pub Sunday 23 Dec - 10am Christmas Praise Christmas Eve - 6 to 7pm Carols by Candelight Christmas Day - 10am Short celebration of Jesus’ birth Sunday 30 Dec - 10am All age service
Find some purrfect presents at Petshed Swindon's favourite pet store is feeling festive this Christmas with offers enabling families to treat their furry friends. Petshed are offering a range of discounts to pet owners this Christmas from pet food and toys to creature comforts. This season the family-run business is also treating customers with loyalty cards to exclusive deals and offers. www.petshedonline.co.uk
Nishaan wins the AMS Christmas card competition Nishaan Singh, Year 6 of Lawn Primary School, Swindon, has won the AMS Accountancy Ltd. annual Christmas card design competition this year. The title of his picture is ‘Christmas Eve’. Nishaan won a £25 Amazon voucher and AMS donated £250 to the school. Barbara French, Head of Marketing at AMS said: "A big thank you to Kelly James, Head Teacher and Emma Jelley, Deputy Head Teacher for allowing us to run this competition again this year - it’s so special.’"
St Andrews Church, Tadpole Lane Saturday 15 Dec - 3-5pm Decorating Sunday 16 Dec - 6.30pm Carols by Candlelight Sunday 23 Dec - 10am Children’s Carol Christmas Eve - 4pm Christingle at Tadpole Farm Academy and 11.30pm Communion Christmas Day - 10am All age Communion Sunday 30 Dec - 10am Communion St John’s Church, Thames Avenue, Haydon Wick Sunday 9 Dec- 4.30pm Christingle Family Service Sunday 23 Dec - 6pm Carol Service Monday 24 Dec - 5pm Christmas Eve Family Crib Service Christmas Eve- 11.30pm Christmas Eve Midnight Holy Communion Service Christmas Day - 8am Christmas Day Holy Communion Christmas Day - 10am Christmas Day Family Service Church of Christ the Servant, Abbey Meads Sunday 9 Dec - 4pm Arty Crafty Christingle Sunday 16 Dec – 10.30am Christmas Nativity Sunday 23 Dec - 10.30am Family Service with Communion Christmas Eve - 4.30pm Carols and Mince Pies Christmas Day - 10.45am Christmas Day Service
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Holidays are not coming to Swindon again this year! Coca-Cola has announced the highly anticipated dates for the Christmas Truck Tour 2018 - but Swindon is once again not one of the stops. The Christmas Truck last visited Swindon in 2016 at North Swindon's Orbital Centre. A spokesperson for Coca-Cola said: "We try to cover as much of the country as we can but unfortunately we can't visit every town and city. We update the route every year, making sure we visit locations which are easily accessible from the surrounding areas."
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Swindon named as 7th best place to live in new study By Rafal Jakubowicz reporter@swindonlink.com
Swindon is in the top 10 of the best ranked and evolving cities in the UK according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers. Technically a town, Swindon scored 7th on the highest ranked cities list - taking into account a range of social, economic and environmental factors - with the high level of
1. Oxford 2. Reading 3. Southampton 4. Milton Keynes 5. Bristol 6. Edinburgh 7. Swindon 8. Coventry 9. Aberdeen 10. Leicester employment in the town a key factor in its strong showing. According to the report, by the highly regarded auditing firm, Swindon scored highly on employment, new businesses, skills base, average income and a variety of environmental
factors. The two best ranked cities in 2018 are Oxford and Reading, with Oxford maintaining its narrow lead at the top for the past two years running. On average UK cities have
improved significantly over a ten-year period. London scored 15th on the highest ranked cities list, with the capital held back by high housing and transport costs. To read the PWC report in full see www.pwc.co.uk
Wildcats get their claws out The Halloween period was a positive one at the Better Link Centre with wins coming against Invicta Dynamos and Milton Keynes Thunder as the Swindon Wildcats began life in this year’s NIHLS1 league with some strong performances. The beginning of the league campaign saw a return to the ice of Renny Marr who began the first three games without conceding a goal. The defences were breached finally in Bracknell, but a late goal from Sam Jones was enough to secure a win over a close rival. At the time of writing, Wildcats have an Autumn Cup Semi-Final to come against the Peterborough Phantoms where they may be able to secure a place in the final. The upcoming weeks also see the visit of familiar teams such as the Basingstoke Bison and Bracknell Bees as the festive season draws ever closer. The Swindon Wildcats In The 6
Community team have also been busy by hosting the first ever Fanzone where fans could celebrate all things Wildcats and have a go on the Arval sponsored Shooting Lane. Legends Ken Forshee and Shane Moore were also on hand to provide stories of days gone by which was well received by all in attendance! With Christmas just around the corner, it is a perfect time to book your Christmas Party with the Cats. For more information, contact Commercial Manager Sally Price.
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Applications open for school
Applications have opened for reception age children at the new Badbury Park Primary School - run by the Blue Kite Academy Trust. The two-form entry school has a capacity of 210 children, with 60 per year group from the Badbury Park estate catchment area. For the first year of the school's operation, the children will be taught in a purposebuilt facility across the road from the main school site which is in the process of construction. The temporary school building
will feature two main large classrooms, easy parking, state-of-the-art facilities, a covered area to allow the children to access outdoor play in all weathers, a dedicated quiet and sensory space and four specialised large outdoor play areas with a variety of hard and soft surfaces. Those interested in applying for a place for their child should log on to www.swindon. got.uk/primaryschoolplaces. Parents can make changes to their application form up until 15 January 2019.
Carpark plan for brownfield site Work to give shoppers more space to park their cars in Swindon town centre has begun in earnest. The disused area of gravel opposite the Wyvern Theatre is currently being turned into a temporary car park to increase capacity in the town centre and to help facilitate the council’s regeneration plans for a new bus boulevard along Fleming Way. The new temporary car park, to be known as the Wyvern Car Park, is expected to be completed in December and will bring 53 extra car parking spaces to the town centre – 12 of which will be disabled bays. There will also be space for motorbikes to park in the revamped carpark. It is expected that the Princes Street Car Park will be transformed into a temporary bus facility while the Fleming Way boulevard is being regenerated. Work is anticipated to start on the
Princes Street Car Park in autumn 2019. The displaced parking from this site can then find space in the new Wyvern Car Park. In the meantime, turning the Wyvern Car Park into a usable space will see this derelict brownfield site brought back into use for town centre shoppers. Councillor Dale Heenan, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Town Centre, said: “This site is an eyesore and local residents want to see visible progress on town centre regeneration. "With construction work due to start in March for the Snowdome at North Star, July being the start of the Kimmerfields building work and December signalling the new 45min train timetable to Paddington, now is the time to think creatively to transform the town centre into a more attractive place in which to live, work and invest." swindonlink.com n December 2018
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Applications open
for housing projects Applications are open for charities and projects to apply for grants to tackle housing issues in their communities. Swindon-based Nationwide Building Society is making £500,000 available to for projects that support the most vulnerable with housing needs. A Community Board, which is comprised of Nationwide members, employees and housing experts has been appointed to review applications. This is part of a wider Community Grants programme through which Nationwide is investing £22 million in housing projects across the UK over five years. Full details can be found at www.nationwide. co.uk/communityfunding
Financial check-up The Chairman of the Financial Conduct Authority met with Swindon's business leaders, from Business West, Nationwide and Swindon borough councillors to support the use of the town's financial services. Charles Randell CBE, Chairman of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the UK’s financial markets regulator, met with business and civic leaders in Swindon yesterday. As a UK-wide regulator, the FCA’s programme of visits gives senior staff insight into the customer and business experience.
Burger bar blow Gourmet Burger Kitchen is set to close after three years of trading. The Swindon restaurant, at Regent Cirus, is one of 17 branches of the high-end burger chain to be axed by parent company Famous Brands in the wake of falling sales. 10
‘Life is too short’ says New College graduate after beating cancer After battling cancer Sharon Jennings pursued her life long dream and graduated from New College HND in Textiles. Sharon Jennings graduated from New College Swindon this year, with an HND in Textiles. Her journey hasn’t been an easy one, but after battling cancer, completing her studies and graduating, Sharon’s work is now being seen across the globe. Sharon’s dream has always been to work in the textiles industry, but up until four years ago she was working in an office-based role. In 2014, Sharon received news that left her in shock and changed her outlook on life, a change that led her to pursue her lifelong dream. She said: “Being diagnosed with cancer made me realise that life is too short, you should do what makes you happy.” After hearing the news, Sharon set up a Just Giving page. She said: “I just wanted
to do what I could to help raise awareness. I’ve always enjoyed crafting and sewing, so I made Christmas decorations and donated the money to charity.” Treatment began immediately and Sharon explained how the process happened so quickly. She said: “It was completely unexpected, something I just wasn’t looking out for. If anyone has any concerns; then I’d urge them to act on it straight away." During her time away from work, Sharon decided to attend the annual New
College fashion show. She was impressed with the work that she saw and she spoke to Art Project Coordinator, Karen Pau. She said: “I was so inspired and thought I’d love to do the course myself, but I assumed I would be too old for college. “Upon completion of my degree, I feel I have enough new skill to carry on and have the courage to get out there.” Since graduating Sharon has worked alongside PR company, Premier, on a recent stunt they produced for part of Bohemian Rhapsody.
Historic Railway Village awarded Heritage Action Zone status Swindon’s treasured Railway Village has been selected as one of Historic England’s special Heritage Action Zones, and only the second in the South West. The scheme is being led by Swindon Borough Council and will help Swindon’s historic railway area to be a thriving and connected central hub for the town. The Heritage Action Zone will help to regenerate neglected buildings and enhance visitor attractions and other public amenities in order to draw in residents and visitors. The detailed plan for the Heritage Action Zone will be worked up by spring 2019 and will confirm the resources, including any grant-funding, to be provided by Historic England. Councillor Dale Heenan, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for the Town Centre, said: “We are delighted that Swindon’s Railway Quarter has been
chosen as one of the country’s Heritage Action Zones. “The Railway Village is the most significant surviving railway-engineering establishment of its time in the world, and our aim is to ensure it is recognised nationally as a go-to place of historic interest. “It is now crucial that Swindon’s Heritage community pull together to make this scheme a huge success and for visible progress over the next five years.” Ross Simmonds, Planning Director for Historic England in the South West, added:
“Swindon has so much to be proud of, particularly its worldclass railway heritage. Some of its historic buildings are still to find a new use, while some are showing signs of neglect. But with a little investment and imagination, they can become assets for the local economy. “We are looking forward to working with Swindon Borough Council and its partners to increase awareness of what the town’s Railway Quarter has to offer and to make it easy for investors and developers to bring jobs, homes and visitors here.”
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Tesco backs Swindon & Wiltshire Pride with Bags of Help scheme By Claire Dukes claire@swindonlink.com
Swindon & Wiltshire Pride are in the running to receive up to £4K thanks to Tesco's Bags of Help Scheme. Organisers of Swindon & Wiltshire Pride are asking people to vote for their cause in a bid to "make pride happen" next year through Tesco's Bags of Help grant scheme. Since 1 November Tesco shoppers across Swindon and Wiltshire store have the opportunity to vote for Swindon & Wiltshire Pride to win up to a £4,000 grant which will go towards the group's annual pride parade next year. The scheme will end 31 December. This year due to a lack of volunteers, and many committee members retiring, the Swindon & Wiltshire Pride committee announced the annual event - which has
taken place for the last 10 year - would be cancelled. Through the Bags of Help grant organisers are hoping to bring back the parade next year. John Edwards, Swindon & Wiltshire Pride's grants coordinator, said: "This great opportunity from Tesco Bags of help gives Swindon & Wiltshire Pride more chance of ensuring our event does happen in 2019. "The people of Swindon and Wiltshire were disappointed to have no pride this year but with a helping hand from Tesco this is one step closer to ensuring we come back stronger. The funds will help us to move forward and keep this event free for all to attend. "We would really like people to vote for us as the more votes we have, the more funds we get, therefore giving us more chance and more opportunity to showcase Swindon and Wiltshire Pride 2019. including town centre stores.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for supporting us." Last month the organisation also unveiled their secret project - Rainbow Walk - the new inclusive stairway to Theatre Square. It represents Swindon’s continuing commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity for the LGBTQ+ community. The scheme was suported by B&Q, Wickes, Homebase and Newjax who helped by pressure washing the steps.
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Green light for retirement homes at Wichelstowe Freeman Retirement Living and Swindon Borough Council have signed an agreement to include retirement homes in the Wichelstowe development in Swindon. The company, a division of family-run MF Freeman Group, specialises in developing high-quality housing tailored for the over55 market. The Wichelstowe project will bring quality new homes and improved facilities to the Swindon area. The Canalside section of the development will be the heart of this diverse and distinctive community. Stylish and bursting with character, it will feature easily-accessible amenities set amongst beautiful landscaping and greenways. Freeman Retirement Living provide specialist homes that are designed to adapt to the needs of later life. The company prides itself on delivering spacious and modern living environments. Their sites provide easy
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access to necessary facilities such as supermarkets, health infrastructure and public transport. They also work hard to ensure that their retirement living villages form part of a thriving, like-minded community. The dedicated over-55 homes at Wichelstowe will be within walking distance of Waitrose and the buzzing atmosphere of the Canalside Square, where residents can shop, eat and enjoy the views. The homes themselves will be developed
around landscaped courtyards along the waterside, providing an excellent outlook over the canal and beyond. Luke Freeman, Joint Chief Executive of MF Freeman Group and Managing Director of Freeman Retirement Living, said: “We invest a huge amount of effort into ensuring that our over-55 developments will provide not only a comfortable and secure home for our residents, but will also look after their wellbeing. The Wichelstowe project is a great
opportunity for us to provide high quality housing in an ideal environment for later life.” Councillor Gary Sumner, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning, said: “Quality will be the hallmark of our Canalside development and the Freeman retirement village will perfectly complement the high-class homes and facilities that are already taking shape alongside the stunning Wilts and Berks Canal. “Following the announcement that the Joint Venture will take on the council’s three prime development sites at Canalside, 2019 promises to be an extremely exciting year for the future of Wichelstowe.” Freeman Retirement Living have now submitted the full planning application, which provides their complete vision of the development. Should the application be granted, works will commence on the site next year.
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The Business Brief
From Nick Cave to Coldplay – the Swindon business taking the marketing world by storm By Claire Dukes claire@swindonlink.com
"I’m not moving to London" says the director of a digital marketing company based in Swindon after securing contracts with Nick Cave, Muse and now Coldplay. Founded in a home office in 2014, Digital Marketing Specialist Ltd have shown that quality, not quantity, is the tool for success after marketing films for the big guns of the music industry. Last month Coldplay’s first documentary ‘A Head Full of Dreams’, which follows the band’s career over the last 20 years, was screened in cinemas across the UK. To digitally market the documentary, film distributors Trafalgar Releasing opted for Swindon’s own Digital Marketing Specialist Ltd. Based in Swindon’s latest co-op work space Workshed since June, the team of four have been creating Facebook and Google adverts for independent and high-profile companies across the globe. After successfully running the ad campaigns for Nick Cave’s live concert show ‘Distant Sky’ and Muse’s ‘The Drones World Tour’ cinema event the younh company was then sought out for Coldplay’s documentary. Having quickly progressed over the last year, and speaking about having Trafalgar Releasing as their client, Digital Marketing Specialist Ltd’s director, Tom Davenport, said: “It’s amazing. Firstly, I’m chuffed because we must be doing something right – we’re getting awesome clients and we haven’t done any marketing for ourselves. And, secondly, the team here 14
has proven that I can find high grade talent in and around Swindon." Mr Davenport, 32, believes that his background in the music industry, and experience in the marketing business sector, has enabled the company to grow organically. He said: “I think things like this – people having a cool night – are meaningful. Even if it seems like trivial entertainment it can be a really memorable night, especially for people who really care deeply about music. “The music business has been really hung up on getting likes and subscribers, - which is all valuable stuff – but there’s actually a huge halo of many other people who interact with bands because they like their music, and are listening to it, so they're visiting the band’s Facebook page but not necessarily liking it. You don’t 'like' everything you listen to on Facebook. "No one’s representing that online interest could be used for something really positive. A lot of people might think ‘there’s no good ads’ but when you see something that is totally relevant to you, speaks to you and solves a big problem for you, that could be the best thing that comes along for you all week. “Some marketers will just boost likes on a band’s page by doing dirt cheap ads in third world countries, so they’re getting likes for fractions of a penny – it ‘looks’ good but likes on a page aren’t necessarily meaningful. But what is meaningful are real people actually interacting and, in this instance, enjoying the band’s music. This is also
L to R: Tom Davenport (Director), Claire Espley (Digital Marketing Assistant), and Alex Booth (Digital Marketing Executive
true for regular businesses.” Digital Marketing Specialist Ltd say they have no plans to relocate. The team believe that Swindon is ideally located and is also a growing hotbed for dynamic and progressive businesses. Claire Espley, Digital Marketing Assistant, said: “A lot of people get the impression that there’s not a lot going on in Swindon, but after being at the Workshed this has really proven to me that this is not the case.” Tom added: “It’s easy to make negative assumptions and jokes about Swindon because of how it’s portrayed in things like The Office, but if you want to look at the evidence here it is: there are big, ambitious and dynamic work places in Swindon. And, there are so many interesting
businesses here [Workshed]. So, if people have those assumptions, they’re wrong. There’s no question – I’m not moving to London. “We want to be based in Swindon because I’d like people to know that there are options locally – the important thing for me is to build a small and really high calibre team in Workshed. "It’s cool that we’re successfully competing with rather big companies. I’m not saying we can compete with everything because there are things we can’t do like billboards, - we don’t want to – but strategically we’re totally competing. Long may it continue!” For further information about Digital Marketing Wiltshire Air Ambulance Specialist Ltd visit lands at www. new air base digitalmarketingspecialist.co.uk
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Swindon Link: celebrating 40 years A history of Swindon's community news magazine by founder Roger Ogle
2018 October: The Swindon Link team, from left, Roger Ogle, Claire Dukes, Ben Fitzgerald, Sue Roberts, Jamie Hill, Rosy Presley and Karen Randell
1984 April: Although some think otherwise, Link Centre is in fact named after the Link newsletter after Thamesdown Council invited us to enter a competition to give the new leisure centre an identity. The volunteers involved with The Link at the building site, from left, Nick Jansen, Council leader Tony Mayer, Janice Oliver, Roger Ogle, Eric Edwards. Front, Sharon McColl, who also suggested Link Centre.
Front pages spanning 40 years: 1978 December: First unamed newsletter
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1979 February: Toothill Link published
1987 January: Last newsletter
1987 April: First monthly magazine
1988 December: Tenth anniversay of the Link
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Swindon Link: celebrating 40 years
2017 April: Link editor Jamie Hill and founder Roger Ogle meeting HRH Princess Anne when she visited Excalibur Communications at Arclite House, Hillmead, where Link magazine is based.
Choices choices It’s been a challenge selecting an interesting range of editions, as well as a few photographs from the thousands stored in boxes and on hard drives. Choosing the covers was easier as I’ve been preparing them to be scanned and digitised for the relaunched Swindonlink.com. Some were lodged in the memory or vaguely remembered, whilst others were forgotten and rediscovered. The 40 in these eight pages are not shown in a balanced and proportionate way, some years are more represented; that’s not to 1994 August: Distribution in Northern Expansion
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say some magazines are less interesting than others, but some covers are more striking. Whilst there were 438 front pages to pick from, identifying which photographs to include was a brain teaser. Those which have made the final cut illustrate the range of broad aims and interests pursued by The Link over the years and the geographical coverage of the magazine. There are many more images in the archive to be revealed and I hope they can appear in the future at swindonlink.com Roger Ogle
1996 May: First colour pages included
Roger Ogle writes: For a free magazine to survive for forty years is rather an incredible achievement. It all started in December 1978 when an 18-page unnamed newsletter appeared through the doors of the 500 houses occupied in Toothill and the 50 or so in Freshbrook. Resident Geoff Richmond had put it together and distributed the publication door-to-door with his wife Kathy, pushing a pram with their baby daughter on top and the loaded tray below. The second edition in early 1979 carried the title Toothill Link though the place name was soon dropped as the western expansion grew to include other areas. In a rapidly expanding
community, communication was essential so that people knew what was going on and were encouraged to get involved. For eight years The Link appeared every eight weeks, produced by a small group of volunteers coordinated by myself. This was the precomputer era when e-mail was still science fiction for the majority of people. Stories were typed on paper, cut and pasted onto layout boards, and headlines made with Letraset stick-on lettering. Photographs were a rarity. For the first few editions the pages were hand stapled together before distribution by more volunteers. It was all very primitive and the appearance crude by today’s standards.
Robert Buckland, MP South Swindon For the past 40 years, Swindon Link has been a free monthly magazine full of important community news. From humble beginnings in 1978, it has grown to become a vital community resource playing an important role in supporting other local businesses, charities and support organisations, bringing news and views to residents. During my time as MP for South Swindon, and as a Parliamentary candidate before that, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Swindon Link. Their ethos has been more than merely ‘getting a good story,’ but providing reliable information and a variety of opinions on big and small local issues. May this ethos live on in Link over the next forty years.
1997 November: Swindonlink.com launched
1999 January: 20th anniversary
2000 January: celebrating children of the future
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But The Link quickly became a point of reference for West Swindon which we promoted as an area with a distinct identity, to get away from the idea of the ‘western expansion’ as it was first known. And we never missed the opportunity to remind readers that in 1984 Link Centre was named after the newsletter. By late 1986 it was clear that publishing just eight editions
a year was inadequate and volunteer distribution to more than 8,000 homes was not sustainable. Another 3,000 homes were to be built to the west of the town and plans for expansion to the north were taking shape. With little business sense and no formal journalism experience I took the fateful decision to leave a secure job at Thamesdown Borough
Council (now Swindon) to publish The Link as a monthly from April 1987 with the same objectives: • being available free of charge to every home in its target area • providing local news and information about schools, churches, charities and community activities • promoting opportunities to
get involved and help groups and charities; • celebrating the efforts of people to build their communities and making connections with those in other countries. Advertising has always been absolutely crucial; apart from small grants to fund the first two news-letters, every publication (continued...)
Councillor Junab Ali, Mayor of Swindon The Link magazine is celebrating a wonderful milestone in Swindon. Congratulations on behalf of myself and all the mayors over the last 40 years who have had the pleasure of receiving a personal copy of this very informative local magazine for the town. I certainly look forward to receiving my copy. The Link shares so much information, reaching out to a wide range of our community. At these happy and positive times, my thanks go to the editors and the team who have produced such a magnificent magazine for us in Swindon over the last four decades.“ Above: the first photograph to appear in The Link was in July 1979. The Mayor of Thamesdown Percy Jefferies presents Theresa and Terry Davies, the first couple to move into Swindon’s ‘Western Expansion,’ with a commemorative spoon to mark the birth of Janice, born a month after they arrived in Toothill. Right: 25 years later, Theresa and Terry and Janice with her own daughter Amy in the April 2001 Link. 2000 September: first all-colour edition
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2001 December: Plans for Priory Vale featured
Justin Tomlinson, MP for North Swindon “For 40 years the Swindon Link has landed on our doormats to report and celebrate the very best of our growing town. From landmark events, meetings and campaigns to every new home, business and facility – the Swindon Link has been there to capture it all in. Everybody looks forward to flicking through the colourful and vibrant pages each month, and the Swindon Link has been a focal point at the very heart of our growing and diverse communities. Every town should celebrate the people who live in it and the Swindon Link does exactly that. So thank you, in your 40th year, for promoting the very best of what makes living in Swindon so great!” 2002 July: Royal Jubilee edition
2003 February: Russian maps exclusive
2003 June: Support for twin peaks fundraisers
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Swindon Link: celebrating 40 years (continued...) since March 1979 has paid for itself. It’s what I’ve called a virtuous circle: being a vehicle for business promotion alongside news and information trusted by readers who in turn respond to the advertising which sustains the publication. Without doubt hundreds of small businesses have
been assisted in establishing themselves because of the support from readers. It’s a great responsibility helping entrepreneurs who only advertise in the magazine to attract customers. In 1994, with commercial possibilities in mind, we expanded into Haydon Wick ready for the first houses of the
town’s northern expansion at Abbey Meads. I admit to be constantly surprised that the free delivery model continued to be successful for so long. Yet I was always aware that The Link would only be attractive if the quality of the product was always high. Over the years rival
publications were started by people who thought it was an easy way to make money. But they didn’t understand the unique features of The Link, nor the sheer hard work required to create an appealing product month after month. The Link came into being at a time when new technology made it easier to
The builders’ hut in Toothill which served as a shop when the first people arrived in 1976. It was later turned into a community centre, then a studio where several of the large public sculptures in West Swindon were created during the early 1980s.
1994: Mohammad Salas Khan won a volunteering award for running the Swindon Pakistan Welfare Association and also after school Arabic language classes. He received the MBE in 2003.
June 2004: Campaign to protect Shaw Forest
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April 2005: Support for Swindon MS Centre
1974: Before the first residents and The Link, the old A420 at Mannington from the bridge over the London to Bristol railway line
August 2006: Greendown students meet Tony Blair
November 2006: Campaign to protect Lower Shaw Farm
December 2007: Royal opening of seven North Swindon schools
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to allow in-house control of the production, the first in Swindon to do so. We were also the first to utilise the flexibility provided by digital cameras. By a couple of weeks, swindonlink.com was the second in October 1997 to launch a town-wide website. As they came along we were also quick to get involved with Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram. In all the years it has been going, I’ve not come across another local publication with a high level of editorial content whilst being delivered in such large numbers without charge. In 2014 we were very pleased that James Phipps recognised the importance of The Link to Swindon, bought it and oversaw the launch of
two further editions covering Old Town and south and east Swindon. Jamie Hill, editor since 2015, has now taken over the business. Despite the massive changes over 40 years, and now distributing to 55,000 homes, the basic elements of The Link remain at the core of what the magazine is today - free to all, promoting
So what did The Link ever do for us? asks former West Swindon resident Martha Parry To really answer this question you would need to have moved into Toothill when it was a mire of muddy clay, without a shop or school, and a long wait for a telephone line! You would have to have seen the first issues being delivered from a pram, door to door. I missed that bit, but do remember pasting up pages sometime in 1980/1, using 1984 August: Members of Swindon International Group present a a typewriter, glue and sticky cheque to Swindon children’s cancer charity CALM backed Letraset headlines. Zoom forward a few years and Roger was unpacking the first desktop computer I ever saw, and West Swindon was nudging into North Swindon so fast only the Link could really keep up. And it did keep up, with pictures from all the new schools, churches and leisure sites; all the toddler groups and lunch clubs; and all the new roads and roundabouts that tangled us all up as they 1989 November: Second year students at Greendown Community kept appearing. Maps were School on the yet-to-be-built Shaw Ridge Leisure Park with published eventually and even Link Centre in the background aerial photographs. Then February 2009: PM Gordon Brown visits Isambard School
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January 2010: Plans for long term expansion west of town
August 2010: Link pictured at Swindon Town FC camp in USA
community involvement and celebrating positive news. I believe The Link has always punched above its weight, its success built on a high level of relevant editorial and visual content, a passion for the community, accuracy, absence of sensationalism and bit of wit for good measure. May it continue for many years to come. there were some pretty funny April Fools’ Day issues, until they got so good someone complained about the proposal for an underground airport under what is now known as Wichelstowe! As a suburban growth area, we also needed to be aware of wider Swindon issues, and here too The Link delivered – with the most incisive coverage of issues from Coate to Lydiard over the years. The Link found space for people to write from their own points of view too, as I know from the Mechanics’ Institution angle over 23 years. And it surveyed residents about their issues with a 1992 insert. Essentially, what the Link has done is to put us in the picture of an amazing expanding town; it grew with us into a mature community as it saw itself mirrored monthly - so mature that schoolchildren have grown up and reproduced the poem their predecessors wrote in 1998, celebrating their established place in words once spoken and written, and now filmed and published with The Link looking on.
March 2011: Plans for Tadpole Farm expansion proposed
July 2011: William and Kate’s wedding
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Swindon Link: celebrating 40 years
1998 November: Former railway worker Alf Neate, the last foreman in A shop, and the Mayor of Swindon Maurice Fanning restart the Swindon Works clock at the time the works closed in 1986, to launch the conversion work to create Steam Museum which was funded by an £8 million Heritage Lottery Grant
2000 December: Swindon planning officers Carol Bristow and Vivienne O’Connell show the plans for the third phase of the town’s northern expansion, named Priory Vale by developers, to Robert and Doreen Chapman of Windflower Road, Haydon Wick
1997 April: Westlea Primary School children holding The Link, uncut as it comes off the press, after a talk about making a magazine
2006 June: Swindon Robins supporters and former councillor Justin Tomlinson collecting signatures on a petition against the threatened closure of Abbey Stadium Alison Marsh, Toothill resident I moved to West Swindon over 33 years ago and brought up three children here. The Link was already established but in a smaller format. As I didn’t know many people in the area to start with, I always looked forward to the Link landing on my doormat, as it let me know what was going on in my local area and provided me with so much information about community groups, toddler groups, schools and so on. These were the days before mobile phones or access to the internet. Also The Link has always been the place to look for a local window cleaner, decorator, or someone to mend the cooker!
2012 June: Conservation of St Mary’s Church, Lydiard Park
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2012 October: Reader reflects on being an Olympic Gamesmaker
2016 May: Isambard School students holding their designs for an artwork commemorating Swindon’s engineering heritage. Their work has been incorporated into the paving around a Spitfire wing designed by Mike Pringle at the Orbital Shopping Centre, right
2012 December: North Star redevelopment plans
2013 August: MPs press for Thamesdown Drive funding
2013 October: Young designer Charli puts talent to work
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1998 August: Soul music legend Sam Moore rehearsing with Greendown School students who appeared on stage with him at the Wiltshire Festival Party in the Park in Lydiard Park.
2005 September: Community protest against Taylor Wimpey’s plan to infill a site between Lydiard Park and West Swindon. A campaign against another proposal in 2015 was warded off by public objection
2004 October: The first children and staff at St Francis Church of England Primary School, Taw Hill, in the temporary buildings on the site occupied until the permanent accomodation was completed
2000 October: Norman Butler from Westlea with his self-built ocean going boat which he rowed across the Atlantic the following year in the Ward Evans Atlantic Rowing Challenge
2006 June: The dedication of Clifford Meadow Site of Special Scientific Interest in Priory Vale which is managed by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust 2014 January: Swindon refuse to fuel plant featured
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2014 August: Last edition published by Roger Ogle
Cristina Bennett, Greendown Community School teacher Sharing the real life of a school with the local community is always difficult. Too often, local daily and weekly press, choose to focus on unrepresentative, sensational and headline-grabbing hearsay, which serves to feed readers’ prejudices. But not The Link Magazine. During my 25 years of teaching at Greendown Community School (now Lydiard Park Academy) I was always impressed by the intent of The Link Magazine to encourage and enable us to celebrate and share with our community, the lesser known side of young people’s participation in their school life, that those not directly involved in have little or no idea about: our unique poetry projects: the incredible West Swindon schools’ Shakespeare Festival; our students’ exchange visits to other countries and continents. As a true community magazine, The Link has always searched for, listened to and given space to things that matter to people who matter – the local community.”
2014 September: Sale of Link to James Phipps announced
2015 August: Battle of Britain anniversary featured
2015 November: Positive Media Group launched
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Swindon Link: celebrating 40 years
The future of Swindon Link By Group Editor Jamie Hill jamie@swindonlink.com
I first met Swindon Link's former editor Roger Ogle almost 20 years ago at a council press conference when I was the political reporter at the Evening Advertiser. When I say met, he doesn't remember me, as to him I was just another face in the everchanging roster of reporters churned out by The Adver. I remember Roger there. Unafraid of asking difficult and very insightful questions. Swindon Link at the time was a mystery to me as I had been brought up and had been working at newspapers for several years by then. The concept of a monthly community news magazine, that was so much more than a parish newsletter, was alien to a lot of us journalists. For myself, it was a weird concept as news was an immediate thing in my mind, which was fully occupied by the cut and thrust of a daily newspaper. I never thought that fast forward two decades I would have the honour to own and be at the helm of such a magazine. Through the years Roger made it work. He built something important that was at the very heart of the community. Something that a lot of local newspapers, as they 2016 March: Lord Joel Joffe opens migration exhibition
became more money-focussed and corporate in a bid to stave off declining readerships, had forgotten. And it's to Roger's credit that his tenacity and love of the community made such a thing a commercial success. Swindon Link has survived by always keeping its basic premise of community news at its core. In the last few years since I've tried to fill Roger's very large shoes, we've introduced several changes to try and keep Swindon Link at the heart of the community. We now have three editions covering all of Swindon which keeps our team of reporters very busy indeed. This year we also invested heavily in our website helping us to safeguard Swindon Link for the future as the landscape of news consumption continues to change. I'm positive that we will continue to grow as Swindon grows. But I promise that we will never forget what is at the heart of what makes Swindon Link great and that is community news. So here's to another 40 years of this magazine that has found its place at the very heart of the Swindon community. www.swindonlink.com
2016 October: South & East Swindon edition launched
2016 December: Quilters 2017 December: Go support Prospect Hospice ahead for North Star 'Snowasis' plans
2018 December: Jamie Hill takes ownership from James Phipps No 439 December 2018
GPS delivered door to door to 55,000 homes across Swindon with Est. overall readership of 137,500
Swindon
LINK Your Community Magazine
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from everyone at Swindon Link
North & West Edition
Celebrating 40 years of Swindon Link - 8 page supplement Page 13 Two Sick Monkeys bow Page 34 Red Oaks and out in a proper punk Brookfield pupils plant style with final show crocus bulbs for a good cause
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Page 29 Let them eat cake with the Swindon branch of the British Sugarcraft Guild
Community: P2-20
Swindon Wide: P21 - 29
Leisure: P30-39
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South Swindon Parish Council Winter 2018 newsletter
Chair's report Firstly, I would like to wish all parishioners a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year. We have appointed a new clerk, Rob Core, who currently
works for Swindon Borough Council, heading up the team that work on the Grounds Maintenance Contract. We would like to pass on our heartfelt thanks and gratitude
to our outgoing clerk, Joyce Holman, who has performed an immense task under challenging circumstances. As a new Parish Council, that we have been able to maintain
Broadgreen Community Centre success
Play area
Park South open evening
The Journey
South Swindon Parish Council has recently taken on a 99year lease for Broadgreen Community Centre. The community centre had been running at a loss and was due to be closed by Swindon Borough Council before the Parish Council stepped in and took over the running of
The Chair would like to pass on his thanks to all the parishioners and stakeholders that attended this open evening to discuss plans for Shaftesbury Lake and the green space on Oldlands Walk. The feedback we received was invaluable and we intend to hold similar events in other areas of the parish.
the centre in July 2017. This has been done on a yearly Licence to Occupy. The Parish Council is very pleased to report that at the end of the first year there was a small surplus. The decision to take a lease will ensure the future of a community centre at the site.
Old Town lights
The Parish Council is pleased to support the Old Town Christmas lights again this year. Volunteer organisers have delivered and improved this marvellous winter festival. The Parish Council understands that this is exactly where it should focus its support, giving a boost to local businesses and bringing joy to many parishioners.
Library news
Old Town Library has changed to two term-time sessions of Story, Rhyme & Crafts every Tuesday. The free sessions will be from 11.15am to 12.15pm and 2pm to 3pm. There will be a Storytime Christmas Special on 18 December 2018 at 11.15am and 2pm. On 21 December, artist Fred Blunt will be reading his new Christmas Book entitled Santa Claus v The Easter Bunny. This will be followed by Christmas crafts with the best receiving a signed copy of Fred’s book.
South Swindon Parish Council has approved some major improvements to the play area at Broadgreen and these should be completed by Christmas. This will include a new piece of play equipment, new path and new surface for the MUGA.
and improve services, whilst building an excellent team, is testament to Joyce’s dedication and professionalism. We wish Joyce well for her retirement. Cllr Chris Watts Chair
The remainder of the site will be refurbished with seats being painted and new litter bins. The work on the play area is due to start at the end of November. This is the first play area to be refurbished by South Swindon Parish Council.
South Swindon Parish Council is very pleased to support ‘The Journey’. This is a processional nativity play which will take place on 9th December 2018 in Old Town. There will be two performances at noon and 4pm. The play will start at Lethbridge School, moving along Avenue Road, Bath Road and into Wood Street before finishing at Christ Church.
Credit union The Parish Council is pleased to support the Wiltshire & Swindon Credit Union. They will be providing the use of the small office at Broadgreen Community Centre as a collection/ customer service point. The Credit Union is looking for more volunteers. Please contact the Parish Office to find out more information.
First World War commemoration
The Parish Council is extremely proud to commemorate the centenary of World War 1. In Queens Park, 25 photographs of local soldiers with a description of their service were displayed on trees. A plaque was laid in Town Gardens to mark the tree that was
planted at the end of World War 1. The new war memorial in GWR Park was unveiled on Saturday 10 November 2018 by Parish Council Chair Cllr Chris Watts. The memorial has been designed by Swindon artist Dr Mike Pringle and has been sited in a quiet corner of the park.
Christmas opening The Parish Council office will close on Friday 21 December 2018 and Old Town Library will close on Saturday 22 December 2018. Both will reopen on Wednesday 2 January 2019.
(Central Swindon South Parish Council)
Broadgreen Community Centre, Salisbury Street, Swindon. SN1 2AN Clerk: Joyce Holman Telephone: 01793 312006 Earthworm Recording Studio's Jon Buckett - photograph by Jennifer Berry
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Website: www.southswindon-pc.gov.uk
Email: clerk@southswindon-pc.gov.uk swindonlink.com n December 2018
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Old Town residents discuss sustainability and road safety By The Old Town Residents Association
Many people all over Swindon enjoyed using Beat the Street beatboxes, fobs and cards during September and October, highlighting the enjoyment people can get from exercising outdoors. It also reminded us about the fantastic number of recreational green spaces we have in Swindon as people travelled around on foot or bike looking for more boxes. It’s therefore alarming to hear about Swindon Borough Council’s SHELAA proposals; the Council is looking at proposed areas of land for potential building plots. SHELAA stands for Strategic Housing & Economic Land Availability, and this is Phase one of the revised Local Plan. It was felt at our recent meeting that this information should be available for public view and it should by clearer
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and the maps larger to show exactly the areas in question. There was particular concern regarding an area in Lakeside near the Lawn Woods; we know the importance of outdoor play for everyone, and to consider building on local green areas around the town is a travesty at a time when we are encouraging children to become more active. We have known for a long time that our use of plastic is totally unsustainable, and that it was uncertain what happened to the used plastic we shipped to the Far East. There has recently been a plastic waste Strategy Review in Swindon. SBC wanted to stop all plastic collection by the end of the year. This has led to a rebuke from the Environment Minister and hopefully a change of plan. Meanwhile on a more cheerful note, we have learned that the much loved Hesketh Play Area will soon have more
equipment. We have asked a local craftsperson to make some signs for our OTRA beds, so in addition to having a Facebook page, they will also have signage on each bed so people know where they are. We have also applied for parish council funding for a water butt at the garden on Victoria Hill. Speeding down Croft Road and many other roads around
the town is particularly dangerous. Rather than having a 30 limit flashing red sign, surely it would be far better to have a sign which told drivers and pedestrians what speed they were traveling? The current sign lights up for approximately 75% of the cars passing, maybe it’s time to bring back speed cameras and fines? www.facebook.com/groups/ oldtownresidents/
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The Politics Page
Electrification of Swindon to London line is boost for town Swindon Borough Council Leader Cllr David Renard (Con) This month a switch will be flicked that will bring enormous benefits to our town. I’m sure the process of electrifying the Great Western main line between Swindon and Paddington is much more complicated than turning on a switch, but no one can underestimate the huge benefits that surge of power will bring to our local economy. The new electric trains will
significantly reduce the time it takes to get into London, making Swindon a really attractive place for businesses and people who are struggling with the high property prices in the capital.
More businesses means more jobs, which in turn will bring more wealth and investment into the borough. We are already facilitating major regeneration in the town centre and, with plans for the regional leisure centre at North Star also on the table, I am sure the electrified railway line will draw in even more investment. Our rail links could also receive another significant boost with Network Rail due to submit plans next year for the western rail link to Heathrow
Airport that could see people travel from Swindon to Heathrow in less than an hour. Earlier this year, I made a submission to state how important such a rail link would be to Swindon. The western rail link will mean you can get a train from Swindon to Heathrow via Reading which will be hugely beneficial, not just to residents, but to the many national and multi-national companies within the borough. The railway is once again proving to be pivotal in Swindon’s success.
Everything must be done to tackle modern day slavery Swindon Labour Group Leader Cllr Jim Grant Recently police forces in the South West have declared that there has been a 5% increase in intelligence reporting of modern day slavery with an estimated 136,000 victims of modern day slavery in the UK. Slavery is a scourge on society and needs to be eradicated. We all need to be vigilant to exploitation of where modern day slavery takes place, including Swindon Council. That is why Labour have called
on the council to join other local councils, led by both Labour and Conservative, to proactively prevent modern day slavery by signing up to the “Charter Against Modern Slavery”, calling on the council to use its procurement system to ensure it does all it can to challenge modern-day slavery through its supply chain. A common reason why residents get in touch with their local councillor is because of a lack of maintenance of trees, causing unsafe conditions to residents and sometimes
damage to residents’ properties. We have recently learnt that Swindon Council only spends £50k on the maintenance of trees each year. However, over the last three years, 21 tree claims were settled by
the council with a total paid of £373,700. In November 2017 a proposal was brought to council requesting a review of the council’s tree maintenance policy. This motion was voted down by the Conservatives. Given the significant council spend on settlements for tree claims, Labour councillors have called on the Conservative administration to hold an urgent review of its tree maintenance policy to prevent such significant settlements for lack of tree maintenance in the future.
Homelessness shelter could reduce number of rough sleepers Lib Dem councillor Cllr Stan Pajak In politics both local and perhaps in particular nationally there haven’t been many happy stories this year ranging from the wasted two year long process of negotiating leaving the EU, accident and emergency waiting times reaching an all time record to Swindon Council‘s continuing financial crisis with implications for every service it provides. Therefore I need to take this moment to wish everybody a wonderful Christmas and
happy new year! Across the country and in Swindon there has been a growing homelessness crisis. With specific money from government, Swindon is embarking on a programme to create a new day centre run
by a charity Swindon Night Shelter. The day centre will be located on Queen’s drive next to the ambulance station and will provide accommodation for 12 rough sleepers and act as first point of contact to access vital services. This will be matched by a Housing First scheme designed to find accommodation and support needs for homeless people. November should have seen the end of time for planning proposals for the development of the Corn Exchange (Locarno) to be submitted for residential
apartments, restaurants and shops. With a potential cost of £20-30M the developer had been unable to meet all the five key needs ranging from ability to pay for the scheme to getting agreement with the land owners. The scheme was always going to be hard and had an element of controversy with an original idea to use part of the Lawns for car parking. The extra time given by the council will hopefully! allow the scheme to be either seen as a viable planning application or abandoned. swindonlink.com n December 2018
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